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England (Counties as in 1851-1901) => England => Sussex => Topic started by: jrg_from_oz on Friday 28 April 06 10:02 BST (UK)

Title: BOXSELL Family from Salehurst and Robertsbridge
Post by: jrg_from_oz on Friday 28 April 06 10:02 BST (UK)
Thomas BOXSELL (bapt. Salehurst 1799) m. Mary PUXTED (bapt. Ewhurst 1802) in 1821 at Salehurst. They had 7 children in the 1821-1837 period, all baptised either Salehurst or Robertsbridge.

In 1839, Thomas and Mary, with the four youngest children, emigrated to Australia.

It appears the three eldest remained in England. These were:

Mary, born 7 Dec 1821 Robertsbridge
Thomas, born 22 Mar 1824 Salehurst
William, born 2 Sep 1826 Robertsbridge

(dates are from the IGI, but user-submitted, not from the PR)

When the family arrived in Australia in 1839, they stated they were farm labourers, from Robertsbridge.

I have a lot of detail on the Australian side, but the fate of the three eldest children is a mystery.

Can anyone help?

John Graham
(g3-gs of Thomas BOXSELL)
Title: Re: BOXSELL Family from Salehurst and Robertsbridge
Post by: Koromo on Friday 28 April 06 11:54 BST (UK)
Hi John

Welcome to RootsChat! :D

1841 shows one Boxsell/Boxell/Boxall/etc living in Salehurst (indexed as Boxsett):

1841 HO107/1108/7/13/19
Salehurst, (Henhurst Hundred), Sussex
Mercy Boxsell, 75, independent, born in county

I haven't picked up Thomas' children yet. They could be anywhere and unless they or the enumerator wrote down Salehurst or Robertsbridge as the place of birth, there is no way of identifying them.

Cheers
Koromo
:)
Title: Re: BOXSELL Family from Salehurst and Robertsbridge
Post by: Koromo on Friday 28 April 06 12:44 BST (UK)

The only other Boxsells from Salehurst I've found are these:

1841 HO107/1109/10/42/6
Dag Lane, Ewhurst, (Staple Hundred), Sussex (it does say Dag!)
Benjamin Boxsell, 60, saddler, yes born in county
Charlotte Boxsell, 50, yes

1851 HO107/1635/245/19
80 High St, Hastings St Clement, Sussex
Lucy Croft, head, wid, 54, proprietress of houses, b. Salehurst, Sussex
Matilda Middleditch, u, 19, companion, b. Newmarket, Suffolk
Sarah Blayson, serv, u, 25, servant, b. Lydgate, Suffolk
Benjamin Boxsell, wid, 74, formerly saddler, b. Salehurst, Sussex
Eleanor Wright, visitor, u, 60, b. London
Rebecca Wright, visitor, u, 45, b. London
Mary Holloway, visitor, u, 44, b. Reading, Berkshire
(next page)
Anne Holloway, visitor, u, 42, b. Reading, Berkshire
Robert H Hurst, visitor, widr, 63, landed proprietor, b. Deptford, Kent

According to this map, Salehurst, Robertsbridge & Ewhurst are clustered together. East Sussex Map (http://www.envf.port.ac.uk/geo/research/historical/webmap/sussexmap/moulerotherfieldlrg.html)

I did see a William Buxted in Ewhurst, but Puxted as a name doesn't seem to exist.

Not much help really!  :-\

K.
Title: Re: BOXSELL Family from Salehurst and Robertsbridge
Post by: jrg_from_oz on Friday 28 April 06 13:45 BST (UK)
Thanks Koromo.

I know that area around the Kent/Sussex border reasonably well, having visited there twice on ancestor-hunting expeditions. I have other lines from Sandhurst and Ewhurst.

Mercy BOXSETT (BOXSELL) is a mystery - I don't think she's connected, because Mercy has never been used in the family since, and it's a family which carries its christian names in perpetuity. Ditto with Benjamin.

The PUXTED family seems to be concentrated in these border parishes. There are 10 references in the 1881 census, and 13 in the IGI (including issue to Mary's brother Elhanan PUXTED, who came to Australia and changed his name to PUXTY.)

The two missing sons are, as you say, difficult to trace. No standouts by age and location on FreeBDM or the IGI. No obvious marriage for Mary. I've checked pretty thoroughly in the death records in NSW and they don't appear to have followed the rest of the family, hence my search in England.

