Bibliography - Family Historian - 2009
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Sussex Family Historian, vol. 18 no. 5, edited by Trevor Hanson, published March 2009 (pp.222-276, Sussex Family History Group, ISSN: 0260-4175) accessible at: W.S.R.O. [Lib 15860] & The Keep [LIB/508972] & CD SFH40 from S.F.H.G.

The blacksmiths of East Dean, by Tony Rowswell, published March 2009 in Sussex Family Historian (vol. 18 no. 5, article, pp.223-227) accessible at: W.S.R.O. [Lib 15860] & The Keep [LIB/508972] & CD SFH40 from S.F.H.G.

Following my previous article on the FLEET blacksmiths in Sussex (SFH September 2006), another short article has come into my possession on the blacksmiths of East Dean, near Eastbourne in East Sussex. It is thought to have been written in longhand in the early 1960s by Mrs P Hughes who, with her architect son, refurbished The Forge Cottage about that time. It was recently transcribed by Esther Worsfold of East Dean who has also made invaluable contributions to this article.

William Holden from Chichester, by Di Roberts, published March 2009 in Sussex Family Historian (vol. 18 no. 5, article, pp.230-233) accessible at: W.S.R.O. [Lib 15860] & The Keep [LIB/508972] & CD SFH40 from S.F.H.G.

William was the fifth child of John and Jane (WALKER) HOLDEN. He was born in Chichester in 1808 and received a classical education as a child and became a choir boy in Chichester Cathedral. When he grew up he moved to Preston. East Sussex, and became an apprentice tailor.

Simon the bowman: a history mystery, by Tony Holkham, published March 2009 in Sussex Family Historian (vol. 18 no. 5, article, pp.234-237) accessible at: W.S.R.O. [Lib 15860] & The Keep [LIB/508972] & CD SFH40 from S.F.H.G.

I have a mystery. It concerns the Battle of Hastings, perhaps. But let me start at the beginning.
When I started out trying to trace my ancestors in 1980, way back in the dark ages before the internet and even before personal computers, I soon realised I had, for my family name at least, a problem. My father Richard had the name HOLKHAM, as did his father Ernest, grandfather Frederick and great-grandfather, also Frederick. When the elder Frederick's father George died. he was HOLKHAM. too. Going back further. it starts to go awry.

Heirlooms: my links with the past, by David Ridpath, published March 2009 in Sussex Family Historian (vol. 18 no. 5, article, pp.242-246) accessible at: W.S.R.O. [Lib 15860] & The Keep [LIB/508972] & CD SFH40 from S.F.H.G.

There is nothing like tangible objects to give one a feeling of continuity with one's forebears. I have a number of items which give me this feeling of contact. I have entitled this article 'Heirlooms', though none is of great value and some have no monetary value at all, but all have a story to tell, which gives me a feeling that I know the individuals from whom they have been passed down, even though in most instances those ancestors died before I was born. I'd like to share these stories with you which I hope will convey that sense of belonging with my family.
My father was George Leonard RIDPATH, who was born at 37 Sydney Street, Brighton, on 29 May 1916. He died in 1995 in the Royal Sussex County Hospital. It is from him that all the objects mentioned herein have been passed to me.

A young lady with four names, by Susan Martin, published March 2009 in Sussex Family Historian (vol. 18 no. 5, article, pp.246-247) accessible at: W.S.R.O. [Lib 15860] & The Keep [LIB/508972] & CD SFH40 from S.F.H.G.

The Sussex connection is somewhat tenuous but this tale may help someone starting to research their family history. Puzzles like this are. I think, on a par with cracking a cryptic crossword clue.
James William HANNINGTON was my grandfather's cousin. His mother Sarah Ann BLACKMAN was born in Harting, Sussex but after her marriage to James HARRINGTON she moved to Brighton, then Reading where James was born in 1873 and finally the family settled in Wokingham, Berkshire. On the 1901 census James was living in East Hampstead, Wokingham with his wife Henrietta aged 31 born Hurst, Berkshire and daughter Florence aged five. Hurst is a parish four miles from Wokingham. James's younger brother Frederick HANNINGTON was living with them, and he and James were both bricklayer's labourers.
I wished to find out Henrietta's maiden name . . .

