William and Elizabeth Moore, both single persons of this parish, were married in this church by Banns this 4th day of October in the year one thousand eight hundred and eleven by me, A. Janes, Vicar.

William was raised at Gissing's Farm where his father William was a tenant. This was part of the Whittingham Hall Estate. William was the parish clerk of Cratfield, Suffolk during the 1820's and early 1830's. I don't know for sure - if William and Elizabeth came to Canada or remained in England. However, in the 1841 Census of Suffolk, the Registration District of Wenhaston shows the following Barbers who may be this family: William Barber 70, Elizabeth Barber 65, with Mary 20, Samuel 20, George 15, Emma 15, Eliza 11, Charles Barber 6.

Wenhaston is a small village south-east of Halesford - just south of Blyford (and hence of Bulcamp Work House) and west of Cratfield. It is about 6 miles west of Blythburgh and hence of the sea. Wenhaston stands on the southern side of the valley of the River Blyth, on a ridge which is just under twenty metres above sea level.

Wenhaston Registration District may have been a larger area, perhaps including Bulcamp (Blything Work House). From 1837 to 1935, Blything Hundred was divided into 3 districts, Cratfield, Blythburgh and Wenhaston. (Actually Wenhaston is a Registration Sub-District of the Registration District of Blything (confused yet?!).

(If this is the family, then some of them remained behind when the three elder brothers - William, Robert and James came to Canada in 1836. Samuel, who came to Canada and married Susannah Francis in 1845, is shown as being still in England in 1841.)

From the church on the high place of Wenhaston ridge can be seen today the housing complex created from what was the Union Workhouse at Bulcamp, originally built in 1766. It is believed that this site, or very close to it, is one of Suffolk's oldest battlefields. In 654AD, the army of King Anna, Christian King of the Angles, led by the King and his son, were being chased by King Penda, pagan King of Mercia, with his army. Here King Anna stood his ground and suffered defeat; both he and his son were slain amid much carnage and post-battle pillaging.

Folio 10. A list and description of those persons who have emigrated from Cratfield in the Blything Poor Law Union to Canada. Paper Number: 2359/A/1836. Poor Law Union Number 432. Counties: Suffolk.

Those listed are John Burt, farm labourer, Jemima Burt, wife, Emilee Burt, Charles Burt, John Burt, son, William Burt, Charlotte Burt, Samuel Burt, Ann Burt; Jonathan Oakes, farm labourer, Dinah Oakes, wife, Harriett Oakes, Sophie Oakes, Jonathan Oakes, son, James Oakes, George Oakes, Robert Oakes, Susan Oakes; Felix Paddle, farm labourer, Sarah Paddle, wife, William Paddle, James Paddle, George Paddle, Mary Paddle, Charles Paddle, Ann Paddle, John Paddle, Harriett Paddle; William Barber, farm labourer, Sophie Barber, wife, Mary Ann Barber, Emma Barber; Stephen Baxter, farm labourer, Maria Baxter, wife, Eliza Baxter; Robert Barber, farm servant; Robert Poll, farm servant; James Barber, farm servant; Sarah Platt.

Reference:
MH 12/11729/86
Description:

Content: Folios 252-256. Letter from William Fisher, Vestry Clerk for Cratfield, to the Poor Law Commission. Sanction from the board of guardians at the Bulcamp Workhouse has been obtained to send a number of paupers from Cratfield to Upper Canada. Fisher encloses signed papers and requests approval for an immediate loan from the Exchequer Loan Bill Board in readiness for the ship sailing, on 14 [Aprl]. Enclosed is a letter from William Norris, Chairman of the vestry meeting in Cratfield, stating that at the meeting, it was unanimously agreed to send certain families and persons, as listed, to Upper Canada at the sole expense of the parish. These families had cost the parish £45 during the last year. It was agreed to give the families new clothing in addition to the other expenses incurred.

The families were: 1. Jonathan Oakes, wife and 8 children. 2. Stephen Baxter, wife and 1 child. 3. Felix Paddle, wife and 8 children. 4. John Bint, wife and 7 children. 5. William Barker (sic - Barber), wife and 2 children. 6. Robert Barber. Single. 7. Robert Pole. Single. 8. Flatt's child. 2 years. To go with mother who belongs to Huntingfield. Also enclosed is a completed Emigration Form A from the parish of Cratfield, giving notice of a meeting to be held in the church, on 18 March 1836. The meeting is to discuss how much money is to be borrowed, to meet the expense of poor families of the parish, who are willing to emigrate.

The form signed by: William Billings, Churchwarden; William Smith, Churchwarden; John Crowe, Overseer; Robert Moore, Overseer and William Fisher, Vestry Clerk. Also enclosed is a completed Emigration Form B from the parish of Cratfield stating that at the recent vestry meeting, on 18 March 1836, it was agreed to borrow £200 to meet the expenses of poor families from the parish who wished to emigrate. To be repaid in annual instalments of £40, with interest of not more than £5 per cent, per annum.

Also enclosed is a completed Emigration Form C from the parish of Cratfield stating that notice of the vestry meeting was given on 13 March 1836 and that forms A and B are true copies. It confirms also that the aggregate amount of the rates raised for the relief of the poor, over the last three years is £2,189 10s 33/4d. Annotated: put forward. Poor Law Union Number 432. Counties: Suffolk.