Continuing on the matches

Worked yesterday on the matches and also did yard work. It was an efficient working day. I shall write my cousin as well today in the west. I keep meaning to do so but the Knight book is a very long way off although there will be mention of the Knight family in the Blake book because Maria Jane Knight was her great grand aunt as well as my great grandmother.  

The matches (I completed five) were fairly straightforward but only two could be restricted to the great grandparent line. I will continue to work on that today although Church will be in just over an hour so not as much as yesterday.

I have managed to clear away all the weeds and wild spring flowers from the emerging plants so we will see how that goes. But it is good to have the front done. I still need to rake the lawn although I generally wait until the dandelions are finished so that the bees can work them. 

Not paying much attention to the news for the most part. Occasionally read the editorials in the National Post when they catch my eye. The Prime Minister and his Cabinet are very very busy from the news that I do watch. I like the concept of Fortress North America (borrowing that familiar phrase from the Second World War). I still remember references to Fortress North America in my young years. Here in Canada before the United States came into the war, we helped to protect American neutrality by pushing planes over the border in the west that had been purchased by the war front in the British Isles and then flying them to England (many women pilots flew those planes to England during the war from Canada (as well as male but they were needed at the front for the most part)). When the Americans came into the war the term Fortress North America was coined. That it would also suit trade discussions is an interesting concept which was mentioned by the Prime Minister at the Conference in Toronto. 

Toronto is an important city in Ontario (the capital of the province) which we all know in Ontario but also it has the ability to hold large conferences with individuals from all over the world with a huge airport for those arriving and leaving including in this case Past-President Obama from the United States.  This was a meeting of CAP Action (Center for American Progress Action Fund) named the Global Progress Action Summit. Also attending was the former US Secretary of Transportation Peter Buttigieg as well as many people from around the world. 

Church in a bit and then some more outside work unless it rains. What to do next? I expect I need to start working down the sides and we want to move some of the rich earth from the central garden as it is now full of roots from the Black Walnut tree and mostly useless in terms of growing anything. We need to especially build up the areas where the new fence was put in as that pretty much destroyed the gardens for that length on both sides.  We also need to free the plants as they are coming through. The hosta still not showing at the top but probably not enough sun and warmth in the morning as they are up further down in the gardens at the back.

One of the matches was quite interesting as it is in an area that was without matches. This area now covered is all Buller and all from Living DNA and people living in the United Kingdom. Since just one line predominates in England (all of my line coming down from Edwin Denner Buller is in Canada or the United States) so I know that these strong matches are from the Edwin Withers and Sarah (Welch) Withers family which was very large and found all around the world including the United Kingdom. I know there are a number of them as there are at least 25 in common in that match. So that has cleared up that mystery as we all descend from great great great grandparents -  William Welch and Sarah (Welch) Cheatle, Christopher Buller and Mary (Beard) Buller with Sarah (Welch) Withers and Ann (Welch) Buller being twin sisters. 

Time for breakfast. I am late today. Solitaire Puzzles still to do.  

More matches

 Yesterday was a shopping day and quite successful. The store has Canadian Flags on all the Canadian merchandise; saves my eyes although I still check. But it does quite capture the items readily that I have been moving to over the last year and a bit. I do miss my favourite cranberry juice as the Canadian one has apple juice in it as well but I also like apple juice but it does weaken the rather pungent taste of cranberry which I rather like. Overall I buy only what I have to buy from outside of Canada just because we are a northern nation with snow on the ground six months of the years and a much shorter growing season than other countries of the world. When you talk the frozen north that is a lot of Canada although the sun is finally coming our way. 

Worked on the matches yesterday and this last set have all been in the Buller line. They are large and I suspect the piece of DNA being passed is ancient in the Buller line. I have been looking at trees and the area is common to my line and this goes back to the Buller-Welch 3x great grandparents namely Christopher Buller and Mary (Beard) Buller of Bermondsey, Surrey and William Welch and Sarah (Cheatle) Welch of Rugeley, Staffordshire/Birmingham, Warwickshire and Ashby de la Zouch, Leicestershire. They do seem quite a distance apart these two couples but Henry Christopher Buller came to Birmingham and had his businesses in both London and Birmingham, living, in one or the other place.   My suspicion is that this length of DNA I am looking at for more than a dozen descendants is from the Welch line rather than the Buller but I could be mistaken as I have not yet resolved whether this Buller line is from the Cornwall/Devon/Somerset Buller family. I think it is but I am not positive. Christopher Buller had a Slop Shop (sailor uniforms) on Tooley Street in Bermondsey just south of the Tower Bridge and connects London Bridge to St Saviour's Dock.  We were on our first tour bus in England and actually in London itself when I was looking out the window and we sat up so high and came so close to the street sign that I could actually read it and it said Tooley Street where I knew my Christopher Buller had had his shop. I was amazed and needless to say the next trip to London saw us arriving a week early so that we could walk the streets of London - it is just one square mile after all. We spent a lot of time looking around Bermondsey as well our hotel was just up the street from Waterloo Station. 

I found a number of new Buller line (looking purely at Grandparent (my maternal grandmother was a Buller)) matches in all the databases and knew the chromosomes that I especially was interested in. Going back to the great grandparents continues to feel feasible. I will continue with that sorting and entering today.  

Continuing to avoid the news for a bit as I tend to get too much into it and lose time on books. Concentration must be paramount to complete these books in a timely fashion. 

I did however have one thought on the Sovereign Wealth Fund which has been proposed to be started with an infusion from the government of $25B and it would be primarily individual Canadians building this fund. Since it would be an initial infusion by the government adding to the national debt I would suggest that we should not restrict it solely to Canadian individuals but rather have Canadian businesses and Canadian Pension Funds also be part of the Sovereign Wealth Fund as they could create the initial $25B (spread out over many business/pension funds) and Canadians could add to it as well with their money then all actual and not an increase in the national debt as it is used to invest in major projects. Not including businesses/pension funds takes away a sufficiently large portion of potential donors who could help to start this fund off in a positive position for immediate usage in funding national projects. It would remain in the public forum with a board of directors that reflected the various inputs from both individual Canadians, Canadian Pension Funds and Canadian companies. We are all going to benefit in the long run from this Fund and businesses in particular will benefit greatly with the increased GDP overall for Canada. 

I gave this some thought and actually looked on line and there is a thought with some non-governmental agency   that Canadian Pension Funds could also be part of this. I suppose the problem with including private industry might be conflict of interest if they are bidding on a project. But I still think some industries would not be bidding on mines and items like that and I thought this was the idea for the money that it would be national projects. However, we will let the Globe and Mail run with it. It just popped into my head while I was writing my blog earlier. I should check before I write things.  

Breakfast eaten and my first set of calisthenics completed before breakfast. A good couple of hours of work and then a thirty minute run. 

Solitaire puzzles to do next.  

Chromosome 15 completed as well as Chromosome 14

It was a good research day yesterday as I completed Chromosome 15 and with a surprise ending as I came across a match that locks in the beginning of the Chromosome for me as Buller and not Taylor so not an Irish length of DNA for me. The match that does this is two lengths at each end of the chromosome totaling 54 centimorgans with the beginning length 48.3 centimorgans and a shorter one at the end. This is an early American Colonial match in a pile-up area (most of the matches tend to be early Colonial American) and certainly the Buller family was a very large one in Cornwall which traveled about the world in those early years of exploration although my knowledge of the Buller family in this time frame is limited (eventually I may investigate this line as well for a book). Interesting really how that transpired. Chromosome 14 has my Jewish matches which show up as 4th or even 3rd cousin but are actually likely twice that (i.e. 8th or 6th cousin) because of endogamy in the lines. Chromosome 14 has very long lengths of Rawlings/Cotterill with known Rawlings which is helpful. The same with the Pincombe/Gray where a number of Pincombe cousins (3rd) are matching all of us on this chromosome. Some Knight matches and again Buller/Taylor not yet separated by any of the matches on Chromosome 14. I even started Chromosome 13 so an extremely good research day. 

Mid morning I cleared away the couple of centimetres snow fall and noted that everyone had their paper recycling out so put mine out as well - I forgot the night before.  The collection was late, after dark actually, but I put out two big cardboard boxes full of paper so did not have to go out again to bring the bin in. That was handy for sure. 

Sunday today and the last service of the year. I will attend on YouTube as usual. The week flew by quickly and I did not check for the sermon online since the service cut off just at that time last week. We will see how that goes this week. Having the service bulletin already at hand I can read it on my own but it is nice to attend online when it works. 

