Ancestors of Mandy Willard

John BRIGHTRIDGE (c1570-1624)

and Elizabeth DELVE (c1570-?)

and Margery VERRALL (c1595-1617)

and Susan WITHERIS (c1600-?)

John Brightridg and Elizabeth Delve were my 11x Great Grandparents.  (Click here to see their place in my pedigree chart.)  They married on 5 November 1594 in the parish church of All Saints in Herstmonceux, Sussex.  This would seem to be the first Brightridge event recorded in the Herstmonceux parish registers, which commenced from 1538.  John next married Margery Verrall on 28 April 1616 in Herstmonceux.  He then married for a third time to Susan Witheris by licence on 19 August 1621 in Herstmonceux, Sussex.  Their marriage licence was issued on 18 August 1621 by the Archdeaconry of Lewes which recorded that John was a husbandman and Susan a spinster and they were both of Herstmonceux.  The entry in the marriage register recorded his name as John Brithriche.

John Brightridge's date and place of birth/baptism are unknown, to me.  I have checked transcripts of the Herstmonceux and Wartling baptism registers from 1550-1580 and he was not baptised in either parish, nor was he baptised in Warbleton between 1560 and 1580, or Waldron between 1564 and 1580.  John was buried on 17 March 1623/4 in Herstmonceux and his name was recorded in the burial register as John Brithriche.  As John Brightredge of Herstmonceux he left a will dated 14 March 1623/4 which was proved on 3 April 1624 .  In his will he mentions wife Suzanna, son Jeremey, daughters Susanna, Martha and Elizabeth and sons Richard and Thomas.  He appointed his son John as his exexcutor.

Elizabeth Delve's date and place of birth/baptism are unknown, to me.  She was not baptised in Herstmonceux between 1550 and 1580 or Warbleton between 1560 and 1580.  An Elizabeth Delv was baptised on 3 August 1578 in Wartling, Sussex, the daughter of John Delv.

Margery Verrall's date and place of birth/baptism are unknown, to me.  She was buried in Herstmonceux on 22 November 1617 and she was described in the burial register as the wife of John Brithriche.  She does not appear to have been baptised in Herstmonceux.

Susan Witheris's date and place of birth/baptism are unknown, to me.  She does not appear to have been baptised in Herstmonceux.  As Susan Brightnery she may have remarried on 25 July 1625 in Burwash, Sussex to John Reve.  Or in 1642 she may have been 1 of 2 Susan Brightridge's of Warbleton who contributed 6 pence and 4 pence to the relief of the Irish Protestants.

John Brightridge and Elizabeth Delve had 6 known children:

1. John Bridgeridge, my 10x Great Grandfather, was baptised on 25 April 1596 in Herstmonceux.  He married Susan Hollock in 1626.  (They have their own page.)

2. Richard Brightridge was baptised on 6 November 1597 in Herstmonceux.  Richard Brightredge of Herstmonceux left a will which was proved in 1638 (ref A25 118).  In his will he mentioned his children John, Elizabeth and Richard, and wife Ellen.  He nominated John Brightridge and Thomas Brightridge as overseers to his will.

   Richard married Ellen.

   Ellen was buried on 19 July 1639 in Herstmonceux and the burial register recorded that she was the wife of Richard Brightrig.  As Helen Brightridge widow of Herstmonceux she left a will which was proved on 14 September 1639.

   Richard and Ellen had the following children:

   1. Mary Brithridge was baptised on 30 September 1627 in Herstmonceux and buried there on 25 November 1627.

   2. Elizabeth Brithridg was baptised on 22 February 1628/9 in Herstmonceux.  She may have been named as the cousin of John Brightridge in his will of 1668.

   3. Richard Brightredge was baptised on 18 December 1631 in Herstmonceux.  He was buried on 11 March 1681/2 in Herstmonceux.  The burial register recorded his name as Richard Brightridge of Herstmonceux and that he was buried in woollen on the oath of Elizabeth Brightridge.  He may have been named as cousin in the 1668 will of John Brightridge.

      Richard married Elizabeth.

      Richard and Elizabeth had the following children:

      1. John Brithrich was baptised on 16 October 1664 in Herstmonceux.

      2. Thomas Brightrich was baptised on 22 September 1666 in Herstmonceux and buried there on 14 June 1669.

      3. Elizabeth Brightrich was baptised on 20 December 1668 in Herstmonceux.

      4. Mary Brightrich was baptised on 29 September 1675 in Herstmonceux.

   4. Mary Brightridge was baptised on 16 February 1633/4 in Herstmonceux and buried there on 16 December 1634.

   5. John Brightredge was baptised on 22 November 1635 in Herstmonceux.  He was probably buried on 17 February 1680/1 in Herstmonceux.  The burial register recorded his name as John Brightridg of Herstmonceux and that he was buried in woollen on the oath of Richard Brightridg.  However, there was another John Brightridge baptied in Herstmonceux in 1633.

   Only Richard's name appear against the baptism of his 5 children.

3. Elizabeth Brightridge was baptised on 6 May 1599 in Herstmonceux.  As Elizabeth Brithriche she married Edward Harde on 28 June 1621 in Herstmonceux.  They do not seem to have had any children baptised in Herstmonceux.

4. Priscilla Brightridg was baptised on 21 December 1600 in Herstmonceux.

5. Joan Brightridge was baptised on 12 December 1602 in Herstmonceux.

6. Thomas Brightridg was baptised on 23 June 1605 in Herstmonceux.

   A Thomas Brightridge was buried in Herstmonceux on 30 June 1669.  In 1642 he contributed 1 shilling to relief of the Irish Protestants.  He held Wargraves in Herstmonceux which on his death was passed to his cousin John Brightridge.  He also held Harwoods in Herstmonceux, also known as Butlers Farmhouse (map ref TQ 611 114), which he mortgaged to Stephen Thawyer for £80 in 1662.  In 1666 he was the tenant of Bagham in Herstmonceux (map ref TQ 636 130)

   Thomas married Elizabeth Champney on 11 April 1630 in Herstmonceux.  She was buried on 16 March 1656/7 in Herstmonceux and it was recorded in the burial register that she was the wife of Thomas Brightredg.

John Brightridge and Margery Verrall had 1 known child:

7. Jeremy Brithriche was baptised on 16 March 1617 in Herstmonceux.  He was buried in Herstmonceux on 15 November 1636 and his name was recorded in the burial register as Jeremy Brithrige.

John Brightridge and Susan Witheris had 2 known children:

8. Susan Brithriche was baptised on 4 August 1622 in Herstmonceux.

9. Martha Brithriche was baptised on 5 October 1623 in Herstmonceux.  She was not mentioned in her father's will nor does she appear to have been buried in Herstmonceux.  As Martha Brighteredge she married Thomas Hyam on 15 June 1652 in Heathfield.

Only John's name appeared next to the baptisms of his 9 children.  The baptism dates have come from a transcript of the Herstmonceux parish registers held at the East Sussex Record Office.

Where and how do the following fit:

Mary Brightrig was baptised on 10 July 1652 in Waldron.  She was the daughter of Nicholas Brightrig.

Nicholas Britridg was baptised on 21 April 1664 in Waldron.  He was the son of Richard Britridg.  The IGI records that Nicholas son of Richard Brightridge was buried on 6 April 1664 in Waldron.

Nicholas Brightridge married Mary Curtis on 26 December 1648 in Heathfield, Sussex.

Richard Bridgeredge married Elizabeth Kerrie on 15 March 1652/3 in Heathfield.

DELVE          BRIGHTRIDGE          V ERRALL          WITHERIS