Thomas Carvel/Carver (c1700-1762) married Mary Bromidge (c 1700-1758) May 1720 in Turvey. Settled in Southill Sep 1720.
Not sure where he originated, I had been of the opinion that he may have come over the border from Northants or from Norfolk, but perhaps he did come from Cambs?
Or may he have come from Southill? Might he have been the son of William Carver who married Margaret Usher in Southill on 11 Feb 1655? I'm always dubious about looking further afield when there's a family of the same name in the same parish, particularly when it's not a common name, and more so when nonconformists are concerned.
Perhaps Thomas Carver was actually from Southill, rather than settling there, and he merely married in Turvey. A Thomas Carver of Southill was received into the Independent Church in Southill on 3 Dec 1719 so it looks very likely that he was the Thomas who married in Turvey in 1720 and who then had children in Southill. I don't think he "resettled" in Southill in 1720 as you put it on 9 Feb 2010, as it looks as though he was already living in Southill the year before he married. It's a bit early for the Turvey marriage entry to have more than the two names, but you might get lucky and the entry says Thomas from Southill.
I would be concentrating on Southill, rather than Northants, Norfolk, Cambs or Sussex!
David
David, you preempted me. Some time ago I had asked an an acquaintance at SOG where I should go next. She finally got back to me and suggested that I might be misreading the Settlement Order or that it might be a removal order, either way I needed to check the original.
If it is a Settlement Order then indeed Thomas comes from Southill and was working at Turvey following his marriage. This would be confirmed by the entry in Southill Church Book "1719 December the 3d at our church meeting we received Thomas Carver
of Southill"
There is then a very long absence with no mention of the Carvers until "1737 Oct 28. Conveyance of the Meeting House from the old trustees to the new trustees, one of whom was Thomas Carver labourer of Southill. and 1741 April the 30 Received Mary Carver wife to Brother Carver of Southill. " This may suggest that they had moved away for a few years, especially as his wife had not been received into the church until 21 years after marriage.
I note that there are 9 public member trees on ancestry which claim to have Rev John born in Sutton, Sussex in 1733, but I haven't been able to find any baptisms to support this (presumably because they were baptists?). But it could explain an absence form Southill. Was Sutton a nonconformist stronghold? Hopefully my new contact may help in this matter.
Anyway, my immediate thoughts are that Thomas is a descendant of William Carver and Margaret Usher m Southill 11 Feb 1655, probably grandchild, so where did they go? Perhaps William was one of the "immigrants" from Norfolk.
Intriguingly, I have found a nonconformist birth of Thomas Carver on 22 Apr 1687 to William and Mary Carver in Norwich, which would fit our theory well and might start to prove the link that Nick has been seeking. Perhaps Nick could comment if he has picked this one up before.
After that we only have to then connect the original Melbourne Carvers to Norfolk!
On my next visit to London I will definitely go to Dr Williams Library and in the meantime will do a bit of research into the history of nonconformism and see if there are any links to be had between the various areas.
And just to confirm previous posts, I have proven the connection between the Wellingborough/Melbourne lines descended from Rev John to the Hitchin/Bedford/London lines descended from Samuel and their origins in Southill. What I have not conclusively proved is that they are the sons of Thomas and mary, although it looks highly probable.
From a hot, humid and stormy Seoul
Chris
