Person:Matthew Street (4)

Matthew Street was baptised on 15th December 1700 at Shillington in Bedfordshire, eldest known son of a blacksmith named Richard Street and his wife Mary. Shortly after Matthew's baptism the family moved a few miles to the east to the village of Stotfold, where they would have another five children between 1702 and 1713. Matthew's father Richard died in 1723. It is not known when Matthew's mother died.

Matthew married a woman called Rebecca some time before 1727, but their marriage has yet to be traced. They had a daughter named Mary baptised at Stotfold in 1727. Mary was followed by a daughter called Ann in 1728 and a son called Matthew in 1731.

In 1734, Matthew and Rebecca had a child who died before they had managed to get it baptised. In 1735 they had a daughter named Rebecca who died less than a month after her baptism, and in 1736 they had another child who died before it could be baptised.

In total therefore, Matthew and Rebecca are known to have had at least six children, but the youngest three all died as babies, leaving them with three children who survived to adulthood: Mary, Ann and Matthew. Matthew and Rebecca lived to see both their daughters Mary and Ann marry in the late 1740s.

Rebecca died in 1753, being buried at Stotfold on 2nd May 1753. It was 26 years since her eldest daughter had been born. Matthew outlived her by just over a year and a half, being buried at Stotfold on 24th December 1754, aged 54. His burial record tells us that he was a blacksmith.

1. ↑ England. Births and Christenings, 1538-1975. (FamilySearch, Ancestry.com, Findmypast).

   ch. 15 Dec 1700, Shillington, Bedfordshire: Matthew son of Richard & Mary Street

   Needs to be confirmed at Bedfordshire Archives.

2. ↑ Bedfordshire and Luton Archives and Records Service. Transcript of Stotfold Parish Registers.

   Burials 1754: DE24 Matth Street, blacksmith