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England (Counties as in 1851-1901) => England => Kent => Topic started by: ivorjbody on Friday 06 July 12 18:51 BST (UK)
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My Great Grand Uncle in 1861 census had this as his residence. Cannot find a thing on it. Any ideas please?
Thomas Body Age: 45 Residence
5 Great Acton House Wittersham, Kent, England farmer 366 acres Employing 13 men and 5 Boys
Thanks ivor (Body)
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Perhaps it is this dwelling?
http://www.britishlistedbuildings.co.uk/en-180455-acton-manor-wittersham/bingmap
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http://www.britishlistedbuildings.co.uk/en-180488-wittersham-court-wittersham/comments
Perhaps the whole story?
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Thanks. Must be Acton Manor could have changed it's name, as did your second listed bulding Wittersham Court, which was College farmhouse in some of the earlier census (photo is as it was College Farmhouse not as it is on maps.google.com as Wittersham Court). My family where there and farmed it from ,1700 until it was sold in 1967.
Thanks ivor
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I think Hackstaple is right with his/her listed building. I alsways understood Acton Manor was the big house between what used to be Wittersham Nurseries and Owley.
As for College/Court Farm my Grandfather worked there for at least 50 years (it may have been 60) as gardener - when the Great War broke out he enlisted immediately as Col. John Body was both his boss and the recruiting officer!
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What a surprise about your grandfather. I wonder if he contributed to the Planter that his troops donated to St. John the Baptist Church Wittersham where this is together with a double stained glass window to his memory. Perhaps he was at the unveiling of the Tenterden Memorial which Col.John Body opened and I have a photo of. Also there is a slight chance he entered Iraq in 1917 when Col. Body relieved the City in 1917 again I have a photo off. All on ancestry. This might be a cheek but I wonder if I can have his name and put this on the profile of Col. Body and if you agree a photo. I am into the history of my extended family and anyone who were associated with them. He is not on the 1911 census at College House (Wittersham Court) as Muriel Kenward Body was there with 3 other female servants. Col John was in India and Mesopotamia at the time. Never had any children, but not surprising as he could not have been at home much until his later life. Muriel left it to Ltd Colonel Edward Hedley Body who sold it in 1969.
Regarding Acton Manor I think some sort of cousin of mine my Great Grandmother Louisa Dengate has a photo of it and she was born on Acton Farm which is opposite the Manor where her father built a house. She says they have all the details, but her father being a Vicar and Farmer has little spare time, so I will have to be patient. Unfortunately time is not on my side being in my 80's and it has been a few months now.
thanks ivor
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No my grandfather didn't go to Iraq with Col Body. I am lucky in that his service history survived the blitz and he spent most of his war in the UK, serving in France from 1917 onwards.
I nearly mentioned Dengate's in my previous post - so we are obviously talking about the same house. Dickie Dengate buried my father as well as conducting a good many family cremations over the past few years.
I'll dig out some stuff and contact you off site.
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Hello Mr Body
I've just stumbled across this post, I hope you don't mind me chipping in. My family the Packhams were very much tied up with the Body's. It's been a little while now since I looked at my family tree and I don't remember all the names off the top of my head but I will dig them out again.
Basically, my Great Great Great (I think that's right) Grandfather William Packham worked for Mr Body in Wittersham as a farm labourer as did his children. They must have been hard workers because when (Mr Body's son?) went off to Shoreham he took William's son Edward John Packham and his young wife with them. Then the Body's moved their farming concern to Gibbet Farm in Tenterden and again Edward and wife came with them, now with three children in tow and that is how the Packhams - and the Body's - arrived in Tenterden where I still live now. The Body's lived at Gibbet Farm and the Packhams who worked for them lived a few yards down the road at a cottage called Little Gibbet which is basically where Pine Grove nursery is now. I've just been doing some research on my Great Grandfather Cyril Packhams wartime career. Two of the Packham boy's served in the 5th Bn The Buffs. I'm just back from Ebony Church where the Packham and Body names are side by side on the Roll of Honour.
