Apparently, this tiny little parish church was a very popular place to get wed during the 17th century. Some 40,000 marriages were recorded as having taken place here between 1644 and 1691. Described a "Aldgate’s own version of Gretna Green", it was famous for performing irregular marriages. It's clear that St Dunstan's, Stepney was their home parish, so it's perhaps reasonable to surmise that John and Mary's marriage in this parish was one of the irregular ones, for whatever intriguing reason (that the records don't explain).
John and Mary had two daughters baptised at St Dunstan's:
- Susanna Cowtley b. 24 Aug 1692, Susanna daughter of John Cowtley of Ratcliffe, Brewer's Servant and Mary bap. 28 Aug 1692 at St Dunstan, Stepney (at 4 days old)
- Elizabeth Cowtley b. 3 Oct 1696, Elizabeth daughter of John Cowtly (sic) of White Horse Street, Labourer & Mary bap. 4 Oct 1696 at Saint Dunstan, Stepney (1 day old)
Found no further records of John or Mary Cowtley nor of their deaths.
Mary's parents, Thomas and Mary Pateman - the record of their marriage isn't available, so I don't know Mary's maiden name, nor when or where they were born, but they were the parents of seven children, all baptised at St Dunstan's, Stepney, during the reign of Charles II. This pair of my 9x great-grandparents lived through the Great Plague and the Great Fire of London.
- Thomas Pateman bap. 20 Aug 1663 - Buried 19 Jan 1665
- Elizabeth Pateman bap. 2 Sep 1666 - Buried 25 Jun 1668
- Mary Pateman bap. 20 Mar 1669
- Sara Pateman b. 18 Dec 1672, bap. 22 Dec 1672
- Elizabeth Pateman bap. 2 Sep 1675
- Thomas Pateman b. 4 Mar 1677, bap. 5 Mar 1677. Buried 4 Nov 1678
- Susanna Pateman bap. 18 Jan 1680
The baptism of Thomas in 1663 says son of Thomas Pateman of White Horse Street, Porter; Elizabeth's baptism in 1666 again specifies daughter of Thomas Pateman, Porter of Ratcliff and Mary; Mary's baptism in 1669 also lists her father as Thomas Pateman, Porter and their address again as White Horse Street; Sara's baptism says she was 4 days old; Elizabeth's baptism in 1675, once more lists her father as Thomas Pateman, Porter of Ratcliff; The baptism of Thomas Pateman in 1677 tells us that the child, son of Thomas Pateman, Porter of Ratcliff, was 1 day old and finally, Susanna's baptism specifies her parents are Thomas Pateman, Porter of Ratcliff and Mary.
The burials, also list them as children of Thomas Pateman and Mary.
Daughter Sara Pateman married David Dalgardno (sic) on 26 Nov 1704, at St Dunstan's, Stepney. They had a daughter, Mary Dalgarno, bap. 9 Sep 1705. The surname Dalgarno appears to come from Midlothian, Scotland.
Mary Pateman, wife of Thomas Pateman, Victualler of Cannon Street, Wapping, was buried on 9 May 1716, in the Parish of Stepney.