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Messages - spower

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1
United States of America / Re: Godley
« on: Wednesday 10 May 17 14:18 BST (UK)  »
Hi Vicki

I've gathered quite a lot of books on local history so I may have it. There's also a very good selection in the local family history centre in Falmer. Portslade is another important place for this line of the Godley family, Richards grandfather, William, was a parish clerk in Portslade and his grandmother was the local school teacher. They share a very nice gravestone in a prominent position outside the front door of the church and it's worth a look.

It's a mystery (to me anyway) why their son George moved to Clayton and started running an old coaching Inn. From there the family literally exploded into the business of running public houses and were in charge of a considerable number across Sussex, especially in Brighton. I'm hoping one day to find out what started that off.

There are also quite a lot of articles that make mention of the Godley family in the local newspapers. I have got transcriptions for those that I have found. When I work out what I've done with the memory card that I save my work on (in a safe place, somewhere!) I will attach a copy.

I've also sent you an e-mail.

Sean

2
United States of America / Re: Godley
« on: Tuesday 09 May 17 13:51 BST (UK)  »
Hi Vicki

I think the relationship goes like this,

James Lee Godley is a great grandson of James Godley & Hepzibah Hunt through Richard Godley (1870) & Ferdinand Godley (1898).

My mother, Americ, is a great granddaughter of James & Hepzibah via Richard's brother William James Godley (1860) and his son Percy Victor Godley (1891).

My branch of the family hasn't moved very far from Burgess Hill, we live about 10 miles to the east, still in Sussex and just to the north of Lewes.

I've got quite a lot of information about the Godley family in Sussex and their descendants but I don't have that much about the brothers who went to America and would love to know more. I'm going to dust off my family tree drawing and bring it up to date. I can send you a copy and/or you can see it on Ancestry although I'm not sure what you can see of the UK site but if you give me an e-mail address I can send you an invite.

I didn't get to see the Royal George pub either, by the time I realised the significance it had already been knocked down but I've collected some articles from the local newspaper about it. There's another important pub at Friars Oak just down the road at Clayton that is quite interesting as well although it has been rebuilt since the Godley's were there.

Regards, Sean

3
United States of America / Re: Godley
« on: Monday 08 May 17 13:30 BST (UK)  »
Hi vgallagher

I would be delighted to share any information that I have with you. Have you seen the photo of James Godley and of the Royal George public house. That's probably a good place to start, I was sent them by an American lady called Nicole.

I don't have access to many American family history sites but from what I can piece together Richard & Ann had three grandsons via their son Ferdinand (or Fred) who were called Robert W, Stanley Richard and James Lee.

Regards SP

4
Kent / Westgate family
« on: Tuesday 27 October 15 11:45 GMT (UK)  »
I'm looking for an Anthony Westgate who was born in 1720 in Chalvington, East Sussex. He is very elusive but in 1750 there is an Anthony Westgate who marries Sarah Mace in Swanscombe, Kent and starts a family there. Before that date there do not appear to be any Westgates in Swanscombe and Anthony is described as coming from Northfleet although I can't find him, or any other Westgates, in the parish records there either.

Can any of you lovely people offer any clues?

SP

5
Sussex / Re: Corney/Godley
« on: Tuesday 01 September 15 13:06 BST (UK)  »
Hi Nicole
I'm very pleased to make your acquaintance. I am a decendant of Richard's brother William James. I have Richard as being baptised 11 Nov 1870 at Burgess Hill but I haven't managed to confirm what happens to him after 1891 and suspected that he had immigrated to the US along with his brothers Walter John & Frederick. I would be very interested in anything that you have on the family and am happy to send you what I know. I'm particularly interested in any photos. The Godley interest in public houses appears to have started with Richard's grandfather, George Godley, who took up the trade at the nearby 'Friars Oak' and did sufficiently well to have the 'Royal George' built at Burgess Hill which was then a new town just starting up. The whole family seems to have taken up running Inns and Taverns and they had a hand in running a substantial number of the pubs in Sussex and beyond. Unfortunately the Royal George was demolished in 2001 although the title survives in the road name just off London Rd in Burgess Hill.

6
United States of America / Re: Godley
« on: Sunday 17 March 13 18:45 GMT (UK)  »
Hi all
There's a Richard Godley (Goodley actually but...) who leaves Liverpool for New York on the SS Majestic 5th Apr 1893. He is described as single, English and aged 23, so born 1870ish. There doesn't appear to be any other Godley's on the same voyage.

7
Sussex / Re: Slafham, Sussex?
« on: Saturday 16 February 13 16:42 GMT (UK)  »
I've been looking at some members of the Godley family who are recorded as living in Rotherfield at Slafham. They worked at Crowborough Gate. I believe that Slafham is in the area now known as Crowborough common, which would have been in Rotherfield parish then, and Crowborough Gate is now called Crow and Gate which was then in Buxted Parish. Crowborough is a fairly new parish and is made up of bits of Rotherfield, Buxted and Withyham.
Reg S

8
Sussex / Re: Corney/Godley
« on: Saturday 16 February 13 13:18 GMT (UK)  »
I think that after Alfred (Dennards) death Jane remarries John Smith in Brighton 31/10/1880 and in the 1881 census they are at 10 Terminus Place, Brighton. The marriage is on igi and Janes father is given as George Godley. Those type of igi records are usually pretty good. After that I'm not sure what happens, Smith is a ....... difficult surname to keep track of isn't it! I think it likely that they stay in Brighton or nearby, John is fairly old (born 1817) so I can't imagine he's going to start a new life somewhere else in the country. There are some John Smiths who die in Brighton around 1890 but I can't find Jane again, well not so far anyway.

Those photos of the Friars Oak Inn tree are fantastic Maureen. The winter one is of sufficient quality to zoom in on the inn and you can just about read the name on the side of the building. I've finally found the other picture that I was thinking of, it shows a group of cyclists outside the front door in 1893. When I finally get my son off the computer with the scanner I'll post a copy and you can see what you think. I've also had a look through some old OS maps  as well but the images are too big to post here so I will have to send them by e-mail. I was wondering if the original print of the winter tree would give even more detail. Regards S.

9
Sussex / Re: Corney/Godley
« on: Monday 21 January 13 14:04 GMT (UK)  »
Hi Maureen (and Mrs T)
They are interesting photos of the Friars Oak and would seem to confirm that the building there now is not the original from the Godleys time. Unfortunately the pictures are more of the oak tree than the pub, it's a very nice tree but I'd love a better look at the pub. Somewhere I've seen a photo of a early bicycle race where the cyclists are posing outside the door of the Friars oak Inn. It's just after the Godleys left the inn but I'm sure that the doorway is the doorway in your photo rather than the one that's there now. When I lay my hands on it I'll send you a copy and show you.

Edward Fox was a local photographer. His workshop was in the Lanes in Brighton close to where my office used to be. I've found a copy of the 'Oak in Summer' on a website, it's the same photo but doesn't mention that it's at Friars Oak. I'm hoping to find another photo of the same place but with a better view of the inn! I'll have to keep looking.

I've seen that photo of The Bull with Charlie Lidbetters name on the side as well. I've an idea it's hanging on the wall in the actual pub.
S

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