The Hampshire Family Historian | Vol.48 No.4 | March 2022

Hampshire Family Historian The

Volume 48 No.4 March 2022

Journal of the Hampshire Genealogical Society

Ashley Church – See ‘Phoebe and her twins’ on page 158

Also inside this Issue The lunacy of the madhouse • Phoebe and her twins • Our ancestors were coastguard boatmen!

PLUS: Around the groups • Hampshire Records Office • Research Room

Hampshire Genealogical Society HGS OFFICE , Hampshire Genealogical Society, Hampshire Record Office, Sussex Street, Winchester. SO23 8TH Office only open Tuesday and Thursday 10am to 4pm Registered Charity 284744

Telephone: 07769 405195 Email: society@hgs-online.org.uk Website: http://www.hgs-familyhistory.com

PRESIDENT Dr Nick Barratt

PROJECTS Position vacant

CHAIRMAN Paul Pinhorne 84 Fontmell Road, Broadstone,

BOOKSTALL Elaine Boyes Email: bookstall@hgs-online.org.uk

Dorset BH18 8NP Tel: 01202 383736 Email: chairman@hgs-online.org.uk SECRETARY Gwen Newland 3 Wickham Close, Tadley, Hants RG26 4JT Tel: 0118 9810693 Email: secretary@hgs-online.org.uk TREASURER Ann-Marie Shearer at address at top of page Email: treasurer@hgs-online.org.uk

RESEARCH CENTRE MANAGER Chris Pavey Email: researchmanager@hgs-online.org.uk

MEMBERS’ INTERESTS Keith Turner Email: membersinterests@hgs-online.org.uk

EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE AND TRUSTEES: John Bowman Margaret Bowman Elaine Boyes

Paul Pinhorne Fiona Ranger Ann-Marie Shearer Keith Turner Angela Winteridge Lorraine Whale (co-opted)

Phil Brown Kay Lovell Gwen Newland Chris Pavey

MEMBERSHIP SECRETARY Margaret Bowman 11 Elbe Way, Andover SP10 4LD Tel: 01264 351361 Email: membership@hgs-online.org.uk

GROUP ORGANISERS – See Group Reports Pages

SUBSCRIPTION RATES: ALL MEMBERS £15

EDITOR Stephen Pomeroy at address at top of page Email: editor@hgs-online.org.uk

This journal is designed and laid out by Grey Cell Studios Southampton Telephone 023 8023 5780 Email: info@greycellstudios.co.uk

Hampshire Family Historian The F H

Contents

Editorial

146

by Stephen Pomeroy Chairman’s Report

March 2022

147 HGS News – Research Centre Report 148 HGS News – Farewell 149 Hampshire Record Office 150 The Lunacy of the Madhouse 153 by Charlotte Clark Searchers 156 Phoebe and her Twins 158 by Marion Gilmour Our ancestors were coastguard boatmen! by Judith Sexton and Frances Marshall 162

Vol 48 No.4 • ISSN 0306-6843

Page 162

Deadline Material for possible inclusion in the June 2022 Family Historian should be received strictly by April 23rd, 2022. All contributions are, however, appreciated as early as possible. The deadline applies to regular features only. Disclaimer The Hampshire Family Historian is the official publication of the Hampshire Genealogical Society. Material is copyright of the Society and may not be reproduced without written permission. The Hampshire Genealogical Society does not accept responsibility for personal views expressed in this publication, or in any articles. Submission of material The editor welcomes articles, feedback, letters or searchers requests for the journal. Text should be typed in black, with illustrations if appropriate. Send to the HGS Office at the address on the inside front cover marked for the attention of the editor. Please enclose a SAE for return of any photos or other items. Items can also be sent by e-mail to editor@hgs-online.org.uk as Word documents. In this case please send any photos or illustrations as separate image files rather than embedded in the document. You can have them in the document to indicate where they should appear or use placeholders. Images degrade when they are imported and resized when embedded. HGS reserves the right to reproduce submissions in publicity materials and on the society website. Please ALWAYS include a telephone contact — and if a member your membership number. To comply with data protection requirements please state what contact details you want printed in the journal or website, e.g telephone number and/or e-mail and/or address.

Page 158

Local Group Programmes

166

A Volunteer’s point of view

180

Membership

IBC

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Editorial

Message from the editor Please keep the articles coming in, I only have one in hand for future use. Otherwise, future journals will be a lot lighter. We have thought about repeating some of the articles from many years ago that newer members will not have seen. We realise some groups have not met or are still using Zoom so it might be difficult but you may notice that some groups are lacking notes on meetings. Please send them in as the talks are given so even if you miss the deadline then we will have something under the group headings. Articles featured this quarter are: Judith Sexton and Frances Marshall researched their coastguard ancestors, moving around the coast needing research to follow them as they moved. Groups have had coastguards and revenue men but we do not hear much of the law enforcement ancestors. Marion Gilmour researched illegitimate twin ancestors and ‘mystery’ payments made to their mother via the overseers which hint at who the father was. I wonder how many of us talks about the other side of this with smugglers and how they avoided the

have made use of overseers records? Finally, Charlotte Clarke whilst researching found a reference to an ancestor from Hampshire oddly dying in London. This led to

time looking at Lunatic Asylum Records and why the move from Hampshire. Although she still has no clues as to why her ancestor was in an Asylum. Even what are considered today minor problems often resulted in being put in an asylum – one of my several times great aunts was in the asylum at Portsmouth and fitting that in the family events it would seem

to be post-natal depression! Stephen Pomeroy Editor

Are you looking for that elusive family history book? Or one on local history? Perhaps we can help – contact Elaine at bookstall@hgs-online.org.uk

