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MINCHIN RESEARCH

My wife’s father’s family left Chalford before WWII, though she still has some relatives at Brimscombe and Eastcombe. Recently we have visited Chalford and the surrounding villages each year. About two years ago we decided to research our joint family tree.  Lots of the names are the same as those submitted by your e-mail correspondents, though there no actual matches as yet.

Pat’s family name was MINCHIN and we can get back to about 1800 with that branch.  Pat’s granddad,  Daniel James MINCHIN was born and  lived in the right hand of the Marle Hill cottages at the foot of Jacob’s ladder – other relatives lived in Silver Street at the top!  (Are there any relatives of Ada, Violet, Harold, Lesley or Winnie Minchin still in the area)?  Later Daniel and his wife Florence (nee WOOD) lived in Coppice Road; just below the Baptist Tabernacle, where for a while Gran was caretaker during Daniel’s last illness (mid 1920s).  There is a photo of Daniel – a member of the Oakridge Orchestral Society - on page 154 of Messrs Gardiner and Padin’s ‘Stroud’s Golden Valley’.

We have traced the WOOD family (mainly in Bussage) back to about 1770, though we lose trace of many (except those involved in the Tabernacle) in the 1880s.  YOUNGS, FURLEYS, HUMPHRIES, BINGLE and NEWCOMBE families are related to the WOODs by marriage.  Most of the earlier marriages took place in Minchinhampton, where many lived.  Some moved to Box and Toadsmoor.  Again we have got back to the turn of the C19th in many cases and have quite a good ‘fix’ on male members of the family until the 1880s.   We are awaiting the 1901 web census!

On the MINCHIN front the marriages were with HUNT, YOUNG, JACQUES/JAKES families and the ‘Oakridge’ GARDINERS – most of who married other GARDINERS, spelling there names in various ways!  The Minchins lived in the Scrubs, at Bowns (Bournes) Green, Randles Green, Rack Hill and France Lynch.  Most of the early marriages and baptisms were at Bisley, though when St Bartholomew’s was founded some burials took place there.  Later their religious affiliation changed and most of the later members of the extended family were members at the Tabernacle.  Even for the Gardiners we have a reasonable fix for the 1800s to about 1880. Pat’s Brimscombe family are related to a different branch of Gardners (sic) though there may be earlier links yet to be established.

We are members of the GFHS and this has been a great help, as has a new friend we met when visiting the Tabernacle.  But we’d love to establish further contacts with distant cousins if only to exchange family information and discover what happened to folk after 1881!  We have some family photos of the Woods and Minchins and would be pleased to make copies.  We have none that we are aware of) even in the Alan Sutton publications of our Gardiners, etc – Levi, Hannah Maria, Isaac and the others).

Don and Pat BURT, Ashford, MDX
Email :  dburt71@hotmail.com

MORE GARDINERS - see below for more..

My Grandfather was PHILIP HENRY GARDINER born 1897, married to MARY LOISE MORSE.
I have compiled the family tree from Grand dad till the present day, but that is as far back as it goes at
the moment. I believe he had two or three brothers, and some half brothers (family name DEAN). I
spent my childhood at St Marys, Chalford, and attended Christ Church school. I now live in France.
If anyone can help I would be very grateful. Thanks in anticipation. Grenville.

grenvilleG@AOL.com

RECALL YOUR TIME AT CHALFORD HILL SCHOOL

Read this brief history of the school prepared by Year 4 pupils.

CALLING MILLARDS, RIDLERS OR PHELPS FAMILY HISTORIANS

I am descended from Richard Millard of Chalford, chr1814, and his wife Ann (nee Ridler probably of
Eastcombe, born abt 1814). They and their children were part of a large contingent of Bisley (68 people,
13 couples and their children) and Minchinhampton parishioners who emigrated to Australia on the 'Layton'
in September 1837, as part of the Poor Law scheme. Most of the men from Bisley were unemployed weavers
with farming and building skills from Chalford. Richard and Ann and 3 sons (Henry, Robert and Samuel)
embarked, but due to a measles epidemic on board, both Robert and Samuel died on the voyage, as did
17 of the 42 children from Bisley Parish. In Australia, they had 3 more sons, the eldest of whom, William,
born 1844, was my great, great grandfather.

Here is what I have been able to find out so far about my Chalford connections.

George Millar (chr. Stroud 1786) married Jane Phelps (born abt 1787) in 1812. Their children were Henry
(1812), Richard (1814), Jesse, George and Handy. Both Jesse and Handy, with their families, joined Richard
in Australia in 1859.

In the 1851 census George and Jane Millard, and son George (waterman), are living on Chalford Hill.

