Hammond Family History

This is a summary of my own research into my family tree which led me to Hatfield in Hertfordshire. I used the usual sources to get this far back, civil registration, census returns and the IGI/Parish Register copies at the Society of Genealogists. For a brief description of Hatfield follow this link:

I found the following marriages in the Hatfield Parish Register

26 Apr 1781 Sidney HAMMOND m. Mary CATLYN, a widow

Then from a book of Hertfordshire strays at the SOG I found this marriage at St George's, Hanover Square, London

13 Feb 1804 Sydney HAMMOND of Hatfield, Herts bachelor m. Mary POOPE, widow of this parish

Although I have yet to find the birth of either Sidney, I am convinced that these are father and son. The next generation were christened as follows

i

21 Jul 1805

Elizabeth HAMMOND

ii

21 Sep 1806

George HAMMOND

iii

? Jan 1809

Mary HAMMOND

iv

14 Oct 1810

Thomas HAMMOND

v

26 Dec 1813

Joseph HAMMOND

 

For a long time this was all I had prior to the 1841 census until I struck gold when reading a posting to the HertsWEB forum. Chris Reynolds, the forum moderator, posted a newspaper article from the Hertfordshire Mercury dated 30th August 1828 entitled 'A Grand Cricket Match'. This was a lively account of a game played between the 'Gentlemen of Herts' and a team from St Albans, very Dingley Dell! The players and their (modest) scores were listed, including one Hammond jnr. of Hatfield.

I sent an email query to the Herts Record Office and they recommended a book called 'Cricket In Hertfordshire' by R.G. Simons. Sure enough, from this excellent book I found that Sidney Hammond (1786-1836), a tailor with a shop in Fore St. Hatfield, played cricket for the local team. I am convinced that the Hammond jnr. mentioned above was George Hammond, Sidney's second eldest son. There is a picture of George dated 4th July 1865 with the Hatfield team taken during an away game against North London at Islington. He was the umpire and would have been aged about 58 at the time.

I plan to complete this page soon with the next generations including census details, etc.

 

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