On Mon, 24 Sep 2012 12:25:45 +0100, joel langton <[email protected]> wrote: > You may be aware of the Langtons of Bristol already, they were Mayors and > Sheriffs of Bristol, and wealthy merchants from the 17th century > I am trying to trace the early part of the family before they rose to > become really > prominent. Roughly speaking, that means pre-1600s. > Hopefully one of you has a little piece of important information, or has > access to something I dont, or something I have missed. Hi Joel, This is the information, which I have to hand, on Richard LANGTON. The will of John BEYNTON, carpenter, June 9th. 1558, was witnessed by Thomas OWEN, David TAILOR and Richard LANGTON, notary. In the will of John SUCHE, merchant, March 21st. 1565, the testator forgave all the debts of William BARRET, Richard LANGTON and William SPRATE. Among the witnesses of the will of Walter WEST, baker, April 24th. 1567 was Richard LANGTON, notary. There is a reference to Richard LANGTON, 'of the city of Bristowe, notary public' in the will of William COXE, merchant, July 8th. 1581. Richard LANGTON and Mr. Thomas WARREN were to be overseers and they were to have ten shillings apiece. Source -- Notes or Abstracts of the Wills contained in the volume entitled The Great Orphan Book and Book of Wills in the Council House at Bristol (1886) by the Rev. T.P. Wadley, M.A., Rector of Naunton Beauchamp. Josephine

On Mon, 24 Sep 2012 11:56:07 +0100, Jean WOOD <[email protected]> wrote: > What a devastating time, and so sad to hear what has happened since > Do ANY of the old buildings exist there and has anyone done anything > about the church in the last 8 years when the choirboy submiited his > memories? Hi Jean, Colston's Almshouse, built in 1691, is still there. A photograph of the building is here: http://www.geograph.org.uk/photo/133481 Streetview around Colston’s Almshouse http://www.ukattraction.com/west-country/streetview/colstons-almshouse.htm Josephine

What a devastating time, and so sad to hear what has happened since Do ANY of the old buildings exist there and has anyone done anything about the church in the last 8 years when the choirboy submiited his memories? Jean Wood > Message du 24/09/12 09:47 > De : "Josephine Jeremiah" > A : [email protected] > Copie à : > Objet : [B&S] St Michael's, Bristol Blitz ( was Thomas French of Bristol) > > On Sat, 22 Sep 2012 19:39:09 +0100, Jean WOOD > wrote: > > > I meant to say, St Michael's looks very rural at that time. > > > I presume it was just at the beginning of the great expansion of towns > > and cities. Are the current buildings in that area predominantly 18th & > > 19th century? And did many get destroyed in WW 2? > > Hi Jean, > > Here's a first-hand account of the night of the first Bristol Blitz of > 24th. November 1940, from someone who was a boy singing in the choir of > St. Michael's at Evensong as the bombs began to drop. The service was > abandoned and the congregation went down to the crypt. A scene of > devastation was to greet the parishioners the next day. > > Bristol Blitz in 1940 > > http://www.bbc.co.uk/history/ww2peopleswar/stories/37/a2636237.shtml > > Josephine > > > ------------------------------- > To unsubscribe from the list, please send an email to [email protected] with the word 'unsubscribe' without the quotes in the subject and the body of the message >

