Bedford, Bedfordshire Family History Guide
Bedford, a borough and market-town, and the county town of Bedfordshire, is situated 51 miles north-north-west of London, and intersected by the river Ouse, along both banks of which it extends. Bedford is divided into five parishes: viz. St. Cuthbert, St. John, St. Mary, St. Paul and St. Peter’s Martin, all in the archd. of Bedford, and formerly in the dio. of Lincoln, but now transferred to the dio. of Ely. There was anciently a sixth parish, called St Peter’s Dunstable, the living of which has been united to that of St. Mary.
Bedford consists of the following parishes:
Table of Contents
Places of Worship Historically in Bedford
Churches
- R. signifies rectory; V. vicarage; P.C. perpetual curacy
- St Cuthbert, R. – St. Cuthbert st
- St. John, R. – St. John street
- St. Mary, R. – St. Mary street
- St. Paul, V. – St. Paul square
- St. Peter, R. – St. Peter’s green
- Trinity, V – Conduit street
- Roman Catholic – Brereton street
Chapels
Denomination, Locality, Ministers
- Baptist, Mill street, Rev. R. Speed
- Baptist (Providence), Castle lane, Rev. John William Thornber
- Baptist (Particular), Cauldwell street, Rev. James Newborn
- Bunyan’s, Mill street, Rev. John Brown, B.A.
- Catholic Apostolic, Gwyn street, Rev. Davenport Cartwright
- Howard’s (Independent), Mill street, Rev. William Parker Irving
- Moravian, St. Peter street, Rev. J. Lang, Rev. J. W. Thompson
- Primitive Methodist, Hassett street, Various
- Victoria Hall (Non-denominational), Rev. William Willington
- Wesleyan, Harpur street, Various
- Wesleyan, Cauldwell street, Various
- Zion (Huntingdonian), Lurke lane, Various
Bedford Parish Registers
Baptism Records
These records include indexed transcriptions of parish register baptisms.
Bedford, Bedfordshire Baptisms, 1539-1910
Marriage and Banns Records
These records include indexed transcriptions of parish register marriages and banns.
Bedford, Bedfordshire Marriages, 1540-1974
Death and Burial Records
These records include indexed transcriptions of parish register deaths and burials.
Bedford, Bedfordshire Burials, 1629-1944
Bedford Union Workhouse, Bedfordshire Burials, 1866-1866
Nonconformist Registers
Bedford Circuit, Bedfordshire Baptisms, 1810-1861
Marriage Licences and Allegations
London Marriage Licences and Allegations 1521 to 1869
The following have been extracted from London Marriage Licences 1521 to 1869.
Abbreviations. — B. Bishop of London’s Office; D. Dean and Chapter of Westminster; F. Faculty Office of Archbishop of Canterbury; V. Registry of the Vicar-General of Canterbury.
Baker, William, of Feckenham, co. Worcester, gent., widower, and Martha Walker, of the town of Bedford, spinster, 40 — at All Hallows- in-the-Wall, London. 23 July, 1689. F.
Brace, Francis, of the town of Bedford, gent., widower, 29, and Anne Thurloe, of Astwood, Bucks, spinster, 23, daughter of Anne Thurloe, widow, who consents — at St. Andrew Undershaft, London, or St. James, Clerkenwell, Middlesex. 15 Aug. 1683. F.
Branch, John, of St. Margaret, Westminster, vintner, bachelor, 29, and Ann Dickens, spinster, 25, daughter of George Dickens, of town and co. Bedford, gent., deceased, with consent of her mother, Mary Dickens, of same, widow— at St. Dunstan-in-the-West, or St. Margaret, Westminster. 20 Feb. 163⅔. F.
Chaplin, Thomas, of the town of Bedford, gent., bachelor, 28, and Mrs. Ann Gardner, of same, spinster, 22, with consent of her aunt, Mrs. Cobb, her parents dead — at St. Paul, in Bedford aforesaid, or …. 8 July, 1696. F.
Cowper, John, of St. Nicholas Acons, London, merchant taylor, and Agnes Hadley, spinster, of St. Mary Woolnoth, London, daughter of Thomas Hadley, of the town of Bedford, fletcher, gen. lic, 26 Aug. 1595. B.
Darlaston, Thomas, of St. Catherine Coleman, London, gent., bachelor, about 24, and Anne North, of St. Bartholomew-the-Less, London, spinster, about 22, consent of their friends — at any parish church in the town of Bedford. 27 Dec. 1670. V.
