Eaton Bray Bedfordshire Family History Guide

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Eaton Bray is an Ancient Parish in the county of Bedfordshire.

Parish church: St. Mary

Parish registers begin:

  • Parish registers: 1559
  • Bishop’s Transcripts: 1602

Nonconformists include:

  • Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints
  • Particular Baptist
  • Wesleyan Methodist

Adjacent Parishes

OLD COTTAGES EATON BRAY BEDFORDSHIRE
OLD COTTAGES EATON BRAY BEDFORDSHIRE

Eaton Bray Parish Registers

Baptism Records

These records include indexed transcriptions of parish register baptisms.

Eaton Bray, Bedfordshire Baptisms, 1559-1971

Marriage and Banns Records

These records include indexed transcriptions of parish register marriages and banns.

Eaton Bray, Bedfordshire Marriages, 1559-1916

Death and Burial Records

These records include indexed transcriptions of parish register deaths and burials.

Eaton Bray, Bedfordshire Burials, 1736-1812

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.

Bunyon, John [subs, with x ], of Eaton, co. Beds, bachelor, about 24, and Anne Carter, of Barnet, Herts, spinster, aged 18, consent of father, Andrew Carter, of same, innholder — at St. Gregory, or St. Margaret, Lothbury, London. 5 May, 1663. V.  

Davies, Thomas, of Newland, co. Gloucester, gent., bachelor, about 27, and Mary Samm, of same, spinster, about 27, consent of father, Thomas Samm, of Eaton, Beds, gent. — at St. Bride, or St. Andrew, Holborn, London. 13 June, 1663. V.

Penington, Jacob, of Eaton Bray, co. Beds, gent., widower, 36, and Mary Blofield, of Houghton Conquest, said county, widow, 30 — at Ampthill or Flitwich, co. Beds. 2 Dec. 1661. F. 

Source: London Marriage Licences 1521 to 1869; Edited by Joseph Foster; London 1887

Quarter Sessions Rolls

The following have been extracted from the Notes & Extracts from the Bedfordshire County Records comprised in the Quarter Sessions Rolls from 1714 to 1832 compiled by Messrs. Hardy & Page, Record Agents

1728 Recognizance for the appearance of Thomas Crawley of Market Street, and John Jenkins of Eaton Bray, for their appearance to answer for refusing to billet or quarter two Dragoons and two horses.

Parish History

The Imperial Gazetteer of England & Wales 1870

EATON-BRAY, a parish in Leighton-Buzzard district, Beds; on the verge of the county, near Stanbridgeford r. station, 3¾ miles W by S of Dunstable. It has a post office under Dunstable; and it gives the title of Baron Braye to the family of Cave Otway. Acres, 2,650. Real property, £5,191. Pop., 1,440. Houses, 308. The property is subdivided. Part of the land is common. A castle stood here before the early part of the 13th century. The living is a vicarage in the diocese of Ely. Value, £189. Patron, Trinity College, Cambridge. The church is early English. There are chapels for Baptists and Wesleyans, and a national school.

Source: The Imperial Gazetteer of England & Wales [Wilson, John M]. A. Fullarton & Co. N. d. c. [1870-72].

A Topographical Dictionary of England 1848

EATON, BRAY (St. Mary), a parish, in the union of Luton, hundred of Manshead, county of Bedford, 3½ miles (W. by S.) from Dunstable; containing 1097 inhabitants.

The manor was given by King John to Ardulphus de Braci, and not long afterwards belonged to the Cantilupes, who built a castle in 1221, which the Chronicle of Dunstable represents as very injurious to that town. In 1273 it passed by a female heir to the family of Zouche; and it is supposed to have been forfeited by attainder, and to have been granted to Sir Reginald Bray.

The parish lies on the south-west border of the county. The living is a vicarage, valued in the king’s books at £12. 16. 3.; net income, £189; patrons, the Master and Fellows of Trinity College, Cambridge. There is a place of worship for Wesleyans.

