Tilehurst - St George Church (West Reading, St Georges Rd, off Oxford Rd) (Betty Judge says, "My parents were married in this church)
Marriages 1761 Nov 21 William Draper married ELIZABETH STRANGE 1792 Apr 0l 18 James Draper married SOPHIA STRANGE 1840 Oct 10 Sophia Draper married Wm. JEFFRYS STRANGE
National Burial Index: 1891 May 02 Daisy Ethel STRANGE 1month 1897 May 28 Frank STRANGE 1 month 1905 Mar 01 Ernest STRANGE 10 month 1906 Feb 27 Dora STRANGE 5 month
STRANGE, William Jeffrys (Brewer) Married DRAPER, Sophia (or Sylvia) St Michaels Church, Tilehurst, moved to Aldermaston; he was a Brewer, they had 11 children: (but see Patrick's information below the list) 1841 Sep 22 Sophia STRANGE bap Aldermaston 1843 Jul 21 Wm. Draper STRANGE bap Aldermaston 1845 May 15 Emily Mary STRANGE bap Aldermaston 1846 Oct 04 John Thomas STRANGE bap Aldermaston 1848 Oct 26 Ann STRANGE bap Aldermaston 1850 Aug 30 Emily STRANGE bap Aldermaston 1850 Aug 30 Fanny STRANGE bap Aldermaston 1852 Jul 13 Arthur STRANGE bap Aldermaston 1855 Aug 05 Eliga Jefrey STRANGE bap Aldermaston 1856 Jun 20 James STRANGE bap Aldermaston 1857 May 03 Alice Maude STRANGE bap Aldermaston
Patrick Strange writes: My family, up to the early part of the 20th century, seem to have all lived in Berkshire, mainly in Aldermaston, Tilehurst and possibly West Hanney. I may be able to make a couple of additions, which I hope might be of interest:
William Jeffreys Strange: (my G/G/Grandfather) is shown as having 11 children, my records only indicate 8. The ones I have no record of are:
Emily Mary Strange, May 15 1845. Emily Strange, August 30 1850. Fanny Strange, Aug 30 1850, obviously one of the dates is in error. Eliga Jeffrey Strange, 5 August 1855 I think should be Eliza Margaret Strange. I also am at odds with some of the dates of birth; James Strange, 19 June 1854 Arthur Strange, 23 March 1856. I believe that Sophia Strange, who married William Draper on April 18 1792 at Tilehurst, was the daughter of Henry Strange of Tilehurst. By his first marriage to Elizabeth Lovegrove, he then married Ann Gibson who gave birth to Thomas Strange in 1780. Thomas Strange married Ann Jeffreys, who gave birth to William Jefferys Strange, as above, in 1811. I have a copy of Henry Strange's will from the Berkshire records office, after finding it on your web site, showing Thomas as a son. I also have a copy of William Jeffreys Strange and Sophia Drapers marriage certificate, showing Thomas Strange as Williams father. The web site of the Red Lion Pub, Mortimer, Berks has a potted history of the establishment. This shows the copyholders from 1838 as Thomas Strange, then William Jefferys Strange and finally John Thomas Strange. Henry Strange (1732-1792) is as far back as I can go with any certainty. From the IGI data base the best fit for his father is William Strange, from West Hanney, but it's quite a long shot.
Betty Judge replies: Hi Patrick, I note you are not happy with some of the children for Wm Jeffreys & Sophia Strange. Here is the 1851 Census for Aldermaston H 01076 folio 240 page 21:
William Jeffreys STRANGE H M 39 Brewer/Maltster b Tilehurst Sophia STRANGE W M 35 b Tilehurst John Thomas STRANGE S 7 Scholar b Aldermaston Ann STRANGE D 2 b Aldermaston Fanny STRANGE D 7 months b Aldermaston Emily STRANGE D 7 months b Aldermaston and Mercy Brokenbrow visitor 33 Farmers daughter Wells Somerset
Fanny & Emily are twins, both baptised at Aldermaston Church on 30 Aug 1850.
Note: Daughter Sophia Strange, 10 yrs old, is staying with her uncle JAMES DRAPER and his family (Brewers/Farmers) at Theale on 1851 Census.
You may be right about Eliza Strange, but Church records showed ELIGA JEFREY STRAING son of Wm.JEFREY & SOFIA STRAING bap 5 Aug 1855, Aldermaston.
Family list": Sophia Strange bap 22 Sep 1841 Aldermaston William Draper Strange bap 27 July 1843 Aldermaston Emily Mary Strange bap 15 May 1845 Aldermaston John Thomas Strange bap 4 Oct 1846 Aldermaston Ann Strange bap 26 Oct 1848 Aldermaston Emily & Fanny Strange bap 30 Aug 1850 Aldermaston Arthur Strange bap 13 July 1852 Aldermaston Eliga Jeffrey Strange bap 5 Aug 1855 Aldermaston James Strange bap 20 June 1856 Aldermaston Alice Maud Strange bap 3 May 1857 Aldermaston
Check the Aldermaston Church Batch numbers P 015851 abd C015852.