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Chairman’s Report

Message from the Chairman

Welcome to the first edition of the 2022 Historian. I hope you all had a great Christmas and New Year wherever you are. We are now settled in our new home in Winchester, having celebrated our Partnership with the Hampshire Archives and Local Studies at an event last December. I was pleased to see that Caroline Edwards who was Chief Archivist before her retirement last year joined us, as she was very much involved with the negotiations of our move. We still open just the two days a week, but will review an additional day should we have sufficient volunteers to cover it. We are always looking for volunteers, whether on the desk helping our visitors or carrying out transcribing. If you are interested, please contact Chris our Research Centre Manager. I am still seeking someone who will take on the role of either Publicity or Minute Secretary. Can you help? You may have noticed on our Website news that Ancestry is to spend a year in the HRO scanning documents to make available on line. This will be very useful for members that are unable to visit Winchester. I was sorry to hear that Marilyn Lovett has had to step down as the Group Organiser for Gosport. This is a role she carried out diligently for many years. In December the HGS was a beneficiary from

the will of one of our past Australian members. The HGS Executive will be exploring how best to honour the memory of our generous

member with her kind bequest to the Society. Two new ventures for members have recently taken place. Firstly, HGS has formed a National Group focusing on those members out of Hampshire that cannot attend a local group meeting. The first meeting was held on 3rd March. This group will alternate bi- monthly with the International Group. Secondly, we held a Zoom presentation hosted by FindMyPast that enlightened us to the recently released 1921 Census. Unfortunately, it is not free to those with FMP membership, but nevertheless a useful addition to family history research. Well enjoy the rest of the March Historian and ‘Good Hunting’

Paul Pinhorne Chairman

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HGS News

Research Centre Report The Research Centre continues to develop at Winchester. Our new volunteers are now well established and have recently been joined by another new member. If you would like to volunteer at HRO please do let me know, you will be joining a friendly and welcoming team. As you will read elsewhere our Official Opening event took place just before Christmas where we were pleased to meet and talk to Hampshire Archives Colleagues and Hampshire County Councillors. In other news, our newly formed National and International Groups which meet via Zoom, have increasing support. If you do not live in Hampshire these groups offer interesting meetings and talks tailored to members with Hampshire ancestors who live outside the county both within UK and overseas. As well as being kept busy in the search room at HRO helping visitors with their queries, our volunteers are busy updating and producing new indexes for HGS. The HGS Catalogue which lists all our books and CDs has been slightly re-formatted and updated and is now available to search on the website. It has several thousand new entries. We are also currently working on our large index of Britains Dying Overseas. As you will know some of the pre-1900 index is already on our website; we have just added around 11,500 new entries with many more to be processed. John Bowman, the lead for the BDO work, is

currently recruiting volunteers to help with this project, so see his article for further details. A list of Hampshire Removals and Settlements is also now on the website and we have various other indexes etc in the pipeline to also be uploaded, including some Quarter Sessions records, so do keep checking our website. We have been pleased to have had some further donations of indexes of Havant records, the originals of which have been donated to Hampshire Record Office. A condition of this latest donation is that the indexes will be on our website under the Free Data. Some are already available via our MIs (Monumental Inscriptions) either on CD or as an email attachment Our thanks for this donation go to Hugh Owen and his colleagues at Havant. We now hold Havant Municipal burials up to 2006. This month there is news from both FindmyPast and Ancestry. FMP have now released the 1921 census and this is available to search. Even if you are an FMP member there is still a small charge to view the entries. As you will also read elsewhere, Ancestry have now begun work at HRO to digitise all the Hampshire Parish Registers and Probate records. This will be a long process, and the records are not expected to be available until the end of 2022 at the earliest. Chris Pavey HGS Research Centre Manager

Errata In the December issue, page 114 should have been headed Mayflower 400

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HGS News

Obituary – Edith Green It is with much regret that one of our oldest members Edith Green passed away on Boxing Day at the age of 108, in her sleep. Edith had been a member for over 15 years and would regularly attend the Ringwood Group meetings with her daughter and son-in- law, Pat and George Hilbert. Many Hampshire based members will probably have had Pat present her talk on Thames Watermen and Lightermen at one of their monthly meetings. Edith still attended the occasional meeting until only a few years ago, and her membership lapsed 3 years ago when failing health required her to go into a Care Home. One of my fond memories of Edith was that Pat and George would bring Edith to the Ringwood Group’ s Skittle Evening held each August. Although in her later years, her eyesight and hearing had deteriorated, Pat would guide her

onto the alley and Edith would throw the ball down the alley. In 2016, she attended her last Skittles evening, in excess of 100 years old. Paul Pinhorne Chairman

Edith always had a smile on her face and we members at Ringwood will miss her greatly.

FAREWELL Bryan Baker

With the deepest regret we wish to inform readers of the death of the following HGS members:-

Paignton, Devon

Member #9832 Member #14030 Member #14212 Member #1149 Member #11025 Member #13761 Member #966 Member #5811

Jean Baker

Aylesbury Gosport Stamford Verwood Fareham Winchester Eastleigh

Mr Adrian Barnecutt Barbara Chambers

Edith Green Ivan Johns Mr D H Pearce

Maureen E Westwood

We will be open at our new office on Tuesdays and Thursdays only. from 10am to 4pm. HGS Research Centre

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News from the Hampshire Archives