I would love to hear from anyone with any information on Millards, Ridlers or Phelps.

Diana Perry
email - dperry@metz.une.edu.au

THE HISTORY OF A CLOCK??

I have just returned from a visit to the city of Nowra, where I toured historic Meroogal House
(c1885), one of the oldest surviving houses in Nowra. In the hallway is a long-case pendulum
clock on which can still be made out the name Jno Lewis, Chalford. As well as that, there is
a picture on the face of what looks like a 3 storey factory, with two men outside it. I believe the clock
dates from the late 18th or early 19th century. The clock has had a very precarious existance, being
rescued from the Shoalhaven River after being washed away by floods. Does anyone have any
information about Jonathon Lewis, clockmaker in Chalford?

Regards

Peter Davis
email - pdavis45@tpg.com.au

THE CARTER FAMILY

My great great grandfather, George Carter was buried in Christ Church in Chalford in 1912. I know that he
had two other children, Rose Maria and Charles William and so I was wondering if any of their descendants
are still living in the Chalford area or if anyone remembers any Carter families.

Sarah Ware - sac40691@gsk.com

ANY OAKLEY FAMILY MEMBERS?

My name is Kate Coles, my grandfather was Albert Whiting (Bert) who used to own and run Chalford
Garage with his brothers Frank and Gerald in the 1930's. Bert lived with his wife Gladys and my mum
Johanna at the top of Chalford Hill). However, I am looking for his mothers side of the family. Her maiden
name was Ethel Ella Oakley and was the daughter of David Oakley of Chalford.

My Great Great Great Grandfather (David's father) lived in the 1860's in a cottage near the top of
Cowcombe Hill and I have a picture of him outside, with possibly David and two other women, but cannot
find anything about the Oakley family.

Can anyone help with information about Ethel Ella Oakley or her father David, or any Oakleys still
living in the area?

Any help would be appreciated. Many thanks. KateColes@aol.com

ANOTHER GENEALOGICAL TREASURE HUNT

I am tracing my family who lived in France Lynch from around 1848ish. My gt gt grandfather was called
Thomas Wolfe Duffort and was living with a lady called Alice Butler whom he had seven children with..
Thomas had two previous wives, the first died and the second Elizabeth Bullock, was dumped in favour of
Alice, (I guess) as I can find no record of her death. On the 1851 census Thomas is listed as a Veterinary
Surgeon and Alice as his wife. By 1881 Thomas had died and Alice was married to Charles Twissell son of
Levi Twissell. The DUfforts were not Gloucester people originally. They were of French origin by Thomas was
born in Stoke on Trent. I have found most of the Duffort childrens marriages to local families, the Hills, Youngs
and Gardiners and Turtons. I visited France Lynch last year and fell in love with the place. If anybody reading
this has any info regarding the Dufforts or Alice Butler (Twissell) I would love to hear from you.

Please contact on E-mail pickosnr@btinternet.com

CALLING GARDINER, TYLER DAVIS AND JEFFERIES FAMILIES

I am trying to trace my family history and am interested in any information anyone may have
re: GARDINER, TYLER, DAVIS AND JEFFERIES starting from the 1851 census.

Sue Hayward @ astevenson@blueyonder.co.uk

Julia Lewis - A Search

I am looking for Julia Lewis who was my Great Great Grandmother. On her marriage certificate
she declares Chalford as her birth place. On the 1881 census she is 36 years old so this puts her
birth around 1845. Her fathers' name was Daniel. She married my Great Great Grandfather in 1869
at Ealing, Middlesex. His name was Henry Stemp.

If you can help me, please email me at:- royjan_99@yahoo.com

A Family Mystery

In 1909 our grandmother Gertrude Irene Tyler and her husband George William Tyler had a
daughter Irene Emily Maud in Chalford Hill (for which I have found the birth certificate). They had
another 3 children and then the story is that Gertrude ran away with his cousin, John Bryn Tyler
to Wales and had another family to which we are related.

As I am trying to trace our family tree and there appears to be no second marriage, I have come to
a standstill. Is there anyone who can help?

Jane Munro - email - jane.munro@btinternet.com

Calling Preator & Norris Families

I happened on your Chalford Hill Online Village website and was thrilled to see all the photos.
One day I will visit your village because I am descended from the Preator/Prater family who lived
there circa 1796 continuing through 3 generations, as far as I can trace.

I have only gone back to Thomas Preator who married in Bisley 1796, his son William born 1801
in Oakridge, to his daughter Mary Ann Preator baptised at Chalford Hill 31/10/1824. She is my
g.g.g. grandmother and she married a Jonas Norris in 1845. He also was born in Chalford Hill 1822.
Several of Mary Ann's siblings went off to Salt Lake City to join the Mormons there.

