Blackmore Area Local History: Navestock

Showing posts with label Navestock. Show all posts

Monday, 4 August 2014

Navestock: War Memorial

The names of those on the War Memorial inside St Thomas' Church, Navestock are recorded here: http://www.findagrave.com/cgi-bin/fg.cgi?page=gr&GRid=71872545

Friday, 14 June 2013

Navestock: James Ford

Essex Review

Extract from No. 198 Volume L (April 1941)

James Ford, A Forgotten Essex Antiquity (1779-1850)

By the Rev G Montagu Benton, F.S.A.

The Rev John Ford, B.D., a fellow of Trinity College, Oxford, and for the last twenty years of his life vicar of Navestock, where he was succeeded by the Rev William Stubbs, B.A., afterwards Bishop of Oxford and the famous historian, appears to have received scant recognition in Essex. the long inscription on his monument in Navestock church, which has been printed in the Essex Review (iv. 229), records that he founded and endowed the Professorship of English History in the University of Oxford, and in Trinity College, four studentships, one student thereof to be elected from Brentwood Grammar School. But his researches into local history, of which he was a life-long student, seem to have been overlooked by Essex antiquaries, this, no doubt, being due to the fact that his work relates to Suffolk, where, in consequence, he is better known. An excellent account of him appeared under the heading ‘Worthies of Ipswich – No 33’ in the East Anglian Daily Times of 22 June, 1935, and it is from this source that the following information has for the most part been derived.

Before coming to Essex, Ford was for 22 years perpetual curate of St Lawrence’s Church, Ipswich. During this period he compiled The Suffolk Garland (1818); he was also the author of The Devout Communicant (1815), A Century of Christian Prayers of Faith, Hope and Charity, with Morning and Evening Devotion (1817, second edition 1824), and the privately printed Memoir of Thomas Green, Esq., of Ipswich, with a Critique on his Writings and an Account of his Family and Connections (Ipswich, 1825). He was at the same time investigating, with tireless energy, the history of the district. Two MS. volumes, in his handwriting, dealing with Ipswich, and another, with Woodbridge, are now in the Reference Department of the Ipswich Public Library. They were acquired, we are told, with others, by W S Fitch, after Ford’s death. Fitch declared: ‘I am bewildered and amazed at it and his work – all in Ford’s writing. Plenty of work for the binder, the whole will make 20 volumes … Ford must have worked hard at the British Museum and Bodleian Libraries.’ Various contributions under his initials are to be found in The Gentleman’s Magazine, of which his friend, John Mitford, was editor from 1834 to 1850.

On 28 October, 1830, Ford was presented by the college to the living at Navestock. He was a bachelor, aged 51, but on leaving Ipswich in the following month, he married, at St George’s Church, Bloomsbury, Letitia Jermyn, a spinster some ten years his junior. From this time onwards it was natural that his interests should be mainly centred in the county of Essex. According to the writer of the article previously referred to, he projected the Morant Society, the aim of which was to continue to the work of the historian of Essex, while he himself toiled assiduously at the history of the hundred (Ongar) in which he lived. It is further stated that his Essex collections are preserved in the Library of Trinity College, Oxford. This led me to communicate a few years ago with the Librarian, who, in reply to my enquiry, informed me that Ford’s Collectanea relate almost entirely to persons and matters connected with the history of Trinity College; but that there is also in the Library some material collected by him for the history of the parish of Ongar. From the evidence adduced it seems likely that these papers deal with several parishes in the hundred of Ongar; for it is certain that his own parish of Navestock would have engaged Ford’s attention. But it is, of course, possible that some of his Essex manuscripts are to be found elsewhere. The matter requires further investigation.

Mrs Ford, who died in 1848, was also a woman of some note. Her monumental inscription records that she was ‘the youngest daughter of George Jermyn, Gent., of the Town of Ipswich.’ Jermyn, who was a well-known local bookseller, having died, she was at the time of her marriage stepdaughter of John Raw – Ford’s publisher. Thus Mrs Ford had certain literary associations; she was, moreover, the author of at least one small book, namely, The Butterfly Collector’s Vade-Mecum.

Tuesday, 29 March 2011

Stondon Massey: High Country Strays in Stondon Massey Parish Register

I am currently writing a biography of Revd. Edward Henry Lisle Reeve (1858 – 1936), who was Rector of Stondon Massey for 42 years and a local historian. In the Essex Record Office are many of his manuscripts but in the Church Safe is a certified copy of the Parish Registers for 1708 – 1791 in his hand. This article has been produced with thanks to the present Rector and churchwardens.

