This is the Last Will and Testament of me William SPARKS the elder of Forthington (i.e. Fordington) in the County of Dorset Fellmonger made the twenty seventh day of January in the year of our Lord one thousand seven hundred and forty (i.e.1740/1).

First I commit my soul into the hands of Almighty God hoping through the merits of my Saviour to have pardon of my sins

My body I commit to the earth to be decently interred at the discretion of my executor herein after named and as for the worldly effects wherewith it has pleased God to bless me I give and dispose of the same as follows:-

First I give & bequeath unto my son William SPARKS - All that my leasehold tenement with the appurtenances lying in the Manor of Puddletown in the County aforesaid called Bartletts Tenement to hold to him his executors administrators and assigns for and during the estate and interest which I shall have therein at the time of my decease

Also I give unto said son William SPARKS one silver spoon

Also I give unto my daughter Sarah HARRIS the sum of twenty pounds of lawful money of Great Britain

Also I give unto my son James SPARKS the sum of thirty pounds of like lawful money of Great Britain

Also I give unto my son Samuel SPARKS the sum of two hundred pounds of like lawful money of Great Britain to be paid him within twelve months next after the expiration of his apprenticeship and if he should happen t dye before that time then I give One hundred pounds part of the said Two hundred pounds unto my daughter Honour SPARKS and the other One hundred pounds residue of the said Two hundred pounds unto my son Benjamin SPARKS and my daughter Mary SPARKS to be equally divided between them share & share alike.

Also I give and bequeath unto my son Benjamin SPARKS - All that my tenement in Puddletown aforesaid called Styless to hold to my said son Benjamin SPARKS his executors administrators and assigns (from and immediately after the expiration of his apprenticeship) for and during the estate and interest that I shall have therein at the the time of my decease. But in case he shall happen to dye before he shall have accomplished his said apprenticeship then I hereby give the said tenement called Styless unto my son John SPARKS to hold to him his executors administrators and assigns for and during the residue of the same term and interest which shall be therein then to come and unexpired On Condition my said son John do and shall pay out of the Rents and profits of the same tenement unto my daughter Mary SPARKS the sum of ten pounds a year clear of all deductions by quarterly payments the first payment thereof to begin and be made at the end of three months next after my said son John SPARKS shall become possessed of the same tenement

Also I give unto my said daughter Honour SPARKS the sum of one hundred and twenty pounds of like lawful money of Great Britain and one bed and furniture thereunto belonging.

Also I give unto my said daughter Mary SPARKS the sum of one hundred and twenty pounds of like lawful money of Great Britain and one bed and furniture thereunto belonging.

Also I give unto my said son Nathaniel SPARKS one guinea and a bed and and furniture thereunto belonging.

Also I give unto my sister Mary SYMES two shillings by the week to be paid to her weekly by my executor during the term of my said sisters natural life for an towards her better support

Also I give to my Grand Children Isaac SPARKS, Rebeccah [Rebecca] SPARKS, Sarah HARIS [HARRIS] and Mary HARRIS one guinea each

All the Rest and residue and remainder of my goods chattels ready money bills bonds and security for money book debts stock in trade and other my personal estate whatsoever (after payment of my just debts legacies and funeral expenses ) I give and bequeath unto my said son John SPARKS whom I hereby constitute and appoint Sole Executor of this my Last Will and Testament

And I do appoint my good friends Andrew Langford and John Langford (my brothers-in-law) and Isacc [Isaac] Bonnett of Forthington aforesaid clothier Overseers of this my Will and desire their assistance and care to see the same duly performed and do give to each of them a mourning gold ring of twenty shillings value in remembrance of me

In Witness whereof I have hereunto set my hand and seal the day and year first above written.

Family Background:-

Information about this family has kindly been provided by descendants Mary Skilton and Robert Barr. I am happy to pass on any additional information to them if contacted by e-mail - see the Dorchester/Fordington parish page for my e-mail address.

