OTHER BRAIN FAMILIES
Brain is a relatively common English surname, and so the great majority of ‘Brains’ are not related to us. Our own family lived for several centuries in Stretton-on-Fosse, on the Gloucestershire / Warwickshire border – and was evidently related to the other Brain families of that area, in villages and hamlets such as Charingworth, Ebrington and Mickleton.
As time allows, I am posting details of Brains from that part of the country (north Gloucestershire and south Warwickshire) below. However I have not researched them particularly thoroughly, and therefore have not yet made much progress in combining the various individuals into extended families.
Ebrington [hereafter ‘E’] is a neighbouring parish to Stretton-on-Fosse, and includes the hamlet of Charingworth, midway between the two.
At least one Robert had children baptized at Ebrington (hereafter E): William on 6 January 1659, Marianne on 20 January 1660, another William on 9 February 1663, Frances on 17 September 1665, another child on 6 September 1668, Thomas on 26 May 1672, Richard on 4 July 1675 and Anthony in 1680. Robert “of Charingworth” was buried at E on 16 June 1704. The E burial register has an entry five years later: “1709 Mary Brayn Widow was buried November ye 10 day”. As no other Brayne family was recorded in the parish records at that time in E, this Mary may well have been the widow of Robert.
John married Elizabeth Proctor “of Charingworth” on 19 November 1698 at E; they had a son, Robert, baptized there on 17 April 1704.
Thomas and Mary had children baptized at E: Mary on 3 September 1704, Dorothy in 1705, Frances on 3 May 1713 and John in 1717. They may well have had an older child, Thomas, baptized at E on 17 August 1701 and buried there on 22 November 1720.
Charles and Eliza and their family (Thomas, George, Charles and John) feature in the 1851-81 censuses for E; but since Charles was born in Mickleton, I’ve listed them more fully there.
William married Constance. They had at least two children: Robert, baptized in Mickleton (hereafter ‘M’) on 30 September 1690; and Edward, baptized there in 1693. (It may well be this Robert who married Elizabeth (surname unknown) and had a daughter, Constance, baptized in M in 1724.) William was buried on 21 October 1714 without leaving a will. However, his widow Constance applied for and was granted Letters of Administration in September 1715. Constance was buried on 6 June 1724.
Edward and Mary had a son William baptized at M on 1 November 1719.
Edmund married Mary and had a son, Anthony, baptized in M in 1725.
Elisabeth married Thomas Hawkes “of Ebrington” in M on 31 May 1757.
Robert married Ann Hadland at M on 30 April 1771. They had at least three children: Robert, baptised in M on 17 May 1772; Elizabeth, on 9 October 1774; and Ann, on 29 May 1776. Robert was buried, still at M, on 15 April 1800, his age recorded as eighty-five.
Robert’s son Robert was baptized in M on 17 May 1772. He married Sarah Yates at M on 28 January 1794. They had at least three children: Jonathan, baptized in M in 1796; Robert, baptized there in 1796, and Elizabeth, born there in 1808. Sarah died at M on 1 March 1849, and Robert on 12 April that same year. He left a will, proved at Gloucester 24 May 1849 (sworn under £300).
Robert’s son Jonathan was baptized in M on 5 April 1794. He married Marianne Davis at M on 3 August 1820; they had a daughter, Ann, baptized there the following year. It may well also be this Jonathan and ‘Mary’ who had Sarah baptized at M on 17 May 1823. Also, a Jonathan and Mary had a son Jonathan baptized at M in 1835 and a son Robert baptized there on Christmas Day 1840.
Robert’s son Robert was baptized in M on 9 October 1796. On 28 December 1819 he married Sarah Cox at M. They had seven children: William, baptized at M in 1820; Charles, born there on 22 December 1821; Jonathan baptized there on 26 December 1824; Eliza, baptized thee on 17 November 1827 and buried in Ebrington on 17 July 1840; Harriet, baptized in M on 17 October 1830 and died in Ebrington in 1889; George, born in 1832; and Joseph in 1835. Sarah died on 13 May 1840, just before her daughter Eliza. In 1861 Robert was working as a molecatcher in Charingworth: his grandson Robert was with him. Twenty years later eighty-six year old Robert, still a ‘mole-catcher’, was living in Ebrington – now with grandson Thomas, born 1850/1 in Stretton on Fosse. He died on 1 December 1885.
Robert’s first son William was born in M in about 1819 and baptized there on 4 June 1820. He married Hannah Taylor at Blockley on 15 October 1839. They had nine children: Eliza, born in about 1839 and died before 1843, Charles born in Blockey in 1839/40, another Eliza, born in M and baptized there on 2 February 1843, Harriet born there in 1844/5 and baptized on 2 February 1845, William born there in 1846/7, Robert born there in 1848/9 and baptized with William on 21 May 1854, Sarah Ann born there in 1851, Joseph baptized there on 3 April 1853 and Frederick born on 18 June 1855. In 1851 William and Hannah were living in the village with Charles, Eliza, Harriet, William, Robert and Sarah Ann. In 1881 William & Hannah were still living in M with five-year old granddaughter Amelia Knight; while five years later they were still there, this time with fifteen-year old granddaughter Harriet Knight. William died, still at M, on 1 August 1897.
