Person:Mary Ambrose (28)

Mary Ambrose was baptised at Studham in Bedfordshire on 16th September 1759, daughter of John and Mary Ambrose. When she was about 22, she married a James Nicholls who lived at Hudnall, a hamlet immediately south of Studham. They married at Edlesborough in Buckinghamshire, which was the parish church covering Hudnall, even though Hudnall was detached from the rest of Edlesborough parish and there were several other churches nearer. After their marriage, they lived in Hudnall, but baptised their children at churches closer to home than their parish church at Edlesborough. They had a son, Daniel, baptised at Little Gaddesden in 1782 and a daughter, Ruth, baptised at Studham in 1785. They also appear to have had a daughter called Fanny whose baptism has not been found, but quite likely she was born in the late 1780s.

Mary died in 1790, aged just 31. She was buried at Little Gaddesden, and her burial record notes that she was poor. James outlived her by over 30 years.

1. ↑ Bedfordshire Record Office. Studham Parish Register Transcript. (Bedford).

   BAPTISMS
   1759 Sep 16 Mary d Jn & Mary Ambrose

   Needs to be confirmed at Bedfordshire Archives. This baptism has been identified on the basis that this Mary had a brother called William Ambrose and one of the witnesses to her marriage was a William Ambrose. Also, Studham is very close to Hudnall where Mary settled after her marriage, and she had her second child baptised at Studham.

2. ↑ Church of England. Little Gaddesden Parish Registers, 1681-1901. (Hertfordshire Archives and Local Studies).

   1790
   Mary Wife of James Nichols of Hudnall Septm[be]r 24 Affid[avi]t Poor