RootsChat.Com
Some Special Interests => Travelling People => Topic started by: Jamie H on Sunday 06 July 08 00:20 BST (UK)
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I am posting on behalf of a friend who is researching her Romany ancestors. She has the following information:
A photograph, undated, but taken about 1886, of four boys. On the back of the photo it says " McLEAN cousins, Hamilton, Ontario". The names of the boys are
Gordon robert, born c 1878
Benjamin Binsley born about 1880
Charles Russell born about 1881
Gordon Douglas born about 1883
The boys are either the family of
George and Anna Maria STEVENS
Anna Maria was the daughter of James McLEAN/McCLAN and was born about 1856 in Ipswich, Suffolk, England
George, son of Charles, basketmaker of ??? London
They don't appear in the 1881 census for England.
OR
Henry McLEAN born 1862, a carpenter age 19 and living at home with his parents, James and Rhoda McLEAN in Ipswich at time of the 1881 census.
My friend says she has had no luck finding Henry McLEAN in any English records after that date.
Any further information about the boys in Canada, or George and Anna Maria STEVENS would be welcome.
Thank you
Jamie H (on behalf of Ruth)
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Hi Jamie,
Not having much luck finding anything in Ontario for them :-\
You can search the 1911 and 1901 census for free at www.automatedgenealogy.com
Hamilton is in the County of Wentworth.
Karen
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Thank you, Karen. I'll do that. :)
Jamie
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Hello Jamie H - I just came across your message below today, after googling "Benjamin Binsley". Believe it or not, it looks like we have the same photo in our family(!), though our copy just has the boys' names without the note of the surname.
My late nanna used to say it was of our "cousins in Ontario", so I've always wondered if we might have relatives alive over there who might never have seen this fantastic photo of their ancestors.
Nanna descended from James and Rhoda McLean/McClan and I thought the photo likely to be from that line, in view of the Scottishness of this surname and the Scottishness of the boys' names, although the surname is actually written Macklin the furthest I've got the tree back on that line, which is to the mid-18th century and I've still only got it back to the Cambridgeshire/Bedfordshire/Huntingdonshire area via Norfolk (I am in Ipswich), so there's no certainty of any genuine Scottish link at all. My tentative theory, though, is that they might have been Scots who remained in the area following Bonnie Prince Charlie's army passing that way in 1745, which might also fit with them joining up with local gypsies. Aagain I'd heard before, this time from my nanna's cousin, that they were originally gypsies.
Hoping to hear further - regards- Shane
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Hullo Shane,
This is very interesting!! When KarenM replied to my initial enquiry she included a photo as part of her signature. But this photo was not the one I referred to in my post. But — you have identified KarenM’s photo as being one you have too; also, you were looking for Benjamin Bisley who was one of the people in the photo I mentioned (but which wasn’t displayed).
Have I explained it right? Not confusing?
My enquiry was on behalf of a friend, Ruth, and I am very excited to be able to pass on the information to her. It certainly looks as though you, KarenM and Ruth share the same photo, and family. Would you be willing to send me a private message so that I’d have your email address to give her so that she could contact you directly?
Jamie
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Hi Jamie
The photo in our family is the same as the one Ruth has got, I'm pretty sure from what you say, as ours gives the same 4 brothers' names (I'm saying that from memory, but Benjamin Binsley has always stuck in my memory). I've might have a photocopy of the photo here (I think my aunt has the original since my nanna died a few years ago), so I'll see what I can find in my boxes of genealogy stuff. I can't send to you anyway yet, as my scanner isn't connected to our new PC yet.
My descent from the McClans is:
James McClan=Rhoda Gaze
daughter Mary Ann McClan=William Cook
son William James Cook=Florence Ella Warren
daughter Mildred Florence Cook=Nelson Maurice Wright
daughter Barbara Ann Wright=Michael Bernard Frank Hines
-->son Shane John Hines
I also have a copy photo of my great-grandfather William James Cook aged 4, taken in 1872 and with his three aunts behind him (all looking about 20-ish and I think my nanna may have said all spinsters), who I understand also to be McClans and my nanna reckoned one of them (Jane, I thought, but maybe Kate, as I'm not sure there was a Jane), died in Hertfordshire aged 105, so presumably about the 1950's. I'll see if I can scan that copy photo in for Ruth when I get set up properly.
