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.

Tooley Street Fire 1861 lecture at BIFHSGO

A very interesting personal lecture at the BIFHSGO meeting yesterday on the Tooley Street Fire of 1861. Myra Conway put a human face on what would have been a catastrophic event in the lives of many on the southside of the Thames River in Bermondsey in 1861. Although my own families were gone from the Bermondsey area by the early 1830s (my 3x great grandfather died at the hospital there in 1832), I found it fascinating listening to her story of her own family living quite close to the actual conflagration and indeed they survived to appear once again on the 1871 census. Perhaps it is the mention of Tooley Street which most fascinates me. On our first tour bus in London we passed by the intersection of Tooley Street and the London Bridge and back in 2008 I never anticipated that I would come even close to seeing anything in London that would bring me close to my Buller, Beard and Hemsley families. But there the roadsign was staring back at me as we slowly rounded the corner. The pull was so powerful that on our trip in 2010 to London we walked the streets of Bermondsey spending our time walking up and down Tooley Street, Bermondsey Street, Long Lane and others where I knew that my families had lived; where they too had walked. I mentioned in an earlier blog the slate reproductions of the wharf before the fire under the Southwark Bridge (my blog 18 Oct 2011).

Interestingly, my 2x great grandfather still had his pork butcher shop near Covent Garden (Lamb Conduit Way) and I wonder if he too wandered down to look at the burning docks so close to the area where he was born in 1805. Henry Christopher Buller used to commute between his pork butcher shop/restaurant in Birmingham and London on a regular basis between the late 1830s when he first went to Birmingham and 1862 when he died 26 Jun 1862 at Westminster Hospital in London. His story is an example of how life can change so drastically for a family once affluent with servants and then lacking a solid income on the death of the father. The young widow returned to live with her widowed mother bringing her large family with her (11 children).

I have discovered descendants of Henry's older sister still living just south of Bermondsey and an email from my fifth cousin reminds me of my promise to visit on our next trip to London. Edward (my cousin) is 86 years old and doing very well. He is quite fascinated by all the history that I have sent his way and to discover that he lived only a few miles from where his 3x great grandmother was born. I have these huge generation lengths which makes me a 5th cousin to Edward although we differ in age by 22 years.

Kudos to BIFHSGO for a most interesting lecture. An image that Myra displayed quite caught my attention and it was the funeral procession for James Braidwood (Superintendent of the London Fire Brigade) who died when a wall collapsed during the fire on Tooley Street. I was trying to place the location but heavily bombed London in the 1940s changed the look of the area in so many places but yet it remains so much the same which is amazing given the bombing that London endured. I look forward to walking those streets once again as I have learned even more about my London roots which extend back into the late 1600s thus far with my Beard and Roland families who lived in the Bermondsey area continuously from this time forward to the early 1800s.

Missing items in North Molton Parish Registers and Open Files at The National Archives

Still working on the North Molton Parish Registers and up until 1571 baptisms, marriages and burials were all recorded. However, beginning in 1572 only baptisms are recorded and that has continued to the end of 1578 where I now am. There are now 900 baptisms, 144 marriages and 325 burials. One is left to ponder whether North Molton is that very exceptional parish where there are 50% fewer burials than anywhere else. Up to 1571 the baptisms outnumbered the burials 2:1 approximately. A very healthy sign but unusual for the time period.

A few new names in the parish but the names there in the late 1530s continue also in the parish. There is an increase in baptisms from the early register.

The National Archives is offering for the moment downloads of particular microfilm sets (with a suggestion that transcriptions of these items would be welcomed and could be placed on the "Your Archives" website) and this information can be found

http://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/documentsonline/digital-microfilm.asp

Quoted from the above mentioned website:  "Digital Microfilm allows you to search and download some of The National Archives' most popular records, which were previously available on microfilm. The National Archives has a large collection of microfilmed records, and we hope that making these available online will increase their accessibility. This will ultimately allow the microfilm readers used at The National Archives, Kew to be retired. Many of the records are indexes and we hope that these will be helpful in locating other relevant records.

The Digital Microfilm method of delivery is by using very large pdfs. Each download contains a whole piece, which could be up to 800 pages long. This means that Digital Microfilm is only available to online users with a broadband connection, and to users in the Research and Enquiries Room at The National Archives.

These records have not been indexed and so you will need to scroll through the pdfs, much as you would when using a microfilm. However, we would be more than happy for users to transcribe any of the Digital Microfilm content and post it on Your Archives, The National Archives' online community of records users.

These documents are currently free of charge to download."

