Hi,
I am new to this site, I have been researching my family tree for a number of years, and although most of my family were born in Liverpool, I discovered that my ggg grandfather was born in Welshampton, I have found his baptims on the LDS website, but unfortunately the record only gives his parents first names, his date of baptism 30th June 1793, his name is James Cooper Clarke, parents John and Jane. I have no knowledge of churches in the area and wondered if anyone knew of any that I might look for should I manage to get to Shropshire in the future.
Thanks in advance for any help, it would be very much appreciated.
Jan
Hi Angela,
Thank you for your reply, yes I am in contact with the poster on ancestry, I am trying to find out the name of the church, I came up with St Michaels, but it says consecrated 1863! So was there another church on the site before just called St Michaels?
I contacted familysearch with the film number etc, they replied to me just saying that when they opened the film it just had The Parish Church Hampton-Welsh, and no further details!
Oh well, I will have to try and get to Shropshire Archives to try and look this up.
I found out that James Cooper Clarke and Martha Roberts married in Chester St Mary's on the hill in 1835, I have the marriage cert from Chester RO.
Thanks so much for your help and very quick response.
Jan
Me thinks this may be one and the same church ?
In 1870-72, John Marius Wilson's Imperial Gazetteer of England and Wales described Welshampton like this:
HAMPTON-WELSH, a parish in Ellesmere district, Salop; on the Cambrian railway, 2½ miles ENE of Ellesmere. It has a r. station. Post town, Ellesmere, under Shrewsbury. Acres, 1, 570. Rated property, £1, 637. Pop., 516. Houses, 120. The property is divided among a few. The living is a vicarage in the diocese of Lichfield. Value, £139. * Patron,K. Mainwaring, Esq. The church was rebuilt in 1863; is in the decorated English style; and has an apsidal chancel, a bell cote over the chancel arch, and columns of polished Devonshire marble.
"HAMPTON WELSH, a parish in the hundred of Pimhill, county Salop, 2 miles E. of Ellesmere. It is situated near the Ellesmere and Chester canal. The village is chiefly agricultural. The living is a perpetual curacy* in the diocese of Lichfield, value £140. The church is an ancient structure, dedicated to St. Michael."
Maybe Archives would be a fruitful visit. Good luck.
Angela
Hello Jan. I am in Shropshire Archives now and have just looked up the baptism record for you. I'm afraid that it does not really help much as it does not specify an abode or father's occupation (as I feared might be the case). The entry simply states: "James Cooper son of John & Jane Clarke"
Although this doesn't help much, it saves you a trip to the Archives!
Steve
Hi Steve,
Thanks so much for looking this up for me, it is very much appreciated, you have saved me a trip! I was going to plan a visit soon along with my cousin, but I will get back to him and relay what you have found, Just out of further interest Steve, is there a name for the church at all?
Thanks so much again.
Jan
Also thanks again Angela for your reply, you have also been very helpful.
If I can help with any ancestors in Liverpool for anyone, just let me know and I will try to help.
Cheers
Jan
Hi Jan
I found the baptism in the copy of the Welshampton parish register on microfiche. Welshampton has been referred to by various names over the years, see for example this page on the Vision of Britain website which lists Hampton, Hampton Welsh, Welsh Hampton and of course Welshampton:
http://www.visionofbritain.org.uk/place/place_names.jsp?p_id=10520
The church at Welshampton dedicated in 1863 is one which replaced the previous structure. I found this reference via Google Books, regarding a Charles Mainwaring:
"His eldest son, Charles Kynaston Mainwaring, esq., late of Oateley park and Bromborough hall, high sheriff of Cheshire in 1829, died in London on the 30th June 1861, and was buried at Welsh Hampton; to whose memory his widow and only son, Salusbury Kynaston Mainwaring, esq., now of Oateley, have rebuilt the church at Welsh Hampton."
Source: Jeremiah Finch Smith (ed.) (1868), Admission Register of the Manchester School. Volume 2.
See: http://books.google.co.uk/books?id=KvQMAAAAYAAJ&pg=PA99
The building which was replaced in 1863 was itself erected in 1788 as a replacement for an even earlier structure. See:
http://books.google.co.uk/books?id=3Zqbit3opjQC&pg=PA672
Hope this helps.
Steve
Wow, thanks again Steve, that is brilliant info, that is just what I was looking for.
I will have to try and find the parents marriage now! But I don't expect too much info from it, I know that fathers names were not put on the marriage records until a lot later.
At least I now have a church name to add to the records.
Thanks so much.
Jan
hi jan
i live in welshampton and know the vicar pretty well
so if there is anything i can help you with just ask
lorraine
Hi Jan there is someone on ancestry also researching this tree, someone called ROBERT CLASSON ?
JAMES COOPER CLARKE
Parents: John Clarke, Jane Cooper
At the heart of all this stands the church of St Michael and All Angels - one of the most notable features of the village. With its 'round house' gable and beautiful lychgate, the church was described at its consecration in 1863 as "one of the prettiest ecclesiastical architecture of which this or any other country can boast". High praise indeed!