Taylors in Isleham and Soham

[Moonraker55]

I wonder if someone is able to check on the parish registers or other local documents to identify a missing link in my family. This particular link is also with the Munns family and possibly the Normans as well.

I am trying to discover the family of Martha Mary Munns of Soham who married James Taylor of Isleham. They married in the Soham area in Q1 1877 and were living in Brixton Hill area  after 1880. Their first known child was William Taylor (born about 1880 in Soham), their second was Rose Anne, born 19 November 1882 and baptised in St Saviour's Brixton Hill on 7 January 1883. They were then living at 18 Elizabeth Street, Brixton.

James, Martha Mary and William were a significant part of my family in that they were not in my direct ancestry but my great grandparents were married from James and Martha's house at 39 Bartley Street, Brixton Hill in 1895. My great-grandparent's eldest daughter was sent to stay with them in 1905/06 and it was here that she developed TB and died as a consequence; it was to William that my grandfather was sent to train as a decorator, which led to his later business and others went to Brixton on similar missions at other times. My grandfather was close to Stanley William Taylor when he lived with the Taylor's in 100 Brixton Hill after the Great War, and this was the son of William Taylor and his wife Rose. We know that they were referred to as Uncle Jim and Aunt Polly (which is confusing) and also Uncle William - although of different generations. We knew that the connection came through my great grandmother who was Lucy Pleasance of Soham who went into service on Brixton Hill. Lucy was the daughter of Thomas Pleasance (1839) of Soham and his wife Phoebe (1838)(nee Munns).

These are the things that I know - what I cannot find is the direct link from Phoebe Munns to Martha Mary Munns - I am only guessing that there is one, but it seems far to coincidental that all these people should come together in Brixton from a small town such as Soham and be quite so close without a familial connection.

The marriage between James Taylor and Martha Mary Munns is in the index as Q1 1877 Newmarket 3b 702
The only birth that I have found that seems likely is in Q1 1858 registered in the Newmarket district of Martha Mary Elizabeth Munns.

As an aside Bartley Street on Brixton Hill (it is immediately adjacent to St Saviour's Church and close to the north of Brixton Prison) was Little Soham - in the 1901 Census, Rutter Norman of Soham and his family lived at 31; William Taylor of Soham and his family lived at 35; James and Martha were living at 39 and in 1904 according to the baptismal register in St Saviour's the residents at 33 were William and Rose Hannah Taylor and their children.
In the 1911 census, James and Martha have moved to 110 Brixton Hill and in addition to their remaining homebound children there is Stanley William Taylor aged 5, their grandson; there is also Mary Norman (James's mother who having been widowed from William Taylor remarried William Norman of Isleham; additionally there is a Sophia ( and the surname is unreadable but it may be Geohegan) who is James's aunt, a year older than Mary Norman and also a widow.

This is a problem that is just stumping me and the parish records may shed light that is unavailable to me here in Yorkshire.
Thanks
John

[danuslave]

Hi John

Trying to get to grips with all of this!  I have found another possible birth reg

Martha Munns  1857  Jan-Feb-Mar  Newmarket  Vol 3b  Page 539

Linda

PS welcome to RootsChat

[Moonraker55]

Thanks for the welcome Linda and also for the information.

I wonder if Rootschat works by osmosis too, because since making the posting here, all of three and a half hours ago, I have been contacted by a distant cousin in Queensland who has filled in many of the gaps. This birth reg is still eluding me, so your informationmay clinch it.

My distant cousin is sending me a huge file of information so I hope that there may be a baptismal record (she has copies of the parish register entries relevant to our families and with any luck this may give me a birth date too. If not, and your GRO index clue fits it roughly (i.e. the index date for the birth is not after the baptismal) then I shall make full use of the details as a signpost to confirm.

Regards
John

[danuslave]

Hi John

Glad to have helped.  Come back if you need anything else after you've looked at the other information.