Few early baptisms have been located as many appear to have been dissenters or non-conformists. Some later generations for example attended the Presbyterian Chapel in Dorchester. A meeting house was built in Pease Lane [Colliton Street] in 1719 but according to returns to the Commissioner records for births marriages and deaths prior to 1750 do not seem to have survived and this of course is when William's children were being born. Link to an account of The Old Dissenters Meeting House in Dorchester and surviving baptisms. The chapel never had it's own burial ground. It is interesting that one of its Ministers, the Rev Abel Edwards, was actually a witness at the signing of the Will of William's grandson Isaac SPARKS (1727-1788).

1. William SPARKS Senior [1665-1741/2] a Fellmonger by trade and the subject of this Will was baptised on 21st Jan 1665 in the parish of Puddletown in Dorset. [Link to Research Notes about his ancestry]

It is clear from the Will that William also had a sister called Mary SYMES (nee SPARKS) to whom he left 2 shillings a week for life towards her better support. Mary SYMES was buried at St Georges Church in Fordington 16th August 1741 when her age was given as being 82 (i.e. born c1659). William was also buried in the churchyard at St Georges Church in Fordington on 10 March 1741/2 aged 76. As there is no mention of his wife in the Will it is presumed that she pre-deceased him. A very likely candidate for his wife is Mrs Honor Sparks who was buried in Fordington on 4 Sep 1740 as William in his will mentions a daughter Honour, and I think Mrs SPARKS death in Sep 1740 prompted her husband William to write this will the following January. By 1735 William SPARKS Senior however seems to have converted to the orthodox church as his name appears as being a member of St Georges Church Vestry on 7th April 1735 until his death in 1741/2. A Settlement examination for a John SARJENT a Fellmonger which was held at Fordington in 1743 shows that he had worked for William Sparks Fellmonger of Fordington in the past.

The following children are mentioned in William's Will with the exception of Elizabeth. The absence of baptisms makes it very difficult to estimate when they may have been born and in arriving at very approximate estimates I have used two guiding principals which I think are reasonably sound. The first is that the will appears to list all his children in order of seniority so I have retained this structure adding Elizabeth. We have one firm birth year for his son Nathaniel whose age of 66 years is given on his gravestone in Fordington Churchyard. To estimate his eldest sons date of birth I have worked back from 1726 when William married using the average age at which men in Fordington married then which was 26. As the missing Elizabeth married in 1726 and women married on average aged 25 I have placed her next as born circa 1701. . This leaves us with just under 2 years between each birth which is not unreasonable given that other children may have been born that died. No parish registers survive for Fordington from 1640 to 1663 and nobody with the Sparks surname is registered prior to 1604 .

1.1 William SPARKS Junior (c1700-1778) became a Maltster by trade and married at St Georges church Fordington on 28 June 1726 to Elizabeth BENNETT [BONNETT]. Like his father he became a member of Fordington Church Vestry, his name, recorded as William SPARKS Junior, first recorded there on 30 Mar 1740/1. This was of course when he his father died and he inherited the leasehold tenement in the manor of Puddletown. He regularly attended vestry meetings after his father death and was elected Overseer of the Poor for Fordington on 15 Apr 1745 serving for the following year. Elizabeth SPARKS nee Bennett (1707-1742) died when she was only 35 years old on 17th and was buried on 20th August 1742 at St Georges churchyard at Fordington. William was buried at Fordington on 26 July 1778 and left a Will (follow link for more information about his family).

1.2 Elizabeth SPARKS (c1701-1775) is the only child not included in William SPARKS Senior's above Will which is odd given all the other bequests to his children and grandchildren and may have to be reviewed if further information comes to light. Her inclusion at all stems from investigating the following bequest made by William SPARKS Junior in his Will written in 1778 (para 1.1.above):-

"I give to my sister Honor ELLETT [ELLIOT] (See para 1.7 below) & Thomas PAULL ye elder the sum of fifety [fifty] two shills [shillings] a year each for & during the term of their natural lives to be paid by my executors ye first payment to be in three months after my death & rest be paid quarterly to each of them"

