While turning the pages of Savage’s interesting “Hundred of Carhampton[7]” in Somersetshire, I came across certain records of one William Siderfin[8].

My mother having been a Siderfin[9], my attention was at once aroused, and I resolved to pursue the study of the annales of the family to which [s]he belonged. My main reason was the natural interest one must feel in his ancestors, their occupations, their services to the State or to society, their habits and manners, their prosperity or adversity. The pursuit of this subject became fascinating, and furnished a welcome relief from the routine duties and commercial engagements of a busy life.

James Sanders’ mother was Elizabeth Siderfin married to James Hooper Sanders. Elizabeth was born 1817[10] daughter (and eldest child) of Robert Siderfin of Watchet and his wife Sarah Parsons. Elizabeth Siderfin daughter of Robert Siderfin (Saddler; Watchet, Somerset) and his wife Sarah Parsons was baptized 16 Oct 1817 at St Decuman’s Parish Church[11], Somerset, England[12]. Elizabeth Siderfin married James Hooper Sanders 27 Jul 1842 St Decumans Parish Church, Somerset, England[13] The transcript of the marriage record[14] is quite complete and available on Find My Past.[15]

                                                                         Augustine Siderfin = Mary Davies
                                                      b 27 Dec 1692 of Selworthy               of Cutcombe b. 1700
                                                      m 29 Apr 1720, Cutcombe

Figure 2: Family Chart created by the original author James Sanders[16]

This portion of the Family Chart[17]^,[18] serves to show the descent down to James Sanders and beyond. I will attempt to find all of these records to prove each section of this chart. I have manually added the parents (Augustine Siderfin and Mary Davies) of John Siderfin baptized 14 Jan 1721/22 at Cutcombe[19] and Robert Siderfin baptized 23 Jun 1726 at Cutcombe[20].[21],[22]

[23]I have thought it desirable to put into a permanent form, through the printing press, the result of these researches, believing that this record may prove entertaining to those who may trace any connection, either by descent in the direct line or by the alliance of marriage, with the family of Siderfin.

Moreover, the students of archaeology and local history who know the district of West Somerset may be prepared to accept the humble contribution of a novice in their craft to their gathered store of information.

No pretentions to literary merit are made by the writer, and criticism should be disarmed by this admission on the part of one whose motto is “Deeds, not words.”

The ancestral home of the Siderfin family cannot be determined, but Luxborough seems to provide the chief material for this memorial, in the form of parish registers, etc. in the early days; Selworthy; Wootton Courtney and Minehead in the later period.

And my thanks are due to Sir Maxwell Lyte[24], Sir C.H. Chadwyck Healey[25], E. T. MacDermott, Esq[26]., Rev. F. Hancock[27], and other gentlemen, for permission to use extracts from their books.

Acknowledgements

I wish to acknowledge the work done by James Sanders, JP, with regard to the publication of his book “The Siderfin Family of West Somerset.” Without his diligent work in gathering together the material, the process of producing this book would not likely have happened. My mother (Helen Louise Pincombe) remembered a lot of her family history but the surname of this one of her 2x great grandmothers was not known or forgotten by my mother when I knew her.

I also wish to acknowledge the assistance of Auriol Carney, a descendant of Thomas Siderfin, brother to my Elizabeth Siderfin, for her recording of the Thomas’ family line (youngest son of Robert Siderfin and Grace Kent).

Likely it was the death of my mother’s father (John Routledge Pincombe) when she was just eight years old that resulted in the loss of some information. Whilst searching for information on Elizabeth Rew (married to John Pincombe and, as I discovered, daughter of Elizabeth (Siderfin) Rew), I found the will of John Rew (written at Bishops Nympton where he died) in which he mentioned his daughter Elizabeth Pincombe elsewise I would not have discovered so much about her in a timely fashion. Elizabeth (Betty) Siderfin had been born likely at Wootton Courtney in Somersetshire and the daughter of Robert Siderfin and his wife Grace Kent. Her daughter Elizabeth Rew was also born and baptized in this same area in Somersetshire so was quite distant from her home area when she married John Pincombe at Bishops Nympton, Devon.

For myself, delving into the Siderfin family has been a most fascinating journey never realizing that it would lead me to several possible Huguenot ancestors because of the work being done by the Time Team (led by producer Tim Taylor) and in this case in the Dunster, Somersetshire area[28]. Dunster was the home of the Question family and Elizabeth Question had married Robert Siderfin. Their nine children including Augustine Siderfin (my 5x great grandfather) and his son Robert who was the father of Elizabeth my last Siderfin ancestor mentioned above were all born in the Selworthy/Wootton Courtney area of Somersetshire.