Linda

[trish1120]

Hi John,
Welcome!
Martha Munns Christenings from Familysearch Pilot;

Martha Elizabeth Mary MUNNS, 24 February 1858, Exning, Suffolk, England
Parents, THOMAS and HARRIOT
(Mother Harriet has remarried by 1871 Census to a Jackson)

Martha Mary MUNN, 22 December 1861, Exning, Suffolk, Mother PHOEBE
(This one seems to be Reg as Martha Ann)

Both are on the IGI also.

I have found something interesting, back soon

[trish1120]

Hi Linda,
I need a second opinion.

If you check for Thomas PLEASANCE Marriages 1855-1871 there are these;
Dec 1858, Stow, 4a 1131
1 female spouse missing
December 1863, Newmarket, 3b 1260
Only Susan Rust on page
But if you do the same for Phoebe Munns this comes up;
December 1863, Newmarket, 3b 1210

[trish1120]

1841 Census
Brook Dam,
Soham, Cambridgeshire
HO107/73/14/Soham
Thomas MUNNS, 40, Labourer
Ann, 40
Robert, 15
Jonas, 12
Betsy, 10
Sophia, 5
PHEBE, 3
All born in County

1851 Census
Meer Side
Soham, Cambridgeshire
HO107/1763/256/1
Thoma MUNNS, 55, Head, Mar, Labourer
Harriet, 33, Wife, Mar, born Brinkley
Sophia, 17, Daug, Unm
PHOEBE, 13, Daug, Unm
Mary, 11 Days, Daug
All others born Soham, Cambridgeshire

Marriage;
Thomas MUNNS/MUMS, September 1847, Newmarket, 14 156
On the same page is Harriet FROST

1871 Census
Soham, Cambridgeshire
RG10/1600/107/17
William JACKSON, 51, Head, Mar, Ag Lab, born Soham
HARRIET Jackson, 50, Wife, Mar, born Brinkley
Henry John MUNN, 16, Son, Unm, Ag lab,  born Soham
MARTHA M Munn, 15 Daug, Unm,  born Newmarket
Robert JACKSON, 65, Lodger, Ag Lab, born Soham

Marriage;
Harriett MUNNS, December 1858, Newmarket, 3b 1224
On the same page is William JACKSON

So looks like PHOEBE Munns born c 1838 who married Thomas PLEASANCE was the Half Sister of Martha Mary MUNNS.

I havent found the 1861 Census yet but will post if I find it.

Trish

[trish1120]

YEHA

1861 Census
Soham, Cambridgeshire
RG9/1035/102/3
William JACKSON, 42, Head, Mar, Ag Lab, born Soham
Harriet Jackson, 41, Wife, Mar, born Brinkley
Henry J Jackson, 6, Son, born Soham
MARTHA M Jackson, 4, Daug, born Soham
John HILLS, 89, Lodger, Wid, Ag Lab, born Soham

Possible First marriage for Thomas;
Thomas MUNNS
Ann HORSLEY, 23 October 1818, Soham, Cambridgeshire
Death;
Ann MUNNS, March 1842, Newmarket, 14 74
Death;
Thomas MUNNS, 2 possibilities between 1851 census when he is alive and Dec 1858 when Harriet remarries.
1) Thomas Wing Peek MUNNS, December 1856, Newmarket, 3b 329
Also under Thomashina Peek Munns!
2) Thomas MUNNS, March 1858, Chesterton, 3b 329

[trish1120]

Cheaper by the dozen
Mass Christening of MUNNS Children;
JAMES, 30 July 1833
BETSEY, 30 July 1833
JONAS, 30 July 1833
Also;
ROBERT, 13 June 1823,(may have died as another Robert later)
ROBERT, 10 May 1827
SOPHY, 28 February 1836
All Christened, Soham BT's, Cambridge, England to THOMAS and ANN
(Source Familysearch Pilot)
Possible Child;
ELIZA, 31 October 1819, Loham, Cambridge to a Thomas/Ann
As James does not appear on the 1841 it is hard to know when he was born.

Also on there;
Death/Burial;
Thomas MUNNS, Age 61, Born 1797, Burial 08 February 1858, Chesterton, Cambridge.
Matches Thomas's Age from 1851 Census pretty well