Fryerning: Church Tower Ascent, 3 June 2017

It has been many years since I climbed St Mary's Church tower at Fryerning.  The church was open today for visitors. Here are some photographs:

Fine brick embattled tower at Fryerning: 79 steps to top

Roses in June

Lichen at top of tower

View over Ingatestone to Tilehurst and Bacons Farm

Ingatestone Church nestling in the Wid valley. Very little of Ingatestone can be seen

View west towards Kelvedon Hatch

View west towards Brentwood on high ground

Parish Cemetery below Fryerning Church

Looking east at Fryerning Hall

Churchyard and lychgate below

Ingatestone and The Great Essex Road (2): Fryerning Church Plate

Ingatestone and The Great Essex Road (1): Contents and Illustrations listing

‘Ingatestone and The Great Essex Road’ by E E Wilde (with four chapters on the early history by Mrs Archibald Christy) was published in 1913.  Even though it is now a hundred years old, the book contains a wide range of items of historical interest, as a copy of the Contents and Illustrations pages show.

CONTENTS

PART I

A SHORT ACCOUNT OF THE EARLY HISTORY OF INGATESTONE AND FRYERNING

BY MRS. ARCHIBALD CHRISTY

CHAPTER I. BEFORE THE SAXONS … 3

 II. THE MONTFICHETS … 10

 III. THE KNIGHTS HOSPITALLERS AND OTHERS … 20

IV. GINGATTESTONE MONASTERY … 30

PART II. THE PARISHES

BY E. E. WILDE

CHAPTER I. THE CHURCHES AND WORSHIP • 49

 II. FRYERNING CHURCH . • 61

 III. INGATESTONE CHURCH • 71

 IV. THE FONTS . . • 84

 V. BELLS AND BELL-FOUNDING • 98

 VI. BRASSES AT FRYERNING . 107

 VII. FRYERNING RECTORS, 1195-1687 110

 VIII. RECTOR D'OYLEY AND HIS PARISHIONERS • 136

 IX. FRYERNING RECTORS, 1733-1913 . • 146

 X. INGATESTONE RECTORS, 1370-1913 . • 164

 XI. THE REGISTERS . . . • 193

 XII. INSCRIPTIONS ON MONUMENTS AND TOMBSTONES • 205

 XIII. OTHER CHURCHES . 221

 XIV. CHARITIES . 225

 XV. SIR WILLIAM PETRE 229

 XVI. THE PETRE FAMILY 237

 XVII. PETRE MONUMENTS 251

 XVIII. DANIEL SUTTON AND INOCULATION   260

 XIX. SUTTON, HIS HOUSES AND HIS FAMILY  271

 XX. HOUSES . . . 278

 XXI. INNS AND TRADE TOKENS  320

XXII. NATURE . 335

 XXIII. DIALECT WORDS  345

xii  CONTENTS

PART III. THE GREAT EAST ROAD

CHAPTER I.  EARLY DAYS . . 349

 II. TUDOR AND STUART DAYS   360

 III.  As OTHERS SEE US .  368

 IV. TWO QUEENS AND A PRIZE FIGHT  376

 V. PASSERS BY . 389

PART IV. PAST ANDI FUTURE

CHAPTER I. YESTERDAY . • 399

II. TO-MORROW . 406

APPENDIX

A. EXTRACTS FROM CHARTERS AND OTHER DOCUMENTS • 409

B. FRYERNING CHURCH RESTORATION ACCOUNTS • 412

C. LISTS OF RECTORS, PRIESTS, AND MINISTERS . • 413

D. EXTRACTS FROM RECTOR HAWDEN'S WILL. RECTOR RALPH'S BOOKS .. • 416

E. NOTES ON REGISTERS, BY THE REV. O. W. TANCOCK, AND EXTRACTS FROM INGATESTONE REGISTERS • 418

F. CHARITIES . 454

G. FRYERNING FIELD-NAMES • 463

H. FRYERNING VESTRY ACCOUNTS * . .468

I. EXTRACTS FROM FRYERNING MANOR COURT ROLLS * AND ARCHDEACON'S BOOKS 471

K. A. E. I. O. U. . 475

L. NAMES OF PARISHES AND HOUSES FOUND IN OLD MAPS, DEEDS, AND BOOKS 475

M. NOTES ON INGATESTONE CHURCH PLATE, BY THE REV. W. J. PRESSEY • 477

INDEX OF NAMES • 478

SUBJECT INDEX . • 487

* We only had access to these after the book was in the hands of the Printer. See Preface.

LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS

I am indebted to several friends for many of the pictures, and to them I tender my sincere thanks.