The marriage registers for the parish of All Saints in Dorchester show that Thomas PAUL (1700-1782) married an Elizabeth SPARKS on 26th May 1726. The average age at which women married in Dorchester was 25 so I have tentatively placed her birth to be circa 1701, which seems reasonable as more often than not couples were of a similar age and we know that Thomas was baptised at St Peters church in Dorchester on 29th Nov 1700. Thomas is being treated in the same way as William's sister Honour suggesting a similar status within the family and made me realise that he was possibly his brother-in-law. Elizabeth herself is not mentioned as she was buried at the wife of Thomas PAUL at All Saints church on 16th March 1775. Although Thomas PAUL was the third generation of that name in Dorchester his father had died 74 years ago so reference to him as Thomas Paul the elder suggests that Thomas and Elizabeth had children in Dorchester. Baptism Registers for the Presbyterian Chapel however have not survived for the period 1719-1750.

1.3 Sarah SPARKS (c1702-?) married at St Peters church in Dorchester on 3rd July 1720 to John HARRIS of Puddletown where they settled after marriage. My estimation of birth date would mean she was only 18 which is young by Fordington standards but still reasonable. Their first child was born a year after marriage so not forced by an early pregnancy which means she clearly had her parents consent. She inherited £20 when her father died and referred to as my sister Sarah HARRIS a further £10 from her brother Samuel when he died in 1769. I have not researched this family but am aware of the following children from the marriage
1.3.1 Mary Harris buried Puddletown 23 July 1721
1.3.2 Sarah Harris bap Puddletown 3rd June 1724
1.3.3 Mary Harris bap Puddletown 4th Apr 1726
1.3.4 Elizabeth Harris bap Puddletown 30 Apr 1729
1.3.5 John Harris bap Puddletown 31 Mar 1731
1.3.6 Martha Harris bap Puddletown 22 Feb 1733/4
1.3.7 Frances Harris bap Puddletown 7th Mar 1734

1.4 James SPARKS (c1704-1766) He was left £30 in his fathers will in 1741. He married a Sarah Unknown and died a very rich man at Orange Street, Red Lion Square in London. In his will dated 20th July 1765 [PROB 11/917] and proved 18th March 1766 he made 5 of his siblings (Samuel; Nathaniel; Benjamin; Mary & Honour) residual legatees mainly after the death of his wife Sarah.

1.5 Samuel SPARKS (c1706-1769) He was left in his fathers will in 1741 the sum of two hundred pounds to be paid him within twelve months next after the expiration of his apprenticeship. He went with his brother James to London, living in Cheapside where he was recorded as a haberdasher by trade in his brother James Sparks Will dated 20th July 1765. James wife Sarah was made a guardian for the 2 children of Mary Bonnett and his wife and his brother Samuel made trustees of the income of 3 properties in Hampton Middlesex, and 2 houses in Little Wylde St Lincoln Inns Fields Holborn applying the income for their maintenance and education etc. he was also left £30 in money. Samuel SPARKS, recorded as a haberdasher of St Pauls Churchyard in London, wrote his own will on 10th June 1769. He left bequests to all his siblings and put money in trust for his 2 children Samuel and Martha SPARKS. His will was proved on 24th July 1769

1.6 Benjamin SPARKS (c1708-1793) He inherited from his father in 1741 a tenement called Styless in Puddletown and made a residual legatee in the will of his brother James Sparks which was proved in 1766. He also received £10 for mourning when his brother Samuel died in 1769. He wrote his own Will on 8th Nov 1782 but lived for another 11 years before dying on 21st September 1793. His will was proved on the 31st Oct 1793⁽¹⁾ by his son Benjamin who was also his sole executor. In his will he leaves 2 guineas to his sister Honour ELLIOTT and makes provision of £5 for his nephew James SPARKES (The son of his younger brother Nathaniel) to be apprenticed when he reached the age of 14. James actually reached his age of 14 in 1784 well before Benjamin died. Benjamin also left his servant Ann Edith WHITE the sum of one pound eleven shillings and sixpence to buy her a mourning gown in case she be living with me at my death, but not otherwise. All the rest of his Property in Puddletown and Fordington he leaves to his son Benjamin.