I tried various websites last night to see if I could find the family in Ontario in old censuses, but no joy so far, whether McClan or a variant of that or Stevens, so I'm still unclear exactly how the boys relate and I suppose they might have had another surname still - also unclear whether they were born before or after their parents emigrated. Perhaps they also ended up in Canada via America. A half-Canadian girl I work with recently suggested I write to a Canadian newspaper with the copy photo to see if that might do the trick. Now it looks like Hamilton may be he place to target, maybe I'll do that.
I'm happy to hear from Ruth - how do I send you a private message? Am I missing something obvious?
Shane
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Hullo Shane,
Thanks for your post. I've sent you a private message with Ruth's details so that you can get in touch. She is very excited because you are definitely from her family. I hope it leads to lots of wonderful sharing of information. Ruth has a lot to share, and it looks as though you do, too :)
Jamie
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Hi
Just reading through the McLean James and Rhoda thread. I think I may be distantly related as did they also have a daughter called Sophia. I cannot seem to find anything about Rhoda other than she was born in Felmingham, Norfolk. Have not heard anything about gypsies though.
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Hi Sophia
Rhoda's maiden name was Gaze and yes she and James had a daughter Sophia who married Isaac Goodwin according to my database. Gypsy ancestry has been found on her husband James McClan's side.
Regards
Shane
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Hi Shane,
Yes that is definitely the line I am descended from. If you have more information on Rhoda and James's ancestors I would be extremely grateful as I know nothing about them or their ancestors. You can private message me if you prefer. Many many thanks.
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What a very interesting thread! It's great that you've all found each other! The power of rootschat, eh?
You need to have 3 posts or so before you can send or receive a private message (PM), just a hint, before you start to wonder. Just click on a person's name will do the trick for a PM. Or on the green scrolly thing, if they're online and it's bright green.
Please do keep us informed how you all get on, we love to know.
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Thanks. In 1871 Sophia Goodwin was visiting with her daughter Beatrice and staying with her brother (?) George McLean in the district of St Pancreas. Ten years before she seems to have been in Ipswich with her parents and siblings.
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Hi - Shane here again after several years, having lost Ruth's contacts details for the time being. I think I may have worked out who the boys in the photo are. Mary Ann Gaze, sister of Rhoda, my 3x great grandmother (who married James McLean), married Benjamin Bensley in 1837 at Colby, Norfolk. They then emigrated to Ontario, where son Robert was born in 1838. His eldest daughter, Helen Bensley, born 1858, married Charles Kerr, leading to 4 sons, George Robert Vandeleur Kerr (b 1882), John Benjamin Bensley Kerr (1884), Charles Russell Kerr (1886) and Gordon Douglas Kerr (1889). The names and link to Norfolk seem too much of a coincidence for the boys in the photo to be anyone other than these 4, though this would put the date of the photo to 1890/91, maybe. Regards, Shane
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Hi Shane, bit late to this discussion but found it very interesting. I am descended from Charles Macklin
1745 Cambridgeshire and Sarah Smith 1757.Grandchester Huntingtonshire They were both from travelling Gypsy families. There were 2 sons who are traceable, my 4 x ggf Charles Macklin known as the Gypsy fiddler born b. 1778 and Samuel 1788 who married Theodoria Harding daughter of Will Harding and Mary Howe father of James Macklin 1821 who married Rhoda Gaze and is your line
Charles married Sophia Haines in 1799 … parents not found but it's her name Sophia which carries through every generation ( my grandaughter is Sophie) . Charles also had a daughter with Sarah Curtis b. 1772 named Elizabeth .Sarah married Thomas Thorogood in 1792 and in 1795 Elizabeth was baptised naming Thomas as her father. Elizabeth married my 3x ggfather Joseph Hyde in 1814 and then they settle in Frankton Warwickshire … a favoured Gypsy stopping place. These facts are now confirmed with many dna matches with Charles and Sophia’s offspring … many being within the Loveridge, Gray, Draper travelling families .
I grew up being told about the stories in my father’s family and I so wish that he had known that it was all true. He played a fiddle ( handed down) and squeeze boxes and his father used to go to entertain the crowds at half time at the local FC club in Leicester. Several generations of the family still worked as door to door travelling salesman until very recently as did their forefathers. It’s all very fascinating . Someone earlier talked about the Scottish connection. My dna gives me a 14% Scandinavian marker( Norway) and a fair amount of Scottish. My dna matches seem to have the same. It’s likely that our family came to Scotland in 17 century but there’s no way of knowing yet
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Hi cousin idlecat - well, isn't that amazing? Great to hear from you and, as one of the earlier contributors to the thread said, the magic of Rootschat!
