St Dunstan & All Saints, Stepney cc-by-sa/2.0 - © John Salmon - geograph.org.uk/p/3477077 This beautiful church is often spoken of as the Mother Church of the East End. It is, of course, one of the 'Oranges and Lemons' churches, ("When will that be/ Said the bells of Stepney"). |
Richard Benbow and Elizabeth Cowtley, a pair of my 7th Great-Grandparents, married on 18 Sep 1714 at St Dunstan's, Stepney. On the record of the marriage, he is listed as Richard Benbow of Ratt., (Ratcliff), Bricklayer.
However, less than six months later, on 4 Mar 1715, under Burials in the Parish of Stepney, we find listed the burial of Richard Benbow, Ratt, Bricklayer.
Their only child was Elizabeth Benbow, born 1715 - one imagines posthumously - and baptised on 5 Aug 1716 at St Dunstan's, Stepney, listed as Elizabeth [daughter] of Richard and Elizabeth Benbow, Ratt, Bricklayer.
I've found no further records for Elizabeth Benbow (née Cowtley), so I cannot yet say what happened to her or whether perhaps she remarried.
Sources:
- "England, Middlesex Parish Registers, 1539-1988", database, FamilySearch (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:68QH-BMRH), Richard Benbow, 1714.
- "England, Middlesex Parish Registers, 1539-1988", database, FamilySearch (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:6ZH7-ZFD7), Richard Benbow, 1715.
- "England, Middlesex Parish Registers, 1539-1988", database, FamilySearch (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:6ZB1-LNHJ), Elizabeth Benbow, 1716.
- "England Births and Christenings, 1538-1975", database, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:JW8D-5MN), Elizabeth Benbow, 1716.