17th Century Randles

The first of my line I have so far traced is a John Randle who married Alice Gould in 1737. The marriage took place at the parish church in Halesowen, Worcestershire, a town to the west of Birmingham. I haven't yet found out where John was born. Although some of the couple's children were baptised in Halesowen, the majority were at St.Kenelms Romsley a village at the foot of the Clent Hills, so I think this is likely to be where they lived.

St.Kenelm's, Romsley.

The family consisted of Sarah b.1738, John b.1740, William b. and d. 1743, George b.1744 d.1747, Thomas b. 1747, Joseph b. 1749 (my ancestor), James b.1753, Benjamin b.1755, and Hannah b. and d.1759.

John Wood

According to his marriage certificate, John Wood's father was William Wood, Gentleman. In the 1851 census he gives his age as 30, and place of birth the city of Worcester. So far, the only possible John Wood baptism I have found is in the village of Claines, near Worcester, the son of William Wood, servant, and his wife Ann in 1819. So, was John exaggerating his father's social status? Whatever the truth is, at some stage John received a musical education sufficient enough for him to become a Music Teacher.


At some time John moved from his birthplace, Worcester, to Birmingham and in 1843 he married Jane ASH, the daughter of a butcher at St. Thomas, Bath Row. The church, as such, no longer exists as it was bombed in 1940, but the tower remains, linked to a peace garden.
John appeared to earn his living as a musician, the occupation on his marriage certificate, but on the census in 1851, he was "Professor of Music". The family were then living at 76 Tennant St. and consisted of John, Jane, Mary Ann 6, Clara F. 4 and John H. 2. The two elder children were born in Birmingham, but the youngest has his place of birth Hurst Green, Lancashire.
(To be continued)