I'm currently awaiting the results of an Ancestry DNA test, so it will be interesting to see if that confirms me as having a dash of gypsy blood and any further Macklin/McClean/McClan links. I was aware of having gypsy ancestry on this line, though the 18th and early 19th century details were provided to me by another researcher.
I wasn't aware of that nickname for Charles Macklin, though I seem to recall that the information I received referred to him as having been in the local militia in Huntingdonshire or Bedfordshire as a musician. I'll see if I can dig the papers out.
In regard to the photo of 'cousins in Ontario' that started this thread, my late nanna's original photo is sadly missing now, but I did photocopy it many years ago and I recently went onto a facebook page for Hamilton, Ontario and posted that copy up in an attempt to contact any descendants over there: see https://www.facebook.com/groups/2428674406/?multi_permalinks=10161886033299407¬if_id=1716544506764100¬if_t=feedback_reaction_generic&ref=notif
So far, there have been lots of likes and some helpful comments, but no descendants have come forward. There's at least one other facebook group for Hamilton I can try, so I'll probably give that another go.
I've another photocopy photo (original missing again) from 1872 showing my great-grandfather aged 4 with his McClean aunts.
I've further information on my Ancestry pages if you have access, otherwise I'm thinking to be in touch again once the DNA results arrive - meant to be in about a month's time.
Regards
Shane
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Morning Shane, amazingly you saw my post and responded immediately. It’s good to talk to you. My family descendants travelled around Bedfordshire, Oxfordshire Cambridge Northants and Warwickshire , I was in this part of the world last week where both of my children live now and as I drove near to the places I recognised from the bmd’s census and gaol sentences😀 I felt a deep sense of belonging and nostalgia. I would like to spend more time visiting the old stopping places as Damian le Bas did in his book but time is running out…. I didn’t know about Charles’s connection with the military, and if you could root out the old stuff that you had I’ll try to research that. I have another old relly William Green from Lutterworth who wrote a book about Waterloo which is fascinating .
I hope you get your dna results soon, it opens up a whole new world and that will be the end of life as you know it.
Upload to GEDMATCH for the really interesting stuff. It’s great to get confirmation of what we’re just Grannies tales. I discovered that the rumour that we had Russian aristocracy in the family turned out to be true. Another cousin of Gg Hyde married Count Tolstoy whose father had been Chamberlain to Nicholas II . Their son Dimitri was smuggled out of Russia on the secret boat that King George sent along with some of the Royal family ( now denied). His Grandaughter Countess Alexandra Tolstoy is a well known broadcaster and infamous by being married to Sergei Pugachev. I bet she doesn’t know she has Gypsy blood.
It’s a shame your pic went missing, I’ve retrieved a copy from Facebook I hope you won’t mind me using it. Your post seems to have revived a bit more interest . Look forward to reading more from you.
Patti
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Hi Patti
Yes, sure, that's fine.
I've tried to upload with this message the other photo I mentioned, of my great grandfather William Cook with his Maclean aunts, taken in 1872, when he was 4. However, the upload has failed, as the attachment size is too big, so I'll have to try shrinking it or finding another avenue.
I've also found the paperwork I mentioned, with mentions of militia service. My memory fails me, but I think I must have received this from my nanna's cousin Harold Cook, who had been in touch with Ruth MacDonald (mentioned earlier in this thread) and he got it from her, but it mentions Ruth in the third person at one point, so someone else again put at least some of it together. There's a copy letter to Ruth within it, though, from 1987, which focusses on whether Maclean or it's variants was a known gypsy name, but also has interesting comments on Silence Smith and more. I'll have to copy this all to you. They're not great photocopies, though, so I'll try taking photos with my phone, but I may have to transcribe at least some of it.
I've an interesting book 'Tolstoy in London' re a trip Leo Tolstoy made there in 1861 - I suppose he's a relative of ours now, too, if a little bit distant and not blood. On another line I do happen to be not so distantly blood-related to the present King of Jordan, as his father King Hussein married a Suffolk lass. Could maybe come in handy if I ever visit Petra....
Shane
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Hi Patti
I've transcribed the pages of Macklin notes I received many years ago - hopefully a small enough document to upload. I'll see if the 1987 letter it mentions will also upload - I'll do that separately.