Benjamin and Barbara's legacy, by Joanne Mays Becker, published March 2009 in Sussex Family Historian (vol. 18 no. 5, article, pp.250-253) accessible at: W.S.R.O. [Lib 15860] & The Keep [LIB/508972] & CD SFH40 from S.F.H.G.

Benjamin HOOK was christened at St Dunstans Parish Church, Mayfield on 14 August 1803, the son of John HOOK and Mary née PIPER. He had a brother John and possibly an illegitimate sister Mary PIPER. No other children baptised to the couple have been found. Theirs was a comparatively very small family for the time, although both his parents were from large families. It is notable that according to the entry in the Baptismal Register, his father was a 'Farmer', not simply an Agricultural Labourer. He may have owned his own land, but more likely he tenanted a farm owned by one of the local large landowners.

Elizabeth Newdigate of Wivelsfield, by John Howes and Ros Williams, published March 2009 in Sussex Family Historian (vol. 18 no. 5, article, pp.254-258) accessible at: W.S.R.O. [Lib 15860] & The Keep [LIB/508972] & CD SFH40 from S.F.H.G.

Elizabeth NEWDIGATE of Wivelsfield is a pivotal ancestor of many Sussex families. Her marriage to William POYNTZ in Reigate on 23 May 15691 connected all of her descendants to some of the most prominent families in England, including the WYDEVILLE (WOODVILLE) family, one of whom was the mother of the 'Princes in the Tower'. It also connects her descendants (albeit remotely for most of us) with Princess Diana and hence the future Kings or Queens of England.

Greenfields of Woodshill Farm, by Alison Waghorne, published March 2009 in Sussex Family Historian (vol. 18 no. 5, article, pp.258-260) accessible at: W.S.R.O. [Lib 15860] & The Keep [LIB/508972] & CD SFH40 from S.F.H.G.

l began researching my GREENFIELD family tree over ten years ago. My great-grandfather was Nimshi Gilbert GREENFIELD born in ltchingfield, however I previously knew nothing more of the GREENFIELD family. I started my search by speaking to members of the family and I was intrigued when a distant relative told me that Nimshi's father was "William GREENFIELD who lived in that nice manor house Woodshill". She went on to say that William had hanged himself after the Southern Railway made claim to part of his land when extending the railway. I decided to look into this family story to see if there was any truth in it.

The fake baronet, by Shirley Stapley, published March 2009 in Sussex Family Historian (vol. 18 no. 5, article, pp.264-268) accessible at: W.S.R.O. [Lib 15860] & The Keep [LIB/508972] & CD SFH40 from S.F.H.G.

This is the story of three brothers and a cousin all born in Sussex who each led very different lives.

The Bushby family of Birdham and Patching (and the value of wills and MIs!, by Juli Chapman, published March 2009 in Sussex Family Historian (vol. 18 no. 5, article, pp.268-271) accessible at: W.S.R.O. [Lib 15860] & The Keep [LIB/508972] & CD SFH40 from S.F.H.G.

lf ever you want to discover England, then you should make a trip to Patching in West Sussex. On the lane leading to the village there is a sign that says 'village access only' so it gets no through traffic. Don't expect much there - a farm, a church and a collection of chocolate-box houses either with thatched roofs or made of flint with wisteria around the door. There's not even a pub! Maybe that very fact has enabled Patching to stay virtually frozen in time.
We made the trip to Patching because we knew I had relatives buried there, actually in the church (St John the Divine), beneath a double slab in the floor. I have seen several enquiries on various websites as to the origins of these BUSHBYs and I hope at least some of these people read this article because I am about to tell you all about them.

Sussex Family Historian, vol. 18 no. 6, edited by Trevor Hanson, published June 2009 (pp.278-332, Sussex Family History Group, ISSN: 0260-4175) accessible at: W.S.R.O. [Lib 15860] & The Keep [LIB/508973] & CD SFH40 from S.F.H.G.

Remembering little Alice, by Sheila Smith, published June 2009 in Sussex Family Historian (vol. 18 no. 6, article, pp.279-281) accessible at: W.S.R.O. [Lib 15860] & The Keep [LIB/508973] & CD SFH40 from S.F.H.G.

This is the story of a series of discoveries that enabled me to trace the short life of Alice CONSTABLE.

The Flinn silk dyers of Dublin and Brighton, by Nicholas Fleischmann, published June 2009 in Sussex Family Historian (vol. 18 no. 6, article, pp.288-292) accessible at: W.S.R.O. [Lib 15860] & The Keep [LIB/508973] & CD SFH40 from S.F.H.G.