Source: A Topographical Dictionary of England by Samuel Lewis 1848

Historical Directory Transcriptions

Eaton Bray Kelly’s Directory of the Wine and Spirit Trades, with which are included Brewers and Maltsters 1884

Marked thus * are Small Brewers who brew the beer they sell.

EATON BRAY, Dunstable

Maltster
Roberts Mrs Eliza

Source: The Post office directory of the brewers and maltsters [afterw.] Kelly’s directory of the wine and spirit trades, with which are included brewers and maltsters By Kelly’s directories, ltd. 1884

Eaton Bray The Post Office Directory of Bedfordshire 1869

EATON BRAY is a village and parish, of considerable extent, on the borders of Buckinghamshire, in the hundred of Manshead, union and county court district of Leighton Buzzard, rural deanery of Dunstable, archdeaconry of Bedford, and diocese of Ely, 4 miles north west from Dunstable, and 4 south east from Leighton Buzzard.

Here is a National school, also a Wesleyan chapel, and a Baptist chapel. A market is held here every Friday for the disposal of straw plait. A great many of the inhabitants, particularly the children, are employed in the straw business.

Parish Clerk William Brown

Post Office – William Gurney, receiver. Letters arrive through Dunstable at 7.45 am; dispatched at 5 30 pm. The nearest money order office is at Dunstable

National School (mixed) Miss Jane Price, mistress

Pratt Miss
Whyley Rev Gregory Edward M.A., J.P., [vicar]

Bird David shopkeeper
Bird Jesse cattle salesman
Bird William farmer
Brinklow John shopkeeper
Brown William blacksmith & registrar of births & deaths for Eddlesborough district
Brown Wm blacksmith & shopkeeper
Buckmaster John farmer
Burchmore Sarah Mrs Chequers
Burridge David boot & shoe maker
Burrows Benjamin farmer

Cobb John shopkeeper
Costin Thomas beer retailer

Eillingham Daniel farmer
Ellingham John baker
Eustace Joseph plait dealer
Fountain Richard beer retailer

Gadsden Emma Mrs shopkeeper
Gadsden Richard shopkeeper
Gadsden Robert farmer
Groom John & Abraham wheelwrights
Gurney George blacksmith
Gurney Wm blacksmith & postmaster

Hawkins William baker
Hedges Charles farmer
Hedges John farmer & shopkeeper
Hedges Robert farmer
Henley Joseph beer retailer

James Thomas shopkeeper
Janes Samuel beer retailer
Janes William mealman

Lee Charles shopkeeper

Mead Benjamin miller
Mead Hannah Mrs plait dealer

Partridge Thomas Plough
Pearson Thomas whiting manufacturer
Peek John boot & shoe maker
Peppiatt John beer retailer
Pratt Thomas farmer
Puddephatt Michael grazier

Roberts Frederick maltster & farmer
Roe Samuel shopkeeper
Rollings Robert tailor
Rollings William carrier & whiting manufacturer
Rumble John beer retailer

Sharratt Samuel carpenter
Simmons Frederick miller
Simmons Jesse Five Bells
Smith Caleb plait dealer

Thorn Charles baker & grocer
Thorn George butcher
Thorn Joseph farmer
Thorn Robert farmer
Tingey John farmer
Travell William beer retailer

Varney Robert shopkeeper

Wood Fanny shopkeeper
Wood William farmer

Source: The Post office directory of Northamptonshire, Huntingdonshire, Bedfordshire, Buckinghamshire, Berkshire, and Oxfordshire By Kelly’s directories, ltd 1869

Administration

  • County: Bedfordshire
  • Civil Registration District: Leighton Buzzard
  • Probate Court: Court of the Archdeaconry of Bedford
  • Diocese: Pre-1837 – Lincoln, Post-1836 – Ely
  • Rural Deanery: Dunstable
  • Poor Law Union: Leighton Buzzard
  • Hundred: Manshead
  • Province: Canterbury