I heard from my Buller cousin off in New Zealand and I hope to collaborate with her on this family as we trace it back in England. I have been able to trace back to Christopher Buller born circa 1763 according to his death registration in 1832 and he attended St Olave Bermondsey Parish Church which was demolished to make way for the ramping up to London Bridge. His Slop Shop was on Tooley Street in Bermondsey just as you cross over the London Bridge into Bermondsey on the south side of the Thames. Christopher married Mary Beard 30 Dec 1794 at All Hallows Barking by the Tower and I think it was an elopement although Mary was 27 years old and Christopher would have been  around 31 years of age. The couple had seven children with their eldest Elizabeth Jane dying as an infant in 1797 and a second infant death Henry Christy Buller in 1803 but Martha Sarah was born in 1797, Elizabeth Jane in 1799, Emma Hemsley in 1800, Henry Christopher (our ancestor) in 1805 and Robert Hucksley in 1806 although he too died as an infant in 1807. Mary was buried 14 Dec 1806 at St Olave Bermondsey Parish Church and the graves for all of this Buller family were moved to Bunhills when the Church was demolished later in the 1800s for the Bridge approaches.  It is possible that Christopher remarried by 1813 although the actual registration I have not located as there are two more possible sons namely Thomas Christopher in 1813 and John Christopher in 1819 who died as an infant in 1819. Interesting family really and the parentage of Christopher remains a mystery but I must admit I have hundreds of Buller matches in England that I have barely glanced at so the answer may well be there. There was a Buller family in Bermondsey and they had moved from Somerset to Bermondsey at some point in the 1700s. 

Skiing today if it works out and hopefully the freezing rain predicted is not as bad as mentioned. Time will tell. 

Must make my tea the day  moves onward and the solitaire puzzles are already completed.  

It was truly a cleaning day

 Cleaning was pretty much all I accomplished yesterday but done for another week. Doing the main floor and the basement in one day is a challenge but I met it although pretty tired by evening. Went outside to put out the garbage but that was about it. Not really an outdoors person in a city although love being out in the woods especially in Northern Ontario and especially with a 16 foot canoe (cargo type) which I have given away to a lovely family in the north and I imagine them enjoying going down all those lovely rivers in the north. Probably I am past that sort of thing but it was great fun and did help to bring me along in terms of my mental health at the time. Nothing like the wilderness where bears do on occasion appear to be stalking you or just avoiding you not sure which and mostly the latter I suspect unless you interfere between a mother and her young or maybe food. We didn't do either and had no unfortunate encounters in the wild in the eight years that we spent going up to Northern Ontario. 

So today I should continue to think about the two newsletters and get them done. But also I will work on my Living DNA matches. The Buller matches are proving to be most interesting. I have a huge set of matches with Buller on one chromosome which are from all over the world and I have not collected all of them. There are just too many and I have not yet been successful in locating the actual family line there. Other Buller lines went to New Zealand and have been in contact with them as they descend from one of my great grandfather's (Edwin Denner Buller) brothers Clement. Clement had followed Edwin to South Africa to work in the jewellery business for his mother's twin's husband. So an interesting family that Buller line coming down from Henry Christopher Buller and Anne Welch with Henry being the son of Christopher Buller and Mary (Beard) Buller of Bermondsey and Anne being the daughter of William Welch and Sarah (Cheatle) Welch of Birmingham (formerly Welch of Rugeley, Staffordshire and Cheatle of Ashby de la Zouch, Leicestershire).  

 Not really sure why anyone would think of voting against the Throne Speech actually; it was a good plan kindly presented by the King himself to the Parliament and the people of Canada. I think that was the problem with the NDP from the beginning of the Pandemic really they could not see the urgency that existed and became fixated on items that were simply not in the best interest of Canada in terms of money expenditure at the time (the Liberals were definitely bad money managers at that time) and I await the progress with Prime Minister Carney as he has a much more interesting background to bring to the table in terms of management particularly money. Eighty five percent of Canadians voted for Liberal or Conservative and their platforms during the election were very very similar. Not to say that we shouldn't have that type of care available that was being offered to those in need but we need to have the economy to support it and this Throne Speech definitely lays out ideas for that growth in Canada. I think it is a bad time to vote against Canada personally because that is what they would be doing especially if they do it as a block. I can see where the NDP works provincially (although a very poor job in Ontario in the 1990s) but federally I think it just gets in the way of normal progress in terms of a government being defeated when it is time to do that. Too many parties mix the brew up too much; needs to be somewhat more streamlined so that it is effective and if not immediately defeated and the people speak again to elect a government that works. But the punishment for putting this government to election again would be very painful for any opposition party I think. We the people would not appreciate it and it costs a lot of money! Lets get this job done. 

 Tea drank and breakfast next but first Yoga. 

 

 

 

Another Sunday and Blake work yesterday

Another Sunday in Easter - the Fourth Sunday and Church is online in Southwark. My Buller family lived in Bermondsey and attended St Mary Magdalene (also the Beard family as Christopher Buller married Mary Beard at All Hallows Barking by the Tower, London, 30 Dec 1794 (I think it might have been a runaway marriage although Mary was 27 and Christopher was 31 when they wed)) until sometime in the early to mid 1820s. Christopher Buller had been at St Olave as a young man and he was buried there along with Mary (Mary in 1806 and Christopher in 1832). I think perhaps the Church of St Mary Magdalene was the church of the Beard family but Christopher and Mary baptized their children at St Mary Magdalene where Henry Beard married Elizabeth Hemsley 31 Mar 1766. This is a fascinating family and eventually I will get to writing them up but they will be difficult. Perhaps I should be doing it now but God willing my brain will still manage to get around all of that material (plus my latin needs to improve greatly and I work at that every day (at least two times and usually three every day). It is marvelous having Duolingo - works perfectly for me. I also am working on my French but I am fairly efficient at reading but need to improve my spoken French and after one year (September 2025) I will pick up my German once again as it is mostly scientific and it would be interesting to speak a less restricted German. Why, no idea but I am enjoying it because I am a life long learner for sure. Breakfast next and then to Church online in Southwark. We walked and walked the streets of Southwark where the Buller and the Beard family lived. It was fantastic. The Church of St Mary Magdalene was beautiful but had been damaged during the Second World War but a very dedicated group of people are working on its renewal. There are so many churches that I could send money to in England but I have concentrated on the Cathedral here and about 66% of my tithe goes to PWRDF and the other 34% goes to general costs.  

The service was quite wonderful; the homily amazingly perfect to my thoughts of the readings in this time. We have evil war ongoing for those who claim to be the only ones that are perfect in God's image namely Iran with their syncophants  Hamas, Houthis, Hezbollah and for some reason the Russians. They are all terrorists and must clean themselves from the inside for they are satanists. Thank you again for welcoming me from an ocean away to be part of this wonderful Anglican Service which included a young woman of Presbyterian background and someone from Ireland. So many young people as part of the service; the Church needs the youth as always to carry forward the word of God to the next generation.

Whilst working on Blake yesterday, I decided to have a look at the early Wiltshire wills of the Blake and Baynard families. It was an interesting trip actually and at first glance the Wiltshire Blake family wills did not mention the Andover Blake family in the 1500s and 1600s. I transcribed the Baynard family wills as well but I did not see that they mentioned Blake other than Henry at Pinhill. Diana, Princess of Wales, is  descendant of the Baynard family through the Montagu family.  

Diana, Princess of Wales and hence Prince William are descendant of this Baynard family (Mary Baynard and James Montague). Their son James Montagu married Diana Hungerford 30 May 1671 and their son James Montague married Elizabeth Eyles. Their son John Montagu married Sophia Wroughton 15 Dec 1748 and their son George Montagu married Charlotte Wroughton 9 Oct 1783. It was their daughter Georgiana Montagu who married Vice Admiral Sir John Gore 15 Aug 1808 in London. Their daughter Anne Frances Gore married 1st Earl Howe, Richard William Penn Curzon 9 Oct 1845 at Great Witley in Worcestershire. Their daughter Lady Mary Anna Curzon-Howe married 2nd Duke of Abercorn, James Hamilton 7 Jan 1869 in London. Their son James Albert Edward Hamilton, 3rd Duke of Abercorn married Lady Rosaline Cecilia Caroline Bingham 1 Nov 1894 in London. Their daughter Lady Cynthia Elinor Beatrix Hamilton married Albert Edward John Spencer the 7th Earl Spencer 26 Feb 1919 in London. Their son Edward John Spencer the 8th Earl Spencer married the Honourable Frances Ruth Burke Roche and these two were the parents of Lady Diana Frances Spencer. 

Interestingly the Andover Blake line from which Diana, Princess of Wales, follows:  Thomas Blake and Eleanor Hall were the twelfth generation back from Diana, Princess of Wales and Thomas was the son of John Blake married to Margaret Blake (her father not known to me for sure although a Pedigree chart mentions William Blake of Eastontown for both John and Margaret and there were not two by the records!). This John was the son of William Blake of Eastontown and William's father was Nicholas Blake of Enham (The Andover Blake family - William Blake (d 1582) did have a daughter Margaret but her husband was surnamed Jarvis - William left an extensive will). Returning to Thomas Blake and Eleanor Hall and their son Thomas Blake married Dorothy Mayowe and their daughter Mary Blake married William Newland. Mary Newland married Isaac Manley, MP. Their daughter Dorothy Manley married William Gore, MP and their son was Colonel John Gore who married Bellamira Munbee and their son Vice Admiral Sir John Gore married Georgina Montagu in 1808 (and the descent continues as above). Their daughter Anne Francis Gore married Richard William Penn Curzon, the 1st Earl Howe. Their daughter Lady Mary Anna Curzon-Howe married James Hamilton, 2nd Duke of Abercorn. Their son James Albert Edward Hamilton, 3rd Duke of Abercorn married Lady Rosaline Cecilia Caroline Bingham. Their daughter Lady Cynthia Elinor Beatrix Hamilton married Albert Edward John Spencer, 7th Earl Spencer. Their son Edward John Spencer, 8th Earl Spencer married the Honourable Frances Ruth Burke Roche. Their daughter was Lady Diana Frances Spencer married to now HRH Charles III, King of England. 

