I live in the UK and my mother was a Parson before she married my father. Her father Frederick Charles Stratford Parson (FCSP) and three of his siblings were christened Parson between 1882 & 1892 whereas his other four older siblings were all christened Parsons between 1871 & 1879. All of these births were in the Saint Pancras area of North London. FCSPs father was John Thomas Stratford Parson (JTSP) and he was also born in Saint Pancras in 1847. JTSPs father was Thomas Parsons and he married Ann Drew in Gloucester, Gloucestershire in 1838, he was born in 1813 and was a Blacksmith. Two of Thomas’s siblings born between 1812 & 1826 were also given the middle name of Stratford. Thomas’s father John born 1789 in Minchinhampton, Gloucestershire was also a Blacksmith. Johns ancestors were William born 1754 in Minchinhampton, (His brother John Newman Parsons born 1747 took his middle name after their mother), John born 1708 in Minchinhampton, Roger born 1667, Richard born 1632 with them both again being born in Minchinhampton, Richards father was also a Roger born circa 1605 in ??. I have found no other usage of the Stratford middle name. I would be very interested to hear if anybody has traced any of their ancestors to Minchinhampton or have found the middle name of Stratford in use within their family. Best wishes, Brian Pipe, London, UK.