(1.6.1) Benjamin SPARKES (1751-1821) He married at FStG Church on 8 May 1787 to Grace GOLLOP. There is a burial entry in 1793 which states "Ap: 28 Benjamin, s, of Benj: Sarah SPARKS" (sic). This entry is within burial entries for the year 1793 and in full would read:- 'April 28th Benjamin son of Benjamin and Sarah SPARKS'. I think the reason for this is because Grace is not her full name as her burial at FStG church is recorded as "Sarah Grace SPARKS on 18th January 1800". They probably had other children between 1788-1800.


1.7 Honour SPARKS (c1710-1801) She was left £120 and a bed with all it's furniture in her fathers will in 1741. She married John ELLIOTT (d. bef 1799) at St Michael's church in Stinsford on 7th June 1744 and initially settled in St Peters Parish in Dorchester where she had two children baptised in St Peters Church as shown below. They then moved in early 1748 to All Saints parish where their 2nd child Mary died and they were still resident in 1761. Their 3rd child James Sparks Elliott however was initially baptised in The Old Meeting House in Wareham but his baptism is repeated at the top of the surviving registers for the Presbyterian Chapel in Pease Lane only 1 of 2 entries for that first year of 1750. Honour benefited under the will of her brother James Sparks in 1766 when her husband was referred to as a peruke maker. When her brother Samuel died in 1769 he left her an annuity of £6 per annum & £10 in money for mourning. She was also left 52 shillings per annum for the rest of her life in her elder brother William's will in 1778. Children from the marriage are shown below. Honour was buried at FStG on 27th Feb 1801 leaving a Will dated 11th May 1799.

1.7.1 John ELLIOTT (1746-aft 1801) bap St Peters Church Dorchester 19th June 1746. In 1778 he was left a share of his uncle William Sparkes wearing apparel and he and his 3 children William, John and Mary Elliott are the beneficiaries under his mothers will in 1801.
1.7.2 Mary Elliott (1747-1748) bap St Peters Church Dorchester 10 May 1747 and buried at All Saints church in Dorchester on 22nd May 1748
1.7.3 James Sparks Elliott (1750-1751) bap at The Old Meeting House Wareham 30th Dec 1750 and repeated in the register of baptisms at the Presbyterian Chapel in Pease Lane Dorchester. Unfortunately James died and was duly buried at All Saints Church on the 15th Dec 1751.
1.7.4 Honour Elliott (1756-1759) bap All Saints church Dorchester 23rd Sep 1756 and buried there 25th April 1759
1.7.5 Elizabeth Elliott (bur 1761) buried at All Saints Church 6th May 1761.


1.8 Mary SPARKS (c1712-aft 1766) Like her elder sister she was left £120 and a bed with all it's furniture in her fathers will in 1741. She married after the date of his will in Fordington to John BRETT on 26 Feb 1743/4. After marriage they had a son Nathaniel BRETT baptised on 31st Aug 1746 in All Saints church in Dorchester. By 1766 when she was a residual legatee under the will of her brother James SPARKS of London, she had already become a widow and moved to live at Sutton Poyntz in Dorset. Her son Nathaniel married a Mary Coward in St Andrews church in Sutton Poyntz on 6th July 1772. Nathaniel is mentioned in her brother Samuel's will in 1769 when he is referred to as 'my nephew Nathaniel BURT. He is also a beneficiary under his brother William's Will in 1778 when he left him a share of his wearing apparel, and he also refers to him as Nathaniel BURT the son of my sister Mary. Nathaniel's wife Mary was buried at Sutton Poyntz on 29th Nov 1782.

1.9 Nathaniel SPARKS (c1713-1779) referred to as a yeoman⁽³⁾ he married twice. Firstly in St Georges church Fordington on 8 Feb 1741/2 to Elizabeth MITCHELL. Like his father and elder brother he became a regular member of the Fordington Church Vestry first attending the meeting held on the 14th April 1743. He was to serve as Overseer of the Poor for the year 1744/5; Surveyor of the Highways in 1757 ⁽²⁾; Listed as fit to serve in the Militia in 1758; Churchwarden for the year 1760/61 and Overseer of the Poor again 1763/4. Nathaniel benefited under the will of his brother James Sparks in 1766 and also received £10 for mourning when his brother Samuel died in 1769.

