The world-famous SNOOKs of Lymington

[bearkat]

Beaulieu is a village that grew up around the Beaulieu estate.  Lymington is a town to the west.  Boldre was a sprawling parish between the two.  Many of the Beaulieu estate workers squatted on Forest land in Boldre, especially around Beaulieu Rails.  They were close enough to work on the estate but weren't Beaulieu's problem if they fell on hard times.

It worth reading "East Boldre: A New Forest Squatters Settlement 1700 - 1900" by Jude James

http://www.geodata.soton.ac.uk/newforest/public/resources/eastb.html

It sets the scene and gives a fascinating insight into the life of the people.

[B.E.(again)]

Thanks, we did Jude's stuff earlier on this thread (yes, it's a long thread, I know!). I've been in touch with Jude via email too.

[bearkat]

Was he able to give more help with your SNOOKS?

[B.E.(again)]

Unfortunately not. There are still plenty of little mysteries out there, such as why George Snook married Mary Fielder in 1816 (albeit April Fool's Day!) and apparently stayed alive until his Beaulieu death in 1826, but didn't show up on the Comyn Survey in 1817. There's a house (no.23) belonging to Mrs Snook (who would appear to be Mary Fielder as was) but no sign of the old man.

I'm happy to imagine that he moved in with his new wife on their marriage and that she was the rightful owner of the property, but I'd have thought he might have got at least a mention. Maybe he always went for a smoke in his shed whenever the vicar popped round and Mrs S accidentally forgot to report that he was still alive?

[bearkat]

Not much escaped the eyes of the Reverend Comyn.

I imagine George SNOOK was living in Beaulieu which wasn't part of Comyn's patch.

[B.E.(again)]

Mrs S kicked him out within a year of their marriage, you reckon?

[bearkat]

'Tis certainly strange. 

It's not as if Comyn's Directory was like a census which tells who was staying where on a particular night - it covers quite a long period of time.

[bemusedofsandiacre]

I am B.E. resurrected (couldn't remember my password, so started again!)...

I managed to solve a few family mysteries on the 1911 Census website, having soon worked out how to find entire families without having to spend any credits, but, as you might expect, uncovered a few more issues as a result...

In 1911 I now know that Walter Charles SNOOK was living with Bessie Eliza SNOOK. (This came as a minor surprise, since this logically would make her Elizabeth Elizabeth. ) On the basis of probability, but no evidence, I'm now assuming that she was actually the Bonnie Eliza ISAAC who was a 2-1 shot at marrying him in Southampton in 1907. Family tradition knows her as Bessie EVANS, but I can find no obvious trace of her as either Evans or Isaac in the birth registers or earlier censuses. We believe, as the name suggests, that she was Welsh, possibly b1869 Cardiff.

Can anyone tell me any more about the lady?

[Daisypetal]

Hi,

I tried searching the 1911 census for Bessie Eliza SNOOK, birthplace Southampton, and found one aged 42 living in Southampton, I found this birth,

Bessie Eliza ISAAC    Sep Q 1868    Southampton    2c  28


The image of the marriage in 1907 shows Bessie not Bonnie,

Bessie Eliza ISAAC    Dec Q 1907    Southampton    2c  68


Regards
Daisy