Although a very tiny hamlet, Strethall was to become the home of several Pledger families for over 246 years. William Pledger born 1726 in Littlebury, Essex, was the first Pledger to marry his bride Rose Bray at Strethall Church in 1751. Twenty-one Pledger marriages were to follow.

 

William and Rose had nine children, but just two of these siblings remained in Strethall village, their eldest Hannah married William Perrin - the couple had thirteen children all who were baptised in Strethall Church.

 

John Pledger, William and Rose Pledger’s eighth child, married Ann Abraham at Strethall Church in 1795. Witness of this marriage was his uncle Mynot Pledger. John and Ann had a family of nine children, these were the first Pledger children to be baptised in Strethall Church from the earliest in 1796. Eighty-three Pledger Christenings were to follow all of whom descended from this couple.

 

Mynot Pledger born 1756 was a carpenter by trade and also clerk of Strethall Church for over 50 years, a position he had taken over from his father. The last wedding that Mynot witnessed after 52 years service to the church was his namesake Mynott Pledger to Mary Morris in 1834, being his second cousin once removed.     

 

The earliest information recorded on John and Ann Pledger is found in the census returns of 1841, it recorded John aged 73 with his wife Ann 66 as residing at Ryders / Riders Farm cottage in Strethall. From then on Ryders Farm Cottage was to be the home of five generations of this family

 

The men of this family worked as gamekeepers and horsekeepers for William Carter Emson Farmer of Strethall Hall, a reference written by William C Emson on 6th May 1924 to William Starling (widow of the late Edith Ellen nee Pledger) confirms 1924 as the year he left Ryders Cottage. His wife Edith Ellen Pledger was born in Ryders cottage in 1881 and died there during childbirth!

 

Edith’s brother Benjamin Pledger 1883-1969 was the last with the Pledger surname to die in the village, although his sister Annie Marie, who married Albert Rickard, had a son, Frederick John Rickard 1908-1997, who was the last descendant of the Pledger family to be in the village.  Thus has the Pledger family resided in Strethall for over 246 years.

 

© Researched and written by Megan Ridgewell nee Pledger,

granddaughter of Archibald John brother of above siblings.