The Topham Family - Deeping St James, Lincoln

[Suz73]

Haven't come across him!! Have no idea who he is either!!

Suz!!

[peter13]

Hi Suzanne,
I've just come across this thread about the Tophams of Deeping and I think I can add a little to it.
The Robert Topham born in 1805 married Elizabeth Burbidge 18 January 1837 at Market Deeping. They had 4 children, 2 of whom lived to adulthood (John Robert Topham and Robert William King Topham). The family manage to appear twice on the 1841 census, once with Robert's Dad in Deeping Fen and once at Algarkirk (where I think they were actually living). Robert died at Algarkirk (died 24 August 1844, buried there 27 August). Elizabeth died in 1848. 
The two surviving children were brought up by their Great Uncle and Aunt James and Elizabeth Haynes at Wensor Castle Farm in Deeping Fen.
John Robert Topham changed his name to John Robert Topham Haynes following his uncle's death (as a condition of the will). His children were James Topham Haynes, Elizabeth Ann Haynes and John Topham Haynes and appear in the will of John Cragg Topham.
Robert William King Topham had 16 children, one of whom was my Great Grandmother Lizzie. Some of these children were also beneficiaries of the will of John Cragg Topham.
I have dates for most of these people if you wish, but it will make a very long message!
I've been searching for ages for old Robert's first marriage and for his baptism. I've noticed that baptism in Saleby in 1770 but I don't know if that's definitely him?
Hope this is helpful,
Peter 

 

[Geoff E]

A visit to www.old-maps.co.uk will show that the parish was called Saleby with Thoresthorpe (and that the church was at Saleby).  I figure from that that someone born in Thoresthorpe would be bap at Saleby.  Genuki describes Thoresthorpe as a "hamlet in Saleby" http://www.genuki.org.uk/big/eng/LIN/parishes.html

I have tried to attach below the birthplace of Robert TOPHAM as given in 1851 - Thosthrorp?

[peter13]

Hi Geoff E,
Thanks very much.
It certainly does look like Thosthrop. I've looked at this entry a few times and never been sure what it said. I did think it might be Northorp (near Bourne), but now I follow your spelling I think you must have it. I've certainly not found any other good candidates for this Robert's baptism. There seem to have been a few Tophams around the Saleby area in the 1700s - I think I'd like to research them a bit more. It'd be really nice to find a record of Robert's first marriage particularly.
Is this intriguing fellow in your family tree as well?
Many thanks,
Peter

[JohninAus]

The 1770 Saleby bap may be from the Robert Topham - Elizabeth Foster marriage at Alford 26/9/1765....the only one in Calcewaithe deanery that fits...and Thoresthorpe is close to Alford.

There's nothing in Calcewaithe or Bolinbroke deaneries for the c 1740 mar of Robert and Avarillida.

John

[Suz73]

Hi Peter

Robert Topham 1770 - July 1860  &  Elizabeth 1771 -2 July 1845  daughter
Bridget Topham Born Sept 1799
is my Great *3 Grandmother,  the downside is her daughter Emma Dales just had to go and marry a Smith.

But more information and dates on the Tophams would be fantastic!!
Do you know if there is a connection with the Aintree Tophams???

Thanks to the help from the wonderful people on Rootschat this is what Ive managed to piece together -

Robert Topham born 1770 Saleby (Thoresthorpe) - buried 26/7/1860 D St N  Married  Elizabeth born 1771 - died 2/7/1845 Spalding

Children
Bridget Topham born abt 18/9/1799 D St J  Married  Charles Dales born abt 1826 South Thoresby, Lincoln  Had 7 children

John Cragg Topham born abt 30/4/1801 D St J - 30/10/1898  Married (1851 census) Anne (Mary Ann) Topham born abt 12/7/1801

Your Robert Topham 6/8/1805

Samuel Cragg Topham 20/6/1812 

Robert Topham 1770 married again 27/1/1849  Spalding Mary Horden Hill born abt 1818 Lincoln Baston
 
Suzanne

[peter13]

Hi,
Thanks JohninAus for that likely marriage.
Suzanne,
Sorry I've never heard of any connection with Aintree.

The main thing I have to add about Robert (the one who died in 1860) is that he did leave a will which is of some interest. I haven't got a copy, but I took notes from it some years ago - I really should go back to Lincoln Archives and get a copy, as I looked at it when I was first starting out researching family history and wouldn't now be too confident of the accuracy of my note taking.
The will was made 11 September 1855 and he was living in the parish of St Lawrence Island, Jersey. By the time he made a codicil on 29 August 1859 however he was back living at London Rd., Spalding. The beneficiaries were his wife Mary, son John, daughter Bridget and the children of Bridget and his, by now deceased son Robert. Samuel isn't mentioned (perhaps he died without children by this time?). The curious thing is that the legacies suggest a reasonably wealthy man and seem to amount to much more than the £100 the estate was assessed at when proved at Lincoln on 11 September 1860. There is mention of £300 placed "without bond or acknowledgement in the hands of James Grant of Baston for the purpose of investment in my name" and also title deeds and documents in the care of this James Grant. 
I don't know if there is a connection, but in a letter of 1867 written to Robert W K Topham (one of the potential beneficiaries) there is mention of a case in chancery, with the prospect of a payout.
Do you (or anyone) know whether or not an estate could end up in chancery even after probate had been granted?