The list of items available is fairly lengthy and I was very pleased to find the Wills from the pre Commonwealth period online:

"PROB 10 Prerogative Court of Canterbury and Other Probate Jurisdictions: Bundles of Original Wills and Sentences -These are the Prerogative Court of Canterbury wills for 1643-6 proved at Oxford, for which there are no copies in PROB 11. The wills are pieces PROB 10/639-642."

The four files found there are huge as a warning but should prove to be very interesting in looking at my husband's Royalist ancestors who came to America in the 1630s, 1640s and 1650s. Each file is around 800 pages.

I also downloaded a couple of Indenture files to see if I can discover anything about my London families - Buller, Beard, Hemsley, Roland, Cole.

I have so much transcription and reading to do that purchasing more documents almost seems strange. Nevertheless I have now ordered the Pincombe document that pertains to the lands that were transferred from John Pincombe Merchant South Molton to his son John Pincombe Merchant South Molton in 1605. This father and son died within half of a year or so of each other with the son dying after the father. I am hoping that by the land I might be able to look more closely at this early Pincombe family and separate out lines that do not easily separate out any other way. I was able to purchase the document from the John Rylands University Library at the University of Manchester as two *.tif although must wait until they have time to do the two files for me. I am of course most anxious to see it but I imagine they are busy this time of year with student affairs as the new school year advances.

BIFHSGO Conference September 2011 and the Moggridge family of Somerset

I received a contact today from a descendant of the Moggridge family of Somerset. He has been researching his line and we will correspond. That is such good news. Sarah Moggridge married John Rew and their son John Rew married Elizabeth Siderfin; their daughter Elizabeth Rew married John Pincombe and they emigrated to Canada via the Port of New York with their five children (John, William Robert, Elizabeth, Richard and Louisa) in November 1850 arriving early January 1851. It will be interesting to discuss our mutual family with him.

The contact that I received has reinforced my thought that as well as having a table for the Guild of One Name Studies I will attend the BIFHSGO Conference this year. There are a number of speakers coming from England that I would particularly like to hear. Although I have acquired a good deal of information on my family lines there is probably a great deal more that I can learn. I am very aware of the many sources that exist particularly at Kew and the individual County Record Offices from my courses at the National Institute for Genealogical Studies (U of T) but it is now four years since I graduated and the access to records has augmented exponentially since that time.

http://www.bifhsgo.ca/cpage.php?pt=22

Working with my Beard cousin in London has uncovered an entire family line totally unknown to me. I had searched and searched for the wife of Christopher (Christy) Buller to no avail until I received an email from my cousin with a note that the will of Henry Beard mentioned his daughter Mary Buller wife of Christy Buller a slop seller in Bermondsey. This worked for us and united our research ever since. The Beard line has been pushed back another generation or so and the Hemsley line (Henry Beard's first wife was Elizabeth Hemsley) to has been taken back and recently we discovered a Roland line into Hemsley. However, I am still sitting with my 3x great grandfather Christopher Buller about whom I now have a lot of information except for his parents. There are many possibilities but I think that reading the St Olave Bermondsey parish register will help to answer them. Thus far this register is not available on Ancestry although is at the London Metropolitan Archives. My cousin is primarily interested in Beard so I have not asked to have the Buller information pushed back. It was enough to learn so much about the Beard family!

The talks on London and environs will be most interesting for me and I believe that I will attend the Conference as well as have the Guild table. It will be a fair amount of running about but the results could prove to be quite interesting.

Will of John Roland, 6 Jun 1702

I transcribed the will of John Roland and it read about the same as my first read through. No new information on his family other than his cousin was Martha Huish. He does not identify  his sister other than her forename Mary and he is remembering her child. However, put together with the other documents from the Surrey online catalogue it does prove to be quite interesting. I keep hoping to find something about my Christopher Buller (aka Christy Buller) and one of these days I suspect something will come to the forefront.

The other fascinating part of all this is that it is his own handwriting entirely. His refusal to waste money is quite fascinating as well.

Date: 27 June 2011
Document: Will
Source: The National Archives # 192
Date of document: 6 Jun 1702 (buried 23 Oct 1702, probate 10 Nov 1702)
Author: Johannis Roland
Relationship: 7x great grandfather
Location: Morden, Surrey, England
Document quality: 17th century English, bold, own handwriting

[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]

Hemsley and Roland in Surrey

Continuing to check out the online catalogue for Surrey and looking at Hemsley and Roland whilst emailing back and forth with my cousin in England, the Roland/Rowland family gradually was teased out of the records. Elizabeth (my 4x great grandmother married to Henry Beard) we have concluded is the daughter of Matthew Hemsley and Mary Coal (married 14 Dec 1740 at St Mary, Newington, Southwark, Surrey) and born 16 Oct 1742 in Newington and baptized Nov 1742 at St Mary Newington. We know she married Henry Beard 31 Mar 1766 at St Mary Magdalen in Bermondsey, Surrey and was buried 22 Jul 1781 at St Mary Magdalen.