A stray, I understand, is someone who turns up in the records of other parishes. Stondon Massey has many of them. Rev. Reeve wrote:

“Out of 121 marriages between 1708 and 1754 entered in the book only 17 show one of the parties to have belonged to Stondon. In every other case both bride and bridegroom belonged to outside parishes. And this is the more strange seeing that in the succeeding 37 years after 1754 no fewer than 68 marriages are entered showing either a Stondon bride or bridegroom. Sometimes, again, a wedding is entered when a ceremony took place elsewhere. Mr Thomas Smith united the Curacy of Blackmore in 1756 to his other cures, but it is embarrassing to find the following in the Stondon books in 1744:

July 18^th. “Married at Blackmore John Baker Batchelor and Martha Belcher Spinster, Both of the Parish of Danbury in this County”.

“One wonders whether other Rectors were as much in request for tying the nuptial knot as Mr Smith, and whether, in cases where the entries were merely records of their work done in other parishes, the parishes interested were favoured with a copy for their own books. Otherwise the work of hunting up materials for a pedigree must be felt to be a harder one than has been realized hitherto.

“It is, I fear, extremely probable that our Rector was known to be a man who would ask no awkward questions. Previous to 1754 any marriage performed by a priest was accounted valid, though it might not be legal; and, although the officiating clergyman was liable to heavy penalties in such a case, the law was not often put in force, if the parson could be found ready to run the risk. The increase in so-called “Stondon” marriages after 1754 points some way, and tends to show that somehow Mr Smith still contrived to remain a popular clergyman”[1].

Reverting to the ‘certified copy’, the following entries exist relating to people living in the High Country parishes.

Married Jan 17 1709/10. John Glascock of Bovingworth [Bobbingworth or Bovinger] and Sarah Rust widow of Stanford Rivers parish.

Married Apr 20 1730. John Bridges and Sarah Thorougood both of the Parish of Stanford Rivers.

Married Feb 20 1730/1. James Crosingham of the Parish of High Ongar And Susannah Young of the Parish of Stanford Rivers.

Married May 6 1734. Richard Warne & Elizabeth King both of the Parish of Stanford Rivers by Licence.

Married June 22 1734. Benjamin Archer of ye Parish of Knavestock [Navestock] singleman and Rebecca Robjant of yr Parish of Stanford Rivers singlewoman.

Married Apr 16 1741. John Smith of Stanford Rivers Batchelor and Dinah Cox of ye same Parish Spinster.

Married Dec 17 1742. Ebeanezer Nichols of the Parish of Horn-Church [Hornchurch] singleman and Elizabeth Whybrew of the Parish of Stanford Rivers singlewoman.

Married Apr 17 1743. John Stanes, singleman of the Parish of Chipping-Ongar and Sarah Boulter of the Parish of Stanford Rivers singlewoman.

Married Nov 24 1749. Married Mr Matthew Webb singleman and Mary Eaton singlewoman both of the Parish of Stanford Rivers.

Married Dec 25 1749. Edward Brocas singleman and Elisabeth Barker singlewoman, the man of the Parish of Grinstead [Greensted], and the woman of the Parish of High Ongar, both of this county.

Married 17 Dec 1749. Robert Halls singleman and Margaret Kelly singlewoman, the man of the Parish of Matching; the woman of the Parish of Stanford Rivers – by license.

[1] Reeve. A History of Stondon Massey in Essex (1900) p103.

Friday, 21 January 2011

Navestock: War Dead

Received

14 January 2011

Trying to trace a D J SHRODER think he is from WW1 could be a Sub Lt Derrick John RNVR with possible Navestock connections.

I am making an up to date role for the new Ongar Health Centre. If you have a complete list of WW1 and WW2 etc., from your area it would be helpful.

Thanks Derek.

Replied

14 January 2011

Many thanks for your E Mail, which I will publish on the blog.

I regret that Navestock is not my parish, or a WW1 topic I have investigated. According to Paul Rusiecki's recent book 'The Impact of Catastrophe' there is a war memorial tablet to 25 names inside the parish church. I believe that the church is usually open during daylight hours, so the inscription may be worth a look.

May I take this opportunity to congratulate you on your efforts to produce a new roll for the Ongar Health Centre. Readers of my blog will know of the demolition of the 1930s built Ongar War Memorial Hospital a few weeks ago which, I understand, had inside a list of over 300 war dead from Ongar and surrounding parishes. I have seen a roll for the hospital in the Essex Record Office but the passing of time between the close of the Great War in 1918 and the eventual construction of the Hospital meant that the list itself is riddled with errors, remedied only by diligent searching of census data and electoral roll records, to name but two sources.

