| Our Own Genealogy - Some Research Queries |
| Surname interests, short personal
pedigrees and some queries |
| |
 The Prison Disciplinist and other members of the CLAY family |
|
- Reverend John CLAY (1796-1858), who could be described as a
philanthropist, was the prison chaplain at Preston Goal for
many years. He was very involved with prison reform and believed
in separating prisoners so that young, first timers would not
be influenced by more hardened criminals. He also was instrumental
in improving conditions within Preston House of Correction.
He was immensely talented as he was able to speak several languages
and was a highly accomplished amateur artist. He invented the
Clay chair for people "suffering from spinal complaints"
and "an improved bow and arrow which long bore his
name". (Dictionary of National Biography).
His son was Alfred Borron CLAY (1831-68), the painter, whose picture
of 'Charles IX and the French court at the massacre of St Bartholemew'
is in the collection of the Walker Gallery, Liverpool. It is currently
on loan to Croxteth Hall, Liverpool.
You can see some of his work on UK
Art, which displays a number of his works, and the Bridgeman
Art Library
If you have any further information on the two men, their works
or inventions, or if you are a descendant, Ann would be really
pleased to learn more - Please email.
She would also be delighted to hear from anyone related to them
through his sisters or brothers, including those with SWAINSON
or INMAN ancestors.
- Frederick Lord CLAY (bap.30 Mar 1813 in Bishopwearmouth, DUR),
a distant relative, went to Australia. He was a Solicitor in
Port Phillip in the mid nineteenth century and was listed as
a passenger on The True Briton in 1868. Are you linked to him?
Fred CLAY married first at Gretna Green and then married his
wife again about a month later in his home parish church. - Please
email. Ann has already been in touch with some descendants
in Australia.
 More on Gretna Marriages
below
See links to Port Philip
below
- Descendants of Robert CLAY of Philadelphia, PA, USA, who died
at sea in 1716, include Slater CLAY and Curtis CLAY. The family also lived in Newcastle, DE,
USA. Some family members died in the American Civil War.
Please email Ann if those names feature
amongst your ancestors. She has already been in touch with some
descendants in the USA.
|
| A
Berkshire Tailor |
- Reading born William EXELL and his wife Louisa Jane (nee PAGE)
were both living in Binfield, BRK (as EXALL) in 1861 but we cannot
find them after this. William was a tailor by trade. Did they
emigrate?
Please email Andy if you know anything
more
|
| Chuff Chuff Chuff |
- A family story is that one of Andy's Great Grandfathers, Henry
FRANKLIN (1844 - 1925), drove a Royal Train at some point. He
was certainly an engine driver on "God's Wonderful Railway"
(or GWR) and it is possible that he drove the train that carried
Queen Victoria's body in 1901, following her death. Henry retired
in 1903 for health reasons. Is there a GWR buff out there who
can shed some light on Henry or the funeral event?
- Henry's mother Elizabeth was born in Bisley, GLS and her father
was Thomas FRANKLIN, a mason. From Thomas backwards we have drawn
a blank.
Please email about either queries
|
| The HARDY's (HARDEY's) of Ashley and Dunham Massey,
CHS |
- John Timperley HARD(E)Y, born in 1813 in Dunham Massey, CHS,
was a farmer in the small village of Ashley. The population
in 1851 was only 379. He married Sarah CALDERBANK, who was b.
Bowdon in 1813, on 16 Jul 1833 in Manchester Cathedral. The
couple had 14 known children, all born in Ashley, the eldest
of whom was Ann's 2x great grandfather James and the youngest
was called Marlborough. We have located most of them in 1901
but where did they all go after then? One of the girls is supposed
to have gone to Canada and we now know that Marlborough went
to New York.
- There were at least three HARD(E)Y
males who were given the first name of Marlborough. What happened to the ones who left Cheshire?
Please email about either queries
|
| "A
soldier, believed dead or overseas". Was a regiment in
North Devon about 1809? |
- In the baptism register for 1809 in Bishops Tawton, near Barnstaple,
DEV the parents of Mary HAYWOOD are recorded as follows: the mother's
name is given as Mary but her father, James HAYWOOD, is described
with the words above. Can we dragoon anyone into giving Andy information
on regiments based in the Barnstaple area in the immediate preceding
years and where did they go on active service? Please
email
|
| Humphreys
& Swain of Newtown, MGY |
- The sister of Ann's great grandmother's, Mary Maria HUMPHREYS
(nee SWAIN), and her husband David ran a grocery in Lower Ladywell
Street, Newtown, MGY in 1891. Mary Maria's daughter Martha May
Swain was at Birmingham House, Market Street, Newtown at
the same time. After then the three of them cannot be found in
U.K. records.They all went overseas, emigrating to North Adams
in Massachussets, USA; Mary Maria and David left the UK in 1891
and Martha May (later
Hiser) emigrated, via Liverpool, in 1892. They joined a
son of Mary Maria's half brother and in turn were joined by Edgar
S Walker, a son of Mary Maria's sister, who went to Williamstown.
I have been unable to find neither the burial place of Mary Maria
and David nor David's death.
Lithograph
of Blackinton from 1889 by L.R. Burleigh with list of landmarks -
where they went.
Please email
|
| Gretna Green Marriages |
- Great great aunt Anne Fanny SWAIN (nee DAWSON), the wife of
Edward SWAIN, lived in her later years next door to the famous
blacksmith's at Gretna Green, Scotland - where many eloping
couples from England were able to marry without parental consent.
She helped with many of the weddings over the anvil and her
signature is in the registers that the blacksmith's shop still
hold. Great Aunt Fanny was there when Richard Rennison was an
anvil priest and remained there until at least 1930. Does anyone
know anything more about her time at Gretna? She died, aged
93, at Castle Carrock in Cumberland during the Second World
War and, because it was wartime, a neighbour dealt with her estate.
Please email
Fanny was born in Wellington, SAL and Edward was born in Newtown,
MGY, WLS.
Links to Gretna
|
| The French Connection |
- One of Ann's WALKER ancestors married a girl who, according
to family legend, came from somewhere on the French/Belgian border.
There may be a connection with the Huguenots. She probably married
in the Bradford area before 1810 but we cannot be more precise.
If anyone has found a Mr WALKER marrying a French girl we would
like to hear from them.
- Ann's great uncle, Edgar Seymour WALKER, emigrated to the USA
and lived in Williamstown, Massachusetts. He was born in
Bonsall, DBY in 1888 and was still alive in the 1950's as his
sisters were still corresponding with him. Can anyone
help with any more information? He and his wife Carrie had two
sons.
See Humphreys & Swain above.
Please email about these queries
|
| Where is the Family Bible? |
- In 1907 Thomas HATTON of Derby, Ann's 2x g grandfather, left
his mother's family Bible to his daughter Agnes Ann GASKIN,
then living in Derby. The whereabouts of this Bible is unknown,
but it may contain details of the both the HATTONs and the HAYS
family.
Please email if you know the answer.
|
Elsewhere on the Internet
Gretna
Green Blacksmith's Shop
The
Port Phillip Almanac and Directory 1847
|
|
.jpg)
Lithograph
of Blackinton from 1889 by L.R. Burleigh with list of landmarks