HEADs of West Berkshire

[sammons]

Thank you. Yes, it is. Elizabeth Puckeridge married Joseph Chancellor. Their daughter Martha married Thomas Pocock, the direct line to Mary Anne Pocock (the maiden name of my grandmother).

Any background on the Head (Hede) and Puckeridge (Puckridge) families would be most helpful and appreciated.

Thanks - Eddie

[sammons]

I'm trying to keep my HEAD above water!

There seems to be much confusion over Thomas Head. The druggist from London was a man of wealth and married Elizabeth Allington (1689 in London). As I see it, they had at least two children both boys. He appears to have died in 1758.
Thomas jr must have been born 1690-1695 in London on the basis of his parents' wedding date and the birth of his own daughter, Rachel, in 1713 (London, again) surely named after his wife Rachel who died in 1731. He must have married Ann after that date.

The other known son was Henry born in 1704 (London). He  married Elizabeth House in 1729 and thus started the chain to which I can safely connect a direct link - Sarah Head/Richard Puckeridge - Elizabeth Puckeridge/Joseph Chancellor etc.

I may be wrong but as much as I would like to be descended from a Sir and a Sheriff of Berkshire, I feel this cannot be so.

That character who was knighted in 1744 was the son of Richard and Elizabeth (née Wallis) Head of Langley House, Berkshire. Sir Thomas didn't marry until 1750 (Jane Holt). (see www.thepeerage.com. They had three children (Walter, William and Jane). Walter ended up with a nice inheritance but he had to change his name to James. He was knighted in 1791 as Sir Walter James.

I do hope my line of thinking is correct and, as always, I am open to correction.

I am still hoping for any insight into the Puckridge /Puckeridge family. Richard is noted as a gentlemen - surely there must be something about him somewhere!


Eddie

[newburychap]

Sir Thomas didn't marry until 1750 (Jane Holt).

Interesting - my own Head ancestry is through a Head/Holt marriage around that time (1772). My Head was from the Peasemore/Leckhamstead line - landowners in a very small way. My Holts are a Buckinghamshire family.  Probably coincidence, but I must get around to doing some more work on that branch of my tree.

[sammons]

Thanks for the comments.  There are indeed many strings to the Head bow as I have found out with my continuation through to the Pococks which can be equally confusing!

The main problem with all families at that time was the handing down names from parent to child. My line (Thomas Head, the druggist) was short-listed for Sheriff of Berkshire. The article from 1738 notes that the position is for the ENSUING year. He lost out to William Trumbull. The other Thomas Head (Sir) got the job in 1744. It does tell us that some of the Heads were pretty wealthy and influential. That is where at least some confusion has come in.

Interesting stuff if a bit time consuming! I hope to return to UK later this year and maybe visit all these villages north of Newbury, my home town (via Winterbourne and Newtown).

Yours

Eddie

[matgeorges]

Eddie
Is it possible to have a direct contact and sort the trees out. Michelle

[sammons]

Michelle
Happy to make direct mail contact and try and sort out this bit of history. I should warn you that I live in Spain and what I have has come from various web sites, some personal contact and some extensive personal work on UK visits.

There is just one problem - and you'll have to forgive an old-timer - I've no idea how to make such contact as this site (quite rightly) discourages the posting of eMail addresses. Trying to use the PM system has sent me around in ever-decreasing circles!

Please advise me on this and I'll do my best to get us in contact

Eddie.

[Jess Helicopter]

Hello! I don't know if anyone ever checks this thread anymore. But just to say I am related to Rachel Pottinger and John Palmer (I think!). We have the famous story of the stag in our family. My brothers are both Head Palmers, my dad is John Head Palmer, his father (who will be 100 on the 25th of June!) is Jason Richard Head Palmer and it's through his line that we are related. He has a stack of research in his house some where!

[sarah]

Hello Jess,

Yes members receive an email notification when someone replies to the topic, like you have done so here

The member who started off this topic was last online a few months ago.

Regards

Sarah