Elizabeth had three siblings: Mary  baptized 23 Aug 1741 at St Mary Newington and buried by 1750 (no record found yet), George baptized 20 Jul 1744 St Mary Newington and Mary baptized 14 Feb 1750 at St Mary Newington. We also have found that Mary (Coal) Hemsley was buried 27 Apr 1753 at St Mary Newington.

The parents of Matthew appear to be John Hemsley and Martha Roland who were married 6 Feb 1704 at St Mary Le Bow London with an interesting contract developed just after the marriage:

System ID     212/74/2/1/1

SHC Reference     212/74/2

Title     Lease, Release, and settlement made prior to marriage of John Hemsley and Martha Roland

1) John Hemsley of St Saviour's, Southwark, cheesemonger

2) Martha Roland of Morden, spinster, daughter of John Roland of Morden, gentleman, deceased

3) Thomas Cooke, citizen and baker of London

4) Peter Batt of Morden, yeoman.

Messuage or tenement, barn, stable, outhouses, buildings, garden and orchards, Wallis Mead of 5a, and the 2 Bushy Closes of 10a, in Morden, formerly occupied by Anne Greenewell, purchased by John Roland from Daniel Ballow of Camberwell, gentleman, fourth share in premises in Winsborough, Kent

Date     31 Jan 1705 -1 Feb 1705

Catalogue Level     Item

and another in 1723

System ID     212/74/2/1/2

SHC Reference     212/74/3

Title     Assignment of term of 2,000 years

1) John Jackson of Southwark, pewterer

2) John Hemsley, late of Camberwell, now of St Saviour's, Southwark, gentleman.

Wallis Mead and Bushy Closes of 15a in Morden

Date     22 Feb 1723

Catalogue Level     Item

 Then the following in 1745 (widow Hemsley is in the last line of the formal contract):

System ID     K85/2/1/1/49

SHC Reference     K85/2/51-52

Title     Lease and release to make a tenant to precipe and to lead the uses of a common recovery

1) Richard Garth of Mordon alias Morden, esq

2) Edward Dickinson of St Clement Danes, Middlesex, gent

3) Walter Hargrave of St Clement Danes, gent.

Property in Morden, Merton, Mitcham Malden and Carshalton comprising:

Manor of Mordon alias Morden, advowson of Mordon, capital messuage or mansion house in Mordon alias Morden, Horslees alias Horsemead (4a) and Swine Mead (3a), grouts Mead alias the Island (3a), Rushy Mead (3a), Wormwood Yard (1a), Land planted with oziers, Great Barrells (10a), Barn Close (5a), Little Barrells (5a), all in Mordon and Merton;

Graves Farm in Mordon and lands usually demised with it: Home Close (1½a), Longmead adjoining Hobalds mead (3a), 6a adjoining Hillyfields (8a), slip (1r) between freehold close and Twyrie Land, all in Mordon;

messuage in Mordon, a little close (3a), a pightle (3a), ground between Garmans and the churchyard, Great Churchfield (12a), Little Churchfield (11a), Upper Gallows field (14a), Lower Gallows field (12½a), Gallows mead (2½a), Lower Copps and little close (6a), 4½a by Lower Gallows field, Wood Close (6a), Longhill (16a), Garmans with 1a at its lower end and ½a exchanged with William Quarrington (8½a), Great Hobalds (14½a), Hobalds Mead (9½a), Gallows Grove (6a), Langhill wood (8½a), Vicars Bush alias Copps (3a), all in Mordon;

messuage in Lower Mordon, Winters (1a), 2a by Hobalds mead Bridge, Westhaws (3a), all in Lower Morden;

messuage with Lands: Barn Close (4a) Long Close (4a), Wikefield (7½a), Suthwells (5½a) the two slips (4a), Hillyfield (6½a), all in Mordon [Morden]; messuage, the twelve acres, Meedon [close] (16½a) Little Snakeshill (2a 3r), Great Snakehill (6a), Grubbs Close (7½a), Larklease (1½a), Long Cumberstroude (3½a), Gate Close (3a) the three Acres (3a 3r), the Pightles now called the lower five acres (5a 3r), Little Cumberstroude (3a), Lower Cumberstroude (6a), Bottom Comon mead (5a) all in Mordon;