The Hampshire Archives and Local Studies Opening hours for Record Office visitors are Tuesdays to Thursdays, 9.30am to 4.00pm. Booking is essential for

referring to the property as a messuage and garden 'adjoining the Sign of the Three Horse Shoes', 1801-90, and its re-building in 1914 (from then onwards known as the 'Four Horse Shoes'). Also includes plans showing the re- building in 1914; papers relating to the land opposite the site, 1930; and abstracts of title of both H and G Simonds Ltd. to the pub, 1958, and Charles and Mrs Gladys Yalden, 1966, with further plans (73A21) Old Basing title deeds , deeds and related papers concerning a malthouse, granary, outbuildings and cottages in The Street, Old Basing, 1666-1912 (83A21) Minstead deeds , deeds and documents relating to Forest View Cottage, later known as Rose Cottage, Minstead, 1900-87 (79A21) Records of local societies and organisations Yateley Society , including: deeds of Chaddisbrook House and village stores, c1829- 1934, Old Rosemary Farm, 1829-81, misc Blackwater, c1930-76; photograph of 4 Platoon 'B' Company, Hampshire Home Guard, Yateley, c1940; photos of Muriel Brent of Yateley, 1930s, Yateley houses, 1980s and Cricket Hill, 1990s, Firgrove Manor, Eversley, c1996; colour slides of the Vigo Lane development, 1961-81; postcards of Minley Manor and church, c1900- 80s and annual Christmas fancy dress party, c1912; local guides and publications; research papers on William Cobbett and Blackbushe airfield. Yateley Society files of Peter and Elizabeth Tipton, 1970s-2000s (186A09d9, uncatalogued) Andover Young Farmers Club , minute book, Apr 1935-Nov 1945 (81A21) Winchester and Portsmouth Diocesan Guild of Church Bell Ringers, Portsmouth District

researchers wanting to order up 4 or more documents. Those without an appointment can browse search room resources such as books, microform, and digital material. All visitors can also order up to 3 documents until 12 noon each day. Please check our website for the most up to date information at www.hants.gov.uk/librariesandarchives/ archives . An agreement was signed at the beginning of December between Ancestry and Hampshire County Council to digitise Hampshire’s parish registers and probate records and in January, Ancestry’s digitisation team have joined us on site and begun their work. The probate records are wills which were proved in the church courts of Winchester Diocese from 1500 to 1857/8 together with related probate records such as inventories (documents relating to the disposal of someone’s estate) and administrations; these records are being digitised first. The parish registers comprise all Church of England baptisms, marriages and burials for Hampshire parishes in Winchester Diocese dating from 1536 to 1921. The first records are expected to be available from the beginning of 2023. Some recent additions to the Hampshire and Local Studies Archives Personal, family and estate records Deeds and related documents concerning the Horse Shoes alehouse, later the Four Horse Shoes pub, Long Sutton , mid 18th century-1966, including abstract of title to the property dating back to 1724, and deeds

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News from the Hampshire Archives

(inaugural) minute book, 1902-22; Andover District records, as follows: minute books, 1928-2013 ; St Mary's church, Andover, belfry attendance/visitors' book, 1947-64, and 1985- 6; attendance register, 1959-71; anniversary peals (a record of 37 peals scored in celebration of the 40th anniversary of the establishment of the Andover Guild and rung throughout the District), 1968-9 ;subscription registers, 1954-69, 1981-99 (20M94 additional) Friday Art Group [Bentley/Farnham area], scrapbooks compiled by members of the Friday Art Group (principally its founder, the late Wendy Bennett of Lindford), which exhibited in the Bentley/Farnham area, 1987- 2018 (4 vols); exhibition visitors' book containing comments about the Group's exhibitions, 2009-19 (91A21) Pictorial records West Meon photographs and pamphlets, photographs and copy photographs of West Meon, (c1900)-1970s; colour photographs of celebrations in West Meon for the 1977 Silver Jubilee; 'West Meon and Warnford War Dead 1939-1946'; 'West Meon Remembered' by Ronald Stone (2018) with a sketch plan of West Meon by Ron Stone as it was in the late 1940s (77A21) Alton area railway photographs and emphemera, photographs, mostly showing steam trains on the Alton line and at Alton station, including some Railway Enthusiasts

Recollections of 1959' by Chris Small, 2009.(97A21)

Some recent additions to the Wessex Film and Sound Archive Recent accessions include the following (some items are still awaiting processing) Radio Victory, Portsmouth Hospital Radio , Christmas Day, audio reel (8mm) - Portsmouth Hospital Radio broadcast by Peter Courchee (Le Court resident) recording a radio show 'Sounds on Wednesday' and Portsmouth Hospital Radio broadcast on Christmas Day, 1976; MP3 file of radio Victory report on 'The Disabled', by Jane Young, Jun 1978 (AV1653) Hayling Island holiday film , cinefilm (9.5mm) black and white cinefilm of family holidays on Hayling Island, 1950s (AV1654) News of Events HALS/WFSA is launching its exciting new programme of events in 2022, and details will be available soon at the foot of its home page at www.hants.gov.uk/librariesandarchives/ archives Upcoming talks (a mixture of in-person and online, as circumstances permit) are:

• Local history • House history

• 100 years of 9.5mm film • The Queen in Hampshire • The Baring family and its archive

• The natural world • Women filmmakers

Club trains, 1930s-50s, also some photographs of the Meon Valley line;

• The Swing Riots • War memorials • Introduction to sources for Hampshire railways

'Flashback' (pamphlet about Medstead and Four Marks station through the years), 1983; article from Mid-Hants News entitled 'Some

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News from the Hampshire Archives

We are also resuming our popular behind the scenes tours. A few years ago, we offered individuals the chance to see behind the scenes at Hampshire Record Office. This opportunity had previously only been available to groups. So, if you have ever wanted to go behind those doors and find out more about the working of an archive, look out for the dates, which will be advertised on our home

page. There will be one tour each month from March onwards. Contact details: Hampshire Record Office, Sussex Street, Winchester, Hants SO23 8TH Telephone: (01962) 846154; Email: archives.enquiries@hants.gov.uk www.hants.gov.uk/archives

THE HGS NEEDS YOU! The HGS ‘Britons Dying Overseas’ (BDO) transcription programme is up and running and we need volunteers Volunteers will be required to transfer data from index cards to Microsoft Excel spreadsheets, for uploading to the HGS BDO website.