Ah well, another brickwall waiting to be demolished <g>

John   
Title: Re: BOXSELL Family from Salehurst and Robertsbridge
Post by: Koromo on Friday 28 April 06 16:50 BST (UK)

Hi John

You're right!  I checked back through the censuses and found a Puxted from Ewhurst.

Indexed as Buxton
1841 HO107/1109/10/41/5
Shoreham, Ewhurst, Sussex
Isaac Bovis, 45, Ag Lab, yes
Mary Bovis, 45, yes
William Buxted, 30, Ag Lab, yes

(further down same page)
Prawls, Ewhurst
Henry Burgess, 30, farmer, yes
Elizabeth Burgess, 25, yes
Ann Burgess, 5, yes
Charles Gouch? 15, Male Serv, yes
William Bovis, 20, M.S. yes
Sarah Sanders, 20, F.S. yes

Indexed as Perxted.
1851   HO107/1636/221/13
Shoreham,  Ewhurst, Sussex
William Puxted, head, 41, farmer 72 acres, 3 labourers, b. Ewhurst, Sussex
Mary, wife, 55, farmer's wife, b. Battle, Sussex
William, son in law, u, 33, Ag Lab, b. Battle, Sussex

Indexed as Pakted
1861 RG9/564/28/6
Brafaw? Ewhurst, Sussex
William Puxted, head, 51, farmer 71 acres employing 1 boy, b. Ewhurst, Sussex
Mary Puxted, wife, 64, b. Battle, Sussex
William Bovis, son in law, un, 42, farmer in Co ? b. Battle, Sussex
Lydia S(inkspot)ter, serv, 11, house servant, b. Brightling, Sussex

1871 RG10/1035/33/16
Brapes/Brasses?, Ewhurst, Sussex
William Puxted, head, 61, farm bailiff, b. Ewhurst, Sussex
Mary Puxted, wife, 74, domestic, b. Battle, Sussex
William Bovis, lodger, unmar, 53, Ag Lab, b. Battle, Sussex
Louisa Playford, servant, unmar, 18, general servant domestic, b. Worthiam? Sussex

Unfortunately I can't see a William Puxted on the IGI so don't know if/how he might fit into Mary's family.

I take it that Mary Puxted's mother was Eleanor Goodsell? There are quite a few Goodsells in Ewhurst on the 1841 census.

:)
Koromo
Title: Re: BOXSELL Family from Salehurst and Robertsbridge
Post by: jrg_from_oz on Saturday 29 April 06 00:36 BST (UK)
Some interesting spelling variations, aren't there? Any wonder we can't find people from the distance of 150 years!

Yes, Eleanor GOODSELL was Mary PUXTED's mother. The GOODSELLs of Ewhurst have been studied in detail by some Australian descendants (there are two distinct lines in Aus - one settled in Sydney and established a brickworks, the other farmed in the Shoalhaven area. Both lines originate in Ewhurst.)

John
Title: Re: BOXSELL Family from Salehurst and Robertsbridge
Post by: allyb1 on Tuesday 21 November 06 10:02 GMT (UK)
 :)    Hi John

                        My 4g grandfather was Thomas Boxsell and 4g grandmother was Mary Puxted. My 2g grandmother was Eva Matilda Boxsell. She was born in Kangaroo Mtn  Australia in 1875. Her father was Joseph Boxsell born in nelsons plain 1844 five years after they arrived in Australia.  I have only been doing this side of the family for a short while and don't know alot so far. Sadly I don't know anything about the three older children yet but they are there somewhere you might have already found them. Love to here from you and exchange information.
                                                                                 Regards Alison Brown
Title: Re: BOXSELL Family from Salehurst and Robertsbridge
Post by: jrg_from_oz on Tuesday 21 November 06 12:49 GMT (UK)
Alison, good to hear from you.

There is more info (plus contact details) at my website, www.rootsweb.com/~nswgdhs/ under the "Gerringong Pioneer Family Index" link.

I look forward to hearing from you.

