Barbara Deards (michael.deards @t yahoo.co.uk) is researching the Deard family of collarmakers (harness for draught horses) living in the Watton area has a problem. There has been an exchange of emails, and some misunderstandings, some related to apparently incorrect online information from other researchers. The following is an summary of the position.after the exchange. John and Mary Deards  had four children between 1806 and 1815 at Watton. There is the following candidate marriage:

JOHN DEARDS married MARY BALLARD at St George, Hanover Square, Westminster, Middx. On 21 Jan 1806. The marriage record is included in “London, England, Marriages and banns, 1754-1921”, from Ancestry.co.uk including the actual image. The Witnesses at the wedding were Ann Maria Waller and W. South.

Other relevant information:

John & Mary Deards had 4 known Children, all Christened. @ Watton, details as follows:-

• Mary on 30/11/1806

• Frances on 15/11/1807 – who married a John McGill in the Mar ¼ of 1842, but he died on 21/08/1846 in Greenwich, London, and on the 1851 Census Frances is shown as a Widow and retired Governess bringing up her 7 year-old Son Edwin McGill, and living with her 2 Sisters in Watton

• Ann South  on 18/8/1813 – presumably “South” was chosen because a William South was the 2^nd Witness at their Wedding. Ann died on 14 Feb. 1837, aged 23

• Elizabeth Delver on 19/03/1815

Mary Deards was buried at Watton  16 April 1820 , aged 40.

The name Mary Ballard is very common,  but for reasons mentioned below I will note the one who was baptised at Spitalfields, Christ Church. Stepney on 24 May 1780, daughter of John Ballard and Frances - but there is a major snag. A Mary Ballard married George Hore at Spitalfields, Christ Church. Stepney in 1812.

If Mary Ballard had been born in or near Watton, and the married had been local to Watton, it would be reasonable to assume we had the right marriage. However the geographical spread means we really want some more evidence, to explain why a man from Hertfordshire should marry a woman from Stepney at Westminster, or in other ways link the individuals involved.

If we look at the name of the children there are some clues.

• Mary - Named after mother - so no use in proving anything.
• Frances - Frances is a comparatively uncommon name - so the fact that there is a Mary Ballard with a mother (and sister) called Frances, born not too far from Westminster, is a good supporting sign in isolation - but the fact that a Mary Ballard married George Hore at Spitalfields, Christ Church. Stepney in 1812 really rules out the possibility that the wife of John Deards came from Spitalfields.
• Ann South - Surnames as middle Christian names are usually the surname of a elderly relative (no evidence of that) but can be a "patron" (business partner, landlord, etc) who the family wants to honour. The individual was probably invited to be the godparent (unfortunately this is rarely recorded) and probably has some social or financial status. The fact that one of the witnesses of the marriage was a W. South is a very good sign. While South is quite a common name there is evidence of a well-place South family in or near Watton at the time. The William South, baker of Watton, died in 1780 leaving property and a will. Two William South were baptised in Watton circa 1760 (both had father William, but different mothers).  [Note that the William South who married in Sandon  in 1784 was probably the William South who was baptised in Sandon in 1762.]. It is very likely that the name "South" is more than a coincidence - but it would be better if we could identify another link to the name.
• Elizabeth Delver - Delver is an extremely rare surname (so uncommon I wonder if in some cases it it a misreading of the uncommon name Delves).  Any link which could be made to this name could be very significant.

The witness Ann Maria Waller may also be a clue as while the name Ann/Anna/Anne/Hannah is quite common the combination is uncommon and an Ann Maria Waller was baptised at Great Amwell in 1781 and may be the Ann Maria Waller who was buried at Ware in 1851.

The evidence that the John Deards and Mary Ballard who married at Westminster, and the John and Mary Deard who raised a family at Watton is good but not conclusive,   My approach would be to treat it as provisionally correct but keep an open mind about any new evidence. Possible areas to keep in mind are:

• Possible links between Ballard and Deard with Waller, South and Delver (or Delves?).
• Any reason, such as selling horse collars, or having a close relative moving to London to work, for John Deards to have contacts around Westminster
• It might be worth checking if anyone who could have been involved made a will.I notice that there are documents relating to John Deards, collarmaker of Welwyn, 1776, held at HALS (reference H23/719). You might try the National Archives index for later Wills.
• There may be relevant information in the Hertfordshire Burial Index, 1800-1851 CD (from the Hertfordshire Family History Society)