It matters not where you are in the world, we will try to find a way of sending the index cards to you for transcription. A knowledge of Microsoft Excel is helpful but full training will be given, face-to- face at the HRO in Winchester, at your home (near Winchester) or via Zoom. If you are interested in helping us then please contact John Bowman bowman92@btinternet.com

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Member’s article

The Lunacy of the Madhouse

Now and then I like to do some hard research on my family tree. As more new digitised documents are becoming available online, I occasionally like to take a look to what new information I can find. The inevitability of such research leads to discovering stories of all sorts – even of heartache and sadness. One such story came to light recently in my own family tree. I was searching for a death for one of my 4x great grandmothers. It was one of those times when an ancestor seems to fall through the proverbial time-line and escapes into anonymity. But like a dog that refuses to give up its favourite toy, I don't give up so easily. After lots of research I found only one possible solution, even though it seemed unlikely. Most of my family tree come from the county of Hampshire. As working class people of their time, they didn't move around much; any moving was rarely that far away. When I found a death in London, it really didn't have the ring of 'Eureka'. But as it was my only lead, I decided to take a closer look. My 4x great grandmother was called Elizabeth INSTRELL . The surname itself is not a common one, and to find her name, and pretty much the same age, in a burial record was interesting, but I

wasn't expecting it to go anywhere – just to be a strange coincidence. The parish burial said that her abode had been a place called Camberwell House. I was intrigued and wanted to find out about it. I was astonished to find out that it was a lunatic asylum. More research led me to the Wellcome Library, which has an archive of documents from Camberwell House. Lots of these have been digitised and are available to view on their website. The first place I looked was a book of case reports. As it was in chronological order (as opposed to alphabetical), it took over 300 pages to find her. The document didn't have any detail to give me a positive link to my Elizabeth, but her age at least matched. Then I found a book called 'Reception of Pauper Patients'. These are the referral documents for new patients of a poorer background. This book held the document that I needed. There I found the small link that matched – Elizabeth Instrell was from Popham – that's my Elizabeth. Popham is a village, and the odds of it being someone else is pretty small. But why was she referred to an asylum in the first place, and why send her all the way to London? Let's start with that last question. Elizabeth arrived at Camberwell House

Parish burial record

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Member’s article

in November 14th 1846. Her reception notes say that she had already been 'insane' for a year, and that her previous abode had been Lainston Lunatic Asylum, so it seems she had already been in an asylum for that time. Lainston Lunatic Asylum is now called Lainston House and is a five star hotel, but their website mentions nothing about its past as an Asylum. The building sits NW of Winchester. Not much is known about Lainston House at this time, but I've managed to find something of its history. There is a website which is an 'Index of English and Welsh Lunatic Asylums and Mental Hospitals'. It contains some information about Lainston Asylum. It was leased to a Dr Twynam between 1825-1847. Along with many other mental institutions, in 1844 it was subject to a report into the running of these asylums and the treatment of its patients called 'The Report of the Metropolitan Commissioners in Lunacy'. Lainston did not come out well. Dr Twynam was unresponsive to the changes that were recommended. Amongst the observations of the Commissioners who visited, they noted that stables and outhouses were used as accommodation for the pauper patients. Also they noted on one visit that seven women were found in hand-locks, chains and straight waistcoats, and the same seven and three others were chained to their beds at night. When the Commissioners complained, Dr Twynam said that the chains and hand-locks were “essential for safety”. In October 1846, Dr Twynam had decided to quit the asylum. By 1847 it had closed. It maybe for this reason that Elizabeth was removed to Camberwell House. It had opened in 1846, so was perhaps in a position to take patients. There is no

information about Elizabeth's time at Lainston, so I have no idea if she was subject to chains or straight waistcoats; but as a pauper, I'm sure she would have been living in one of those outhouses or stables. So, why was Elizabeth sent to an asylum? This might sound like a easy question, but the Victorian understanding of mental health could be written on the back of a postage stamp. Many disabilities and health problems were lumped together as some sort of weakness of the mental faculties. It was not understood that many symptoms could be the manifestation of a physical illness. So, many that were sent to asylums were put under a psychological analysis, rather than looking at a physical cause and effect. That seems to be the case for Elizabeth. From her case notes it mentions that Camberwell House had no information about her time at Lainston other than she was kept in confinement. At Camberwell, there are only three entries over her 15½ month stay. Even so they mention her continued physical and mental decline. Elizabeth's final days were in the asylum, dying on March 1st 1848. She is buried in London. It is highly likely that her family were not able to be there for her last day and funeral, as they would not be able to afford the cost. It makes me wonder how they coped with the decision to send her away, only for them to never see her again. It must have been heart-breaking. Charlotte Clark HGS Member # 15335 Charlotte also uses a website which members may like to visit, ukgenealogylinks.com. This article is under the Blogs tab.

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Member’s article

Order for the Reception of a Pauper Patient

Some of the surnames featured in this issue (with page number) BARRETT . . . . . . . . .162 BOYDEN . . . . . . . . . .164 BURRIS . . . . . . . . . .156 BURROWS . . . .156/157 COOPER . . . . . .158-160 CRIMER . . . . . .158/161 DODGE . . . . . . . . . .162 FOWEY . . . . . . . . . .162 GAMBLING . . . .156/157 GRACE . . . . . . .158-161 HATCHER . . . . .158/160 HOPKINS . . . . . . . . .159 INSTRELL . . . . . . . .153 JONES . . . . . . . . . . .157 KNEWL . . . . . . . . . .158 PADDACK . . . . .158/159 PHILLIPS . . . . . . . . .156 REDDING . . . . . . . . .162 ROBINS . . . . . . . . . .162 TYRELL . . . . . . . . . .164 VERTEL . . . . . .158/160 VERTIL . . . . . . . . . .161

For all the latest news visit… www.hgs-familyhistory.com

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Searchers

If you would like your request to be included in this section, please submit a brief, but specific, email or letter of enquiry or send a 'Word' based article with relevant names (and particularly your own name and address) detailed in BLOCK CAPITALS to Editor, Hampshire Genealogical Society, Hampshire Record Office, Sussex Street, Winchester. SO23 8TH. Please advise what contact details you want printed in the journal along with your query – email, telephone number, postal address, or via HGS Office, research@hgs-online.org.uk Please be patient as acknowledgement or reply Searche

will not be made except through this journal. Photographs and illustrations are gladly accepted: – 300 dpi resolution jpegs by email attachment or on CD are welcome or laser colour photocopies (never ordinary ones) or black and white original pictures. All can be returned if you request it and supply an SAE. If sending original photographs through the post, please use a protective board envelope. EMAIL: searchers@hgs-online.org.uk and please always quote a full postal address for those without computers. If this is not done, your request may well be disregarded.