Does this prove the descent from the Andover Blake Family?, it does but there is a particular item which has chosen to display what I believe is an incorrect ancestry for William Blake at Eastontown. More proof  continues to arise. Is Diana descendant of the Calne Blake family, absolutely the mother of Mary Baynard married to James Montague was Anne (Blake) Baynard daughter of Robert Blake and Margret (Inglefield) Blake. This Robert was the son of Robert Blake and Avice (Wallop, Malweyn) Blake.  I did read again the Baynard family wills in this time frame of the 1500s/1600s to see if there is any mention of Blake cousins but did not find any comment other than referring to Henry Blake at Pinhills their cousin. The Baynard family did have Blake first cousins - Roger Blake and Mary (Baynard) Blake had three sons - Thomas, Robert and John (and three daughters). Perhaps it was the refusal of Henry Blake to accept a title for which Charles II destroyed the Blake family home at Pinhills near Calne. Members of the Baynard family were knighted. No ideas on that; I just think it is interesting in a learning way looking back sometimes at how life flowed in centuries past. Living in the fishbowl takes a very significant part out of your life (namely your privacy!). The dedication of this Family of Windsor has been and continues to be incredible.

The wills (date blogged)

Roger Blake     4 Jan 2013

Philip Baynard     5 Jan 2013

Henry Baynard     6 Jan 2013

Edward Baynard     7 Jan 2013

Benjamin Baynard     10 Jan 2013

Sir Robert Baynard     16 Jan 2013

Edward Baynard     17 Jan 2013

Charles Blake      26 Nov 2013

Edward Blake     28 Nov 2013

Mary Blake (Roger's widow)     4 Dec 2013

James Blake      6 Dec 2013

James Blake     11 Dec 2013

John Blake     12 Dec 2013

The Blake wills are for the Wiltshire Blake family.

Basement cleaning today and the Pencombe book

The basement to clean today and I will work on the transcription of the Inquisition Postmortem for John de Pencombe of Herefordshire. Yesterday was a lovely day with lots of white snow falling everywhere. We are back to winter! The tour around the countryside of England with the YouTube online service for the Church of England continues to be an amazing happening just at the time when my own Church only has a few services online. Worked out very well. I am enjoying visiting all of these lovely Churches online and being part of their service. One of the tours we ended up at York Minster just at the time that the service was beginning. Our bus was just parked outside and the service was shorter than the planned tour we were taking on foot so I stayed for the Service. My Gray family was from the East Riding of Yorkshire (Holme on the Wolds and Etton) so felt right at home and it was a wonderful happening. One never knows what sorts of opportunities will come your way when you are on a tour. Being able to appreciate the stained glass in this Church was something I could only  have dreamed about doing but there I was doing so. It is definitely a not to be missed if one tours York. As soon as we had the tour schedule we would sit and go through it day by day along with the location of the hotel to see if there was anything we could look at when we arrived back at the hotel each day and before dinner. Generally there was an hour or two spare. We made some great finds in this time period. 

I had an email from a Buller descendant in New Zealand asking if I had figured out my line yet. Actually I know that my 3x great grandfather was Christopher Buller (married to Mary Beard) and that he had s Slop Shop on Tooley Street (he was listed as a sail maker) and imagine my surprise as we passed over London Bridge and found Tooley Street on the other side straight away. We walked the streets of Bermondsey where this family lived (Long Lane amongst other streets). We also visited Bermondsey St Mary Magdalene where the children were all baptized. Christopher though attended St Olave (Church is gone as is the graveyard to make room for the extension to the approaches to London Bridge). But the names of Christopher's parents are still unknown to me but there was another Buller family in Bermondsey at this time. I just haven't had time to look at that. Buller is next after Blake and Pincombe. My great grandfather Edwin was a medic in the First Boer War, injured and sent home in 1882 and that was Birmingham where he was born. 

 Another snowy day in Ottawa. It is Family Day in Ontario. The Bible Reading today is God's promise to Abraham that he would be the father of many nations and that has certainly come to pass. The day moves on and I must get to the cleaning but first teatime and breakfast.

 

Christopher Buller

Christopher Buller has been a brick wall for simply ages, I found him as the father of my Henry Christopher Buller back in the early years of my research (2006). But he was a mystery; a cousin in England directed me to a will of Henry Beard and then I discovered Mary his wife was actually Mary Beard daughter of Henry Beard. Little bits and pieces emerged through the years but never a conclusive answer to the birth of Christopher Buller. His death gave me the year 1762-1763 as his possible birth years and but looking around the time period still yielded no answers.

The entry of DNA into studies changed how I looked at my ancestry. With five siblings tested (myself included), we all showed some Germany ancestry - not a huge amount but an interesting amount. Enough that one could look at a 3x great grandparent or a 4x great grandparent and wonder if this individual had emigrated to England at some point in his/her life. On paper I look 100% English with all known ancestors having been born in various counties in England that led to my five waves of emigration to Canada (Cumberland first in 1818 (my 3x great grandparents and my 2x great grandmother), then East Riding of Yorkshire in 1832 (my 2x great grandfather), followed by Devon/Somerset in 1850/51 (my 2x great grandparents and great grandfather) and much later in 1908 from Birmingham, Warwickshire (my maternal grandmother) and then finally in 1913 from Hampshire (my father and his parents). But I had no ideas on the German ancestry that was coming up in our ethnicities (matches with individuals in Germany who had 100% German ancestry going back many generations).

A DNA match with my fourth cousin once removed came up lately on Ancestry and he matched one brother and one sister rather nicely for a fourth cousin but no match with another brother or myself but neither of us inherited strongly from Buller (my maternal grandmother's maiden name). He sent me the banns of the marriage of Christopher Buller and Mary Beard which are now on ancestry. It is months since I searched any of my lines so must get back to that obviously!

A search once again on Christopher Buller and 1763 (plus or minus two years) led to me to an interesting result:

Johann Christopher Buller born 20 Aug 1762 at Pampow, Mecklenburg, Deutschland son of Clas Buller and Lena Greth Bartelsen. They had married 3 Jul 1757 at Pampow Mecklenburg-Schwerin. Clas Buller died 12 Apr 1784 in Pampow. Lena Greth Bartelsen was baptized 28 Feb 1737 at Holthusen Mecklenburg-Scherwin. She died 7 Oct 1786 at Pampow. Her parents were said to be Johan Friedrich Bartels and Gret Groth (daughter of Hanss Groth and Trin Pruessmann).

A tree on My Heritage is managed by Jurgen Nehmzow and I have written to him. He does not have a marriage for Christopher on his site although does have 2305 people in his tree. This would be truly amazing if I have actually broken down this rather long standing brickwall. For me it is just about a dozen years but for other researchers it is fifty years and more since they have begun their research.

Living DNA results for my brother

Living DNA results came in for my brother. We are the least alike thus far of us seven siblings and fortunately for me he has been willing to be tested here and everywhere (and I have done so!). I expect his results to show a strong southern England setting and good percentages along the eastern coast of England. That was completely fulfilled but I was surprised not to see any Scotland but he does have a Cumbria component which is our Routledge line and they are far removed from the Scottish Highlands having come to the Cumbria area in the 1400s. I also thought he would have a north western European component that would be Germanic rather than Scandinavian. His results follow and I compare them to my results.

 Area                                                       my brother             me

Europe                                                      98.9%                100%

Great Britain and Ireland                         95.9%                   96.5%

South Central England                            23.9%                   31.7%

Southeast England                                  18.8%                      7.2%

Devon                                                      13.4%                     14.6%

Central England                                       0%                          14.6%

North Yorkshire                                     11.6%                         3.5%

South England                                       11.5%                         2.7%

Lincolnshire                                            7.7%                         2%

Northumbria                                             5.5%                         4%

North West England                                  0%                           3.5%

Cumbria                                                  2.2%                           0%

South Yorkshire                                      1.2%                           5.4%

Southwest Scotland and Northern Ireland   0%                        4.8%

Northwest England                                  0%                             3.5%

Aberdeenshire                                         0%                             2.5% 


Europe (North and West)                        3%                              3.5%

Germanic                                                  3%                             0%

Scandinavia                                              0%                             3.5%

 Asia (South)                                         1.1%                            0%

Southern Central Asia                           1.1%                            0%


The first item that pretty much defines our family is the Great Britain and Ireland percentage. My result is 96.5% and my brother's result is 95.9%. Given that our father, three of our grandparents and all of their known ancestors were born and lived in England probably not surprising. Our fourth grandparent - maternal grandfather  John Routledge Pincombe - was born in Canada but his father William Robert Pincombe was born in England (Devon) and his mother Grace Gray was born in Canada and she was our first born Canadian ancestor. However both of her parents (Robert Gray and Elizabeth Mary Ann Routledge) were born in England (father in East Riding of Yorkshire and mother in Cumberland).

