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Beginners => Family History Beginners Board => Topic started by: JLH1965 on Saturday 02 September 17 19:56 BST (UK)
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Hello
I'm new to the Chat boards and hoping that this could be what helps break a mystery on my mothers family line.
William Garft is one of my Great Grandfathers, he was born in Cheshire, England and Married Frances Whitlow and died in Sandiway, Cheshire, England (b: 1781, m:1802, d: 1842).
We do have information that he was a Huntsman in the Cheshire Hunts but that is about all we have.
Any help would be of great help
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Hello and welcome to rootschat JLH1965
Did find an earlier reference for the name 1788 Boston, Lincs
http://www.rootschat.com/links/01kno/
There are a couple of references to him in the newspapers when auctions are held at his house,
05 December 1820 - Chester Courant
...the house William Garft, known by the sign of the Sportsman Inn, in Northwich, in the county Chester
Chester Courant 06 March 1821
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You might try the British Newspaper Archive (http://www.britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk/search/results/1800-01-01/1849-12-31?basicsearch=william%20garft&somesearch=william%20garft&retrievecountrycounts=false&newspapertitle=chester%2bcourant). There's a couple of mentions there worth looking into.
Edit: I see willsy has beaten me to it!
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Not sure how much of yhis info you have.
According to Bertram Merrells Index of English Marriages (englishmarriages.byu.edu)
William was 34 when he married and Frances was 17. Her father was Thomas Whitlow.
familysearch has the following baptisms for children of William and Fanney in Whitegate
Thomas 1805
Henry 1807
John 1809
Martha 1811
Richard 1813
James 1815
Robert 1818
The last three baptisms - Richard, James and Robert - also appear on the Cheshire Parish Register Database (cprdb.csc.liv.ac.uk) and give Williams occupation as Huntsman. One mentions Kennels so he may have also been in charge of the dogs.
Emeltom
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There's a piece entitled Famous Huntsman, which gives a little history
Nantwich Guardian 02 January 1914
''Will Garfit or Garft (who for thirteen seasons used no horn and trusted to his voice''
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The Cheshire Archives hold tithe maps (these were created after 1836) and these are available online. They have a record of a William Garft occupying three plots at Weaverham, which is not far from Sandiway (about 2.5 miles), owned by one James Hugh Smith Barry. Here's a link (http://maps.cheshire.gov.uk/TITHEMAPS/Search.aspx?source=Surnames&letter=G&word=Garft&random=5).
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I do believe the ref to Will Garfit 1914 is him as there is an archive book online
http://www.rootschat.com/links/01knp/
Sir Harry, after a reign of nineteen years, gave them up in 1837. His first huntsman was Will Garfit, who left in August 1820, when John Jones took his place, coming from Lord Scarborough, and
continued until May 1823
John Jones also mentioned in the 1914 article
There are 3 refs in the link
He worked for Sir Harry Mainwaring
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There's a PDF online
Hunting songs - (SCETI) - UPenn - University of Pennsylvania
has Jan 12 65 as the opening date if you search for Garfit
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William appears to have been the licensee at the Sportsman Inn, Town Bridge, Northwich, between 1820 and 1822. He is recorded in Pigot's Commercial Directory of 1922 (page 22).
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Thank You for the help
This has provided me with some interesting information.
I would also like to find out who William's Parents could be.
JLH
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A few things. According to William's burial on the Cprdb database he was 72 when he died in 1842 which gives him a birth year of c1770. From the same database Frances died in 1851 aged 69.
In the 1841 Census
HO107/98/21/f7
Sandiway, Weaverham
William Gaff 60(?) Independent
Fanny Gaff 55
Robert Gaff 20
Fanny Gaff 14
Thomas Whitlow 75 Ag Lab
Jemima Whitlow 74
All born Cheshire
Thomas Whitlow died Sandiway in 1845 aged 83. I can't find a death for Jemima.
I have also found another child born to illiam and Fanny, bapised Whitegate 1804, a son, William.
Have not been able to find a birth/baptism for William so far.
Emeltom
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Hi,
Sorry to be the bearer of bad news but the image of the 1841 census I'm looking at has a definite No in the "whether born in same County" column for William GAFF. All the others have a Y.
Unfortunately that means there are many more possible baptisms for William :(
Regards,
Daisy
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Saying William was born Cheshire was a mistake on my part for which I apologise. I think I got carried away with all the Ys.
Emeltom
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One of Williams grandsons was referred to as "Austrian Jew". Any chance that Williams birth Records could be found out England?
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Everything I've seen points towards William being a quintessential English countryman! I've seen nothing to suggest that he may have been born abroad. All I can see about his place of birth is that it was not in Cheshire. There is conflicting information about his birth date but about 1777-1781 seems most believable to me.
I've not delved into the grandchildren. "Austrian Jew" does generally mean what it says, i.e. a Jew born in Austria, and that surprises me given William, Fanny and the children seem so linked with Cheshire, and I've seen nothing to suggest any Jewish heritage. Do you have some context for this?
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Just adding to this, as was looking through your total postings after reading your most recent one:
You have put
'One of Williams grandsons was referred to as "Austrian Jew". Any chance that Williams birth Records could be found out England?'
Jewish line through the Mother.....
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He is one we cant really put a finger on.
He was in classy positions for that time but still have no place of Birth on him. my mother and 2 of her aunts have been looking for 15 years and cant find his place of birth.
They did have a census paper on him that showed him from out of the country where it asked where he was born.