Robert Bristow of Surrey

[kiterunner]

I've been stuck on this brickwall for years, and just found a possible baptism on FamilySearch - the "England Births and Christenings" are showing as updated and I think this must have just been added as I don't remember seeing it before:
Rob Bristow baptised 15 Apr 1733 Buckland, Surrey, father's name Rob Bristow, mother's name My (= Mary).
There are siblings Jn 12 Mar 1738, Sar 21 Mar 1731, Eliz 10 Apr 1730, Sus 30 Mar 1735 and My 20 Oct 1728.

My Robert turns up in Horsleydown, Southwark, London / Surrey, in 1765 when he and his wife Elizabeth have a son Robert baptised. Then Thomas 1770, James 1772, Elizabeth 1774, John 1776, Frances 1779 and another Robert 1782. I haven't managed to find a marriage between Robert and Elizabeth yet.

Robert's wife Elizabeth died in 1807 age 67, and Robert died 23 Sep 1816, and was buried 29 Sep 1816 at Bletchingley, Surrey (not too far from Buckland.) His memorial inscription at Bletchingley says "Sacred to the memory of Mr Robert Bristow who died Sept 23 1816 aged 83 years." So if this age is right, he was born around 1733. His occupation on his children's baptisms varies between weaver, soldier, and oilman, and he is a weaver on his sons' apprenticeship indentures but oil merchant in 1811. He seems to have owned property in Bletchingley but also traded as an oil cooper /oil merchant in Horsleydown / Bermondsey. Although two of his sons were apprenticed as coopers, he doesn't seem to have been qualified as a cooper himself.

So am I getting excited about nothing, or is this Buckland baptism the right one at last? Any help in finding out more about the Buckland family would be much appreciated, please!

[kiterunner]

There is a marriage between Robert Brister and Mary Bratton 7 Aug 1728 at Headley, Surrey, which looks likely for the parents.

Then possible baptism for the Robert who married Mary - Rob Bristow christened 1 Nov 1683 Buckland, parents Rob and Sus. There are siblings Philippa 17 Jul 1691, Dav 21 Apr 1694, Jas 1 Nov 1695, Tho 7 Dec 1687, Edm 26 Jun 1685 and Moore 16 Aug 1676, so Rob and Sus must be Robert Bristow of Ivell (= Ifield?) in the county of Sussex gent aged 22 and Susannah More of Buckland in Surrey, spinster age 21 who are in the Surrey Marriage Bonds on ancestry, 28 Sep 1675.

The only wills that might be connected which I can see on TNA Documents Online are Henry Moore yeoman of Buckland, Surrey 17 Jun 1738 and Thomas Moore husbandman of Buckland, Surrey, 3 Jun 1681, but they aren't likely to tell me whether the Robert who was christened in 1733 is my Robert. But there surely must be some more wills somewhere if the Robert who got married in 1675 was a "gent".

[Sue from Southend]

There's a marriage on Boyds (FMP) of a Robert BRISTER and Mary Bratton, 1728 at Headley in Surrey which according to Genuki is about 2.5 miles from Buckland...

And have you seen the much earlier Robert Bristow marriage licence allegation (Ancestry) in Buckland in 1675?

[Sue from Southend]

Doh! Too late again!

[Sue from Southend]

It's not clear from your first post whether you have Robert's Will (1816)? It's showing on FMP as available from SoG.

[kiterunner]

Yes, thanks, Sue, I do have that and he mentions Bletchingley but it's not clear exactly what his connection with Bletchingley was. His son Thomas certainly lived in Bletchingley but his other sons stayed in the London part of Surrey. Unfortunately he doesn't mention any brothers, sisters, nieces, nephews etc.

[kiterunner]

Findmypast has a burial for a Robert Bristow 2 Jan 1761 at Buckland, who could be the father of the one who was baptised 1733. No age given.

[Sue from Southend]

Found this on TNA http://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/a2a/records.aspx?cat=008-Dashwood&cid=1-1-8-17-4#1-1-8-17-4

which led to this http://www.bucklandsurrey.net/books/3.pdf You'll have to scroll down to second paragraph on page 31 for the relevant bit.

I hope these links work. It doesn't help prove that they are your Robert's family but very interesting and might lead to something!

And there's a will for Susannah Bristow of Reigate on Documents on line dated 1732.

[kiterunner]

Ooh, that looks interesting, Sue, thanks! I hope I can find something to prove the connection as it looks as though there will be loads on this family.

[kiterunner]

Robert and Susanna's oldest surviving son was Edmund, so we'd better forget about that part for now and concentrate on Robert and Mary and their children.

[kiterunner]

Looking at Mary Bratton, I haven't found a likely baptism for her yet, but there is a Sarah Bratten who marries a Henry Palmer 10 Aug 1735 at Headley, and a Sarah Bratun christened 27 Dec 1705 at Leigh, Surrey, father Richard, and it looks as though Richard's wife was called Marey as there is a marriage 21 Jan 1704 at Leigh, so maybe they had a daughter called Mary too. Though Sarah would be 29-30 when she got married if it's the same Sarah... hmm, bit tenuous maybe.

[Sue from Southend]

There is a baptism for a Mary Bratten in 1687 in Shepperton but I think the mother comes from Dorking http://search.ancestry.co.uk/iexec?htx=View&r=5538&dbid=1624&iid=31280_196159-00025&fn=Mary&ln=Bratten&st=d&ssrc=&pid=2407313 (towards the bottom of right hand page, the word "daughter" is crossed out)

Just looked at your Mary's dates again this one is probably a bit early?

[kiterunner]

Yes, looks a bit too early if she had a child in 1738.

[Kit]

Though Sarah would be 29-30 when she got married if it's the same Sarah... hmm, bit tenuous maybe.

Tenuous but not impossible. Anything may have happened to make her marry late. First fiance may have died, she may have been the daughter that had to stay home and help with the kids, elderly parents etc.

[Phoenix]

Can't remember which website they were on: eventually Ancestry will have them but Surrey will calendars have been indexed & published by West Surrey FHS. They were on Origins: not sure if they still are.

Record keeping in Surrey was pretty dire at that period, but do search Surrey History Centre's Catalogue: it is full of Bristow references!

[kiterunner]

Yes, there are Surrey will listings on Origins, thanks, Phoenix. I had a look the other day but found nothing to help with this lot. Is Surrey History Centre's catalogue online?

[Phoenix]

Ho-pefully this link takes you straight there:

http://www.surreyarchives.org.uk/CalmView/advanced.aspx?src=CalmView.Catalog

[Phoenix]

Hmm I have the feeling that Robert son of Robert & Susan must have died young. At least, he's not mentioned in a long list of their children.

[kiterunner]

Yes, I think so too, Phoenix, because Edmund was their eldest surviving son. That's why I said best to forget about them for now and concentrate on Robert and Mary and their children. But maybe a connection with Robert and Susan(na) will turn up one day!

Thanks for the link to the catalogue. Lot of stuff to look through!