Grocock/

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Grocock ~ First Generation

	William GROCOCK HIS PARENTS (SUPPOSITION) There are two known possible family sources for William. 1) Born 29 May 1747, bap 7 Jun 1747 at St John Smith Square, Westminster, London, son of Wm Grocock and Bridget (ref Ancestry & Bridget). There was a marriage of William Groocock to Bridget Skin on 5 Aug 1740 at Grainthorpe, Lincolnshire (ref FamilySearch and fmp, or Ancestry with Croocock). No other marriage or children of a William Grocock (or similar surname) and Bridget have been found anywhere in England using FamilySearch, Ancestry and fmp over the relevant timeframe. Going further back on the possible Skin(s) family, the following children of John & Frances Skins were baptised at North Kelsey, Lincolnshire: Bridget 15 Jul 1705, John 16 Oct 1709, Sarah 24 Mar 1716, William 4 Jun 1720, and Mary 12 Mar 1722 (all ref fmp). Of these, Bridget may be the mother of William Grocock born 1747. A review of all Grococks at Grainthorpe was made, and there were only 4 relevant records found: the marriage of Will Groocock to Bridget Skin as above, the death of William Grocok in 1746 at Grainthorpe (born 1701, buried 26 Oct 1746), the marriage of Bridget Grocock 18 Jul 1747 at Grainthorpe to William Dixon, and the death of Ann Groocock in 1747 aged 14 at Grainthorpe. Leaving Ann aside, the others could represent the early death of William's (1747) father prior to the birth, a visit to London for Bridget to have the baby, and her very quick return to Grainthorpe for her marriage to William Dixon on 18th July. It seems to rather stretch the imagination and does not explain why William then was in London for his marriage in 1773. No suitable record has been found for the birth of a William Grocock in 1701. Grocock does appear to be a Lincolnshire name, and in fact there is another Australian connection; a Charles Grocock, born c1841 at Swineshead, Lincoln, married June qtr 1863 at Boston dist, Lincolnshire to Mary Ann Hall, dau of Thomas Hall & Mary, they emigrated to Victoria, Australia on board the vessel 'Gresham' in 1863 aged 22, 24 and with baby Elizabeth (d1873), together with Catherine Grocock aged 21 also of Lincolnshire (who married Henry James Neate in 1872) , and had children Charles William (b1865), Lily Grace (b1867), Alice Mary (b1869, d 1870), Henry James (b1871), at Prahran, which was where our William Henry & Emma nee Blunden were living in 1871. Mary Ann died in 1877 aged 37. Charles may have married again, possibly to Margaret Cherry in 1879. The connection would be a distant one if there is one. 2) A William Groocock married Judith Provost at Fleet Prison, London in a "clandestine" marriage on 24 Dec 1738; these were very common and done without Banns or Licence. Westminster in 1738 and William Groocock was born 2 Oct 1739 and bap 20 Oct 1739, at St Dunstan, Stepney, son of William (Weaver) and Judith. There was another son, Daniel, baptised 31 Dec 1743. No further information has been found about Daniel. There is a marriage on 14 Jan 1747 at St Thomas, Portsmouth, Hampshire of a Judith Groocock to Matthew HAYS but connection not proved. There were other Grococks in London such as William Grewcock, Grocer of Woodstreet, who in 1712 was admitted by Patrimony to the Worshipful Company of Haberdashers (ref fmp); William Groocock who married in 1713 to Sara Allen at Holborn Gray's Inn Chapel, London (ref Boyd's marriage index); Wm Groocock who was recommended for the place of Butler & Brewer at the room of Edward Stansfield (ref fmp) and John Grewcock who married in 1736 to Dorothy Baxter at Westminster, and had children Catherine and Nicholas. A William Grocock was buried in 1751 at St Luke Old Street, Finsbury, Middlesex. No connections have been found. WILLIAM THE SON William married 3 May 1773 at Saint Anne Soho, Westminster, London to Ann HOOPER (the names given as William Groscock and Ann Hooper in FamilySearch and fmp). The record in findmypast is as follows: "William Groscock and Ann Hooper both of this parish were married in this Church by Banns the 3rd day of May 1773 by me Thos Martyn Curate. This Marriage was solemnized between us William Groscock, Ann Hooper, in the presence of us Marmaduke Caporn, William Hooper". (Marmaduke Caporn was born c1730 and buried on 16 Mar 1806 at Whitefield's Memorial Church, Camden, Middlesex (ref London Non-conformist Registers)). Ann was a daughter of William Hooper (source bap of James Hooper Grocock). Their names are given in the England & Wales Christening Records, 1530-1906 in Ancestry for the baptisms of James and Samuel. It is likely that William was a Carpenter at St Ann, Soho, Westminster; in 1781 Stephen Storey, in 1786 William Rubergall, in 1788 William Hills, and in 1793 Josh Giles were registered as his apprentices (ref fmp, Britain, Country Apprentices). There are Westminster Rate Books from 1777 to 1798 in fmp at the address of St Anne, Soho. From 1801 onwards these are in the name of William Hooper Grocock so his son must have taken over the lease. The Proceedings of the Old Bailey on 11 Sep 1799 include within the Second Middlesex Jury the name of William Grocock so he must have been an esteemed citizen. There is a possible burial for William Grocock, on 23 Nov 1800 at St Marylebone, Westminster (ref Ancestry London Burials etc) which fits this scenario. There is a possible burial for Ann Grocock, on 23 Sep 1802 at St Marylebone, Westminster (ref Ancestry London Burials etc). FROM WHOM ELIZABETH SHADE NEE GRIERSON IS DESCENDED.	IGI records
	Children:
1.	William Hooper GROCOCK bap 1774 at St Marylebone, Westminster
2.	Ann GROCOCK bap 1776 at St Anne Soho, Westminster
3.	James Hooper GROCOCK born 1777 at St Giles in the Fields, Holborn
4.	Harriot GROCOCK bap 1779 at St Anne Soho, Westminster
5.	Samuel GROCOCK bap 1791 at St Anns, Westminster

Last modified 4 Apr 2023