The Vendy name evolved over time. and was variously spelled as Vanderback, Vendybatch, Vendeback, Vendy and Vandy (and often began with a ‘B’ instead of a ‘V’). The spelling depended on the accent of the speaker and the whim of the scribe.

Abraham Vanderback and his wife Katherine were living at Wardley in Rutland when their son was born in 1748 and named after his father.

The second Abraham married Ann Ashby at nearby Medbourne in 1778 (with his name recorded as Bendyback). They had at least six children.

Their daughter, Susannah Benderbatch (1789-1855) bore a child to Daniel Lambert in 1813. The child was called Matthew Benderbatch. Two years later Susannah married an agricultural labourer named Charles Dawkins, so Matthew Benderbatch grew up with seven step siblings.

Maria Tilley was one of ten children born to William Tilley (1781-1847) and Mary Twingler (1779-1862) of Thorpe Langton.

In 1836, Matthew Vendy married Maria Tilley at Knossington. The parish register recorded him as a servant and a family story suggests he was gamekeeper for a lord. Matthew and Maria later operated as butchers and graziers building up a farm of 164 acres. Maria died in 1880 and Matthew in 1898.

They had seven children together, the eldest being Frederick.

---

What would you like to read next?

You can continue the Vendy story in order or jump to a particular person using the Person Index.

---