Thomas Jakes (b:1795) married Mary Burton (b:1796) in Biggleswade on 6th July 1821. Thomas was a Ropemaker by trade and he is listed as such in the Bedfordshire Trade Directory of 1839 and in the 1841 Census he is shown as living in Sun Street.

Sun Street Ref 107/2/6
Thomas Jakes 46 Rope maker
Mary 45
Thomas 15 Apprentice rope maker
Henry 15 Apprentice rope maker
Mary 15 Apprentice rope maker
May 13
Sophia 8
Prunella 5
All born in County except Thomas snr
Thomas and Mary had at least 10 children between 1822 and 1836 – George, Thomas, Mary, Henry, Betsy, May, James, Sophia and Prunella.

George Jakes (b:1822) married Mary Ann Edwards and the 1851 Census shows him trading as a Ropemaker in Haddenham, Buckinghamshire.

Thomas Jakes junior (b: 1822) married Sarah Morton (b: St Neots 1823) and he also traded as a Ropemaker first in Warboys (1851 Census) and then in St Johns, Huntingdon (1861/71 Census).

James Jakes (b:1830) married Georges Jakes widow Mary Ann in 1869 in Luton after having lived together for about 16 years. They had 8 children all in Barking, Essex.

Betsy Jakes (b:1827) married Henry Bygrave in Biggleswade in 1846. The 1851 Census shows them living in Cowfairlands, Biggleswade and they had two children (William and John). However by 1861 they have broken up and Betsy is living as a “family housekeeper” with William Stapleton from Hitchin, Hertfordshire who she later married on 12th Jan 1863 in Luton. Betsy and William had 5 children and some of their decedents are living in Biggleswade today.

Chris Austin (2007)