Biddenham Bedfordshire Family History Guide

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BIDDENHAM is a small and pleasant village and parish, almost surrounded by the river Ouse, distant 2 miles west from Bedford, 8 north from Ampthill, and 13 south from Higham Ferrers, in the hundred of Willey, union and county court district of Bedford, rural deanery and archdeaconry of Bedford, and diocese of Ely1.

Parish church: St. James

Parish registers begin:

  • Parish registers: 1663
  • Bishop’s Transcripts: 1602

Nonconformists include:

Adjacent Parishes

Biddenham
Biddenham Village Bedfordshire c1908
Biddenham The School

Biddenham Parish Registers

Search online registers of baptisms, marriages, banns and burials including digitised images of original records and registers and indexed transcriptions.

Baptism Records

These records include indexed transcriptions of parish register baptisms.

Biddenham, Bedfordshire Baptisms, 1602-1885

Marriage and Banns Records

These records include indexed transcriptions of parish register marriages and banns.

Biddenham, Bedfordshire Marriages, 1602-1885

Death and Burial Records

These records include indexed transcriptions of parish register deaths and burials.

Biddenham, Bedfordshire Burials, 1602-1981

Biddenham Parish Registers 1602 – 1812

The Biddenham Parish Registers 1602 – 1812 are available free to read online, with options to download the pdf for personal research

Biddenham Parish Registers 1602 – 1812 Bedfordshire Parish Registers Edited by F. G. Emmison, Clerk of Records, Bedfordshire. Published under the auspices of the County Records Committee of the Bedfordshire County Council, and of the Ven. the Archdeacon of Bedford. Volume XVI. Bedford: County Record Office, Shire Hall. 1937.

Bedfordshire parish registers v16 1

Biddenham Parish Registers 1602 – 1812 Bedfordshire Parish Registers Edited by F. G. Emmison, Clerk of Records, Bedfordshire.

Free to Read Online or Download

London Marriage Licences and Allegations 1521 to 1869

The following have been extracted from London Marriage Licences 1521 to 1869.

Abbreviations. — B. Bishop of London’s Office; D. Dean and Chapter of Westminster; F. Faculty Office of Archbishop of Canterbury; V. Registry of the Vicar-General of Canterbury.

Dunn, John, of St. Mary, Abchurch, London, plasterer, and Alice White, of Christchurch, London, spinster, daughter of Robert White, late of Biddenham, co. Bedford, deceased — at Christchurch, London, aforesaid. 2 March, 1618/9. B.

Gascoigne, John, of St. Paul’s, in town of Bedford, gent., bachelor, about 24, and Mrs. Mary Hawkes, now living in same parish, spinster, about 19, her father dead, and not having lived for several years past with her mother, who declares that she leaves her at her own disposal, &c. — at Biddenham or Goldington, Co. Beds, or St. Paul, in town of Bedford. 11 Aug. 1675. V. 

Source: London Marriage Licences 1521 to 1869; Edited by Joseph Foster; London 1887

Quarter Sessions Rolls

The following have been extracted from the Notes & Extracts from the Bedfordshire County Records comprised in the Quarter Sessions Rolls from 1714 to 1832 compiled by Messrs. Hardy & Page, Record Agents

1730 16th April. Examination of Mary, wife of William Barnett, of Biddenham, labourer. She deposes that six months since she became acquainted with George White, of Biddenham, tailor, and frequently during that time has travelled about the country with him in a lewd, idle, and disorderly manner.

Examination of John Partridge, of Biddenham, gentleman.
He deposes that the said Mary Barnet has several times absented herself from her husband and wandered abroad from the said parish with the said George White, by reason whereof the said William Barnett has been rendered incapable of supporting his family, and has been forced to ask and actually to receive relief from the parish of Biddenham. 

1730 16th April. Examination of William Barnet, of [Biddenh]am, labourer. 69
He deposes that George White has several times seduced the said William’s wife, from Biddenham, against the deponent’s will, and has wandered about with her in several parishes. The deponent pursued the said White, and overtaking him demanded his wife, upon which he replied “You may take her home now but I will have her again dead
or alive,” and threatened the life of the deponent and to burn his house if he discovered to the wife of the said White his going away with deponent’s wife.

