Looking for Lovell 2

I’ve recently come into possession of two helpful books with regards to with the LOVELL line I’m tracing –  The Family Tree of Major and Susanna Lovell by Josephine Tombs and The Family Tree of Daniel and Violetta Lovell by Eric Trudgill.

Although these books are mainly just a recorded lineage of the families with a few anecdotes/explanations thrown in, it has shown that my research so far has been sound and given me a few clues as to where to research next.   Unfortunately, the cover pic is NOT of Major & Susanna (photography in their day being rare of course), but rather a descendant, Patience LOVELL and her husband, Christopher SMITH (the second cover picture is of descendant, Jane MONAGHAN).

If you’re researching gypsy ancestors, it’s worth checking out whether the Romany & Traveller Family History Society has published anything on your family.

I have also just downloaded a digital copy of My Ancestors were Gypsies by Sharon Sillers Floate which has been very interesting so far.

book cover

Four Big Fat Gypsy Weddings and a Funeral

While researching gypsy ancestors, I discovered some interesting reports on local ‘gipsy’ happenings. The weddings must have been as much of a spectacle then as they are now (thanks to television programmes like ‘My Big Fat Gypsy Wedding’).

Oh, if only there were photographs!

…The bride wore a gorgeous dress of maroon plush, surmounted by an immense hat covered with waving ostrich feathers.  Her bridesmaid was attired in a costume of golden plush. The bridegroom and his friend were in velvet with vermilion neckties…

gipsy nuptials
The Leek Post, 20 Aug 1898, p8
newspaper clipping
Tamworth Herald, 23 Dec 1882, p6
gipsy wedding at windsor - newspaper clipping
Tamworth Herald, 23 Aug 1890, p6

This fourth wedding was a lot less ostentatious but nonetheless interesting:

newspaper clipping
Tamworth Herald, 27 July 1878, p4

And lastly, the funeral.  The journalist obviously thought the deceased’s death was interesting enough to write about, but apparently not enough to include her name:

gipsy funeral
The Staffordshire Sentinel, 31 Jan 1863, p2

Pedigree Chums

georgewrefordpedigreeauthor_edited
George Wreford of Gray’s Inn

I am fortunate enough that part of my family history – the WREFORDs – was already recorded years ago.  Long before I came along, George WREFORD of Gray’s Inn, Barrister at Law was the family historian.  He compiled a  ‘Pedigree and Sketch of the Wreford Family of Clannaborough and Morchard Bishop, Devonshire’ back in 1888 and a revised edition, ‘Records and Pedigree of the Wreford Family of Devonshire’ in 1909.

Genealogy was a completely different’ kettle of fish’ back then and I (as well as many of my Wreford cousins, I’m sure) am grateful that George took the time to do it.  But I can’t have him taking all my fun, so over the years I’ve fact-checked, evidenced and fleshed out the details pertaining to my direct line.

You can access physical copies at the West Country Studies Library in Exeter but I have chosen to include the pages pertaining to my line here.  You can access these via the top menu or click here to start.
Title_page

Wreford Versus…

Looks like George may have been trying to raise some money for his emigration to New Zealand:

WrefordvManning

Wreford v. Manning.-The plaintiff, George Wreford, now of Tiverton, sued Mr. John Manning, high bailiff of this Court, for the recovery of £2 odd, which he alleged to be due for the keep of a horse, &c. – Mr. Shapland for plaintiff. – Mr. Manning said the claim was four years old; it dated Feb., 1861, and plaintiff passed the Insolvent Debtors’ Court on the 23rd April in that year, so that whatever was due to the estate belonged to his creditors. – After repeated and ineffectual attempts to elicit from the plaintiff the dates when Mr. Manning put his horses to pasturage and when they were withdrawn, &c., his Honour determined to adjourn the case, that a bill of particulars might be furnished.  If he had to make out the account it might take him a week. -Mr. Shapland: – Not quite so long as that. -His Honour: I will not make out the account for him; the rule requires that he shall furnish a bill of particulars with dates, &c., and not merely: To keep of horse, £2. -Case adjourned.

And a couple columns over…

WrefordvCummings

Wreford v Cummings. – An action for the recovery of £2 8s., alleged to be due from Mrs.Cummings, of Witheridge, for two months keep of a cow and 10s. on some other account. – The latter claim was disallowed, as plaintiff was a bankrupt at the time the debt was said to have been contracted, and the money (if due at all) belonged to his creditors.-Mr. Manning (the high bailiff) said he had put in two executions in virtue of which Wreford had been sold up. He (Mr.M.) took the fields in question of him, and allowed him for the rent in the settlement.-Plaintiff said he never made a bargain with any body.-His Honour:-Then you are not in a position to sue any body. Judgment for the defendant.

North Devon Journal – 17 Nov 1864, p6 [South Molton County Courts]

Killing Off William Wreford

On the hunt for William’s death certificate, I realised I hadn’t attached an 1861 census record to him yet.
The Wreford Pedigree recorded his death date as November 1866 and the last census I had him on was the 1851.  The only appropriate death record I could find was registered in East London but didn’t know whether it was the right guy.  So I searched for William WREFORD and found one in the house of his sister, Sarah BROOKS:

Knowle Downe Bishops Nympton 1861 BROOKS & WREFORD
1861 Census – William WREFORD staying with his sister, Sarah BROOKS

I checked that William did indeed have a sister called Sarah (baptised 18 Apr 1797 in Morchard Bishop, Devon to the same parents, John & Mary) and then checked for a marriage between a Sarah WREFORD and a man named BROOKS.

Sarah Wreford
Sarah WREFORD baptism
sarahwrefordcharlesbrooksmarriage Chulmleigh 1818
Marriage of Charles BROOKS & Sarah WREFORD (Chulmleigh, Devon)

It all checked out and I am confident that the William living with his sister in 1861 IS my William WREFORD (b. 1793).  I ordered the death certificate and hoped there was some clue as to how he ended up in London.  Unfortunately there was not.  Since then, I learned that both his eldest son William (1817) and his daughter, Elizabeth lived in London at the time and am still tracing his other children.  More information can be found in my ‘Wrestling with Death‘ post.

Next steps:
  • Trace all of William’s children
  • Find out who Thomas Cusiok/Cuscok