with Jackson, Pullen, Cock(s), Clarke, Holmes, Lee, Leah, Boyce, Wyman, Bishop, Whateley, Booth, Cook, Bond, and Wood

My name is Robert James Douglas (Bob), married to Freda (née Winifred Alice Lambert), and this is an introduction to my family tree. My parents are Kenneth Hugh Douglas and Enid Bond (née) Jackson. Dad’s ancestors are from Surrey, Berkshire, Buckinghamshire, Huntingdonshire, Northamptonshire, Herefordshire, Gloucestershire, Worcestershire and Warwickshire. Mum’s ancestors are from Cheshire, Lancashire and Yorkshire

The Douglas family of Egham and Chertsey in Surrey

The Douglas family, as far back as I have been able to trace, were from Egham and Chertsey in Surrey. When I first started looking into family history, I was told there where watchmakers in the family, and one had come from Scotland. This latter part has not been proved. Before my father, there were two Frederick Douglases, both running a Baker’s shop in Egham High Street. This was not the first baker’s shop in the family, as Frederick senior was an apprentice to his uncle Albert Douglas, who had a bakery in Middle Hill, previously run by the Boyce family, which dates back to probably 1805. However Frederick’s father, James Douglas, was the third generation James Douglas who was a watch and clockmaker. His father and grandfather, both called James Douglass, were based in Chertsey, apparently in Guildford Street. James Douglass senior appears to have been the finest watch- and clockmaker of the three. Four of his clocks appear in Chertsey Museum, and clocks occasionally appear for sale at auction, being sold for several thousand pounds. The museum has (apparently but not on view) also a painting of Chertsey Clock by James in the local museum. His father’s name was John Douglas(s), but neither date nor location of James’s birth are known. The earliest record of him was a taxation record of his seven year apprenticeship to Richard Stedman of Godalming in 1747. He may have met his wife Letitia Joyce in Godalming during this period.

The Joyces and Chitty  families of Godalming in Surrey

Her father Joshua Joyce was another baker, and the third of three Joshuas, all living on Godalming. The Joyces can be traced back to Henry Joice and Katherine (Henry’s third wife), all were in Godalming, Surrey. Two of the Joshuas married Chitty brides. Joshua (Letitia's father) was born about 1699, and was twice Warden of Godalming (a kind of early mayor). He married Elizabeth Chitty, daughter of William Chitty and Jane Denyer. William Chitty was son of another William Chitty and Jane. They owned property in the Catteshall area of Godalming.  Joshua’s father, Joshua was born about 1664, and another baker, and he married Mary Chitty, who I have not been able to trace. Chitty seems to be the commonest name in Godalming, and tracing them is consequently difficult. See this website http://chittyoflondon.awardspace.co.uk/index.html - although it describes the Chittys of London, this does explore the origins of the Chittys in Godalming.  None of the people described on the site are directly linked to my tree, yet there was clearly a link. There is another Chitty in the Denyers, see below. This latter Joshua Joyce was also Warden of Godalming. His father, another Joshua, was a wire drawer, and married Judeth Cavy. His father, Richard Joyce may have been a bailiff of Godalming, and was a card maker (possibly for carding wool), like his father Henry Joice.

The Denyers of Godalming and the Triggs of Dorking in Surrey

Jane Denyer above was daughter of George Denyer, a mercer, and Jane Trigg. Jane and her husband received a legacy from Uncle Trigg. It is now known that this was John Trigg of Southwark, brother of Jane. Using mainly wills as a source, it is now known that Elizabeth Trigg was daughter of Henry Trigg and Jane. Henry was a tallow chandler of Dorking, as were all known ancestors. Both Henry and Jane left wills, as did John Trigg’s wife Joan née Hunt. Henry Trigg’s parents were Edward Trigg and Elizabeth, who remarried John Bothell in 1629 (after Elizabeth's death). There was also a chancery dispute between the Denyers and Triggs over Henry junior’s will. George Denyer’s parents were Henry Denyer, a maltster and Jane Bicknall. They married at St Andrew Hubbard, Eastcheap in London in 1637 by licence. Henry was son of Nicholas Denyer, a maltman, and Jane Chitty (another Chitty!), who married in Godalming in 1592. And Nicholas seems to be the son of George Denyer, who died in 1608.