Are you still local to Tenterden/Wittersham? I'd love to have a chat about the family connection if you have time and I have an old photo that might be of Mr and Mrs Body from Gibbet Farm.
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Hi. What another surprise this week and a lovely one. Unfortunately I am now in my 80's and do not travel. Have not seen my Older brother or sister for 6 years who live in Ipswich and Eton. Not too far from Rustington West Sussex, but far enough. William Body, his wife Sarah Upton Judge and children were at Gibbets and I have a few photos of Gibbets. There is one of a couple of men ploughing at Gibbets Oak, but unfortunately I have had 2 computers go down. Thier children are my 2nd cousins once removed on Thomas Body side my great grandfathers brother. 2 of the children died in the 1st world war and are on the Tenterden Museum, which was opened by Col. John Body Wittersham Court and farm previously College farmhouse and farm when other Body's were there. He is the grandson of Thomas's other brother both being my great grand uncle Moses. My side of the farm had mainly Kitchenham Farm, Bodiam and the mill for 10 years. Moses son John Budds farm Wittersham and Williams son Harold Haffenden Farm, St Mary's and Honeychild Romney. Williams side of the family still farm in Ruckinge. Attached a photo of William and family, not sure if it is the Gibbets Oak by the side?. Photo was too big to upload. My email *
ivor
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Hello Mr Body
Thank you for that information it's very interesting. Have you ever seen Gibbet Farm or the Body names on the memorial or in the Graveyard? I'll happily take some and email them to you if you like. Just the other day I was i Ebony Church - tiny little church with a very interesting history (it was originally on a little island, and in the mid 1800's they moved it brick by brick so that it was nearer the congregation!). Anyway, inside the church is a lovely brass plaque commemorating the two Body boys that died in the first world war, and their sister who died in Switzerland in 1909. The church bible is there on the lectern, it's dated 1912, and inside is a little plaque saying it was presented to the Church by Mr and Mrs Body in memory of their daughter who died 1909.
If you send me a private message with your email address I will send you the photos I have and maybe you could send me the one you have of Gibbet Farm and the ploughing?
Thank you for your time. Isn't the internet a wonderful tool for this sort of thing?
Richard
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Hi All,
I hope you don't mind me replying but after reading your topic, I think I might be looking for some of the same information you are all giving.
Basically, I am doing my family tree for my grandarents, my Great grandma was called Irene Joyce Packham, who was married to Leonard Fredrick Button. Her father was called Edward John Packham (Born 1863) worked as a cowman and mother Harriet Esther Packham nee Bean . I have been looking at the 1911 census (when Irene Joyce was 8 - as was her twin Albert Ernest) and their residence was Little Gibbert, Tenterden, Kent. Additional to this, Irene's older bother Alfred (born 1893) worked as farm labourer. Irene also had other siblings: Reginald (born 1904), Cycil (born 1899) and Florence (born 1895). Do you think this is the same Packham family in which you are all discussing. If so, I would be extremely grateful if you could help me with whatever information or pictures you have, If you would like to email me my address is email address removed by moderator. Thank you so much.
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Welcome to Rootschat mjpearman
It is Rootschat's policy not to publish email addresses on the boards hence the removal of such from your post. However, there is a Rootschat personal message system which enables Rootschatters to communicate privately/exchange email addresses etc.. The personal message system is automatically activated once a member has posted three times on the public boards thus replying twice to this post will do it.
Casalguidi :)
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Hope you got my email as you should have a very young cousin out there called Richard Diedo. I got your email address somehow,perhaps I was early before it was taken off, I hope, as I have sent one back to you. I have found out so much about my family thanks to rootschat especially in Canada. photo I am sure Richard want mind me sharing Esther at Little Gibbet my 1st cousin once removed farm Gibbets William Body. Change my mind Cyril with friend at Little Gibbet
ivor (body)
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Hello!