1. Sir William Petre, from Holbein's painting at Thorndon Hall. Donald Macbeth. Frontistiece

2. Seal of Barking Abbey   11

3. Ingatestone Church, showing entrance to Rood-loft E. E. W.   53

4. Fryerning Church . , Mr. E. H. N. Wilde. 61

5. Fryerning Church. Interior “ 65

6. Fryerning Church Plate" 70

7. Ingatestone Church . . E. E.W. 71

8. Ingatestone Church. Nave with hour-glass 74

9. Fryerning Font. Sun, Moon, and Stars . 84

10. “ Tree of Jesse .. 84

11. “ Vine . . 91

12. “ Cross and Crown . 91

13. Abbess Roding Font. The Eight Stars . 93

14. “ The Four Planets in Earth's shadow 93

15. “ Vine 93

16. Little Laver Font. The Seven Planets and Lilies 94

17. “ Vine and Rose and Hortus Inclusus 94

18.. Blackmore Church . . . . . . 103

19. Blackmore. Tomb of Thomas and Margaret Smyth (d. 1594) Miss G. A.Jones 103

20. Fryerning Church. Berners Brass . . Mr. Miller Christy 107

21. “,(Fragments)  107

22. Fryerning Register. Rector's and Churchwardens' signatures Mr. E.H.N. Wilde 193

23. lngatestone Register . . . . E. E. W. 203

24. Fryerning Churchyard, with Disney Tomb 205

25. lngatestone Church. Petre Monument . 205

26. Ginge Petre Hospital . . Mr. E. H. N. Wilde 225

27. Sir William Petre's Tomb in Ingatestone Church 229

28. lngatestone Hall . E. E. W. 236

29. Sir William Petre 251

30. Dame Anne Petre Mr. E. H. N. Wilde 252

31. Lord Petre's Monument in Ingatestone Church Vestry E. E. W .  253

32. Daniel Sutton (from a Pastel Drawing)  Arthur V Elsden  271

33. Fryerning Hall. Oak Room .  E.E.W.  279

34. “ Oak Bedroom . . “  280

35.  “ Linen-fold Panelling  Miss N M Wood  281

36.  “ Oak Moulding and Panelling  “ 281

37. Fryerning-Hall. From garden . Mrs Rankin   282

38. Burrins Pond, Furze Hall . .E.E.W.  282

39. Furze Halll . . . Mr E. H. N. Wilde   287

40. Dutch Fire-back. Ingatestone Grange    Mr J P T Foster  289

41. Huskards . . Mrs Rankin  290

42. Fryerning Parish Room . . “ 290

43. Thomas Hollis (from a painting made in by Rome by R. Wilson) .  .E.E.W.  293

 44. Thomas Brand Hollis (from a drawing by Pozzi)   Donald Macbeth  294

45. Ingatestone Hall   E.E.W.  299

46. “ Facing the Lime-Walk  “ 303

47. “ Entrance Gate . “  304

48. “ Old Barn “ 305

49. Old Mill Green House (from an old sand picture in the possession of Mr. Clift)  E.E.W.  308

50. St. Leonards .  Mr R Miller  313

51. Potter's Row Farm, Mill Green .   E.E.W.  317

52. Seventeenth-century Mantelpiece, with Eighteenth-century Hot-Air Stove, Eagle Inn .  “ 327

53. Eighteenth-century Stove, “  327

54. “  327

55. Ingatestone High Street (from an old print) Mr. E. H. N. Wilde 329

56. Ingatestone Tradesmen's Tokens (seventeenth century) Donald Macbeth  333

57. Hall Mark on Fryerning Paten Mr. E. H. N. Wilde   333

58. Great Oak and Fryeming Hall E. E. W.  336

59. Old Cottages, Beggar Hill  “  349

60. Fryerning Fair . . . Mrs. Rankin  362

61. Will Kempec and Tom Slye . Miss N. M. Wood   362

62. Ingatestone, from Churchyard E. E. W.  370

63. Ingatestone Street, with Bell Inn . . “ 370

64. Old Cottages in Ingatestone Street, formerly Poor House Miss D. Rock   399

65. Joseph Poole, clerk, and William Asher, sexton, Ingatestone (from old photograph) Fred Spalding & Sons, Chelmsford  400

LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS   XV

MAPS AND PLANS

I. Map of Ingatestone and Fryerning 

2. Plan of Hide Hall in 1731 (from an old plan in the possession of Mr Norton Disney)  Mr. Donald Salter 299

3. Map of Eastern Counties River Basins (by kind permission of Dr. H R Mill and the British Rainfall Organization) . 339

4. Map of Afternoon Storms of June 24, 1897 Mr. Donald Salter  344

5. Ogilvy’s Road Map, c. 1722 . . . . E. E. W. 368

6. Map of Essex, by Thomas Kitchen (from England illustrated, 1764)    at end.

"Ingatestone and The Great Essex Road - with Fryerning"

On the 'Feast of Epiphany, 1913' E E Wilde sat down and wrote the Preface to her book on the history of the parish where she lived: 'Ingatestone and The Great Essex Road - with Fryerning'.  

" ... When first I came to this country place it seemed to me there was little if any history connected with it, but it was not long before I changed my mind.  First, the countless Roman bricks built into Fryerning Church walls met my eye Sunday after Sunday; then, wandering into Ingatestone Church, Sir William Petre's monument spoke loudly of Tudor days; and next, more slowly but perhaps more insistently, was borne upon me the part that our road had played in English history; and always there remained the old Fryerning font, with its astronomical problem.  Partly for my own amusement, partly for that of a dear old friend who stayed with me at the time, I began to piece together various historic facts that had touched our village, some of which I used for a paper read at our small Historical Society at Blackmore, and intended writing a short sketch of the parish, as I found many people were interested in my idea."

This 488-page book, now celebrating its centenary, is a very interesting and recommended read.  An outline and pictures from the book will appear on this blog during 2013.

Blackmore: Crickitt and Disney family link

Received 22 August 2012

Hello

I left a comment re Crickitt family just now on you blog? I hope it was yours anyway.

When I checked my family tree I saw that one of Charles Crickitt's daughters from whom I am descended, Susanna Alexander, married William Lamont in 1802 Blackmore church. . They had several children one of whom, Matilda Georgiana married an Irish Kilkenney Fusilier Captain O'Fflahertie at the British embassy in Paris and they had a daughter Flora Giorgiana who married a Lambert Brouckner Disney b 1838 who gives his birthplace as The Hyde, Essex and father Edgar.

I have banns and wedding cert I could send but not on this iPad - if you are interested let me know and I will send, I think they moved to America.

I hope you will get back to me!

Anne Walker (Mousehold)

Replied 22 August 2012

Dear Anne

Thank you for your blog entry regarding the Crickitt family and your e > mail which links the Crickitt's with the Disney family.  Edgar Disney (1810-1881) has a memorial in Blackmore Church and was also a benefactor to  the church's restoration in 1877. The Disney's tomb is in the adjacent  parish of Fryerning.

I would be interested to see a copy of the banns and wedding certificate. It all adds to the story of the village.

Regards

Andrew

Fryerning: Diamond Jubilee

A photograph of St Mary's Church, Fryerning 

taken at about 9.00am on Tuesday 5 June 2012 - while it was still sunny!

Fryerning: Writtle Forest

Inspired by David Hockney exhibition.  Felled trees in Writtle Forest

BLACKMORE HISTORY NEWS - April 2012

Welcome to this month’s round-up of local history and heritage in and around Blackmore, Essex.

Blackmore Ancestors

My booklet, previously called ‘Hatched, Matched and Despatched’, has had a makeover and is now available again as ‘Blackmore Ancestors’.  The 24-page booklet “does not regurgitate the contents of the [Baptism, Marriage and Burial] Registers [of Blackmore, Essex] but uses two late Victorian sources – one written appropriately in the year of Queen Victoria’s Diamond Jubilee (1897) – to comment on the social changes of the parish over the past 400 years”.  It is available from Megarrys and the local church, priced £2, and sold in aid of funds for the Priory Church of St Laurence, Blackmore.

