Does anyone go to the Bedford CRO?

[Merry]

BK6 updated from this thread

And might be able to help my knock down (or take a brick out of) a very long standing wall?

Also opinions on the likelyhood of these records being connected would be much appreciated....I am trying to find out anything on my 4xg-grandparents, William Maynard and his wife whose name I don't know.

My gggg-grandfather, William Maynard, signed his will 13th May 1765 and it was proved 27th Feb 1766. He lived in Kempston, Beds.

The memoirs of my ggg-grandfather, David Maynard, say he was born 28th Aug 1748 in Kempston and that his mother died when he was 'about 18 months old' so that could be about Feb 1749/50 perhaps?

There are no burials for William or his wife in Kempston. However, I have seen these two entries in the NBI which almost fit, but not quite!

3rd Feb 1765 William Minard at Bedford St Peter
29th Jan 1751 Susan Maynard at Bedford St Peter

So, both entries are a year out. Susan's might be just because her son was inaccurate about how old he was when she died, but what about the one for William? The copy of the will I thought was 'original' so I'm unsure as to whether that date was wrong and it's strange if the burial date is a year out given it's a while after the calendar change, but I know some vicars stuck to the old dates, so am a bit confused about that. Somehow the fact that the burial was three weeks before the will was proved seems hopeful except for the year difference.

As I said, I don't know that Mrs Maynard's name was Susan, but they did have a daughter called Susanna, who I think was their eldest daughter, so it is promising.

Your thoughts???

[Uncle John]

I might be able to go some time in the next week or so, but I'll need precise instructions about what I'm looking for.

[Merry]

Oh, thanks very much Uncle John. :)

I would just need those two burials looking up in the original record to see, firstly, if those dates are correct, and secondly, if there is any further info such as 'wife of William' for Susan etc or anything that means I can positively discount them like if they are both children, or whatever.

If it's difficult for you to go (are you cycling?!) then I can always ask the RO to send me copies, so all is not lost - just that will cost a fair bit, I would imagine.

Does anyone know if there's any way to tell if the photocopy of the will I have is the original or some sort of transcript? The sigs on it look different to the main handwriting, but I used to think that about GRO certs before I realised they don't have original sigs!! lol

[Phoenix]

Usually, the copy would be written into a will register, with everyone else's. So if what you have looks like a single document, the chances are it's an electronic copy of the original. (The court would have to keep the original in case there was any query in the future.)

[Merry]

It's most likely a copy of the original then as it's all on one quite large (unless they had very small writing!) piece of paper and has a seal on it.

I don't know where I got it from! In my defense, I've had it from the start of my FH searching and didn't know about recording sources etc then!

[Merry]

(The court would have to keep the original in case there was any query in the future.)


lol I bet they weren't thinking of 250 years into the future!

[Phoenix]

Possibly not, but I have seen an administration which started in 1558 and was only completed c 1630, when all the original beneficiaries were dead!

[Merry]

Was that part of OC's tree?!! :rolleyes::d

[Uncle John]

I would just need those two burials looking up in the original record to see, firstly, if those dates are correct, and secondly, if there is any further info such as 'wife of William' for Susan etc or anything that means I can positively discount them like if they are both children, or whatever.

If it's difficult for you to go (are you cycling?!) then I can always ask the RO to send me copies, so all is not lost - just that will cost a fair bit, I would imagine.

Looks like it's tomorrow morning, with any luck. I've printed off your query and will throw myself on the mercy of the archivist, who should have a better idea of where to look.

One doesn't cycle when one can use one's bus pass. The Register Office is in the opposite direction and isn't on a bus route.

[Merry]

lol Thank you so much! :):):):)

[peppie]

Looks like it's tomorrow morning, with any luck. I've printed off your query and will throw myself on the mercy of the archivist, who should have a better idea of where to look.

One doesn't cycle when one can use one's bus pass. The Register Office is in the opposite direction and isn't on a bus route.

Try Terrence I think that was his name he's one of the helpers rather than the archivist ........ she was a nightmare he was the most wonderful person at dragging me out all sorts of records I never knew existed! :cool: We had the table covered in books of all sorts! it ended up like and episode of WDYTYA! :D Tehn the archivist got a bit jealous and started pulling out some microfilm.

[Uncle John]

Thanks Peppie.

[Uncle John]

Here goes, though unfortunately it's mostly what I haven't found. Change of calendar seems to have been January 1752.

These are "your" burials:

29 Jan 1750/51 Bedford St. Peter: Sus Maynard (widow). I looked back a few years for her husband's burial but couldn't see anything

3 Feb 1765 Bedford St. Peter: Wm s. Geo-Ann Minard
[24 Aug 1765 Bedford St. Peter: Geo Minnard]

So neither of the ones you found seems to match.

Kempston: There are no Maynard baps. or burials anywhere near your target dates. I didn't see the name or variations at all. Same applies to Bedford St. Mary's, St. Johns's, St. Cuthbert's and Elstow.

There's a family of George and Ann Maynard, mostly at Bedford St. Pauls but one burial at St. Peter's. Children with bap dates are:

25 Feb 1749: Fra d. of Geo and Ann Mainard, carpenter
[burial 6 Feb 1764 Frances at St. Peter's]

6 Oct 1751: Jn s. of Geo and Ann Maynard, carpenter

27 Apr 1755: Jas s. of Geo and Ann Maynard/Meynard, carpenter

11 May 1759: Ann d. of Geo and Ann Mainard/Maynard, carpenter

There's just one other Maynard death

11 July 1745 St. Peter's: Sus Maynard (A Methodist) d. of Jn-Dorothy Maynard, carpenter

Wootton burials:

19 Mar 1758: Eliz w. Jn Menard

14 Oct 1761: Jn s. Jn-Eliz Mainard

12 Feb 1762: Jn Mainard, lab.

17 Apr 1762: Jn Maynard (lab.) - in the BTs only.

There's also an oddment burial at Kempston:

9 Jan 1744: Ruth Menard, wid.

There are no gaps in any of the registers for that period.

Trevor (not Terrence) suggested other sources but I explained that you'd probably exhausted everything online. Have you looked through BLARS online catalogue? There seemed to be plenty of Maynard hits.

UJ

[Merry]

So neither of the ones you found seems to match.


lol!! Thank you SO VERY much for looking for me, UJ. What a pity those were wrong, but at least I can now be certain they are not the ones instead of constantly wondering.

I have a copy of the Kempston prs on a fiche here. As you say, a total blank for the period in question, though some of William and Mrs M's children do marry in Kempston and have their children baptised there.

Thanks for the details on all those others. I wouldn't be at all surprised if they turn out to be connected, should I EVER get more on the next generation back! I shall be filing the list away with all my other Maynard clues! lol That is helpful to know where there are no Maynards, too. All under the patio?

Poor Trevor - I hope you didn't call him Terence?

Thanks again for your help - it really is much appreciated.

[Merry]

Oops, forgot to reply about BLARS - Yes I have used both their online catalogues until I'm blue in the face, and have turned up some interesting bits about later Maynards, but nothing on these earlier ones. The catalogues are not complete though, so I will keep on looking!

[peppie]

Trevor (not Terrence) suggested other sources but I explained that you'd probably exhausted everything online. Have you looked through BLARS online catalogue? There seemed to be plenty of Maynard hits.

UJ

I knew it began with a T.......... :o:D

[Uncle John]

Poor Trevor - I hope you didn't call him Terence?

I didn't call him anything. He had a badge saying Trevor. I quite enjoyed the walk along the river bank. It's just a pity I don't have any rellies from the area.