David Gerrard (bef. 1798)

Born before 7 Oct 1798 in Milton Abbas, Dorset, England

Husband of Elizabeth (Vacher) Gerrard — married 18 Jun 1822 in Milton Abbas, Dorset, England, United Kingdom

Descendants

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Biography

David Gerrard was born in Dorset, England.

David was christened on 07 October 1798 in Milton Abbas, Dorset, England. His parents were David Gerrard and Ann Vacher. (The form of the surname in the christening record is JERRET.)

He married Elizabeth Vacher on 18 June 1822 in Milton Abbas. ^[1] (In this record the spelling is JERRARD.)

Their children were christened in Milton Abbas:

• Mary Gerard, 10 Oct 1822 ^[2]
• Jane Gerrard, 26 Oct 1823 ^[3]
• Elizabeth Jerrard, 30 Jan 1825 ^[4]
• Ann Jerrard, 01 Oct 1826 ^[5]
• Eliza Jerrard, 29 Jun 1828 ^[6]
• David Jerrard, 22 Nov 1835 ^[7]
• John Jerrard, 17 Jun 1838 ^[8]
• William Jerratt, 25 Aug 1844 ^[9]

In all baptismal records, and indeed in all the census returns, David was described as an agricultural labourer.

At the 1841 census of Milton Abbas, David and Ann were living in the Old Poor House with their children Mary, Jane, Eliza and John. Their daughter Ann (14) was staying with one set of Vacher relatives, whilst David (5) was with another. ^[10] The spelling is JERRARD.

The spelling had changed to GERRARD for the 1851 census of Milton Abbas. David and Elizabeth were living in Milton Village along with sons John and William and a granddaughter, Mary (Eliza's daughter from before her marriage). ^[11]

David and Elizabeth remained in Milton Abbas for the censuses of 1861, 1871 and 1881.

Spelling of the surname

Although the spelling varied wildly throughout most of the family's early years in Milton Abbas, it seems to have settled down to JERRARD after 1851. It is possible that the rector, in recording the family's activities, was influenced by the presence in the village of the more prosperous Jerrard family who owned Milton Farm.

Sources

1. ↑ "England Marriages, 1538–1973 ", database, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:N65K-BRM : 13 March 2020), David Gerard, 1822.
2. ↑ "England, Dorset, Parish Registers, 1538-2001", database with images, FamilySearch (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:QJDH-3QK6 : 9 March 2021), David Gerard in entry for Mary Gerard, 1822.
3. ↑ "England Births and Christenings, 1538-1975", database, FamilySearch (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:N276-5ZN : 10 April 2021), Jane Gerrard, 1823.
4. ↑ "England, Dorset, Parish Registers, 1538-2001", database with images, FamilySearch (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:QJDH-S5XZ : 9 March 2021), David Jerrard in entry for Elizabeth Jerrard, 1825.
5. ↑ "England Births and Christenings, 1538-1975", database, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:J3PK-V9R : 21 March 2020), David Jerrard in entry for Ann Jerrard, 1826.
6. ↑ "England, Dorset, Parish Registers, 1538-2001", database with images, FamilySearch (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:QJDH-3Z8W : 9 March 2021), David Jerrard in entry for Eliza Jerrard, 1828.
7. ↑ "England Births and Christenings, 1538-1975", database, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:NR27-37L : 21 March 2020), David Jerrard in entry for David Jerrard, 1835.
8. ↑ "England Births and Christenings, 1538-1975", database, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:NR27-375 : 21 March 2020), David Jerrard in entry for John Jerrard, 1838.
9. ↑ OPC Dorset; Milton Abbas baptisms 1800 to 1880
10. ↑ OPC Dorset; Milton Abbas census 1841
11. ↑ "England and Wales Census, 1851," database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:SG2V-8FM : 9 November 2019), David Gerrard, Milton Abbas, Dorset, England; citing Milton Abbas, Dorset, England, p. 5, from "1851 England, Scotland and Wales census," database and images, findmypast (http://www.findmypast.com : n.d.); citing PRO HO 107, The National Archives of the UK, Kew, Surrey.

• https://www.opcdorset.org/MiltonAbbasFiles/MiltonAbbasBaps.htm