Thread: The enigma of Ambrose HEDGES b. c1806, probably in Faringdon.

I apologise in advance for the length of this topic. However, experience has shown that it is always best to include the maximum information to avoid wasting people’s time !



This is one of those brick walls most of us meets. My difficulty, and that of several others, is to find evidence of the birth and/or baptism of:

Ambrose HEDGES, born c1806, probably in Faringdon in Berkshire.



Ambrose was married in Faringdon on 8th September 1827 to Lucy HEAVENS.

The witnesses were Henry DUNN and Maria HEDGES.

Lucy HEAVENS, bpt. 29.05.1806 in Faringdon, was the daughter of Angel HEAVENS & Martha HAMBRIDGE

Ambrose and Lucy both signed their names, and there is little ambiguity about the spelling of Ambrose’s name, as I have a copy of the Parish Register entry with signatures.



Ambrose lived and worked in Faringdon all his life as a tailor. He figures in the 1841, 1851 and 1861 Censuses aged respectively 35, 45, and 55, making his dob theoretically 1806, give or take the leeway of the earlier census returns.



Ambrose died in Faringdon in the 4thQ 1862 and was buried on 6th December 1862.



I have had a search effected by the BRO – who tell me they have the original Faringdon PR’s – from 1798 to 1812 inclusive, with negative results. I have no way of double-checking this as I live abroad, so have been obliged to take this result at its face value.



In an effort to find a clue to the possible identity of Ambrose’s parents, I have collated and researched the HEDGES families in Faringdon since the mid 1700’s. There appear to have been 3 families:





John HEDGES b. 1773 who married Margaret GILES on 28th October 1795 in Faringdon.

They seem to have had 6 children (source IGI Batch Numbers):

-Thomas, b. 1796, William b. 1799, Henry b. 1803, Rachel b. 1806, Maria b. 1808, and James b. 1811



Between the different children there are gaps in which another child could have been born.



Maria HEDGES was one of the witnesses at Ambrose’s wedding. Maybe his sister ?





William HEDGES who married Ann HUMPHREYS on 18th February 1788 in Faringdon.

They appear to have had 7 children (source IGI Batch Numbers):

-William b. 1789, Edmund b. 1791, Charles b. 1792/93, Jeremiah b. 1794, Rachel b. 1796, Charles b. 1800 and Thomas b. 1802.



The name of Ambrose appears to have been used in the HUMPHREYS family in the 18th century, notably in Hungerford, but none of them are old enough to be grandparents, or the dates don’t fit.



Edmund HEDGES (1782 – 1842) who married Elizabeth CLARK in Burford (Oxon) on 22.08.1803;.

There is an Elizabeth Ann CLARK born in 1782, baptised 28.06.1782 in Burford, whose father was Thomas CLARK.



I have found 3 children so far:

- Elizabeth b. 1807, Charles b. 1809 and Edmund b. 1811.



Edmund was a tailor by profession, as was Ambrose. Could the profession have been handed down from father to son ?



Edmund was one of the witnesses at the wedding of Angel HEAVENS & Martha HAMBRIDGE, Ambrose’s future in-laws, which took place in Eaton Hastings on 25th December 1801.



It is conceivable that Edmund HEDGES and Angel HEAVENS were friends and that their two children knew each other through family relationships ?





Whilst trawling through Longcot PR’s, I discovered Ambrose as one of the witnesses at the marriage of James HATHRILL & Lucy HEAVENS on 23rd January 1826 in Longcot.



This Lucy HEAVENS, bpt. 05.08.1804 in Longcot, was the daughter of Richard HEAVENS & Sarah BISHOP, Richard being the younger brother of Angel HEAVENS, Amrbrose’s future father-in-law.



Again, this proves nothing, other than illustrate the close ties between one of the HEDGES families of Faringdon and the HEAVENS family of Longcot. (Remember that Edmund HEDGES was a witness at the wedding of Angel HEAVENS & Martha HAMBRIDGE).



Ambrose is not a very common name, but Familysearch and Batch Numbers have not shown any others, except for the two sons of Ambrose & Lucy named Ambrose, one of whom died in 1832 at the age of 2, and the second, born in 1840, being my great grandfather.



I have been unable to find a grandparent named Ambrose on the female side of any of the HEDGES families in Faringdon.



Conceivably Ambrose was not born in Faringdon. I have searched all the surrounding parishes to the best of my ability with no result.



I am hoping that the combined experience and resources of the network can help me crack this one ! If anyone has a suggestion as to where to go from here I would be very grateful.



Many thanks,



Nick

Good evening,



You're not the only one baffled by Ambrose ! As you say, he never seems to have existed. The only suggestion I have had is that the curate forgot to register him !



I have checked for Wantage as well, again negative. I've tried almost every surrounding parish,again negative.



As far as I know Ambrose is not a second name. He is quoted in all census returns as Ambrose and signs his name as Ambrose on his marriage certificate of which I have a copy. I've been trying to find an Ambrose perhaps as a grandparent. The Clark family have a couple of Ambrose's in Bampton (Oxon) I think, but I'm not sure if they are the right Clarks yet.



Curiouser and curiouser ! And very frustrating ! Hence the "enigma".



Thanks for you time and trouble,



Nick