The North and West Europe component that each of us have remains somewhat of a mystery. I have 3.5% Scandinavian and my brother has 3% Germanic. Looking at 3% of our DNA the rough estimate would be a 3x great grandparent or 2 4x great grandparents. This is an interesting thought actually. For most of our lines I know the 3x great grandparent's place of birth, who they married and when/where they died. But there are a few exceptions - one is my maternal grandmother's father's grandfather - Christopher Buller. I think he is English but I have no proof. His death registration/burial registration does not give any clues in 1832. I have never found his birth/baptism in London, England where he lived his entire life (actually Bermondsey just south of the Thames in his adulthood). His wife Mary Beard I can trace back a number of generations in the Bermondsey area. The other exception is my maternal grandmother's mother's parents and grandparents. But this line is more likely to be Irish/Scot than Scandinavian or Germanic. We do have a number of matches with people who currently live in Germany and always have and I must have a look to see if my brother actually has more of these matches than I do. In general though these matches are with people having a Jewish ancestry and endogamy is probably playing a part in all of that as I suspect our possible Jewish ancestor converted to Church of England back in the 1400s (first appears in Anglican Church records) or earlier. 

The Devon results for both of us at 13.4% for my brother and 14.6% for me are very reasonable given the matches to our Pincombe lines that we share in common. We have been most fortunate to have half a dozen and more of our Pincombe cousins test ranging from 3rd cousin to 4th cousin. Their testing has enabled the phasing of our grandparents DNA which is progressing and helpful with new matches. Our Pincombe line was at Bishops Nympton from the late 1590s to the present and prior to that the line was at North Molton (East Buckland and Filleigh) back to 1485. Prior to that is not firmly proven although some researchers have placed this family in western Cornwall and others in Herefordshire. They came to North Molton with Lord de la Zouche following the Battle of Bosworth Field in which Lord Zouche was attainted for supporting Richard III.

The South Central England results with 23.9% for my brother and 31.7% for me were also an expected result. South Central England includes Wiltshire and Somerset (as well as Hampshire) and the matches which we have thus far point to my having inherited strongly from my paternal grandmother whose lines were from Wiltshire predominantly although she, herself, was born in Kimpton, Hampshire. Plus I have strong matches with my 2x great grandmother (my maternal side) who was born at Selworthy, Elizabeth Rew (daughter of John Rew and Elizabeth Siderfin) but married her Pincombe husband at Bishops Nympton and my brother does not match the Somerset cousins for the most part. My brother inherited strongly from his paternal grandfather which is primarily Hampshire and perhaps gives some evidence with his South eastern percentage that the Blake families at Andover were indeed all related as one line of this family went to Surrey and then London in the latter part of the 1600s.

Southeast England which includes London and Surrey was the home of my 3x great grandfather Christopher Buller's wife Mary Beard. The Beard family can be found back into the 1600s in the Bermondsey area. Henry Beard (Mary's father) was a tanner and he had married Elizabeth Hemsley and her family is likely from the North Yorkshire/Northumberland area back a couple of generations (Elizabeth was born in 1742 at St Mary Newington daughter of Matthew Hemsley and Mary Coal. But my brother's portion at 18.8% is much larger than would be expected from 4x great grandparents and the only other London line is of course Christopher Buller himself. Hence I am suspicious that Blake is also showing up in this area with its roots in Andover.

No Central England for my brother and again not a surprise as he has very few matches with our Buller and Welch cousins. Henry Christopher Buller married Anne Welch in 1838 at Edgbaston, Warwickshire. He the son of Christopher Buller and Mary Beard and Anne the daughter of William Welch and Sarah Cheatle. In this choice he received more Pincombe-Gray then Buller-Taylor from our mother. William Robert Pincombe having married Grace Gray (family from East Riding of Yorkshire and Cumberland) my maternal great grandparents.

North Yorkshire was 11.6% for my brother and only 3.5% for me. Our Sproxton family likely hailed from North Yorkshire (Ann Sproxton (daughter of Richard Sproxton and Ann Harland married 1753 Great Driffield) married John Cobb 1782 at Lund and they were the parents of Elizabeth Cobb who married Robert Gray 1806 at Lund and their son Robert Junior emigrated to Canada and was the father of Grace Gray. The percentage is high however and I suspect there is also Hemsley in that mix.

South England is primarily Hampshire where our father was born (Ernest Blake born 1904 at Eastleigh) and all of his Blake line mostly from Upper Clatford and all pretty much within a few kilometres of Andover going back in time although Elizabeth Lambden (Elizabeth married Isaac Farmer 1789 at Andover; Ann Farmer married John Blake also at Andover in 1823 (parents of Edward Blake my great grandfather)'s father was likely from Berkshire. For the most part though the Blake line and the families that married into Blake were from Andover or closeby. My brother inherited strongly from my paternal grandfather and that shows up strongly in his matches. He is at 11.5% and I am at 2.7% and I suspect some of mine is from the Dorset area where our great grandmother Maria Jane Knight was born (she married Edward Blake at Upper Clatford in 1870) as I have very good Knight matches.

As with myself, Lincolnshire is partly an unknown. Close to London as I get back into the 1700s there are some unknowns in my lines. My brother was 7.7% and myself at 2%. Certainly he inherited strongly from the Gray family and as I work my way back in the East Riding of Yorkshire there are lines coming in that I have not yet discovered.

Northumbria at 5.5% for my brother and 4% for me is perhaps some of our Routledge ancestry (2 of my 3x great grandparents Thomas Routledge and Elizabeth Routledge (2nd cousins) married in 1785 at Bewcastle Cumberland). There is also my Hemsley family likely from this area and 5x to 6x great grandparents.

Cumbria at 2.2% for my brother and 0% for me is very likely this Routledge family as well. Although I do have matches with our Routledge cousins and my brother does not thus far only two have tested.

South Yorkshire at 1.2% for my brother and 5.4% for me is perhaps again the Gray family who lived at Etton and places within about a 10 kilometre radius of Etton.

Not unexpected, my brother shows no Irish or Scottish. He does not have a lot of matches compared to a multitude of Irish/Scot matches for myself. Northwest England at 0% for my brother and 3.5% for myself, Southwest Scotland and Northern Ireland and 0% for my brother and 4.8% for myself, and Aberdeenshire at 0% for my brother and 2.5% all point to our possible Irish/Planter Scot ancestry. He has very few matches with people of known Irish/Scot ancestry. This is of course our unknown line. My maternal grandmother's mother was Ellen Taylor born at Birmingham and we of course share her mitochondrial DNA (H11a2a1, relatively uncommon although there are probably slightly less than one million people who share it on the planet today!) which does point to Ayrshire/Argyllshire Scotland in the Blood of the Isles Database. Matches with the colony in the Carolinas founded by the Rev William Martin and his six shiploads of colonists in 1772 was from County Antrim and a number of matches with our mitochondrial DNA are found with people who descend from this group of colonists.

Scandinavian (3.5% for myself) and Germanic (3% for my brother) are somewhat mysterious as I do not have any known ancestors born in these two areas. But I have many many Scandinavian matches (and some German). My brother has few Scandinavian but many German matches. Perhaps it is fairly ancient and has just managed to be passed down through the ages relatively intact but through whom is the question and one which I look at in depth with each new close match that is from Scandinavia or the Germanic Countries.

Very pleased with these results as well from Living DNA. Looking forward to their matching. I have also shared one set of another brother's results and one set of another sister's results for the matching. Now that I have these results I will do a write up for Living DNA as they have requested feedback.

Matthew Hemsley (circa 1710s - )

52 Ancestor Challenge - Challenge 19

Blake, King, Coleman, Pearce, Farmer, unknown, Lambden, Sarah (unknown), Knight, Ellis, Knight, Vincent, Butt, Durnford, Arnold, Molton, Cotterel, Bartlett, Alderman, Ann (unknown), Sherwood, unknown, Habberfield, Collings, Rawlings, Tanner, Dove, Morgan, Lywood, Canham, unknown, Peck, Pincombe, Charley, Rowcliffe, Pearse, Rew, Moggridge, Siderfin, Kent, Gray, Hilton, Cobb, Sproxton, Routledge, Tweddle, Routledge, Routledge, (unknown) Buller, unknown, Beard, Hemsley, Welch, Brockhouse, Cheatle, Woodcock, unknown Taylor, unknown, Harborne, Lewis, Roberts, Croxall, Lawley, unknown

Matthew Hemsley is an interesting story. Possibly my 4x great grandfather mostly according to my cousin Robin Beard so I thought I would pursue Matthew this 52 Ancestor Challenge. I do find it interesting that Matthew has a daughter Elizabeth born 16 Oct 1742 in Newington St Mary, Brixton, Surrey. Newington (or Newington St Mary) is a parish in close proximity to Bermondsey St Mary Magdalen. Indeed they are 1.1 miles apart. Elizabeth was the second child of Matthew Hemsley and Mary Coal. But I do note that the only son of Henry Beard and Elizabeth Hemsley was named Henry and in later generations the forename Matthew does not occur. Possibly I shouldn't judge on that because Matthew and Mary named their only son George and he was baptized 20 Jul 1744 at St Mary Newington. The only other children were Mary baptized 23 Aug 1741 (born 22 Aug 1741) and buried by 1750 and a second Mary baptized 14 Feb 1750 and all events at St Mary Newington.