Shane
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Success!
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Hi Patti
I've used an online pdf converter to come up with a small sized file transcription of the Gypsy Lore Society letter from 1987, as attached.
Shane
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...and here are jpegs of the Militia payment records.
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Wow, thank you so much Shane, I’m just ploughing through them.. I’ve sent off for some birth certs which I never had so they may turn something up. Will get back to you later … and thanks again, amazing. Thanks again Patti
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Good morning The Bedford militia is another fascinating document , I can see an entry of a referenced to Sophia Maclean’s Child but difficulty in reading what comes at the end then 4/8 4s 8d
The Charles Maclean entry From Infantry March 10 1800 to April 12. 1/2. 1s 2d
I have had a search of Bedfordshire militia records and they are scarce. There must be more somewhere … needs more research. I have a great interest myself in anything military.
Mrs Macdonald’s letter from Gypsy Lore was surprising … his lack of knowledge of the Macklins … maybe things have moved on from there. Interesting what was said about Silence Biggleswade being deaf. I have another Silence Bruntbin my tree and on the 1851 census she has indeed ticked the box at the end for deaf, blind and imbecile .
Thank you for sharing all of your notes with me, I’ll go through them and see if there’s anything I can add.
Patti
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Hi Patti
I've looked online for Bedfordshire Militia records and I can't see anything obvious that those copies might have come from, particularly not for 1800. There's some possible sources listed on GENUKI: see https://www.genuki.org.uk/big/eng/BDF/Misc/BDF/MilitiaListsandMusters, but these appear to be payroll lists, not musters as such, and nothing as specific as that is mentioned. Maybe the "Potton. Service records" or "County Regimental Returns....Militia 1780-1876" might be the best bets. I expect that Ruth MacDonald probably visited Bedfordshire Archives back in the 80s to unearth these.
I transcribed the two Militia entries into the "Notes" document I uploaded, as the originals are hard to read. There's not a lot to add, but there's a series of 4 strokes after the names in each line, which I imagine are tally strokes to show weekly payments.
Shane
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Me again....
I also note mention of Macklins etc at https://www.familytreedna.com/groups/celtic-traveller/about/background and mention there of Robert Dawson: https://www.robertdawson.co.uk/
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Robert Dawson is certainly a person of note. Is this recent or may he not still be around?
I’ve been trawling through the Regimental Records of the Bedfordshire Militia and came across one or two interesting things.
I wondered why the recruits from this locality were recruited and paid off after a short time. It seems that there had been a lot of trouble within the Regiment through disobedience.. wearing their best uniforms when told not to ( it was winter and cold and the 2nd best were worn out). Soldiers and officers were court martialled and dismissed so recruits were rounded up urgently.
THE BEDFORDSHIRE MILITIA.
51
In searching for information respecting my own Regiment during these times, I came across an account of the execution of two deserters, which I think is worthy of record.
"On the 20th June 1800, two of the York Hussars (Yeomanry) were shot on Bincombe Down, near Weymouth, pursuant to sentence of Court-Martial, for desertion and cutting a boat out of Weymouth Harbour, with the intention of deserting to France; they however, landed by mistake in Guernsey, where they were arrested and secured.
"The regiments in camp were drawn up (viz. the Greys, Rifle Corps, Stafford, Berkshire, and North Devon Militia.
"They came on the ground in a mourning coach, accompanied by two Priests. After going along the front, they went to the centre, where they were allowed twenty minutes for prayer; they were then shot at by a guard of twenty-four men, they dropped instantly, and expired without a groan.
"The men wheeled in sections, and marched past the bodies in slow time."
In May 1800 we find the Regiment, after having been recruited in the County during the winter, once more upon the march, having received orders to proceed to the west of England; and early in that month it marched by Higham Ferrers, Kettering, Harborough, Atherstone, Lichfield, to Stafford, where it appears to have only halted for a week, when it marched, via Wolverhampton, Kidderminster, Worcester, Tewkesbury, Cheltenham, Gloucester, Newport, Bristol, Wells, and Bridgewater to Taunton, where it was
1800.
The Regiment remained at Bedford until May 1800, and had a detachment at Dunstable.
I may here state for the information of many who are not aware of the magnitude of the force employed at the time we write of, that the number of troops in Ireland at the end of 1800 was :—
Regulars
Militia
Yeomanry.
