John Butchin (1645-?) and Anne Alkin / Alchin (1645-?).
My 8th great-grandparents.
John Butchin (or Buchen/Butching depending on the record) was born on the 26 April 1645, in the thick of the English Civil War, and baptised at St Mary’s in Bletchingley, Surrey, on 4 May that year. His parents were carpenter John Butchin and Sarah. The couple may have had an earlier son by the name for a John Buchen, son of John, was buried in the village churchyard on 6 September 1643.
It’s at this point in time in particular that the spelling of names, particularly surnames, gets unnervingly random in the parish records but from all the evidence it’s more than likely that this John was the father of my 7th great-grandfather Thomas Budgen. As I explain in his story, there are few other relevant candidates. The village of Bletchingley is just a few miles from Nutfield, which also has links to the Budgen family.
John married Anne Alchin (or Alkin) at St Mary’s Church on 4 June 1667 but I’ve not been able to locate her baptism in any record. It’s likely that she was local as a Sarah Alchin was married in the village in 1670, possibly to John’s brother. John’s father – John Snr – died in 1672 and left him £10 in his will. I’ve not been able to find a burial record for John or Anne.
The couple had at least five children but I’ve found it very difficult to find any information about them:
- Sarah Butchin (1668-????), my 7th great-grand aunt. Sarah was baptised at St Mary’s in Bletchingley, Surrey, on 23 March 1668. Her grandfather John left her a lamb in his will proved in 1672.
- William Butchin (1671-????), my 7th great-grand uncle. William was baptised at St Mary’s Church in Bletchingley, Surrey, on 14 May 1671. Did he marry an Elizabeth in West Hoathly, Sussex, in 1701 or was that a William Butchin baptised in the neighbouring parish of East Grinstead in 1681? The latter is the more likely option. Intriguingly a William Budgin married a Joan Brigstock on 1 November 1692 at St George’s in Southwark, Surrey. A William Budgen (Snr) died in Bletchingley in 1712 and a Joan Budgin, widow of William, died in the village in 1721. Were these events linked? His grandfather John left him a lamb in his will proved in 1672.
- Margaret Butchin (1673-1751), my 7th great-grand aunt. Baptised on 19 November 1673 at St Mary’s Church in Bletchingley, Surrey, she is probably the Budgin who married John Newett at St Mary’s Church in nearby Caterham, Surrey, on 2 June 1696 – there are few if any other candidates. John, who was baptised in Merstham in Surrey on 25 May 1670 – died in 1704 and was buried in Caterham on 14 January. Just a few weeks later, on 31 January, Margaret (listed only as Widow Newett) gave birth to son William and had him baptised immediately. He died shortly after and was buried on 9 February. A Widow Newit was buried in Caterham on 19 September 1751 and this could be Margaret. Her children were:
- Ann Newett (????-1702). She was buried in Caterham.
- Daniel Newett (1703-????).
- William Newett (1704-1704).
- Thomas Butchin (1675-1757), my 7th great-grandfather. He moved to West Hoathly in Sussex and lived to a grand age.
- Mary Butchin (1683-????), my 7th great-grand aunt. Mary was baptised on 16 April 1683 at St Mary’s Church in Bletchingley, Surrey.
Sources: BMDs and wills at Ancestry.co.uk, Findmypast.co.uk, Surrey Parish Records at Surrey History Centre.