Dear Josie I found this entry in Warehorne Parish Banns. '1770 William Bourne of this parish, bachelor and Elianar Evenden of the parish of Newington, spinster 23/09 30/09 07/10 - no marriage [Mid-Kent Index] - no signatures'. I cannot find any evidence of another William Bourne in Warehorne at this time but I may be wrong. Could this be a reason he left Warehorne - jilted! He was 'of Woodchurch' when we think he married Mary Wood at Shadoxhurst 15th October the following year, 1771. The Banns books are the only place that show the intended marriages that did not take place. I am transcribing Woodchurch Banns 1754-1837 and there are a few like this. Best wishes - Bob Chown

Dear Bob, Thank you. Curiouser and curiouser! Some time ago Derek Wells kindly sent me some Bourne information. Accordingly to this, the marriage between William Bourne and Eleanor Evernden did take place, on October 16 1770, but it was to William Bourne, son of Thomas and Elizabeth Bourne, Thomas being the elder brother of George Bourne, father of 'my' William. So the two of them were cousins. I do not know where the marriage took place: Newington records have been published by the Folkestone Family History Society apparently, but I do not have them. The 'other' William Bourne, the one who married Jane Louisa East in 1806, was another cousin, the son of John Bourne (married Grace), the younger brother of Thomas and our George, according to both Derek and Ken. If only they'd thought of their descendants two hundred years later and named them Ezekiel, Nebuchadnezzer and .........whatever! best wishes, Josie