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The problem i have is with my William Freeston's father William Freestone. If i tell you how i came to be where i am you will see my predicament.
I have followed the Freestones back from my grandmother Evelyn Violet May Freestone who died last year age 100 years old. I have bought certificates all the way back and with census returns and baptisms know i am on the right track.
I got back to my 3 x g gradfather William Freestone born 1832. He said on all census returns that he was born in Mitcham Surrey. I could find him 1861-1901 no problem but couldn't find him at all in 1851 or 1841. I purchased his marriage certificate 7 May 1853 to Rose Emily Nunn in Whittlesford (next to Sawston) and his father was William Freestone, Leather Dresser.
On the parish register disc of Whittlesford i also found his marriage to Rose Emily Nunn with the same information so now had two sources of fathers name.
When Rose Emily Nunn's sister Miriam married in October 1850 William and Rose Emily were witnessess so i knew he was around Cambridge at this time. I eventually tracked William down in Oxford in 1851 census working as a skinner which was his trade like his father.
By now i had also found a James Freestone born 1826 Beddington Surrey in Sawston working as a skinner so thought there has to be a connection. I bought the transriptions of the poor law records for Cambridge on disc and found a settlement removal order dated 1832 for a William Freestone, his wife Elizabeth and six children, so i sent off to Cambridge Records Office for a copy. It was dated 3rd March 1832 and here is what it said:
Settlement Removal Order from Wallington Surrey to Sawston Cambridge 1832
Complaint hath been made to us, whose names are hereunto set, and Seals affixed, being Two of His Majesty's Justices of the Peace in and for the County of Surrey aforesaid (one whereof being of the Quorum) by the Churchwardens and Overseers of the poor of the said Hamlet of Wallington that William Freestone and Elizabeth his wife and their six children namely Mark aged about ten years, Sarah aged about eight years (neither of whom hath gained any settlement in his or her own right), Elizabeth aged about six years, James aged about four years, Eliza aged about two years and an infant not yet baptised lately intruded and came into the Hamlet of Wallington aforesaid and are actually become chargeable to the same: We the said Justices, upon proof made thereof, as well upon the examination of the said William Freestone upon oath, as other circumstance, do judge the same to be true, and do also ajudge the Place of the legal Settlement of the said William Freestone and his said wife and children to be in the said Parish of Sawston in the county of Cambridge aforesaid.
These are therfore in His Majesty's Name. to require you the said Churchwardens and overseers of the Poor, of the said Hamlet of Wallington on sight hereof, to remove and convey the said William Freestone and his said wife and children from out of your said Hamlet of Wallington to the said parish of Sawston . 3rd March 1832
Signed Samuel Elyard
Joseph Reid
Elizabeth was unable to travel due to sickness and infirmity of the body presumably after giving birth and the removal order was delayed until she was fit and recovered and without danger may be conveyed from the parish.
All above records from Cambridge poor law records from Cambridge Records Office
The Infant not yet named is my 3 xg grandfathr William Freestne born 1832 and i now knew he was born in Wallington Surey. Ths document also confirmed my suspicions that James Freestone was related, he was a brother.
Then Mary from Italy on here found a letter from William Freestone to the overseer of the poor in Sawston and i got a copy of this letter from Cambridge Records Office. It was dated 16 March 1832 written from Wallington Surrey and it was very long basically with William asking for money as he had no work and needed to support his family on their return to Sawston. In the reply his request was refused as they had given him £5 six months previously but they would guarantee him a job on his return.
Obviously i thought that with William being returned to Sawston with his family to have parish relief he must have come from there.
The family returned and in 1833 and 1834 were heavily reliant on parish relief and William Freestone died in 1837 and was buried in Sawston. On the burial it gave his age as 46y giving him a birth year abt 1791. Elizabeth his widow was named in the parish relief register for the December Quarter of 1842 as recieving money. Elizabeth died in 1855 and was burid in Sawston.
I then found the family mistranscribed in the 1841 census in Sawston.
I wrote to Cambridge Records Office with what i had found so far and that there was no baptism for William Freestone 1791 in Sawston.
They did an hours research for me and had found some records of their reliance on poor relief and found a baptism for a William Freestone 1798 in Stapleford son of John Freestone and Rebecca King.
I then purchased the Stapleford transcripts and found the baptism and the baptism of a brother Thomas in 1794. The fact that John married Rebecca in Sawston, lived in Stapleford, then married Mary Butler and moved to Sawston and raised a family which would have included his two little sons from his first marriage leant weight to my theory. Sawston would have been William's "home parish".
Then yesterday i made contact with some one on Genes who has John and Rebecca. They have William 1798 Stapleford marrying an Elizabeth Gooby in Haddenham Cambridge in 1822. They had four children, the first two died as infants and the surviving two were William King Freestone and Rebecca King Freestone. This William is still alive in the 1871 census, he dies in 1877.
This all sounds correct as the children were named for the grandmother and it makes sense. I checked myself and in the census returns this William states place of birth as Stapleford and the years mostly are not too far out.
My problem then is where on earth did my William come from??
I have found no marriage for him to Elizabeth. I know there first two children were born in Warwick, Warwickshire from 1822, they then go to Surrey. In the 1851 census Elizabeth gives her place of birth as Colestocks Devon 1799.
I just don't know what to think.
I would love to hear any thoughts on this and any information you may have.