John
Title: Re: BOXSELL Family from Salehurst and Robertsbridge
Post by: allyb1 on Tuesday 21 November 06 22:28 GMT (UK)
 :)      Hi John

                    I have already explored the Gerringong site many times. That is where I have been able to find most of my information which has been great. I would like to know what the family did for occupation and so forth. I know they were farmers most of them. I have a photo of George Thomas Boxsell from 1889 he was in gaol then and found the photo on line at the state  records. He was Eva's brother he was gaoled for 5 years for horse stealing. You proably know all this anyway but just in case. Do you know if Thomas Boxsell father was william and mother was ann as I am not sure on that. I was on family research.org and some of the info on there is not correct . So just wanting to know if I have the right info. Thanks for getting back to me hear from you soon.

                                                               Alison
Title: Re: BOXSELL Family from Salehurst and Robertsbridge
Post by: chriss5356 on Sunday 21 October 07 13:12 BST (UK)
Hello
My granfather was james puxted, son of samuel puxted of ticehurst. I think the name puxted was derived from puxty. As a child I was told the name was created to divide a pair of brothers after some fallout. Robert puxted emigrated to Aus, survived by son.
Title: Re: BOXSELL Family from Salehurst and Robertsbridge
Post by: jrg_from_oz on Sunday 21 October 07 13:29 BST (UK)
Glad to find another with the PUXTED spelling - most seem to be PUXTY.

Can you post some names and dates back from your grandfather, so I can see if I can place the line?

John
Title: Re: BOXSELL Family from Salehurst and Robertsbridge
Post by: chriss5356 on Monday 22 October 07 09:20 BST (UK)
Hi again
My granfather was James walter Puxted DOB 31/01/1890, died 1983.
His father was Samuel, age 42 (1901 cen') husband of Emma.

The family had association with Talbot Road, Hawkhurst, Kent around 1910
Church Cottage Kilndown, Goudhurst around 1904
1 Howes Cottage Hawkhurst around 1908
These addresses have been taken from some old postcards, but it's not always clear who was living where. I also have an old photo postcard which shows 4 women, named Alice, Hetty, Vicy, Emily.

I can probably find out more from my Aunts, if you think this is the right line?
Chris
Title: Re: BOXSELL Family from Salehurst and Robertsbridge
Post by: jrg_from_oz on Monday 22 October 07 09:37 BST (UK)
Chris,

Anything further you can find out will help, because the PUXTED/PUXTY line in Australia left Sussex in the late 1830s. We need to get back to the early 1800s, even the late 1700s, before looking for a link between the families.

John
Title: Re: BOXSELL Family from Salehurst and Robertsbridge
Post by: Barbaricbarb on Wednesday 10 December 08 09:32 GMT (UK)
Hello there

I was doing a general search of Rootschat for the Puxty name in the Kent and SUssex counties and came across this post - hence the such late response!!!. :D

I've just started looking at the Ticehurst Puxtys myself as  I have discovered that Elizabeth Puxty (who married second Husband George Weddle / Woddle / Waddle of Hawkhurst in 1846- she 1st married Jesse Cheesman in 1833) is my great x3 grandmother. Her parents appear to have been Peter Puxty and Nancy Ann <?> ; his parents probably Samuel Puxty and Elizabeth (Betsy) Chantler married about 1789. I haven't found anything that goes back further along that Puxty line as yet - I don't know who Samuels parents are.  :-\

I did see that there were Puxtys in other nearby villages in both Sussex and Kent and have been wondering how they could be linked, especially as a James Puxty married Judy Puxty (Elizabeths sister) in 1839 and have been wondering if there was a distant kinship there.

I have come across a few different spellings of Puxty / Puxtey / Puxted / Puxtead / Paxty so far.
All the info I have gleaned so far is from Familysearch Pedigree resourses and also Ancestry.

If you wanted to pool current info etc I'd be more than happy to help as far as I can. I'm still trying to sort them out at present!

Barb  8)
Title: Re: BOXSELL Family from Salehurst and Robertsbridge
Post by: jrg_from_oz on Wednesday 10 December 08 10:23 GMT (UK)
Barb,

Love to combine PUXTY information, and see where it leads.

Please contact me directly at johngrah (at) ozemail.com.au.

