RootsChat.Com

Hi apanderson
Thanks for the post.  Very kind.
Interesting point you raise by finding these Roxburghshire spellings.  I have no idea what the surname means or refers to.  It seems very variable.  I would imagine it would be unusual for there to be a connection between the Reading area and Jedburgh in the 17th cnetury but is there a common root for the surname - an occupation, a village name or even a corruption of another name.  I just do not know.  I came across a  type of soil in Oregon called Sherval but it turned out to be a corruption of Sherman Valley!  The similarity to the French word for horse (Cheval) seems very tenuous as a root.  Norman stable lads anyone?  And as far as I can tell from other sites there is no Hugenot surname thta comes close.
By the by, how do you access the British Vital Record (Indeed, what is the British Vital Record?!?)
Regards

Further information on the Shervals
The four brothers mentione previously are from this group of siblings.  I dont have Ernest as a first name but it may be Henry using a second name perhaps or one we didnt know about.

Frank b 1874 (His son George worked out of Papua New Guinea for a long while and his two sons Peter and John now live in Australia)
Sarah b 1876
William b 10 Oct 1877 (My great Grandfather, d. 4 Apr 1954 Edmonton Alberta)
Henry b 1879
Arthur b. 1881
Laura b 1883

Their father was William Francis Shervell/Sherval b. 8 Nov 1845 d. 1909
(it is Sherval on the wedding certificate, Shervell is on the birth certificate and may be best guess of registrar's).  His occupation was 'coffee house keeper' of "The British Workman" coffee house, Kings Road, Reading
He was married twice.  We think first wife was Mary Ann died 1872 aged 26.  He then married Laura Willats on 2 June 1873 (she was born 1852 an d Sept 1922)

Now his father was William Sherval/Shervill/Shervell.  On his Marriage certificate (2nd August 1838) he signs it X, ie he cant write, so its Shervill.  He is a Gardener (He is also a gardener on his son's birth certificate but the spelling has changed to Shervell).  He resides at 35 Hosier Street and his father is John Shervill Carpenter.

Things get tantalising with John Shervill, Carpenter.  We have found a John Shurvil or Shorvil, Carpenter of Hurley in the parish register and two marriages.  It appears he marries Elizabeth Goodchild of Medmenham in 1788 then marries Elizabeth House 16 Feb 1801.  X was his mark so spelling again is very variable.  There are a number of London Shervals (see Census of 1901 for a chunk of them living in Camberwell/Bermondsey) and this seems to be where they spring from.  Whether we are connected has been difficult to prove beyond reasonable doubt.  One bit of circumstantial evidence is the names William Francis and John reappear very regularly.  Hope this helps.
Regards

Hi
Im interested in the Sherval family too through my fathers side.  My folks have done most of the research so Im not familiar with all the names but I dont recognise Gordon (or a Scottish connection) so am very interested.  Our Shervals appear to come from the Reading area, but there are spelling issues the further you go back.  What year are you looking at?
regards
Also a newbie!