Thomas Smith – Bachelor and Nancy Bradley – Spinster were married on the 20th April 1824 at Polebrook, Northamptonshire
The first thing to note from the above register entry is no reference to Gipsy or Traveller is mentioned. Not hugely significant but can sometimes be mentioned in registers.
Brownetta Smith b.1794 and Barthwell Smith b.1795 both from Grimscote, Northamptonshire and both with parents of Thomas and Nancy Smith.
This is where the interest and confusion comes into play, many times I’ve seen family trees etc. where it’s been taken that Thomas and Nancy Smith parents of Brownetta and Barthwell are Thomas Smith and Nancy Bradley above.
This is simply, not to put too fine a point on it WRONG!
My first thought was why would they wait thirty years after the birth of Brownetta and Barthwell to get married in the first place?
Looking further into Thomas Smith and Nancy Bradley sometimes referred to as Nanny Bradley.
Census records 1851/61/71 for Thomas Smith show he was born 1801/1802 in Ashton, Northamptonshire, and Nancy “Smith” was born 1797 in Polebrook, Northamptonshire.
A baptism entry for Nany Bradley shows she was born and baptised 8th Jun 1797 in Polebrook, Northamptonshire, the daughter of Francis and Dorothy Bradley.
Thomas Smith dies in Sep 1880, registered in the Oundle, Northamptonshire district aged 78 and Nancy Smith dies in Mar 1888, registered in the Oundle, Northamptonshire district aged 94.
Thomas Smith and Nancy Bradley did have children, John b.1825 and Milicent b.1840 and maybe others not yet known
Conclusion – As Thomas Smith was born 1801/02 and Nancy Bradley was born 1797 both born after Brownetta and Barthwell they could obviously NOT have been the Thomas and Nancy Smith parents of said Brownetta and Barthwell Smith. This Thomas and Nancy still eludes me!
Wayne and Sandra's Family History 