Sorry for the long rambling message!
Cathy
I have followed the Freestones back from my grandmother Evelyn Violet May Freestone who died last year age 100 years old. I have bought certificates all the way back and with census returns and baptisms know i am on the right track.
I got back to my 3 x g gradfather William Freestone born 1832. He said on all census returns that he was born in Mitcham Surrey. I could find him 1861-1901 no problem but couldn't find him at all in 1851 or 1841. I purchased his marriage certificate 7 May 1853 to Rose Emily Nunn in Whittlesford (next to Sawston) and his father was William Freestone, Leather Dresser.
On the parish register disc of Whittlesford i also found his marriage to Rose Emily Nunn with the same information so now had two sources of fathers name.
When Rose Emily Nunn's sister Miriam married in October 1850 William and Rose Emily were witnessess so i knew he was around Cambridge at this time. I eventually tracked William down in Oxford in 1851 census working as a skinner which was his trade like his father.
By now i had also found a James Freestone born 1826 Beddington Surrey in Sawston working as a skinner so thought there has to be a connection. I bought the transriptions of the poor law records for Cambridge on disc and found a settlement removal order dated 1832 for a William Freestone, his wife Elizabeth and six children, so i sent off to Cambridge Records Office for a copy. It was dated 3rd March 1832 and here is what it said:
Settlement Removal Order from Wallington Surrey to Sawston Cambridge 1832
Complaint hath been made to us, whose names are hereunto set, and Seals affixed, being Two of His Majesty's Justices of the Peace in and for the County of Surrey aforesaid (one whereof being of the Quorum) by the Churchwardens and Overseers of the poor of the said Hamlet of Wallington that William Freestone and Elizabeth his wife and their six children namely Mark aged about ten years, Sarah aged about eight years (neither of whom hath gained any settlement in his or her own right), Elizabeth aged about six years, James aged about four years, Eliza aged about two years and an infant not yet baptised lately intruded and came into the Hamlet of Wallington aforesaid and are actually become chargeable to the same: We the said Justices, upon proof made thereof, as well upon the examination of the said William Freestone upon oath, as other circumstance, do judge the same to be true, and do also ajudge the Place of the legal Settlement of the said William Freestone and his said wife and children to be in the said Parish of Sawston in the county of Cambridge aforesaid.
These are therfore in His Majesty's Name. to require you the said Churchwardens and overseers of the Poor, of the said Hamlet of Wallington on sight hereof, to remove and convey the said William Freestone and his said wife and children from out of your said Hamlet of Wallington to the said parish of Sawston . 3rd March 1832
Signed Samuel Elyard
Joseph Reid
Elizabeth was unable to travel due to sickness and infirmity of the body presumably after giving birth and the removal order was delayed until she was fit and recovered and without danger may be conveyed from the parish.
All above records from Cambridge poor law records from Cambridge Records Office
The Infant not yet named is my 3 xg grandfathr William Freestne born 1832 and i now knew he was born in Wallington Surey. Ths document also confirmed my suspicions that James Freestone was related, he was a brother.
Then Mary from Italy on here found a letter from William Freestone to the overseer of the poor in Sawston and i got a copy of this letter from Cambridge Records Office. It was dated 16 March 1832 written from Wallington Surrey and it was very long basically with William asking for money as he had no work and needed to support his family on their return to Sawston. In the reply his request was refused as they had given him £5 six months previously but they would guarantee him a job on his return.
Obviously i thought that with William being returned to Sawston with his family to have parish relief he must have come from there.
The family returned and in 1833 and 1834 were heavily reliant on parish relief and William Freestone died in 1837 and was buried in Sawston. On the burial it gave his age as 46y giving him a birth year abt 1791. Elizabeth his widow was named in the parish relief register for the December Quarter of 1842 as recieving money. Elizabeth died in 1855 and was burid in Sawston.
I then found the family mistranscribed in the 1841 census in Sawston.
I wrote to Cambridge Records Office with what i had found so far and that there was no baptism for William Freestone 1791 in Sawston.
They did an hours research for me and had found some records of their reliance on poor relief and found a baptism for a William Freestone 1798 in Stapleford son of John Freestone and Rebecca King.
I then purchased the Stapleford transcripts and found the baptism and the baptism of a brother Thomas in 1794. The fact that John married Rebecca in Sawston, lived in Stapleford, then married Mary Butler and moved to Sawston and raised a family which would have included his two little sons from his first marriage leant weight to my theory. Sawston would have been William's "home parish".
Then yesterday i made contact with some one on Genes who has John and Rebecca. They have William 1798 Stapleford marrying an Elizabeth Gooby in Haddenham Cambridge in 1822. They had four children, the first two died as infants and the surviving two were William King Freestone and Rebecca King Freestone. This William is still alive in the 1871 census, he dies in 1877.
This all sounds correct as the children were named for the grandmother and it makes sense. I checked myself and in the census returns this William states place of birth as Stapleford and the years mostly are not too far out.
My problem then is where on earth did my William come from??
I have found no marriage for him to Elizabeth. I know there first two children were born in Warwick, Warwickshire from 1822, they then go to Surrey. In the 1851 census Elizabeth gives her place of birth as Colestocks Devon 1799.
I just don't know what to think.
I would love to hear any thoughts on this and any information you may have.
Sorry for the long rambling message!
Cathy
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