Titanic connections

An event which cannot be avoided on television at the present time is the maiden voyage and sinking to the SS Titanic one hundred years’ ago on 15 April.  The Catholic Priest of St Helen’s Church, Ongar, was one of those who perished.  Father Andrew writes in the Spring 2012 edition of the Stondon Massey News (follow link http://www.stondonmasseypc.co.uk/local-information/parish-magazine/ ) how Father Thomas Byles helped women and children get into the few lifeboats which were available and how he ministered to those who would likely perish by giving absolution and blessings.  “he then began the recitation of the rosary”.  Many times Father Byles was asked to board a lifeboat, but he refused.  A survivor recalled that he could distinctly hear the priest’s voice as his craft left the stricken vessel.  Father Byles is commemorated in a stained glass window at the church: “Pray for the Reverend Thomas Byles, for eight years Rector of this Mission, whose heroic death in the disaster to SS Titanic, earnestly devoting his last moments to the religious consolation of his fellow passengers, this window commemorates.”

Scott of the Antarctic

Less has been made in the media of the expedition by Captain Scott and his comrades one hundred years ago – which is a shame.  The party were just a few days too late to be the first to reach the South Pole and all perished on their return journey.  Captain Oates, whose family lived at Gestingthorpe in the north of Essex, is famously recorded as saying “I am just stepping outside for a moment … “.

Miscellaneous

Blackmore:  ‘Antique Road Trip’ televised 21 February 2012.  Megarrys in Blackmore village green featured.  http://www.antique-teashop.co.uk/?p=638

Fryerning: Unusual church photo. http://ellispictures.com/2012/02/24/the-church-at-fryerning/

High Ongar:  British Legion branch closes after 82 years. http://www.thisistotalessex.co.uk/post-British-legion/story-15351662-detail/story.html

Ingatestone:  Old bottles discovered on High Street fire station site.  Former dump.  http://www.thisistotalessex.co.uk/Old-bottles-unearthed-builders-dig-deeply/story-15587726-detail/story.html

Stondon Massey:  William Byrd article ahead of Cardinall Musick’s tour.  http://www.ft.com/cms/s/2/73e967be-597c-11e1-abf1-00144feabdc0.html#axzz1qfnHxThM .  For more visit http://www.williambyrdfestival.blogspot.com

Writtle:  Lead stolen – again.  It is part of a major problem in which thieves target historic buildings for personal gain, which caring one jot about the consequences on the local churchgoers and community.  Hands off I say!!   http://www.thisistotalessex.co.uk/Writtle-church-victim-second-lead-theft/story-15295682-detail/story.html

Links

For an extensive list of links to other sites go to: http://www.blackmorehistory.co.uk/externallinks.html  

Fryerning: Conebeare family

Received 13 February 2012

Dear Andrew

I am researching for a biography of Charles Conybeare, born in 1853 at Ingatestone. Charles became a Barrister, like his father and also a MP. I wondered whether you have any knowledge of local sources of papers or records about the Conybeare family. The family lived at St Leonard's Grange, Fryerning in the 1880s.

Dean

Replied 10 March 2012

Hello Dean.  The obvious places to look are census records and parish registers for Fryerning.  E E Wilde mentions Fryerning Grange in her book ‘Ingatestone and the Great Essex Road with Fryerning’ (1913).

“Fryerning Grange, formerly Blankets.  Blankets was one of many old small farmhouses of the neighbourhood. It was pulled down about 1870 by Mr Parkinson, who built the present house on the site of the old one, did away with the ancient name of Blankets, and called it Fryerning Grange.  Mr Parkinson was also responsible for enclosing a piece of roadside waste on Beggar Hill, near the present pump; it is now planted with white poplars, but the double hedge remains, and middle-aged men remember playing on that ground as boys.  He also attempted to close the footpath running from Fryerning Road to Beggar Hill, but after many lively scenes, when Mr H G Conybeare and his brother assisted in destroying the obstacles erected on the path, the path was preserved for public use.  Behind the house lies a field, marked on the Tithe Map ‘Church Field’; owner, Mr E Sikes.” (page 280)

Regards

Andrew

Received 10 March 2012

Thanks Andrew. I had read a little about the rights of way argument. I shall have to have a few days in the area. I have exhausted the census info on the Ancestry site and elsewhere on the net. Currently reading about the Irish evictions.

Dean

Ingatestone & Fryerning: Postcards

Ingatestone Station - at the beginning of the twentieth century

A series of postcards from the early twentieth century of Ingatestone and Fryerning has just been published on the accompanying website. It is possible for the reader to take a figure of eight walk from the railway station to see all the views.  Go to: http://www.blackmorehistory.co.uk/ingatestone_postcards.html

Ongar: Roll of Honour in new Health Centre (2)

Received  11 July 2011

Hi! Again Andrew.

On the final approach now to the last of the names for the new Ongar and District roll.

One of the links on your site took me to Fryerning Church. See the following link that may explain more.

http://www.cwgc.org/search/casualty_details.aspx?casualty=2935968

[Gordon Daubeney Gresley Elton. Captain. Royal Irish Fusiliers. Died: 5 November 1917]

Did he have any connection with any villages on the old roll?

Regards Derek.

Replied  16 July 2011

Hello Derek.

Gordon Daubeney Gresley Elton is not anywhere on my list.  Fryerning Church contains many memorials so it might be worth a visit?

Andrew

BLACKMORE HISTORY NEWS - August 2011

Welcome to this month’s round-up of local history and heritage in and around Blackmore, Essex.

Books for Sale

‘William Byrd: Some Notes’ is just one of many titles now available from Megarry’s Antique and Tea Shop on The Green at Blackmore (open Wednesdays through to Sundays).  Judy, the owner, has given some space over to the sale of books in aid of church funds, which are £2.00 each.  Megarry’s is a traditional antique shop which has tea and cake available for those who wish to stay a while.  The owner has been awarded the top (five star) rating for food preparation and hygiene from the local authority.  Books available also include, in an ever changing selection:  ‘A Short History of Blackmore’, ‘The Bell Tower at Blackmore’ and the Church Guide Book.  ‘Hatched, Matched and Despatched’, which tells the story of Blackmore’s parish registers (BMD) is out of print but the text is available online.  A completely new edition will be written in due course.  For more information on Megarry’s follow this link: http://www.teashopblackmore.co.uk/essex_antiques.htm

Reeve trilogy

Fascinating material has been received of the life and times of family during the early nineteenth century.  Two commonplace books, one by Edward Reeve (1785 – 1867) written towards the end of his life at Ongar, and the other ‘Jottings’ (dating from 1881) by his grandson Edward Henry Lisle Reeve – Rector of Stondon Massey between 1893 and 1935 – are being edited and transcribed into three booklets which will go on sale this autumn.  The project is well under way.

