Person:William Ashby (16)

William Ashby's origins are unknown. If the age quoted when he died is correct, he was born around 1775. His first confirmed sighting is on 30th July 1797, when he married Elizabeth Hornet at Ayot St Lawrence in Hertfordshire. At the time of their marriage he was said to be from the neighbouring parish of Wheathampstead. She was 22 years old and from the neighbouring parish of Welwyn.

William and Elizabeth went on to have nine children baptised at Ayot St Lawrence between 1798 and 1822. Some of the children's baptisms note that the family lived in the neighbouring parish of Kimpton, and that William was a labourer. At least one of their children died young.

Elizabeth died in 1828, aged 53. William outlived her by nineteen years. He has not been found in the 1841 census, but immediately before his death he was living at Rabley Heath in the parish of Welwyn. He died in 1847 and was buried at Ayot St Lawrence on 26th November 1847. He was said to be 72 years old.

1.   Deaths index, in General Register Office. England and Wales Civil Registration. (London: General Register Office).

   d. William ASHBY, December Quarter 1847, Hatfield and Welwyn Registration District, Volume 6, page 345, aged 72 [1774/5]

2. ↑ ^2.0 2.1 Burials register, in Church of England. Ayot St Lawrence Parish Registers, 1566-1904. (Hertford: Hertfordshire Archives and Local Studies).

   BURIALS in the Parish of Ayot St Lawrence in the County of Herts in the Year 1847
   No.	Name	Abode	When buried	Age	By whom the Ceremony was performed
   98	William Ashby	Rabley Heath p[arish] of Welwyn? formerly of Ayot St Lawrence	Friday Nov[ember] 26	72	John Olive