Hi Penny

Sorry for not getting back to you earlier. It has been a frantic weekend with family celebrations.

What would us lesser informed mortals do without people like you to guide us? Not being over familiar with Oxfordshire I had not linked Finstock with Charlbury until I received your reply about William Hancock. I have a CD for Charlbury and have spent the morning scanning it.

As you pointed out there are no William Hancock's bap.in the 1710/20 period in Finstock. There is no sign of a baptism for Mary Sothersby in Finstock. We know Mary Midwinter died in 1740 so she is out of the picture.

The only William that fits the time scale is the one bap in 1738, s of George and Jane. If he is the father of Vestye then we are looking for a different Mary as he would have been six years old when Mary Sothersby was married.

He would have been about 25 when Vestye was born so that would fit. He could possibly be the father of Mary bap in 1760. I think we are looking for a marriage between William and Mary ? about 1759 but not in Finstock.

Burials for Mary Hancock: Mary wife of William 24 Sep 1740 (that would be Mary Midwinter).

Mary Hancock, wife of William 28 Nov 1792

Mary Hancock, wife of Will, 30 Oct 1793

Burials for William: 1790, 96, (Senior); 1810 from Willcott; 1812; 1824
There are no ages given for the burials.

If I sent off for a copy of Vestye's birth certificate would it give the mother's name and place of birth?

Thank you for your time, Penny. I will try the link you gave me and see if that produces anything.

Regards

maureen