|
|
||
| ANN BARRATT, . 1735 - 1798 | ||
|
Ann Barratt was born in 1735, the daughter of Robert Barratt, shoemaker
and husbandman and his wife Elizabeth nee Chambers. She was baptised at Kempston on 19th October, 1735. Ann was the second child of Robert and Elizabeth, but they had both been married before. Her father had three children surviving from his first marriage, Thomas 13, Mary 11 and Elizabeth 7 and her mother had one son Thomas Watts aged 4. Ann's father was comfortably off with a farm and property which rented out. When she was 22 her mother Elizabeth died, buried 22nd Nov 1757. It was about that time that Ann became pregnant the father of her child was William Biggs, a miller. She had probably known him all her life as his father Abraham Biggs lived in Kempston and was a friend of her father. It was not unusual for girls to become pregnant before their marriage. It was important before marrying to be sure that the girl was capable of bearing children as you could survive best if you were a family unit with a wife and children who could supplement the family income. Banns were read at the Parish Church for 3 Sundays before their marriage on 31st January, 1758. Both Ann and her husband were able to sign their names, as also were the two witnesses, her father Robert and her brother-in-law John Brooks. Perhaps they came with their shotguns to make sure William came up to scratch. After their marriage Ann & William continued to live in the village. Their first child was born on 16th July, 1758 and was called John Barratt Biggs. He was baptised on 21st September at Kempston, at the same time Ann's brother Thomas & his wife Elizabeth had their son John, born two days earlier, baptised. Also baptised was Ann's husband William at the age of 23. It seems likely that William was a non-conformist and so were the family as prior to this there are no records of the Biggs family in the Parish Registers. Further information on Ann and her husband is under the Biggs family story. |
SOURCES USED. Miscellaneous Note: June Biggs |
|
THE BARRATT FAMILY