Bushy Close (8½a), 2½a adjoining Longclose (2½a) all in Mordon; messuage, pightle adjoining (1a 3r), Newberry Close (4a 1r), Little Hobald (14a), all in Mordon; Martyrs between Bowhill and Coomberstroude Ruffett, Farm on the Common of Mordon;

messuage called Noonings and 58a belonging (field names given), in Morden: messuage, pightle (½a), Winters (2½a), Paper West haws (4½a), Lower West haws (3a), 2a lying east upon Cheam Common;

messuage and farmhouse in Mordon, 12a adjoining Mead Close (5a), 6a adjoining inclosed out of the Comon Mead, Short Hill (4a), Hawkes (5r), New Orchard (2a), Hawks Mead (2a), Rale mead (4a), Hungerhill (7a), Southfields (20a), Hungerhill (5a), 1½a adjoining Pilfords Bridge, Hungerhill Ruffett (3a), Coomberstroude Rufflett alias Wood Close (5a), 15a in the lower shott in Bowhill, 7a in the upper shott in Bowhill, 4a in the upper shott between Bowhill and Coomberstroude Ruffett, Franks Farm and 1 messuage, 2½a adjoining, 9½a in Southfield adjoining, New Close (3a 3r), Great Cobshaw (5½a), Sutton Ash (2½a), 6a inclosed out of Southfield [Common], 4a at Hungerhill, Bushy Close (5a) little Spotts (7a), Great Spotts (9a 3r), Sutton Ash (8a), Cobshaws (4a 1r), Riddons (2a 3r) all in Mordon;

24½a formerly Conigree field and Merton Church field, in Merton; messuage in Stoyle street in Mordon and 1a messuage, Old Orchard (2a), five acres (6½a), New Close (9½a), Stonebridge (4½a), Cobsham (1½a), all in Mordon;

messuage and shop and one other messuage, Great Waterdons (10a) and Newberrys (4a), all in Mordon; Messuage in Lower Mordon, Mackerrell [pightle] adjoining (1a), Freehold Close (4a), Highfield and land adjoining (7a), ½a adjoining to the Common Mead, all in Lower Morden;

messuage and 5a in Churchfield in Mordon; messuage, pightle (1a), Seven Acres, the three acres, Watertons (17a), Hookleys (16a), 5a lately woodland, Watertons (17a), 15a, great Hookleys (17½a), Withy Close (7a), the five acres, Wells his pightle (1½a), Great Merton (12a 3r), all in Merton;

2 small messuages in Great Redlands, Great Redlands and little Redlands (15a), Watertons by Watertons Green (6a), Mill Mead (7a 3r), Crabtree mead (5½a), Arnolds Mead (2½a), 3 slips (9a 4r), all in Merton and Mordon and Mitcham;

Mansion House in upper Mordon, 7a adjoining New Close (7a), Malthaws (8a), Hilly Close (8a), the Little Mead (1a), the four acres, Chaulwood Close (4a), Pond or Brick Close (4a), Longmead (4a), Stonebridge Close (4a), Six Acres Close, Pightle (2½a), Gildenhill (5a) Hobald 178a (field names given);

messuage and 16a in Mordon; ground occupied by Widow Hemsley in Mordon; ½a in Boxwells all other real property of R Garth in Mordon, Mitcham, Merton, Maldon [Malden] and Carshalton devised by will, 15 May 1697

Date     6-7 Jun 1745

Catalogue Level     Item

The Parish Registers of Morden provide a few interesting memorials:

On a white marble tablet in the recess of the second window :

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 y

e 30th

aged 33.

Arms.—able, a pile wavy Argent.

Crest.—n eagle with a ball.

The coat of arms/crest mentioned above also appear in the Visitation of the Rowland family which is rather interesting as well. I pulled all the children out of the Morden register for the Roland family living there and includes Martha Roland who married John Hemsley.

John bc 1674 buried 21 Nov 1691 at Morden (17 years of age)

Rebekah baptized 29 Sep 1676 at Morden

Martha baptized 20 Dec 1677 at Morden

Hannah baptized 4 Apr 1679 at Morden buried 13 Apr 1704 at Morden

Thomas baptized 15 Oct 1680 at Morden buried 17 Oct 1680 at Morden

Jane baptized 23 Jul 1682 at Morden

I also downloaded the will of John Roland (father of Martha) and Martha was named as one of his executors along with Hannah in 1702. 

Since there was a Rowland Hemsley mentioned on their tablet was this a son of Martha married to John Hemsley? Rowland was 33 when he was buried 3 Aug 1746 (died 30 Jul 1746 age 33 years). He would have been born circa 1713. 

