Rachel Brandon Beddome 1694-1758

A descendant of Beddome (by marriage) has been in touch again and tells me these things about Beddome's mother.

Beddome's parents, John and Rachel Beddome, were married at St Mary's, Warwick on the April 14, 1715. There is evidence to say that Rachel Brandon's transfer to the Henley Congregation from Nantwich was recorded on Christmas Day 1714. She was joined in Henley by her Aunt Rachel Cope, just over a month later, on January 30 1714/5. Aunt Rachel had transferred from Little Wild Street which is where Bernard Foskett had been in membership before his transfer to the Henley/Alcester congregation.

There is no doubt that Aunt Rachel was a major influencer/organiser in her niece's life. She was a rich widow and, from various documents relating to her tussle in the Chancery Court with Samuel Cope, the brother of her late second husband Joseph, it becomes clear she was also a shrewd and formidable lady. She would have been the link between her niece and Rev John Beddome. We can only think that aunt and niece moved to Henley in order for niece Rachel to marry Rev John, although he was almost twice her age. Later Aunt Rachel followed John and Rachel with their children to Bristol and was buried on the March 5 1730/1 in the Baptist Burial Ground in Red Cross Street, Bristol. Her burial entry reads "Madam Cope was interd ye south side of Mrs Blanchet toom in over Reverit Mr John Badam Grand wher his sund Doth ly". This seems to mean that Rachel was buried over or near the grave of Rev John Beddome's eldest son, John, who was buried there on the December 8 1728.

Beddome's great grandfather was Benjamin Brandon, a citizen and weaver of London. According to the 1666 Hearth Tax returns for the St Giles Cripplegate parish, Benjamin Brandon lived in Cradle Alley, where he paid tax on 3 hearths. It would seem that the family already had non-conformist leanings, as the parish register of St Giles records the births only of three of his children - Isaac, Amos and Rebecca, with an accompanying note that they were not baptised. Furthermore, when Benjamin died from plague in 1666, though this was noted in the St Giles registers, he was actually buried in the Quaker burial ground of Chequer Ally.