His wife Elizabeth was buried at FStG church on 9th May 1770. He then married Martha CHAFFEY at St Georges Church by licence on 20-Nov-1770.  They had two sons together as shown below. Nathaniel attended the vestry for 33 years his last meeting being on 8 Apr 1776. Nathaniel SPARKS Senior died intestate and was buried in the graveyard at St Georges Church on 12 Oct 1779 where his gravestone records his age as being 66 years. His widow and relict Martha was granted Administration of his estate on 22nd Dec 1779. Martha SPARKS described as of Dorchester wrote her will [PROB 11/1102] on 5th Jan 1783 in which she refers briefly refers to Isaac Sparks and John Jacob among others. It was proved by her brother Samuel RANDALL of Piddletrenthide on 16th April 1783.


(1.9.1) James SPARKS (1771-1855) who was baptised at St Georges Church Fordington on 17th Sep 1771. He is mentioned in his uncle Benjamin SPARKES Will dated  8th Nov 1782 which states "Nephew James Sparks £5 for him to be placed out an apprentice when he reaches age of 14." Benjamin however did not die until 1793 and James SPARKS was apprenticed to George ELLIOTT in Dorchester, a tailor by trade, on 21st Oct 1784 suggesting that he was actually born in 1770. He was buried at FStG Church on 2nd Feb 1855 when his age was given as being 88 (1767), having been brought from All Saints parish in Dorchester where he lived.

(1.9.2) Nathaniel SPARKS bap 13th Apr 1775 who died an infant and was buried at Fordington on 14th Aug 1775.


1.10 John SPARKS (c1716-1750) He was the main beneficiary and executor of his fathers will and granted administration of his estate on 27th Aug 1742. He married Elizabeth POPE in St Georges church Fordington on 23 Sep 1746. He is not mentioned in his siblings Wills leading me to believe he died pre 1766. There are indeed two unaccounted for burials of a John SPARKS at Fordington and one of these is undoubtedly him. The first occurred on 3rd March 1747/8 and the second on 25 Nov 1750. As he married in 1746 I think the first is more likely to be their first child and the second his own burial. hence:-

(1.10.1) John SPARKS (1747/8-1747/8) Buried at St Georges Church Fordington 3rd Mar 1747/8. If not a still birth may have been baptised at the Presbyterian church in Dorchester where baptisms have not survived prior to 1750.

I have not been able to locate a Will for John SPARKS or a Letter of Administration for his estate. Elizabeth SPARKS his widow, described as of Fordington, next turns up in 1758 in All Saints Parish when a Removal Order is issued sending her back to Fordington as she is pregnant and appears to be without funds. She gives birth there to a bastard son fathered by James PHILLIPS a Soldier of the first Regiment of the Dragoon Guards then commanded by Lietenant General Humphrey Bland Esquire. The child is a boy whom she names James after his father and has baptised at St Georges Church in Fordington on 6th July 1758. Follow link provided for an image of the entry in the Quarter Sessions records and more information.

Genealogical Notes:

(1) At the end of Benjamin SPARKS Will is a footnote "At Sarum on the 31st day of October 1793: Benjamin Sparks the sole executor above named was also duly sworn before me James Evans Surrogate. Under that is a note it which states: Deceased died 21st Sep 1793: Effects under £100 ". Presumably the date was provided to James Evans by Benjamin his son, the executor who he had just been sworn in. The problem is that we do not have a burial. As the will is specific as to who he is (as it names his known sister and nephew) I have assumed that the date of death as given to the Court under oath is correct. .

