William DEAKIN baptized at least four children at St Chad's, Lichfield. St Chad's was in the Stowe area of Lichfield to the north of the city. His son John and daughter were baptized on the same day, suggesting that they were twins. It appears that John died 5 weeks later: the record names his mother as Alice.
There was another William DEAKIN, who married a Dorothy ALLOTT in 1687 and christened children in Lichfield during this period including Mary 1696, Ann 1699 and Margaret 1702 (but at St Michael's in the east of the town).
There was also a child, George, baptized at St Mary's Lichfield in 1704 who might be from either family. A George, son of William DEAKIN of "Cros of hand", was buried on 21 Oct 1728. Again it is not known whether this is the same George or which William Deakin is the father. "Cross of the Hand" was south of Abbots Bromley, 10 miles north of Lichfield on the road to Uttoxeter.
A John, son of William DEAKIN, was buried in 1729 in Whittington (2 miles East), so unlikely to be the same father as George.
As far as William's own baptism is concerned there were two William DEAKINs christened near Lichfield 1660-1680:
- 19 Mar 1661 at St Michael's, Lichfield, father Thomas
- 28 Jul 1661 at St Mary's, Lichfield, father Richard
Given the use of Richard as the name of William's first child, Richard would appear to be the most likely father.
There were two marriages. In a marriage record dated 16 Nov 1686 a William DEAKIN married Anne DAY at St Chad's, and the following year a William DEAKIN marriage Dorothy ALLOTT at St Michael. No marriage of a William DEAKIN to an Alice can be found. And no baptism records have been found for children born after 1686 and before 1695. Was there a second marriage to an Alice following an unproductive marriage to Anne DAY?