Abbreviations used: b = born, bap = baptised, bd = buried, c. = circa, C = Century, d. = died, mrd = married. Members are reminded that these pages are compiled from letters etc. that may have been written months beforehand, so postal addresses should always be checked for up to date changes.

Jeanette Dunigan msjdunigan@gmail.com

William Gambling

Looking for info on William GAMBLING. I have no idea when he was born but his wife was born about 1759. He married Mary Burrows on 9 Nov 1785, Antony Parish, Cornwall. They had at least 4 children: Lucretia BURROWS GAMBLING (1788-1858), Mary

PHILLIPS GAMBLING (1794-1868), William BURROWS GAMBLING (1797-1797) and WILLIAM BURRIS GAMBLING (b.1804). William GAMBLING was a sailor. According to military records he was on the vessel “Rota” in 1812. In the 1841 census, his wife Mary was listed as widowed and living with her

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Searchers

daughter Mary P. JONES and her husband Francis JONES . Mary’s death certificate (d. 6 Dec 1847) states she was “widow of Mr. William GAMBLING ” and lists her daughter, Lucretia Murrant as the informant. I’d love to find out when William Gambling died. I believe there are two different William

GAMBLINGS who married women named Mary as there is a death record for a Mary GAMBLING who died in 1823, wife of Wm. GAMBLING …this obviously is not my Mary BURROWS GAMBLING . Any help finding more information on William GAMBLING will be greatly appreciated.

Membership Renewal If your subscription is due for renewal please see the inside of the back cover.

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Member’s article

In a previous article for ‘The Hampshire Family Historian’ I wrote about my 4x Great Grandmother’s grave in Southampton Old Cemetery and how I discovered that three other people had been buried in the same plot. Their names (James and Jane VERTEL and Sarah Ellen CRIMER) meant nothing to me. My subsequent investigations uncovered the fact that my 4x Great Grandmother, Phoebe HATCHER (nee GRACE ) at the age of 17 had given birth to illegitimate twin daughters in 1811 at Ashley, Hampshire and that the other people buried with her were one of the twins, her husband, and their daughter. It was extremely lucky for me that the Overseers’ account and rate book for the parish of Ashley, Hampshire for the period 1804 – 1819 survive and are at the Hampshire Record Office. These records provided me with the chance to find out more about Phoebe GRACE and the twins. Phoebe GRACE was from the neighbouring parish of Farley Chamberlayne, so I assume that either she had moved to Ashley for work or that there was some other connection with that parish – possibly the father of the twins. As with many documents of this time, names were spelt phonetically. Throughout most of the entries Phoebe’s name is spelt as Feby and sometimes a different Christian name altogether is given, for example Fany. Occasionally she was referred to as ‘the maid Grace’. Payments started to be made to Phoebe from 10th October 1811 at a weekly amount varying from 3 shillings to 3 shillings and 8 Phoebe and her twins

pence but on December 7th a much larger sum was paid as ‘Feby Grace bill’ at 16 shillings and 1 penny. The twins may have been born sometime around 15th December 1811 when ‘Deam (possibly Dame) KNEWL midwife’ was paid 10 shillings and 6 pence. There was another unspecified payment of 7 shillings and 6 pence that day ‘for Faney Grace’. Two days later another 3 shillings was paid ‘for Feby Grace’ and 5 shillings and 3 pence for ’25 faggots and carage (possibly cartage)’. The twins, named Sarah and Jane, were baptised at Ashley on 29th December 1811 as ‘illegitimate daughters of Phoebe GRACE .’ Sarah was named after Phoebe’s mother and Jane after Phoebe’s grandmother. After the birth of the twins the weekly payments to Phoebe were increased to 6 shillings and for four weeks she had a nurse who was paid at 2 shillings and 6 pence per week. More wood and faggots were paid for in January and February 1812. During the latter part of March 1812, the weekly payments to Phoebe had increased to 9 shillings. The total bill from October 19th, 1811 to March 28th, 1812 was entered as being 9 pounds 13 shillings and 4 pence half penny. For the next few weeks weekly payments were made to Phoebe plus one of 5 shillings then 6 pence a week to ‘ PADDACK ’ for ‘house rent for Pheby Grace’. Then on May 30th, 1812 there is an entry that gives a clue about the possible father of the twins. 1 shilling and 6 pence ‘Pd COOPER expence at Romsey’ and 2 pounds and 6 shillings ‘for the case of Richard COOPER and Pheby GRACE of coming on to the parish.’ On June 13th 9 shillings and 2 pence was paid as