Dear all, You may be aware of the Langtons of Bristol already, they were Mayors and Sheriffs of Bristol, and wealthy merchants from the 17th century and they used to own the Bath Spa university campus at Newton St. Loe. I am trying to trace the early part of the family before they rose to become really prominent. Roughly speaking, that means pre-1600s. These are the fragments that I have after a lot of searching: Francis Langton, noatary public (1552 and 1553) attourney (1556). Richard Langton, notary public (1550-1591 - many records), Steward of the hospital of St. Katherine in Bedminster (1570). He had two wives, a Mary and later a Margaret (her will 1599) He had a son Thomas with one of them: Thomas Langton, 1552, and 1555. George Langton, 1581 reference in Bristol. Charles 1570 (with Richard Langton), 1573, 1585, 1587, 1588. Richard is noted in a couple of references as being lately of Kirkby Wharfe, Yorkshire. There was a Langton family there just before this time, with a Richard having a son Francis. It is a different Richard, but I think that its the same Francis. My best guess therefore is that Richard, notary public is his brother. I also have these early fragments, that are more reliably connected to the later Bristol Mayors/Sheriffs: Barnard Langton of Bitton and London, had a daughter Ellenor who married James Lacy. Think she is the Ellyn Langton baptised in Horfield in 1564. Later the Lacy's sold Brislington manor to the Langton mayors. Anselm Langton, 1585, pardoned by a writ of privy seal. 1598, and mentioned in Sheriff and Mayor John Langton's will as his brother. An earlier John Langton who married Mary Bassett of Uley. Mid 1500s and a Horfield reference with Mary in 1565. Anselm 1598 with John (later Mayor) his brother. Katrene Langton who married Henry Gibson in Horfield, 20 Oct 1595. William Langton, of Dyrham, buried 1604. There is also a Margery Hobbes (nee: Langton) leaving a will in the 1630s. I have it but it's hard for me to read. It does talk about land in Barton Hundred (Barton Regis) though. Here is a link to my site with the tree. Most peoples records contain links to the sources: http://www.lostlangtons.co.uk/other/langton/humogen/family.php?database=humo_&id=F1324&main_person=I3604&descendant_report=1 What I'd like to do is prove a connection between the top group and the bottom group, which would establish that they are the same family, and that the Bristol Langtons came from Yorkshire. There are about a dozen different Langton families, so its by no means certain based on the information i have at the moment. Id also like to understand how people are related better and find any other Langtons around this time. At the moment i have them on my site, glued together as sensibly as I can, but its held together by guesses at the moment. Hopefully one of you has a little piece of important information, or has access to something I dont, or something I have missed. Thank you in advance for your efforts, which are much appreciated. Joel

If not done already, might be worth sifting through this lot. _Click here: The National Archives | Access to Archives_ (http://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/a2a/records.aspx?cat=168-ddgl&cid=0#0) Bev In a message dated 24/09/2012 12:26:07 GMT Daylight Time, [email protected] writes: Dear all, You may be aware of the Langtons of Bristol already, they were Mayors and Sheriffs of Bristol, and wealthy merchants from the 17th century and they used to own the Bath Spa university campus at Newton St. Loe. I am trying to trace the early part of the family before they rose to become really prominent. Roughly speaking, that means pre-1600s............................

Hi Joel Burgess information for pre-1600 Langtons in Bristol: PATRONS These Langtons were patrons to the following Bristol Burgesses: 13.09.1572 - Benedict Meryfelde, draper - patron council, pledge by Richard Langton and John Hopkyns, merchant 10.02.1573 - John Payneter, writer and clerk - patron Richard Langton, Notary, under whom he served his apprenticeship 31.08.1582 - Richard Efford, servingman - patron Richard Langton, Scrivenor. Richard Efford married Winifred, Richard Langton's daughter. BURGESSES Only one entry for Langton pre 1600: 14.01.1572 - John Langton, Gentleman - patron council Source - Bristol Burgess Books - Vols 1-21, 1557-1995, Bristol & Avon Family HIstory Society CD. Background information here: _Click here: Bristol Burgesses_ (http://www.bafhs.org.uk/research-room/sources/bristol-burgesses) Hope this helps Bev In a message dated 24/09/2012 12:26:07 GMT Daylight Time, [email protected] writes: You may be aware of the Langtons of Bristol already, they were Mayors and Sheriffs of Bristol, and wealthy merchants from the 17th century and they used to own the Bath Spa university campus at Newton St. Loe. I am trying to trace the early part of the family before they rose to become really prominent. Roughly speaking, that means pre-1600s. ................

Hi Listers, There's a booklet of 40 pages in my collection, which I have not mentioned before. It's The Story of Old Bristol by E. M. Hapgood. This illustrated booklet about Bristol, as it was in early times, includes information about Monasteries, Hospitals and Almshouses, Inns, Guilds, 13th century Merchants and the Great Charter, Overseas Colonisation and 18th and 19th Bristolle. The front cover shows a sketch of Bristol with buildings on the old Bristol Bridge and Bristol Castle on the right of the view. The back cover has a map showing how the old city looked c.1645. Josephine