To really place this area in context it is just 1.2 miles from Newington St Mary to Westminster Abbey in London.

Mary, wife of Matthew Hemsley was buried 27 Apr 1753 at St Mary Newington. I have done a little searching of the parish registers but did not find a burial date for Matthew yet.

My cousin found yet another interesting marriage between John Hemsley and Martha Roland 6 Feb 1704 at St Mary le Bow, London. Martha was baptized 20 Dec 1677 at Morden, Surrey but my cousin did not find a baptism for a John Hemsley that was for sure this man. John and Martha baptized three children at St Saviour Brixton:

Martha baptized 28 Jun 1709
John Roland baptized 3 Apr 1711 and buried 18 Aug 1746 at Morden
Susanna baptized 17 Sep 1712

Was there also a Matthew born to this couple before 1709? In retrospect I think this might be a bit too presumptive as there are other Hemsley families at St Mary Newington but since the work was done I have decided to post the following information on the Roland family at Morden. 

Martha Roland is thought to be the daughter of John and Elizabeth Roland and baptized 20 Dec 1677 at Morden, Surrey. This John Roland and his wife Elizabeth had seven children and baptisms were found for the following five:

Rebekah 29 Sep 1676 baptized at St Lawrence Morden
Martha 20 Dec 1677 baptized at St Lawrence Morden
Hannah 4 Apr 1679  and buried 13 Apr 1704 at St Lawrence Morden
Thomas baptized 15 Oct 1680 and buried 17 Oct 1680 at St Lawrence Morden
Jane baptized 23 Jul 1682 at St Lawrence Morden, married William Tyson 3 Jan 1714 at St Ethelburga Bishopsgate, London

The other two being:

Elizabeth born circa  1673, married to Bartholomew Elliot circa 1708 and their children Ann circa 1708 and buried circa 1708 and Elizabeth born circa 1711.

John born circa 1674 and buried 21 Nov 1691 at Morden (mentioned on the Church Plaque below)


There is a Plaque in the Church at St Lawrence Morden:

40. Near this place lyeth interr'd the body of John Roland, Gent., late of this parish who departed this life the 18th day of October Anno Domini 1700, in the 58th year of his age. Also the body of John Roland son of the said John Roland and Elizabeth his wife who departed this life the 14th day of November Anno Domini 1691 in the 17th year of his age. Likewise the body of Thomas Roland son of the said John and Elizabeth Roland who dyed an Infant. Also Rowland Hemsley who died July ye 30th aged 33.

Arms. — Sable, a pile wavy Argent.

Crest. — An eagle with a ball.

The Rowland Hemsley who died 30 Jul aged 33 is reminiscent of the John Roland Hemsley above son of John Hemsley and Martha Roland. Are they one and the same? John Rowland Hemsley died at 35 years of age and was buried 18 Aug 1746.

Another tomb in the church (Table Tomb) :

97. Here lyeth interred the body of Mre Hannah Roland daughter of John Roland gent, late of this parish and Elizabeth his wife Who departed this life the 5th day of April Anno Domini 1704 in the 25th year of her age.

Source for Memorial Stones:  http://archive.org/stream/registersofmorde00mord/registersofmorde00mord_djvu.txt


Will of John Roland:

Source: The National Archives PROB 11/467/67
Date of document:  6 Jun 1702, probated 10 Nov 1702
Author: Johannis Roland
Location: Morden, Surrey, England

[In margin] T[esta]m[ent] Johannis Roland
1    This is the Last Will and
2    Testament of me John Roland of Moreden in the County of Surrey
3    Being written off with my own hand Wherein First I commend
4    My soul into the hands of Almighty God in hope of his acceptance
5    Into Glory And my body I commit to the Earth to be privately
6    Yet decently buryed without any manner of pomp or ostentation by
7    My Executors herein after named where about my will is that they
8    Shall not spend above the summe of thirty pounds And I doe desire
9    That my body may be layd as near to the body of my sonn John deceased
10    As may be in the Parish Church of Moredon aforesaid if I shall dye
11    At Moredon or within tenn Miles thereof otherwise where I shall
12    Happen to dye I will that all my debts be justly paid And I doe
13    Give and bequeath unto my cozen Martha Huish the summe of five
14    Pounds and unto my sister Marys daughter the summe of three pounds
15    And tenn shillings and to the poor of the parish of Moredon aforesaid
16    The summe of forty shillings And my desire is that my loveing wife and
17    Such of my daughters as shall be unmarryed at the time of my decease
18    Shall live together in my house at Moredon aforesaid dureing the
19    Life of my said wife or untill such daughters shall be marryed my
20    Said wife maintaining such daughters But notwithstanding their
21    Marriage my desire is that my wife shall live there and have the
    [page 2]
22    Reasonable use of the furniture thereof dureing her life Yet in case
23    Only that she continues herself a widdow soe long not otherwise All
24    My reall and personall Estate what soever and wheresoever whether the
25    Same be in my owne name or in any other persons I give devise and
26    Bequeath unto such of my daughters as shall be unmarryed at the
27    Time of my decease and unto their heires Exec[utor]s Adm[inistrator]s and assignes
28    Paying thereout unto such of my daughters as shall be then marryed
29    By and with my consent soe much moneys as shall amount to make
30    All such daughters portions equall as near as may be And in case
31    All my daughters be marryed I give and devise the same in manner
32    As aforesaid to such daughters only as shall be marryed by and
33    With my consent my expresse meaning being that such of my daughters
34    Who shall be marryed in my life time without my consent shall have no
35    Part of my reall or personall Estate And I doe make my daughters
36    Martha and Hanna Esec[utor]s of this my Will And I doe appoint my
37    Good friend and neighbour Mr. Peter Batt (haveing noe Male
38    Relation whatsoever of my owne family to intrust Overseer of this
39    My last Will desireing him to be assistant to my wife and Exec[utor]s in their
40    Affaires and for this trouble or rather a Token of my respects to him
41    I give him two twenty shilling peices of broad Gold And I doe
42    Revoke all former wills by me heretofore made And in witness
43    Whereof I have hereunto set my hand and seale this sixth day of June
44    In the yeare of our Lord one thousand seven hundred and two John
45    Roland [signed] signed sealed and published as the last Will and Testament of
46    The said John Roland in the presence of us and by me subscribed in
47    His presence the same day and yeare James Braley [signed] Thomas Cope [signed]
48    Elizabeth Braley [signed]

John doesn't mention Elizabeth, Rebekah or Jane as his daughters by name only Martha and Hannah his executrices. By the tombstone he is known to be 56 but his year of burial is mentioned as 1700 and this will is dated 1702. An error in transcription on the tombstone perhaps as it does appear to be the correct John Roland.

The will of Elizabeth Roland was written 1 Nov 1714 also at Morden. Her death is not mentioned on the above tombstone. Elizabeth only mentions her eldest daughter Elizabeth. Is this the wife of John Roland as she doesn't mention her husband's forename.

Source: The National Archives PROB 11/547/86
Date of document: 1 Nov 1714
Author: Elizabeth Roland
Location: Morden, Surrey, England