Gardiner, Edmund (Gardner), of the tovm of Bedford, esq., widower, and Anne Lysons, of St. Andrew, Holborn, London, widow, at St. Paul, Covent Garden, Middlesex, or … , 12 Aug. 1679. F.
Gascoigne, John, of St. Paul’s, in town of Bedford, gent., bachelor, about 24, and Mrs. Mary Hawkes, now living in same parish, spinster, about 19, her father dead, and not having lived for several years past with her mother, who declares that she leaves her at her own disposal, &c. — at Biddenham or Goldington, Co. Beds, or St. Paul, in town of Bedford. 11 Aug. 1675. V.
Glyn, John, of St. Clement Danes, Middlesex, bachelor, 23, and Martha Welbourne, of St. Mary Magdalen, Old Fish Street, London, spinster, 23, daughter of Robert Welbourne, of the town of Bedford, gent., who consents — at St. Mary Magdalen, Old Fish Street, aforesaid. 21 June, 1680. F.
Hawes, John, of town of Bedford, gent., bachelor, about 35, and Mrs. Margaret Orlebar, of Harold, co. Beds, spinster, about 23, consent of mother, Mrs. Ursula Orlebar, of same, widow — at Harold, Woodhill, or Paddington, Beds. 24 May, 1676. V.
Hopkins, Robert (Hopkyns), of Whittington College, merchant taylor, and Dorothy Parradyne, spinster, of St. Christopher-le-Stocks, daughter of Robert Parradyne, of Bedford, Co. Beds, woollen draper, deceased — at St. Christopher-le-Stocks. 13 May, 1584. B.
Home, John, of Bedford, co. Beds, bachelor, 29, and Anne Fitz John, spinster, 18, daughter of Henry Fitz John, late of Hamerton, co. Huntingdon, gent., deceased, with consent of William Faldoe, and his wife, Anne, her mother — at St. Peter, St. Stephen, or the Abbey church in St. Albans, Herts. 26 Aug. 1661. F.
Jerard, Nicholas, merchant taylor, of St. Austin, by Paul’s Gate, London, bachelor, 27, son of Robert Jerard, late of Samford, co. Somerset, gent., deceased, and Elizabeth Sutton, maiden, 18, daughter of Thomas Sutton, of Bedford, Co. Beds, who died a year ago, consent of her uncle, Richard Otway, of St. Austin aforesaid, merchant taylor, with whom she dwelleth — at St. Austin aforesaid. 31 Dec. 1611. B.
Lane, William, gent., of Middle Temple, bachelor, 25, and Elizabeth Bannister, of Bedford, spinster, 20, daughter of Mr. Dr. Banister, doctor of physic, who consents — at …. 13 Jan. 1626/7. B. [This entry crossed out and not signed.]
Paynter, Edward, of the city of Exeter, bachelor, 32, and Katherine Carey, of the town of Bedford, widow — at Bedford parish church, or … . 12 March, 1688/9 . F.
Simpson, John, gent., of Bedford, Beds, bachelor, 27 or 28, and Martha Onslow, of St. Bride, London, spinster, 20, consent of her mother, a widow — at St. Botolph, Aldgate. [Vic.-Gen. ‘s book says daughter of — Onslow, late of St. Bride aforesaid, haberdasher, deceased.] 2 Sept. 1617. B.
Skinner, Nicholas (Skynner), of St. Martin, Ironmonger Lane, London, taylor, and Elizabeth Parsons, of St. Botolph, Billingsgate, London, spinster, daughter of William Parsons, late of Bedford, co. Beds, cordwainer, deceased — at St. Gabriel, Fenchurch, London. 20 Dec. 1596. B.
Stoakes, Charles, of town of Bedford, clerk, and Mrs. Susanna Perritt, of same, spinster, about 35, and at own dispose — at parish church or chapel of Charterhouse, London. 28 May, 1675. V.
Wright, William, of Stansted, Mount Fitchett, Co. Essex, gent., bachelor, 23, and Mary Paradine, about 23, daughter of Peter Paradine, of Bedford, Beds, esq., deceased — at St. Peter, Paul’s Wharf, London. 1 Aug. 1649. F.
Source: London Marriage Licences 1521 to 1869; Edited by Joseph Foster; London 1887