William’s daughter Sarah Ann was born in M on 10 February 1851. She married William James Knight at the Baptist Chapel, Redditch, on 15 September 1875 and had at least one child – a daughter, Harriet Amelia. Sarah died in Stanway on 10 May 1919.
William’s son Frederick was born in Ebrington and baptized in M on 7 June 1857. He married Ann Kinchin at M on 15 April 1876; five years later they were still in the village, with two-year old Sarah A and two-month old Charles W. In 1891 Frederick & Ann were living in M with Charles W, and also Arthur F born in M in 1883/4, Beatrice M born there in 1886/7 and Walter born there in 1889/90; Sarah meanwhile was at Mickleton Woods Farm, a ‘nurse’.
Robert’s son Jonathan was baptized in M in 1824. In 1881, by now a widowed agricultural labourer, he was boarding in Greet, near Winchcombe, with the Jones family.
Robert’s son George was born in M on 30 November 1832 and baptized there on 13 January 1833. He married Caroline Bartlett and they had sons Joseph born in 1859, Thomas James, born in 1861and baptized at Stretton on Fosse on 16 June, and Charles William born in 1865. The 1861 census recorded the family in Stretton. George, a “railway labourer”, died in Blockley on 16 May 1865, “hit by a train”. All three of the boys left England and made their way to Ontario, Canada; Caroline remarried, a George Webb, in 1868.
Robert’s son Joseph was baptized at M on 1 November 1835. The 1861 census recorded him unmarried in Charingworth, working as a molecatcher.
Robert’s daughter Elizabeth was born in M on 26 September 1808, and married Richard Jarrett there on 7 December 1833; she died in about 1868.
Jonathan was born in M in 1794/5. He married Mary (surname unknown, born in Stow on the Wold in 1795/6) and had a son, Robert, born in M in 1830/1. In 1851 the three of them were living in the village with a nineteen-year old lodger, Hannah Beal.Jonathan married Marianne Davis at M on 3 August 1820; they had a daughter, Ann, baptized there the following year. It may well also be this Jonathan and ‘Mary’ who had Sarah baptized at M on 17 May 1823. Also, a Jonathan and Mary had a son Jonathan baptized at M in 1835 and a son Robert baptized there on Christmas Day 1840.
Robert was born in M in about 1798. On 28 December 1819 he married Sarah Cox at M. They had five children baptized at M: Jonathan in 1824, Eliza in 1827, Harriet in 1830, George in 1833 and Joseph in 1835. By 1861 Robert was widowed, and working as a molecatcher in Charingworth: his grandson Robert was with him. Twenty years later eighty-six year old Robert, still a ‘molecatcher’, was living in Ebrington – now with grandson Thomas, born 1850/1 in Stretton on Fosse.
Robert’s son Jonathan was baptized in M in 1824. In 1881, by now a widowed agricultural labourer, he was boarding in Greet, near Winchcombe, with the Jones family.
Robert’s son Joseph was baptized at M on 1 November 1835. The 1861 census recorded him unmarried in Charingworth, working as a molecatcher.
Charles was born in M in 1821/2. He married Eliza (surname unknown, born in Ebrington in 1825/6) and they had children: Thomas born in Ebrington in 1850/1, George born in Hidcote in 1852/3, Charles born there in 1854/5 and John, born there in 1868/9. In 1861 the family were living in Ebrington; Charles was working as an agricultural labourer and Thomas as a ploughboy. Twenty years later they were still in Ebrington; and Charles was still working as an agricultural labourer.
Jonathan was born in M in 1834/5. He married Mary (surname unknown) and the two of them were recorded in the village by the 1881 census: Jonathan was an agricultural labourer and Mary a milliner.
Another (or the same?) Jonathan was born in M in 1836/7. He married Sarah, and in 1891 was living with her in M and working as a carpenter.
William was born in M in about 1819. He married Hannah and had children: Charles born in Blockey in 1839/40, Eliza, born and baptized in M in 1843, Harriet born there in 1844/5, William born there in 1846/7, Robert born there in 1848/9, Sarah Ann born there in 1851, Joseph baptized there on 3 April 1853 and Frederick in 1857. In 1851 William and Hannah were living in the village with Charles, Eliza, Harriet, William, Robert and Sarah Ann. In 1881 William & Hannah were still living in M, now with five-year old granddaughter Amelia Knight; while five years later they were still there, this time with fifteen-year old granddaughter Harriet Knight.