I have added in the known descent of my 6^th x great grandfather Robert Siderfin down to myself (Elizabeth Elaine (Blake) Kipp) as Figure 3. As I work my way through all of the information I to take this back further but the evidence to do so I have not looked at for quite a while. It could be that I would be able to now do so in a meaningful way with records.

For the most part I have indicated original text in the footnotes from the text of James Sanders and retyped by me and where there is a change I have so noted and my reason for doing so.

Thank you to my daughter for her assistance and encouragement but especially with the creative commons licencing.

Elizabeth Kipp née Blake, B.A., P.L.C.G.S.

[29]

Figure 3: Relationship chart - 9 generations (Elizabeth (Blake) Kipp)

History of the Siderfin Family of West Somerset

The first mention of the name I find in the Hundred Rolls of Somerset[30]:

(I) “Rotuli Hundredorum,” Somerset, Vol. II., page 127,[31] the 4^th year of Edward I (A.D., 1274) – “Lib‘um Man’ium de Brigford’ (Brushford) Jurator’ dicūt qđ đni liboz man ‘ioz hnt furc’ et assiām pan’ et cvis’ set nesciūt q^o warāto. Iŧ de Vic’ capientibz muna Dicūt qđ Riĉs de Meyesmor’ cep’ p reddita desseysina C soƚ de hōibz Joħis de Repariis sciƚt de Sampƒon’ de Haƒle Joħe Brum Robto de Sidernefenne wiƚƚ Binoptheweye,’ “etc.[32]

Figure 4. Latin text for Brigford in the Hundred Rolls[33]

The Translation[34]

(II) “Hundred Rolls”, Somerset, Vol. II., page 127, the 4^th year of E[dward]. I. (A.D., 1275-6) – The Free Manor of Brigford (Brushford).

The jurors say that the lords of free manors have a gallows (the power to inflict capital punishment) and the assize of bread and ale but they do not know by what warrant. And with respect to sheriffs taking payments they say that Richard de Meyesmor took for rent[35] from the men of John de Repariis (Rivers), namely from Sampsan de Hasle, John Brum, Robert de Sidernefenne, William Binoptheweye, etc.

(III) I cannot make out exactly what Sidernefenne meant. Perhaps it meant altogether “the side of the herne or corner of the valley by the fen or swamp.” In Kelly’s Directory of Somersetshire for the year 1875[36] a farm called Venn Southern Venn[37] or Fen is referred to in Brushford parish. Binoptheweye evidently means William who lived “by no pathway,” Brushford was then, I think, within the metes and bounds of Exmoor Forest; but there were freemen who paid a hundred shillings quit rent – a large sum of money in those days. Repariis was, I believe, another form of spelling for Redvers.

After this I find no trace of this family, they may have migrated into Devon. [38]

I did not find any entries for this family latter part of the 1200s to the early 1500s looking at the South West Heritage Trust catalogues or at the UK Archives Discovery Catalogue.[39] Searching the Emigrant's Database for England[40] I did not find a Siderfin (Syderfin, Syderfyn, Siderfyn, Sitterfyn, Sidernefenne) in that database and James Sanders lists the first reference as a Robto de Sidernefenne listed in the Hundred Rolls of Somerset[41], Ed. 1., 1274. There is a break in the chart between 1274 and the next mention of a Siderfin family which is John Siderfin and Christian his wife who lived at Luxborough around 1500 and their son William. A will abstract for William Sidervin of Luxborough, Somerset is available. Will dated 20 Aug 1568 proved 16 May 1572 (Taunton Registry)[42]. To be buried in the Chancel. Residue to Wilmot, my wife, to dispose of any goods as shall seem best to the pleasure of God and the weal of my Soul. Mr. Alexander Sydenham, a Witness.

First Generation

Appendix 1 refers to James Sanders comment on the ethnicity of the Siderfin family. Appendix 2 is evidence supporting the presence of the Siderfin family in the 1500s in Luxborough and area.

1. John Siderfin lived in Luxborough, Somerset, England.

John married Christian (unknown).

Children from this marriage were:

+ 2 M i. William 2 (John 1) Siderfin lived in Luxborough, Somerset, England and died in or before 1572 in Luxborough, Somerset, England (will probated Taunton 1572).

+ 3 F ii. Christian 2 (John 1) Siderfin lived in Luxborough, Somerset, England.

[43]

Figure 5: First seven generations of the Siderfin Family of Luxborough, Somersetshire

James Sanders concluded: “There was no doubt a John Siderfin who died previous to 1551 who had a son William[44].” He was married to Christian unknown.