John
Title: Re: BOXSELL Family from Salehurst and Robertsbridge
Post by: Stovepipe on Thursday 11 December 08 13:01 GMT (UK)
Some Salehurst PRs are transcribed here: http://salehurst.netfirms.com/index.html

There are some BOXSELLs, variously spelt, but they might be slightly early.
Title: Re: BOXSELL Family from Salehurst and Robertsbridge
Post by: jrg_from_oz on Thursday 11 December 08 13:35 GMT (UK)
Thanks stovepipe - can't see any likely looking connections, unfortunately.

John
Title: Re: BOXSELL Family from Salehurst and Robertsbridge
Post by: Barbaricbarb on Sunday 01 March 09 17:09 GMT (UK)
Hi there

Just to say I am emailing you privately with what I have sorted out so far. I don't know if this will help in linking up to your Boxsells, Puxtys but it's worth a go!!

Barb
Title: Re: BOXSELL Family from Salehurst and Robertsbridge
Post by: rebekahm28 on Tuesday 24 March 09 20:58 GMT (UK)
Have just realised what I read as 'Bexsell' on a certificate may be Boxsell!  My ancestor Mary Bexsell/Boxsell was from Slindon, Sussex and born c1813.  Do your folk have gypsy links?   Koromo, Mercy is a popular gyspy name. Not saying yours necessarily is, but thought I'd mention it.
Title: Re: BOXSELL Family from Salehurst and Robertsbridge
Post by: ronniem on Monday 27 July 09 05:21 BST (UK)
Have just realised what I read as 'Bexsell' on a certificate may be Boxsell!  My ancestor Mary Bexsell/Boxsell was from Slindon, Sussex and born c1813.  Do your folk have gypsy links?   Koromo, Mercy is a popular gyspy name. Not saying yours necessarily is, but thought I'd mention it.

I just realised that there is a BOXSELL list here and just to let you know this falls under my BOXALL One Name Study, being one of the many variants that occur.  I do not have details of records back to 1813 for Slindon, Ssx.  You mention you have some sort of certificate for Mary could you possibly give me further details?  I'm hoping that there are names of her parents on the Certificate.  Are you sure she was born in Slindon?  Do you have a marriage for her that I can trace her through Census information to confirm her birth location?
Looking forward to seeing if I have the information that you are looking for.
Kindest regards
Ronnie
Title: Re: BOXSELL Family from Salehurst and Robertsbridge
Post by: ronniem on Monday 27 July 09 05:27 BST (UK)
Thanks Koromo.

I know that area around the Kent/Sussex border reasonably well, having visited there twice on ancestor-hunting expeditions. I have other lines from Sandhurst and Ewhurst.

Mercy BOXSETT (BOXSELL) is a mystery - I don't think she's connected, because Mercy has never been used in the family since, and it's a family which carries its christian names in perpetuity. Ditto with Benjamin.

John   

Hi John;
Just to let you know that Mercy BOXSELL does connect to your BOXSELL family.  I have posted details on Genealogywise if you would like me to repeat the details here please let me know. 

Also to let you know I have found your Mary BOXSELL living with her Uncle in Greenwich, Kent in 1841.  I'm still looking for her two brothers, I think I came across William but under a very different name so am trying to re-do my research to find him again.  Because the name changes so often you could find them under the various other spellings for BOXALL.

This name really connects to the BOXALL One Name Study so I did not think to check and see if anyone had added one of the variant spellings to this forum.

Hope we can make contact with each other.
Kindest regards
Ronnie
Title: Re: BOXSELL Family from Salehurst and Robertsbridge
Post by: rebekahm28 on Monday 27 July 09 12:36 BST (UK)
Hi.  My Mary married into a family of Gypsies, its unclear whether Mary was born a Gypsy. I obtained her maiden name from her sons birth cert, he is my direct ancestor.  Mary married in Harrietsham in 1843, her father was given as William Bexell, bricklayer. (Although they seem to have moved to Kent rapidly, as all the kids were born there.) Her birthplace is Slindon on one census, and Chichester on the other. I believe Slindon is very near Chichester?  Mary seems to have died between 1891-1901.  With so many variants of the surname, Im having trouble establishing who my Mary is descended from, I cant find a Baptism for her.  A Sarah Bexell (traveller) did have an illigitimate baby (Robert Bexell, 1825) in Surrey who died soon after birth, Im thinking they may be linked but have tracked Sarahs family down and no Mary was Baptised when the other kids were Baptised, she may have been a more distant relation. I know Surrey isnt Sussex, but if they were travellers.....  PS, Mary and Samson had children with the following names: Jecoliah, Samson, Serug, Nimrod and Timan!!  Only the eldest two seem to have their births registered.
Title: Re: BOXSELL Family from Salehurst and Robertsbridge
Post by: nicole1234 on Sunday 06 September 09 10:06 BST (UK)
JOhn

