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Boyce branch

 

Frederick Douglas senior's mother was Martha Ann Boyce, daughter of George Boyce, the baker of Middle Hill on Egham Hill. George was born on 4th August 1776 in Winkfield to Rev George Boyce and Mary Milton. This branch of the family has not been easy to trace, but visits to the Berkshire RO has helped a lot.

Note The Terry line has been mostly removed - see the Terry family page

According to some family notes, Rev George Boyce's wife was Mary Dolby, but this is clearly wrong. Rev George Boyce married Mary Milton at St John the Baptist, New Windsor on 23rd Aug 1773. She was baptised there on the 14th July 1751. Her parents Benjamin Milton and Mary Cross married in St Andrew's, Clewer on 15th July 1750 by licence. The Berkshire Archdeaconry marriage licence Bonds were unfortunately destroyed during WW2, but a card index survives at Berkshire Record Office. This reports that Benjamin was from 'Warfield?' and Mary from New Windsor. Mary's baptism was found at St John the Baptist, New Windsor on 3rd October 1733. Her father Thomas Cross's marriage to Hannah Matthews has been found in the IGI, it was at Bray on 17th September 1727. Thomas Cross himself was baptised on 8th July 1702 at Warfield. The Berkshire marriage index gives Hannah as of New Windsor, but a check of the New Windsor parish records has not revealed her baptism

Benjamin was indeed baptised in Warfield on 3rd April 1729, his parents were Joseph Milton and Mary, and Joseph's father was William Milton, a fellmonger - dealer in animal skins and hides, especially of sheep. Joseph was baptised on 27th October 1701 at Warfield. William was also churchwarden from at least 1716-1718, and appears in the parish records.

Elizabeth Morrison's baptism was found on 15th October 1715 also at St John the Baptist, New Windsor as daughter of George Morrison. He married Elizabeth Johnson on 9th December 1711  - the parish records gives them as both of New Windsor and both servants of Earl Renal (obviously Ranelagh).However it was not possible to find parent for either in Windsor.

 

A view of St John the Baptist Church as it was may be seen on this page (scroll down) http://www.thamesweb.co.uk/windsor/windsorhistory/Windsor1897Barber.htm

A picture of St Andrew's Clewer may be seen here. St Michael's Warfield may be seen here.

Taking the Boyce ancestry back, there is one suggestion that Judith is possbly a Wright daughter of  John Wright - it has not been possible to confirm this. John  Boyce her husband has now been identified as son of Esther Boyce, who died in 1731. The marriage of George Boyce to Hester Terry was on unknown date in 1676. The Terry family is a notable family in the history of Warfield, they had purchased the advowson (right to appoint a priest to the living of Warfield) in 1629.

Both Stephen Terry and Avis his widow apparently left wills in 1678. Stephen was a clerk (priest) though not the rector of Warfield. An unproved tree suggest they may be the parents of Esther (Hester) Terry. There appear to be gaps in the parish records of Warfield, which are only partly filled by the Bishop's Transcripts. The wills may be the only way of proving the Terry lineage.

Though back one further generation, the Boyce family again appears stuck with George Boyce husband of Hester.

The Feet of fines of 1628 is shown here where John and Stephen Terry purchase property and the advowson of Warfield. Stephen Terry and his wife Avis Browne have now been proved to be the parents of Hester. Stephen attended Caius College Cambridge , and originated from Long Sutton, Hampshire. There are some documents at Berkshire Record Office which need further investigation. Stephen's father was John Terry, citizen and goldsmith of London. It seems likely that the Tery family can be traced further back as they seem well documented, if the confusing accounts can be untangled.

 Latest

Recently I purchased the Berkshire Probate Index on CD from the local family history society, which covers wills proved in the Archdeaconry of Berkshire.

I identified wills to be investigated for Stephen Terry, Avis Terry widow of Stephen, and William Cross - also some docs for George and William Boyce)
 

After the first visit I went home with prints of these wills -without having fully read, but I knew Stephen Terry and Avis were parents of Hester, and that Avis was Avis Browne. At the very tail end of the visit, I looked at a card index - I can never resist these and found and index to a marriage settlement for Stephen Terry.

I ordered up the original documents and not one but 18 documents arrived. These all seemed to relate to the advowson of Warfield. and dated back to the Elizabethan period. I had little time available to read them, did not have my camera with me.

I did read that Stephen Terry was son of John Terry was son of John Terry, goldsmith and citizen of London. Stephen was described as of Caius College Cambridge, and formerly of Long Sutton.

Stephen's time at Cambridge is listed on the Ancestry database of Cambridge alumni.

 

Internet searches showed plenty of information about this Terry family and the genealogy - not all in agreement!

However Long Sutton was clearly the one in Hampshire - only a few miles from where Freda and I married at North Warnborough. 

John Terry is described in a few places and was clearly church warden and overseer in Totteridge, Herts (near Barnet) where he was buried. His wife was Elizabeth Gale, who married Thomas Perpoynte first. She was daughter of William Gale, she was buried in Bushey, Herts.

 

On return visit to Berkshire Record office I photographed the documents relevant to the Terry family, and having now evaluated the evidence from these and other sources, I have written a page on the Terry family

 

George Boyce has now been shown to be the son of William Boyce and Edith. William Boyce's will is still to be got, it is a PCC will and this can wait until the next visit to the National Archives. Note - this will of a William Boyce may be unrelated to the family! George Seems to have married twice. Alice wife of George Boyce was buried at Warfield in 1670.

George's birth must be around 1650 - I have put about 1647 here, even George's four children only have estimated dates.

So this gives his father William a likely birth date of 1621. Fortunately there is a record in the bishop's transcript for baptism of William Boyce son of William Boyce bap 1.10.1622 at Warfield.

 

Latest news is that John Boyce's marriage to Judith Write (Wright) has been located. This took place on 26th November 1714 at the Fleet Prison in London. Both parties were of Winkfield, with John being a yeoman. Clergymen who had been imprisoned for debt carried out these marriages without banns or licence as a means or earning some income. These marriages were ended by Hardwick's Marriage Act of 1754

 

 

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