Hi Listers, If you have ancestors who worked in the Bristol brass industry this book may be of interest: Bristol Brass: The History of the Industry by Joan Day published by David and Charles in 1973. The book has 240 pages including a gazetteer and an index. It is illustrated with black-and-white photographs and drawings. Josephine

Hi Listers, Here's an interesting little booklet about Clifton, which I haven't mentioned before: Clifton Not So Long Ago Photographs from the Michael J. Tozer Collection Compiled by Andrew Claridge and Barry Williamson, October 1986 The booklet has 40 pages. There is a section from a 1787 map of Clifton on page 20 and a section from Ashmead's Plan of Clifton 1853 on page 21. Mrs. Ruth Trapnell remembers Clifton as it used to be in pages entitled Memories of Clifton As well as old photographs of Clifton, there are advertisements from the 1906 Clifton Guide. Josephine

On Sat, 22 Sep 2012 19:39:09 +0100, Jean WOOD <[email protected]> wrote: > I meant to say, St Michael's looks very rural at that time. > I presume it was just at the beginning of the great expansion of towns > and cities. Are the current buildings in that area predominantly 18th & > 19th century? And did many get destroyed in WW 2? Hi Jean, Here's a first-hand account of the night of the first Bristol Blitz of 24th. November 1940, from someone who was a boy singing in the choir of St. Michael's at Evensong as the bombs began to drop. The service was abandoned and the congregation went down to the crypt. A scene of devastation was to greet the parishioners the next day. Bristol Blitz in 1940 http://www.bbc.co.uk/history/ww2peopleswar/stories/37/a2636237.shtml Josephine

On Sun, 23 Sep 2012 10:22:15 +0100, Mike Gould <[email protected]> wrote: > Thanks for your reply. How interesting to see the various connections > between Chewton Mendip/Compton Martin/Clutton/Trevethin. We're going to > take a look around the Trevethin area next week. I'm not expecting to > find my ancestor's gravestone, as someone on the Monmouthshire list > kindly > checked the MI index and he's not there, but it will be interesting to > get a feel for the area. Hi Mike and Listers, Hope you enjoy your trip to Monmouthshire, Mike. We were often travelling through Pontypool in the first half of 2011 and kept intending to have a closer look at the Eastern Valleys, where our Somerset and Gloucestershire ancestors moved for work. We have also been hoping to revisit Big Pit:National Coal museum. http://www.museumwales.ac.uk/en/bigpit/ Around a quarter of a century ago, when I taught in Wales, my pupils persuaded me to take them to Big Pit and it was an experience that I've never forgotten. Somerset and Gloucestershire ancestors in both my family and in Ian's died in Monmouthshire coal mines. My 2x great-grandfather, John HANCOCK, was accidentally killed in a coal pit in Blaina by a fall of stone. He died on 15th. December 1869 and was buried on 20th. December at St. Peter's Church, Blaina. John was only in his mid 20s and Susan, his wife, was heavily pregnant with their first child, who was subsequently born in early January 1870 in Gloucestershire. Josephine

Hi Josephine, Thanks for your reply. How interesting to see the various connections between Chewton Mendip/Compton Martin/Clutton/Trevethin. We're going to take a look around the Trevethin area next week. I'm not expecting to find my ancestor's gravestone, as someone on the Monmouthshire list kindly checked the MI index and he's not there, but it will be interesting to get a feel for the area. I'm not sure how long my William Gould lived in Pontypool. He was in Chewton when his family were being born (I assume !), so that would be up to 1843, and he had died by 1845 in Pontypool, so he could have been there for 2 weeks or 2 years. Interesting to see that another mason, Ian's 2x great-grandfather, also moved to Trevethin. I contacted a local historian, who told me that the 1840s and 50s was a time of considerable commercial expansion in Pontypool. Also coal mines were opened and a lot of extra housing was needed. A lot of the houses and above-ground mining workshops were built of stone so a lot of stonemasons would have been needed for the work. Best wishes, Mike

On Sat, 22 Sep 2012 10:22:24 +0100, elaine westaway <[email protected]> wrote: > As I said before my family also has links to Bristol my uncle being > evacuated to Chew Stoke during the war and staying there instead of > returning full time to London afterwards. My great grandmother's family > came from Wiveliscombe and many of them lived in Bristol also their > surname was Branfield. Hi Elaine, Over the years there have been a number of posts on this list concerning the surname BRANFIELD. You can see these posts in the Bristol_and_Somerset archives if you go to the Archives Search Engine for Bristol_and_Somerset http://archiver.rootsweb.ancestry.com/cgi-bin/search?aop&path=Bristol_and_Somerset and put Branfield in the body of the search. Josephine

