Strange middle name - wonder where it came from

[Margaret in Burton]

Posting for this weeks TO2G I remembered that he had a sister with a very strange middle name.

Mary Goostridge Thornley

Mary was the 4th child of John Thornley and Mary nee Peach.

Baptised on 7 December 1824 at St Helen's, Ashby de la Zouch, Leicestershire and buried 4 May 1841.

I suppose it could be the maiden name of either John Thornley or Mary Peach's mother but I don't have that info.

John Thornley was c 1795 in Ashby (don't know his parents) and Mary Peach c 1796. Assuming Mary Peach was born in Ashby (she died in 1826 so pre census) as there is a baptism 11 Jan 1796, parents Thomas Peach and Mary.

Anyone fancy doing any digging?

[kiterunner]

If you look on the FamilySearch Record Search pilot site there are a very few Gootridges and Goothridges, a couple of them in Leicestershire but mostly from other places.

[kiterunner]

Could it be a variant of Goodridge, which seems to be a fairly common name?

[Margaret in Burton]

Thanks Kate

We did this Ashby de la Zouch research yonks ago.

It puzzled us at the time.

[Lindsay]

You might have to go back quite a way - I have 1 branch where 'Mills' was used as a middle name for 5 generations before it (literally) died out.

[JayG]

I've only just found out where my 3x great grandfather Wheatman (born 1828) got his name from, his great grandfather born 1735! Now I need to work out how he got it lol

[Margaret in Burton]

mmmmmmmmmmmm

Lots of work involved then and nothing online as far as I can see.

[Olde Crone]

I keep telling this story, lol, but I find it so amazing, I have to trot it out at every opportunity.

My Scottish grandfather had two middle names - Charles Smith. Harharhar, why would anyone give their son two middle names Charles Smith?

It turned out he was named after his FIVE times great grandfather, born about 1703! It doesn't look as if anyone was called either Charles or Smith in the intervening 200 years. What I find so amazing is that this family, who were always working class and uneducated, somehow had a real grasp of their family history, enough to bring out this name more than 200 years later.

OC

[Tom Tom]

Hi Margaret

Hope you are OK and the wedding went well

In my tree I have a Thomas Thornley born in Ashby c1794 who married Catherine Unknown c1813 (first child born in 1814).
It's possible that we could have a link after all. If I ever look into Thomas and his family I will make sure to remember you

[Margaret in Burton]

Hi Tom

I think I did that family years ago but my John didn't fit in.

I don't even know if I still have that research. Many computers later.

I'll have to have a search round.