1677 â A CHURCHWARDEN
On the 10th of February 1677 an âEdward Jenkinsonâ was buried. The funeral service was conducted by the Vicar Nathaniel Barry, the same vicar who had baptised Elizabeth, the Daughter of Thomas Shillakars in 1674. In the previous year, 1676, Edward Jenkinson had officiated with the vicar at another funeral. His name appears in the record followed by an indecipherable word which appears to be âGuardâ â this may be a shorten version of âChurchwardenâ written as ‘Câward’.
The significant of Edward Jenkinson to the Shellaker family history is when he died in 1677 the churchwarden proceeding at his funeral was a RICHARD SHILLAKARS. (See below on the right).
1677 – Richard Shellakars – Churchwarden at a burial
Again another record of RICHARD SHILLAKARS officiating as a Churchwarden with the vicar at weddings at Loddington during the year 1677.  The churchwarden was an important position within the village, a role held by a man respected within  the community. It is extremely likely this Richard Shellakars is the father of Thomas and Ellenor who were baptised in 1644 and 1646 and who were married in 1671 and in 1673 respectively.
1677 – Richard Shellakars – Officiating as Churchwarden at Loddington Weddings
26th November 1683 – DEATH
The next entry I found in the Loddington Parish Records was the record of the burial of RICHARD SHELLAKARS in the year for 1683.
1683 – ‘Richard Shellakars, Labourer, buryed. November 26th.
There is writing in the left margin that I cannot fully read. I do not understand what this means, or whether it relates to the burial of Richard Shellakers. I can only read the following; “Affidavit brought…………..         for……………… thy years.
RICHARD SHELLAKERS – A SUMMARY.
If I speculate Richard was between the ages of 20 to 30 at the time the baptism of his daughter Ellenor in 1646 the year of his birth would be between 1616 & 1626. Based on these dates below is list of events in his life
| Year | Date | Event | Richardâs Age |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1616 â 1626 | Richard Shillakars born | ||
| 1644 | 5th May | His son Thomas Sheaeleaker is baptized in Loddington Church | Richardâs age is between 20 – 30 years old |
| 1646 | 6th July | His daughter Ellenor Shelaker is baptized in Loddington Church | Richardâs age is between 20 –Â 30 years old |
| 1650/51 | Unknown | His son Richard is born – probably in Loddington but no record exists (see below) | Richardâs age is between 24 – 34 years old |
| 1671 | 26th May | His son Thomas Shellakar marries Elizabeth Dawson | Richardâs age is between 45 – 55 years old |
| 1673 | 3rd April | His daughter Elleanor Shellakars marries Charles Newby | Richardâs age is between 47 – 57 years old |
| 1674 | 26th July | His granddaughter Elizabeth Shellakars is baptized | Richardâs age is between 48 – 58 years old |
| 1675 | 14th March | His son Thomas Shellakars dies | Richardâs age is between 49 – 59 years old |
| 1677 | May – Dec |  Richard Shellakkars is officiating as a Churchwarden at services at Loddington | Richardâs age is between 51 – 61 years old |
| 1683 | 26th Nov | Â Richard Shellakars dies and is buried at Loddington | Age between 57 – 67 |
To help to put these events in the correct time prospective William Shakespeare died in 1616, King Charles I was beheaded in 1649, the Dodo became extinct in 1662, 1664 saw the Great Plague kill 70,000 and in 1683, the year of Richard’s death, Wild boars are hunted to extinction in Britain.
GAPS IN THE PARISH RECORDS FOR LODDINGTON
Unfortunately there are gaps in the first register for Loddington, especially during the Civil War and Commonwealth period (1649-1660) which is quite common. Critically no records survived at all for the years 1647-1654, when I believe Richard had at least one other child born around 1650/51 – a son, also named Richard who was my great-great-great-great-great grandfather.
Over 40 years after the death, in 1683 of Richard Shellakars, there is one further record of a Shellaker in the Loddington Parish Records and one that shows a link to the village Lyndon in neighbouring Rutland.
1726 – A MARRIAGE IN LODDINGTON
This was a record of the marriage of my great-great-great-great grandparents which took place in the village church at Loddington. I believe this Richard Shelacres is the grandson of the Richard Shellakars of Loddington who I estimate was probably born between 1616 & 1626. His father was likely to be the Richard Shellacres I mentioned above, the one born in 1650-51.
The record below is the first of two marriages which are recorded in the year Lady Day 1726 to Lady Day 1727. Incidentally Richard was a widower with three daughters under 10 years old when he married Anne Hill of the Parish of Loddington. It should be noted that Richard Shelacres is from the parish of Lyndon – his story is in the webpages for that villageÂ
Richard Shelacres of Lyndon in the County of Rutland & Anne Hill of this parish maried with banns, Dec. 29th.
Historical Note – Lady Day
In the year Richard Shelacres married Anne Hill, 1726, the Julian calendar was in use, as it would be until September 1752. Under the Julian calendar the New Year did not start on the 1st January but on 25th March â Lady Day. (Lady Day is the traditional name of the Feast of the Annunciation of the Virgin Mary which marks the visit of the angel Gabriel to Mary, during which he told her she would be the mother of Jesus Christ, the Son of God).
Consequently until the change to the Gregorian calendar in 1752, 25th March was the start of the New Year. So, in England, the day after 24th March 1726 was 25th March 1727. Once the calendar changed, the day after 31st December 1751 was 1st January 1752 as it has remained ever since. As a result, 1751 was a short year – it ran only from 25 March to 31 December. Lady Day is one of the Quarter Days which are still used in the legal system.
The Family Tree of the Shillakars / Shellakkars / Shelacres showing the link with Lyndon
(Click on this tree to view a larger version)
7th January 2016