On Sat, 22 Sep 2012 12:51:19 +0100, Mike Gould <[email protected]> wrote: > Just thought I would share with you a breakthrough that I've recently > made, after 12 years of searching ! Hi Mike, Thanks for sharing your breakthrough concerning the burial of your 3x great-grandfather, William GOULD, with us. I remember your search for him over the years. > My problem was that I had never been able to find William's death. > Recently, I checked FreeREG (www.freereg.org.uk) again, as I had in the > past, but this time, I struck gold ! The burials listed included ages, > so I was able to discount many infants of the same name. In fact, I > checked > every county in the UK and the only record that matched was a burial near > Pontypool, South Wales. So it was worth getting the death registration > certificate to cross check, which I duly ordered. When it arrived, it > confirmed that the deceased William Gould had indeed been a stone mason. > Furthermore, the informant was not a family member, but one Henry Gane, a > tailor. When I found him in the 1851 census, he confessed that his > place of birth was Compton Martin, some 5 miles from Chewton Mendip ! I thought that the burial of your ancestor was bound to be in Trevethin Church so I looked on FreeReg and saw that it was. Some of Ian's ancestors have associations with that church, too. Last year when travelling through Pontypool, we made a detour to have a look at Trevethin Church which is on high, if I remember correctly.. Ian's 2x great-grandfather, John ROGERS, was a mason from Hanham, Gloucestershire who moved to Trevethin, Monmouthshire. Other family members moved from Clutton, Somerset to the parish of Trevethin and one of them, Bertha PURNELL married William ROYNON whose father, another William, was baptized in 1828 in Compton Martin, Somerset. So the elder William may have known the GANE family of Compton Martin. It's interesting to make links even as tenuous as this. What I often wonder is, how did our Somerset and Gloucestershire ancestors get on when they moved to Pontypool/Trevethin. Did they like their new way of life? Did they long for home and their own hills? Josephine

Thanks Josephine So does anyone else have it and can help me? Thank you in anticipation. Jean Wood > Message du 23/09/12 01:14 > De : "Josephine Jeremiah" > A : [email protected] > Copie à : > Objet : Re: [B&S] FRENCH Thomas, marriages in Gloucestershire, 1814 and 1817 (Thomas French of Bristol) > > On Sat, 22 Sep 2012 23:44:45 +0100, Jean WOOD > wrote: > > > I know I am asking a lot - but you enjoy a challenge - don't you? > > > Is there any evidence of such a child(ren) born to a Thomas and Mary > > French in the 1814-1817 period, and then a death of a Mary French? > > Hi Jean, > > If only I'd bought the Gloucestershire Diocese Baptism Index 1813-1837, > produced by Gloucestershire Family History Society, when I was at the B & > A FHS Open Day at Thornbury, last Saturday, I could answer your question > about any children of Thomas and Mary. > > There is also a Gloucester Diocese Burial Index 1813-1851, produced by > GFHS, which I don't have. > > If I had either of these resources I would certainly see if I could find > answers to your questions. > > Perhaps if any list members have these resources they could take a look > for you. > > Josephine > > > ------------------------------- > To unsubscribe from the list, please send an email to [email protected] with the word 'unsubscribe' without the quotes in the subject and the body of the message >

