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England (Counties as in 1851-1901) => England => Suffolk => Topic started by: Jme79 on Monday 25 October 10 21:32 BST (UK)
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I'm working on a branch of husbands family tree at the moment. I've got back a couple of hundred of years with regards to names and dates but I'd like to see if I can find out more information about these people rather than them just being names. They all had pretty unremarkable jobs as you can imagine - all agricultural labourers so I am not sure what I would be able to find out, if anything.
I'm looking for advice on how to take the next step - is it a case of scouring newspapers in case something comes up? I know nothing about these people and don't live anywhere near Suffolk!
Thanks in advance!
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You could look at the places where they lived, much of Suffolk today looks pretty much as it did a couple of hundred years ago. Many villages are full of medieval houses - the difference being that today they are well maintained.
When you know which areas of the county you are researching, you can find out whether there are any books, such as photographic books of the area.
Many of the books contain information on how things were in the county.
George Ewart Evans' books such as Ask the Fellows Who Cut the Hay would be a good start.
Pat ...
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Thanks. Unfortunately the census returns for the families don't mention actual houses, I guess they were small villages and I've been to all the churches mentioned but have never found a headstone. Aside from the names on certificates and censuses it feels like they never existed!
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Headstones were expensive and not the sort of thing that Agricultural Labourers could afford to buy.
You can enquire if there are records of the churchyard to find out where in the churchyard your husband's ancestors were actually buried.
Have you thought about looking at School log books or other records from their villages?
Pat ...
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Hi Jme79 ;)
I have an original 1871 Whites directory which covers all of Suffolk, if you give me the names and where they lived, I would happily read through the book to see if anything is mentioned about your people.
Kimberly
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And I have Whites for 1844 and 1855.
However, they are listed by Hundred, then by parish, only those in trades or professions are listed, no ordinary workers unfortunately.
Happy to check for Gentlefolk, or builders, carpenters, blacksmiths, inn keepers, drapers, milliners etc etc ;)
Pat ...
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I know what you mean, jme - just names on a list and dates don't really tell us enough about our ancestors' lives. However, you can learn quite a lot by checking out the dates when they did various things and find out what was happening at the same time.
For example, one of my ancestors, John Pearle, was born in Rattlesden, Suffolk in 1541 and died there in 1637. He was born in the reign of Henry VIII, when the monasteries were being dissolved and died shortly before the start of the English Civil War. During his lifetime there were outbreaks of Plague in the village. Matthew Hopkins, the Witchfinder General, visited the village and 12 'witches' were executed in Bury St Edmunds; and a group of villagers emigrated to America to found a colony there. I do often wonder how these events impacted on his life and indeed, whether he was even aware of historic events such as the Gunpowder Plot (1605) - did it pass unremarked in the village, or did it keep the rumour mill running for a very long time?
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Speaking of The Witchfinder General
Article in the Daily Mail On-line
Imps, warts and sex with the Devil: 400-year-old diary of Witchfinder General trials is opened to public for first time
Read more: http://www.rootschat.com/links/0a7g/
Didn't I see the film was on TV again late one evening over last weekend.
Filmed in Lavenham and in the grounds of Kentwell Hall in Long Melford - amongst other Suffolk locations.
Pat ...
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Oh that looks interesting Pat!
I am coming over to Suffolk next week on a flying visit but will make time to visit Rattlesden and Hitcham, and hope also to get to Brettenham too. My Pearle family was clearly fairly settled because my earliest sighting of them is 1541 in Rattlesden, and they were still in this area until the middle of the 20th century!
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I am coming over to Suffolk next week on a flying visit but will make time to visit Rattlesden and Hitcham, and hope also to get to Brettenham too.
When I was 7 (around 1945) My mother took me to see "Auntie Swan" at Birds Green Rattlesden
I doubt it has changed much.
Please just keep an eye out for me.
Who she was is an enduring mystery.
Her son John Swan was age about 13 for he could climb trees even better than my big brother (8)
It might have been Ivy Cottage.
Other places they lived are
Elm Cottage, Wetherton, Stowmarket Bildeston, Ipswich then Gloster, then maybe went to Sweden
I think they originated at The old rectory, Alpham Stone Bures Suffolk
I know it is a long shot, but nothing ventured nothing gained and no trace of family for John Swann
Many thanks
Esdel
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I'm working on a branch of husbands family tree at the moment. I've got back a couple of hundred of years with regards to names and dates but I'd like to see if I can find out more information about these people rather than them just being names. They all had pretty unremarkable jobs as you can imagine - all agricultural labourers so I am not sure what I would be able to find out, if anything.
I'm looking for advice on how to take the next step - is it a case of scouring newspapers in case something comes up? I know nothing about these people and don't live anywhere near Suffolk!
Thanks in advance!
You say you live miles away. I doubt much has changed in rural Suffolk
One thing I find useful, is to download Google Earth. It lets you view at ground level - actually see the houses and imagine better how they lived. You can wander and explore to your heart's content, comfy in your armchair!
esdel
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The main changes Esdel are that workers cottages are now very often refubished and are very pretty, quaint holiday cottages.
In Lavenham, places such as the Guildhall are now reverting back to the traditional methods of coating exposed beams, which show on the outside of the building, rather than painting them black.
Lavenham is hailed as our most preserved medieval village. However a hundred years or so ago photographs show it was nowhere near as 'pretty'. Fortunately there are several photographic books and oral history books on the Industrial Town that Lavenham was in the past so we can see the changes.
In many villages the houses are rendered and some are thatched, so they are now painted in many colours, but of course 'Suffolk Pink' predominates.
Today there are rarely shops, and many villages have lost their pub/s. Schools are now family homes as are many of the smaller chapels.
Buses visit once or twice a week and people live in the village but work away in the towns or - as in our area - go to London early in the morning and return late at night.
By the way, Rattlesden has suffered, a black barn type of house has been built right in front of the church, I wonder how that got passed the planning authorities.
Pat ...
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Esdel, I will keep my eyes open for any evidence of the Swan family in Rattlesden for you!
Oh Pat, the black barn type of modern house near the church does sound like a retrograde step - presumably it contains someone of influence.... somewhere......