Mercy Solly Margate St Johns

[lizziemus]

Good evening

I have been working on my family tree today and have been working through the Margate St Johns parish records. It appears that I am descended from Mercy Solly and John Sayer however I am at a loss as to how to move any further as there are 2 records that could potentially be the parents of my Mercy. My options are Richard and Mary Solly with a dob of 9th March 1735 and John and Mary Solly with a dob of 1oth November 1745 (and maybe others that I have missed or don't have access to )

Mercy married John Sayer in Margate on 21st June 1767 so my feeling is that John and Mary would be most likely as that would have her married at22 and their first child, also Mercy, born a year later. However I have learnt that I have made several errors by going on 'my feeling' so am asking if any one has any information on this branch of the Solly family that they would be prepared to share with me.

I am also completely at a dead end for the parents of John Sayer as I can find no birth or baptismal record for him. Any suggestions anyone? 

Thank you for taking the time to read my post

Lizzie

[casalguidi]

Are the witnesses to Mercy's marriage any help?

There are lots of SOLLEY and SOLLY persons leaving wills in the area which might help sort some of the families out, could you get to Canterbury Cathedral Archives to view them?  It might be worth looking at the SAYERs too   http://www.kentarchaeology.ac/ekwills_a/series/ekp2_intro.html

Casalguidi

[lizziemus]

Good morning

Thank you for that. I have allready located a will for Mercy sayer in Margate - lets see if I can tie that in. I have also found a John Sayer born in Canterbury for about the right time - he is the only 1 born in Kent for the right time period - however we are are back to supposition as opposed to evidence 

Caroline

[lizziemus]

Good evening

Update

I have today established that John and Mercy Sayer were partners with Benjamin Beale in his bathing machine company in Margate. I found an old business card of theirs from 1791 and My cousin has old documents from a business he purchased in Marine Terrace that site John Sayer as a tennant of Mr Beale in 1773 which includes a pencil scrawled drawing of the baths - how amazing is that!!!! - what a coincidence that he should purchase a business in the same building almost 250 years later which is when he aquired the old deeds.

However in order to ensure this is the correct family I need to place these 2 as definately the parents of George Sayer who married Mary Bently - which I believe them to be based on what I gleaned from the parish records 2 days ago. The John and Mercy from Margate had 9 children that I could find. There are only 2 marrriages for John Sayer and  a Mercy in Kent that I can find for this period and only 1 of those is in Margate......Any help in proving or indeed disproving my 'romantic assumptions' (strongly based in research of course would be much appreciated

Thank you

Lizzie

[MARGUERITESOLLY]

hi there,

I hope youre stil using this forum!

I read with interest your post about Mercy Solly. My family also orginate from Margate in Kent and I have been undertaking our family tree research.  I would be interested to see where Mercy fits in, as I too have 2 relatives named Mercy:
 Firstly Mercy Solly b.1780 to parents Daniel and Armenal and also Mercy Solly b. 1814 to parents John Solly and Jane Beale. They were married at St Johns Church Margate. Im not sure these dates tie in with yours but you also mention a Richard and Mary Solly.These tie in with my tree as they were the grandparents of Mercy Solly (1).

Anyway would be good to chat to see if we can research this further!

[MargateHistory]

I also was very interested in your posting about John and Mercy Sayer. I run a web site on the history of Margate (www.margatelocalhistory.co.uk) and there you will find a number of maps and pictures of the bathing rooms at Margate (together with trade cards of the Sayer’s and other proprietors of bathing machines) that may be of interest. I thought you might also be interested in an advertisement in the Kentish Gazette  for July 12 1811 for the sale of property following the death of Mrs Mercy Sayer:
To be sold under will of Mrs Mercy Sayer, deceased
-Freehold estate
1. House, now in occupation of Mrs Susanna Sayer, situate in a court or passage, on the East side of the High-street, adjoining to the dwelling house of Messrs Rowe.
2. Large stable yard, with stabling for 9 horses and lofts over the same, a shed capable of standing 6 bathing machines under cover, and a Garden enclosed, now in occupation of  Mrs Susanna Sayer, situate on south side of New-street, adjoining to Kerby’s Livery Stables.

I was interested to read that your cousin has a ‘pencil scrawled drawing’ of the Sayer baths. I am always interested in including new information on the web site, and I wondered if it might be possible to include this sketch. I could be contacted by e-mail – my contact details are given on the web site.

Anthony Lee