claxon/ Chelmsford

[Claxon]

my ancestor was born 1787 in Basildon Hall, Chelmsford Thomas Claxon's parents, Thomas and Rebeccah, seem to have arrived from elsewhere, as they listed they were "lodging at Basildon Hall" at that time. For research on DNA issues, I am trying to help those doing that research, to go back as far as possible. I have been through the Essex Records office.. no further help there, and have checked probably all available records. I am trying to find a marriage for Thomas and Rebeccah, probably around 1780, or a birth about 1760.
Names used were Clarkson, Claxon, Claxson and Claxton ( later would be Clerken and Clackson). Family lived in most surroun ding towns thereafter, Runwell, Hanningfield, Thundersley Romford etc. I THINK the family seat may be the Hanningfields.
 Two people so far carry my DNA type, which is an ancestral ( same as clan founder), and finding a geographical origin of a major migration into Britain is important. I appear to be of Saxon or Swiss Lake Dweller descent.
Any help appreciated.
Rich
New Jersey

[lizdb]

A little word of warning - Dont assume anything !!!

You say Thomas was born 1787 at Chelmsford to Thomas and Rebecca - hopefully you have a christening record to back that up.

But are you just "assuming " a marriage around 1780? Did Thomas have siblings? Was he the eldest, youngest or in the middle?
And births of parents around 1760? is that assumed or do you have evidence?
His parents could have been 17 or 47 when he was born - therefore have births from 1730 - 1770! or even wider.

If you have been through the Essex Records office and checked all available, then it looks a non starter! If there aint records, then we wont find 'em!

But could it be that there arent records for a marriage of that date or births of that date, because that isnt when they married/were born!

Do you have Thomas on later censsues? Any clues there?
Do you have a death for his parents? Did they leave Wills? I guess so if there was family seat involved!

[lizdb]

The ancestral seat may be wishful thinking - this could be him in 1841

HO107 325 16
East Hanningfield
Thomas Claxon 55 Ag LAb bn in county
May (or Mary?)45 bn in county
Sarah 8 bn in county

also on same page
thomas Claxon 30 Ag lab bn in c
Mahalah 20 bn in c
Charles 2 mths bn in c

remember ages are rounded in 1841 and no relationships shown

[lizdb]

A possible for 1851 (if so, your Thomas has died)

HO107 1775 847
East Hanningfield

Mary Ann Clackson 58 widow laundress bn Suffolk
Sarah Ann 18 granddaughter bn Hanningfield
Thomas Green 19 lodger

[Claxon]

Hi there. Yes, they are all mine that you have found. The only thing I have for my earliest is a birth certificate for Thomas Claxon, born 1787 at Basildon Hall. Parents thomas and Rebeccah. The records office has done an extensive search, and again... thats it.
 AS this is a more public forum, at least my question is here for posterity :-)
One never knows.
 One hint I do have, is from the Mormons in Utah, is that there is a record of a Thomas and Rebeccah Claxon being married in York. It is a possibility, as the year, whatever it was... works... but I have no tie to them other than name.
 I think they ( Thomas and Rebeccah)are buried in Gravesend... We all seem to live quite a long time... most in their 80's, with children born to parents intheir  high 40's.
 My grandfather  yes, GRANDFATHER, served in India in 1890. So, we have quite a timespan with not many generations. ANyway, thanks for the reply.
Richard

[suffolk*sue]

Do you actually have documentary evidence of Thomas Claxons birth, i.e. a print out from baptismal register or some other source? If you can tell us what that source is.
You say you have a birth certificate, this would be impossible ,as these didn't come in until civil registration started in 1837.

The only reference I can find to a Basildon Hall is actually in Basildon Essex.

[Claxon]

Hello Sue
 You are right, it is not a birth certificate, but something like a registration, which I DO have somewhere, which is a copy of something that would be available online, similar to the census. I have just moved ( things packed) and I am a certified amnesiac, plus over 60 with advancing white matter in the brain, so thats 3 strikes :-) But, the place date and person/ people are accurate.

 Basildon Hall was a Saxon castle 1000 years old in 1960 when it was torn down. I have been in touch with historians in present day Basildon. The Castle was called Beortels Hill in ancient times, and is becoming a source of local pride ( origins) today.
 It appears that my oldest known family was living in the ruins of the castle as agricultural labourors/ farmers ( from newspaper account of the recollections of a reporters grandfather printed in perhaps 1958) I only mention this as a point of interest.
 I believe the Basildon Heritage Trust ( Basildon Trail ? ) has some interest in finding descendants of the Hall residents ( which is now only perhaps a 20 foot section of moat, in which are Roman, Saxon and perhaps British tribal artifacts)
 Sorry to go on :-)
 anyway... I am back to Thomas and Rebeccah Claxon, lodging at Basildon Hall ( Chelmsford) in 1787. I do not expect anyone to find anything further than I already have. I have been on this for over 20 years... although from across the pond. I just thought I would post something in a more or less permanent record.
 Thanks for everyones interest.
Richard

[Mary B]

Re Claxton's.

My grandparents had friend's by the name of Claxton who lived in
Canning Town , London E 16--prior to WW2, then moved to Kent in late
1939.

Canning Town until the 1970's was within the County Borough of West Ham,
now within the County Borough of Newham.

But would add, starting after WW2 ended a high percentage of East Enders
moved to Essex.


Mary-B

[Claxon]

Hi Mary
 After about 1860, we went from Claxon to Clarkson, although Claxton was used also. My family was originally ( 1787 Essex), then  my 1851 ancestor joined the Coldstream Guards, and was a Corporal at the Tower of London. He was a pallbearer at the Duke of Wellingtons funeral, and caught something. He and his wife were both dead in a year. His son and daughter was born 2 years earlier at Buckingham Palace ( per obituary) Probably Buckingham Palace guards infirmary.
 So, from there we were in London. During WW2, our house was hit by a V1, and we moved to Tunbridge Wells ( where I was born)( Kent), so we appear to follow your Claxton's movements very well.
 My mothers side is Guernsey, where my father ran a rescue launch for the RAF
apparently pulling Germans out of the Channel after being shot down. They fled as the Germans invaded, rescue launch packed to the brim with relatives I suppose.