William’s son Frederick was born in Ebrington and baptized in M on 7 June 1857. He married Ann Kinchin at M on 15 April 1876; five years later they were still in the village, with two-year old Sarah A and two-month old Charles W. In 1891 Frederick & Ann were living in M with Charles W, and also Arthur F born in M in 1883/4, Beatrice M born there in 1886/7 and Walter born there in 1889/90; Sarah meanwhile was at Mickleton Woods Farm, a ‘nurse’.
Robert was born in M in 1829/30. He married Ann, and had at least five children: Elizabeth born in about 1855, George Arthur baptized at M on 27 July 1856, Alfred born there in 1857/8, Richard Reeves baptized there on 2 September 1860 and Frederick Jonathan, baptized there in 1865. In 1881 Robert, Ann, Alfred and Frederick were still living in M; all three men were working as agricultural labourers. Ten years later Robert & Ann were still there, now with Alfred and fourteen-year old grandson William.
Robert’s son Frederick Jonathan was born in M and baptized there on 7 May 1865. In 1881 he was living with his family and working as an agricultural labourer. The 1891 census recorded him still in M, now with wife Joyce and nine-month old son Robert.
Jonathan married Mary Heritage at M on 18 June 1861.
Thomas and Sarah Ann had a son, John William, baptized at M on 5 March 1865.
Thomas married Mary Barns at M on 1 July 1865.
George Allen was born in M in 1856/7. He married Jane and had at least eight children: William Jonathan born in M in 1876/7, Elizabeth Anne born there in 1878/9, Susannah Jane born in Llanrhaiadr, Denbigh, Wales in 1879/80, Ellen born in M in 1881/2, Harry born there in 1882/3, Edith born there in 1885/6, Priscilla born there in 1887/8, Richard born there in 1888/9 and Arthur born there in 1891. In 1881 the family were living in “Bron y Park, Llanrhaiadr in Kinmerch, Denbigh, Wales”; George was working as a ‘game watcher’. Ten years later they were back in M; George was an “agricultural labourer”.
Ernest and Hannah were born in Stoke, Staffordshire in 1880/1 and 1881/2 respectively. In 1891 they were living in M as ‘stepchildren’ of James Power and his wife Sarah (born in 1849/50 in Ebrington, and presumably the widow of a Brain).
Most of the Brains to be found in Stretton-on-Fosse (hereafter ‘S/F’) are members of our family, listed in some detail elsewhere. Others as yet unidentified are as follows:
Frances married John Simonds at S/F on 13 December 1716. She may be a daughter of our ancestor Thomas.
In the 1851 census for Crawley Road, Witney there is listed a sixty-seven year old William Brain, an agricultural labourer, born in S/F (in presumably 1783/4); he was married to Elizabeth (born in North Leigh, nr Witney, in 1787/8); living with them was their grandson, George. A descendant writes: “It appears that William & Elizabeth’s son had a relationship with an Elizabeth Spittle, born about 1814: their son was baptized as George Spittle in 1837 at Witney St Mary’s but on the 1851 census he was listed as George Brain with his grandparents in Crawley Road. He was also called George Brain Spittle. William & Elizabeth’s son had another son with Elizabeth Spittle, Richard Brain Spittle, bapt 13 August 1843 at Witney St Mary’s. Entered in the Parish Register as “son of Elizabeth Spittle”. He went to live with Elizabeth’s sister, Ann Spittle ... . Richard was also known aa Richard Brain Spittle, Richard Beale (presumably after his uncle) or William Beale (also after his uncle? or father?). He was my grandmother’s father and known as Richard William Beale. His seven children were Beales ...”
William and Mary had a daughter, also called Mary, baptized in S/F in 1765.
On 15 October 1795 Elizabeth, the illegitimate daughter of Elizabeth Charles of Ebrington and Robert Brain of Barton-on-the- Heath, was baptized at S/F.
Jane “of Ditchford” married Francis Styche “of St Martin’s Birmingham” at S/F by licence on 2 May 1808; one of the witnesses was Susanna Brain.
William was born in 1802/3. On 28 August 1884 he was buried at S/F, being recorded as “of Shipston Union Workhouse”.
Michael had a son George who married Sarah Smith “of Burford” at S/F on 28 March 1844.
George, Caroline and family were living in S/F at the time of the 1861 census. They had moved to the village from Mickleton (where I have fuller details for them), probably to work on the railway.
Joseph was born in 1824/5. He was buried in S/F on 30 April 1891, “aged sixty-six”.
Jonathan, a labourer, and Sarah had a daughter, Sarah Anne, baptized at S/F on 11 June 1848. (This may be Jonathan son of Robert & Sarah of Mickleton – some of that family moved to Stretton.)
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page revised April 2014