The children I have currently for Martha and John Hemsley (married 6 Feb 1704):

Matthew 

Martha baptized 28 Jun 1709 St Saviour Brixton

John Roland baptized 3 Apr 1711 St Saviour Brixton

Susanna baptized 17 Sep 1712 St Saviour Brixton

The Registers of St Saviour Brixton are held at the London Metropolitan Archives and that is a trip for another time. 

Although I find the connection from John Hemsley/Martha Roland to Matthew to Elizabeth Hemsley tentative it is quite fascinating to look at it and verifying the truth of this relationship will be a future item. I did purchase John Roland's will and will put the transcription up online in the near future. However, I think I will wait to buy the wills of Hannah Roland and Elizabeth Roland (mother) to a later date. If I am not related, I do not want to spend a lot of time researching individual lines without the linkage proven.

Surrey Catalogue online

A marvelous new online tool for those researching their Surrey, UK ancestry can be found at:

http://www.surreyarchives.org.uk/Calmview/

Of course, I immediately had to put in Christopher Buller because he remains my brick wall in this particular part of England. Christopher was my 3x great grandfather married to Mary Beard (marriage not yet found but given the nature of this family it was probably at a peculiar). I know so much about Christopher in some ways but absolutely no idea of his parent's names. I know that he was a slop dealer/maker/cutter whose place of work was on Tooley Street in Bermondsey, Surrey. I know that he was buried 13 May 1832 at St Olave Bermondsey (as was his first wife Mary Beard, his two children who died as infants). St Olave Church was torn down in 1830 to make room for the approaches to London Bridge so that it remains somewhat a confusion in my mind as to how he was buried in 1832 at St Olave but I need to have a look at the records at London Metropolitan Archives one of these days. His age was given as 69 years giving me an estimate date of birth of 1763. Given that his wife, infant children and himself were all buried at St Olave I suspect he might have been baptized there and his parents belonged to this Church but the records are not on ancestry so must await my next visit to London. I was tempted this past trip to go to LMA but I knew that I would spend an entire day there (I would never have been able to go in just for a peek there is too much information there that I would like to look at :) ). We wanted to walk London and Westminster and Greenwich and that was our priority and I am so glad that we did do that. LMA can wait for another time.

However, back to the Surrey records coming up online. My cousin Robin Beard and I carry on a correspondence often separated by months as we go about our busy lives. But my discovery of this morming has resulted in my sending a lengthy email about our mutual Hemsley ancestors because I found a record that likely verifies the thought that Matthew Hemsley (father of my Elizabeth Hemsley) was the son of John Hemsley and Martha Roland who married 6 Feb 1704 at St Mary Le Bow with John Hemsley being a cheesemonger at St Saviour Southwark. This information has been the result of a lot of reading of parish registers as we pieced together the story of Elizabeth Hemsley (first wife of Henry Beard and my 4x great grandparents). Christopher Buller had married their daughter Mary Beard with their son Henry Christopher Buller (my 2x great grandfather) and his son Edwin Denner Buller being my great grandfather. I have spent an amazing amount of time on the Buller family line trying to discover the parents of Christopher.

The searching of the records for Tooley Street led me to a David Griffin who was a sailmaker on Tooley Street in the 1760s to 1770s which is somewhat fascinating as sails do not seem that far from sailor uniforms (slops). Another lead perhaps; a Griffin marrying a Buller perhaps and I shall track down another possible lead to see if I can solve this mystery. Likely it would be quickly solved if I was on the spot at London Metropolitan Archives and I look forward to that on my next visit. Next time I shall spend 1 day at Kew and 1 day at LMA. If I do not go with that thought in mind I would spend weeks there :)

Standing on Tooley Street near to where my Christopher Buller lived and worked was an exhilarating experience and one I highly recommend. Walking down Tooley Street and heading towards Bermondsey Street was walking the walk that he had likely taken thousands of times in his life. He and Mary had attended St Mary Magdalen on Bermondsey Street. Walking down Long Lane back to our hotel took on the feeling of history for me as well because Christopher eventually lived on Long Lane as found in the will of Jane Beard (stepmother to my Mary). This family moved at least three times whilst Mary was alive and I always wonder was it to accommodate the growing family - I suppose so.

Back to searching on the Surrey Catalogue and checking out all the possible leads that might help me to find Christopher Buller's parents. But also Henry Beard's family line may also be searchable in this database as Henry was a Tanner at Bermondsey and possibly the son of Edward Beard. I continue to search out information on this family and that will be my next search item for this database.