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Member’s article

‘expenses and journey going to Romsey Justices Meeting examining COOPER and Phebey GRACE case’. On August 15th 2 shillings was ‘pd for sumens for Pheby Grace’

and 5 shillings ‘pd the expences to Winchester

Justices Meeting’, although it isn’t clear that this was for the Cooper and Grace case,

although being paid the same day it does seem likely. I was advised by the archivist that, unfortunately, no Petty Sessions records for Romsey for this period have been deposited and they may not even survive. Richard COOPER could possibly be the one who, according to the HGS Marriage index, had married Elizabeth HOPKINS at Ashley on 5th June 1808. Again, using the HGS Baptism index it records that they had 6 children baptised at nearby Kings Somborne between 1809 and 1822. Elizabeth appears to have been baptised at Ashley in 1780 as Betty HOPKINS and was buried at Kings Somborne in 1850 aged 71. On the 1851 census return for Kings Somborne, Richard COOPER gives his age as 72, born in Amport. He was buried at Kings Somborne in 1863 aged 84. These details put his birth year at around 1779 so he would have been 32 years old and a married man when the twins were born in 1811 whereas Phoebe was only just 17. Rental payments to PADDACK for Pheby GRACE were only recorded as being paid up to August 22nd, 1812. Weekly Ashley Church

The Norman font at Ashley Church

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payments to Phoebe continued at 9 shillings a week. On October 10th, 1812 there is an entry for 3 pounds, 3 shillings and 8 pence paid ‘for the p……ing of R COOPER and Pheby GRACE ’. From October 1812 Phoebe was being paid 2 or 4 weeks at a time. Whether this was in advance or arrears I am not sure. In 1813 payments continued at 2 or 4 weekly intervals and there are some touching entries such as ‘Loaf 2 shillings and 7 pence’ and ‘2 pair of shoes for her children’ at 3 shillings and 8 pence. On July 4th Phoebe was paid 5 weeks at the reduced amount of 7 shillings and 6 pence per week. As from 18th October the weekly amount was further reduced to 6 shillings a week, the last entry being 12 shillings paid up to 19th December 1813. It must have been around this time that Phoebe met and arranged to marry my 4x Great Grandfather, William HATCHER . How and where she met him is not known although there were families with that surname in nearby Kings Somborne. Phoebe and William married at Milford, Hampshire on 12th February 1814. On Feb 13th, 1814 against an entry for 2 pounds and 8 shillings there is a note ‘pd Phebe Grace 8 weeks at 6 shillings per week. She was married on Monday 14th January. The Overseers were obviously aware of this marriage but until the entry on April 2nd, 1815 she was still referred to as ‘Phebe Grace’. Payments were being made at anything from 2 to 10 weekly intervals, reducing to 5 shillings per week during May 1814. Most entries indicated that the payments, although made to Phoebe, were for

the two children. Eventually, from April 1815 Phoebe was named as Phebe HATCHER and payments continued to be made at irregular intervals, reducing to 4 shillings per week in 1816. Again, there are some extra entries including for loaves for the 2 children and ‘6 cloths at 8 shillings.’ The twins were sick in late 1817 or early 1818 as there is an extra payment of 5 shillings and 6 pence ‘pd the children ill’. Payments continued to be made at greater weekly intervals until the last entry (February 21st, 1819) and the book finishes in April 1819. Unfortunately, no later book has been deposited at the Record Office. I have no reason to believe that Phoebe did not take the twins to live with her and William in Milford and so assume that she had to travel to Ashley from time to time to collect the sums due for the support of the twins. Phoebe and William HATCHER had nine children who were all baptised at Milford from 1815 to 1837. I have been unable to find information, such as a marriage, for twin Sarah GRACE (or HATCHER as she may have used that surname). I believe that the twin Sarah died in 1821 as according to the HGS burial index, a Sarah HATCHER , aged 9, was buried at Lymington on 22nd April 1821. Lymington is not far from Milford, but I assume there must have been a reason for the burial not being at Milford. Twin Jane was easier to trace once I started investigating those additional burials in Phoebe’s grave. Using the HGS Marriage Index I found the marriage at Boldre in 1832 of a Jane GRACE and James VIRTEL . Their first

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two children, Elizabeth Jane and William James were baptised at Lymington in 1833 and 1836 respectively. Next, their daughter, Sarah Ellen VIRTIL , was baptised in 1840 at Hamble. Interestingly, in the GRO index the mother’s maiden name is entered as HATCHER , but the 1842 GRO entry for the next child gives the mother’s name as GRACE so it appears that Jane used both surnames. Sarah Ellen VERTIL married George Morris CREMER in 1858 and she died in 1870. Phoebe HATCHER (nee GRACE ) was buried 15th March 1868 at Southampton Old Cemetery, Sarah Ellen CRIMER (nee Vertil) was buried in the same plot on 27th March 1870, followed by her father, James VERTEL , on 11th November 1883 and her mother, Jane VERTEL (nee GRACE ), on 10th January 1894. The information about the birth of the twins and the financial provision made for Phoebe and the children by Ashley parish has enabled me to learn more about my 4x Great Grandmother and how girls in her situation had to cope when faced with having illegitimate children. Certainly, it would have been a struggle for a girl aged just 17 to bring up one child in these circumstances and she had twins to care for. My research also shows how helpful the Overseers Accounts and Removal Orders can be for family historians. Marion Gilmour ( Member #70)

Notes on Ashley Ashley is a small parish near to Kings

Somborne. The name derives from the Old English meaning ‘meadow by the ash wood’. A castle was constructed there in around 1200 and it is thought that this led to the establishment of a small community, with the building of a church afterwards. St Mary’s church, which stands in the outer bailey of the Norman castle, has a chancel, nave, and south porch. The walls are built mainly of flint rubble with chalk block dressings and quoins, all rendered with lime mortar. The chancel was extended in the 13th century which makes the church very narrow for its length. The font is Norman and is probably contemporary with the founding of the church. Some early windows survive. In 1976 the parish vested the church in the Redundant Churches Fund (now the Churches Conservation Trust). It is open to visitors and occasional services are still held. These brief details are taken from the

publication by The Churches Conservation Trust written by John E Vigar, Regional Development Manager, The Churches Conservation Trust. Have your Query published in the journal Please email it to: searchers@hgs-online.org.uk

