Hi, this is my first post so apologies if I get something wrong.
I came across this thread following a Google search for “Joseph Robelou”.
Richarde1979’s message to oldfashionedgirl on 16th March 2013 is incredibly interesting to me.
No problem OFG, happy to help.
I realise I might be running a bit ahead of you here, but I did have a look into the family of your 4 x great grandmother Elizabeth Robelow/Robelou, while this was all still fresh in my memory, hope that is okay.
She was born 30 Mar 1786 and baptised 16 Jul 1786 at St Leonard's, Shoreditch, to William Robelou and Anne White, who had married at Saint Dunstan's,Stepney 13 Oct 1781.
As my above post William was baptised in the Huguenot churches, as 'Guillaume' the French form of his name at La Patente Spitalfields on 19 Aug 1760:
" Guillaume Robelou son of Thomas Robelou and Susanne Martin baptised 19 Aug 1760 by Monsieur Tavan, minister, Godparents Thomas Robelou and Judith Robelou, born 5 Aug 1760"
His parents had been married 1 November 1759 at St Matthew's, Bethnal Green. They had six children together, the first three baptised at La Patente, the last three at St Matthew's.
His father Thomas Robelou entered the French Protestant Charity Hospital in Bath Road, St Lukes, 'La Providence' in his old age. He applied there April 12, 1800 on grounds of ill health and infirmity. His petition describes him as 73 years old, a member of the French Church of London over 50 years, a silk weaver, son of Henry Robelou, grandson of Henry Robelou, religious refugee of Paris'. (Further family records at the Hospital give his wife as Susanna Martin Born May the 15th 1733 old Stile.) He was admitted 27 Sep the same year 1800 and remained until his death 15 January 1803.
From this information Thomas's baptism was fairly easy to find:
St Jean Huguenot, Spitalfields: "Thomas Roubelou, son of Henry, Baptised 27 November 1726 by Monsieur H. de Ste. Colome, Minister. Godfather Thomas Bufar. Godmother Marie Coussot. Born 9 Nov."
Henry Robelou and his wife Judith Moreau had two other children baptised at this church, and six at the near by Wheeler Street Huguenot congregation between 1725-1738. Three of his nine children sadly died in infancy and on their burials he is described as a silk weaver of Bethnal Green, though interestingly on his marriage to Judith, 1 October 1723, Saint Dunstan, Stepney, he was described as a musician. Both Henry and Judith were buried in Bethnal Green, in 1760 and 1763 respectively.
According to his son Thomas's later hospital record Henry was the son of another Henry a refugee of Paris but I do not believe this is accurate.
The only Henry I can find was baptised 1691 at Leicester Fields Huguenot Congregation, Westminster:
"Henry, son of Joseph Roblou and Catherine Girrard, of Burgundy, born 16 December 1691, baptised 27 December 1691, by Monsieur Le Blond, Minister, Godfather Pierre Lestrelin, Godmother Madamoiselle Anne la Roche"
Joseph and Catherine had arrived as refugees in London with two small children in Feburary 1681, Joseph joining the Threadneedle Street Church on the 7th of that month with a testimonial from the Huguenot Temple of Saint-Mandé, a suburb of Paris. Despite this the family were actually originally from the small village of Saint Julien-Du-Sualt, 80 miles further to the south just outside the town of Sens, and this may have been the source of Thomas's later confusion on this point over a century later.
In January 1682, they received charity help from the Threadneedle Street Church, Joseph described there as a labourer, and apparently were given a further grant to settle in Ireland two months later. If they did so, they were certainly back in London by 1691, which of course would make sense as Ireland was ravaged by war 1688-90.
I do believe their son Henry is the same man who married Judith Moreau in East London, as another son to the couple, Joseph Robelou Junior, married Madeleine Tavan, daughter of Gaspar Tavan, on 28 Feb 1714 in London.
A Jeanne Magdeleine Tavan stood as godmother to Henry and Judith Robelou's youngest daughter who was also named for her in Spitalfields in 1738. Minister Samuel Tavan of Spitalfields later baptised the first three children of Thomas and Susanne Robelou in the 1760's including your ancestor William. This enduring family link seems to indicate it is one and the same family.
Anything else I can help with let me know
Best regards
Richard
Richard has basically taken my family tree back several generations – thank you. But I would like to know more….
Where do I find the French Protestant Charity Hospital records? (This is where Thomas Robelou applied on the grounds of ill health on 12th April 1800).
Where are the records that show Joseph and Catherine Robleou arriving in London, as refugees in February 1681?
Likewise, where do I look to find the records for the grant they were given to settle in Ireland two months later?
I’d like to see these records for myself. Any guidance will be gratefully received. Thanks in advance.
Bev