Out of the blue in the 1980s, my uncle Patrick Flinn received a letter asking for information about his branch of the FLINN family. The letter was from David Flinn, a retired businessman, who thought various FLINN families in the south, midlands and north-west, who were once active its the cloth and dyeing trades, might be related. He was looking in particular for links through Huguenot trading families, refugees from Catholic persecution in northern France and the Low Countries. We were interested in view of the family dyeing and cleaning business of Flinn & Son of Brighton, which had been founded in early Victorian times by FLINNs unknown.

Mystery solved!, by Margaret Pearce, published June 2009 in Sussex Family Historian (vol. 18 no. 6, article, p.293) accessible at: W.S.R.O. [Lib 15860] & The Keep [LIB/508973] & CD SFH40 from S.F.H.G.

Thanks to the wonders of this journal I have found the answer to my mystery postcard as depicted in 'Picture Gallery' in the March issue. I had several suggestions from members and thank you for those, but the mystery has been solved by Dr Janet Pennington, the Steyning and Wiston historian. The 'Home Coming' arch was for Charles GORING of Wiston House and his bride Beatrice Gabrielle Mary ALLEYNE. The entwined initials, GA, CG and BA above the arch establish this. The view shows Wiston Park with the South Downs and Chanctonbury Ring in the background.

The French family of Summerhill, by Cliff Roffey, published June 2009 in Sussex Family Historian (vol. 18 no. 6, article, pp.298-301) accessible at: W.S.R.O. [Lib 15860] & The Keep [LIB/508973] & CD SFH40 from S.F.H.G.

When I was a very young boy, I visited with my late mother, formerly 'Connie' FRENCH, the ruins of an old farm cottage at Summerhill in HaiIsham where her father and grandparents had lived. I have not been able to find this when subsequently visiting Summerhill, as the memory dims. One object of this article is to see if anybody can recollect or remember its exact location, etc from the details and photos enclosed.

Don't ignore burials, by Don Burgess, published June 2009 in Sussex Family Historian (vol. 18 no. 6, article, pp.302-303) accessible at: W.S.R.O. [Lib 15860] & The Keep [LIB/508973] & CD SFH40 from S.F.H.G.

For a long time when drawing up my family tree I tended to ignore burial details, with the exception of relatives not too long departed. But I have since come to see that this is a mistake, and may sometimes reveal errors in one's researches. Like a jigsaw puzzle, every detail must fit, and if a burial does not seem to fit, one should find out why. In any case, why leave a tree unfinished?
Most burial records since 1813, and some before that, record the age on burial. One can therefore calculate the approximate date of birth, and this should fit in with any baptismal record one may have, remembering that most baptisms took place within weeks of birth. This calculation can be of immense value when there may be two children of the same name living within a parish, as sometimes occurs with cousins.
I have, unfortunately, an antecedent with the surname WESTON living in Mayfield in the 18th century. It seemed to me that nearly half the parish was named WESTON. and I still haven't untangled the roots of them all. I should be grateful to hear from anyone who has! Now my William died on 20 March 1843 aged 65. So I looked for a baptism around 1777-8. I think I've found it but there were two other baptisms it might be, which is why I'm still not sure. So it doesn't always work, but you get the idea.

Scrases and the drinks industry, by Tony Scrase, published June 2009 in Sussex Family Historian (vol. 18 no. 6, article, pp.306-310) accessible at: W.S.R.O. [Lib 15860] & The Keep [LIB/508973] & CD SFH40 from S.F.H.G.

The inspiration for this piece was two old-fashioned stoneware bottles. The first carries the inscription Scrase & Co, Horsham, Ginger Beer. My branch of the family has known of such bottles for many years and members have collected examples that are now spread from East Anglia to Manitoba. My late brother's research had also revealed that another family member (an uncle of the proprietor of the ginger beer company) operated as a brewer around Burgess Hill in the 1870s. My son discovered the second bottle while working in the Southampton area. It is inscribed Scrase's Brewery Ltd, Southampton. This raised questions as to whether the operations were related. Such questions became more intricate when an web search revealed a further Scrase's Brewery near Lamplough, Victoria. Australia. Furthermore, the proprietors of this were either called Scrase & Co or Scrase Bros.

