Ludford - Saddington Marriage - 1 February 1879

This post comes to you courtesy of the St George Hanover Square Registration District Marriage Challenge, and Mary Ghrist in particular.

The following marriage took place in the Parish Church of St John the Evangelist, Smith Square, Westminster, London.

No. 564
1 February 1879
Harry Alsop Spencer Ludford, 35, bachelor, Clerk, 34 Tufton Street, William Henry Ludford, Barrister
Betsy Saddington, 29, spinster, -, 34 Tufton Street, Thomas Saddington, Farmer
After banns
Witnesses - Charles Aires, Mary Howell

A little more research shows the happy couple living at 37 Sloane Square, Hans Town, London in the 1881 census. Harry Ludford is now a "Warrant Officer Com Dept - Navy Officer", and gives his birthplace as Gloucester. Betsy Ludford gives her birthplace as Appleby, Leicestershire. They also have a one year old daughter, Isabel Eveleen, born in London. Also staying with them is Laura Ashley, age 16, described as Niece, born in Oxford. [RG11/0078, Folio 97, Page 17]

Following on from this by checking the records for Appleby Magna, Leicestershire, Betsy is found to be Betsey, the seventh of Thomas and Ann Saddington's ten children, consisting of seven daughters and three sons.

Betsey's birth was registered in the December quarter of 1848 in the Ashby de la Zouch Registration District. She appeared with her parents and six of her brothers and sisters in the 1851 census, living at Birds Hill, Appleby Magna, Leicestershire. Betsey was baptised at the age of 4 on 16 October 1853 in the Parish Church of St Michael in Appleby Magna, on the same day as her older brother, Tom, and her younger sisters, Frances and Clara.

Checking for Harry's birth, there is a registration for one Alsop Ludford in the Gloucester Registration District in the June quarter of 1845, which would correspond with Harry's age at marriage. There are only six Ludford births in the Gloucester RD, commencing in the June quarter of 1839 and finishing in the December quarter of 1848, which leads me to conclude that these were probably all Harry's siblings.

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