Did your ancestor come from Stokenchurch?

[patannk]

I once read that most people rarely moved more than 20 miles from where they were born, before the 1841 census; the exception being a move to London or across the seas, for the most adventurous?

I have been looking at the 1841 Stokenchurch families, to see whether they moved away and where they went to..... and what was their occupation?
Most of the men were Ag. Labs or in the chair making industry, while the women were doing lacemaking. When they moved away, did they continue in these occupations or did they try something new?

I would love to hear from anyone who has "Stokenchurch Siblings", especially those who moved away and across the seas in the 19th century.
 

[Maddie]

Hi

I have a 3rd greatgrandmother Elizabeth North born Stokenchurch 1783. She married in Stokenchurch to George Hester in 1809 but all their children were born either Aston Rowant or Nuffield.

Not much movement there I'm afraid & they all seem to have stayed working on the land. Pretty much the norm for my lot.

Regards
Maddie

[patannk]

I came across a number of Hesters and Norths in the parish records!
Your Elizabeth North and George Hester m. 27 Nov 1809, didn't they?

Sadly, the 1841 census only says if people are born "in county" or not, so I have had to look at the 1851 to find out where they came from or to where they moved...
So far a large number of families only moved a few miles away; Radnage, Aston Rowant, Lewknor, Ibstone, Bledlow, Chinnor, Princes Risborough etc being frquently mentioned.
Then some went as far as Marlow, Reading, Henley on Thames, Wheatley, Marcham,  Thame, High Wycombe.... and of course a number ended up in London.

I hope some of our ancestors made their way to Australia, New Zealand, America and South Africa? I would like to think they are spread across the globe.....

Regards,
patannk.

[willow276]

I have just come across this discussion and note the mentions of both Dobbins and George Bartholomew, both of which I am interested in. I have a Sarah Dobbins in the Stokenchurch area - cannot find her in the 1841 census and my first sighting of her is 1842. She died in Surrey in 1854, widow of John Dobbins farmer, and was buried in Stokenchurch. Ring any bells?

My records of George William Bartholomew (the name of both father and son) span from 1841 and they seemed to move all over the place but with strong connections to Stokenchurch and Watlington.

Would be happy to share information.

[patannk]

I saw the burial record for Sarah Dobbins in 1854, but do not know of a John Dobbins from the area.
What was Sarah's maiden name?
What other info do you have about the family?..... I am curious about them....

 I have not come across many Dobbins families from the Oxford/Berks/Bucks area.
Plenty from further west, in Gloucester/Hereford.... and many made it to London.

My g.g.g.grandfather, Henry Dobbins m. Sarah Pitkin in London and I think they both died there.
Sarah Pitkin had a sister, Isabella, who married George Bartholomew in 1831 at Stokenchurch, c. their children while living in Watlington, then moved to Hemel Hempstead etc.
I have tracked various members of the family all over the country, through the censuses.
 

[willow276]

This is getting VERY interesting - particularly the fact that there is a relationship between Dobbins and Bartholomew. I should mention that I have digressed at this point from family history to house history....

In 1842 George Bartholomew owned a cottage, garden and buildings in Beacon's Bottom, Stokenchurch which was occupied by Sarah Dobbins. In 1858 he was still the owner (when he was described as Gentleman) and also in 1864 - when it was occupied by Richard Way.

A George Bartholomew died in 1878 in Fulham, following which the lease was transferred in 1881 from George William Bartholomew to Thomas/Alfred Leadbetter for 21 years (by this time it was the village beerhouse). George William Bartholomew (presumably junior) died in 1892 in Kingston.

I assume that you have followed the Bartholomews round in the censuses from Watlington to Hemel Hemstead to Harrow to Kingston. I have not been able to find them in the 1861 census, but some of the children were born around then in Fulham.

As for the Dobbins, I have not been able to find out much. Sarah Dobbins was occupying the property in 1842 (Tithe notes) although I can't find her in the 1841 census. In the 1851 census she was a Visitor (born Stokenchurch c1807, but don't know her maiden name as haven't been able to find her marriage) in Southwark where she was described as "Landed Proprietor". She died on 1.8.1854 at 45 Gravel Lane, Southwark aged 48, widow of John Dobbins Farmer. I see that the informant was a Mary Kingwell - am I dreaming, or was this one of your surnames of interest as well?

