Symes

[pyromancer]

Wow..... Thank you all so much for your help.  Certainly a lot of information to crack on with.

Children's names, Jane, Mary, William, Thomas, John and Sarah.....possibly Edward too.

(am favouring William or John as father, just a feeling)

Name has been recorded as Symes, Symmes, Syms, Sims and Simms depending on who is recording.  Would be so much easier if they recorded parents names on the marriage record...!

Again.....thank you all so much for your delving.

[Wiggy]

Found two Elizabeth Pitman records - both quite a distance from Powerstock.  Just in case the as yet unsubstantiated Powerstock one isn't right.

 - one in West Lulworth, 20 Jan 1739 to Edward and Mary  -  she'd have been 17 at marriage.

and one in Sherborne - (which seems to have been quite a place for Pitmans.) 

The Sherborne entry states 'strangers'.  I don't know what this means - visiting the parish?? - another name for 'travellers' maybe?

the Sherborne record is for Elizabeth, baptised 8 Nov  1736 to James and Sarah.

Can you give a few details of the children's births - dates and place?   

Wiggy   

[pyromancer]

Wiggy, you are a star.

I think the Sherbourne Elizabeth is my one, although this is the first I'm hearing of travellers (where do you get this information...!)

All children are born in Powerstock between 1757 (Jane) and 1770 (Sarah) and as far as I can tell the family stayed there for a long while, although they move around a bit later on.  I have seen John listed as born in Powerstock on some other trees but can't find any record of this myself.  This is the problem.  I can find a few John Symes born in Dorset around the right period and Bridport and Portesham are other places mentioned in the family line later on, so possible that he was born there, left and the family returned 'home' at a later period.

One of the problems I'm finding is, as B.E. says (thank you B.E. btw) that there are an awful lot of Symes in and around Powerstock and making definite connections is almost impossible after 1756.  But I guess this is all part of the intrigue.

 

[Wiggy]

I don't know about 'travellers' - I am just guessing that it might be why it says 'strangers' noted at the bottom of the record.

I am having the same trouble with a family of mine in Cornwall - I reckon they are all living close, having large families and related - and they all call their first child after Grandpa and Grandma and bingo - total confusion!!!

Don't take my findings as gospel - but keep them noted in case they turn out to be right!!!
Gee I'd be so chuffed if they were - I'm still learning this game.

Will have a look for the children's births - do you have their records or are you needing them??  Anyhow practise looking!!   

[pyromancer]

I have the children's birth records and was going great guns up until then, probably why I'm a bit deflated at hitting a wall now.

I think you are right, large families living closely.....Good for them, not so much for us....!

Am off to Powerstock soon and even if I can't trace back any further I'm thrilled with where I've got so far.

Good luck with your Cornwall searching.  Was secretly hoping I had Cornish connections, my favourite place in the world and always feel at home there.

(I know my other half is hoping the dissenters are his....!)

[Wiggy]

Just one thing - don't know if this is relevant or not! 

 Been practising finding things in the BDM indexes.

Been looking at several pages of births for Symes (and alternatives)  from all over Dorset from 1757 - 1777 and found none registered in Powerstock - several in Portesham - but not for John and Elizabeth.

I have found children for John and Elizabeth Symes - all recorded in Portland, (St George).   All extracted entries from BMD.

Jane                25 Nov 1759
John                14 Apr    '65
Ann                 19 Aug   '72

There is also a set of twins Ann and Betty born 1761 - also in Portland but John and Betty given as parents in one source and Thomas and Betty in another.

I've looked at the names you give for your couple's children; I can't find any of them belonging to John and Elizabeth.        - other than what I've listed.        - The records for Dorset may be incomplete - I don't know!

not saying you are wrong - but from where did you get your information??

Just interesting!   

Wiggy     

[pyromancer]

Hi Wiggy

Firstly got information from Ancestry, double checked it at familysearch and triple checked on Dorset online parish clerks.  This is all new to me and a little confusing at times so am trying to find as much evidence as possible for each person. 

Powerstock is also listed as Poorstock and I must admit the whole parish/town thing throws me a little.  I'm not entirely sure which towns come under the parish of Powerstock. 

[B.E.]

Poorstock was the proper name of the place. When the railway company decided to build their line from Maiden Newton to Bridport Harbour they insisted on Poorstock being changed to Powerstock and Bridport Harbour to West Bay in order to make it all sound a bit sexier. The line was opened in 1857 and I think the changes occurred in 1860.

I don't think any of the placenames mentioned so far are part of Poorstock/Powerstock itself, but most aren't too far away. Powerstock used to be far more important - it had a castle (actually a Royal Hunting Lodge) and was quite a road hub - but the population was never very large. The only other settlements of any significance within its boundaries are probably West Milton, Nettlecombe and South Poorton. Loscombe used to have a few dwellings, but will have been listed under Netherbury.

[Wiggy]

Hi B. E.,

That's the sort of information I just don't have which is so helpful - one of the hazards of looking things up from a distance of 24,000kms!!   

I did notice several of the records are listed Powerstock/West Milton.

Cheers,

 Wiggy