(2) Quarter Session Records held at Blandford Forum 11th Jan 1757 Confirmed: a Rate for the repair of the Highways within the parish of Forthington in the said County of Dorset Amounting to the sum of Sixteen Pounds Ten shillings and Nine pence on the oath of Nathaniel SPARKS and Thomas TERRELL Surveyors and thereon an order was made and the said rate filed

(3) Quarter Sessions Record held at Blandford Forum 13 Jan 1756 (image 94) "Nathaniel SPARKS of Forthington Yeoman Presentment on view Bridport Sep 1755 No.21" Not sure but think he was a witness in a case by William Genge of Halstock Carpenter

Research Notes on William SPARKES Ancestry:- There is no doubt that William SPARKES was baptised in Puddletown the son of Edward SPARKES on 21st Jan 1665. His age at death confirms his birth year as 1665 and he clearly inherited or bought property in Puddletown which he retained until his death and then left to two of his sons. Research into his ancestry however is difficult as only parish records seem to have survived, and even those are not complete.

PUDDLETOWN Parish Registers have been imaged by Ancestry.com and contains 595 images: I found these confusing and to help future researchers into the SPARKES Family I have produced a chronological listing of entries for the SPARKES surname as shown below: Please Note however:-

(1). Most of the original registers have been been imaged twice and not in order. These registers have also been copied into a printed list twice and these lists often omit some of the detail so try to use the originals wherever possible. It is common therefore to find 4 separate entries for the same event. I have therefore tried to include the image numbers against entries in my chronological listing given below so that researchers can more easily check for themselves. A good overview of the seven volumes which make up the registers is given on image 135 from which it can be seen that each volume covers births, marriages and deaths in order before moving onto the next volume starting with births again. (Aslo images 154-156)

(2) Not all registers have survived mainly because of the Civil War ( See comments on image 218 ). There are no baptisms for 1642 to 1649 inc; or marriages from 1616 to 1653; or burials from 1623 to 1652.

(3) In a few instances transcription of names by Ancestry.com were wrong and I have therefore added a correction on line to improve searching.

(4) Baptisms from 1616 to 1641 : These are on images 203 to 212 inc. Unfortunately ancestry.com have incorrectly recorded all these as burials! on some of the listings. It is obvious that this is a baptism listing as there are no adult burials. It is also self evident when viewing the final page on image 212 as this is headed "BAPTISMS" and ends with the statement ("end of baptisms in Register Folio III") before continuing with the actual Burials starting from 1623.

1629 - June 3: SPARKES: Edmund son of Richard (image 207) [Note:- Copy Register only and this has incorrectly been recorded as a burial when it is a baptism (see comments above) ]

1633 - Anne SPARKES daughter of Richard baptised the 5th of May. (Image 69) [Note:- Anne Sparkes marries Christopher Presly in 1663]

1638/9 - Henry the Sonne of Richard and Dorothy SPARKS bapt the 15th of February (image 71) [Note:- His wife Dorothy is buried the following day]

1638/9 - Dorothy SPARKE the wife of Richard was buried the 16th February (Image 72)

1639 - Henry the Sonne of Richard SPARKE was buried the 4th of June (Image 72)

Civil War (1642-1651) Missing Registers - See comments image 218.

1652 - Mary base borne of Grace SPARKES 11 Mar (was baptised) (image 83 and trans 219) [Note:- Grace SPARKES married Edward Hawkins 19 Apr 1663]

1654 - -       Edmund SPARKES and Mary SOUTH } were marryed May 22th [i.e.22nd] (image 106 and trans images 139 and 246)

1655 - Edmund sonn of Edm: [i.e. Edmund] SPARKES July 1 (was baptised) (image 85 and trans 220) [Note:- 1st child from the marriage of Edmund Sparkes to Mary South]

1659 - Mary daughter of Edmund SPARKES Octob. 6th (was baptised) (image 88) [Note:- 2nd child from the marriage of Edmund Sparkes to Mary South]

1659 - The wife of Richard SPARKES (was buried) Dec^r [i.e. December] (image 124 - The copy register Image 253 states Dec 14 SPARKS (no name) "the wife of Richard")

1659/60 - Edward SPARKES child (was buried) Jan 2nd (image 124 - The copy Register Image 253 states Jan 2 SPARKS: (No name) (Parent) EDWARD "child")