I haven't been able to find any more details about John Dobbins at all. Where in London did Henry Dobbins marry Sarah Pitkin? - it would be neat if it were Southwark!

I am thinking along the lines now that the house perhaps originally belonged to the Pitkin family as the Bartholomews did not appear to be local. Having said that, Bartholomew Tipping was a local benefactor around then and I wonder whether there was a connection. There are certainly Pitkins still around now, I think.

I look forward to your further thoughts.

[patannk]

How very interesting to know that George Bartholomew owned property in the area!
In Pigot's 1830 Oxfordshire Directory, George is listed as a Grocer of High Street, Watlington. They were still in Watlington by 1841.
George Bartholomew was c. 16 Jul 1797 at Streatley, Berks, by the way.
He was living at 46 Waltham Grove, Fulham in 1871 and died there in 1878, leaving his personal effects of less than £6000 to his son George Wiliam Bartholomew, of Gravesend.
George Snr (a retired grocer) was down in Frome, Somerset in 1861..... his dau, Isabella Mary m. Francis J Knight frome Frome.

I am very interested in the fact that a Sarah Dobbins was living in his property. I shall have to think this through and see what info I have that  could shed light on this.... but my Sarah Dobbins was George's sister-in-law.........
Her husband and children were at Stokenchurch for 1841 census, but Sarah wasn't.

The Dobbins marriages took place at St Bartholomew the Great; Henry married Sarh Pitkin on 12 Jul 1824 (see IGI). [There was a John m. there in 1787 to a Mary, but I haven't found out who he is related to yet].
But do not despair, my Dobbins and Kingwell connections were living in Southwark at that time....
Let me check out that address you gave and see if Gravel Lane was near them.
I will also see which Mary Kingwell could have been involved in this saga.
To be continued........

[Mo C]

I have just come across your message (I've been chasing my Irish relatives) My gt.gt.grandfather was born in Birmingham but married in Stokenchurch, he was John Clough Dudley and his bride was Mary Ann Jones, they married in St.Peter and St.Pauls on 25.12.1820.  Seven of their eight children were born there and then they moved to West Wycombe as it was known then were their last daughter was born.  My gt.grandfather, William, was their youngest son, he married Ann Bennell who lived 2 doors away in Stokenchurch, although they married in High Wycombe.  When Mary Ann died, John married Sarah Bennell, mother of Ann.  In later years he was paralized and returned to Stokenchurch where he died on 1.1.1879.  He was a turner and chair maker. his four sons followed him into that trade, although one dropped out to become a clock and watch repairer.

I was also interested to read of the Dobbins family as I have visited the chair museum in High Wycombe and there are photo's of a Mr. Dobbins who was a fireman in the area and a very formidable looking Mrs. Dobbins who taught lace making to young girls in Stokenchurch.

Hope this is of interest, incidently I have a CD of the 1851 census if it is of any use to you I could do look-up's.

Cheers, Maureen.

[patannk]

Good to hear from you...

I have the OFHS Parish Records CD for Stokenchurch, so have come across the Dudleys and the Bennells.
I have made my own index of the parish records, for easy access... so all the family names found there, are like old friends? (I haven't got round to the burial records yet.... was more interested in the marriages and births, so I started with them.
I have just finished indexing all the residents of Stokenchurch in the 1841 and 1851 censuses and am now working on the 1851 ones listed as born at Stokenchurch, but living elsewhere.
So many strange transcriptions of names and places, if you know who the people actually are?

I seem to be related to most of the village, so I am working on a "Village Family History" and daily adding more threads to the tapestry of village relationships, linked in some way to me!
I don't have any Bennells or Dudleys in my tree, YET.... I am working on it!

I was very interested to hear about the Dobbinses at the High Wycombe chair museum! My g.g.g.grandfather Thomas Dobbins was a lace dealer, so I wonder who was a fireman?
I had heard there was a Mrs Dobbins who ran a lace school.... maybe the formidable looking woman belongs to my tribe? Did they say when she ran it?

All the Dobbinses who lived at Stokenchurch were related, to the best of my knowledge, so I would love to see the photos.

Have you by any chance come across any other Dobbinses in your journeys through West Wycombe/High Wycombe records?
There were a few deaths listed in the NBI, I think, but one family definitely was in the censuses at High Wycombe, but I don't know where they came from....