The Varndens of Chertsey in Surrey

These are a mystery. James Douglass b abt 1765 (the second watchmaker) married Mary Varnden at St Martin-in-the-Fields, London. Mary was the daughter of William and Elizabeth Varnden of Chertsey. William was born approx 1758, and Elizabeth 1750, according to ages at burial. They had six children, only one male, William. In 1841 there was an Eliza Varnden age 30 (abt) with them, it seems she was William’s daughter. These children were all born and christened in Chertsey from 1775, and most lived in this area all their lives - the family were living in Chertsey Lane End (later known as Ottershaw), and Mary Varnden was noted as a native of Wheeler's Green on her daughter Mary's baptism. However it is a mystery where William Varnden and Elizabeth were from, or where they married. In 1768, William was a servant, in 1771 a labourer, yet by 1791 he was a brickmaker of Berryman and Varnden and a freeholder. There seem to be some early references to Varndens in Sedlescombe in Sussex.

The Boyces of Winkfield in Berkshire, the Pierces of Langley in Bucks, and the Bisleys mostly of Upton cum Chalvey (Bucks) and Winkfield in Berkshire

James Douglas b 1806 married Martha Ann Boyce daughter of George Boyce, baker of Middle Hill Egham, and Martha Pierce, daughter of Joseph Pierce and Hester Bisley from Colnbrook. George Boyce was son of Rev George Boyce, curate of Winkfield (for about 49 years!) and schoolmaster of Ranelagh School at Winkfield, and Mary Milton. This was a charity school founded by Earl Ranelagh. George’s father was Rev John Boyce, also a schoolteacher at the same school. It is not known if he held any office at Winkfield Church. George's wife was Mary Milton. She was born in New Windsor, though her father Benjamin and previous Miltons were from Warfield. Her mother was Mary Cross, born in New Windsor, though earlier Crosses were also from Warfield. John’s wife was Elizabeth Morrison and his parents were John Boyce and Judith. Elizabeth Morrison's father was called George.

Several of George Boyce descendants were Chemists. Little is known of the Pierces. Joseph has a brother John, described as a Gentleman, and clearly wealthy from his will. Though I know his father was buried in Langley, it appears the family may have come from London. Hester Bisley, Joseph Pierce’s wife, was of the parish of St Gregory by St Paul’s London at their wedding, but was born (and apparently died also) in Warfield, Berks. As a result of the research of the late John Bisley, it is known most of the Bisleys were from Upton cum Chalvey in Bucks, this is at or near modern day Slough. A Bisley Researcher has passed some ancestry to me for the Bisleys, going back some generations

The Clarkes of Oundle and Warboys and Wymans of Oundle in Northamptonshire

Frederick Douglas senior married Clara Louisa Clarke, daughter of Staffurth Clarke and Sophia Wyman. Staffurth junior ran a watchmaker’s business in Oundle, Northamptonshire. The business card states the business started in 1840, if this was the case, it would be likely to have been started by Staffurth’s older brother William, or the previous owners, the . Staffurth was one of four surviving sons of Staffurth Clarke and Jane Bull, who all became watchmakers. The earlier children were baptised in Warboys, the last, John, in St Ives, both in Huntingdonshire, however it appears from parish records that he had moved to St Ives as Toll gate keeper somewhat earlier. Staffurth senior was in various censuses a toll-gate keeper, a publican, and a land proprietor, and at the time of Staffurth junior’s wedding a farmer or farrier. An error in the Clarke family has wiped out some of the research. The Staffurth name originates from William Clark's mother Jane Staffurth. The Staffurths originated from Ramsey, and Jane Staffurth's mother was Jane Lambert, and the Lamberts have been traced back to William Lambert, who married Elizabeth Aynesworth in 1588 in Ramsey, and Elizabeth was born in 1568 in Ramsey to Richard Aynesworth. Jane Bull was born in Godmanchester, her parents are Joseph Bull and Sarah Fisher. Joseph was son of William Bull and Jane Evins, Sarah was daughter of Samuel Fisher, a Cordwainer and Sarah Webster.

Sophia Wyman was the daughter of George Wyman, a wheelwright of Oundle and Mary Swain, who was born in Wellington, Somerset. George was the son of Matthew Wyman and Susannah Arnsby. Matthew was apparently from Harringworth in Northamptonshire. The Wyman family were wheelwrights in West Street, Oundle. Mary Swain was daughter of John Swain and Mary Spicket in Wellington, Somerset. The Swains and Spickets have not been traced further back, but Matthew Wyman was baptised at Thorpe Achurch (though the family later moved to Harringworth). He was son of Robert Wyman and Anne Brown, Robert was son of George Wiman of Arthingworth who was son of George Wymant b 1657. Susannah Armsby was daughter of John Arnsby of Benefield and Susannah Palmer of Oundle. John was the son of John Arnesby of Benefield and Susannah was the daughter of John Palmer Junior of Oundle. The junior helps and I can pick out the correct families by looking for his baptism to John Senior. See here.

