Parish Records: Lydiard Tregoze and Lydiard Millicent Study

Lydiard Tregoze and Lydiard Millicent

The Vestry Book

A Vestry meeting at St. Mary’s Church, Lydiard Tregoze dated 15th February 1856 discussed the ‘carrying out of the Nuisance Removal Act.’

It was resolved that the following persons should form a Local Board and Committee to carry out the provisions of the said Statute.

Rich. Strange, Guardian; William Priddy and Robert Eddolls, Overseers; Rich. Bradford and John Willis, Churchwardens; William Mundee and Robert Mundee, Surveyors of Midghall Tything; Rev. Giles Daubeny and William Kinchin, Surveyors of Hook Tything; John Smith, Bynoll Tything.

It was proposed and carried that the Revd. Giles Daubney should be Chairman of the said Board.

At this Meeting complaints were heard against Jacob Edmonds, Thomas Emblin/Henry Emblin and Notices signed by the chairman for the removal of the nuisance complained of.

The members of the committee were tenant farmers from the parish of Lydiard Tregoze.


The Churchwarden’s Accounts

The Churchwardens accounts name local craftsmen who have provided a service for the church.

The accounts for St. Mary’s Church, Lydiard Tregoze 1850 were presented by the two churchwardens, Cornelius Bradford and George Bufson and include sums of money paid to the following people:

Mr. Wallice masons bill           17s 9d
Mr. Gardeners bill for coals     17s 9d
Mr. Habgood blacksmiths bill   7s 6d
Mr. Westall repairing organ      10s

In 1851 Richard Wallice is paid 11s for 2½ days work for himself and one man for mending paths in the churchyard.

Mr. Tellings is paid £2 18s 6d for 5 new bell ropes.


The Overseer’s Rate Book

The Overseer’s Rate Book lists who is in receipt of Poor Relief and also property details of parish ratepayers.

The rate book for 1836 records that Thomas Kinchin, tenant farmer at Windmill Leaze Farm, the Home Farm of the Lydiard Estate owned by Lord Bolingbroke, paid £10 8s 1¾d poor rate.


The Ody Family

The Ody family was a large farming family tracing their roots in Lydiard Tregoze back to the 17th century.
Walter, born c. 1836 was the youngest son of Noah and Sarah Ody and grew up at Hays Knoll, Purley’s and Flaxlands farms, all in the parish of Lydiard Tregoze.

Registers for the nearby parish of Purton reveal that he married Elizabeth Rufsell there on 9th February 1861.

Walter and Elizabeth returned to Flaxlands Farm where Walter continued to farm until his death in 1897. The couple had thirteen children, all of whom were baptised at St. Mary’s Church, Lydiard Tregoze.

School Admissions records list that ten of Walter and Elizabeth’s children, Letitia, Elizabeth, Noah, Ann, John, Frank, Richard, George William, William James and Mary, attended Hook School.

The Electoral Roll reveals that in 1880 Walter Ody was ‘entitled to vote at any election of a Member or Members to serve in Parliament for the Northern Division of the County of Wiltshire.’

The Polling District was Wootton Bassett, Walter’s qualification was land he owned in the parish of Lydiard Millicent.

When Walter died in 1897 his Will states that he left ‘an enclosure of land situate at Stone Lane in the Parish of Lydiard Millicent upon trust for my youngest daughter Mary Jane Ody.’The remainder of his estate was to be ‘distributed in equal shares ..between my fours sons namely Francis Richard George and William.’


* CLAIM TO FAME! * TRADE LISTS * 1871 CENSUS RETURNS * HOME PAGE