Hallo again, Having eaten, and spouse is watching football - I have a further thought; Dursley to Stroud to Cheltenham is not so far, even in early 19C. This could be the same Thomas, marrying for a second time to provide a mother for a child of the first marriage. I know I am asking a lot - but you enjoy a challenge - don't you? Is there any evidence of such a child(ren) born to a Thomas and Mary French in the 1814-1817 period, and then a death of a Mary French? He may well have gone to the parish of his bride(s) to wed, of course, and the censuses are my origins of the places of birth. All the known children give Cheltenham, but by that time they are living in Toxteth (Liverpool) where Dursley or Stroud might not mean anything to a NW enumerator in 1851 - or where some of them lived later - in London and further afield. The marital abode could be anywhere in that general area of Glos. (PS Elise is a mistake - she is a daughter in law.) Thank you in case! Jean Wood > Message du 22/09/12 21:30 > De : "Josephine Jeremiah" > A : [email protected] > Copie à : > Objet : [B&S] FRENCH Thomas, marriages in Gloucestershire, 1814 and 1817 (Thomas French of Bristol) > > On Sat, 22 Sep 2012 19:34:06 +0100, Jean WOOD > wrote: > > > If you ever come across his marriage to a Mary - estimate 18 - teens - > > Marie seems to be the eldest born around 1818, > > Thomas Henry 1821 > > siblings William, 1825 > > Sarah, 1831 > > Elisa 1833 All Cheltenham - Or do I need to go to a Glos list? > > Hi Jean, > > Here are two possible matches though neither marriage was in the > Cheltenham area. > > Thomas FRENCH and Mary LEONARD were married, by banns, on 25th. December > 1814 at Dursley, GLS. > > Thomas FRENCH and Mary BERRIMAN, widow, were married, by banns, on 18th. > March 1817 at Stroud, GLS. > > These marriages are included in the Gloucestershire Mariage Index > 1800-1837 produced by Gloucester Family History Society. www.gfhs.org.uk > > Josephine > > > ------------------------------- > To unsubscribe from the list, please send an email to [email protected] with the word 'unsubscribe' without the quotes in the subject and the body of the message >

On Sat, 22 Sep 2012 23:44:45 +0100, Jean WOOD <[email protected]> wrote: > I know I am asking a lot - but you enjoy a challenge - don't you? > Is there any evidence of such a child(ren) born to a Thomas and Mary > French in the 1814-1817 period, and then a death of a Mary French? Hi Jean, If only I'd bought the Gloucestershire Diocese Baptism Index 1813-1837, produced by Gloucestershire Family History Society, when I was at the B & A FHS Open Day at Thornbury, last Saturday, I could answer your question about any children of Thomas and Mary. There is also a Gloucester Diocese Burial Index 1813-1851, produced by GFHS, which I don't have. If I had either of these resources I would certainly see if I could find answers to your questions. Perhaps if any list members have these resources they could take a look for you. Josephine

Hi Listers, There have been posts on the B & S list, in the past, with reference to John Gyde HEAVEN and Cam Gyde HEAVEN so when I saw the following article I thought of the Gyde HEAVEN link with Bristol and, in particular, of list member, Diana Robinson, who has links with the HEAVEN family. Shrewsbury service for Cpl Alfred Gyde Heaven http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-shropshire-19664032 Josephine

On Sat, 22 Sep 2012 10:22:24 +0100, elaine westaway <[email protected]> wrote: > any further info you can root out would be very very much appreciated. Hi Elaine, Samuel BURT's parents were John BURT and Hester PLAYER who were married on 28th. August 1808 at St. Paul's Church, Portland Square, Bristol. Here's a match for the baptism of Hester: Esther PLAYER, daughter of John and Sarah, was baptized on 3rd. April 1791 at the church of St. Philip & St. Jacob, Bristol. She was aged 3 years 6 months at the time of her baptism. The names Esther and Hester were often used in records for the same person. Two other daughters of John and Sarah PLAYER were baptized on the same day at the same church. They were Patience, aged 2 years, and Phoebe, an infant. The abode of the PLAYER family at the time of these baptisms was Cheese Lane and father's occupation was weaver. These baptisms are included in Bristol Diocese Baptismal Registers Vols. 8 to 10 Index & Transcripts 1754-1812, produced by Bristol & Avon Family History Society. www.bafhs.org.uk Both Hester's father, John PLAYER, and her husband, John BURT, were weavers. Hester and John had a daughter, Phoebe, who was baptized at Pip 'n' Jay in 1827. Their son Samuel BURT had a daughter, Phoebe, who was baptized at the same church in 1858. See previous messages for fuller details of these baptisms. Josephine

`Hi, I have tried and tried to activate an account with the British Newspaper Archive. I can see there are two entries for the 7th October 1865 and I have tried to buy 2 days credits and cannot. I am asked to go to my activation email, there is no where to activate. I have given up. Edie