The name Booker, or its variant Bowker, first appears in Wickhamford parish records in 1538; the last incidence is in 1711. There are also occurences of the name in Badsey parish records in the 16th century and then again at the end of the 17th century when one branch moved to the hamlet of Aldington.
When Parish Records began in 1538, there were several families of Bookers living in Wickhamford and Badsey who were all presumably related in some way. The following information may be deemed to be “best guess” based on the information available, but further investigation of documents held at the National Archives and at Worcester might help to clarify the relationships.
Family 1
John Booker (?-1565) had at least four children: Richard (?-1539), John (1538), Agnes (1542) and Robert (1545). John and Agnes were born at Badsey whilst Robert was born at Wickhamford. A son, Richard, probably born before parish registers began, was buried at Wickhamford in 1539. John died in 1565 at Wickhamford.
It is probable that John (1538) had a daughter, Margery, baptised at Wickhamford in 1562. They then probably left the village.
Family 2
Robert Booker was married to Elizabeth and had two daughters: Elizabeth (1546) and Joan (1548-1558). His wife, Elizabeth, died at Wickhamford in December 1554 and his daughter, Joan, in 1558. Robert is then thought to have left the village.
Family 3
Thomas Booker (?-1598) had at least five children: John (1553-1621), Alice (1556), Katherine (1557-1565), Thomas (1560) and Jane (1564). It is thought that Thomas also went by the name of Ordway. An "Alice Ordway alias Booker, wife of Thomas Ordway alias Booker" was buried at Wickhamford in 1580. Jane Booker (1564) married William Robinson at Wickhamford in 1594. Thomas Booker died in 1598 and left a will with inventory.
- John Booker (1553-1621), son of Thomas, married Elizabeth Byrte in 1586 at Wickhamford. They had three sons and four daughters: Jane (1586), Elizabeth (1588-1606), Thomas (1589-1589), William (1594-1631), Alice (1597), Thomas (1599-1676) and Anne (1602). Their eldest daughter, Jane, married Richard Nashe at Wickhamford in 1617. John Booker, a husbandman, died in 1621; his will with inventory was proved at Worcester in 1622. Elizabeth is mentioned in the manorial court records of October 1631. She died less than two months later; her will and inventory was proved at Worcester. It was noted that the heriots (a feudal duty or tribute due under English law to a lord on the death of a tenant) were a gelding and a cow, plus a sum of money.
- William Booker (1594-1631), son of John and Elizabeth, married Margaret Spooner at Wickhamford in 1618. They had three sons and three daughters: Katherine (1620-1638), Alice (1621), John (1624), William (1627-1627), Thomas (1628-1698) and Margaret (1631). William died in 1631 leaving Margaret with a young family. Margaret herself died ten years later in 1641. Details of administration for William and Margaret’s wills are held at Worcester, together with an inventory in each case. Margaret’s four surviving children – Alice, John, Thomas and Margaret – were beneficiaries of her will.
- Thomas Booker (1628-1698), son of William and Margaret, is thought to have had at least two daughters: Sarah, baptised at Wickhamford in 1654, and Katherine, buried at Wickhamford in 1664. He is believed to have died at Wickhamford in 1698.
- William Booker (1594-1631), son of John and Elizabeth, married Margaret Spooner at Wickhamford in 1618. They had three sons and three daughters: Katherine (1620-1638), Alice (1621), John (1624), William (1627-1627), Thomas (1628-1698) and Margaret (1631). William died in 1631 leaving Margaret with a young family. Margaret herself died ten years later in 1641. Details of administration for William and Margaret’s wills are held at Worcester, together with an inventory in each case. Margaret’s four surviving children – Alice, John, Thomas and Margaret – were beneficiaries of her will.
- Thomas Booker (1599-1676), son of John and Elizabeth, is thought to have died in 1676; probate was granted at Worcester to Joanna Booker the following year and an inventory was also drawn up. In 1676, Chancery records held at the National Archives, reveal that Thomas Barker (was he a relative of Mary Barker, the first wife of Sir Samuel Sandys?), the plaintiff, brought a charge against Alice Booker, widow, concerning copyhold held of the manor of Wickhamford. Alice was presumably the widow of Thomas. An investigation of this document may give clues as to what had been happening as regards the lease of the manor. Alice Booker’s will with inventory was proved at Worcester in 1697, but she does not appear to have been buried at Wickhamford. In 1682, Chancery records held at the National Archives, reveal that Katherine Booker, widow, the plaintiff, brought a charge against Samuel Sandys and his son, Samuel, concerning the manor of Wickhamford. It is not known to whom she had been married.
