Person:Martha Lewis (62)

Martha Lewis was baptised on 7th August 1774 at Willen in Buckinghamshire, daughter of Sarah Lewis, formerly Northern, and her husband Thomas Lewis, a labourer. Sadly Martha died when she was about three years old, being buried at Willen on 10th July 1777.

1. ↑ Church of England. Willen Parish Registers, 1665-1981. (Aylesbury: Centre for Buckinghamshire Studies).

   Parish Register
   1774 / Martha D[aughte]r of Tho[ma]s & Sarah Sluiths bap[tise]d Aug[us]t 7
   Bishop's Transcript
   Christenings / Martha D[aughte]r of Tho[ma]s & Sarah Sluithis Aug[us]t 7 1774

   Other transcripts have recorded this entry as "Hinthis" or "Smithis". The handwriting is not entirely clear, but having examined both the Parish Register and the Bishop's Transcript, and considered other entries relating to this family, "Sluithis" appears to be the most accurate transcript of what was written for this entry. It also appears that Thomas and Sarah "Sluithis" disappear around 1776 to be replaced by a Thomas and Sarah "Lewis" from 1777 onwards who had not previously been there. Thomas and Sarah "Sluithis" had children called John, Elizabeth, Martha and Thomas baptised at Willen between 1772 and 1776. A John, Elizabeth, Martha and Thomas "Lewis" also appear in Willen from 1777 onward alongside Thomas and Sarah Lewis. It therefore seems reasonable to conclude that the handful of "Sluithis" entries at Willen in the early 1770s were a misheard "Lewis".

2. ↑ Church of England. Willen Parish Registers, 1665-1981. (Aylesbury: Centre for Buckinghamshire Studies).

   Parish Register
   1777: Martha Daughter of John & Sarah Lewis buried July 10 1777
   Bishop's Transcript
   Burials / July 10 1777 Martha Daughter of John & Sarah Lewis

   Father's name presumed misrecorded.