Yep we are related - my great grandad Cyril and your Great Grandma Irene were brother/sister! So that makes us... cousins of some kind? Really exciting to hear from you. Irene I believe was known as Reenie or Aunt Reenie and lived to a grand old age of a 100 or just over, in Northiam, Eas Sussex.
I still live locally, just down the road from Gibbet Oak.
I have your email address courtesy of Ivor Body, I'll drop you a line with my contact details, get in touch it would be great to hear from you.
Richard
Hi All,
I hope you don't mind me replying but after reading your topic, I think I might be looking for some of the same information you are all giving.
Basically, I am doing my family tree for my grandarents, my Great grandma was called Irene Joyce Packham, who was married to Leonard Fredrick Button. Her father was called Edward John Packham (Born 1863) worked as a cowman and mother Harriet Esther Packham nee Bean . I have been looking at the 1911 census (when Irene Joyce was 8 - as was her twin Albert Ernest) and their residence was Little Gibbert, Tenterden, Kent. Additional to this, Irene's older bother Alfred (born 1893) worked as farm labourer. Irene also had other siblings: Reginald (born 1904), Cycil (born 1899) and Florence (born 1895). Do you think this is the same Packham family in which you are all discussing. If so, I would be extremely grateful if you could help me with whatever information or pictures you have, If you would like to email me my address is email address removed by moderator. Thank you so much.
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I have Leonard Fredrick Button in my tree, if anyone wants his side of the family tree for your records please send me a pm.
Regards panda
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Hi Panda,
Leonard Fredrick Button was my Great Grandfather and his daughter Sylvia Dawes is my Grandma. I'm not sure how to pm you but I would be very grateful for what information you have.
Hi Everyone else,
I am just on my lunch break but will message again later. Just so you know I am doing my grandparents family history for a present for them. I only started yesterday, but I am lucky in the fact my grandparents love telling me stories so have managed to find a lot of stuff out already. I will post what I know later but I have a family tree and ancestry if anyone would like to see it. Also, as this is a present, I want to put a books together for each of them so if you have any photos, stories or certificates that you can send through so I can print them off I would be extremely grateful. I currently do not have any pictures etc yet, however, my grandma has told me that her sister (Joyce) will able to help me with that so will hopefully be able to send you some bits through.
Thansk and I will messsage later.
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Hi MJ
You need to post 3 messages on the forum to be able to PM another rootschat user. So if you reply to this message it should unlock for you. If you click on my panda image it will bring up my details and say seed this rootschat user a private message. If you let me know your email address this way (this keeps emails private) I Will sort out what information I have for you. It probably won't be till the weekend as I have a lot of stuff to get ready for a meeting on Thursday) hopefully this will helpyou with your family tree book.
Regards panda
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Hi,
That would make sense, because when I tried earlier I ended up sending myself a pm.
Right, instead of trying to explain the family history I have attached a screen shot of the Packham family tree as from Irene (including her siblings) up to as far as I know. I have also included a screen shot of Irene's siblings, their births and deaths that I have so far, and also Irene's children, which includes my Grandma, Sylvia.
The other thing I thought I should mention, is that when I asked my Grandma about her uncles and aunties, she remember Cyril as Cycil. I have had a look at the census' and can see that along the way his name may of been misinterpreted, or my grandma was slightly out with the name.
Ok, so I am unable to attach the document as it is not in the correct file format, if you would like me to send them you please pm me and I'll send them over.
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My ancestors too are listed as having resided at Acton House with several shown as being born there. The last name is Standen. My great-great grandfather James Standen looks to have farmed there and he had several children with his wife Mary: James Percy Espenett Standen; Samuel Bernard Standen; Duncen Espenett Standen; Spencer Reginald Standen; Bertha Standen and Ethel Standen. Any information about the Standen's of Acton would really help me with my search for my great grandfather (Spencer)
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Hi Jim the Standen's and Spencer's mean nothing to me, but have contacted one of many of my relations who still live in Kent. Maybe she might know of your relations?
Ivor
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I may have confused everyone as the photo above is Wittersham Court and not Acton house.