Lucy: lost and found, by Bob Dawes, published June 2009 in Sussex Family Historian (vol. 18 no. 6, article, pp.311-313) accessible at: W.S.R.O. [Lib 15860] & The Keep [LIB/508973] & CD SFH40 from S.F.H.G.

My great-grandfather, Thomas DAWES, was born in Framfield on 14 January 1840. He was baptised in Holy Cross Church, Uckfield, on 22 October 1843 along with his new sister Ann who was born 12 July 1843. In total, Thomas had four siblings, an older brother Joseph b1835 and sisters Lucy b1837, Ann b1843 and Margaret b1846.

Baptist Chapel and Hawkswood Sunday School, by Stephanie Jerrold, published June 2009 in Sussex Family Historian (vol. 18 no. 6, article, pp.318-320) accessible at: W.S.R.O. [Lib 15860] & The Keep [LIB/508973] & CD SFH40 from S.F.H.G.

It all started with such a short, simple statement, but then doesn't it always. After that I was hooked - again!
My husband and I were house-hunting, looking for that perfect bungalow to move into, that we could make our home. We were being shown round one that had distinct possibilities and then the estate agent said it! 'It used to be a chapel.' Well, it was like fuel to the fire of a genealogist's heart. Apart from the fact that the bungalow would suit us perfectly, there was that added interest of some history and yet more research to be done. And so it all began.
Of course I couldn't wait until we'd moved in before I started the research. I went straight down to the library to see what I could find out. Was it really a chapel? If so, which denomination? When was it built? Why wasn't it a chapel any more?
Over the following weeks, which incidentally contained exchange of contracts and completion, I found out the answers to these questions and many more, and of course there were, and still are, many more questions that were born of the answers to the first ones.
We live in what was called The Chalet, Falcon Way, Hailsham, which was originally Hawkswood Sunday School, and also used as the Baptist Chapel. It was built in 1917 and we have the original date stone with the initials 'S S' and the date '1917' on it.

What's in an alias?, by Ron Piper, published June 2009 in Sussex Family Historian (vol. 18 no. 6, article, pp.320-322) accessible at: W.S.R.O. [Lib 15860] & The Keep [LIB/508973] & CD SFH40 from S.F.H.G.

Like so many of my fellow genealogists the study of my own family history starts with tracing the direct male line i.e. son to father to grandfather, etc. For me this took some 40 years, undertaken as and when time and other commitments allowed.
Over the years I have been able to trace my family through the generations from Lambeth in South London to Sussex. At that stage, in the late 1700s the family resided in Wisborough Green. However, my research took me further south in the county to villages such as Pulborough, Storrington, Washington and Broadwater. The discovery that encouraged further research was the death of Robert PIPER at Pulborough in April 1727. His estate was the subject of an inventory and valuation of £200. Not an insignificant sum of money for the period in question. Robert had lived to the age of 94, which again for the period, was very good given the average life expectancy for the time.

Old Town schools in Eastbourne, by Helen Warren, published June 2009 in Sussex Family Historian (vol. 18 no. 6, article, pp.323-325) accessible at: W.S.R.O. [Lib 15860] & The Keep [LIB/508973] & CD SFH40 from S.F.H.G.

Recorded at the end of the 18th century, the first school in the Old Town educated 15 boys and was in a building (now long demolished) on the side of St Mary's Church tower.
In 1814 the joint Lords of the Manor bought land adjacent to what later became Brightland Road; St Mary's Church of England National School was built. Money provided by the GILBERT family in 1816 allowed the addition of a second floor; this enabled girls to be taught downstairs, while boys were taught upstairs.
In 1853 the Vicar's daughter, Lydia BRODIE initiated the building of St Mary's Infant's School in Church Street, it was enlarged in 1895. Later known as Flint Halls, it still stands and is now divided into residential units.

The Vizers, by Rose Orr, published June 2009 in Sussex Family Historian (vol. 18 no. 6, article, p.325) accessible at: W.S.R.O. [Lib 15860] & The Keep [LIB/508973] & CD SFH40 from S.F.H.G.

