Person:Mary Loxley (1)

Mary Loxley was born around 1748, quite likely at Cropthorne in Worcestershire, where her parents lived before and after her birth and where there is a gap in the parish registers around the time of Mary's birth. She was the daughter of a yeoman called William Loxley and his wife Jane. Mary's parents both died early in 1769; her mother died in the January and her father died less than a month later in February.

On 13th March 1771, Mary married Samuel Dingley at Cropthorne, who was her first cousin, being Mary's father's sister Ann's son. Mary and Samuel went on to have ten children baptised at Cropthorne between 1772 and 1791, although three died young, including two dying in the autumn of 1787.

Samuel's father died in 1786, leaving Samuel a house and land in Charlton in his will.

Mary's eldest daughter, Margaret, married her cousin Robert Dingley (Samuel's brother Edward's son) in 1800, but she died later that year, aged 28, shortly after giving birth.

On 2nd October 1801, Samuel wrote his will. He described himself as a yeoman of Charlton in the parish of Cropthorne, and makes clear that the house and land he owned in Charlton had been inherited from his father. He left the house to Mary for her lifetime, after which it was to pass to their eldest son, Francis. The other children were left sums of money, and he also left money for his late daughter Margaret's son, Robert.

Samuel died on 17th October 1801, when he was said to be sixty years old. He was buried five days later at Cropthorne. Mary survived him by six years. She died on 25th October 1807, when she was said to be 59 years old. She was buried four days later at Cropthorne.

1. ↑ Cropthorne Monumental Inscriptions (Birmingham & Midland Society for Genealogy & Heraldry).

   Sacred / to the memory of SAMUEL DINGLEY / He died October 17th 1801 aged 60 years [1740/1] / Also MARY wife of SAMUEL DINGLEY / She died October 25th 1807 aged 59 years [1747/8] / Also MARY daughter of SAMUEL and ESTHER / DINGLEY she died December 12th 1818 aged 6 years / and 11 months [1811/12] / Also SAMUEL DINGLEY Junior / he died July 24th 1856 aged 79 years [1776/7] / Also ESTHER wife of SAMUEL DINGLEY Junior / she died July 21st 1847 aged 61 years [1785/6]

2. ↑ Church of England. Parish Registers of Cropthorne, 1557-1992. (Worcester: Worcestershire Archive and Archaeology Service).

   Buried 1807 / Mary Dingley Widow Oct[obe]r 29th

3. ↑ The Cropthorne parish registers have a gap in the baptisms between 1748 and 1752. It seems likely that Mary was born around this time judging by the age given when she died. However, her husband's will refers to his brother-in-law Richard Loxley, whilst William Loxley's will mentions having a daughter Mary, such that it is still possible to confidently link Mary to this family despite no baptism having been found. The Bishop's Transcripts for Cropthorne need to be checked to see if any baptisms for those missing years are recorded there. Needs to be confirmed at Worcestershire Archives.