Blackmore Area Local History

The site continues to grow thanks to correspondence with people interested in local history and family heritage.  Keeping up with postings is always a challenge given other commitment but hopefully many answers can be found by visitors.

Primarily the website (http://www.blackmorehistory.co.uk ) covers the parishes of Blackmore, Stondon Massey, Ingatestone and Fryerning but with coverage of neighbouring parishes too: Highwood and Writtle, Norton Mandeville, Willingale, High Ongar, Doddinghurst, Shenfield and Mountnessing.

The blog covers a wider area but is more focussed on those villages listed above.  Follow these links to see what is available parish by parish:

Blackmore http://www.blackmorehistory.blogspot.com/search/label/Blackmore

Stondon Massey http://www.blackmorehistory.blogspot.com/search/label/Stondon%20Massey

Ingatestone http://www.blackmorehistory.blogspot.com/search/label/Ingatestone

Fryerning  http://www.blackmorehistory.blogspot.com/search/label/Fryerning

Writtle http://www.blackmorehistory.blogspot.com/search?q=writtle

Highwood  http://www.blackmorehistory.blogspot.com/search?q=highwood

Norton Mandeville (which includes Norton Heath) http://www.blackmorehistory.blogspot.com/search?q=Norton

Willingale (which includes the ancient parishes of Willingale Doe and Willingale Spain) http://www.blackmorehistory.blogspot.com/search/label/Willingale

High Ongar   http://www.blackmorehistory.blogspot.com/search/label/High%20Ongar

Doddinghurst   http://www.blackmorehistory.blogspot.com/search/label/Doddinghurst

Shenfield   http://www.blackmorehistory.blogspot.com/search/label/Shenfield

Mountnessing  http://www.blackmorehistory.blogspot.com/search/label/Mountnessing

Links

For an extensive list of links to other sites go to: http://www.blackmorehistory.co.uk/externallinks.html

BLACKMORE HISTORY NEWS - February 2011

Welcome to this month’s round-up of local history and heritage in and around Blackmore, Essex.

Postcard Collection

Over the coming weeks Blackmore Area Local History will be uploading copies of old postcards. One hundred years ago these were the e mail or twitter of their day. Fortunately the pictures on the front, as well as sometimes the comments made by the writer, can be very interesting to local and family historians. The card illustrated is of Nine Ashes Farm, technically in High Ongar parish. Last year the building was extensively renovated. For a while the infilling of the walls was removed to expose the timber framing, and I regret now not taking a photograph of the twisted hedgerow trees which were fashioned by skilful carpenters to create the Grade II listed sixteenth century, or before, building.

Flicker pictures

Fryerning Church: http://www.flickr.com/photos/cy-46nikon/5335919737/galleries/

Mountnessing Windmill: http://www.flickr.com/photos/21898360@N07/5375737609/

Ingatestone Secondary School remembered

The school which became the Anglo European School in 1973 is remembered by a local resident: http://www.thisistotalessex.co.uk/news/Gran-s-learning-computers/article-3085458-detail/article.html

West Horndon on Wikipedia

Go to http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/West_Horndon?oldid=0

William Byrd Festival

The ‘William Byrd Festival’ will be held at St Peter & St Paul Church, Stondon Massey, on 7, 8, 14 & 15 May 2011. For the latest information visit http://www.williambyrdfestival.blogspot.com.

A Folk Song A Day

Don’t forget the marvellous site http://www.afolksongaday.com

Links

For an extensive list of links to other sites go to: http://www.blackmorehistory.co.uk/externallinks.html

Ingatestone: Beard family at The Viper

Received
21 August 2010

Dear Andrew

Saw here that three generations of the Beard family ran the Viper in Ingatestone: http://blackmorehistory.blogspot.com/2009/03/ingatestone-viper-mill-green.html

Do you know much about them? Doing a bit of family history: (www.beardsofessex.com)

Jon Beard

Replied
22 August 2010

Dear Jon

The Viper is one of the best pubs around here: it that has always had a reputation for good beer and homely cooked honest food. It’s everything you would expect a traditional public house to be. The Beards would not sell a pint which looked remotely cloudy. The final Beard landlord was Roger. Before him, his father Fred was the licensee. I don’t know anything of the family. One suggestion to you is that you pay a visit to the pub and get talking to the locals. A fine excuse for some research!

Regards
Andrew

Replied
19 September 2010

Jon

I visited the pub yesterday. Whilst serving my pint, the Bar Manager told me that the Beard family was at the Viper from 1938 to “to about six or seven years ago” (c2004). There is an interesting link, showing a picture of the first generation (of three) of Beard landlord and landladies: http://deadpubs.co.uk/EssexPubs/Ingatestone/viper.shtml

Andrew

Blackmore: Finding Ernest Knight

Finding the elusive Ernest Knight

A name not recorded on the War Memorial or the Church Window is an Ernest Knight. The database ‘Soldiers who Died in the Great War’ lists his name as having been born in Blackmore, enlisting at Epping, and being resident in Magdalen Laver. He served in the Essex Regiment, 6th Battalion and died in Palestine on 2nd January 1918.

Further details could not immediately be found on the ‘Commonwealth War Graves Commission’ website.

Our next lead was the Essex Regiment Museum database in Chelmsford where we were able to confirm details and add the fact that he was the son of Mr & Mrs D Knight of Keepers Lodge, Wintry Park, Epping. His full name was Ernest Samuel Knight. He died at the age of 21, thus giving him a birth year of 1896.

A search for an Ernest Knight born at this time did not reveal his name on the Statutory Register for the Ongar Registration District.

His name could not be found in the Baptism Register of St Laurence Church, Blackmore for 1896 and afterwards. We found that perhaps he had older siblings baptised: Joseph George on 2nd July 1893 and George, baptised on 23rd June 1895, to parents David and Emma Knight.

