This free space page discusses the possibility that Thomas Bourne of Marshfield, Plymouth Colony was the same person as Thomas Burne of Derby, Derbyshire.

Evidence for the Theory

• The estimated date of birth of Thomas of Derby is 1577-1586 (based on date of marriage of 1607). This is consistent with Thomas of Marshfield's estimated date of birth of 1581.
• Thomas of Derby's date of marriage was 1607, which is the same as Thomas of Marshfield's estimated date of marriage.
• Thomas of Derby's wife's name was Elizabeth, which was the same as Thomas of Marshfield's wife's name.
• Thomas of Derby had a daughter named Anna, who was baptized in 1614. There are no records of her after her birth to suggest that she died or got married or remained in England. Thomas of Marshfield had a daughter named Anne, whose estimated date of birth was sometime in 1609-22.
• Thomas of Derby had a son named John, who was baptized in 1618. There are no records of him after his birth to suggest that he died or got married or remained in England. Thomas of Marshfield had a son named John, whose estimated date of birth was sometime in 1609-1621.
• Thomas of Derby had a daughter named Elizabeth, who was baptized in 1620. There are no records of her after her birth to suggest that she died or got married or remained in England. Thomas of Marshfield had a daughter named Elizabeth, whose estimated date of birth was sometime in 1609-21.
• Thomas of Derby had a daughter named Martha, who was baptized in February 1630/1. There are no records of her after her birth to suggest that she died or got married or remained in England. Thomas of Marshfield had a daughter named Martha, whose estimated date of birth was sometime in 1617-30.
• There is a record of the baptism in 1608 at All Saints Church in Derby of Margaret, daughter of a Thomas Burne, which is an exact match for the estimated date of birth of Margaret, daughter of Thomas of Marshfield. Although this record seems more likely to relate to the daughter of a different Thomas Burne of Derby, it is possible it relates to the proposed Thomas of Derby. The only other birth/baptismal record for a Margaret, daughter of a Thomas Burne/Bourne, during 1605-15 is for a baptism in London in 1606.
• There a 6-year gap between Thomas of Derby's 1607 marriage and the first baptismal record for his children (1613), which suggests missing baptismal records, one of which could relate to a daughter named Margaret.
• While there are multiple possible birth/baptismal records for children of a Thomas Burne/Bourne with the names Ann, John and Elizabeth in their respective estimated birth ranges, the only birth/baptismal record that has been found for a Martha, daughter of a Thomas Burne/Bourne, during 1616-1632 is the one for the daughter of Thomas of Derby.
• There are no evidence of Thomas of Derby in England after February 1630/1 and there is no evidence of Thomas of Marshfield in New England prior to January 1636/1.
• Thomas of Derby's last name was usually spelled Burne rather than Bourne. Thoms of Marshfield's last name was consistently spelled Burne rather than Bourne in all Plymouth records until 1641, even though during the same period, and sometimes even in the same record, Richard Bourne's last name was spelled Bourne.
• Although no evidence has been found that indicates what Thomas of Derby's occupation was, his probable brother Hamlet was a "clothier." That occupation is closely related to Thomas of Marshfield's occupation of "draper."
• A number of other Plymouth Colonists came from Derby, including the Oldhams and the Sowters/Sowthers.

Evidence Against the Theory

• There is no clear evidence that Thomas of Derby had a daughter named Margaret.
• Thomas of Derby's had children named Alice, Thomas and Mary. While there is no record clearly establishing that they did not die young, there is no evidence establishing that they did.
• The baptismal date of Martha Burne of Derby (February 1630/1) is just past the range for the estimated date of birth for Marth Bourne of Marshfield (1617-1630). That end of the date range, however, is based on the 1590 estimated date of birth of her mother, since her mother would have been 40 in 1630. However, this age issue is also the same for Martha Burne of Derby since the latest her mother would probably have been born is also 1590.
• Unlike the Droitwich theory, which suggests that Thomas of Marshfield's neighbor and in-laws were from the same area where Thomas was born, no such strong connections have been found between Thomas of Marshfield and any of the Pilgrim Colonists from Derby.