I am a member of the Family of Byard that originated in Strensham, Worcestershire, descended from Thomas Byard who was born around 1563 and married Susannah Butler at Strensham Church in 1584.

Byard Family Churches

Worcestershire, Gloucestershire, and
Australia

This marriage produced three sons, the eldest of which, Richard Byard married Hester Wagstaff of Eldersfield, Worcestershire, in February 1697/98 had two sons, John Byard, who married Sarah Charles in July 1717 at St. Mary-de-Lode Church, Gloucester- from whom I am descended (see below) -

and Richard, who married Hester Church at Tibberton in April 1725 and mainly founded the Tibberton Byards.

His tombstone still stands where it was placed in 1761.

William (Byott) Byard migrated to Newent after marrying Elizabeth (Betty) Clifford from Newent in 1779. and had 9 children all of whom were baptised there.

The male children who survived to marry produced children who also remained in Newent. One of their sons, John, married Mary Herbert of Kempley at Kempley in 1823 and founded the

Byards of Kempley. Of these John Byard, baptised in 1832, married Anne Baker at Much Marcle Church in February 1852, founding a branch there, whilst his brother, Henry married Mary Ann Kays at Kempley and then migrated to Linton in Herefordshire.

Of the children from this marriage, Peter Byard - who was born in Linton in 1872 - married Mary Ann Moody and had, with other children, Roy Moody Byard who, married in Harwich (and also died there), Essex. (The following information has been provided by David Byard, to whom I express my thanks) "His eldest son Douglas, born in Harwich 1928, met Mary Jennings of Crofton, Wakefield in Yorkshire, whilst doing his national service in Pollington, Yorkshire, and they married at St. Austin's RC church Wakefield on 10th April 1950, and moved to Harwich.The disastrous floods of 1953 forced Douglas and Mary to move, Mary suffering a miscarriage due to the trauma. They subsequently returned to Crofton in March 1953, and a son, David Byard, was born in December 1953".

So Douglas founded the Wakefield Byards, of Worcester and Gloucester descent.

John and Sarah's Byard's eldest son, Charles married Ann at Tibberton about 1747 then moved to Westbury on Severn.

Their eldest son John was baptised in June 1750. He married Elizabeth Hendy, of Bitton - Gloucestershire - at St. Mary-de-Lode Church, Gloucester City, on 22nd July 1792, founding the Byard's of Gloucester.

In the area of St. Catherine's in the street of the same name many of the 'Gloucester City' Byards' were born, and subsequently baptised and married in the old St. Catherines Church, which is no longer there.

They also married in St. Marks, Kingsholm, which was just round the corner, as well as St. Mary-de-Lode, and those shown below:

St. Nicholas,
St. John the Baptist and
St. James Churches .

In the Twentieth Century also at
Bourton-on-the-Water Baptist Church,
Scots Church, Melbourne,Victoria, Australia

in Gloucester

Scots Church, Melbourne