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Our ancestors were ‘Coastguard Boatmen!’ The Reddings’, our father’s side of the family were not much known to us. He grew up in Torpoint, Cornwall. We recall talking to him about his immediate (findmypast/familysearch.org.uk) was found by our ‘family history friend and mentor’, Betty. They had married in 1832 at East Blatchington, Sussex. Why so far from Cornwall? Was William ‘at sea’?

forebears quite often. As for any ‘further back’ information, nothing was ever said. Thomas Redding, Mary Ann Redding and William Barrett? In about 2010 we set about finding out! Census searches soon revealed Thomas REDDING , born 1799, was our great, great grandfather and that he had been born in Mevagissey, Cornwall and had grown up in Fowey. He was employed as a boatman/chief boatman in the coast guard service until his retirement in 1865 in Wells Next the Sea, Norfolk. He had travelled from coastguard station to coastguard station along the south coast and ‘up’ the east coast - from Fowey to Wells. The family made at least twenty moves! Thomas REDDING was one of five. His siblings included Mary Ann b.1811, and Richard b.1820. Their parents were John b.1783 FOWEY and Mary DODGE b.1799 in Mevagissey. In the Fowey 1841 census we found John Redding (b 1783). He was in the household of Mary Ann BARRETT and two boys, Richard Barrett 7 years and William Barrett 5 years. We went on to establish that Mary Ann was his daughter (parish birth records/local - Connor’s) and the boys his grandchildren. Searches for her marriage and the birth records of the boys yielded no results. We found no trace of Mary Ann BARRETT and her family in Fowey in 1851. In 2017 the record of the marriage of Mary Ann REDDING and a William Barrett,

Census records for William Barrett (son, b. about 1834) include different ‘birth places’ . . but in 1851 he says he was born at a place we later ‘deciphered’ as ‘Shoreham’ A ‘location link’ with the parents’ marriage at East Blatchington! In 2018/19 we searched the Admiralty Coastguard Establishment book s. We found that Thomas Redding, boatman, was in the Newhaven/Shoreham area in the 1830s. We found a William BARRETT , boatman, in the area, also. Perhaps a ‘location/occupation’ link’ between the Redding and Barrett families. We discovered from the 1851 census that Mary Ann had married for a second time to George ROBINS . It looked like William Barrett, b.1804, might have died before 1851! We continued to search for William’s birth (abt. 1805) and death. No certain birth record and no sign of his death. Later we found ‘a William BARRETT ’ born abt. 1804 at Landulph, Cornwall. We discovered, also, that Mary Ann’s brother, Richard (a mariner) had married (1839) Betsy Barrett. Her father, Richard Barrett (b. 1783, Landulph) was in the coast guard service! Landulph, the place where ‘the’ William we had found was born! Was this William’s ‘Barrett’ family? Was he a brother to Betsy Barrett? Was he a coastguard man, too?? Maybe a ‘location and occupation’ trail really had been found!?

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– Ten years getting there, lingering during lockdown

Admiralty Map of coastguard stations 1855 (The National Archives)

Was it too much to suppose Mary Ann Redding and her brother Richard Redding had married Barrett siblings in William and Betsy? It must have been ten years since we set out on this hunt. 2021- more lockdown time! We looked again at the 1832 marriage of Mary Ann Redding and William Barrett ‘at source’ (family search.org.uk) An image was available! We found that Thomas Redding (Mary Ann’s

brother) was a witness. Wonderful! The record showed, also, that William

Coastguard book with a ‘William Barrett’ listed

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was from the Parish of Seaford. A perfect match with the Admiralty Establishment Station record. In 1832 he was at Cuckmere Haven, Seaford. The Admiralty records confirm, also, that Thomas Redding was ‘local’ at East Blatchington 1830+ We hunted again for a record of a death for William Barrett and this time we had a find! A burial record and image of the parish burial record. (familysearch.org.uk) The date: 17 August 1836, at New Shoreham. He was 33 years old. But the image clinched it!

Shoreham, 1830s’ gave results. We found www.newshorehambysea.com Two articles of interest. We discovered names of boatmen based at Shoreham and these included William Barrett, there from 1832-1836. The coastguard agency report of the incident at sea was included alongside the more detailed account from the local newspaper. From the Bucks Herald , the story begins, ‘MELANCHOLY CATASTROPHE’. It was a Monday. We are told of the voyage planned from Cuckmere Haven to take the station officer and his luggage to his new appointment at Kingston. William Barrett and the two other boatmen ( TYRELL and BOYDEN ) were to row the galley. A squall developed near Goring. The boat capsized and only the officer got to shore. The report goes on to say ‘the unfortunate men each left a wife and family’. William Barrett left Mary Ann and three boys. (Until now, we had known only of two, Richard and William, from 1841 census) A further hunt! The website had links to the Shoreham parish records. We found the death recorded of William Barrett and the births of all three of his boys. At last! The third, John Redding Barrett, b.1836 had died (familysearch.org.uk) before the 1841 census when the family was back in Fowey. (General Record Office unable to locate the death certificate 1840) Later, John Redding Barrett (1836-1840) had a cousin, named John Barrett Redding born in 1848 to Betsy Barrett and Richard Redding. Our Dad had made ‘notes’ of some family ancestors - and among them we found a scrap of paper where he had written, ‘Redding girls married Robins Barrett. What, we wonder, did he know?