Remembering that names could be inverted we looked at the CWGC website again for an ‘S Knight’ and found his details under Samuel Ernest Knight. Who were we looking for? Was it someone by the name of Ernest or someone by the name of Samuel?

There was no Blackmore Parish Register entry for either an Ernest or Samuel Knight.

Progress was slow and seemed to be coming to a stalemate.

The 1901 census revealed two Knight families in Blackmore. These were:

1. Ingatestone Road, Blackmore
David Knight. Head. Married. [Age] 18. Milkman (to cattle) on farm. [Born] Blackmore
Emma Knight. Wife. Married. [Age] 19. [Born] Blackmore

2. Chelmsford Road
David Knight. Head. Married. [Age] 42. Horseman on Farm. [Born] Fryerning
Emma Knight. Wife. Married. [Age] 39. [Born] Chelmsford
William Knight. Son. [Age] 14. Grocers Errand Boy [Born] Blackmore
Agnes Knight. [Age] 11. [Born] Blackmore
George Knight. [Age] 6. [Born] Blackmore
Elizabeth Knight. [Age] 4. [Born] Blackmore

There were two households, each with David and Emma and adult occupants but no Ernest or Samuel.

More detective work was necessary. A search of the Internet revealed a site listing the descendents of Thomas Knight of Blackmore (1775 – 1835). It is large site (part of http://www.myfamilytree.110mb.com/) and is the work of Rosalind Lloyd, created in 2002. It stated that “A second Emma Rebecca Knight is buried in Magdalen Laver with her husband David, this is the couple who were living at Gander Hall Blackmore Road rather than the couple I have linked to this tree who were living in Chelmsford Road in Blackmore in 1901”. [http://www.myfamilytree.110mb.com/Knight/ pafg03.htm]. Could this be the family we were looking for?

I contacted Rosalind Lloyd who admitted that “There are a lot of Knights who lived in the Blackmore area, so it's not surprising that you are finding the research confusing.”

Ancestry had the following information about this family on the 1901 census.
Gander Hall, Blackmore Road, Ingatestone
David Knight. Head. Married. [Age] 38 Agricultural Labourer. [Born] Highwood
Emma Knight. Wife. [Age] 37. [Born] Ingatestone
Alfred Knight. Son. [Age] 18. Worker. [Born] Roxwell
William Knight. Son. [Age] 16. Worker [Born] Roxwell
Arthur Knight. Son. [Age] 13. Worker. [Born] Highwood
George Knight. Son. [Age] 7. [Born] Fryerning
Ernest Knight. Son. [Age] 4. [Born] Fryerning
Ada Knight. Dau. [Age] 11. [Born] Fryerning
Dorothy Knight. Dau. [Age] 2. [Born] Fryerning

The 1911 census showed the family living at Cold Harbour, High Ongar. Ernest, and the other younger siblings were said to have been born in Blackmore, not Fryerning.

There were two further lines of enquiry. Firstly, to see whether the village of Magdalen Laver has a War Memorial and, if so, see whether an E or S Knight was commemorated. Secondly, we needed to establish whether the family lived outside Blackmore and was covered by a Blackmore postal address, as had been established with Frederick and Charles Root, living at “Horsfrith via Blackmore” or Fred Garnham, living at “Radley Green via Blackmore” on the electoral roll for 1914.

Having been to a ‘Through Changing Scenes’ history event at Magdalen Laver a few years ago and purchased a booklet on the villages history I read that thirteen names of those who fell in the First World War are recorded on the War Memorial outside the church.

I went to the quiet church in the fields at Magdalen Laver to see the War Memorial and have found on the list ‘E Knight’. The 1918 Electoral Roll for the Epping Division [ERO C/E 2/1/3, viewed online] has a David Knight and Emma Rebecca Knight living at Hall Lodge. The fact that the name of the mother was Emma Rebecca suggested fact that surely these must have been the same parents of a 4 year old Ernest living at Gander Hall, Blackmore Road in the 1901 census?

Gander Hall Cottage, (CM4 0SG) is in Chelmsford Road, Blackmore [http://www.zoopla.co.uk/home-values/essex/blackmore/chelmsford-road/]. It is opposite Spriggs Lane [source: Google]. It looked as if Ernest Knight was born in Blackmore after all.

But there was a problem. The 1901 census referred to the Gander Hall as being in Blackmore Road, Ingatestone. A fellow researcher commented, “It's very unusual for the census return to be as much in error as to assign a property to the wrong parish.”

Perhaps there was a Gander Hall on the Blackmore Road nearer to Ingatestone near Fryerning Church? The only way to solve the mystery was to visit the Essex Record Office to look at the census piece and work out the route the enumerator took to call at Gander Hall.

On inspection of the census return for Ingatestone and Fryerning parish for 1901, Gander Hall is the first entry on one of three census returns for the parish of Ingatestone and Fryerning. There are two properties labelled ‘Gander Hall’ with the third in the sequence being ‘Howletts Hall’. This matches the sequence of properties in what we know as Chelmsford Road, Blackmore. An inspection of a six inch to one mile map dated 1923 shows that these properties were outside of the Blackmore parish boundary although the road in front of the properties was in Blackmore.

There was one matter to settle. Was Ernest Knight baptised at Fryerning Church?
The Baptism Register for Fryerning [ERO D/P 249/1/7] has the following entries for Ernest’s younger siblings: Dorothy Emma Knight, and Ethel Susan Knight, daughters of David and Emma Rebecca Knight were both baptised on 14th July 1901.

We have not found any record of Ernest Knight other than in the census returns but are convinced that although technically his place of birth was Fryerning, it would be incorrect to disregard the family as having no connection with Blackmore.

We will include Ernest Knight on our Roll of Honour.

BLACKMORE HISTORY NEWS - June 2010

Welcome to this month’s round-up of local history and heritage in and around Blackmore, Essex.

Listed Building to be bought for £1

Blackmore, Hook End and Wyatts Green Parish Council are about to purchase a listed building for just £1. The telephone box which stands outside the Post Office has been declared redundant by BT and will have its equipment removed. It is a traditional K6 variety designed about 1935 by Sir Giles Gilbert Scott and has been accorded Grade II listed status, probably because of its location. Parish Councils across the land are being asked to “Adopt a Red Telephone Kiosk” rather than see them disappear from our streetscape. We reported on a similar situation at Stondon Massey in January 2009. The Council “agreed that the kiosk located in Blackmore Village would be purchased, at a nominal fee of £1 but the kiosk in Wyatts Green should be removed by BT.” A photograph of the telephone box to be preserved was published in ‘Blackmore Area Local History News’ in December 2009. Photographed this month is the ill-fated kiosk at Wyatts Green.