I dare say there are still Preators and Norrises living in the area, and I would love to hear from them.

Lin Atherton - email - peterjatherton@btinternet.com

Search for Chalford Chairs Link

Hi my name is Tony King. I used to live in Brimscombe with my parents, and my father lived
in Chalford. He used to own a factory called Chalford Chairs. I would like to be able to trace
the King family as far back as I can. My father, by the way, was married to a lady called
Grace Gardner who lived in Brimscombe. I now live in Plymouth, Devon, but still have
relatives near Stroud and in Cam. Any help with my family tree would be appreciated.

Message received from tking@hamsat.freeserve.co.uk

Hunting for a Chalford Policeman!

My husband's Grandfather, Alfred Tennant, was Policeman at Chalford Hill for 30 years, so
the story says, with 'never an arrest'.

We think he was Policeman there sometime between the wars and wonder if you know of any
record of this. hewas married to Amy, nee Tarrant, they had two children, Vincent and Frances
and they lived in the police house. Alfred also kept pigs. He was moved to Gloucester Bearland
Police Station sometime about 1930.

We are told that Alfred came from Lower Slaughter, but cannot find any record of this.

Any information about him would be very welcome. We have a photograph of him in his uniform on
a motorcyle sidecar.

Christine Vaughan, Gloucester.
abee1953@hotmail.com

E-mail from MASON

You have a wonderful website Chalford Hill - love the photos. I have a family interest in the area.

Mr GrGrGr Grandfather Edward Wood MASON was born at Chalford in 1793, son of Richard MASON and Mary (nee Wood). So far I haven't found a baptism for him. He died 1883 and I am trying to locate which cemetery or churchyard he is buried in - there is evidently a MASON tomb in a churchyard near Painswick with copper plates commemorating Edward, his wife Elizabeth d1868, their daughter Elizabeth Wood MASON, son Dr Joseph Wood MASON, Joseph's wife and 2 sons - Catherine, Edward Wood and Joseph Wood MASON.

Has anyone noticed this tomb anywhere in the area? Anyone know any whereabouts of baptism of Edward Wood MASON c1793? Descendants in New Zealand are currently researching for a book and family tree.

I believe he also had a brother, Charles who married Hester TAYLOR 8 Oct 1810 at Minchinhampton. Charles and Hester had John James bpt 30 Jan 1811, Sarah Selina bpt 25 Mar 1816 and Emilia bpt 5 May 1818 at Bisley, France Meeting Chalford Independant. Also a son Charles and possibly a Richard. John James, Charles, Sarah Selina and Emily all went to Canada around 1850.

Love to hear from any 'local' who can help with cemetery locations etc, or any fellow MASON researchers.

Cheers - maloffhagen@xtra.co.nz

E-mail from Robert Golding

Hi, I didn't expect to see this much info about Chalford online. I lived in a cottage in Randalls Green called Iviekot (now known as Nailers Forge I think) from summer 1976 to 1988. My parents, Keith and Wendy Golding completely restored the cottage (I should say cottages as it was two seperate homes when we bought it). It was owned a long time ago by a man called Jerimiah Gwillum (probably not spelt correctly), who used to make nails for the hooves of the horses owned by the gentry at Lypiatt Manor (hence Nailors Forge).

After my parents sold Iviekot they had the shell of a narrowboat built and have spent the past 10 years carefully designing and building the interior themselves. This has been their home since leaving Chalford Hill. in 1997 it was awarded the grand title of "Best Amateur Fitted out boat in Britain" by Waterways World magazine. I thought that you might be interested as the boat just happens to be named Chalford.

Sorry to garble on but I just got excited to see my old home online (even though I only live in Stroud).

Best regards - Robert Golding - 01453 759917 - rob.golding@virgin.net

E-mail from Patricia Shaw

Hello - I am researching the Bingle Family, my father was born in Burleigh. I wondered if you had heard of Alice Bingle born 1885, she was born in Chalford, during the first war she was a nurse and the story has it she then went to Salt Lake City and worked in a Morman Hospital. According to family stories she was very well thought of there and has a plaque or bust in the grounds of the Morman Hospital. The main reason for contacting you is, she was supposed to have written a book about her life in Chalford and I wondered if anyone knew about it. Of course she could have married and that is why I cannot trace any details in the name of Alice Bingle.

Thank you for your time in reading this. I love the pictures on the web page.

King Regards - Patricia Shaw - FANG@6home77.freeserve.co.uk