Parish burial record - William Barrett

William’s abode was given as ‘the Coastguard Station Houses’. He was in the coast guard service! Even more, the record showed two other boatmen buried within days of William. An incident - surely! A newspaper report? A Coroner's Report? Our hearts sank at the prospect of a newspaper search! However, Betty triumphed! Her Google search for ‘old newspapers of

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The ‘finds’ made through the Shoreham by Sea website were wonderful! Gaps were filled and speculation turned into fact. ‘Icing on the cake’ doesn’t touch the excitement and pleasure we experienced! William Barrett is our 2nd great granduncle, (‘Ancestry speak!’) and a brother in law to our great great grandfather, Thomas Redding. Our appreciation and gratitude goes to all those at shorehambysea.com Congratulations on

The ‘Melancholy Catastrophe’ in the Bucks Herald

Dad’s note

gathering such a mass of information and presenting it so brilliantly. Interesting, informative and user-friendly. We have been able to ‘tie up’ so many queries from the last ten years! The ‘finds’ made by Betty were instrumental to progress! Thank you, Betty. Maybe we are still looking for a Coroner’s report . . . ? We are guessing that maybe Mary Ann met William Barrett on a visit to see her niece, Mary Ann, daughter to her brother, Thomas, along the coast? And, we wonder - did she do this this travelling by sea? Judith Sexton and Frances Marshall – ‘Redding girls’ and HGS members

Sources used: Ancestry.co.uk; Find my Past;

familysearch.org.uk; Fowey local/Connor’s Ancestry Thrulines confirmed our DNA matches with Richard Barrett b1873. The National Archives: downloaded ADM174/1+ Admiralty Establishment Books; and at The National Archies - maps (1855) of coastguard stations FO 925/4060 and (1879) CUST 147/5 www.shorehambysea.com Google searches

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Local Group Programmes

Meetings Some groups are having their meetings online, to join these please email the group leader for details. As restrictions have eased some groups are resuming face to face meeting at their normal venue if you are able, please check the HGS Website for latest details of where / how the meetings will take place. This may need to change at short notice if there is an amendment to restrictions. Some groups are not reporting meetings so there are some ‘gaps’.

Contact: Jane Hurst – 82, The Butts, Alton, Hants GU34 1RD Tel: 01420 86701 Email: janehurst1@gmail.com

Alton Meetings are normally held monthly on the second Monday at 7:30 p.m. in All Saints Church Hall, Queens Road, Alton.

Over the last few months, the group have been meeting as normal at All Saints Church Hall. As we are a small group, we have been able to distance and it has been refreshing to share our problems and successes. Topics covered have been maps, manorial records and family postcards. Forthcoming Meetings:

No details available

Contact: Ann McKenzie, Tel: 07733 112975, E-mail: andover@hgs-online.org.uk

Andover Meetings are normally held on the second Thursday, September to July, commencing 7.30p.m. at The Fairground Hall, Weyhill, Andover SP11 0QN Reports by Richard Backhouse (November) ‘Seafaring ancestors’ Kay Lovell

Kay is the HGS Romsey group organiser. With our published speaker unable to appear, Kay stepped in to the breach. Thank you! Kay is Southampton born and bred and comes from a long line of seafaring ancestors. She was told many tales throughout her life and she has since compiled these into a series of ‘Family Legends’ talks. The first was a grim tale of a young lad Richard Parker, who, in 1884 at the age of just 17, was the victim of cannibalism! Whilst on a crossing from Southampton to Australia, his boat was holed. He threw supplies into the sea for later use on their life raft – but the goods sank. So, along with three others, he battled to survive but he drank seawater and became ill. The

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others performed the ‘custom of the sea’ and killed him before the unthinkable act. The survivors were rescued after 23 days but subsequently sentenced to be executed for murder - which was repealed. A memorial stone to Richard was erected in Woolston. Frederick Parker (‘Captain Dan’) was involved in a celebrated rescue in 1951. A ship, SS Flying Enterprise, got into difficulties for two days near Plymouth. Capt Dan used the tug ‘Turmoil’ to rescue the crew when the boat became stranded. Only after repeated attempts, in treacherous conditions, did all crew escape. The ship eventually sank and rumours began about what the cargo may have been – gold, nuclear fuel or coffee? Capt Dan was greeted as a hero in Falmouth. There were several connections with the RMS Titanic. The first (“tenuous”) link involved her ancestors owning the Platform Tavern inn near the docks in 1911. After the disaster, in 1912, one poor soul recovered was listed as living at the inn. He was buried in Nova Scotia. Also, in the 1997 Titanic film, the character Leonardo de Caprio character, Jack, won a ticket playing poker cards in a tavern – which was the Platform. A relative, Sidney Hollaway, who died in the disaster was picked up by the cable ship ‘Mackay Bennett’. It recovered 306 bodies. His body was identified using a description of the ship’s uniform he was wearing on top of his pyjama suit. He had been living in Southampton in 1911. He is also buried in Nova Scotia. Ancestor George Hogg (‘Uncle Alf’) survived the disaster. He was a seaman from Hull who moved to Bitterne and became a Titanic deck crew member. He was actually asleep at the time of impact (23.40h) and was due on watch at midnight. He inspected the lifeboats and was ordered into the first one launched, helping survivors onto another ship, the Carpathia. In a later inquest, which Alf contributed to, it emerged that ‘night glasses’ (binoculars) had not been issued to crew - they were locked in a cupboard which contributed to the iceberg not being seen. Alf continued to work for the Whitestar Line bringing home exotic animals like a monkey and a parrot! Kay’s maternal grandfather, Reg Urquart, was an engineer who worked with tanks at Bovington. He became a fitter but then went to sea. Kay was able to use ‘Seaman’s Tickets’ to piece together a list of Reg’s trips. He went to the Mediterranean, Suez and Bombay and the Far East. He often brought back exotic items. He swapped companies moving closer to home, working on smaller boats and ferries. (January) ‘Women at Work’ Janet Few Janet is the president of the Family History Federation and a renowned speaker who we were fortunate to have join us once again. Her presentation described the changes in employment opportunities for women in more recent times. Men were historically seen as breadwinners for families and went out to earn a living, often working on the land. For centuries most women were considered to be (only!) housewives and Janet listed the many duties - and behaviours - this position was deemed to include. For some women, prostitution had always been a way of earning income and she noted the difference in status between being a royal mistress and a ‘local friendly lady’. For younger women ‘live-in work’ became very popular. Many people were employed in service as

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