My name is Puxty do you have any information about them that you want to share with me, I have information if you want it, Best Wishes, gwen
Title: Re: BOXSELL Family from Salehurst and Robertsbridge
Post by: jrg_from_oz on Sunday 06 September 09 11:51 BST (UK)
Gwen, you bet I do!

Please contact me directly at as per Roots Chat Policy, E-mail removed to prevent spamming - Global Moderator and I can send you a GEDCOM plus some documents.

John
Title: Re: BOXSELL Family from Salehurst and Robertsbridge
Post by: nicole1234 on Sunday 06 September 09 12:04 BST (UK)
John
Just sent you an email my maiden name was Puxty as is now Wilmore

Gwen
Title: Re: BOXSELL Family from Salehurst and Robertsbridge
Post by: nicole1234 on Sunday 06 September 09 20:26 BST (UK)
John

did you get my email

Gwen
Title: Re: BOXSELL Family from Salehurst and Robertsbridge
Post by: alli_burnie on Sunday 21 March 10 04:03 GMT (UK)

I'm a descendant of Thomas Boxsell (my 4g) (then James Boxsell, then Arthur Claydon and Daisy).  All the information I've found here is great!

However, I've found online some very strange information - its the same as here, but different!  I dont know which version is correct.  Can anyone help?

Passenger list for Neptune 1939 (found at http://www.rootschat.com/history/hastings/content/view/90/30/ ) lists Thomas as coming out with a Mary Goodsell.  All the kids seem correct as listed in this thread though.

Again, if you look in the LDS Family Search database for 'Thomas Boxsell' - you'll find one who was married to Mary Goodsell.  It says her mother was 'Eleanor' and father 'John Goodsell'. (same christian names for the parents of Mary Puxted).

The same family line is listed at the following website too - http://www.mickgrage.com/ - under the family tree link.

Its really weird.  I've found this information strewn across multiple websites.  Can someone help me work out which is correct? There's definately some confusion out there!

I feel the one I'm reading on this thread seems to be more documented, hence more reliable?
Title: Re: BOXSELL Family from Salehurst and Robertsbridge
Post by: jrg_from_oz on Sunday 21 March 10 05:34 GMT (UK)
Passenger list for Neptune 1939 (found at http://www.rootschat.com/history/hastings/content/view/90/30/  ) lists Thomas as coming out with a Mary Goodsell.  All the kids seem correct as listed in this thread though.

This confusion is caused by the slightly different way the family has been recorded in the shipping list. Normally parents are listed with the father first, but in Mary's case she has been recorded as the "daughter of Eleanor Goodsell and John, her husband". All quite correct as far as it goes, except they didn't record the fact that John's surname was PUXTED (or PUXTY). 

Again, if you look in the LDS Family Search database for 'Thomas Boxsell' - you'll find one who was married to Mary Goodsell.  It says her mother was 'Eleanor' and father 'John Goodsell'. (same christian names for the parents of Mary Puxted).

This marriage entry also contains the dreaded words "Record submitted after 1991 by a member of the LDS Church." It is NOT an extract from a PR, but only someone else's research. Maybe this researcher was also confused by the shipping entry? Whatever the reason, the information is wrong. (At the risk of upsetting any LDS members reading this, I contend that the LDS made a HUGE mistake when they opened up the IGI to user submissions. The IGI is no longer the authoratative source it once was.)

Have you seen my website at www.rootsweb.ancestry.com/~nswgdhs/pioneers.htm? You'll find some more information there. Please contact me directly (link on the website), so we can compare notes, particularly about your part of the BOXSELL tree.

John
Title: Re: BOXSELL Family from Salehurst and Robertsbridge
Post by: alli_burnie on Sunday 21 March 10 05:54 GMT (UK)


Thanks John - that's a good explanation from, obviously, a more seasoned researcher than I!

I'll get onto you when I've pulled my information together better...  many thanks for your link too!

Alli