Potters of Tivitshall / Winfarthing Norfolk

[nanu]

Thanks to Yokel I have spent many hours researching Potters in Tivitshall, Starston and Winfarthing to trace family of Solomon Potter B1808 / 1807.
I would appreciate any comments from anyone on the following research and assumptions.
As stated his census records show that he was born in Tivitshall but there are no parish records that show this. Ancestry and IGI searches show Tivitshall but I presume they have collated this info from the census records.
The only actual parish record of those dates I can find which show a Solomon are those of Starston. The question remains why should he state Tivitshall on his census records?
I have checked baptisms and burials in Tivitshall (Both St Margarets and St Marys) and there are many Potters recorded from 1770 to 1791 then none after this date. There is also a William and Sarah recorded as baptising a daughter in 1882 in Tivitshall. As for Starston the Potters begin being recorded about 1801 onwards to about 1812 which also includes Solomon his parents being William and Sarah. I am assuming that the family left Tivitshall and settled in Starston for some reason although only nominal records or early census would confirm this. I have found many such early records on Genuki but none for Starston or Tivitshall. I dont know if any exists or if they just have not been made available online as yet.
Census records from Winfarthing show that Solomon moved to Winfarthing after 1821 and married Phebe in 1831.
One further thing is that some of  the Potters born to William and Sarah in Starston  are recorded as being privately baptised and were recieved into the congregation. I do not understand the significance of this if any although Solomon is not  one of these privately baptised.
Until I can check nominal registers for Tivitshall and or Starston I can only assume that Solomon was born in Starston and for some unknown reason has given his bith place on the census wrongly

[JayG]

Hi Mel

Strange that I should come back to this thead after posted on it last year!

I'm helping my cousin on some of her other branches & find her great great grandfather Joel Potter was born at Winfarthing in 1833 to Joel Potter & Mary Ann Parker.

We'd be very interested in any info you may have on this couple or the other Potters of Winfarthing.

Cheers
Jay

[findem]

Hi Nanu,

It was often the case of infants who were poorly at birth with a possibility of not surviving, that they were quickly and privately baptised, if they survived there was a procedure where they were "received into the congregation".  I'm not quite sure what form the receiving into the congregation took, probably something along the lines of a full baptism in front of the congregation.  I did see a post somewhere of a suggestion that perhaps wealthy people may have used private baptisms, how true that is I have no idea.

Regards

[nanu]

Thanks Findem,

That makes a lot of sense but it won't be the wealthy option from what I have found so far as they were all Agrigcultural Labourers who eventually ventutured North to work in the coal mines.

Thanks for the backgroung information. It's always welcome

Mel

[nanu]

Hi Jay,

Nice to see you back.

I have come across Joel before but so far have been unable to link him with Solomon although I did suspect they were related in some way. The odds on them being born around the same time and living vitually next door to each other in Winfarthing and not being related is too much of a coincidence.

I have confirmed that Solomon was born in Starston despite stating on his census that he was born in Tivetshall. However his father William was born in Braiseworth, Suffolk as was his grandfather who moved to Tivetshall around 1780ish. From researching all the Tivetshall parish records there appear to be at least 3 families of Potters, George & Elizabeth, William & Sarah and William & Elizabeth going back to the early 1700's and all had large families. I suspect Joel is an offspring of one of these or possibly from one of the Suffolk clan like Solomon.

Will let you know when I find out as I am painstakingly tracing each of the male offspring and see what relationships I turn up. Hopefully someone out there will save all the work and already have the answers.

Regards Mel   

[JayG]

Thanks Mel.

We'll keep plugging away & see what turns up.

Regards
Jay

[squeaky13]

New here. As the great grandson of Solomon Potter (Jnr) b1852 I am interested to know more about the circumstances in Winfarthing that caused Solomon, George & possibly others to move to Durham. Poverty was key but if possible I should like more detail.

Other puzzles are the other Potter family living close by that of Solomon (Snr) in the 1841 census. At the very top of this census are 3 children - Sarah, Thomas & Mary two of whom show up again on the 1851 census addressed at the Street, Winfarthing & headed by Thomas & Mary Potter (both aged 40). In 1851 there does not appear to be any record of the Solomon Potter (Snr) family?

Lets hope 2012 will bring some answers. Happy New Year!

[nanu]

The other Potter family are also confusing me but the more you delve into the Potters of Norfolk the more complicated it becomes. The other family you refer to are possibly headed by a Joel Potter but so far I have been unable to link him into my tree so far. The family really gets complicated when you include 3 families of Potters in nearby Tivetshall St Mary going back to the very early 1700's which includes a Joshua born 1785 who was Solomons uncle.

PS The Solomon Potter Snr family was at Short Green Winfarthing in 1851.

PPS  Solomon Potter Jnr is my Great Grand Uncle.

I have a very comprehensive history of the family from the mid 1700's if you give me your Email address I can send you the details and we can compare notes.

 

[squeaky13]

Thanks nanu,
E-mail here is * Any help would be most welcome. When time allows I hope to do more research through Norfolk Ancestor & visit the museum of rural life at Gressenhall.
Am currently 'Voices of the Rural Poor' by Robert Lee which is most interesting.
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