1660 - -       Edward HAWKINS and Grace SPARKE } were marryed Apr 19th (images 108, 140 or 141, also 524)

1660/1 - Mary daughter of Edw: [i.e. Edward] SPARKS March 10 (was baptised) (image 88 and trans 223)

1663 - -       Richard SPARKE and Elizabeth STYLE } were marryed July 30th (images 108, also 140 or 141 or 142, also 524) [ Note:- Richard was the son of Richard and Dorothy SPARKES prob born prior to 1633 and their eldest son]

1663 - -       Christopher PRESLY and Anne SPARKES } marryed March 13 (images 108, 140, 141 and 595) [Note:- Anne Sparkes was the daughter of Richard and Dorothy Sparkes and baptised at Puddletown on 5th May 1633]

1664 - Dorothy daughter of Richard SPARKE 7 July (was baptised) (image 90) [Note;- 1st child from the marriage of Richard Sparkes to Elizabeth Style in in 1663 - child named after his mother Dorothy who died 1638/9]

1665 - William sonn of Edward SPARKE - 21 Jan (was baptised) (image 91)

1666 - Rich [i.e. Richard] SPARKE sone of Richard March 17 (was baptised) (image 91 also transcribed image 226) [Note;- 2nd child from the marriage of Richard Sparkes to Elizabeth Style in in 1663 - child named after his mother Dorothy who died 1638/9]

1669 - John SPARKES son of Edward Sparks was Baptized ye 5th of September (image 92)

1670 - Richard SPARKES an old man (was buried) December 8th (image 128 - Transcription reg image 257)

1670/1 - Richard SPARKES son of Richard SPARKES : (was buried) February 10th (image 128 - trans reg image 257)

1673 - Elizabeth SPARKES (was buried) September 30th (image 129 also 258)

1675 - Mary ye daughter of Peter SPARKE March 12th (was baptised) (image 96)

1678/9 - Deborah, daughter of Edward & Mary SPARKS Feb 6th (was baptised) (image 97) [Note:- Deborah married Benjamin Careley from Sandwich at Puddletown 28 July 1734]

1680 - Bridgett SPARKS daughter of Peter Spa: [i.e. Sparks] Octo 24 (was baptised) (image 98)

1681 - John son of Peter SPARKES November 19th (was baptised) (image 98)

1683 - Mary SPARK was Buryed May the 19th [16]83 (image 482) according to an Act of Parliament for Burying in Woolen as it appeared by a Certificate from Sam. Bragge Vicar of Tollpuddle dated May the 20th 1683 (Also trans image 263)

1691 - Sarah Dafter [i.e. daughter] of Edward SPARKE was baptised December ye 20 (image 102)

1694 - John SPARK alias GIBBS buried in woollen 28th June 1694 (image 269)

1695 - Elizabeth daughter of Edward SPARKE was baptized Aug VI [i.e. 6th] (image 115)

1715 - Edmund SPARKS (was buryed) (no day or month) 1715. (image 507)

1716 - Mary SPARKS alias GIBBS buried in woollen 17 Jan 1717 (image 278)

1734 - -       Benjamin CARELEY of Sandwich & Deborah SPARKES of this parish were married July 28 (image 564 original, and 336 Trans - [Note:- Deborah bap Puddletown 6th Feb 1678/9 daughter of Edward and Mary SPARKS]

1806 - Samuel Sparkes aged 40? (was buried ) June 16th (image 579- Also image 375 Samuel SPARKS aged 40 yrs).

Having reduced the entries to one chronological listing it is easier to see that nearly all these early entries relate to descendants of Richard and Dorothy SPARKES. With so many records missing however it is difficult to be certain of relationships but I have tried to draw a consistent thread through them. This needs however to be reviewed and reassessed whenever any more information comes to light.

