Person:John Hornet (1)

John Hornet was born on 8th December 1823 at Wheathampstead in Hertfordshire, son of Mary Swallow and Joseph Hornet. Mary and Joseph were not married at the time of John's birth - indeed a bastardy order had been issued in the September before John's birth for the as yet unborn child, along with a warrant for the apprehension of Joseph. Clearly Joseph was persuaded to marry Mary, and they married two months after John's birth, and John was baptised a month after that.

Sadly, John died as a baby, being buried at the neighbouring parish of Kimpton when he was five months old. His burial records that the family lived at Blackmore End, right on the border between Kimpton and Wheathampstead parishes.

1. ↑ ^1.0 1.1 Church of England. Wheathampstead Parish Registers. (Hertford: Hertfordshire Archives and Local Studies), Primary quality.
   There are two entries for John's baptism. The first has been entirely crossed out, but is still clearly legible. The second replaces the first, and makes clear that the clerk felt it important to record the fact that John was born illegitimately, even though his parents had subsequently married before his baptism.
   1st entry
   

   BAPTISMS solemnized in the Parish of Wheathamsted in the County of Hertford in the Year 1824
   No.	When Baptized	Child's Christian Name	Parent's Name		Abode	Quality, Trade, or Profession	By whom the Ceremony was performed
   			Christian	Surname
   527	Born Dec[embe]r 8th 1823 Baptized March 7th	John son of	Joseph & Mary	Hornet	Blackmore End, Kimpton	Laborer	J. Douton, Curate

   
   2nd entry
   

   BAPTISMS solemnized in the Parish of Wheathamsted in the County of Hertford in the Year 1824
   No.	When Baptized	Child's Christian Name	Parent's Name		Abode	Quality, Trade, or Profession	By whom the Ceremony was performed
   			Christian	Surname
   529	Born Dec[embe]r 8th 1823 Baptized March 7th	John son of illegitimate child	Sarah [sic]	Swallow	Hollybush House	-	J. Douton, Curate

2. ↑ Burials register, in Church of England. Kimpton Parish Registers, Primary quality.

   BURIALS in the Parish of Kimpton in the County of Hertford in the Year 1824
   No.	Name	Abode	When buried	Age	By whom the Ceremony was performed
   222	John Hornett	Blackmore End	May 4th	5 months	Char[le]s Chauncy Curate