Family 4
William Booker (or Bocar as it appears in the register) married Alice Harward at Badsey in 1562. They had two sons and nine daughters, all baptised at Wickhamford: Elizabeth (1564), Agnes (1564), Mary (1565-1565), Mary (1567), Jane (1568), Thomas (1571-1649), Katherine (1574), Alice (1577), William (1582), Margaret (1583) and Frances (c1586-1596). Six of his daughters married at Wickhamford: Elizabeth in 1582 to Thomas Clemens, Mary in 1590 to Edward Mickleton, Jane in 1596 to Edmund Gorham, Katherine in 1597 to John James, Alice in 1601 to Christopher and Margaret in 1603 to Giles Smithe. William Booker died in 1595; his will was proved at Worcester.
- Thomas Booker (1571-1649), son of William and Alice, married Jane Dopley in 1599 at Wickhamford. They had three sons and two daughters baptised at Wickhamford: William (1603-1681), Ann (1606), Thomas (1608-1622), John (1613-1651) and Mary (1617-1620). Thomas first appeared in the manorial court records of 1631 as paying homage and is listed as a juror on a number of occasions. The manorial court records of 1632 record that Thomas exchanged land with Thomas Wilson, James Allen and George Blissard, and in 1635 he was present at court concerning the reversion of property. In 1637, he was fined for cutting an ash tree and for allowing his barn and other buildings to go out of repair; he was in trouble again in 1645 and 1647 for poor building maintenance. Thomas died at Wickhamford in 1649. The manorial court records noted that he had no cattle or goods “and what is due to the lord we do not know”.
- William Booker (1603-1681), son of Thomas and Jane, married Margarett. He is thought to have had six sons and seven daughters, all baptised at Wickhamford: Anne (1636), Elizabeth (1637-1651), Mary (1638), Robert (1639-1639), William (1640-1641), William (1641-1671), Robert (1642-1704), John (1644-1708), Isaac (1645), Hester (1647-1647), Margaret (1650), Hester (1651) and Hannah (1652). William first appeared in the manorial court records of 1639 as paying homage and is listed as a juror on a number of occasions. In 1650, William was ordered to repair his house. Only Hester appears to have married at Wickhamford: to William Emmes in 1673. Margarett died in 1675 and William died in 1681; both were buried at Wickhamford.
- Robert Booker (1642-1704), son of William and Margarett, married Martha and had two sons and two daughters baptised at Wickhamford: Mary (1671), Robert (1678-1729), Anne (1680-1682) and William (1682-1689). Robert Booker was Churchwarden at Wickhamford in 1674. Their eldest daughter, Mary, married Samuel Byron at Wickhamford in 1698 which was the last Booker marriage in the village. Robert died in 1704 and Martha in 1711; both were buried at Wickhamford.
- Robert Booker (1678-1729) married Elizabeth. They had two sons and a daughter: William (1708-1729), Mary (1711) and Robert (1715-1723). They were the last Bookers to live in Wickhamford. They then moved to Aldington. They were living there by March 1723 when Robert Junior was buried in the churchyard at Badsey. Some serious illness must have afflicted the Booker family as firstly their eldest son, William, was buried at Badsey on 6th April 1729. Nine days later, Robert and Elizabeth were buried on the same day at Badsey. It seems that Robert was also the father of a son born to Elizabeth Davies in 1722, as noted in the Badsey parish register.
- Robert Booker (1642-1704), son of William and Margarett, married Martha and had two sons and two daughters baptised at Wickhamford: Mary (1671), Robert (1678-1729), Anne (1680-1682) and William (1682-1689). Robert Booker was Churchwarden at Wickhamford in 1674. Their eldest daughter, Mary, married Samuel Byron at Wickhamford in 1698 which was the last Booker marriage in the village. Robert died in 1704 and Martha in 1711; both were buried at Wickhamford.