Opposite Hove Town Hall is a chemists shop (pictured overleaf) currently owned by the Lloyds chain. Previously it had been well known for many years in the district as Paris and Greenings. They often had little known, little requested or little used items of a pharmaceutical nature. Mr PARIS at the turn of the 20th century bought the shop from one Edwin VIZER.
This story mainly concerns the life of Elwin VIZER. Granny (on my maternal side) had basic knowledge and much pride in all aspects of the family. She had spoken of the unusual surname of her grandmother Julia JOHNSTON née VIZER but knew little of her early life and she never spoke of Edwin VIZER.

Sussex Family Historian, vol. 18 no. 7, edited by Trevor Hanson, published September 2009 (pp.334-384, Sussex Family History Group, ISSN: 0260-4175) accessible at: W.S.R.O. [Lib 15860] & The Keep [LIB/508974] & CD SFH40 from S.F.H.G.

Lambs to the slaughter, by Alan Hayward, published September 2009 in Sussex Family Historian (vol. 18 no. 7, article, pp.336-341) accessible at: W.S.R.O. [Lib 15860] & The Keep [LIB/508974] & CD SFH40 from S.F.H.G.

At the beginning of the Great War, Col. Claude LOWTHER, who lived at Herstmonceux Castle, decided that he would form a battalion for the New Army from Sussex men.
He was so successful, and the men of Sussex came forward in such numbers, that he was able to supply time battalions to the Royal Sussex Regiment (RSR) and together with a Hampshire battalion they formed the 116th (Southdown) Brigade of the 39th Division of the New Army. They were the 11th, 12th and 13th battalions of the RSR and the 10th battalion acted as their reserve battalion. They were known in Sussex as 'Lowther's Lambs', as their mascot was a Southdown lamb, a name that was to be given prophetic significance as their war unfolded.

Who arn I?, by Robyn Arkinstall, published September 2009 in Sussex Family Historian (vol. 18 no. 7, article, pp.342-343) accessible at: W.S.R.O. [Lib 15860] & The Keep [LIB/508974] & CD SFH40 from S.F.H.G.

Hello! Let me introduce myself, but please excuse me as I may not get some things quite right - you see, I cannot remember everything about me. Anyway here's what I do know.
My name is Robert PEARSON or was it PIERSON or some other spelling variation? I believe the 'modern day' spelling has been PEARSON for some generations now. My birth probably took place in the 1740s or early 1750s, but for the life of me I can't remember or find any record of either a date or place. Perhaps it could have been in the North of England; where there are many PEARSONs I'm told.

A whole heap of luck, by Kathleen McGurl, published September 2009 in Sussex Family Historian (vol. 18 no. 7, article, pp.344-347) accessible at: W.S.R.O. [Lib 15860] & The Keep [LIB/508974] & CD SFH40 from S.F.H.G.

My name is Kathleen McGurl, and I am the 31*great-granddaughter of William the Conqueror, the 38*great-granddaughter of Alfred the Great, and the 51*great-granddaughter of Cerdic, King of Wessex from AD519-534. I hope I have counted up correctly.
I began researching my family tree in February, when I heard the 1911 census was available online. Idly, I wondered if I'd be able to find my maternal grandfather's family. With an unusual name like METHOLD (piece of luck number one) and knowing he came from Worthing, I thought I'd be in with a good chance.
I found him in about five minutes flat, Cyril Jack METHOLD, born 1902 in Worthing. It was then easy to follow his father and grandfather back on FindMyPast using the METHOLD name, and within an evening I'd got to 1841, and my greatgreat-great-grandfather, Henry METHOLD.
And then it began to get interesting.

Two Corney families of Sussex, by Val Stuart, published September 2009 in Sussex Family Historian (vol. 18 no. 7, article, pp.347-353) accessible at: W.S.R.O. [Lib 15860] & The Keep [LIB/508974] & CD SFH40 from S.F.H.G.

Bear with me. We will arrive in Sussex shortly. This is a brief history of my branch of the CORNEY family, starting from my point of total ignorance in 2003. I knew nothing beyond my great-grandfather William CORNEY whose two wives had 17 children between them. There had been a ship's captain in the family, somewhere.

Parchment makers and leather dressers, by Margaret Pearce, published September 2009 in Sussex Family Historian (vol. 18 no. 7, article, pp.354-357) accessible at: W.S.R.O. [Lib 15860] & The Keep [LIB/508974] & CD SFH40 from S.F.H.G.

