Genealogy Forum UK

In tracing back my wife' side I find that one of her ancestors, Thomas Beach or Bache married one Rhoda Hill on 28 June 1818 in Oldswinford. Rhoda was born c1796 in or around Halesowen, and was Christened in Halesowen on 6 Nov 1796, which I can confirm having seen the parish record. Rhoda was one of 8 children of William Hill and Christiana Ruth, and all Christenings are on the IGI. William and Christiana were married on 10 October 1779 in Halesowen, and the names are exactly as they appear on the parish register entry. I've hunted high and low for Christiana's parents, but I can't find any reference to a Ruth family living in or around Halesowen at the right time. This leads me to think that Ruth may be either (a) not her family name, or (b) a mis-spelling of some other similar sounding name, or (c) she is from well outside the region.

If anyone has any ideas on where to look next, I'd appreciate them

David

Hi David going to move this to the Black Country Genealogy section

Ok well we can add some of this to Connections so will start the ball rolling see if it helps

RHODA HILL
Marriages:
Spouse: THOMAS BEACH
Marriage: 28 JUN 1818 Old Swinford, Worcester,
Extracted

her bapt.....

RHODA HILL
Christening: 06 NOV 1796 Halesowen, Worcester,
Parents:
Father: WILLIAM HILL
Mother: CHRISTIANA
Extracted

their marriage.....

WILLIAM HILL
Marriages:
Spouse: CHRISTIANA RUTH
Marriage: 10 OCT 1779 Halesowen, Worcester,
Extracted marriage


did you say you have looked at this actual entry to double check the surname?
On the marriage entry I mean?
might be clues on the witnesses there

I've been to the Worcester Family History centre and I've got a copy of the PR entry for William and Christiana's marriage, so I'm certain of the surnames. I'll check the names of witnesses when I get home tonight.

I've also checked Hugh Wallis's IGI batch number site for Halesowen and surrounding parishes for any Christiana's born c 1748 +/- 10 years, but didn't find anything that looked like a reasonable match.

Given that I already have problems with the recodring of Bache as, variously, Beach, Beech, Batch, Bach, etc., I'm wondering if this is yet another case of the Black Country dialect defeating the ear of whoever wrote down the names in the PR

David

Could be... those witnesses will be interesting might be a sibling for her.
Could it be her middle name and the other not filled in ie surname on marriage entry
i look at loads of entries every week and the info that they missed off or mis spelt is so annoying!

Northern Lass wrote:Could be... those witnesses will be interesting might be a sibling for her.
Could it be her middle name and the other not filled in ie surname on marriage entry
i look at loads of entries every week and the info that they missed off or mis spelt is so annoying!

Hi NL, the Witnesses were Joseph Bate and Joseph Chandler. I think Christiana's surname has been missed off. Can't find a baptism for a Christiana Ruth? Best Wishes from Linell.

Hi Linell

Have you a copy of the PR, perchance, with William and Christiana's marriage on it? If so, do the entries before and after have any of the same witnesses? I know that church wardens often signed as witnesses.

So far, the only Christianas I can find close to Halesowen are:

Christiana Amphlett b c1755, Clent
Christiana Price ch 16/10/1768 Halesowen (too young)
Chistiana Davis ch 7/10/1739 Old Swinford
Christiana Rogers ch 30/4/1742 Old Swinford
Christiana Raybould ch 21/12/1770 Old Swinford (too young)
Christiana Harding ch 21/4/1754 Old Swinford
Christiana Whor ch 17/2/1765 Dudley (Probably too young)

Hi Mezentia, the Witness Joseph Chandler was a Church Official, he is on a lot of the Marriage entries. Joseph Bate could be a clue. Bit like looking for a needle in a haystick unfortunately. I have checked all the Indexes for various Registers I have for the Halesowen area, and there is no one with a surname 'Ruth.' I believe it is an error, her surname was just missed off. What were the names of Wm and Christiana's children, any clues there? Can't think of anything more helpful at the moment, looks like Christiana wasn't Baptised as Christiana Ruth, maybe she was never Baptised or a Non Conformist Will get back to you if I think of anything else. Best Wishes from Linell.

Just a thought, were Wm and Christiana on the 1841 or 1851 Census? Any relatives living near by?

Only thing I wondered was if the surname was Rutter.
The 1851 has a bunch at Belbroughton down as Ruth instead of Rutter and it does look similar when written. One married a girl from Halesowen and there are a few entries for Rutter in the records there. Not very helpful though with out a Christiana.

Hi gardener, yes I too noticed the Rutter, but then thought 'no that would too easy ' Best Wishes from Linell.

Hello Linell, gardener

I had a heart-stopping moment when I found a Christiana Bate christened in Kingswinford in 1758. Sadly she died the same year

William and Christiana died, I strongly suspect, before 1841 - I've not managed to find them on the 1841 census anywhere, and they would have been in their 80s anyway. The trouble with finding relatives is that Hill is a common name. Their daughter Rhoda's marriage record has her married sister Lucy as a witness - it took me months to decipher her surname as Shiliock. If I can get to the Worcester FRC I'll try and check the marriages for the rest of Christiana's children to see if there's anything there of use.

David

is that Shilvock ?
It is!

that is a familiar name

I knew I recognised that name we have it on connections David look!...

http://bcconnections.tribalpages.com/tr ... onnections

so Rhoda is her sister?

and parents are Christian Ruth ??? and William Hill

we can add this...

Hi NL

Yes, Lucy Shilvock (Shiliock/Shelvock/Shilburn) is Rhoda Hill's sister, and was a witness at Rhoda's wedding.

Other siblings are:
Nancy Hill ch 5/11/1780 Halesowen
Sarah Hill ch 29/9/1782 Halesowen
Phoebe Hill ch 17/7/1787 Halesowen
Susannah Hill ch 21/6/1789 Haleswoen
Maria Hill ch 17/8/1793 Halesowen
James Hill ch 15/7/1801 Halesowen

Finding marriages for the girls is impossible as there are so many.

James possibly married a Margaret and had 4 children - he's on the 1841 census living in Bot Lane, Oldswinford but I can't find a marriage on IGI, and Margaret is not with him on the census entry.

David