The Clarke Watchmaker’s business continued in Market Place, Oundle until the 1950’s, run later by George Wyman Clarke, and then Charles James Douglas, though Louisa Agnes Clarke seemed to be the owner at that time.

The Pullens and Bishops of Herefordshire

My grandmother Ada Pullen was born in Suckley in Worcestershire to William Henry Pullen and Lucy Ann Holmes. William Henry Pullen was the head gardener for the Hudson family in the Worcestershire village of Wick near Pershore. William parents were Benjamin Pullen (or Pulling) and Mary Ann Bishop, though no birth registration or baptism has ever been found for him, he was born in Frooms Hill, Herefordshire. Benjamin and Mary Ann had both been living in the Hallow area of Worcestershire, just outside Worcester, but both families originated from Herefordshire, as far back as can be traced. Benjamin was born in Stoke Lacy or Much Cowarne, depending on which Census he appears. The Pullens come from the Pencombe, Stoke Lacy, Much Cowarne and Avenbury area and this branch of the family also includes the Bannisters. Isaac Pullen B 1746 was married to Ann or Nancy Hodges of Dymock in Gloucestershire. The Dymocks can be trace through to the start of parish records in Dymock.

Mary Ann Bishop was the daughter of William Bishop and Jane Tomkins. The Bishops come from Stanford Bishop and Castle Frome. The Tomkins come from Pencombe and Wacton.

This Herefordshire branch of the family mainly comprises agricultural labourers, though the Tomkins family were mainly carpenters.

The Skynners, Freemans, Bellinghams and Slaughters

My 5 greats grandfather, Isaac Pullen senior, married Amphyllis (or Phyllis) Skynner in about 1746. Amphyllis was born about 1716 in Bishops Frome to John Skynner and Anne Freeman. Thanks to Stephen Kelsey, for spotting that she had a brother Bellingham Skynner. This suggests that there are Bellinghams in the ancestry. Ann Freeman’s parents were John Freeman and Ann ? , and John Freeman’s own parents were Frances Freeman and Troth Slaughter. The Slaughter family was a land-owning family, living at Cheyney’s Court, Bishops Frome. Troth was the daughter of Edward Slaughter and Jane Bellingham. Jane was the daughter of Sir Edward Bellingham and Troth Foljambe.  The Bellinghams were a landowning family from Sussex, mainly Newtimber (this may be called Nyetimber nowadays). The Foljambes were descended from French stock, (as Foleschamp), having come over with Norman the Conqueror. Troth Foljambe’s paternal grandmother was Alice Fitzwilliam. Alice’s great grandparents were Richard Fitzwilliam and Elizabeth Clarell. So both my Pullen and Cocks descendancy can be traced back to this couple.

The Holmes Family of Birmingham and Worcester

Lucy Ann Holmes was the 10^th of 11 surviving children of William Holmes and Caroline Whateley, who were born in Birmingham. William was son of John Holmes and Susannah Probert, who married in Claines, Worcestershire, and moved in the 1820s to Birmingham. Neither has been traced back any further. Many of the male members of the Holmes family were brush makers. For me an intriguing early family history experience was to see a small photograph of the 11 children and father of this family, the location that each person had gone to live was written on the photo. It has been possible for me to trace all these Holmes members to their eventual destinations. Three members – Frederick, Samuel and Alice – went to New York. Frederick started a factory in Manhattan, manufacturing gold and silver pencils, which remained in business until 1955. Another member, Caroline Emma emigrated in 1912 when maybe a widow to Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada. Three of her children emigrated also, to Vancouver via Ninette, Manitoba, and Winnipeg. Two of the Holmes brothers, George and Richard (the oldest and youngest, with 16 years age difference) both went to Armidale in New South Wales, Australia, where George was a Saddler, Mayor for one year, and landlord of the New England Inn in Armidale, and later the Caledonian Hotel in Tamworth, NSW.  Richard was initially a blacksmith, then became landlord of the Railway Hotel in Armidale. Other members of the family dispersed to Blackburn, Penarth and Worcester.

