Person:James Nicholls (2)

James Nicholls was a labourer. His first traced sighting is in 1781, when he was married at Edlesborough in Buckinghamshire to a Mary Ambrose. The baptisms of two children to the couple have been found - Daniel baptised in 1782 at Little Gaddesden in Hertfordshire and Ruth baptised in 1785 at Studham in Bedfordshire. They also appear to have had a daughter Fanny, who was probably born in the late 1780s, but no baptism has been found for her.^[3] Daniel's baptism gives the family's abode as the hamlet of Hudnall, which was then a detached part of Edlesborough parish. Hudnall lies close to the point where the three counties of Hertfordshire, Bedfordshire and Buckinghamshire meet. Whilst it was part of the parish of Edlesborough, the churches at Little Gaddesden and Studham were both closer to Hudnall than the church at Edlesborough. Hudnall was transferred to the parish of Little Gaddesden in 1885.

James's wife Mary died in 1790, aged 31. She was described as wife of James Nicholls of Hudnall and poor. Less than three years later James's daughter Fanny also died, being described as daughter of James Nicholls of Hudnall and poor.

In 1798, the Posse Comitatus was taken, being a survey of men aged 15 to 60 who might be eligible for military service. This was in response to the growing threat from Napoleon's French army. The Buckinghamshire returns list James Nicholls as a labourer at Hudnall.

In 1802, twelve years after Mary's death, James remarried. His second wife was Rebecca Howes and they married at Studham. The marriage appears to have been childless.

James Nicholls was buried in 1821 at Little Gaddesden, described as being of Hudnall and 71 years old, implying that he was born in 1749 or 1750. His wife Rebecca outlived him, and remarried a few months after his death.

1. ↑ Burials register, in Church of England. Little Gaddesden Parish Records.

   BURIALS in the Parish of Little Gaddesden in the County of Hertford in the Year 1821
   No. 131
   Name: James Nichols
   Abode: Hudnall
   When buried: Feb[ruar]y 11th
   Age: 71 [1749/50]
   By whom the Ceremony was performed: James Horseman, Rector

2. ↑ ^2.0 2.1 Beckett, Ian F. W. (Ian Frederick William). The Buckinghamshire posse comitatus 1798. (Buckinghamshire Record Society, 1985)
   180, 1798.

   Hudnall, Parish of Edlesborough / Labourers / James Nicholls

3. ↑ Given the close gaps between James and Mary's marriage in 1781, Daniel's baptism in 1782 and Ruth's baptism in 1785, Fanny was presumably born after Ruth (1785), but must have been born before Mary's death (1790).