Belchamp Walter School Photo c1905

(published on behalf of Lynette Hards)
My family lived in Belchamp Walter for many years and I am interested in finding out about the development of Belchamp Walter; when properties were built, what they were called and matching them to the censuses from 1841 to 1911. I'm looking for maps of the village, especially from 1800 onwards, and wonder if anyone else has already done research in this area. I would like to get in touch with anyone who might be able to help.

Here is a picture of BW school probably taken about 1905. (click on it to see it full-size). A few of the pupils have been identified but I wondered if you would like to add it to the website to see if anyone can add any more names. The boy in the back row on the far right is Harry Wright. In the middle row, 3rd from the left is possibly Clara Twitchett and on the far right is Nellie Pettit. In the front row, from left to right, Annie Wright is holding the slate, and next to her is William Wright and Elizabeth Wright.

Lynette Hards

Harrington, Inch, Deeks, Settle, Sparrow

My grandfather Walter Harrington born 1877 in Belchamp St Paul was killed in WW1 and is remembered on the plaque in St Andrews Church. His parents were 1839 William Harrington and 1842 Mary Inch both born in Belchamp St Paul. Williams father Henry Harrington was baptised 15-4-1804 in St Andrews, his parents were named as William and Catherine Harrington. This is the earliest record I have found for a Harrington in Belchamp St Paul.
Please can anyone give information as to where they married or where they came from?
Catherine died 26-4-1838 and is buried in St Andrews graveyard. Her death certificate states her age as being 62 and therefore born about 1776. She and William had another child Ann baptised in St Andrews 17-5-1807. I have no positive date of Williams death it coul be anytime after 1807 as this is the last child recorded.

I believe William could be William Harrington born in Pentlow 22-2-1775 he is right age and born in an adjacent village. A lesser posibility is William Harrington of Pentlow who married Ann Finch of Foxearth on 29-1-1780 in Foxearth. An elder man who was living in Pentlow at the time of the banns being read. Had Ann passed away William could have married Catherine.
I have been using the excellent Foxearth transcript of ERO for Pentlow, Congratulations and thanks to those who set it up. Any knowledge of the Harringtons appreciated you would be saving my carbon footprint between Croydon and Chelmsford ERO.

Returning to my grandmother 1842 Mary Inch her mother was 1808 Charlotte Deeks, her mother was 1781 Susannah Settle (outside chance could be 1758 Susan Settle), Her parents were John Settle and Mary Sparrow who married in Pentlow 23-10-1740. I cannot find baptism records for either in Pentlow. Can anyone tell me where the Settles and Sparrows came from?
Congratulations to all at Foxearth for pioneering this website and providing so much useful data and the opportunity to place blogs.
Ray Harrington

From the Diaspora

My name is Tony Brown. The birth of a Grandson motivated me to try and discover where his ancestors came from. Tracing my own lineage has not proved to be too difficult during the census years, but now I have come to an impasse, and I hope someone on this board can and will be kind enough to help me.

The earliest forebear I can be sure of is a man named BROWN who came from CAVENDISH. His given name was probably "Clear", but I have seen it rendered as "Clare" and "Clair". Being a direct descendant I would be delighted to have this point cleared up.

The IGI index suggests that he was born in 1802, and Christened on the 26th of December that year. His parents are given as Thomas and Hannah, although another researcher has suggested differently. Census records state that he was a carpenter by trade.

If anyone with knowledge of the Browns of CAVANDISH can tell me more I would be very grateful indeed. In return I can off information about his descendants, and a few pictures.

With all good wishes,
Tony Brown

Apologies. We fell foul of the blogger site that changed the technology, and required some fiddling. All is now working again, hopefully

Meeking(s) of Foxearth

I am trying to find out about the family of Sarah MEEKING, who was born about 1800, and who married an ancestor of mine, William BRYNING, in London in 1823.
I am aware that Charles MEEKING was born in Foxearth in about 1800 - he ended up sireing a wealthy family who took over the Richings Park estate in Buckinghamshire in the 1850s (source 1861 census for Iver, Bucks). Some family (flimsy) evidence has it that Sarah was related to this family.
So was Sarah MEEKING a sister to Charles? Who were Charles Meekings parents? IGI is not very helpful although there is a Sarah Meeking b 1801 to William and Sarah - but in Lowestoft, some way off. Are local Parish records of that time existing which might show Charles Meeking birth/christening and therefore his parents - and any siblings?
Anyone shed any light on this one?

Martyn Guy

Wright and Oakley

From Jemima Armistead

My husband's g,g grandfather Francis Wright was born
in Pentlow in 1858 to a Alfred Wright and Emma Oakley. They married
in 1855 and had 4 children James, Mary, Francis and William. Emma
Oakley was buried 30 June 1864 , 3 days after her oldest's child
James. Alfred, I believed also died prior to the 1971 census as three
surviving children are living at the Sudbury Work House.

Alfred's 1st wife was Eliza Plumb, they had 2 children George and
Ann. George survived childhood and lived with his mother's father Daniel
Plumb.

The only thing I know about Emma Oakley was born about
1834/5 in Cavendish Suffolk, according to the 1861 census

Posted on behalf of Jemima Armistead

John Wilkin of Foxearth

I'm researching my great grandmother's family. She was Catherine/Catharine Felton when she died but her first husband was James Cook, postman and her maiden name was Wilkin.
She was born on Corfu.
I have reason to believe her father, John Wilkin came from Foxearth.

Posted on behalf of Andrea Blackburn

Where there's a Willis....

from Gwyn Bailey

I am trying to find about the above area! My specific question is: has anyone ever heard of a Willis family living there in the late 18th Century? George Willis, who could be my 3x g.grandfather married Elizabeth Osborn in Sible Hedingham in 1798 and gave Belchamp Otten as his home parish. Was he born there or had he just been 'passing through'? He *may* have been a miller, but he may also have been the son of a reasonably wealthy family.

Gibbons, Tarbon, Golding, Mann, Hammond, Butcher

The Scurrys did a lot of marrying into local families at Belchamp St Pauls and Belchamp Otten, so have accumulated info about these too. All in 19th century, but originally from Hundon, Suffolk in 1795

briansown@hotmail.co.uk

Scurrys, Cutmores, Deals, Martins

I've been researching the above families for a long time, so have accumulated quite a bit of info. If anyone is interested in exchanging info I'd be very happy to do so.
Brian Buxton briansown@hotmail.co.uk