Desborough Study
Curiosities from the Parish Register
12 Sep 1571
John Brette, alias 'Father Peter', was buried
01 Jan 1572
[Burial of] Robt Warner - an old man; he was also blind and lead to the
church to and fro a great while before he died
01 Jun 1573
Mary Stradling - a poor woman, young and traveling about
the country for her living, died and was buried June 1st
28 Nov 1578
[Burial of] Francis s George Shelston - he was aborted
26 Nov 1581
[Burial of] Margery d Richard Wilkinson - base begotten at Braybrooke of
what her father's name is I know not
The writer seems to suggest that Richard Wilkinson denied paternity, or
was known (by absence or incapacity?) not to have been the father of
Margery. Her mother Amy was buried the same day.
13 Nov 1591
George Howes Schoolmayster to mayster Vavyser his children at Rushton rydde to desbr in
the evening and was drowned in desbor ryver by the willowes closse there uppon Munday at night
betwene the houres of vij and viij of the clocke being the viij of Nov. and his horse sadle and
bridle was founde in the willowes closse uppon the friday following the xij day and so
he was buryed the satterday following, the xiijth day.
22 Jan 1592/93
Edward Smith - a tale (tall*) man a soldier which
came to us from France and from Rothwell conveyed unto us in a cart and lodged by the constables
in Thos Tebotte's barn, and the same night he died and was buried the 22nd day
18 Apr 1598
Henry Tebotte (alias Old Father Tebotte; a man 6 score years old by
credible report)
13 Nov 1603
[Baptism of] Richard son of Thos Speere,
a poor tinker that travelled abroad for his living the father of this
child made dwelling here as the mother of this child said being
going about for her living having a sister w.... she was ... of this
child at Desborough*
7 Dec 1603
[Burial of] John N., a poor boy that went about the country for his ...
born in Ipswich, in the county of Suffolk
12 Mar 1608/09
[Burial of] Jane Hutte - a poor woman's child that went about for her
living was buried the 12th day. She died upon her back and she buried her in
her .... of ....
03 May 1609
[Burial of] John Williams - a poor maimed man conveyed in carts from
town to town from Chelmsford in Essex to Staffordshire died in Desborough
and was buried there
15 Jul 1609
Robt Warre & Eliz Watson [were married] : and it rained almost all that
day (being St Swithin's Day) and 6 weeks after so that we had 8 great floods
in August following: water so cheap* and malt so dear
23 Jun 1615
[Burial of]
Libias Walker - an old man; a true day labourer all his time, being 4
score years old
22 Oct 1626
[Burial of]
George Watson ; an old man age ca 80; a good & Charitable man to the
poor from his beginning to the end
08 Jun 1629
[Burial] On the 4th of June (Thursday) there was a young male child
found in the Ash Pitts with two stones tied to it but the murderer thereof
was not then known but some suspected and buried (after the coroner had made
.....) the 8th of the same month
20 Nov 1631
[Burial of Thomas
Alderman, aged 18 months]: Thos s John Alderman; whose mother drowned
herself of a Friday night
04 Jun 1637
[Burial]: Francis, whose father & mother & surname are not ..... being
but an infant of 6 weeks of age was .... by the mother with one Barbary
..... the woman died at Desborough the 4th of June, Sunday and buried the
same day
13 --- 1638
[Burial]: Rosena* Normen, widow who died suddenly the 13th day was
buried being Weds, after the Coroner's Inquisition was passed upon her
01 Feb 1638/39
[Burial]: Thomas
Hall a mason and Thomas the son being a youth of 12 years of age were
both of them slain in a stone pit by the fall of earth at Desborough on the
last day of January about sun setting and buried the next day after the
coroner's inquest taken both in one grave
11 May 1640
[Burial]: Mary
daughter of John Atkins - an innocent maid could neither go nor speak
22 Dec 1641
[Baptism]:
William son of Edward & Agnes Goodman - at which time of administration of
the sacrament
Elizabeth Andrewes the godmother a spinster and being daughter of
Richard Andrewe a fiery hot Puritan refused to have the child signed with
the sign of the Cross according to the Liturgy of the Book of Common Prayer
but ..... ...... not
25 May 1673
Thomas Bayley of Broughton and Jane Faulkner of Thorp Malsor were married one Trinity Munday at
which time there were such a flood at Rowell Bridge that the bridegroome and bride and many hundred more faint
be caried over. never any saw such a water at the ford. plenty of water little good beere.
13 Oct 1676
Elizabeth the daughter of Joseph Bayley a poore traveller having no abiding came to this[?] town[?] with his family & the infant died in Robert Warr's
Barn being ill before .
31 Aug 1678
Elizabeth Haseldine Widdow buried the first that
was buried in Wollan
according to the late Act of Parliament.
5 May 1678
George Burk of Littleberry near Safforn Waldon in the County of Norforck, coming from Leice Faire Mistaking his way rode into
the river & was drowned May the 2nd. And after inquisition made was buried May the 5: 1678.
15 May 1811
A man found in the Brook dead was buried.