Moving on to Robert (1805-44) the relevant dates for the family are -
Robert Topham - I think you have these earlier in the thread - he is described in his will and a directory as a farmer. Note the family appear twice on the 1841 census - in Deeping Fen with Robert's father, as noted earlier, but in Algarkirk as well!
married Elizabeth Burbidge (spinster of Deeping Fen)
Children
John Robert bp 10/7/1838 Spalding
William King bp 6/12/1840 Algarkirk bu 1/5/1843 Algarkirk
Charles bp 26/2/1843 Algarkirk bu 17/3/1843 Algarkirk
Robert William King bp 22/9/1844 Algarkirk
More about the two children who lived:
John Robert Topham
married 25/10/1864 Market Deeping to Louisa Perkins spinster of Market Deeping
They had 3 children Elizabeth Ann b.11/8/1865, John Robert b.29/10/1867 and James Topham b. circa 1869. I think that by the time James was born the surname had been changed from Topham to Haynes in accordance with the will of James Haynes.
Both parents died young.
Louisa died in an accident 19/2/1870, and John Robert was buried 24/8/1871 (Market Deeping). They lived at Wensor Castle Farm in Deeping Fen. 
Robert William King Topham
married 25/9/1865 at the Congregational Chapel, Peterborough to Isabella West (according to oral family history - he married the cook and ran away to America).
They had the following children - William James (b.11/6/1866 Sugartown, New York State), Albert (b 3/1/1869 Market Deeping), Lizzie (b.28/12/1870 bp29/1/1871), John Robert (b.4/12/1872 bp. 25/12/1872) George Henry (b.11/10/1874 bp.6/11/1874)(this is the child blind from birth refered to in John Cragg Topham's will), Arthur Edward (b.25/10/1876), Sarah Ann (b.29/5/1878), Amy (b.6/9/1879). Robert (b.2/7/1881), Matthew (b.11/3/1883), Isabella(b.6/6/1884), Herbert (b.13/11/1885), Annie (b.27/9/1887). The preceding birthdates were taken from a family bible. All the children except the first two were born at Deeping St James. Isabella died 28/10/1889 at Deeping St James. Robert then remarried to Susanna Elizabeth Toynton 26/12/1890 at Deeping St James. They had 3 children - Harold, Lily and Percy Toynton (b.2/4/1893). Susanna died 16/5/1895 at Deeping St James. Robert died 17/5/1910 at Helpston buried 21/5/1910 at Deeping St James. 
OK so this post seems to have dragged on a bit - is there a length limit on these things? Maybe I should have done these dates as an attachment.
Anyway - hope this is of some interest.
By the way, going back to Bridget - her son Charles emigrated to the USA in 1850 and had family there. I have a little more on this if you want.
Peter

[Suz73]

Hi,

Peter you are amazing!!!

Thank you so much for the family history,  it is so interesting to read.

Further information would be great.

The info I have on Bridget and family:

Bridget bpt ?18/9/1799  married Charles Dales bpt 12/7/1801 South Thoresby

Children
Charles born abt 1826
Robert  b abt 1828
Frances b abt 1831
Elizabeth b abt 1832
Mary b abt 1833
George b abt 1839
Emma b abt 1840           (dates worked out from census)

Emma Dales 1840  Married Dec 1863 Camberwell, London Thomas Smith 4/10/1839 Longbenton, Northumberland
(Thomas is the Captain Thomas Smith in J C Tophams will.  Thomas Smith No: 8544 was with the Merchant Navy and his last discharge record is dated 1877 ( not sure of the month).  We don't have a date for his death as he died at sea (Boltic??) and being in Australia can't get to Kew to find records.)

Children

Bridget Emily Topham Smith  born 12/10/1864 18 Queens Terrace, Poplar, Middbury

Thomas Edgar Topham Smith b 9/3/1866 2 James Place Rotherhithe Surry

My Greatgrand father:
John Henry Dixon Smith b 14/5/1896 address as above  - 1956 Culcairn, NSW Australia address as above married 1900 Parkvale, Illabo NSW,Aust Catherine Harris

Margaret Anne Topham Smith 27/1/1873 64 Adam Street, Rotherhithe died March 1873

Percy Topham Smith 31/1/1876 28 Swaton Road, Bronley died abt 1880

There are other Smiths in J C Tophams will and a niece that pops up in census but haven't found any connection yet!

Thanks again

Suz!!!

[peter13]

Hi Suzanne,
Thank you for all that information on the Smiths.
I've been looking again at my copy of John Cragg Topham's will.
There seem to be three separate sets of Smiths!
There is your Thomas and Emma.
Then there is Emma Smith, otherwise called Harriet Emma Smith - "the niece of my late wife" and her brother Edward or Edwin Willoughby Smith. This is surely the Harriet Emma Smith shown living with John in the censuses from 1861 onwards.
Thirdly there is William Topham Smith, one of the executors and various of his family. I was interested enough in William to get a copy of his birth certificate some time ago - he was born 12/9/1850 in Deeping Fen the son of William Smith, farmer and Lucy, formerly Topham. I haven't managed to establish what relationship Lucy was to John. I'm not sure if I've ever looked for a baptism for her.
Do you know anything about Elizabeth the wife of William Allen and Mary Jane the wife of William Bryan, mentioned in the will?  I'm guessing that Elizabeth and Mary Jane are two of Bridget Dales' daughters?
It's fascinating to see how the will got altered over the years - the last codicils are just before he died. Various people seem to have gone in and out of favour!
I think I may have a few more bits and pieces of interest, but my research notes are always very disorganised.
Best wishes,
Peter