Listed Buildings

‘British Listed Buildings’ appears to be newly-published on the website. The pages are arranged parish by parish.
Ingatestone & Fryerning: http://www.britishlistedbuildings.co.uk/england/essex/ingatestone+and+fryerning
This includes Howletts Hall (Grade II listed) on the Chelmsford Road which is commonly regarded as being in Blackmore but, as I found when investigating an Ernest Knight of neighbouring Ganders Hall, is actually just over the parish boundary.
An overview of Essex parishes can be found by taking the following link: http://www.britishlistedbuildings.co.uk/england/essex
This means links for ‘Blackmore Area Local History’ parishes are:
Blackmore: http://www.britishlistedbuildings.co.uk/england/essex/blackmore
Doddinghurst: http://www.britishlistedbuildings.co.uk/england/essex/doddinghurst
High Ongar: http://www.britishlistedbuildings.co.uk/england/essex/high+ongar
Mountnessing: http://www.britishlistedbuildings.co.uk/england/essex/mountnessing
Norton Mandeville: not listed
Shenfield: not listed
Stondon Massey: http://www.britishlistedbuildings.co.uk/england/essex/stondon+massey
Willingale: http://www.britishlistedbuildings.co.uk/england/essex/willingale
Writtle: http://www.britishlistedbuildings.co.uk/england/essex/writtle

Cooperative at Blackmore

Chelmsford Star Coop took over the Nisa store in the centre of Blackmore village on 20 April 2010.

Roman Discovery at Harlow

A Roman brick kiln has been discovered by workers building at new playground at Prentice Place, Potter Street, Harlow. The place name is a bit of a giveaway. For more information see: http://www.harlowherald.co.uk/content/hlwherald/news/story.aspx?brand=HLHOnline&category=NewsHarlow&tBrand=HertsCambsOnline&tCategory=newslatestHLH&itemid=WEED29%20Apr%202010%2009%3A15%3A30%3A293

War Memorial Research Project Group

The work of this Group to identify all the names carved on Blackmore’s War Memorial has been completed and online publication is now under way. If you have any information on those who died or survived from Blackmore and the surrounding area from the First World War we would be very pleased to hear from you.

Supporting ‘Help For Heroes’

Lyndon March, whose family originally hail from Ingatestone, and Connor Mayes (otherwise referred to as ‘The Dynamic Duo’) are a couple of teenagers who will be taking part in a 350 mile sponsored bicycle ride from London to Paris in support of ‘Help For Heroes’. You can follow and support their fund raising efforts on http://connormayes.blogspot.com/2010/04/blackmore-area-local-history-essex-home.html. They tell me that for every £10 they raise Virgin Giving will be donating a further £2.95 towards their target of £3,000. I am delighted to lend my support to them and their cause. Come on lads!!!

Family Histories

New online:
Adams family, of Doddinghurst, Blackmore and Brentwood: http://www.lintywhite.com/adams.html
Memories of the Buttle family at Stondon Massey are shared on ‘Francis Frith’: http://www.francisfrith.com/stondon-massey/memories/my-time-spent-in-stondon-massey_140471/

Links

A countryside walk taking ramblers on a circular route via Norton Mandeville and Blackmore has been published online at http://mediafiles.thedms.co.uk/Publication/EE-Ess/cms/pdf/9%20Countryside%20Walks%20in%20Brentwood%20-%20Blackmore%20&%20Norton%20Mandeville.pdf

A new website for the churches of Greensted, Stanford Rivers, Stapleford Tawney and Theydon Mount has been published: http://highcountry.org.uk/

For an extensive list of links to other sites go to: http://www.blackmorehistory.co.uk/externallinks.html

BLACKMORE HISTORY NEWS - December 2009

Welcome to this month’s round-up of local history and heritage in and around Blackmore, Essex.

Christmas Greetings

Blackmore Post Office, on a snowy day in February 2009.

The Making of Modern Britain

Andrew Marr’s prequel to the ‘History of Modern Britain’ is completing its six programme run on BBC television. ‘The Making of Modern Britain’ covers the period from the death of Queen Victoria in 1901 to the end of the Second World War in 1945. Programme 4, which covered the 1920s, is of local interest. Part of the programme is devoted to the development of radio. There is a scene outside the Marconi works at Chelmsford, and the recollection of Dame Nellie Melba’s visit to the town in 1920 to broadcast songs across the wireless. The film then moves to the green at Writtle and village sign to tell how regular weekly broadcasts began in February 1922 in an ex-army hut with the call sign 2MT. The broadcasts were planned in the former Cock and Bell pub, now the Blue Bridge restaurant. Viewers see a shot of this building. E P Eckersley was the first presenter from whom Marr says “Terry Wogan. Late Night Talk Shows and Radio One all began”. An item on 2 Emma Tock (2MT) Writtle appears on the blog this month. Mention was also made that Winston Churchill was returned in the 1920s as a Conservative MP for Epping. This great man appears in every programme, such was his stature in Britain and British politics. The accompanying book is highly recommended to me by a friend.


Gardeners World

Also on TV, Carol Klein charted the role of women in horticulture in a special edition of Gardeners World. She visited Warley Place telling the story of Ellen Wilmott, one of the greatest plants-women of the early twentieth century. The grounds are now in the hands of the Essex Wildlife Trust.


Dudness. Essex. Where is it?

Braisher T (aka Tamsin) wrote recently on http://www.forum.familyhistory.uk.com/showthread.php?t=12269:

“Hi. One of my ancestors is repeatedly listed on censuses as having been born in Dudness, Essex. Web searches only show up other census entries for Dudness - I can't find any reference to a past or present place with this name! Anyone have any ideas?”

… later adding …

“I've found another return for the same ancestor with what looks to be Dodenhurst. So maybe Dudness could be a contraction of Doddinghurst in Brentwood? Or maybe that's just wishful thinking!”