The FEATHERSTONHAUGH family have always been leather dressers or parchment makers, starting with Matthew (my great-great-great-great-grandfather) in 1745 in Newcastle upon Tyne. His son Matthew was born in 1778 in Newcastle and married Sarah FOSSEY in 1802 by which time he was living and working as a leather dresser/parchment maker in Newport Pagnell in Buckinghamshire. Matthew and Sarah had nine children and my great-greatgrandfather George was born in 1803 and continued in the same trade, and after his marriage to Rebecca INGRAM in 1824 in Newport Pagnell, he moved to Wilby in Northamptonshire where six of his eight children were born. Still working as a parchment maker he then moved to Irthlingborough in Northamptonshire around 1844 where my great-grandfather Thomas was born on 12 March 1844. Thomas married his first wife Louisa BARWICK in 1866 and on the 1871 census was listed as a widower/parchment maker living in Hitchin in Hertfordshire with his son George aged four and a 58-year-old housekeeper. Louisa had died aged 25 in 1870 and on the 1871 census their other son, William aged one, was being looked after by Louisa's parents, Thomas and Dinah BARWICK.
Thomas must have decided to move to Staplefield in Sussex as sometime between 1871 and 1874 he had met and married Emily JENNINGS (his second wife) on Christmas Day 1874.

A Winchelsea tragedy, by Michael J. Burchall, published September 2009 in Sussex Family Historian (vol. 18 no. 7, article, pp.360-363) accessible at: W.S.R.O. [Lib 15860] & The Keep [LIB/508974] & CD SFH40 from S.F.H.G.

By using a combination of local and national records it is often possible to reconstruct part of the dramatic and tragic stories connected with faceless people in the past. Such a story is that of John EAGLES who, according to his own testimony, first appears in Winchelsea about 1813 when he must have been aged about 22. He was a butcher by trade and may have just finished his apprenticeship although where he was born, brought up and apprenticed is not presently known, but he does not appear to have belonged to a local family or to have left Sussex descendants.

From Sussex to South Australia, by Ray Osborne, published September 2009 in Sussex Family Historian (vol. 18 no. 7, article, pp.364-370) accessible at: W.S.R.O. [Lib 15860] & The Keep [LIB/508974] & CD SFH40 from S.F.H.G.

The journey for the ILLMAN family started from Rotherfield in 1839 but before we join them I will set the scene with their ancestors.
The story starts in the mid Sussex village of Balcombe with Rycharde ILMAN who was born c.1520.

The Sussex Wills Depository, by Rosie Ansell, published September 2009 in Sussex Family Historian (vol. 18 no. 7, article, pp.372-374) accessible at: W.S.R.O. [Lib 15860] & The Keep [LIB/508974] & CD SFH40 from S.F.H.G.

The SFHG Wills Depositor, has now been running for a little over four years and no far we have amassed over 2,000 transcripts relating to Sussex people. By far the major contributor has been Dave Woolven, who sends us any Sussex wills he has transcribed for anyone. Other members have sent a number of wills that relate to particular families or locations and others have just contributed a few from their own immediate family.
Originally we set an arbitrary cut off date of 1900 but this has now been extended to about 1920. We have also added out of county wills where they add to the knowledge of a family primarily based in Sussex.

A life cut short, by Dennis Plank, published September 2009 in Sussex Family Historian (vol. 18 no. 7, article, pp.376-377) accessible at: W.S.R.O. [Lib 15860] & The Keep [LIB/508974] & CD SFH40 from S.F.H.G.

What is the connection between the poet, Gerard Manley HOPKINS. and my great-great-uncle, William PLANK? Read on to get the answer.

The Cowley family: Brighton and beyond, by Peter Cowley, published September 2009 in Sussex Family Historian (vol. 18 no. 7, article, p.378) accessible at: W.S.R.O. [Lib 15860] & The Keep [LIB/508974] & CD SFH40 from S.F.H.G.

The history of our family has fascinated me ever since my uncle started researching our roots long before the days of powerful home computers and, of course, long before the days of the internet. His researches meant getting in the car, driving to a city or town, trawling through paper archives and even scraping the moss off faded tombstones.

Sussex Family Historian, vol. 18 no. 8, edited by Trevor Hanson, published December 2009 (pp.386-440, Sussex Family History Group, ISSN: 0260-4175) accessible at: W.S.R.O. [Lib 15860] & The Keep [LIB/508993] & CD SFH40 from S.F.H.G.

