Hi Brian ... Very many thanks for your reply and the information. I had come across that WILLOUGHBY/GREGORY marriage in Middlesex (courtesy of Ancestry's new London Marriages database) and while the date looked good I had no reason to believe that they could be the couple I was looking for. Do you have any "proof" that this is the correct couple? Is there any record of an Elizabeth GREGORY baptised around Neithrop/Banbury in 1793/4? Having had a quick "Google", the only instance I can find of a GREGORY connection to Neithrop is in the Gardner's 1852 Oxfordshire Directory (Banbury section) where there is a Carter listed - "GREGORY Nathaniel, Neithrop" - possibly a relation of Elizabeth??? I should say that these are not my ancestors - I'm doing this research on behalf of a couple who contacted me through the Preston Capes website after they saw information on the WILLOUGHBY family in the genealogy database. Initially, they are trying to find out about their ancestor William ALLINSON, a well-travelled soldier, who is recorded on the 1851 census at the Weedon Barracks (along with an 8 year old son). In the Autumn of the same year, William and Harriet WILLOUGHBY (d. William and Elizabeth) are registering the birth of their first child in Portsmouth. On the 1851 census, Harriet is recorded as "unmarried" and living with her family in Preston Capes! William and Harriet's marriage does not seem to appear on the GRO indexes, and in a few days time I will be having a look at the actual marriage register to see if they married at Preston Capes (but did not register the marriage). Do you have any information on Harriet which may clarify this? I shall be contacting this couple again after I've checked the register, and would be happy to put you in touch with them (if they are agreeable). Regards, Penny

Penny, Further to my last email I have summarised the relevant information I have. If you disagree with any of it please let me know. Harriett WILLOUGHBY was baptised on the 20th March 1831. Her parents were William WILLOUGHBY (b 1792 d1870) and Elizabeth (b1794 d1866) Elizabeth was baptised in Banbury but the other events were in Preston Capes. Harriett was the fifth out of six children. In the 1841 census she is aged 10 and in the 1851 census she is aged 20 and unmarried. On both occasions she is with her parents in Preston Capes. I cannot find an entry for a Harriett WILLOUGHBY in the 1861 census. I have no record of a William ALLINSON in my notes. From your information I found him in the 1851 census at Weedon Military Barracks. I see that he was born in Ireland around 1816. Another William ALLINSON aged 11 from Gibraltar is at the Barracks and was, therefore, born around 1840. The transcript states he is a son and his father's name is Michael. I don't know where the Michael came from as it is not on the original record. Several things puzzle me. There is a 15 year age gap between Harriett and William. If William ALLINSON junior is William ALLINSON senior's son, as he was born when Harriett was 9, she is not the mother and William must have been married before or the son is illegitimate. What is the name of the son registered to Harriett and William in Portsmouth in 1851? What is the information you have linking Harriett WILLOUGHBY and William ALLINSON? As I like a challenge I look forward to your reply with interest. Regards, Brian ----- Original Message ----- From: <PennyEves@aol.com> To: <ENG-BANBURY-AREA@rootsweb.com> Sent: Wednesday, April 14, 2010 1:01 PM Subject: [BAN] New Member Seeking Help with WILLOUGHBY Baptisms/Marriage inBanbury Area > Hi Brian ... > > Very many thanks for your reply and the information. > > I had come across that WILLOUGHBY/GREGORY marriage in Middlesex (courtesy > of Ancestry's new London Marriages database) and while the date looked > good > I had no reason to believe that they could be the couple I was looking > for. > Do you have any "proof" that this is the correct couple? Is there any > record of an Elizabeth GREGORY baptised around Neithrop/Banbury in 1793/4? > Having had a quick "Google", the only instance I can find of a GREGORY > connection to Neithrop is in the Gardner's 1852 Oxfordshire Directory > (Banbury > section) where there is a Carter listed - "GREGORY Nathaniel, Neithrop" - > possibly a relation of Elizabeth??? > > I should say that these are not my ancestors - I'm doing this research on > behalf of a couple who contacted me through the Preston Capes website > after > they saw information on the WILLOUGHBY family in the genealogy database. > Initially, they are trying to find out about their ancestor William > ALLINSON, a well-travelled soldier, who is recorded on the 1851 census at > the > Weedon Barracks (along with an 8 year old son). In the Autumn of the > same year, > William and Harriet WILLOUGHBY (d. William and Elizabeth) are registering > the birth of their first child in Portsmouth. On the 1851 census, > Harriet > is recorded as "unmarried" and living with her family in Preston Capes! > William and Harriet's marriage does not seem to appear on the GRO indexes, > and in a few days time I will be having a look at the actual marriage > register to see if they married at Preston Capes (but did not register > the > marriage). Do you have any information on Harriet which may clarify > this? > > I shall be contacting this couple again after I've checked the register, > and would be happy to put you in touch with them (if they are agreeable). > > Regards, > Penny >

The only baptism I have found close to Banbury/NP area, that time frame for an Elizabeth GREGORY is the following. Bapt @ Drayton 19/9/1793 Elizabeth do Nathanil & Elizabeth Lots of other GREGORY's in Drayton also. Looking at Banbury regs - the surnames Jaques/Jacks, French, Butler & middle name of Hopkins crop up with Gregory/Pearson. Jaques as a surname is more prominent in Middleton Cheney than Banbury. MC is into Northants but only 2/3 miles walk away It may be helpful to go on a 'sideways' search of these other names, as some are from Neithrop area & may provide a link Angela co-admin Banbury >Is there any > record of an Elizabeth GREGORY baptised around Neithrop/Banbury in 1793/4? > Having had a quick "Google", the only instance I can find of a GREGORY > connection to Neithrop is in the Gardner's 1852 Oxfordshire Directory > (Banbury > section) where there is a Carter listed - "GREGORY Nathaniel, Neithrop" - > possibly a relation of Elizabeth???