Hi John Sorry I have only just been able to respond to your letter 18.5.2001. I have been overseas and have only recently returned. However, I was delighted to receive your letter together with the copy of the letter from John Talbot. You are clearly directly related to my own line of Lovelocks. The letter from John Talbot (21 Cranborne Waye, Hayes, Middlesex UB4 0HW Email: jtalbot@fdn.co.uk) is intriguing. He has so much information on the Berkshire Lovelock line but says he is not connected in any way. And even more curious, there is a Talbot-Lovelock connection in Wiltshire! Coincidence perhaps? ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- ------------------------- There is a legend in the Welsh Loveluck families concerning Thomas Talbot of Talbot's Laycock Abbey, Wiltshire, an M.P. in the English Parliament, who, in the 1700s inherited Margam Abbey and lands in Wales. Two Lovelock ancestors were employed by Thomas Talbot and were taken to Wales to build up the rundown Margam Abbey and surrounding land, to stock it with live stock which could be hunted, "foresters" being an ideal choice or this landscaping and game keeping project. One ancestor, John Lovelock, had a brother, George (Occupation: Groom) who left with him at the same time from Wiltshire. In Wales, George lived at Pengrug Farm and relatives in Glamorgan. Margam Abbey was supposed to become a first class gentleman's park and hunting area, well stocked with animal life. Talbot had a beautiful Orangery built - one of the finest in Britain outside of London. Thomas Talbot wanted Italian Statues as was the fashion to decorate the area. Talbot tool John Lovelock along to get the statues transported from Italy. On the way back via ship, they were attacked by pirates off the coast of North Africa. In the ensuing struggle, Talbot's life was saved by John Lovelock and a young protege of Talbot called David Marandaz. In gratitude, they were each allowed to have a farm rent free for the extent of their lives. From then on, John went to live a few miles away at Kenfrig and became a "burgher" (or Port Reve) of that old town and chairman of the local council. John's eldest daughter married M. Marendaz and their descendants eventually left the farm (because they were not Loveluck's in name). It is interesting to note that two grandsons became well known. ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- -------------------------- I am copying this to John Talbot and also to the Lovelock 'list'. Because there is a Lovelock website which you apparently haven't yet discovered: www.ri.silicomp.fr/~loveluck/genealogy/lovelock as well as a 'list' where you post and receive the latest Lovelock research from quite a sizable group of Lovelock researchers. I will send you and John Talbot separately a gedcom of the Berkshire Lovelock line. I assume you can read gedcom format but let me know if this is a problem. I have incorporated John Talbot's excellent additional information showing him as the source. The concurrence in material is quite remarkable. However, there are of course a few variants which I list below: 1. James Lovelock, butcher who married Eliza I have as the son of John L 1783-1848 and Martha. John Talbot thought he might be another son of James Lovelock and Sarah Wright. 2. Were George William Lovelock (bn 1846) and Ellen Webb Lovelock (bn 1849), son and daughter of George L and Ann Squires Gordge baptised in Watlington, Oxfordshire 3. Was Frederic L. 1817-1869 buried in Shirburn, Oxon? 4. James Lovelock who married Clara Ellen Wood may be James L bn abt 1879 in Middlesex, London (grandson of George L and Ann Squires Gordge whom he was living with in the 1881 census at Henley On Thames, Oxford, England - then aged 11. 5. Mary Matilda Lovelock who married John Stone in 1842 may be Mary L. bn 1810 daughter of John Lovelock 1783-1848 and Martha. 6. I have the burial of John Thomas L.(1812-1850) as 1.7.1850 not 15.7.1850. This is as I copied the date from the PR. 7. The burial of John L. age 17 on 18.8.1817 at Wallingford St Mary le More, Berkshire is I think that of John L (1739-1817) not John L (1739-1817)who married Mary Whitick. 8. I agree that John Lovelock who was born in 1839 but did not marry Mary Whitwick until 1879 and then had several children is a bit suspicious. In fact this is the only one of the children of John Lovelock and Elizabeth Woolfe whom we have yet traced. It is quite possible that we've missed a generation here - or at least an earlier marriage. 9. In the census return for 1841 for St Martin St [Wallingford, Berkshire] the family of William L. (1786-1845) and Hannah (I assume the 'A' and 'C' code on John Talbot's family tree should be placed against Hannah rather than Catherine as Catherine died in 1824) is listed with some unknown Lovelocks: Francis age 7 and Frederick age 50. Who were they? 10.I could not locate the burial 7.1.1856 Wallingford St Mary Le More of Sarah wife of George L (1819-1870) in the PRs - from which I have extracted Lovelocks. Did I miss that one or perhaps she was buried at Wallingford St Peters or St Leonard? 11. The age at burial of Thomas L. (1788-1849) is I think 61 not 31. 12. The baptism of Julia L daughter of George L (1819-1870) and Sarah is I think 8.1.1848 not 'b-6-1848'. 13. Elizabeth Lovelock who married James Dearlove is I think Elizabeth L. d. of John L and Mary Whitwick 14. Mary Lovelock who married George Leach is I think Mary Lovelock also d. of John L and Mary Whitwick 15. The burial of Robert Lovelock 8.3.1876 is I think Robert L son of George L (1819-1870) and Sarah. John Talbot very kindly offers to reference Oxon FHS PRs and census. I would very much like to see the PR source material for Lovelock Baptisms, Marriages and Burials for Wallingford St Peters and Wallingford St Leonards in Berkshire - of which I have only referenced Wallingford St Peter Baptisms 1605-1969 and Watlington in Oxfordshire - of which I have only extracted Lovelock Baptisms 1635-1842, Marriages 1635-1837, Banns 1654-1657 and Burials 1635-1857. This appears to be where most of John Talbot's new information is coming from. I would also like very much to have all Lovelocks in the 1841 and 1851 census for anywhere in Berkshire that John is willing to extract. Thanks John once again for forwarding all that lovely new info through. I hope John Talbot also received this email. The gedcom attachment will follow by separate email. The picture you sent through of Hedgerley looks a very beautiful area. I toured England for 3 weeks earlier this year but unfortunately did not manage to catch up with Buckinghamshire. Best wishes to all on the Lovelock list. Robert Sterry ---------------------------------------- Lovelock Web Site: www.ri.silicomp.fr/~loveluck/genealogy/lovelock