Patrick replied with: The information on the Aldermaston Stranges has helped to clear up a couple of points on William Jeffreys and Sophia's many children. The Tilehurst records show a number of DRAPER/STRANGE marriages, during the 18th cent. I think that William Jeffreys and Sophia are cousins through William's 1/2 aunt Sophia. She was the daughter of Henry Strange and his first wife Elizabeth Lovegrove, (whilst Thomas, Williams J's father was a result of the union of Henry and his second wife Ann Gibson). I have a copy of Henry's will, in which he hopes for a Christian burial, also to be born to his grave by four of his farm workers, who are to receive 2/6d each for the privilege. He also mentions Sophia, who is a Mrs Draper by the time of the will.
From: Patrick Hello Betty, Thank you for the last information that you sent me, on William Jeffreys and Sophia (draper) Strange's children. I had assumed, (I think incorrectly) that the above Sophia was possibly a grand daughter of James Draper and Sophia Strange who married in 1792). Sophia Strange was the half sister of Thomas Strange, Willm Jeff's father.
However I can't establish a link, possibly quite a good thing. However Sophia and James Draper did have six children; Sophia (1793), Amelia (1796), Lucy (1799, James Hugh (1802), Elizabeth (1805) and Henry (1809).
The other Draper/Strange union in Tilehurst, William Draper & Elizabeth Strange 1761, did not produce a link either. However I am pretty sure that Elizabeth Strange was the daughter of William Strange and Ann (Havel), who produced 9 children. William Strange (1694) was William Jeffr's great grandfather (I am fairly sure), and was born in West Hanney. The tie with Elizabeth and the Drapers, is another link though tenuous.
William and Elizabeth had, as far as I can see, four children; William (1762), Benjamin (1762), Elizabeth (1764) and Matilda (1766).
William Strange (1694), I think could have been the son of William Strange (1665) and Joan Dunsden. William Strange (1665) possibly the son of Richard Strange (1639) and Jane Shiprey. But this is complete conjecture, based on a poor to fair fit on the data base. However if my history serves me right, this was also a time of great turmoil in England, the civil war, plagues, etc., so I suppose records for us common folk were a bit sketchy in the turmoil.
The final link that I found, was that the farm that Thomas Strange (1780) and certainly William Jeffreys lived at. Milehouse Farm, Bath Road, Sulhamstead, still exists. There is a little bit about it on the web, it's described as 18th Cent, so might be a lead worth following.
From Ed Hanson 23 Oct 2004 According to an older edition of Burke's Peerage and Baronetage: The Rev. Sir Edward Harry Dutton Colt, 8th Bart., of St. James's, Westminster, Middlesex, M.A. Merton Coll. Oxon., rector of Monkokehampton, Devon, 1889-97, b 3 Oct 1850; s. his father 1893; m. 4 Sept. 1889, Alice, dau. of the late William Jefferys Strange of Mile House, Sulhampstead, Berks, and has issue, 1. Flora Margaret Frances Sophia Dutton Vaughan, m. 26 Jan. 1921, Major John Maunder Webb Gill, late 3rd Devon Regt., son of late J.M. Gill of Moonbye, New South Wales, and has issue. 2. Stella Theodora Dutton Vaughan. Upon Sir Edward's death, the baronetcy passed to his nephew, who was likewise succeeded by his nephew who was the 10th baronet and still living in 1985.
I believe that this is Patrick's family. The line I have for Alice 1. Thomas Strange, b Tilehurst, c1784; d Padworth, Berks, 1856 m (1) Elizabeth Lovegrove; m (2) Ann Gibson, d Tyle Mills, 1828, age 42, bur at Sulhampstead Abbots, 12 July 1828. 2. William Jeffreys Strange, b 1811; d at Sulhampstead, Berks, 23 April 1900; m at St Michael's, Tilehurst, Berks, 10 Oct 1840 Sophia Draper, d 8 Jan 1903, dau of Thomas and Mary Draper. 3. Alice Maude, bp at Aldermaston, 3 May 1857.
Patrick (Strangeph(at)aol(dot)com ) replied: Many thanks for the very interesting information and the link with the two photographs (referring to a stereoscopic pair of photos purchased from www.worldofstereoviews.com/longcase/images/ - Mike Strange). The house shown in the stereo pair is the Mile House in Sulhampstead, which is still standing. The building on the left is a long conservatory, which though altered is also intact. As is the Mile House Farm, which lies a few hundred yards away.
The lady in the second stereo pair is Sophia Strange ( nee Draper ), William Jefferys wife and my G, G Grandmother. I think I'm correct as I have another photograph of her taken later in her life. (Ablesmastry is Aldermaston)
I did know that Alice had married Sir Harry Dutton Colt, but not the additional detail that you supplied.
However, Thomas Strange (William Jefferys father) was married to Ann Jefferys, it was his father Henry (1732 - 1792) was married initially to Elizabeth Lovegrove and then to Ann Gibson ( my G-----G Grandmother) (Ed acknowledged the correction), I believe. Interestingly enough the Tyle Mill where they lived, I assume prior to the Mile House, is also still standing.
1851 Census Bradfield Berks, Tilehurst Berks Living with her father Thomas Strange, Miller at Tilehurst Berks Sarah Strange U 26 b Sulhampstead Berks.
The MAY family web site (David Nash FORD) has some information on the Tilehurst STRANGEs
