Esther Kench, who, as Esther Ell, married the first Thomas Kench here in Eydon in 1848.
Esther Ell, born 1811, was a daughter of John Ell (1780-1844) & Ruth Dumbleton (1785-1865) of Cropredy, John being a son of Thomas Ell (1756-1829) & Elizabeth Judkins of Eydon (1759-1837). Not much is known about the Ells in Eydon although they were here for around 100 years. In spite of, at times, being recorded in registers as 'pauper' or 'labourer' there are two good headstones which are still legible for the two generations referred to above and they can be found side by side in the churchyard near to the north wall and a few metres east of the path which exits in the north west corner by the Bier House.
Thomas Kench (1808-1876) came to Eydon in the late 1830s. He was the illegitimate son of Patience Carpenter of Charlbury and he seemed to have some difficulty in making up his mind what his name should be. He was baptised at Charlbury as Thomas Kench Carpenter and when he registered here in Eydon for the 1841 Census he used the name Thomas Carpenter although in the Family Bible he has recorded himself as Thomas Carpenter Kench. By the time of the 1851 Census he was using the name Thomas Kench. It is thought that his father was likely to have been a Thomas Kench of Charlbury, Kench being a common family name in that village at the time. Photographer: Unknown
Image lent by Mr David Kench