With kind regards

Andrew

Friday, 18 September 2009

Area: "High Country History Group" Journal No 33

The Quarterly Journal of the High Country History Group has recently been issued to members. It contains a number of items about and beyond the local area including:

- The Rectors and Patrons of Stapleford Tawney & Theydon Mount
- The East End Maternity Hospital at Theydon Mount – Part 1
- The Suckling Papers – Greensted (previously published on this blog)
- Life as an Essex Agricultural Labourer: 1840 – 1920. Part 2 (the whole work is available in booklet form from the Priory Church of St Laurence, Blackmore, price £1.50)
- Greensted – The Truth (previously published on this blog)
- A Centurian
- Book Review: Essex and its Race For The Skies
- A Forced Marriage
- Daring Burglary and Attempt to Murder
- White’s Directory of Navestock
- The Essex Way

For membership and further information go to http://www.blackmorehistory.co.uk/hchg.html

Sunday, 2 November 2008

War Memorials Locally

Thursday, 1 May 2008

BLACKMORE HISTORY NEWS - May 2008

Welcome to the monthly round-up of all things history and heritage in the Blackmore area.

I have tried to encapsulate what this ‘blog’ is about by adding to the title the words: “A record of life and tradition: of buildings, people and the landscape in this corner of Essex. Local history. Family history. Social history. If it's about our heritage, then you'll find it here on 'Blackmore Area Local History'”. In business parlance, I suppose that is the “mission statement”!

Byrd at Stondon

Stondon Massey (Essex) has been on television and radio in connection with the BBC / Open University series, ‘Sacred Music’. Having featured the life and work of William Byrd on this ‘blog’, later in the year I will be turning my attention to another composer: Ralph Vaughan Williams. Why? Find out in August.

Through Changing Scenes

We had a marvellous time at Stondon Massey on 19 April when Tuneful Accord with members of the local congregation under direction of Christine Gwynn participated in two presentations of a history of Stondon Massey in words and music. This unique event was greatly appreciated by the large audience. Books, released to coincide with the event, are available. Click on “book” in the ‘labels’ section to find the latest selection.

Chelmsford Museum partially closed

An eighteen month building project is under way at Chelmsford and Essex Museum, Oaklands Park. This means that from 14 April 2008 the Essex Regimental Museum section was closed. It will reopen in November 2009 after work is complete. For more information go to:
http://www.eadt.co.uk/content/eadt/news/story.aspx?brand=EADOnline&category=News&tBrand=EADOnline&tCategory=News&itemid=IPED03%20Apr%202008%2019%3A28%3A53%3A120

Nathaniel Lancaster of Stanford Rivers (Essex)

I had an enquiry from someone who wrote: “I'm researching a family tree which includes a rector of Stanford Rivers named Nathaniel Lancaster (1700-1775). I'm trying to find out who has taken an interest in the local history of Stanford Rivers, and I thought you might have some handy contacts you could send me? If so I'd love to hear from you”.

I replied: “I am a member of the 'High Country History Group' which covers the parishes of Greensted, Stanford Rivers, Stapleford Tawney and Theydon Mount. Whilst researching material on Blackmore and Stondon Massey at Guildhall Manuscripts a couple of years ago, I noted the following information and had it published in the Group's Journal.

On a separate schedule to the Churchwardens Presentment in 1753 is a list of clergy and churchwardens for all parishes [Guildhall Manuscripts: 9583/23]. The serving clergy were:

Greensted: John Harris. Rector
Stanford Rivers. Nathaniel Lancaster DD. Rector
Stapleford Tawney. John Lloyd. Rector
Theydon Mount. Stewart Sparkes. Rector

The Bishops Act Book 1775 to 1792 [Guildhall Manuscripts:9549 f2] records:

[1775 Stanford Rivers]. September 2. Richard Beadon Clerk BD was admitted and instituted by the said Bishop to the Rectory of Stanford Rivers in the County of Essex and Diocese of London, void by the Death of Nathaniel Lancaster DD the last Incumbent upon the presentation of his most sacred Majesty King George the Third, Patron thereof by Full Right, by Virtue of his Dutchy of Lancaster, as is attested.

I will publish my ‘High Country’ writing on this blog in due course. If, though, you have a query I would be pleased to hear from you. I might be able to help. Or one of the readers might.

Unwelcome woodpeckers at Navestock Church.

Local newspapers have been running a story about woodpeckers causing damage to the timber bell tower at Navestock. Here at Blackmore we suffer from the same fate. Apparently their drilling habits are to attract a mate.

Horse Racing at Great Leighs & Galleywood

Temple of Thebes, an historical name in its own right, made history on 20 April 2008 as the first racehorse to win at the new Great Leighs course. The site, which covers the one-time Essex Showground, opens to the general public in May. It is the first racecourse to open since Taunton in 1927. However, horse racing was once held at Galleywood on the Common. Follow this BBC Essex link for more details.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/essex/content/articles/2008/04/24/galleywood_race_course_feature.shtml

Waltham Abbey Historical Information

Ten information boards have been unveiled at Waltham Abbey explaining the history of the place.
http://www.guardian-series.co.uk/news/topstories/display.var.2230733.0.waltham_abbey_historical_plaques_unveiled.php
http://www.leavalleywalk.org.uk/2008/04/29/waltham-abbey-history-explained/