Saddingtons of Diseworth, Leicestershire (Edited 21 June 2008)

This is just a quick post, building on two marriage certificates obtained courtesy of Sue Horsman.

The first relates to the marriage of Thomas Pratt Saddington, baptised on 30 December 1838 at Appleby Magna, LEI, a son of William Saddington and Elizabeth Pratt.

The wedding took place in Diseworth Parish Church, as follows:

No. 129
August 21 1871

Thomas Pratt Saddington 32 Bachelor Brickmaker Appleby William Saddington Farmer
Mary Pountain 32 Spinster Domestic Servant Diseworth John Pountain Gardner

Both bride and groom signed their names, and the witnesses were the groom's brother, William Pratt Saddington, and one Sarah Ann (surname unclear).

In the 1881 census, Thomas and Mary were living at Clements Gate Street, Diseworth, with their 7 year old son, Thomas Pratt Saddington, and two male indoor servants, Charles Harris, 21, from Barrow on Soar, LEI, and Bentley Jordan, 20, from Tonge, LEI. Thomas is described as a farmer of 114 acres, employing one labourer and one boy.

In the 1891 census, Thomas and Mary were living at Cross Farm, Diseworth, with their 17 year old son, Thomas Pratt Saddington, and one servant, George H Baker, 16, from Repton, DBY. Thomas is described as a farmer.

The second marriage certificate relates to the marriage of Thomas and Mary's son, Thomas Pratt Saddington. He was also married in Diseworth Parish Church.

No. 200
October 17 1898

Thomas Pratt Saddington 24 Bachelor Farmer Diseworth Thomas Pratt Saddington Farmer
Minni Bicket Ferguson 21 Spinster - Isley Walton Hugh Kerr Ferguson (deceased) Farmer

Both bride and groom signed their names, and the witnesses were the bride's brother, Bryce Ferguson, one Alfred Edward Stretton, E P Saddington (probably the groom's cousin, Elizabeth Pratt Saddington) and Mary Orr Ferguson (possibly the bride's mother or a sister).

Mary Saddington died in the March quarter of 1897, aged 66 (Shardlow RD, Vol 7b Page 312). The 1901 census tells us that the TPS II family had moved in with the widowed TPS I at Lady Gate, Diseworth, LEI. The household consisted of TPS I, a farmer, TPS II, a civil engineer, TPS II's wife Minnie (born in Dalry, Ayr, Scotland, where her grandfather, Bryce Ferguson, was farming 106 acres in the 1881 census), their daughter, Mary, age 2 and born in Isley Walton, LEI, and two male farm servants, Louis Orion, 21, a horseman from Diseworth, and David Wain, 16, a cow boy from Long Wharton, LEI.

Anyway, Thomas Pratt Saddington I died on 18 December 1908, at the age of 70, having moved back to Appleby Magna. Probate was granted to Thomas Pratt Saddington II on 10 March 1909. The gross Estate was worth £3076 7s 2d. In 2007 (which is the closest I can currently get), this would have been £229,815.70.

Thomas Pratt Saddington I had lived to be a grandfather 5 times over. According to the GRO Indexes, the following Saddington children were born in the Shardlow Registration District after the marriage of Thomas Pratt Saddington II and Minnie Bicket Ferguson:

June quarter 1899 - Mary Orr Saddington - Volume 7b, Page 518
September quarter 1901 - Sarah Elizabeth P Saddington - Volume 7b, Page 524
December quarter 1903 - Marion Ferguson Saddington - Volume 7b, Page 535
March quarter 1906 - Margaret Kathleen Saddington - Volume 7b, Page 515
September quarter 1908 - Thomas Pratt Saddington - Volume 7b, Page 548

Not that many years later, on 30 December 1911, Thomas Pratt Saddington II made his Will. As Executors, he appointed his brother in law, Bryce Ferguson, farmer of Diseworth, and his friend, John Harris, farmer of Diseworth. They were each to receive £10 free of duty, and were to be guardians of his children, should his wife die before they reached their majority (at this date, the age of 21).

The Will stated that his wife, Minnie Bicket Saddington, was to be the guardian of any infant children, was to have the use of all furniture, books, household effects etc during her widowhood, and was to continue in business as a farmer during her widowhood and receive all the profits. However, if she remarried, she was to receive a third of the income from the farm for her life only.

The Will went on to say that his son, Thomas Pratt Saddington III, had been provided for by his late father, Thomas Pratt Saddington I.

After the death of his wife, the Estate was to be shared equally between his children on reaching the age of 21, or if the child was a daughter, immediately if they were married by the time their mother died. The distribution of the Estate was not to include Thomas Pratt Saddington III.

Thomas Pratt Saddington II died on 23 March 1929 at the General Hospital, Nottingham. His address was 35 Cromwell Street, Nottingham. His Will was probated on 17 October 1929 by his brother in law, Bryce Ferguson. The gross Estate was worth £1202 5s 6d. In 2007, this would have been £52,401.06.

There is evidence to show that the Saddingtons may have been living in Nottingham, or at least spending time in Nottingham, for a number of years. According to the GRO Indexes, three of TPS II and Minnie's daughters got married in the Nottingham Registration District.

September quarter 1922 - Mary O Saddington - Alonzo Knight - Volume 7b, Page 752
March quarter 1927 - Marion F Saddington - John A Abbott - Volume 7b, Page 479
June quarter 1927 - Margaret K Saddington - Frederick E Miller - Volume 7b, Page 849

And finally, the year after his father's death, Thomas Pratt Saddington III married a Miss Hinds in the Shardlow Registration District - possibly back in Diseworth (Volume 7b, Page 1323).

I would be delighted to hear from you if you are related to this branch of the Saddington family.