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England (Counties as in 1851-1901) => England => Shropshire => Topic started by: macw on Wednesday 27 January 10 10:05 GMT (UK)

Title: Thomas Chester Apprentice Cordwainer to William Skenton (or Skelton), Wem
Post by: macw on Wednesday 27 January 10 10:05 GMT (UK)
I am trying to find out more about Thomes Chester (c.1742) who was probably first recorded as having completed an Shoe Apprenticeship under William Skenton (or Skelton) at Wem, Shropshire (Salop), England in 1759.
He went on to be a Cordwainer in Grinshill, Shropshire (Salop), England, where he was also the Church Clerk.
We have not been able to relaibly locate his birth, baptism or parents, his birth date comes from his gravestone.
If anyone has further information about Thomas, or William Skelton or Shoe or Cordwainers in Wem of this period I would be very interested.
Title: Re: Thomas Chester Apprentice Cordwainer to William Skenton (or Skelton), Wem
Post by: horse000 on Monday 25 July 11 03:39 BST (UK)
Hi

Not sure if this is of any interest:

28 Dec 1745 Thomas Chester and Mary Parry, both of Wem, mar. (The only entry of either of your names in the PR).

Cordwainers in Wem PR:
12 Nov 1799 John Weever, cordwainer, perished at Holbrook, bur.
22 Jan 1757 John Hornes, cordwainer, & Elizabeth Cook, mar. (Wem).

Geoff
Title: Re: Thomas Chester Apprentice Cordwainer to William Skenton (or Skelton), Wem
Post by: macw on Thursday 28 July 11 17:06 BST (UK)
Thanks Geoff,

I've added the information to my mapping out cordwainers and chesters of the area project, juet in case something comes up. Although Thomas and Mary Parry appear to be a little late for the marriage it's witin bounds of error and it looks like they moved from Wem before having any children. There is a possibility that he was born at Acton Reynolds, but I understand that the church records were lost when the village was moved by the local gentry. There is alos the possibility that he was the illegitamate son of a member of the gentry as he could read and write and rented a property on the Acton Reynolds estate.

macw
Title: Re: Thomas Chester Apprentice Cordwainer to William Skenton (or Skelton), Wem
Post by: horse000 on Friday 29 July 11 05:01 BST (UK)
Hi

Still having prob's with Thomas' early years and his marriage...

However, the following may or may not be of interest:

Grinshill PR
7 May 1775 George s. of Thomas and Mary Chester, bap.

10 Feb 1799 Mary d. of *George & Sarah Chester, bap. (This *George maybe Thom. son)
30 Nov 1800 Anne d. of George & Sarah Chester, bap.
17 July 1802 Edward s. of George & Sarah Chester, bap.
15 Jan 1804 Esther d. of George & Sarah Chester, bap**
13 Feb 1804 Esther Chester, bur. **(Sadly)
20 Feb 1805 Thomas s. of George & Sarah Chester, bap.
27 Sep 1807 Jane d. of George & Sarah Chester, bap.
11 July 1810 George s. of George & Sarah Chester, bap.

A Thomas & George Chester have been witnesses at numerous marriages (especially Thomas, which may or may not suggest his involvement with the church, i.e. as a Clerk or Warden).

Geoff

Title: Re: Thomas Chester Apprentice Cordwainer to William Skenton (or Skelton), Wem
Post by: macw on Friday 29 July 11 08:53 BST (UK)
Thank you again Geoff,

Thomas is a bit a a problem in that we have a large amount of information on his life, as you pointed out he is often a witness (in his role as church clerk) and also appears in the estate records (presumably due to his role as Church Clerk and also on the "local coucnil",his being literate being a big advantage in this respect). However despite all this information there is no mention of his parents and suitably aged Thomas's baptised in the area have proved to be not him.

He married late to a Mary Griffiths in Petton and did indeed have George as his son. George was again the Church Clerk and a cordwainer and we have several references to him and we have traced all his offspring to current generations except Jane Chester (c.1807) who we can't find a marriage record for (IGI and SFHS marriage CD) and have two options for her death in Shrewsbury St. Mary. We need to check the street names of the deaths and see if another member of the family was also living in that street about the same time.

Is your Baptism information from a CD as we are looking for a good CD to extend beyond the coverage of the IGI and also have ancillary information on it such as witnesses etc for oher members of the family in Shropshire. If you can recommend a CD we would be interested.



There is a large CHester family in Clive near Grinshill and as a last resort we are also looking for members of thier current generations to see a a DNA test sheds any light.

macw
Title: Re: Thomas Chester Apprentice Cordwainer to William Skenton (or Skelton), Wem
Post by: horse000 on Saturday 30 July 11 03:26 BST (UK)
Hi

Yeah, I concur, an elusive type is Thomas...

Had a quick look through the Clive PR, not dissimilar in results to previous look-ups..

Something will turn up that will click, hopefully...