William the Invisible, by Michael Ewens, published December 2009 in Sussex Family Historian (vol. 18 no. 8, article, pp.387-389) accessible at: W.S.R.O. [Lib 15860] & The Keep [LIB/508993] & CD SFH40 from S.F.H.G.

For William EWENS, having many years previously followed his father John into the trade of 'saddler, collar and harness maker', completion of the 1841 census return was not going to be a problem.

Obituary: Frank Leeson, by Mick Henry, published December 2009 in Sussex Family Historian (vol. 18 no. 8, article, p.390) accessible at: W.S.R.O. [Lib 15860] & The Keep [LIB/508993] & CD SFH40 from S.F.H.G.

What the census cannot tell us, by Bryan Jenner, published December 2009 in Sussex Family Historian (vol. 18 no. 8, article, pp.393-395) accessible at: W.S.R.O. [Lib 15860] & The Keep [LIB/508993] & CD SFH40 from S.F.H.G.

Family historians are beginning to revel in the quantity of data provided in the 1911 census, and fears that the documents might be in very poor condition are beginning to recede. Some interesting anomalies have emerged, however, posing new questions that will probably not be answered for another ten years.

One John Todman, by Sue Coward, published December 2009 in Sussex Family Historian (vol. 18 no. 8, article, pp.396-400) accessible at: W.S.R.O. [Lib 15860] & The Keep [LIB/508993] & CD SFH40 from S.F.H.G.

Dating back to the 16th century the West Sussex TODMANs were law abiding yeomen; farmers, butchers and maltsters, recorded as going about their daily business. Needless to say, with a few exceptions, most TODMAN men married young local girls, produced large numbers of offspring and gave their children the some names time and again.
My William TODMAN married Mary GREVATT at Lodsworth in 1741, who by then was aged 33. William and Mary had four daughters; I descend from Sarah, the eldest, who married David JAMES at Easebourne in 1769. On 19 August 1734, Mary's father, John GREVATT senior of Vining in Easebourne, made his will leaving his daughter Mary a freehold property called Baldrude, consisting of a house, barn and other buildings, with eight acres of land, mainly coppice, situated in North Ambersham, near Easeboume, described as being "now in the possession and occupation of use John GREVATT and one John TODMAN". For many years I've toyed with the notion that my William TODMAN and the John TODMAN who occupied Baldrude most be related. Presently part of the homestead of Overnoons, Baldrude was within the portion of North Ambersham finally absorbed into the parish of Lodsworth in 1916.

George Lower, when did you last see your father?, by Vic Phillips, published December 2009 in Sussex Family Historian (vol. 18 no. 8, article, pp.401-403) accessible at: W.S.R.O. [Lib 15860] & The Keep [LIB/508993] & CD SFH40 from S.F.H.G.

Henry LOWER of Winkton was Clerk of the Parish of Alfriston, a learned man and a poet. He married twice, first to Hannah BARNARD of Ringmer by whom he had sons Henry in 1733, and John in 1735. Hannah died in 1738 and Henry married again to Mary RICHARDSON in 1739. Henry and Mary had seven children, William 1740, Mary 1742, Hannah 1743, Samuel 1745, James 1746, Thomas 1750, and Matthew in 1752.

Brighton paupers buried in Cambridge, 1885-1920, by Michael Burchall, published December 2009 in Sussex Family Historian (vol. 18 no. 8, article, pp.406-409) accessible at: W.S.R.O. [Lib 15860] & The Keep [LIB/508993] & CD SFH40 from S.F.H.G.

One of the lesser known aspects of the workings of the New Poor Law after 1834 was the possibility of burying paupers in parish or municipal cemeteries other than that in which the pauper died. Paupers could be buried in the parish where the Union Workhouse was situated, they could be returned to their home parish or, in cases where the body was unclaimed by relatives, they could be disposed of at the discretion of the governors of the Union Workhouse.

An unpaid baker's bill, by Kath McGurl, published December 2009 in Sussex Family Historian (vol. 18 no. 8, article, pp.410-411) accessible at: W.S.R.O. [Lib 15860] & The Keep [LIB/508993] & CD SFH40 from S.F.H.G.

