Gildersleeves

[Purudaya]

Hi....my grandmother was a Gildersleeve born in London but her Father (Harry b1855-1915) came from Saxmundham, Suffolk.
I believe his parents were William Gildersleeves (1813-78)  and Sarah Bobbit (1814-86). 
I believe William's parents were Robert Gildersleeves (1777- 1834) and I think Mary Whyard (1777-1853).  But Roberts death in Stamford, Suffolk says he was 69 years which would mean he was born before my suggested date.  I think I have confused the Robert Gildersleeves - there are many of them. I suspect I have missed a generation but I cannot seem to locate it.
I also thought Robert married Mary Whyard but I cannot remember where that info came from and I have not recorded it. Also I have found a record which suggests that a Robert Gildersleeves was married to a Mary Proom - 27/12/1815 ?  around the same time as the one I was looking at.. Is he the Robert Gildersleeves who was the Father of William? .....I dont know where to look to find out further information as to:
a) who is the correct Robert Gildersleeves ? ie my gGrandFather's grandfather ?
b) who did he marry ?
c) his antecedents?
d) where can I find a photo of Saxmundham in the 1850's or later ?

Any help would be appreciated.  Thanks. 

[hookleg]

Don't know of a Stamford in Suffolk. There is a rural registration district called Samford which is the peninsula from Ipswich to Shotley. It was created in 1837 and abolished in 1974.

[Purudaya]

Thank you. I am sure you are right.  Some of the family came from Shotley also. So I will change to Samford 

[hookleg]

Have you looked at the ancient history of the family? https://archive.org/stream/gildersleevesofg00gild/gildersleevesofg00gild_djvu.txt
If using this, note that some villages in Suffolk do not have correct spelling. eg Aspall Stona is Stonham Aspall etc. Lots of info online about Richard who went to America in 1600s. http://hausegenealogy.com/gildersleeve.html    very interesting.

[Purudaya]

Thank you.    Yes I have read about Richard Gildersleeves in USA, one of the foundation Puritan families it seems.  But that is about 150 years earlier than my enquiry.  I guess the emigrant Puritans are related in some way but it is too early for my enquiries.  My family stayed in Suffolk.   I am working backwards to discover the earlier generations.  Thanks for the link to the Gildersleeve genealogy, I hadn't seen that page before.

[ribbo39]

Hi Purudaya,

This may not be the info your'e after but there is a marriage of a Robert Gildersleeve to Elizabeth Cabbin 20-2-1757 Shotley.
This may be the parents of your Robert.

On the otherhand there is a bapt. of a Robert Gildersleve 12-8-1762 s/o Robert & Elizabeth in Shotley St.Mary. (Taken from the CD of baptisms issued by the Suffolk FHS )

Alan

[Annette7]

Are you positive that William's father was named Robert?

The Robert who married Mary Proom 27/12/1815 in Stutton remained there and all their children born there (Robert was bc.1791 in nearby Capel).   I think you need to find out whether Robert was single or a widower at this marriage.

A Robert married a Sarah Uiett (Whyard??) 15/5/1811 Benhall, Suffolk (just South of Saxmundham) but I cannot find a baptism for William ca.1813!

My gut instinct is that these are 2 separate Robert's.

Annette

[Purudaya]

Thank you ribbo39 and Annette7.     This is all helpful....  I will follow up all those suggestions.  and keep looking at the maps !!...I am visiting the UK in July and hope I shall be able to have a day at the Suffolk Records Office.  Their collection is not online yet as far as I can tell.  Cheers Purudaya. 

[Annette7]

Think I've solved the mystery of the Gildersleeves at Saxmundham.

It would seem that the majority of the parish records have the name as Gilders!

A John Gildersleeves married a Mary Turner 23rd May 1774 Saxmundham and they had the following children all baptised as Gilders:

John bp.17/3/1775 - bur.10th July 1794 as Gilders

Joseph bp.5th January 1779 - married Susan Mayhew 16th November 1814 Saxmundham as Gildersleeves, 1841 census has them as Gildersleeves, but Joseph buried as Gilders 30th May 1849.

Twins - Audley bp.20th August 1780 bur.1st August 1780 (?)
           Thomas bp.20th August 1780 bur.1st August 1780 (?)   Clearly, something wrong with dates

Mary bp.24th August 1781, bur.9th December 1781

Thomas bp.24th November 1782

Robert bp.30th October 1785 - married as Gildersleeves to Sarah Uiett (?) 15th May 1811 Benhall, Suffolk - bur.7th July 1811 Saxmundham as Gilders!

Having now realised that the Gilders/Gildersleeves were one and the same family I then rechecked and found your Williams baptism:

William Gilders bp.23rd June 1811 Saxmundham, son of Robert Gilders and Sarah Whyard.

Two weeks later Robert dies and it looks like his widow remarried as Sarah Gildersleeves to a James Ward 7th April 1820 Saxmundham and the Wards had the following children:

Robert bp.16th July 1820
Charles bp.3rd June 1822
Emma bp.9th November 1823
George bp.12th December 1825
Rebecca bp.13th February 1827

1841 Census shows James (journeyman shoemaker), Sarah (bc.1791), Emma and Rebecca living in Woodbridge, Suffolk.   (Haven't checked to see what became of the other children.)
By 1851 James Ward is a widower - Sarah Ward bc.1786 bur.14th December 1844 Woodbridge.

John Gilders bc.1749 bur.31st January 1811 Saxmundham
Mary Gildersleeves bc.1741 bur.31st March 1820 Saxmundham.

Where John Gilders/Gildersleeves was born/baptised I don't know - doesn't appear to have been at Saxmundham.

Annette