[45]

Figure 6: Pedigree of the Siderfin Family (original chart)

[1] 1904 Sanders, James, J.P., C.C., 21 South Street, South Molton; List of Members in Report and Transactions of the Devonshire Association for the Advancement of Science, Literature and Art, Volume 48, Plymouth: W. Brendon and Son, Ltd., Printers. 1916

[2] #4600, Guild of one-name studies, researching BLAKE and PINCOMBE

[3] B.A., Western University, London, Ontario, Canada 1967

[4] P.L.C.G.S. – Professional Learning Certificate in Genealogical Studies, St Michaels College, University of Toronto, 2007

[5] Original image property of the Pincombe family

[6] Original Preface from James Sanders’ book “History of the Siderfin Family of West Somerset” 1912, page 3. Available at: https://archive.org/details/historyofsiderfi00sand

[7] Savage, James. History of the Hundred of Carhampton, in the County of Somerset. United Kingdom: n.p., 1830.

[8] In this instance I believe that James Sanders is referring to William Sidervin married to Wilmot Foster; generally he spelled the name as it was spelled in the records William Sidervin

[9] Elizabeth Siderfin, daughter of Robert Siderfin and Sarah Parsons. Robert was the son of John Siderfin and Sarah Clark. John was the son of Robert Siderfin and Grace Kent. This Robert was the son of Augustine Siderfin and Mary Davies and Augustine was in the seventh generation (Figure 1) coming down from the first generation on James Sanders’ Chart (Figure 2)

[10] The generational chart in Figure 1 for the family of Elizabeth Siderfin wife of James Hooper Sanders places the grandfather of Elizabeth in the middle of the chart but it is implied that this line comes down from John Siderfin and Joan Greenslade. In reality there is one child missing from the family of John Siderfin and Joan Greenslade, namely John Siderfin (baptized 24 Jan 1760 at Cutcombe) who later married Joan Adams 28 Mar 1785 at Cutcombe where all the baptisms and marriages for the children of John Siderfin and Joan Greenslade took place. This is clarified by the will of the grandfather of Elizabeth Siderfin (married to James Sanders) namely John Siderfin whose original will (dated 1 Feb 1814) was destroyed in the bombing of the Exeter Record Office during the Second World War however James Sanders had fortunately made a transcript and it is possible that he also had a copy of the will in the records which he left at the Devon Record Office not seen by myself (Elizabeth Kipp). The Abstract reads: 1814: John Siderfin, of Selworthy. Will dated 1st February, 1814. Gives all his lands to Sarah his wife for life then to his son Robert Siderfin subject to legacies, John Siderfin and Elizabeth wife of William Clarke, of East Lynch. Wife sole executrix. Witness John Clark, William Kingdon, Elizabeth. Kingdon. This does provide proof of the generations (by location) down to Robert’s granddaughter Elizabeth. Add to this the will of the mother of John Siderfin, of Selworthy, and again only a transcript exists to my knowledge (also made by James Sanders): 1799. Grace Siderfin, of Knowle, Selworthy, widow. Will dated 13th December, 1773. Mentions son John, daughters Mary Potter, Betty Rewe, Grace Langdon, Joanna Siderfin. Son Robert and Joanna executors.

[11] St Decuman’s Church is in Watchet, Somerset, England https://www.achurchnearyou.com/church/11340/ accessed 20 Jan 2023

[12] Priest, Baptismal Register, Parish Church St Decumans, Somerset, England and viewed at Find My Past, accessed 22 Feb 2022

[13] Priest, Marriage Register, Parish Church St Decumans, Somerset, England and viewed at Find My Past, accessed 22 Feb 2022

[14] Somerset Archival Reference: D/P/STD/2/1/12 and viewed at Find My Past, accessed 22 Feb 2022

[15] Material on the ancestry of James Sanders added by the author, Elizabeth Kipp, 26 Jul 2023

[16] Pedigree Chart created by James Sanders (note there is an error as his grandfather was John Siderfin married to Sarah Clarke as he has above but this John Siderfin was the son of Robert Siderfin and Grace Kent so the error was in his great grandfather selection

[17] Partial copy of the Pedigree Chart produced by James Sanders although I do question (and correct) parts of it overall it does provide a lot of information which I then checked in the original records

[18] James Sanders original tree following page 47 of the original book as a folded insert

[19] Priest, Baptismal Register, Cutcombe Parish Church accessed at Ancestry.ca 22 Feb 2022,

[20] Priest, Baptismal Register, Cutcombe Parish Church accessed at Ancestry.ca 22 Feb 2022

[21] One notes that children assigned to Robert and Grace have dates of baptism/birth that are impossible in Figure 1.