[In margin] T[esta]m[ent] Eliza Roland
1    In the Name of God Amen
2    I Elizabeth Roland of Moredon in the County of Surrey widow
3    Being aged and infirm in Body but of sound and perfect
4    Mind and memory do make this my last Will and Testament
5    In manner following Imprimis I commend my soul into the
6    Hands of allmighty God that gave it being hoping assuredly
7    Through his mercys and the precious merits of my blessed
8    Saviour and Redemer Christ Jesus hereafter to be made
9    Partaker of Everlasting Life my Body I committ to the
10    Earth from whence it came to be buried in Moredon Church
11    As near my late husband as possible And as touching my
12    Worldly Estate I give devise and dispose thereof in manner
13    Following That is to say I give and devise to my loving
14    Freinds Peter Batt of Moredon aforesaid Yeoman and John
15    Mason Citizen and Mercer of London and the survivor of
16    Them the summe of four hundred and fifty pounds of
17    Lawfull Money of Great Britain which is out at Interest
18    Upon diverse Securities nevertheless upon this speciall Trust and
19    Confidence that they the said Peter Batt and John Mason and
20    The Survivor of them do so soon after my decease as conveniently
21    They can lay out the said summe of four hundred and fifty
22    Pounds in the purchase of Lands and Tenements to that value
23    Within Thirty miles of London and to settle the same Lands to
24    The use of my Grandaughter Elizabeth Elliott daughter of my
25    Son in law Bartholomew Elliott of Wallington Yeoman and
26    The heirs of her body lawfully begotten or to be begotten and
27    my Will and meaning is that the Rents and profits of the said
28    ERstate to be purchased as aforesaid during the Minority of
29    my said Grandaughter Shall go and be paid to my daughter
30    Elizabeth Elliott her Mother towards the Maintenance and
31    Education of my said Grandaughter And in case my said
32    Grandaughter Elizabeth shall happen to dye under Age and
33    without issue then I give and devise the said intended purchased
34    Lands and Tenements to the next Child or Children of my said
35    daughter Elizabeth and the heires of their Bodys lawfully begotten
36    in equall Succession as they are in priority of Birth and Seniority
37    of Age And in case of their deaths then I will and devise the
38    Said Lands to my Said Son in Law Bartholomew Elliott and
39    Elizabeth his Wife for the Term of their Lives and the Life of the
40    longer liver of them And after their decease then to the right
41    heires of my said daughter Elizabeth for Ever and to no other
42    use intent or purpose whatsoever And my further will and
43    Meaning is that what charges and expences my said Trustees
44    or the Survivor of them shall be put unto in purchasing of the
45    said Lands and in the Execution of this their Trust they shall
46    deduct and detain to their own use out of such Moneys as shall
47    come to their hands Item I give to the poor of Morden Forty
48    Shillings to be paid at my Funerall by my Executrix hereafter
49    named Lastly All the rest and residue of my Goods Chattles
50    ready Moneys Plate and household stuff and personal Estate
51    whatsoever that are in my disposal and not herein before by
52    me disposed of I give and bequeath to my said daughter
53    Elizabeth Elliott desiring her to pay and defray thereout all my
54    just debts and Funeral charges And I do hereby nominate and
55    appoint my said daughter Elizabeth Sole Executrix of this my
56    Last Will and Testament Revoking all other Wills by me formerly
57    made and declare this my last Will In Witness whereof I have
58    to this my last Will and Testament contained in these severall
59    sheets of paper put my hand and Seal to each Sheet of paper
60    this First day of November in the year of our Lord Christ
61    One thousand Seven hundred and Fourteen I Elizabeth Roland
62    her mark Signed Sealed Published and declared by the said
63    Elizabeth Roland to be her last Will and Testament and
64    attested and subscribed in her presence by us Geo: Knapp Wm
65    Batts Stephen Savery


However they both mention their neighbour Mr Peter Batt as being their good friend. I am left to think that these are the wills of the husband John and the wife Elizabeth and she has outlived him by more than a decade.

This is added to the story of Matthew Hemsley mostly to remind me of my cousin's thoughts and the small amount of work that I did do at the time when we were writing back and forth looking at this Hemsley line.

Ancestry of Matthew Hemsley

1. Elizabeth BLAKE
2. Helen Louise PINCOMBE (b 18 Oct 1916) - Westminster Township, Middlesex County, Ontario, Canada
3. Ellen Rosina BULLER (b 20 May 1886) - Birmingham Warwickshire England
4. Edwin Denner BULLER (b 8 Apr 1850) - Birmingham Warwickshire England
5. Henry Christopher BULLER (b 30 Jan 1805)- St Mary Magdalen Bermondsey Surrey England
6. Mary BEARD (b 15 Decd 1767) - St Mary Magdalen Bermondsey Surrey England
7. Elizabeth HEMSLEY (b possibly 16 Oct 1742) - St Mary Newington Surrey England
possibly
8. Matthew HEMSLEY


It was interesting looking at Matthew once again and I now have in my mind a clearer picture of my cousin's thoughts with regard to Matthew and possibly John as being the father and grandfather of Elizabeth. There was a John Hemsley buried at St Mary Magdalen Bermondsey who had been living at Grange Road that I found earlier so will have another look at the Burial Register. I found a burial for John Hemsley 28 Nov 1781 again Grange Roade. He was 58 years of age. Since Elizabeth was only 38 I do not think that they are related as Matthew is more likely to be the father of Elizabeth and John not old enough to be her grandfather. I did not find a John Hemsley as a brother to Elizabeth but rather a George. Plus at 58 years his likely year of birth would be 1723

I found a James Beard 16 months old buried 12 Aug 1781 so am left to wonder if this was another son for Henry Beard and Elizabeth Hemsley. Elizabeth was buried 22 Jul 1781 and the last child I have for this couple was Sarah born 23 Feb 1777 and baptized 2 Mar 1777. His birth would have been February 1780 so will have another look at the baptismal register another time.

It does rather seem like I am undoing some of the research but I think I am seeing it more clearly five years later and can see where I need to do some work now that more records are online. I can perhaps solve the mystery of the Beard/Hemsley families back another generation from Henry Beard and Elizabeth Hemsley.

Henry Beard (1741 - 1795)

52 Ancestor Challenge - Challenge 18

Blake, King, Coleman, Pearce, Farmer, unknown, Lambden, Sarah (unknown), Knight, Ellis, Knight, Vincent, Butt, Durnford, Arnold, Molton, Cotterel, Bartlett, Alderman, Ann (unknown), Sherwood, unknown, Habberfield, Collings, Rawlings, Tanner, Dove, Morgan, Lywood, Canham, unknown, Peck, Pincombe, Charley, Rowcliffe, Pearse, Rew, Moggridge, Siderfin, Kent, Gray, Hilton, Cobb, Sproxton, Routledge, Tweddle, Routledge, Routledge, (unknown) Buller, unknown, Beard, Hemsley, Welch, Brockhouse, Cheatle, Woodcock, unknown Taylor, unknown, Harborne, Lewis, Roberts, Croxall, Lawley, unknown

It does seem appropriate to do Henry Beard next because I just referred to him in last weeks 52 Ancestor Challenge.Finding Henry Beard was thanks to my cousin Robin Beard. An email out of the blue identified Christy and Mary Buller as being mentioned in the will of Henry Beard with Mary being his daughter. What a marvelous gift as I had not at that time identified the surname of Christopher Buller's wife. That was back in 2008 and since then we have put together an interesting tree for Henry Beard both ancestral and descendant.

Henry Beard left his will dated  16 Sep 1795 and it was probated 23 Jan 1796. His burial record states that he died at Lion Court, Parish St Mary Magdalen, Bermondsey, Surrey and was buried 1 Nov 1795 in the Churchyard of St Mary Magdalen. We visited the Church and graveyard in 2010. It is a beautiful quiet grassy area in behind the Church. We spent a little time there but the exact location of the burial place for Henry and his first wife Elizabeth Hemsley is unknown to me at this time. According to his burial record his year of birth was circa 1741. I have not yet been able to find a baptism/birth for Henry Beard that would fit into this particular year. His will reads as follows:

Source: The National Archives PROB 11/1270/251

[In margin] Henry Beard
1    In the Name of God Amen
2    I Henry Beard of Bermondsey Street in the parish of
3    Saint Mary Magdalen Southwark in the County of Surr[e]y
4    Tanner being weak in body but of sound and disposing
5    Mind Memory and understanding do make publish and declare
6    this my last will and Testament in manner and form
7    following first I recommend my Soul into the hands of
8    Almighty God who gave it and my body I commit to the
9    earth to be decently and frugally interred at the discretion
10    of my Executors herein after named and to all my worldly
11    Estate whatsoever and where so ever where with it may
12    please God to bless me being all personal I give devise
13    and bequeath the same after payment of my funeral
14    expences the expence of proving this my will and all
15    my just debt as herein after is mentioned (that is to say)
16    I Give unto my Dear Wife Jane Beard the use of the
17    whole of my household Goods plate linen China furniture
18    and utensils what soever which shall be in my
19    dwelling house at the time of my death To hold use
20    occupy and possess the same during her life and from
21    and immediately after her death I direct that the
22    same be disposed of by my Executors herein after
23    named for the most money that can be reasonably
24    gotten for the same and that the produce thereof be
25    equally divided between my three daughters Mary
26    Buller the wife of Christy Buller Elizabeth Beard and
27    Sarah Beard share and share alike and in case any
28    one or more of my said Children shall die in the life
29    time of my said Wife Jane Beard then I direct
30    that the money arising from such disposal of my
31    said household Goods plate linen China furniture and
32    utensils be equally divided between such of them as
33    shall be living at the time of her decease to and
34    for their own sole and separate use and benefit and
35    I also Give and bequeath unto my said Wife Jane
36    Beard and to my said daughters Mary Buller the wife
37    of Christy Buller Elizabeth Beard and Sarah Beard the sum
38    of five Guineas each for mourning and I Give unto
39    Thomas Rippon of Bermondsey new road in the parish
40    of Saint Mary Magdalen in the County of Surrey afores[ai]d
41    Gentleman and Joseph Freeman of Grange Walk in the parish
42    of Saint Mary Magdalen in the County of Surrey aforesaid
43    Leather factors my Executors herein after named the sum of
44    ten pounds each for the trouble they may have in
45    the execution of this my will and in the performing the
    [Page 2]
46    Trusts hereby in them reposed and all the rest
47    residue and remainder of my Goods Chattells Stock in
48    Trade book debts Estate and effects of what nature or kind
49    Soever not herein before given or bequeathed I give
50    and bequeath unto the said Thomas Rippon and
51    Joseph Freeman (To hold to them the said Thomas Rippon and Joseph Freeman) their Executors Administrators and assigns
52    upon this Special Trust and confidence nevertheless (that is to say)
53    that they said Thomas Rippon and Joseph Freeman these
54    Executors or Administrators do and shall as soon as
55    convenient after my death sell and dispose thereof and
56    call in and receive all such debts sum and sums of
57    money as shall be due and owing to me at the
58    time of my decease either from my partnership made
59    with George Dade of Bermondsey Street in the parish
60    of Saint Mary Magdalen in the County of Surrey
61    aforesaid Tanner or from any other person or persons
62    whom soever and place the monies arising by such
63    sale or disposal and the monies so to be called in
64    and received upon government or other good and
65    sufficient security in their own interest and in such
66    interests as they shall think proper and also with
67    Trust that they do and shall receive the Interest
68    and Dividends thereof from time to time as the
69    same shall become payable and pay the same unto
70    my said dear Wife Jane Beard for and during the
71    term of her natural life provided she does not
72    intermarry with any other husband after my decease
73    and from and immediately after the decease to pay
74    assign transfer and convey all and every such said
74    and sums of money so to be placed out and
76    invested by the said Thomas Rippon and Joseph
77    Freeman upon Government or other good security or
78    securities unto and amongst my said daughters Mary
79    Buller the wife of Christy Buller Elizabeth Beard
80    and Sarah Beard share and share alike to and for
81    their own use and benefit and in case any or
82    other of my said daughters shall depart this life
83    in the life time of my said wife Jane Beard
84    then in Trust to pay assign transfer and receive
85    the part or share of such deceased child or
86    children unto such other or others of my said children
87    as shall be living at the time of the decease
88    of my said wife Jane Beard in equal proportion
89    but that if my said Wife Jane Beard shall marry
90    any husband in future then the Trust to pay assign
91    transfer and convey one fourth part of the money
92    So to be placed out upon Government or other
93    Securities unto my said Wife Jane Beard to and
94    for her own sole use and benefit and also In
95    Trust to pay assign transfer and convey the remaining
96    three fourth parts or shares of the said moneys
    to be placed out as aforesaid unto and among
97    [Page 3]
98    My said three daughters Mary Buller the wife of Christy
99    Buller Elizabeth Beard and Sarah Beard in equal shares
100    and proportions to and for their own use and
101    benefit and in case any or other of my said dau[ghte]rs
102    shall happen to die in the life time of my said
103    wife Jane Beard leaving issue of her or their body
104    or bodies lawfully begotten then In Trust to pay
105    assign transfer and convey the part or share of
106    such deceased child or children unto such her and their
107    issue share and share alike (if more than one)
108    when and so soon as they shall severally and respectively
109    attain their several and respective ages of twenty
110    one years and to pay and apply the Interest dividends
111    and produce thereof in the mean time for and
112    towards their respective maintenance and education
113    but in case one or more of my said daughters
114    shall happen to die without leaving issue of her or
115    their bodies lawfully begotten then the Trust to pay
116    assign transfer and convey the part of share of such
117    deceased child or children unto such other child or
118    Children as shall be living at the time of the dece[ase]
119    of my said Wife Jane Beard and I do hereby
120    empower and direct my said Trustees to pay assign
121    transfer and convey the same accordingly and I do
122    authorize and empower my said Trustees from time to
123    time as often as they shall think proper to alter and
124    change the securities or which the said residue of
125    my Estate and effects shall hereafter be placed out
126    and from time to time as often as they shall
127    think fit again to place the same upon Government
128    or such other good and sufficient security or securities
129    as they shall think proper and I do thereby
130    authorize and empower my said Trustees to apply
131    the respective part or share of any or other of my
132    said Children who shall so happen to die in the life
133    time of my said wife Jane Beard leaving
134    issue lawfully begotten for putting any or other of them
135    out to Business or any suitable employ or for setting
136    him her or them up in Business or advancing him
137    her or them respectively in any employ or otherwise
138    or his heires their  administrators ______ advancement if this would by marriage otherwise
139    ^ how soever any thing in this my will contained to
140    the contrary thereof in any wise notwithstanding
141    and it is my Will and meaning that my said
142    Trustees or other of them shall not be liable to
143    answer or make good any loss of losses that shall
144    or may happen to the aforesaid residue of my
145    Estate and effects in placing out the trust monies
146    according to the directions in this my will or in the
147    transacting any money affairs or otherwise relating to
148    or concerning the execution of the Trusts mentioned
149    in this my will unless the same shall appear to
150    happen by or through their or other of their
    [Page 4]
151    wilful neglect or default nor shall either of them my
152    said Trustees be answerable or accountable for the
153    acts deeds receipts or disbursements of the other of them
154    but each of them shall be answerable only for his
155    own separate acts deeds receipts and disbursements and
156    I do hereby direct that my said Trustees shall and
157    may pay and reimburse themselves and himself out of
158    the aforesaid residue of my Estate and effects all
159    reasonable and necessary costs charges and expences
160    what soever that they or either of them shall or
161    may bear pay be put into or sustain in or about
162    the creation of this my Will or the trusts hereby in
163    them reposed and Lastly I do hereby nominate constitute
164    and appoint my said Trustees the said Thomas Rippon
165    and Joseph Freeman Executors of this my last Will and
166    Testament and do hereby revoke and make void all former
167    and other will and wills by me at any time hereto
168    fore made and do declare this to be my last will and
169    Testament In witness whereof I the said Henry Beard
170    the Testator have to this my last Will and Testament
171    contained in three sheets of paper set my mark and
172    Seal (that is to say) to the first two sheets thereof
173    my mark and to this third and last sheet my
174    mark and Seal this sixteenth day of September in
175    the year of our Lord One thousand seven hundred
176    and ninety five [The mark] + [of Henry Beard] [Seal] Signed
177    Sealed published and declared by the said Henry Beard
178    the Testator as and for his last Will and Testament in
179    the presence of us who in his presence at his
180    request and in the presence of each other have
181    there unto subscribed our marks as witnesses [signed] James
182    Hopton [signed] Jno Rippon
183    This Will was proved at London the twenty
184    Third day of January in the year of our Lord One
185    Thousand seven hundred and ninety six before the w[or]shipful
186    Thomas Champion Crespigny Doctor of Laws Surrogate of
187    the Right Hon[oura]ble Sir William Wynne Knight also Doctor of
188    Laws Master Keeper or Commissary of the Perogative Court
189    of Canterbury lawfully constituted by the oathes of Thomas
190    Rippon and Joseph Freeman the Executors named in the
191    said Will to whom Administration was Granted of all and
192    singular the Goods Chattels and Credits of the deceased
193    having been first Sworn duly to administer.



The Burial Registers at St Mary Magdalen also have a rather interesting entry 1 Apr 1797 for Ann Margaret Beard who died living at Grange Road in Bermondsey.  Going back in time Elizabeth Hemsley, the first wife of Henry, died while living at Grange Road in Bermondsey. She was buried 22 Jul 1781 (St Mary Magdalen). More on Elizabeth later but would mention that she was baptized November 1742 at St Mary Newington, Southwark, Surrey.


Today searching I have found a marriage for Henry Board/Beard and Margaret Cope 18 Jul 1744 at St Mary Newington, Southwark. Henry's date of birth has been estimated on the burial record as 1741 and I am thinking that likely Henry is not a son of this couple but there are a number of Beard families who live at Grange Road through the 1700s into the 1900s. This is my cousin Robin's line. Henry Beard (mistranscription by Ancestry has Board) was likely baptized 28 Apr 1712 at St Mary Magdalen and born 14 Apr 1712 son of Edward and Ann Beard. I need to find another Beard line that fits into my line. Finding this marriage does rather change the earlier ancestry that we had worked out for the Beard family.



I will leave Richard Beard who left his will in 1823  naming his children as Joseph George (born 29 Sep 1804 and baptized 4 Nov 1804 at St Saviour, Southwark), William John, Ann Elizabeth (born 30 May 1807 and baptized 30 Aug 1807 at St Saviour, Southwark daughter of Richard and Ann) and James Charles attached to the family of Henry Beard and Ann Margaret Cope. But not a daughter Sarah who married Thomas Charlton 9 Apr 1757 at St Mary Magdalen, I have unattached her and left her as a sister to Henry since he named a daughter Sarah. I will leave Edward attached to the family of Henry Beard and Ann Margaret Cope as well.



