Simkiss/Humphreyson/Rowley/Tolley - Pattingham

[RachelK]

Is anyone researching ancestors from Pattingham? Haven't seen the place mentioned much on these boards.

I'm trying to sort out the connections between the family names I've used in the title and they are connected to the Humphreysons which I think were from Pattingham. There are many variations of the name Humphreyson including Humphryson, Humphreson, Humphrason, Humpherson... gets confusing!

I will post in more detail shortly...

[RachelK]

Right, so, my g x 5 grandparents were Henry & Harriet Simkiss and the following marriage is the only one I've found that fits for them, despite the spelling error (Simkiss = Simkins)

03 Sep 1832 St Peters Wolverhampton

Henry Simkins - bachelor
Harriet Humphryson - spinster
witnesses Mary Jones/John Biddulph by BANNS

and I also found on FREEREG the following marriage

13 Aug 1832 St Peters

James Jones - bachelor
Mary Rowley - spinster
witnesses Harriet Humphryson/John Biddulph by BANNS

So I wondered who Mary Jones formerly Rowley was, and how her and Harriet Humphryson were connected. Then found Mary Rowley's mother was a Humphryson...

29 May 1808 St Peters

Thomas Rowley - bachelor
Ann Humpherson - spinster
James Suker/Sarah Grinsell (BANNS)

christening - 26 Feb 1809 Mary Rowley daug of Thomas & Ann Rowley
at Pattingham

[RachelK]

Then through searching marriage witnesses again, I found the Tolley connection.

16 Sep 1856 St Mark's Wolverhampton

George Tolley 24 bachelor labourer Salop St - father John Tolly - labourer
Harriet C Parkes 21 spinster Salop St - father John Parkes - miller
witnesses Charles Simkiss/Isabella Tyler

Charles and Isabella are brother and sister, Tyler being her married name. They're the children of Harriet Simkiss formerly Humphryson.

Also there is

11 July 1867 St Luke Wolverhampton
James Tolley 26 bachelor labourer Brickkiln st - father John Tolley - labourer
Emma Drake 28 spinster Brickkiln St - father George Drake - labourer
witnesses Thomas Simkiss/Isabella Tyler

again the children of Harriet Simkiss nee Humphryson.

George and James Tolley's parents were John Tolley and Susanna Humphreyson.

10 Apr 1826 Pattingham - John Tolley and Susannah Humphreston
(extracted IGI)

AND on the 1851 census John and Susannah Tolley and Thomas and Ann Rowley were living next door to each other. Would it be safe to assume then that Susannah and Ann were more than likely sisters?

[willow154]

Hi Rachel,
My friend, David, who is chairman of our local family history society, is called Humpherson. He has ancestors from Codsall, Staffordshire, but traced his family back to Yorkshire to small village.
He has also told me that the name changes, as you yourself have found.
Just going to look at the map and see where Pattingham is.
Kind regards,
Paulene
P.S. I've often looked at the avator of your mum, Polly, and thought what a pretty lady - lovely face.

[RachelK]

Thankyou Paulene,

I have family in Perton now which is near Codsall, and I think Pattingham is also near Codsall? Perhaps David is connected to my Humphreyson's? And thankyou for your comment on my avatar. It was taken in the early 70's when she had just qualified as a nurse in W-ton.

I think my Harriet Humphreyson was christened at St Peters on 13 Sep 1804 daug of John and Ann. The only marriage I could find for John and Ann though was in 1807 (John Humfryson & Ann Farr), would it be normal to have a child before marrying at this time?

I do know that Harriet was living in Pattingham at some point, because her first child Isabella Simkiss was christened there (it's on the IGI). After this the family moved to Wolverhampton.

[willow154]

Hi Rachel.
I know he has been doing his tree for years, and in that time (because it was such an unusual name) followed many of the lines. I'm trying to find the baptism of my Thomas Adams in Staffordshire so he mentioned Codsall when we talking. All of his, as I said, go back to this small village (wish I could remember the name).............................................................
Just telephoned him, and he said I can pass his email address on to by PM if you would like.
Actually he comes from Yorkshire, and then went to work as a detective at Scotland Yard (wonderful credentials don't you think for this  hobby ). His family came from near Codsall, then via Warwickshire to Yorkshire. He has racked lots of branches of the family - some went to Cornwall, etc etc. But they all come from a place in Shropshire called Hunpherson Hall (he says it is still there).
Apart from a slight gap around the English Civil War he has traced them back to about the twelfth or thirteen century.
Hope this helps,
Paulene

[willow154]

Hi again,
I forgot to say he asked me about the ones you were searching for, and said that wasn't his line, but he knew of them.
He also said, as I would too, that yes they could have got married after the child was born.
He spoke at one of our meetings about his family - the title of the talk was 'Which of your ancestors would you most like to meet'. One of his ancestors, Sarah, was a bigamist 6 times over - sheer resilience! I suppose the alternative for her would have been taking her young family to the workhouse!
Thank goodness times have changed!
Paulene

[RachelK]

If you could send me his email address that would be great thanks Paulene.

The question about children before marriage was a little silly I guess, as another one of my ancestors gx4 grandad William Silver, first had a few sons with a widow named Jane (although as far as I can find they didn't marry) and he then ran off to Liverpool, married another woman and had a few children with her!

Also for anyone else reading, I'm trying to establish a connection between Harriet's father John Humphryson and the two others Ann (Rowley) & Susannah (Tolley) Humphryson who were both born Pattingham according to the census. I think they might have all been siblings but am kind of stuck now.

[willow154]

Hi Rachel,
I've just sent you a PM.
Hope it provides a few answers - good luck!
Paulene