The Jacksons of Cheshire

My mother Enid Bond Jackson is the daughter of Harry Jackson and Mary Bond Cocks. Harry was the undermanager of a mine in Hyde (under his father as manager), until an accident meant he could no longer do that work. The family then moved south to Ashford, Middlesex, with Harry’s sister Annie, her husband Noah Swindells, and Harry and Annie’s mother Ann (née Lee). He was born in Hyde in 1890. He was the son of Edward Jackson, who was mine manager at mines in Bolton and later Hyde (having been previously undermanager in Hyde). He was born in Marple in 1860, son of George Jackson and Sally Booth. George was a coal miner, who did become a colliery steward. He moved from Marple to Dodworth near Barnsley, but died quite young at only 40.

He married Ann Aldous, a widow, née Lee, who was born in 1848 in Upperthong, near Holmfirth, W. Yorkshire. The marriage was in 1895, though the children were apparently born in 1890 and 1892. More of Ann later. 

George Jackson’s father was Edward Jackson,  a coal miner, born about 1805, who was probably born in Manchester, but probably lived in Macclesfield at least since 1827, when Edward married Mary Ann Lomas in Prestbury. Edwards parents are not know, though he had a brother James, born abt 1815 in Macclesfield, so the family apparently moved between the two births. Another (probable) brother, Samuel has been found, born abt 1801 (not in Cheshire).

Edward (sen), while starting as a miner, in 1871 suddenly becomes a provision dealer.

Lomas family

Mary Ann’s birthplace was given in Censuses as Macclesfield and Buxton, also Cheshire. It appears she was the daughter of John Lomas and Hannah Green, born in Macclesfield. A number of Lomas family members appear over the years with Jacksons, mostly born in Derbyshire. A further connection with the Lomas family is George Hall’s mother, Sarah Ann Lomas, and not all has been found about this Lomas link yet.

Booth and Washington Families of Cheshire

Sally Booth was the daughter of Isaac Booth b about 1803 in Marple and Dinah Washington. Dinah was daughter of William Washington and Dinah Hallworth. She was daughter of John Hallworth and Mary Torkinton. She was daughter of William Torkenton and Elizabeth Huet. She was daughter of Phillip Hewet and Eleanor Breadbury. Philip was born abt 1687 son of William Hewett.

Lee and Cook families of Holmfirth area in Yorkshire

Ann Lee was born 08 Feb 1848 at Upperthong near Holmfirth, the daughter of John Lee, a cordswainer (or shoemaker) and Mary Cook. She married first William Aldous, who was Suffolk born, but had moved to Glossop in Derbyshire. The marriage was in 1866 in Ashton under Lyne, Lancashire. Ann’s mother died in July quarter 1850. By 1861, the family was in Glossop, joining John’s brother James, a stone mason. It is not clear whether the family was in the Holmfirth area in 1852, but there was a terrible flood, with considerable loss of life, caused by heavy rainfall bursting a dam. The Upper Mill area where Ann was born was affected. John Lee remarried Ann, whose surname may have been Thewlis.

John’s parents were George Lee, a tailor, and Ann Whitehead. George was son of George Lee and Mary Wood, and grandson of John Lee. John Lee’s wife was Ann Crossland, from Fulstone Hall. Her sister Mary Crossland married William Wood. Their daughter Mary Wood married George Lee (1750-1808). The Crosslands can be traced back to 1608. Note that there is another Crossland family from Cartworth, who are quite notable, but as far as I know, have no connection.

Mary Cook was daughter of Jonas Cook (son of Matthew) and Esther Charlesworth of Honley, daughter of John Charlesworth, a clothier of Honley. There were many clothiers in this region, the term seems to apply to makers of woollen cloth.

William Aldous and Ann moved by 1881  to Worsbrough in Yorkshire, where William was a colliery fireman. This was a dangerous job, as the responsibilities of this job were originally to monitor the presence of marsh damp (methane), an explosive gas than can accumulate in mines, though this job later came to mean a deputy who supervised a section. William appears to have died, though no death or burial record has been found. There were two children by this first marriage, Fred and Sarah (‘Sadie’) Aldous, both married, but only Sadie had children (two recently found) by her first marriage to William Hobbins. She later married Joe Hammerton.

Ann was living in 1891 as wife of Edward Jackson in Hyde, Cheshire. Children Harry and Annie were born in 1890 and 1892, though the marriage of Edward and Ann was in 1896 in Macclesfield. It is notable, that while married to Edward, a couple of years disappear from Ann’s age! Edward died in 1921, but Ann lived until 1940, having moved south with Harry and Annie’s families.