- John Booker (1644-1708), son of William and Margarett, was living in Aldington by 1695. In 1695, Chancery records held at the National Archives, reveal that John Booker, the plaintiff, brought a charge against Anthony Martin and John Martin concerning property in Aldington. In 1704 at the Worcestershire Quarter Sessions, the Constable of Aldington made a charge against John Booker for not making sufficient mounds between him and Edward Brookes, Francis Harwood and Joseph Knight, and for not scouring his ditches. John Booker died at Aldington in 1708 but was buried at Wickhamford; his will was proved at Worcester the following year.
- William Booker (1603-1681), son of Thomas and Jane, married Margarett. He is thought to have had six sons and seven daughters, all baptised at Wickhamford: Anne (1636), Elizabeth (1637-1651), Mary (1638), Robert (1639-1639), William (1640-1641), William (1641-1671), Robert (1642-1704), John (1644-1708), Isaac (1645), Hester (1647-1647), Margaret (1650), Hester (1651) and Hannah (1652). William first appeared in the manorial court records of 1639 as paying homage and is listed as a juror on a number of occasions. In 1650, William was ordered to repair his house. Only Hester appears to have married at Wickhamford: to William Emmes in 1673. Margarett died in 1675 and William died in 1681; both were buried at Wickhamford.
- Anne Booker (1606), daughter of Thomas and Jane, was mentioned in the manorial court records of 1631 as being granted land called Gowldings. At the court in 1635, she had business concerning Gouldings. She was by now married to John Hunt.
- John Booker (1613-1651), son of Thomas and Jane, married Alice Allen in about 1637. The manorial court records note that Alice, now that she was married, surrendered her interest in a messuage and land to her brother. John and Alice had one son and three daughters baptised at Wickhamford: Mary (1637-1638), Mary (1639), Jane (1642) and Jonas (1644). John is thought to have died at Wickhamford in 1651.
Strays
- Margaret Booker, buried at Badsey in 1557.
- Alice Booker, married William Highams at Wickhamford in 1565.
- Mary Booker, married Edward Badsey at Wickhamford in 1584.
- John Bowker, buried at Wickhamford in 1620.
- Elizabeth Bowker, married John Avery at Wickhamford in 1623.
- Sarah Bowker, daughter of Thomas, baptised at Wickhamford in 1654.
- Rachel Booker, daughter of Samuel, baptised at Wickhamford in 1686.
- Alice Booker, daughter of Samuel, baptised at Badsey in 1688.
- Thomas Booker, son of Samuel, baptised at Badsey in 1689.
- Joan Booker, daughter of Samuel, buried at Wickhamford in 1693.
- Several other female Booker burials where it has been impossible to identify the relationship.
Having been the commonest name in Wickhamford in the 16th and 17th centuries, the name Booker had more or less died out in the village by the beginning of the 18th century. At the National Archives, however, there is a reference to an Alice Booker in 1745: the Worcestershire Quarter Sessions for 1745 indicate that Alice Booker of Wickhamford appeared for refusing to work on the highway. Her relationship to the earlier Bookers is unknown.
Nearly three centuries later, Robert George Booker, aged 76, was buried at Badsey in 2001.
Statistics
- Position in League Table: 1 (Wickhamford top ten 1500s-1600s)
- Name variants: Booker, Bowker, Bocar
- Name origin: The name Booker is of Anglo-Saxon origin, and has two possible sources, the first being an occupational name for someone concerned with books, generally as a scribe or binder, derived from the Middle English "boker", from the Old English pre 7th Century "bocere", a derivative of "boc", book. The second source is also occupational, for someone who was a bleacher of cloth, derived from the Middle English "bouken", to bleach, steep in lye, from the Middle Low German and Middle Dutch "buken". The name Bowker is of French origin and is an occupational name for a butcher or slaughterer, an important occupation in medieval England. The derivation is from the Old French "bouchier" and the Middle English development "bo(u)cher".
- Total number of Wickhamford baptism records: 63
- Total number of Wickhamford marriage records: 16
- Total number of Wickhamford burial records: 48
- Total number of Badsey baptism records: 4
- Total number of Badsey marriage records: 1
- Total number of Badsey burial records: 6
Maureen Spinks, May 2019