I wouldn't recommend software, I think this is a specialist area, perhaps talk to the moderator for advice. I do have access to some PR's but would prefer to look-up and quote from that source than recommend. There are some parts of Shropshire that are not too well transcribed as I have found out with my research.

Geoff


Title: Re: Thomas Chester Apprentice Cordwainer to William Skenton (or Skelton), Wem
Post by: Melleh01 on Monday 01 August 11 23:16 BST (UK)
Hello,

I do not have anything to add other than I am a 9th generation decscendat of Thomas Chester. I came to this forum through googling and correlating what information I have on my paternal side.

Would love to get some pictures and further information if I could. Thomas is as far back as I have been able to find also. Relatively new to family tree tracking, but any useful information would be appreciated!
Title: Re: Thomas Chester Apprentice Cordwainer to William Skenton (or Skelton), Wem
Post by: macw on Monday 17 April 17 13:55 BST (UK)
Hello,

I do not have anything to add other than I am a 9th generation decscendat of Thomas Chester. I came to this forum through googling and correlating what information I have on my paternal side.

Would love to get some pictures and further information if I could. Thomas is as far back as I have been able to find also. Relatively new to family tree tracking, but any useful information would be appreciated!

Hi Melleh01,

Just came back to the family tree after a break. Have we been in touch since your post.

Do you want to exchange details via a private chat?

Several family members have had DNA tests.

macw
Title: Re: Thomas Chester Apprentice Cordwainer to William Skenton (or Skelton), Wem
Post by: sheeptaurus on Saturday 27 May 17 20:59 BST (UK)
Just been  searching Shawbury PR on FindMyPast might this be of interest?

Marriage 1761 John Chester shoemaker to Ann Withers both otp.

Could be your Thomas`s brother?? Shawbury parish and Grinshill do join.

Jackie
Title: Re: Thomas Chester Apprentice Cordwainer to William Skenton (or Skelton), Wem
Post by: Pandora_pam on Sunday 25 June 17 15:02 BST (UK)
Hi
Thomas Chester is my 5th great grandfather so I am keen to find out more. I am travelling with my family in the UK and planning to go through Grinshill. 
Pam
Title: Re: Thomas Chester Apprentice Cordwainer to William Skenton (or Skelton), Wem
Post by: hanes teulu on Sunday 25 June 17 15:38 BST (UK)
Pandora_Pam,
A warm welcome to Rootschat.
FindMyPast has 2 baptisms (image/transcription)-

Thomas Chester, bap 27 Jun 1742, place Acton nr. Nantwich, parents Edward and Eliz
Thomas Chester, bap 11 Dec 1843, place Acton nr.Nantwich, parents Robert and Mary

Slightly later -
Bap March 9 1746, Thomas son of John and Mary Chester of Bickley
Title: Re: Thomas Chester Apprentice Cordwainer to William Skenton (or Skelton), Wem
Post by: Pandora_pam on Sunday 25 June 17 18:29 BST (UK)
Thanks for the info. My relative is the Thomas Chester born 1742.
Title: Re: Thomas Chester Apprentice Cordwainer to William Skenton (or Skelton), Wem
Post by: macw on Sunday 25 June 17 21:52 BST (UK)
Thanks for the info. My relative is the Thomas Chester born 1742.
Hi Pam
Just to say welcome to the UK from a distant cousin. I am sure we have been in touch in the past. Feel free to contact me if you are interested in further details of where Thomas lived in Grinshill; sadly it was demolished some years ago. The family gravestone is leant against the wall of the church near the road.
Title: Re: Thomas Chester Apprentice Cordwainer to William Skenton (or Skelton), Wem
Post by: Pandora_pam on Sunday 25 June 17 21:58 BST (UK)
Thanks. We are heading past Grinshill on Tuesday so we will stop and find the gravestone. Even though the house is demolished do you have the road that they lived on?
Title: Re: Thomas Chester Apprentice Cordwainer to William Skenton (or Skelton), Wem
Post by: macw on Tuesday 27 June 17 16:35 BST (UK)
Thanks. We are heading past Grinshill on Tuesday so we will stop and find the gravestone. Even though the house is demolished do you have the road that they lived on?

Sorry Pam

This is probably too late it is on the road past from the church past the Inn, but the few stones are  very difficult to see as it is in a field after the last house on the RHS just opposite a house on the left before a small road up the hill to a Baptist Chapel and some houses; if my memory doesn't fail me. I had a quick look online but it is not very clear and my notes are not here. Looking online I found a map which might suggest that it was further round the corner just before the road hits a T junction.
Title: Re: Thomas Chester Apprentice Cordwainer to William Skenton (or Skelton), Wem
Post by: Pandora_pam on Tuesday 27 June 17 16:43 BST (UK)
Thanks. We left Grinshill about 30 mins ago. I found the gravestone for Thomas and Mary so thanks for letting me know where to look. If you have any info on the Chesters that you can share please let me know. Thomas Chester is at the top of my family tree. I don't have anything earlier.