Saturday 24 May 2014

Blackmore: Searching for Thomas Smyth

Received 21 May 2014
Mr. Smith:

I live in the United States and am trying to gain membership into the Jamestown Society.  I have a family history that was written in the early 1970’s.  The lady that wrote the history is long gone and I have no source documents.  I am trying to document a Thomas Smith that left England for Virginia ca 1623.  My history shows the following lineage:

1.  Thomas Smith Sr. Born 1518 married Margaret Turner
2.  Arthur Smith born 1560 Married Anne Milword
3.  Thomas Smith Sr. born 1590 came to America ca 1623 aboard the Margaret & John
         Roger Smith (Brother of Thomas) also came to America ca 1623

I saw somewhere on your blog where you listed a brother of Thomas as being Arthur Smith. 

Do you have any information of my ancestor Thomas Smith Sr. who sailed for Virginia in ca 1623.   I would love to have a source document of his birth and his passage on the Margaret and John.
When I have my history completed, I plan on coming to Blackmore and toasting my Smith ancestors with a Beer in your local pub.
Any help would be greatly appreciated.

Kenneth Smith

Replied 24 May 2014

Dear Kenneth

Thank you for your e mail.  Thomas Smyth (d. 1592, not 1594) is commemorated on a tomb in the south east corner of the Priory Church of St Laurence.  One of his six sons and four daughters of his second marriage to Margaret Turner was Arthur who was the next Smyth in the Blackmore family line.  I did not have his birth year (1560?) but a note that he married Anne Milward (born 1592 – is this plausible?) in 1602 and died 7 March 1622/3.  They had, it seems, 5 children the second being Thomas born 1605 at Braintree who emigrated to Virginia. A Roger Smyth is not one of the 5 children.  This is all I have about Thomas Smyth.

My booklet on the Smyth Family at Blackmore was produced in 2008, so I have to say that this is a topic I will not have pursued since then.  Occasionally I receive an e mail from Smyth descendants and am always happy to publish correspondence on the blog. 

I had never heard about a Jamestown Society. How interesting.

Regards

Andrew Smith (no relation)

Blackmore Area Local History 

Monday 19 May 2014

High Country History Group: Essex Field Names (1): Introduction

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High Country History Group: Essex Field Names (3): Stanford Rivers

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High Country History Group: Essex Field Names (4): Greensted

High Country History Group: Essex Field Names (4): Greensted: Greensted (13) Accrams Grove Alder Carr Anchor Field Black Boy Field Blyths Barn Meadow Bob Davis Pasture Brank Field Bu...

High Country History Group: Essex Field Names (5): Theydon Mount

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Friday 16 May 2014

Blackmore: Notes from the Parish Registers

Notes from Blackmore Registers, pre 1812 from the Browne transcript kept at Blackmore; subsequently from registers in Essex Record Office

Nurse Children
Burials
1608
Christopher Tucke son of Charles of London, a nurse child with Tho
30th May

Thomas Baule son of Richd  of London a nurse child with Thomas Grove 3 June

1609
(Blank) Whight of London nurse child of Thos Willit 13 May

1610
(Blank) (Blank) a nurse child of London with Thomas White (May) or (June)

1669/70
William Glinne a nurse child with Thos Browne of Fryerning (Dec or Jan)

Baptisms
John son of Elizabeth Powton of Blackmore wife of Isaac 2-5-1819
Charles son of Robert Groves and Elizabeth Powton wife of Isaac 2-8-1829
Joseph son of Robert Groves and Elizabeth Powton of Fryerning 11-9-1831 base born

Maria Harris daughter of Robert labourer Transported for life and Mary 19-3-1826

May Oakley son of May and Esther 11-3-1827. I have seen this male christian name in baptisms and marriages.

Selected occupations
Surgeon: George Spratt baptisms 1814, 1816.  Nathaniel Barlow 1833 – 1848
Schoolmaster: Henry Mullocks 1836-48
Cow doctor: Collop 1833 etc
Organ builder: Thomas King of High Ongar 1847
Drawing Instrument Maker: Francis Voisey of Blackmore 1856
Prostitute: Frederick base born son of Rebecca Sparrowhawk of Blackmore 31-10-1851
Fanny Piper illegitimate daughter of Eliza Sarah, domestic servant, of Blackmore born at Norton Mandeville. C. 19-2-1854

The following are not described as base born
Joseph Roast, son of John “Baker of Blackmore deserted his wife and family” and Harriet born at Writtle 26-10-1846 C. Blackmore 30-12-1855
and Sarah Ann, born at Writtle, Oct 1848. C. Blackmore 30-12-1855
Edward, born at Writtle 28-12-1852 C. Blackmore 30-12-1855
Charles Richard, born Chelmsford Union House C. Blackmore 30-12-1855 (and presumably an infant)

1663
William Boones base son of Philip daughter in law to Giles Batsford, C. May 5th

1836-7 Six burials record the cause of death
Males: Oct A2 Inflammation, Nov A55 Liver complaint, A70 Dysentry, Jun A50 Drowned.

Females: Dec B2 Inflammation Jan B59 Dropsy.

Saturday 10 May 2014

ESAH160: Blackmore's Bell Tower Tree-Ring Dated Ten Years A...

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Thursday 1 May 2014

Blackmore: The Bull Mayday! Mayday!

Bull Mayday

We have been here before of course (http://blackmorehistory.blogspot.co.uk/2013/05/blackmore-bull-planning-applications.html ).  The owner of the closed public house in Church Street has appealed against a planning decision to build houses and a car barn in the beer garden, and to make substantial alterations – removing the cellar, for example – which many believe would render the place unusable as an inn.  The Parish Council has written to local residents asking them to restate opposition to the plans (http://www.blackmorehistory.blogspot.co.uk/2014/04/blackmore-bull-planning-appeal-by-owner.html ).  The details of the plans were reported last year on this site (http://blackmorehistory.blogspot.co.uk/2013/04/blackmore-bull-planning-application.html ).  Send letters of objection in triplicate to The Planning Inspectorate, Room 3/18, Eagle Wing, Temple Quay House, 2 The Square, Temple Quay, Bristol, BS1 6PN

The Bull: Call to oppose planning appeal