LILLISTONE/WELHAM/BRIDGEMAN of Stowmarket Problem :0)

[siamesercool]

Ok. Can anyone help?

For a while I have been tracing an elusive Welham family, originating in the Stowmanrket area. Posting on here has helped me on the way a couple of times, but what follows has always remained just that little bit out of reach!

I have it on good authority that the Welhams were related in someway to the Lillistone family, who I'm told had a shop, and were in Stowmarket during the second world war.

The only thing I have been able to unearth is a marriage in 1876 between  an Albert Charles Lillistone and an Emily Welham. Ok, fine. However census records that follow appear to indicate that her madian name was Bridgeman.

Thinking on, I have found a marriage of a Bridgeman to a Welham in 1857 in the right area, so Emily probably took her mothers name for the wedding - slightly strange I admit.

Does anyone have any suggestions, or know of the Lillistones? I'm also told at least oneof them was the Mayor of Stowmarket for a while.
 

[Suffolk Mawther]

No doubt you have found Neil's Stowmarket website

Stowmarket History And Heritage web site at
www.stowmarket-history.co.uk


Worth a personal email to Neil who is involved with the Local History Group in Stowmarket and as two members of that group have produced books on the businesses in the town.  I will have a hunt around for our copies and see if I can find anything for you.

Pat ...

[Jonah7]

I believe

Harry (aka Henry) Bridgeman b 1832 Combs m Mary Ann Welham b 1837 Buxhall on 16 Jun 1857 (Cosford database).

Their first child Emily b 20 Apr 1857 (copy of BC) m Arthur (Charles) Lillistone b 22 Feb 1853 (GRO Stow Vol 4a pg 477) on 6 Feb 1876 (GRO Stow Vol 4a pg 636).

Emily and Charles had  children Florence Sophia Lillistone b 1879 and Ellen Maud Lillistone b 1896.

Sadly Charles d 4 Dec 1895 (GRO Stow Vol 4a pg 472) at the Bakers Arms and Emily d Dec 1896 (Stow Vol 4a pg 467).

I'm not completely convinced of the marriage date of Henry and Mary Ann as this is after the date of Emily' birth and her birth certificate clearly states the mother as Mary Ann Bridgeman formely Welham.

The Bakers Arms and the Lillistones get a mention in 'Stowmarket, Combs and Stowupland Pubs' by Neil Langridge & Brian A Southgate.

Hope this helps...

[findem]

Hi,

I'm wondering would the Registrar know Mary Ann was not legally the wife of Harry Bridgeman when Emily's birth was registered?  Would the Marriage Cert have to be produced when registering a child's birth?

The same scenario happened in Parish Registers when an ancestor sibling of mine, Elizabeth Fewell, was baptised (in Essex) 24 Apr 1768 and was stated to be the daughter of William and Margaret Fewell, William and Margaret married on the 3rd of May 1768.

Regards.   

[dargie]

I can give you any information you need about the Stowmarket LIllistone family.
My great grandmother was Charlotte, sister to Charles and many other siblings who were all born at the The Bakers Arms Inn
She and her first husband James Leeks purchased  the "Unicorn" beerhouse and owned, with her second husband Oliver Parker, the Phoenix beerhouse and tobacco shop which was run by her brother James. He purchased the shop in 1909 upon the death of Charlotte and ran it until 1845 when his son and wife took it on.James  James was a Stowmarket Councillor for 55 years.

I have extensive information about this family if you require any further help.

[dargie]

Incidentally I also have a large group of Welhams in my tree. They are related to the LEEKS family. 

[rixton11]

My grandmother was the daughter of Florence Sophia Lillistone (born Stowmarket 1879). My grandmother was Ivy May Lillistone born May 19th 1901 in Stowmarket, but not brought up by the Lillistone family. If you have any further information about Florence Sophia then I would be very interested in this.

[dargie]

Hi Rixton11
The children of Charles and Emily were:
Florence Sophia  baptised  11th June 1879, Adelaide bap. 15th Jan 1882 died Jun qrtr 1885, Rosamund bap. 3rd August 1884 died March qtr 1885, Ellen Maud Bap. 11th Feb 1886, Charles Chriss Bap. 8th Jan 1890 died Dec qtr 1890.
Emily died DEC qtr 1896 Charles buried 4th Dec 1895.
In 1901 Florence Sophia was living with Robert Bridgman and wife Ann Lambert in Combs Ford, Suffolk. She is listed as an assistant school teacher.
In 1901 Ellen Maud is living with her Uncle James Lillistone and his wife Ellen at 25 Station Street, Stowmarket which was actually the tobacconist shop owned by my great grandmother and Aunt to Ellen, Charlotte Augusta(Leeks/Parker) but run by James who was the Stowmarket Councillor as stated in earlier post.
It is very interesting to note the date of birth of your grandmother Ivy May to Florence which appears to have taken place at about the same time as the census in 1901.
I have not yet found a death for Florence Sophia but if she was staying with the Bridgman family when Ivy was born it would appear that is why Ivy was not brought up by the Lillistone family.
 

[dargie]

Let me know if you would like any further information about the Lillistone family especially the parents and siblings of Charles.
Robert married Ann  Lambert in Sept qtr 1864.