I can actually say with some confidence that the parish in question is Doddinghurst. When my grandfather signed up for a second tour of duty in the Army following the First World War his papers say he was born in “Doddnerst”. (He wasn’t born there but that is not the point.) Put on an Essex accent and you end up with various spellings. Durrant’s Handbook of Essex 1887 – produced in Chelmsford - (p91) refers to “Doddinghurst (often pronounced Dod’n’st)”. Good luck in finding your Duddinghurst ancestors!


High Ongar War Memorial

Thanks to Paul HP, a record of the names on the War Memorial at High Ongar is recorded on ‘Flicker’. Follow this link to Private George William Wright (mistakenly transcribed as C. W. Wright) and others. http://www.flickr.com/photos/harlowirish/2650362307/
http://www.flickr.com/photos/harlowirish/2650355825/in/set-72157606060437269/
The whole set for St Mary’s Church, High Ongar and the War Memorial can be viewed on http://www.flickr.com/photos/harlowirish/sets/72157606060437269/.


‘Harlow Irish’ Essex Sets

Paul HP is a prolific photographer and contributor to ‘Flicker’. He covers the following parishes:
Abbess Roding (St Edmund’s Church): http://www.flickr.com/photos/harlowirish/sets/72157606186424388/
Beauchamp Roding (St Botolph’s Church): http://www.flickr.com/photos/harlowirish/sets/72157606166867196/
Berners Roding (redundant church of All Saints): http://www.flickr.com/photos/harlowirish/sets/72157606167114963/
Fryerning (St Mary the Virgin): http://www.flickr.com/photos/harlowirish/sets/72157605988835733/
Greensted-juxta-Ongar (St Andrew’s Church): http://www.flickr.com/photos/harlowirish/sets/72157606056093562/
High Laver (St Andrew’s Church): http://www.flickr.com/photos/harlowirish/sets/72157606094038559/
Little Laver (St Mary The Virgin): http://www.flickr.com/photos/harlowirish/sets/72157606201886616/
Magdalen Laver (St Mary’s Church): http://www.flickr.com/photos/harlowirish/sets/72157605980880193/
Matching (St Mary The Virgin): http://www.flickr.com/photos/harlowirish/sets/72157606202687060/
Norton Mandeville (All Saints’ Church): http://www.flickr.com/photos/harlowirish/sets/72157606226657703/
Willingale (St Christopher’s Church, Willingale Doe & St Andrew’s Church, Willingale Spain): http://www.flickr.com/photos/harlowirish/sets/72157606073345672/

Finally for the whole Essex collection go to http://www.flickr.com/photos/harlowirish/collections/72157607893278437/


Porter Family in Writtle

Andrea63 on Genes Reunited gives some information about the Porter family of Writtle, who emigrated to Australia, but asks questions about “joining the dots”. See link: http://www.rootschat.com/forum/index.php?topic=418197.msg2837844;topicseen


Blackmore Families Index

Some Blackmore families on the web:
Arthy: http://www.earthy.net/Essex2_census.html
Sutton: http://www.sevenoaksart.co.uk/sutton.htm
Wakelin: http://www.researchmyfamily.com/McGg80.htm
Woolley: http://homepage.ntlworld.com/d.tappin/DataWOOLLEY.htm


William Byrd Biography

Another biography of the local Elizabethan composer of Stondon Massey has appeared on the internet. Go to: http://arts.jrank.org/pages/1058/William-Byrd.html


A Civilian in The Second World War: The Diaries of E J Rudsdale

Eric Rudsdale (1910 – 1951) was a curator at Colchester Castle Museum in Essex. Since the age of 10 he had kept a diary but, feeling that the outbreak of the Second World War was a tumultuous moment decided to maintain regular entries about the north Essex town and its area. “The aim of this blog is to show, through Eric’s observations, how the town and the people he knew were directly affected by war. The diary extracts, therefore, have been edited to reflect this aim and, as Eric did not always write an entry in his diary every day, there are days when no entry appears in this account. Where necessary, short commentaries will be provided to give the historical context for the events he describes in his journal.” Although not in our area this is a ‘Blog of Note’ for all historians and recorders. http://www.wwar2homefront.blogspot.com/


1939 Census

The BBC has reported calls for a census taken on the outbreak of the Second World War to be released. The emergency headcount was taken for the purpose of issuing Identity Cards. After the 1921 census, which is due for release in 2022, genealogists will have to wait a whole generation for more data to be made available. A census was not taken in 1941, and the 1931 census was destroyed by fire. For more on 1939 see: http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/magazine/8363341.stm


Essex Police

Martyn Lockwood has written a new book entitled ‘The Essex Police Force’ covering 170 of policing in the county. For more follow: http://www.gazette-news.co.uk/news/4762543.POLICE_FORCE_THROUGH_THE_AGES/


Blackmore Area Local History

This project is now two years old so it is appropriate to take stock and announce plans for 2010.

The database continues to grow with at least 50 pages now on the main website and 350 entries on this blog. Without having a hit counter on this blog it is difficult to know the number of people who visit but in the first year of its operation (to 31 October 2009), the main site http://www.blackmorehistory.co.uk/ received 514 visitors.

Between 2005 and 2008 I was involved in producing scripts for two productions of ‘Through Changing Scenes’ at the churches of Blackmore and Stondon Massey. The event led to the creation of two books: ‘Blackmore. A Short History’ and ‘Stondon Massey. A Short History’ both of which are currently available. These are extended versions of the text used in the performances. These events will not be repeated – because it is right to move on to other projects – but it seems a shame to leave them unpublished. I have decided to add the original scripts to the site. The Blackmore script may be found on http://www.blackmorehistory.co.uk/blackmore_through_changing-scenes.html and the Stondon Massey script on http://www.blackmorehistory.co.uk/stondon_through_changing-scenes.html

Also new to the website is ‘Blackmore. Then and Now’ (http://www.blackmorehistory.co.uk/blackmore_then-and-now.html). This includes copies of postcards I have from the early twentieth century with comparative photographs taken recently.

Until recent years I lived in Ingatestone so I have known of the large houses in Station Lane for a lifetime. These were built by architect George Sherrin who died in 1909. We remember his work on the blog this month with additional pictures now on the Ingatestone page (http://www.blackmorehistory.co.uk/ingatestone.html).

Plans for the website for the next year include:
- uploading photographs taken in Ingatestone High Street in 1985
- creating a series of pages called ‘Blackmore. The Library Collection’ which will feature photographs I received from a collector who had a display in the former Blackmore local library back in the 1980s.