[22] Material on the Pedigree Chart of James Sanders added by the author, Elizabeth Kipp, 26 Jul 2023

[23] Continuing original preface of James Sanders, The History of the Siderfin Family of West Somerset, 1912, page 3

[24] Lyte, Henry Churchill Maxwell, Sir, A History of Dunster and of the Families of Mohun and Luttrell; Volume 1, (1848-1940), London, 1909

[25] Chadwyck-Healey, Charley Edward Heley, Sir; The History of the Part of West Somerset: Comprising the Parishes of Luccombe, Selworthy, Stoke Pero, Porlock, Culbone and Oare; Somerset, 1901

[26] MacDermot, Edward Terence, M.A. (of the Middle Temple, Barrister-at-law; The History of the Forest of Exmoor; Barnicott and Pearce, Wessex Press,Taunton: 1911.

[27] Hancock, Frederick, Rev.; Minehead in the County of Somerset: A History of the Parish, the Manor, and the Port; Barnicott and Pearce, 1903

[28] https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLv4yTcLr8oL3Y65dSa8LFeYUcMbGCzgAX accessed 28 Apr 2023

[29] Relationship Chart produced in Legacy Family Tree 9.0, 28 Apr 2023

[30] James Sanders, History of the Siderfin Family of West Somerset, 1912, page 5

[31] Digitized by Google Books – Rotuli Hundredorum. Temp. Hen. III and Edw. I In Turr’ Lond’ et In Curia Receptae Scaccarij Westm. Asservati. Vol. II. Printed by Command of His Majesty King George III. In pursuance of an address of The House of Commons of Great Britain. 1818, page 127 accessed 22 Feb 2022

[32] James Sanders, History of the Siderfin Family of West Somerset, 1912, page 5

[33] Digitized by Google Books – Rotuli Hundredorum, Ibid

[34] James Sanders, History of the Siderfin Family of West Somerset, 1912, pages 5-6

[35] Of disseisin one hundred shillings (James Sanders, History of the Siderfin Family of West Somerset, 1912, page 5)

[36] Kelly's Post Office Directory of Somersetshire 1875. N.p.: Kelly's Directories, 1875.

[37] Venn (Fen(n)e, Venne), Brushford and Dulverton: Ralph de Fenlake 1322; Henry atte Fene 1358; refs 1425—7; V tenement 40a 1700; by 1786 V, V Moor and Middle V; Middle V 48a, West V 22a, East V 104a; 1839; 1851 10a and 40a farms, 1861 217a, 1871 218a, 1881 170a, 1913 (Brushford) 173a. 1914 (Dulverton) part V 41a, and V and Hawkwell 6a. W Venn site NGR 881258. Settlements and Farms of Southern Exmoor.doc (www.EnglandsPastForEveryone.org.uk/Explore (accessed 22 Feb 2022)

[38] James Sanders, History of the Siderfin Family of West Somerset, 1912, page 6

[39] Various databases accessed Fall of 2022

[40] England’s Immigrants Database (1330-1550), https://www.englandsimmigrants.com/ accessed 3 Feb 2023

[41] James Sanders, History of the Siderfin Family of West Somerset, 1912, page 10

[42] Brown, Rev. Frederick. Abstracts of Somerset Wills Series 106, 3^rd Series (on fiche), page 90

[43] Pedigree Chart (partial) at the back of James Sanders’ book: History of the Siderfin Family of West Somerset, Exeter, 1912, page 48

[44] Court of Requests, Hunt’s Series, Bundle 19, No. 10. “William Setherfen of Cutcombe and Christian Setherfen, widow, and certain of their children held various lands and tenements belonging to the parsonage of Minehead in Cutcombe and Luxborough, and the tithes thereof under a lease to John Syderfen from the last abbot of Bruton.” This particular document was created before 1551 and hence John Syderfen is considered to have died by then (his widow Christian was still living) as John’s and Christian’s children and grandchildren now held the leases. James Sanders, History of the Siderfin Family of West Somerset, Exeter, 1912, Page 14

[45] This Pedigree Chart was produced by James Sanders and located at the back of his original book as a foldout chart. This chart is very difficult to read and I will use the black and white images normally; however this foldout shows the connections between what has become a chart in three parts in the black and white copies.

English Research from Canada

Saturday, December 23, 2023

The Siderfin Family of West Somerset - Blog Post #1

Preface^{^[6]} and the Ancestry of James Sanders

Acknowledgements

History of the Siderfin Family of West Somerset

First Generation

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Saturday, December 23, 2023

The Siderfin Family of West Somerset - Blog Post #1

Preface[6] and the Ancestry of James Sanders

Acknowledgements

History of the Siderfin Family of West Somerset

First Generation

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Post a Comment

Preface^{^[6]} and the Ancestry of James Sanders