Marriage record of Joseph Harvey and Elianor Mountfort in St. Bartholomew, Wednesbury:
"Joseph Harvey and Elianor Mountfort both of this parish were married Apr. ye 10th 1678"
Joseph Harvey was born in about 1650, most likely the son of
Nicholas and Elizabeth Harvey. He married 1) Margery Wicksdale 12
October 1675 in St. Bartholomew, Wednesbury, who died and was
buried 30 January 1676 in Wednesbury, then he married 2) Elianor
Mountfort 10 April 1678 in St. Bartholomew, Wednesbury,
Staffordshire, England.
Elianor died and was buried 3 September 1689 in Wednesbury.
Why was Elionor buried in "woollen only"? "For centuries
the woollen trade had been important to the wealth and
prosperity of England, but with the introduction of new
materials and foreign imports, some people thought that the
industry was under threat. Many of these sat in Parliament as
members whose constituencies were in the woollen cloth and yarn
producing areas, or as landowners whose incomes came from rents
paid by tenants whose living relied on wool and sheep. They
combined together to pass an Act to try and maintain the demand
for domestically produced wool. The first Act was passed in
1666, and the second, and rather more famous, in 1678 repealing
the first. Its aims were "for the lessening the importation of
linen from beyond the seas, and the encouragement of the woollen
and paper manufacturer of the kingdom." The Act required that
when a corpse was buried it should only be dressed in a shroud
or garments made of wool. "No corpse of any person (except those
who shall die of the plague) shall be buried in any shift,
sheet, or shroud, or anything whatsoever made or mingled with
flax, hemp, silk, hair, gold, or silver, or in any stuff, or
thing, other than what is made of sheep’s wool only." Failure to
comply resulted in a £5 forfeiture. One-half of this went to the
informer, the other half to poor of the parish where the body
was buried. Within 8 days of the burial, an affidavit had to be
provided attesting that the burial complied with the Act. The
affidavit had to be sworn in front of a Justice of the Peace or
Mayor by two creditable persons. If the parish did not have a JP
or Mayor, the parson, vicar or curate could administer the oath.
In practice, the affidavit would often be sworn at the same time
as the burial and certified by the officiating priest. This Act
was obviously unpopular with many people as they wanted to
buried in their finery as opposed to a cheaper garment or shroud
in an off-white colour and of very thin material.
The Act was repealed in 1814, although long before then it had
been largely ignored." (www.historyhouse.co.uk)
Joseph married 3) Margaret in about 1690.
Joseph and Elianor had the following children:
1. Charles, christened 2 March 1678/79 in St.
Bartholomew, Wednesbury; married Mary; occupation: nailor; buried
1742 in Wednesbury.
2. Joseph, christened 14 May 1683 in St. Bartholomew,
Wednesbury; buried 16 February 1684 in Wednesbury.
*3. Anne, christened 17 April 1685 in St. Bartholomew, Wednesbury; married John Aston in about 1708; buried 11 February 1757 in Sedgley, Staffordshire.
Baptism record for Anne Harvey in St. Bartholomew, Wednesbury:
"Anne Harvey ye d. of Joseph and Elianor Harvey was bapt.
Apr. ye 17th"
Joseph (of Wood Green) and Margaret had the following children:
1. Sarah, christened 3
July 1693 in Wednesbury.
2. Hannah, christened 17
May 1696 in Wednesbury.
SOURCE: IGI; Wednesbury parish register online at
FreeREGSearch; Wednesbury parish register extracts.
Nicholas died and was buried 28 April 1670 in Wednesbury.
Elizabeth died 1 March 1678 in Wednesbury.
SOURCES: Wednesbury parish
register online at FreeREGSearch;Wednesbury parish register
extracts.