Historical Directory Transcriptions

The Post Office Directory of Bedfordshire 1869

BIDDENHAM is a small and pleasant village and parish, almost surrounded by the river Ouse, distant 2 miles west from Bedford, 8 north from Ampthill, and 13 south from Higham Ferrers, in the hundred of Willey, union and county court district of Bedford, rural deanery and archdeaconry of Bedford, and diocese of Ely.

Parish Clerk Charles West

Post Office – Miss Green, postmistress. Letters received through Bedford, arrive al 6.40 am; dispatched at 5.55 pm. The nearest money order office is at Bedford

National School Miss, Green mistress

Robe Capt John William
Wood Rev Henry MA Vicarage

COMMERCIAL

Bayes James shopkeeper

Clifton Thomas & Sons farmers

Davis Jane Mrs Three Tuns

Felts James baker & shopkeeper
Felts John butcher
Frossell James grazier

Golding William farmer & land agent
Green Samuel shoe maker

Howard Charles farmer

Johnson William vermin destroyer

Lavender Lydia Mrs farmer
Lavender William farmer

Manning William farmer

Robinson Philip cowkeeper

Smith James market gardener
Summerlin Frederick blacksmith

West Thomas dairyman

Source: The Post office directory of Northamptonshire, Huntingdonshire, Bedfordshire, Buckinghamshire, Berkshire, and Oxfordshire By Kelly’s directories, ltd 1869

Parish History

The Imperial Gazetteer of England & Wales 1870

BIDDENHAM, a parish in the district and county. of Bedford; on the river Ouse, 2 miles W of Bedford r. station. It has a post-office under Bedford. Acres, 1,760. Real property, £2,752. Pop., 350. Houses, 71. The property is divided among a few. The living is a Vicarage in the diocese of Ely. Value, £100. Patron, Lord Dynevor. The church is Norman, in good condition

Source: The Imperial Gazetteer of England & Wales [Wilson, John M]. A. Fullarton & Co. N. d. c. [1870-72].

The Parliamentary Gazetteer of England and Wales 1851

Biddenham, a parish in the hund. of Willey, union and county of Bedford; 2 miles west of Bedford. Living, a discharged vicarage, formerly in the archd. of Bedford and dio. of Lincoln, now in the dio. of Ely; valued at £8; gross income £100. Patron, in 1835, the honourable G. R. Trevor. There are three daily schools here, principally for lace-making, and two Sunday schools. Charities connected with the parish produce £15 per annum. Pop., in 1801, 252; in 1831, 369. Houses 59. Acres 1,760. A.P. £1,933. Poor rates, in 1837, £158.

Source: The Parliamentary Gazetteer of England and Wales; A Fullarton & Co. Glasgow; 1851.

Biddenham A Topographical Dictionary of Great Britain and Ireland 1833

Biddenham, co. Bedford.

P.T. Bedford (50) 2 m. W. Pop. 393.

A parish in the hundred of Willey; living, a dis. vicarage in the archdeaconry of Bedford and diocese of Lincoln; valued in K. B. 8 l.; church ded. to St. James.

Source: A Topographical Dictionary of Great Britain and Ireland by John Gorton. The Irish and Welsh articles by G. N. Wright; Vol. II; London; Chapman and Hall, 186, Strand; 1833.

Administration

  • County: Bedfordshire
  • Civil Registration District: Bedford
  • Probate Court: Court of the Archdeaconry of Bedford
  • Diocese: Pre-1837 – Lincoln, Post-1836 – Ely
  • Rural Deanery: Bedford
  • Poor Law Union: Bedford
  • Hundred: Willey
  • Province: Canterbury
  1. The Post office directory of Northamptonshire, Huntingdonshire, Bedfordshire, Buckinghamshire, Berkshire, and Oxfordshire By Kelly’s directories, ltd 1869 ↩︎