・
45,839.
27,104.
・
53,557.
The total military establishment of the United Kingdom (exclusive of the marine establishment 100,000 men, and the Volunteers) was 317,952 men.
stationed until September. It left Taunton at the end of September, and proceeded by Honiton and Exeter to Ashburton and Newton Bushell, where it was quartered forabout a month, when it was ordered to Plymouth, where it arrived in the middle of October. It did garrison duty in this Town during the winter of 1800, and the Civil Authorities publicly complimented the Regiment upon its discipline and good conduct upon the occasion of its being called out to preserve order during a large fire.”
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It’s also been a puzzle why Charles McLean named his son b. 1800 ( the infant ) Charles Maclean Grey .
It’s probable that he named him after the commander in chief Sir Charles Grey … I’ve another soldier who named his son Shirley after another General at Waterloo.
" Regimental Orders. - The general order of this day is a pretty strong proof that the Commander-in-Chief, Sir Charles Grey, is determined that every manner of Hub ordination shall be kept up in the Southern District, id the Colonel ia equally determined to execute his ist and power by making an example of the first person at may disgrace his regiment.
"He cannot avoid adding that he has reason to caution every good man in the regiment from being led astray by the persuasion or example of bad men ; and as they love their own reputation, honour, and happiness, they will avoid associating with every man of this description ; but to avoid him as they would a pestilence, for otherwise it will be sure to bring down upon them the most sure and exemplary punishment.
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Yes, it has always amazed me that a soldier might be a volunteer, yet still end up shot at dawn. Not much gratitude for the volunteering, but I suppose order must be maintained!
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Not sure about Robert Dawson - this is the first time I've come across his name, but I assume still current as most websites tend to stop working in due course if not maintained.
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I’ve had the copy of the death cert for Charles Macklin husband of Sophia. He is commonly recorded as b. 1780 and died 1852 in Buntingford. I suspected this incorrect . The certificate proves it, he was a surgeon and is found on the census. So can discount those dates now.
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Evening,
I would be interested in joining in with the DNA of this family as I have been working on some Matches for a friend descended from Crissany who married John Welch and I think belongs here along with another sibling Henry both Baptised together in Sandy, Bedfordshire 1813
Kind regards
Amanda
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Hi Amanda
Sorry, are you saying Crissany is a Macklin/McClean? I've not come across her before, in any event.
I'm aware of James Macklin, son of Samuel and Susan Macklin (late Whitfield) as having been baptised at Sandy in 1810, but I think Susan then died and Samuel remarried to Theodosia Harding at Great Paxton (fairly nearby) in 1811, with their first child, William, baptised at Great Paxton in 1812.
I've also got it that William Welch married Sophia Macklin, daughter of Charles Macklin and Sophia (late Hane) on 5 Dec 1827 at Baldock, Herts (again, not very far away). That's my only Welch reference so far.
Shane
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Hi Amanda
I see now on familysearch: Chrissany and Henry Maclean both baptised at Sandy 26 Dec 1813, children of Charles and Sophia.
Shane
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Hi Shane,
Yes I believe William Welch was a sibling of John Welch, John was a twin with Sarah
The DNA gets very interesting!
Sophia McLean I have one DNA match showing but most are from Charles 1806
Kind regards
Amanda
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Thanks, Amanda
I've now found some correspondence I had with Ruth MacDonald in 2009, within which she mentions that she believed Tobias Smith, a 19 years-old gypsy executed for horse-stealing in 1792, to be a cousin of Samuel Macklin, son of Charles and Silence (formerly Smith). See: https://dn720306.ca.archive.org/0/items/bim_eighteenth-century_an-account-of-tobias-smi_tattershall-thomas_1792/bim_eighteenth-century_an-account-of-tobias-smi_tattershall-thomas_1792.pdf
The RTFHS have a reference to 'Charles Macklane' as a witness to the marriage of William Smith and Jemima Gray
at Yelling, Hunts, in 1802: “Both of the people called Gypsies having pitched their tent in this parish during the time their banns were published on three several Sundays”
Also, at https://www.british-genealogy.com/forum/archive/index.php/t-16366.html: "......Jeremiah Boswell b.cir 1832 Babworth Notts was the son of Elijah Boswell by one of his wives Alice Smith (he also married her sister Delizanna). Alice and Delizanna were reputedly the daughters of a William Smith and a Jemima Gray - I have not yet been able to work out who exactly they were. There was also another sister, Charlotte Smith....Elijah Boswell was supposed to have travelled the Midlands with one William Gray. This was the same William Gray who married Tabitha and had a liaison with her sister Bethania...."