Source: The National Archives PROB 11/1674/76
Date of document: 9 Jan 1823, probated 23 Aug 1823

[In margin] Richard Beard
1    This is the last Will and Testament of me
2    Richard Beard in the parish of Bermondsey in the County of
3    Surrey I give devise and bequeath all my property and Effects whatsoever
4    And wheresoever ^unto my wife on condition that she pay unto my Son George one
5    shilling and further after the decease of my wife that my son Joseph
6    George have and enjoy all gains profits and Issues arising from the
7    Business on proviso that he pay to my daughter Ann Elizabeth three
8    long as she remain unmarried twenty five percent out of the said gains
9    profits and Issues and after her Marriage ten per Cent only and moreover
10    at the decease of my wife that all Estates main. and Stock in Trade and
11    Household furniture be valued and equally divided among my then
12    surviving children I do hereby appoint my sons George and James
13    Charles Executors to this my last Will and Testament and So declared
14    that neither them nor my Son William John shall at any time

15    during the life of my wife or after her death be employed in my Baking
16    Business In Witness whereof I the said Richard Beard the Testator
17    have to this my last Will and Testament at my hand and Seal this
18    9th day of January in the year of our Lord 1823 Richard Beard [Seal]
19    Signed Sealed published and declared by the above named Richard
20    Beard the Testator and for his last Will and Testament in presence of
21    us who in his presence and in the presence of each other have
22    Subscribed our names as witnesses thereunto William James William
23    Rendle William Thomas
24    Proved at London 23 Aug[us]t 1823 before the Worshipful Charles Cook
25    Doctor of Laws and Surrogate by the oaths of George Beard and James
26    Charles Beard the Sons the Executors to whom adm[inistrati]on was granted
27    having been first sworn duly to administer.

Parents of Henry and Sarah possibilities:


Henry baptized in 1712 had parents Edward and Ann.

Also baptized at St Mary Magdalen children of Edward and Ann:


Joseph baptized 8 Jan 1698

William baptized 23 Feb 1700

Solomon baptized 16 Nov 1702

Jeremiah baptized 2 Mar 1703

Abraham baptized 6 Oct 1706

Sarah baptized 12 Dec 1708

Henry baptized 28 Apr 1712


I did not find a marriage for this couple at St Mary Magdalen searching but will eventually look at the Parish Registers. Lots of possibilities as a father for Henry and arbitrarily choosing Henry as the father of Richard and Edward may be premature so will put that into the possibility column.


I now find that the ancestry of my Henry Beard is unknown and can not find a baptism for him. He was a tanner by trade as mentioned in his will. Perhaps I can find an apprenticeship for him. This was not successful at this time but I believe our next visit to LMA will have a few lookups!


The will of Henry's second wife Jane Blakely.



Source: The National Archives PROB 11/1652/24
Date of document:  1 May 1817, probated 5 Jan 1822
Author: Jane Beard, relict of Henry Beard
Relationship: stepmother of Mary Beard Buller (3x great grandmother)
Location: Crosby Row King Street, Southwark, London, England

[In margin] Jane Beard 13
1    In the Name of God Amen
2    I Jane Beard of Crosby row King Street Southwark in the County of Surry Widow
3    do make and publish this my last Will and Testament in manner following that is to
4    say I direct that all my just debts and funeral and testamentary expences be in the
5    first place fully paid and satisfied by my Executors hereinafter named and after payment
6    and satisfaction thereof I give and bequeath unto my daughter in law Sarah Denner
7    now the Wife of Michael Jacob Denner of the Isle of Dogs Gentleman the sum of twenty
8    pounds to my cousin William Cooper five guineas to Christy Buller of Long Lane in
9    the Borough of Southwark aforesaid Slopcutter the sum of ten pounds to the Reverend
10    Doctor John Rippon of the Grange road Bermondsey Thomas Rippon of the Bank of
11    England Gentleman and the said Michael Jacob Denner a mourning ring each which
12    said several legacies I direct to be paid by my Executors as soon as conveniently
13    may be after my decease and as for and concerning all the rest residue and
14    remainder of my estate and effects whatsoever and wheresoever and of what nature
15    kind or quality soever which I now and or shall at the time of my decease
16    be possessed of interested in or entitled unto I direct that my Executors herein
17    after named shall convert the same into ready money immediately after my decease
18    and as to one equal third part of share thereof I give and bequeath the same
19    to the said Thomas Rippon and Michael Jacob Denner their Executors Admi[nistrat]ors and
20    assigns upon trust they they or the survivor of them and the Executors and Adm[inistrato]rs
21    of such survivor do and shall lay out and invest the same in this or their names
22    or name in the purchase of stock in the Bank of England and do and shall stand
23    possessed of such stocks together with the dividends and interest to arise therefrom
24    as and when the same shall become payable and which said dividends and interest
25    Interest I do hereby direct shall be by them from time to time added to and
26    become part of the principal of the said stock upon trust to pay and divide
27    the said stock and securities and the dividends and interest thereof between and
28    amongst all the every the children of my late daughter in law Mary Buller
29    deceased as and when they shall respectively attain the age of twenty one years
30    and in the meantime to suffer the dividends and interests upon their respective
31    shares to accumulate by the way of compound interest for their respective benefits
32    and in case of the death of any or either of the children of my said daughter
33    in law Mary Buller before they shall attain the age of twenty one years then
34    I do hereby direct that the share of such child or children so dying together
35    with all accumulations thereof shall go to and be divided equally amongst the
36    survivors of them if more then one and if but one then to such only child and
37    in case they shall all die in my lifetime or before they shall respectively attain
38    the age of twenty one years then I give and bequeath the said stock and securities
39    and the accumulations thereof unto my daughters in law Elizabeth Millin Widow
40    and the said Sarah Denner their heirs Executors Administrators and Assigns and
41    as to one other full equal third part of share thereof I give and bequeath the
42    same unto my daughter in law the said Elizabeth Millin her heirs Executors
43    Administrators and assigns to and for the and their own use and benefit and as
44    as to the remaining equal third part or share thereof I give and bequeath the
45    same
    [Page 2]
46    same unto my daughter in law the said Sarah Denner her heirs Executors
47    Administrators and assigns to and for her and their own use and benefit and I
48    do hereby nominate constitute and appoint the said Thomas Rippon and Michael
49    Jacob Denner Executors of this my last Will and Testament and do revoke all
50    former wills by me at any time heretofore made In witness whereof I the said
51    Jane Beard the Testatrix have to this my last Will and Testament contained
52    in one sheet of paper set my hand and seal the first day of May in the year
53    of our Lord one thousand eight hundred and seventeen Jane Beard [Seal] Signed
54    Sealed published and declared by the said Testatrix Jane Beard as and for the
55    last Will and Testament in the presence of us who in her presence in the presence
56    of each other and at her request have subscribed our names as Witnesses hereto
57    David Hudson No 40 Crosby row Sarah Hudson same place Josh Hudson
58    same place
59    This is a Codicil to the last Will and Testament of me
60    Jane Beard of Crosby row King Street Southwark in the County of Surry Widow
61    whereas in my will after given certain specific and perminary legacies I have
62    directed that the residue of all my estate and effects of what nature or kind soever
63    and wheresoever which I shall be possessed of at the time of my decease be
64    converted into ready money as soon as conveiently may be after my decease
65    for the purposes therein mentioned now it is my will and mind and I do hereby
66    direct that all my wearing apparel which I shall be possessed of at the time
67    of my decease be not converted into money but shall be divided between my two
68    daughters in law elizabeth Millin Widow and Sarah Denner now the wife of
69    Michael Jacob Denner of the Isle of Dogs Gentleman and my will and mind is
70    and I do hereby desire to be buried in Burnhill Fields burying ground in the
71    City Road London and in all other respects I do hereby confirm my said will In
72    Witness whereof I the said Jane Beard have to this Codicil to my last Will and
73    Testament set my hand and affixed my seal this seventh day of May in the year
74    of our Lord one thousand eight hundred and seventeen Jane Beard [Seal] Signed
74    Sealed published and declared by the said Testatrix Jane Beard as and for a
76    Codicil to her last Will and Testament in the presence of us who in her presence
77    at her request and in the presence of each other have hereunto subscribed our
78    Names as witnesses David Hudson Sarah Hudson same place Josh Hudson
79    same place
80    [In margin] Proved at London 5th January 1822 before the Worshipful Samuel Rusle
81    Moyrel Doctor of Laws Surrogate by the oath of Michael Jacob Denner
82    one of the Executors to whom administration was granted
83    Having been first sworn duly to administer
84    Power reserved to Thomas Rippon the other Executor

An interesting set of wills with Jane's obviously being that of the widow of Henry Beard my 4x great grandfather. Both Elizabeth's and Sarah's marriages are known to me. As Jane mentions in her will, Mary Buller is now deceased at the time of writing her will.

Discovering more about Henry would be interesting and perhaps our visit to LMA may be fruitful.

Ancestry of Henry Beard

1. Elizabeth BLAKE
2. Helen Louise PINCOMBE (b 18 Oct 1916) - Westminster Township, Middlesex County, Ontario, Canada
3. Ellen Rosina BULLER (b 20 May 1886) - Birmingham Warwickshire England
4. Edwin Denner BULLER (b 8 Apr 1850) - Birmingham Warwickshire England
5. Henry Christopher BULLER (b 30 Jan 1805)- St Mary Magdalen Bermondsey Surrey England
6. Mary BEARD (b 15 Dec 1767) - St Mary Magdalen Bermondsey Surrey England
7. Henry BEARD (buried 1 Nov 1795) - St Mary Magdalen Bermondsey Surrey England