A new website, which allows you to search online a selection of British newspapers from the 19th century, provided me with proof that my conjectures about an ancestor were correct. The website is http://newspapers.bl.uk/blcs and it is well worth investigating.
I'd been researching Henry METHOLD of Worthing. He's my great-great-greatgrandfather. I knew quite a lot about him from the census reports and other records, and from reading his will. He was born around 1794 in Beamish, County Durham, and he was well-off. I'm not sure when he moved to Sussex, but in 1829 he married a woman named Caroline CLARK in Chichester. Later he lived on Marine Parade, Worthing - see my article 'A whole heap of luck' in September's SFH.

My 'who was John Page?' project, by Chris Page, published December 2009 in Sussex Family Historian (vol. 18 no. 8, article, pp.414-418) accessible at: W.S.R.O. [Lib 15860] & The Keep [LIB/508993] & CD SFH40 from S.F.H.G.

Do you have a John PAGE from Sussex or southern Surrey in your family tree between 1750 and 1800? If so, then please send me details about him and his family and then read this article to see how it may help me with my current project. In return I may be able to help you with your research.
The reason for the project
In one last (rather desperate) effort to break through my brickwall to trace my PAGE ancestors back further from 1789, I have just started a project to trace, identify and build a fancily tree of all of the John PAGE families in Sussex and southern Surrey between 1750 and 1800. I realise this is a very large task, but I have been told by a professional researcher that it is the only way I am likely to discover the identity of the John PAGE who is holding up my wall. I have already accumulated a mass of information about PAGE families in Sussex since I started researching about 15 years ago, and realise that this project will cause me to accumulate even more. However, it will not be wasted, even if it doesn't get me through my brickwall, because I intend to write it up for the Sussex Family Historian and/or the SFHG Library for the benefit of other members.

Beyond Thomas, by Val Stuart, published December 2009 in Sussex Family Historian (vol. 18 no. 8, article, pp.419-420) accessible at: W.S.R.O. [Lib 15860] & The Keep [LIB/508993] & CD SFH40 from S.F.H.G.

So, following on from my exposition in the last issue, we were looking for George CORNEY who witnessed Thomas's will in 1728, John CORNEY of Angmering born c.1715, and James CORNEY, the cordwainer, born 1704. These three were brothers, and nephews of our Thomas born 1665, but we had some research to do before we could establish that.
A preliminary search of the IGI pointed to the Isle of Wight as the possible origin of these three, however we couldn't draw any conclusions from our three random CORNEYs fitting an IGI profile.
We enlisted the help of Kevin Convey who has probably the best researched Isle of Wight CORNEY family on the web, as every record on his tree has come from the IOW Record Office. Kevin had James CORNEY born c.1634 as the founding father of the Isle of Wight family. We took a punt on this James CORNEY's will, and everything started to fall into place (isn't it nice when that happens!).

The Sawyer family in Rotherfield manor up to about 1550, by Nigel Sawyer, published December 2009 in Sussex Family Historian (vol. 18 no. 8, article, pp.420-421) accessible at: W.S.R.O. [Lib 15860] & The Keep [LIB/508993] & CD SFH40 from S.F.H.G.

The Rotherfield parish records are pretty complete and go back to at least 1540. A SAWYER family tree can be constructed starting with William SAWYER, father of Thomas (1541), Margaret (1542/3), Edward (1544/5), Philip (1547) and Mary (1549). William appears to have died in 1566 and an Elizabeth buried in 1578 is likely to have been his wife. Thomas married in 1568 to a Jone (OSMARE/ HOSMER) and they had children from that date onwards and not all were christened or buried in Rotherfield for there are gaps on the parish records. The family tree therefore is not complete but a backbone can be drawn that starts before 1540.
Enter the Rotherfield manor records from archives of the DYKE family of Frant, Waldron and Kent and the PENKHERST family of Mayfield and Buxted held by the East Sussex Record Office (ESRO Catalogue reference DYK) as recorded on the Access to Archives (A2A) website. From these an even earlier SAWYER family tree can be drawn up.

If only all Baptism Registers were like this!, by Rosalind Hodge, published December 2009 in Sussex Family Historian (vol. 18 no. 8, article, pp.426-427) accessible at: W.S.R.O. [Lib 15860] & The Keep [LIB/508993] & CD SFH40 from S.F.H.G.

This summer whilst researching my father's BARRAS family at the North Yorkshire Record Office in Northallerton, I was most surprised and delighted when looking at the registers of the 1770s, for the parish of Bolton cum Redmire in Wensleydale, to find single baptism entries containing details of four generations.