Richard SPARKES (c1598-1670) the Elder was probably born just before the turn of the century and I think he married Dorothy circa 1624 but there is no evidence of them being in Puddletown until 1629 as shown above. Richard SPARKES was later buried at Puddletown on 8th Dec 1670 when he was described as being "an old man" so just over 70 seems reasonable. His wife Dorothy however was not so lucky. She was buried at Puddletown on 16th Feb 1638/9, the day after their youngest child Henry was baptised. She may have died from complications at birth as her son Henry also died after 4 months being buried at Puddletown on 4th June 1639. Richard then appears to have remarried, possibly during the Civil War, as there is an entry in the Parish burial register for the Burial of 'The wife of Richard SPARKE' in December 1659. No children are recorded against this 2nd marriage.

Children by his 1st wife: Puddletown Parish Baptism Registers survive from before he married so I have assumed they lived circa 1625 - 1629 elsewhere. During this period I think they had at least 2 children:-

1. Richard SPARKES Senior (c1625-1670) He later married at Puddletown to Elizabeth STYLE on 30th July 1663 and they had 2 children Dorothy bap 7th July 1664 and Richard bap 17th Mar 1666 before Elizabeth died and was buried at Puddletown on 30th Sep 1673. Richard SPARKES Senior described as the son of Richard was buried at Puddletown on 10th Feb 1670/1 only a couple of months after his father.

2. Grace SPARKES (c1627-aft 1660) Grace gave birth to an illegitimate daughter Mary SPARKES on 11 Mar 1652 before marrying Edward HAWKINS at Puddletown on 19th Apr 1660.

3. Edmund SPARKES (c1629- aft 1659) Edmund was bap at Puddletown the son of Richard SPARKES on 3rd June 1629. He married to Mary SOUTH at Puddletown on 22nd May 1654 and they had a son Edmund SPARKES bap 1st July 1655 and a daughter Mary SPARKES bap 6th Oct 1659. There is a brief entry in the registers for his burial sometime in 1715

4. Edward SPARKES (c1631- ) The big problem with Edward is that we have no evidence of his baptism, marriage or burial, whilst we have all three for Edmund as shown above. Also the birth of Edmund's 2 children precede the 5 enries from the parish baptism registers relating to Edward's children shown below perhaps suggesting a change in name rather than another child of Richard & Dorothy. As far as I can tell both Edmund and Edward Christian names come from Old English and both mean 'prosperous protector'. It is at this date highly unlikely that the parents would have known how their name was written so it becomes interpretation by the scribe. The charge over, if that is what it is, occurs between 1659 and 1660.

1.1659/60 - Edward SPARKES child (was buried) Jan 2nd (image 124) [Note:- I am happy that this refers to an unnamed child of Edward Sparkes being buried. Note:- There are other unnamed child burials referred to in a similar way on the same page eg. 'a child of John Meaders buried Feb 1st 1659' and -- ' The sonn of George Pooke being a young child buried Feb 8th 1659' Also 'ye sonn or young child of Xpofer [Christopher] Bartletts ye younger [Feb] 9th'. and 'The child of Anthony Denham buried March 5th'. If we accept that Edmund and Edward are the same family, this would mean the death of Edmund Sparkes Junior bap 1st July 1655 or Mary Sparkes bap 6th Oct 1659'. Probably the latter - see next child.

2. 1660/1 - Mary daughter of Edw: [i.e. Edward] SPARKS March 10 (was baptised) (image 88). This appears to be the sister 'Mary SYMES' referred to in William Sparkes Will in 1740. I have not been able to locate a suitable marriage however. Mary SYMES was buried at St Georges Church in Fordington on 16th Aug 1741 when her age was given as being 82 - making her born circa 1659.

3. 1665 - William sonn of Edward SPARKE - 21 Jan (was baptised) (image 91). This is William SPARKES (1665- 1740) the subject of the above Will in which he makes a bequest to his sister Mary SYMES.

4. 1669 - John SPARKES son of Edward Sparks was Baptized ye 5th of September (image 92)

5. 1678/9 - Deborah, daughter of Edward & Mary SPARKS Feb 6th (was baptised) (image 97) [Note:- There is a 9 year gap since the last child was born to Edward Deborah married Benjamin Careley from Sandwich at Puddletown 28 July 1734]