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MARTIN - Badsey top ten 1600s

The name Martin, or its variant Martyn or Marten, first appears in Badsey parish records in 1588; the last incidence is in 1690.  The name appears twice in Wickhamford parish records.  There is then a gap of over two centuries before the name reappears in census records for both parishes.

Martin Family in Badsey

Evan Martin is thought to have been the father of Robert (?-1613), Jane (?-1637) and John (?-1638) who were living in Aldington by the last quarter of the 16th century.  Jane married William Bugden at Badsey in 1596.  The Churchwardens’ Accounts reveal that Evan was Churchwarden representing Aldington on two occasions:  1569-1570 and 1583-1584. Evan Martin died in 1601 and his will was proved at Worcester.   It is thought that he was married to Joan who died in 1602.

  • Robert Martyn (?-1613) is thought to have been the son of Evan Martin.  Robert, like his father before him, was Churchwarden (Aldington) in 1590-1591 and 1597-1598.  Robert was married to Elizabeth and had five sons and three daughters:  Frances (c1587-1589), Elizabeth (1588), Mary (1591-1607), Robert (1592-1593), William (1594-1620), Robert (1596-1596), George (1597) and Francis (1599-1601).  Elizabeth died in 1599, shortly after the birth of her youngest child.  Robert married again the following year at Badsey to Frances Drinkwater; a marriage bond, dated 1600, may be viewed at The Hive in Worcester.  They had two children:  Robert (1601) and Evan (1604-1607).  Frances appears to have died (though no burial record has been found), possibly in childbirth, as Robert is recorded as marrying again in 1604 to Elizabeth Peeter.  They had three children:  Mary (1607-1607), Thomas (1610) and Evans (1613).  He is thought also to have had a son, Anthony, but his baptism record has not been found.  Robert died in 1613.
    • George Martin (1597), son of Robert and Elizabeth, a yeoman of Aldington, married Alice and had a son, Richard (1627).  Alice died in 1630.  George married again and had four sons and two daughters:  Judith (1635), Francis (1637), Thomas (1639), Anthony (1641-1647), Samuel (1644-1646) and Rebecca (1646).  George is mentioned twice in Quarter Sessions records.  First in 1623 when he appeared alongside John Marten of Aldington in connection with John keeping the peace towards Frances Marten of Aldington, widow. Then, in 1634, George Martin, along with five others was indicted for not working on the repair of the highways in Aldington on the appointed days.  (Each parish had a statutory duty to repair its own roads; two surveyors were obliged to organise the necessary labour to keep the roads in good order and employers were bound to release all able-bodied men for this purpose, usually for four, but sometimes six, days a year.)
    • Robert Martin (1601), son of Robert and Frances, married and had a son, Robert, baptised at Badsey in 1635.
    • Anthony Martin (?-1679), believed to be the son of Robert and Elizabeth, married and had a son, Anthony (1646).  Anthony Martin Senior died in 1679.  His widow, recorded simply as “Widow Martin” in the burial register, died in 1690.
    • John Martin (?-1638) is thought to have been the son of Evan Martin.  John had one son and two daughters:  Evan (1604), Jane (1607-1644) and Elizabeth (1609).  John is believed to be the person mentioned in the Quarter Sessions records of 1623 when he was required to keep the peace towards Frances Marten, widow (the identity of Frances is unknown).  John died in 1638.  He may possibly have been married to Joan who died in 1642.
      • Jane Martin (1607-1644) had an illegitimate daughter, Mary, in 1640.  Four months later she married Thomas Mealin at Badsey.  She died four years later.

In Badsey Church, there is a board giving the names of five parishioners who donated money for the Badsey & Aldington Bread Charity:  “to the poor that they might have the use thereof for ever in Bread”.  The first name on the list is Mr Thomas Martin of Aldington who gave £5.  The board is undated, but it is thought that the charity was set up in the latter part of the 17th century.

Strays

  • Anthony Martyn, buried at Badsey in 1597
  • Joan Martin, daughter of John Martin, buried at Badsey in 1654
  • Katherine Martin, daughter of John Martin, buried at Badsey in 1663

Martin Family in Wickhamford

William Martin married Elizabeth Clarke at Wickhamford in 1676.  Their son, Richard, was baptised at Wickhamford in 1676.  There are no more references to the name.  It is not known if they were connected to the Badsey Martins.

20th century Martin family in the Parish Registers

It was to be over 200 years before the name Martin reappeared in the Badsey parish registers.  They are not thought to be descended from the earlier Martins.

In 1902, Charles Selwyn Martin (1873-1954) married Cynthia Mildred Savory at Badsey.  Charles had been born at Radley, Berkshire, the son of Charles Martin who, by 1902, was Rector of Dartington, Devon.

In 1933, James Henry Martin (1906-1990) married Ruby Mabel Hatch at Badsey.  James had been born in 1906 at Bentley, Worcestershire, the son of Francis Thomas and Emily Jane Martin.  His mother had died in 1907 and he was brought up by his maternal grandparents in Cropthorne.  James and Ruby moved to Pershore.

19th/20th century Census Returns

At the time of the 1891 census, 53-year-old Charles Martin, a banker was staying at Badsey Vicarage with his wife and daughter, visiting the Reverend Gepp and family.  Charles Edward Martin (1836-1920) was born in Pontefract in 1836, the son of Charles Anthony Martin.  He married Mary Elizabeth Fawssett in 1874 at Moreton-in-Marsh, Gloucestershire.  They had one daughter:  Winifred Mary (1875).  They are not thought to be descended from the earlier Martins in the area.

In the 1930s, a Martin family moved to Wickhamford.  This was Frederick James Martin (1900-1981), his wife Emma Elizabeth (1897-1977) and their two daughters.  Frederick had been born at Bengeworth, as had his father, Charles (c1865-1946), before him.  His grandfather, George Martin (1830-1907), had been born at Harvington.  The Martins were market gardeners at Pitchers Hill. It is not known if they connect back to the earlier Martins in the area.

By 1939, Gwendoline Vera Martin (née Knight) had moved back to her home village of Badsey with her three-year-old son.

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Mentioned in Publications

Maureen Spinks, May 2019