Robert Dawson previously mentioned has written a book on the Smith genealogy, so that may be worth getting or he contacted.
All sorts of connections....
Shane
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Hi Shane,
Many thanks for all this information, I'll read through it over the weekend
I do have the Tobias booklet but it's really interesting that Ruth thought he might be a Cousin as the same Smith people are also in the DNA tree I am working on.
In another tree I have some unexplained Smith DNA matches with someone descended from William Smith and Salome Smith through Joseph 1832 and Sophia 1841 so my intention is to try to solve that at some point but I have a lot of Smith's to sort through.
I think Jemima Smith has other children unknown to me as yet.
I have quite a few Gray's to follow up on but no DNA available to work with.
I'll see if I can find Robert Dawson's Smith book and I think there might be another one written by Richard who sometimes posts on here.
Many thanks
Kind regards
Amanda
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Interesting. I have the Welches in my tree, William, Mary, Sarah John Priscilla and James. Parents Thomas Welch 1766 and Mary Shaw 1768. I’ve been recently working on this family but I hadn’t spotted that Saney was married to this John Welch. Thanks for the info … more to work on.
Sophia Haines was not I think born in Wiltshire in 1780. Mother Elizabeth. I have a death for this poor little soul in August of the same year to Elizabeth mother.
It’s more ikely that she belongs to the Huntingdonshire Haines/ Haynes … a family which I have come across elsewhere.
I’ve had the death cert back for Charles Maclean 1800 who has been attributed to death in Hemel Hempstead 1839. This cert is for a 27 year old . I can’t decipher profession looks like Type founder.
I’ll do more research this weekend whilst I am away again.
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Hi Patti
One of my Cooks in Ipswich - Charles Cook (who married the strangely-named Humiliation Lion) was an iron founder, in case that helps in deciphering.
Shane
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I see that Kazi has posted more on Tobias and the Smiths link to the Booths at https://www.rootschat.com/forum/index.php?topic=584511.171
Shane
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Thanks Shane, I’ve attached the death cert. It’s too young to be our Charles.
I knew about Toby smiths execution but it was mortifying reading the file. I think he married just days before his death and yes he was related to the Macklins. His sister Viraminta b. 1768 married Marks William Curtis, son of William Curtis from whom he stole the mare . William is my 5x g gfather. His daughter Sarah had a daughter Elizabeth with Charles Macklin 1778 .
What a tangled webb.
This is a useful tool to peruse if you have time to spare http://www.geocities.ws/seraphim_angel_2002/Gypsyindex1.html
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Evening,
I am so glad to see that someone else thinks the mother of the Welch children was a Shaw!
I have been wondering if she was the Mary Baptised 1771 Clifton, Bedfordshire daughter of Moses and Susannah Dimmock, the Welch Marriage I think is in Islington 1795
Such a lot to go through, will keep me busy for a while but I might just connect Mary Shaw up to see if the DNA does anything
Virmanta Smith I can see DNA matches from her but I need to expand her family and check it out
Kind regards
Amanda
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Today I was dipping into ‘ my ancestors were Gypsies ‘and came across a section under military service
Charles joined Bedfordshire Militia
Interesting he states that Charles ‘ brother James joined the Royal East Middlesex militia and died at Waterloo. Reference Lt. Col. C P Hawkes ‘ Gypsy bloood’ in Geneologist mag. Vol 6 no. 9 p.395
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Oh wow, Patti! I've not come across that before. Does the footnote 26 it mentions give a source for that? An old soldier near where I live once suggested I write a book on Suffolk men who served at Waterloo (as I was writing one about the soldiers on the local war memorial), but it looked too much of a big project to me. Thanks, Shane
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Oops, just seen that you gave the reference!
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Hi Patti
I've now finally got a copy of the Hawkes article, as attached, which i've converted to txt then pdf format from the photos I took of the pages, to reduce the file size. It's a very interesting article, but there's no mention of Macklins/McLeans, so more work is needed to track down a source for the Waterloo reference.
Shane
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As I understand it, the militia only operated at home, so James McLean may have been a militia man, but he would have had to join a regiment/unit in the regular army to have fought at Waterloo. any military experts out there by all means correct me on that ;D