The blog will continue with local history news and feedback from readers. I am not planning new online projects for publication next year because I want to spend some time “off line” pursuing an historical topic.

Over the years (since 2004) I have written a number of booklets for sale in aid of church funds at Blackmore and Stondon Massey. Some sell well whilst others languish on the bookstall for months. I have decided to confine publications to a shortlist of best sellers. The final shortlist will appear on this blog soon. I am considering the publication some of the more obscure, but nonetheless interesting, material online.

The purpose of ‘Blackmore Area Local History’ is to share knowledge of local heritage. It is always a pleasure to receive contributions, comments and questions from readers. The worldwide web is a fabulous resource and means of sharing and encouraging further research. The Internet has opened opportunities for contact to be made from people all over this planet – from people in America and Australia, to other places in Essex as well as literally around the corner to where I live.

Thanks for visiting the sites. Enjoy!


Links

For an extensive list of links to other sites go to: http://www.blackmorehistory.co.uk/externallinks.html

Fryerning: Footpath Find

This piece of stone was lying on a public track en route to Blackmore. It known as 'pudding stone' because of its plum pudding appearance.

BLACKMORE HISTORY NEWS - October 2009

Welcome to this month’s round-up of local history and heritage in and around Blackmore, Essex.

A Farming and Family Centenary Celebration

Descendents of Arthur Henry Smith had a party recently to celebrate one hundred years of farming at Jordans Farm in Mountnessing. It was to there, in 1909, that my grandfather became a tenant farmer on land owned by Lord Petre. My cousin still farms the same land which is a great achievement and cause for celebration. The gathering, attended by many family and friends, provided an opportunity to view photographs and other memorabilia. Those into family history displayed their research and in preparation for the occasion I researched Arthur’s ancestors.

Researching a Smith family line at first sight sounds a daunting task given the fact that the name is common so I went with an open mind to the Essex Record Office one Monday morning. I had already obtained the census record for 1901 (when Arthur, aged 16, was living with his family) and the free listing of the 1881 census (obtainable from Ancestry.co.uk). But within the space of three hours I had established the name of my gt gt gt gt grandfather, Henry, through using census records back to 1841 and parish registers copied onto microfiche. Why? It quickly became apparent that my family had lived throughout the nineteenth century in the parishes of Stock and Buttsbury.

I will be posting my findings shortly on http://www.blackmorehistory.co.uk/smith.html.

This month’s photo is of Jordans Farm, taken in 1954, with thraves (known as stooks elsewhere) of corn in the foreground.

Early Essex Parish Registers Online

In April 2009 ‘Blackmore Area Local History’ reported that the Essex Record Office had embarked on a project, called ‘Essex Ancestors’, to digitise and put on-line through SEAX (the catalogue of archives) colour images of original Anglican Parish Registers (except marriage registers less than 50 years old). Early Parish Registers for local parishes are now available to view through SEAX (http://seax.essexcc.gov.uk/default.asp). ‘Blackmore Area Local History’ will monitor progress and hopefully provide links this autumn to images through the ‘Parish Registers’ page of the main website. In the meantime Registers can be viewed on microfiche at the Searchroom.

The major advantage is that wherever you are in the world you can look up ancestors from the comfort of your armchair without going to Chelmsford. Those American friends, for example, looking for the Smyth family in Blackmore can see the original register entries for the first time and no doubt copy extracts. In this respect this is a marvellous innovation.

But is there a downside? If all Registers and Census material goes online will this mean a reduction in the footfall of visitors to archive searchrooms. As someone said to me when I visited the Record Office recently, this can be no substitute for talking with others during your coffee break as often other ideas come to the fore through networking. At a time when the National Archives (at Kew) is likely to close to the public every Monday, in order to make cuts, I am quietly concerned that access to original documents – e.g. church records, wills, inventories, house sales – could become more restricted. I can see the dilemma: an attempt to increase access to records and make cuts to the front line service. Taken to its extreme there must be a danger that these vast store houses of history and local interest become the preserve of academics, frightening off casual visitors and enthusiastic amateur historians. I trust that those responsible for our heritage have a policy which ensures that these records continue to be available for all, and attract people from all walks of life to learn about the past.

This is not a criticism, just an observation. At present I have found most archivists to be very approachable and only too willing to point people in the right direction.

Historic Villages advertised by Beresfords Estate Agents

An innovative way of advertising local properties, amenities and, for this site, history has been created by Beresfords, a local estate agent. Local villages are covered in short ‘You Tube’ presentations.
For Writtle, go to: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RRSN99s1fJk
For Ingatestone (and a quick mention of Mountnessing, Stock, Fryerning and Blackmore) go to: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hUnoKY2fivU&feature=related
For Shenfield, go to: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y_xswZXg0G4&feature=related
For Brentwood, go to http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8qg0fnqTAB4&feature=related

Runwell

David Mallinson, from Denver Colorado USA, wrote on 13th September 2009: “I read with great interest your blog entry (http://blackmorehistory.blogspot.com/2009/07/runwell-revd-suckling-memorials-1845.html) with respect to Fleming's (or Flemyngs's) Hall [Runwell] as my family owned the property from 1908 to 1986, and I myself lived there from 1967 until the property was sold in 1986.

“I note the source for the excellent rendering of the front of the house is the Rev Alfred Suckling's work 'Memorials of the antiquities and architecture, family history and heraldry of the County of Essex’ (John Weale, London, 1845). I would imagine that copies of the above work are hard to find nowadays, having said that do you know the whereabouts of any copies?”

The book itself is very rare but available through the Essex Libraries Network. The Essex Record Office has a copy. I purchased a very tatty copy, minus cover and all plates, from E bay a couple of years ago for about £20. I believe that in the book business this copy is called a "breaker" - all the good bits removed and sold on as framed pictures, unless, of course, one is interested as much in the text. Either that or I have just invented a new word for the Oxford English Dictionary.

London Underground

A sightseeing site in Botswana has been quick to pick up the reference in the Mangapps Farm Railway Museum item to the London Underground. It has added it to the numerous links on its history. See http://www.sightseeing.co.bw/search/History_Of_The_London_Underground_.html

Links

For an extensive list of links to other sites go to: http://www.blackmorehistory.co.uk/externallinks.html