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England (Counties as in 1851-1901) => England => Kent => Topic started by: suttontrust on Tuesday 28 September 04 21:54 BST (UK)

Title: Tonbridge / Tunbridge
Post by: suttontrust on Tuesday 28 September 04 21:54 BST (UK)
As a Northerner, I need help.  I have relatives in the 19th century in "Tunbridge".  1871 census shows them in Taylor St., Tunbridge.  But the registration district is "Tonbridge", according to FreeBMD and "Tunbridge" according to the GRO.  I can only find a Taylor St. in Royal Tunbridge Wells.  I know this is a different place entirely from Tonbridge.  So did these people live in modern Tonbridge or in Tunbridge Wells?
Title: Re: Tonbridge / Tunbridge
Post by: Adi1962 on Tuesday 28 September 04 22:57 BST (UK)
Suttontrust

I will have a look for you and see what I can find out. Would they be on the 1841 Census ???

Also note you have a Godden interest. My maternal line is Godden, but at my current stage of research are in Kent. Would be interested to see if they is any connection. Have a look on my web site, all I know of my Godden line is there

Adrian
Title: Re: Tonbridge / Tunbridge
Post by: Hackstaple on Wednesday 29 September 04 00:38 BST (UK)
Good question that. Quite certainly, in 1841 the spelling Tunbridge was not used. There was Tonbridge and Tonbridge Wells, where the spa was. Search through Genuki UK and you may easily find the answer to your question. They may have been in one registration district at the time you refer to.
Title: Re: Tonbridge / Tunbridge
Post by: Adi1962 on Wednesday 29 September 04 13:27 BST (UK)
Suttontrust

Hackstaple is right Tonbridge was the accepted spelling then and fell into the registration district of Tonbridge Wells.

Will let you know what the 1841 Census has to say

Adrian
Title: Re: Tonbridge / Tunbridge
Post by: suttontrust on Wednesday 29 September 04 16:03 BST (UK)
Thanks.  If you have the 1841 census it would be great if you could find John Reed aged about 4.  Probably Tonbridge but not certainly.
Title: Re: Tonbridge / Tunbridge
Post by: atth2o on Sunday 24 October 04 18:42 BST (UK)
Tonbridge and Tunbridge Wells are two Parishes within the Tunbridge Registration district.  Tunbridge Wells is best described as a "city within Tonbridge" as it is located in the lower middle area of the Parish of Tonbridge.  Tonbridge is sometimes referred to as Tunbridge which later became the accepted spelling of the Registration District.

From what you have described, your ancestors lived in  the Parish of Tunbridge Wells which was part of Tonbridge/Tunbridge Registration district.
Title: Re: Tonbridge / Tunbridge Wells
Post by: joycroucher on Saturday 04 December 04 11:57 GMT (UK)
I live in Tonbridge.

Tunbridge Wells is approximately 6/7 miles from Tonbridge.  The registration district for both towns now is Tunbridge Wells but Tonbridge did once have its own register office.

There is no Taylor Street in Tonbridge - it must therefore be in Tunbridge Wells.  In the 1800s Tonbridge was actually spelt with a U - so its a little confusing

Hope this helps. 

Joy
Title: Re: Tonbridge / Tunbridge
Post by: Peter Shearan on Friday 25 February 05 11:56 GMT (UK)
A bit late but I've only just seen your message. If you had gone to www.streetmap.co.uk in the first place you would have seen where Taylor Street was - although the often confusing Tonbridge/Tunbridge nomenclature could have fooled you! It was all the railway's fault - it was them who originated the change of Tunbridge (the much older place) to Tonbridge. Tunbridge Wells only came into being because there was a chalybeate spring (iron water) there and the Georgians turned it into a spa.

Regards Peter Shearan
Title: Re: Tonbridge / Tunbridge
Post by: smudwhisk on Friday 25 February 05 16:54 GMT (UK)
To add to the confusion, they're both pronounced the same with the "u", unless of course it's changed in the last 30 years since we moved from Tonbridge to the Midlands!

Smudwhisk
southerner gone north!
Title: Re: Tonbridge / Tunbridge
Post by: acorngen on Friday 25 February 05 17:45 GMT (UK)
Nope its not changed but we (whenI lived down there) used to distinguish the two by saying Tun and T-on or For tunbridge wells wed just say the Wells.  In fact I was recently  talking to a friend in that area and we both just said The Wells.  If we were to give Tunbridge Wells its full title it would be Royal Tunbridge Wells. 

Rob
Title: Re: Tonbridge / Tunbridge
Post by: smudwhisk on Friday 25 February 05 18:43 GMT (UK)
Yes, have done that too.  Also, if I remember correctly Tunbridge Wells often got referred to as The Wells.  Mind you I wonder how many locals actually called it Royal Tunbridge Wells??!  We moved from Tonbridge to Royal Leamington Spa, but few if any locals ever refer to it by it's full name, and the local TV news have a habit of only calling it Leamington!

smudwhisk
Title: Re: Tonbridge / Tunbridge
Post by: moors on Friday 14 July 06 10:31 BST (UK)
I believe Taylor Street was in Southborough (Tonbridge)
I am at the library so my files are at home but I am sure I have this Street on one of my ancestors, will look when I get home and come back to you. Ann
Title: Re: Tonbridge / Tunbridge
Post by: suttontrust on Friday 14 July 06 11:26 BST (UK)
Thanks, Moors, Southborough would make excellent sense.
Title: Re: Tonbridge / Tunbridge
Post by: acorngen on Friday 14 July 06 22:20 BST (UK)
Southborough comes right in the middle between Tonbridge and Tunbridge.  Also as the worst roads when an accident blocks the A21

Rob
Title: Re: Tonbridge / Tunbridge
Post by: moors on Tuesday 18 July 06 14:47 BST (UK)
Re Taylor Street I h
I have relatives living there..
1871 at 169 Taylor St. Southborough St. Peters ward
 I think ref. RG 10/930/80/page 31
1881 at 61 Taylor Street Southborough I think ref. H0107463/506/6
1901 at 9 Tayloe Street Southborough St. Peters

I hope this is of help
Title: Re: Tonbridge / Tunbridge
Post by: suttontrust on Tuesday 18 July 06 16:01 BST (UK)
Weren't called Reed, were they?
Title: Re: Tonbridge / Tunbridge
Post by: moors on Friday 21 July 06 09:47 BST (UK)
No the surname is Jeffery, and always spelt the same way. Was the info. useful? Ann
Title: Re: Tonbridge / Tunbridge
Post by: suttontrust on Friday 21 July 06 11:02 BST (UK)
Yes, thanks for everyone's input.  :-*