Cock/Cocks family of Denton in Lancashire

Mary Bond Cocks, my grandmother, was daughter of Richard Bond Cocks and Eliza Leah. Richard was born Richard Bond Cock, but thereafter the family was known as Cocks. Richard had four wives, the first three dying. Eliza died in 1895, and Richard married Jane Fletcher in 1899. My grandmother remembered that her step-mother was kind, and owned a sweetshop (a big help for a step-mother of a younger child!). However Jane died in 1911, and Richard married Caroline Brown née Parker in 1913. However she too must have died by 1919, as Richard marries Mary Moore née Faulkner. Richard was generally a clerk of the works, however he was also recorded as a store keeper, a carrier, a horse keeper, a contractor’s foreman, and an asylum attendant.

Richard was son of George Bowker Cock(s) and Mary Bond. This Bond family is the source of all the Bond middle names in the family. There was said to be money held in chancery. George had a number of jobs in cotton mills. He was born in 1813, son of James Cock and Nancy Bowker. James was a cabinet maker in 1825. He was born and died in Ashton-under-Lyne, though all children were born in Denton and Haughton. James’s father was John Cock, earlier described as a yeoman, by 1758, he was described as a gentleman of Ryecroft. He was apparently the son of John Cock and Mary Cock. (This John apparently remarried an Elizabeth Cocke!). James Cock’s mother was Alice Catlow, daughter of Jonathan Catlow, the Rector of St Michael’s Church, Ashton-under-Lyne, and teacher at the Publick School of English, Latin and Greek. He was apparently born in 1703 to Samuel Catlow in Colne. Jonathan married a Grace Smith, but the will of a Spinster, Alice Pickford, make it clear that Grace was born a Pickford. She was daughter of John Pickford and Catalina Brewster, born abt 1701 in Ashton. John Pickford was born in 1675, son of Jonathan Pickford and Alice Lees, an heiress to her mother’s state.

Jonathan was born about 1651 at Pickford Hall in Macclesfield, son of James Pickford and Grace Morewood. James was born in 1585 in Macclesfield to James Pickford and Ellen Hordrone.

The Cocks family are stated to be a family with history in, and tenants of land at Rye Croft, Ashton-under-Lyne since 1618, according to History and Description of the Town of Ashton-under-Lyne.., by James Butterworth.

The Morewoods of Bradfield, Yorkshire

The Morewoods were a tremendously wealthy  family. (see John Morewood’s will, under documents). They lived at The Oaks in Bradfield, Yorkshire. A pedigree can be seen here. John Morewood 1580-1647 was father of Grace, above, her mother was Grace Hirst. John parents were Rowland Morewood and Catherine Stafford.

The Staffords of Eyam in Derbyshire

Catherine Stafford was an heiress at the end of a long line of Staffords. The Staffords of Eyam were a wealthy land-owning family. Eyam was a Derbyshire town later famous for they way it closed itself in during the plague, to reduce the chance of the plague spreading.

The Pedigree can be seen here.

A History of the family may be found here.

Tracing the line back from Catherine Stafford is done using published pedigrees, it includes the most powerful families in the north of England, including the Eyres, Reresbys, Fitzwilliams, and with further research, links can be made to nobility and royalty of England and other countries.

The Bond and Knight families of Denton, Lancashire

Mary Bond mentioned above, was daughter of William Bond and Ann Knight. William was son of Richard Bond and Mary Lowe. William and Richard were both hat manufacturers in Denton, Lancashire. Richard was son of John Bond and Ellen, and Mary was daughter of John Lowe. Ann Knight was daughter of George Knight and Ann Bowker of Denton. George was son of Samuel Knight, a butcher, and Mary Platt. Samuel was son of John Knight and Ann Broomly. Samuel's wife was Mary Platt, daughter of John Platt of Haughton. Ann Bowker was daughter of William Bowker and Ann Travis of Denton. William's parents were John Bowkar and Ellin Shelmerdyne, daughter of Robert. Mary Platt's parents were John Platt, a bricklayer of Denton and Sarah Worth.

The Leah family of Werneth, Cheshire

Eliza was daughter of Christopher Hall Leah, variously a labourer, weaver, and ostler. He was born in 1826, married Hannah Wood in 1847 in Cheadle. By 1881 he was living away from the family in Derbyshire, (and Hannah called herself a widow, so he may have left her), though he was back in the Stockport area by 1896. His parents were James Leah , a cotton dresser, and Jane Hall. James appears to be the illegitimate son of Mary Leah. Jane Hall was daughter of Joseph Hall and Mary, apparently from Hayfield in Derbyshire.

Hannah’s parents were Robert Wood and Lydia Shaw, Robert was also a cotton dresser. Robert was son of Robert Wood and Martha Higginbotham. Robert senior was son of William Wood and Mary Marshall, William was son of Abraham Wood and Margaret.

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