16 Mar 2023

I was looking for the birth of James Brooks, around 1765 in Starston, Norfolk. I discovered that familysearch.org have scanned images of the original registers from this period (Norfolk, Starston Baptisms, Marriages, Burials 1747-1812). Some extracts:

• Image 47. 1785. Burial of Elizabeth Brookes Widow of [sic] (aged 35) Jan 11th. Pauper
• Image 58. Brooks John aged 59 years was buried May 12th 1811
• Image 1. 1751. Marriage of Anthony Cole of Redenhall and Hannah Brocke of Alburgh by Licence, December 19th
• Image 5. 1752. Marriage of John Whiting of Gissin(?) single man and Sarah Brooks of Gissin Widow by Licence. February 5th
• Image 5. 1753. Marriage of John Wighting of Gissin(?) and Sarah Brooks of Gissin(?) by Licence Feb 7th (see previous as well)

I checked images 1-17 (past the period up to 1770) and images 47-58. There are only 58 images in the book.
I also found that Ancestry has them and I checked the neighbouring parish of Redenhall with Harleston and Wortwell’s baptism register from 1756-1777 which was very pleasant to read!

• Brock, Samuel. Son of Edward and Elizabeth. Baptised 29th May
• Brock, Mary. Daughter of Roger and Mary. Baptised 25th January

I didn’t see any Brooks or Brightons.

I then found scans of the Brockdish register from 1757-1812 (Norfolk, Brockdish, Baptims, Marriages and Burials, 1757-1812) (there are also others). James married Rebecca Pritty in Brockdish in 1794

• James, son of John and Elizabeth Brot, baptised Oct 26 1769
• Mary, daughter of Rebecca Brighten, Feb 10 1771
• Ann, daughter of Thos and Ann Pretty, Apr 23 1775
• Elizth daughter of Charles and Eliz Pretty, July 16th 1775
• Mary, daughter of Charls and Eliz Pretty, 20th June 1776
• Anna Maria, daughter of Charles and Elizabeth Pretty, 30 Oct 1778
• Phoebe, daughter of James and Anne B[r?]ookes, 4 July 1779

I stopped checking in 1785 and looked at Needham (Norfolk, Needham, Baptisms, Marriages and Burials 1764-1812) which is the parish between Brockdish and Starston (see map). I checked Needham from 1764 to 1785 and didn’t find any Brooks or Brightens

I did some searching around the name on Ancestry and came across the following:

• Celia the daughter of Ja[mes]? And Rebecca Brighten (late Pretty, spinster) was born July 29 and privately baptised Aug 1 1802 (record) (the bishops transcript adds she was received into the church Oct 3 (record). Redenhall with Harleston and Wortwell
• Mary Ann Brighton, daughter of William and Mary (late Thompson, spinster) born Jan 26th, privately baptized Feb 3 1799, Redenhall with Harleston and Wortwel (record)
• William Brighton, buried 22 July 1842, age 71, abode Union Workshouse Pulham, buried Redenhall with Harleston and Wortwell (record)
• Baptism of James son of William and Susan Brighten, April 3rd 1770, Fincham, Norfolk (record and record) (quite a long way from Starston, near Kings Lynn)

Then I found this in Rushall, a parish adjacent to Needham, Starston and Brockdish:

• Page 10, No. 28. John Brookes of this parish singleman and Elizabeth Brighting of this parish singlewoman, married in this church by banns this 10th day of November 1774 by me John Stockdale, vicar. Neither John Brookes nor Elizabeth Brighting could sign their names. The witnesses were Robert Pake and Joshua Sheppard, neither could sign. Joshua Sheppard appears as a witness to other marriages on the page in other years. (record)

Then I found a baptism that surely must be James Brighten Brooks:

• Baptism of James Brighting, son of Elizabeth, b.b. (baseborn), 23 June 1774. Rushall Norfolk image

I looked around Rushall registers for other Brightens, Brightings and Brooks

• Burial of Mary Brighton, Widow, Aug 22, 1762, Rushall, Norfolk
• Burial (ancestry transcribs it as a baptism) of James Briting, Feb 9th 1756, Rushall, Norfolk

Could James and Mary be the parents of Elizabeth?

I found the banns for John Brooks and Elizabeth Brighting transcript