Comments

Thank you for mentioning the Cloves in Oranges - a modern form of Chris-tingle. See here for its origin.  I had forgotten the hours spent making paper lanterns and stringing them up. This video is an up-market and modernised version of the ones we made.

Many thanks for yet another interesting and informative newsletter, Pat.

I remember making paper chains for both school and home, together with paper lanterns and sticking cloves into oranges... why did we do that?!!

Tony beat me to it in answering your marriage certificate question!!

...Hans Price as a Worthy?

Best wishes to you and your family, too.

The stamp on receipted indicated the payment of tax known as stamp duty introduced in 1694.   Don't know when it was discontinued in 20th C.

Pat - funny you should mention Mary DOBIN - the dates are slightly off but here goes.

Samuel ELWORTHY bap 21 Feb 1761 to mother Mary in Bridgwater.

Mary ELWORTHY marries James DOBIN 29 Jun 1769 in North Petherton.

There was a James DOBIN  buried 8 May 1772 also in North Petherton.

As we know William NICHOLS married Mary DOBIN in Bridgwater, 27 Oct 1776.

Don't think that this is right - 15 years off - but think it might be similar.

Many thanks for these suggestions Rob.  They are really helpful and highlight my difficulty.  I did wonder whether Samuel might have been the son of the widow Mary DOBIN and took the name of NICHOLS after her marriage to William NICHOLS but have not found him that way either.  Samuel and Rebecca NICHOLS had 4 sons, John, Richard, Samuel and James.  Rebecca's father was John DYER so that explains the John but the rest are all possibilities for his father's name, but as you ave suggested perhaps his birth surname wasn't NICHOLS.
Thank you for the time you have spent on this query.