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Sussex / Re: John Napper - b. 1804 Warnham
« on: Thursday 14 October 10 17:34 BST (UK) »
Hi Lesley,
its great to see those photo's, there is a striking resemblance to my grandfather Jack in Edwin. I have been working from my grandfathers work on a "Pedigree of Napper" family tree, which is the Sussex Arch. one i mentioned yesterday. It's a little unclear but it is marked that we go back to John Laker Napper who was Henry Frederick (the elders) brother, he lived at Lakers Lodge and Tismans (which i visited in the summer), Lakers Lodge is now owned by Phil Collins' ex wife!! Its a beautiful manor farm in Loxwood. Tisman's is an even more beautiful Georgian farmhouse, which appears in a sense to be the family nest.
I think that John Laker Napper was the son of Mathew Napper of Cranleigh and as you mention, and he was the son of Henry Napper of Crawley b.1698, but that's as far back as i can go, the tree itself goes back to 1404 and very soon becomes established in Loxwood (via the chapel) and Wisborough Green (St. Peter and Vincula). This is almost the family church, there were seven family tombs inside and i counted forty family graves outside.
The first birth certificate I have is for Charles Henry Napper in 1833 who was the son of Henry Napper, who was born and raised at Ends Place. He was a Blacksmith so my father always assumed and told me that we were all blacksmiths going back to 1404! Going to see Ends Place, Tisman's and Lakers Lodge i was not expecting that kind of scale, i don't think blacksmiths have ever lived in houses like that! John Laker seems to have owned a great deal of land south of Loxwood, I found contracts between him and the Wey and Arun Canal, and he owned farms all the way down to Pulborough via Roundstreet Common (Sparr Farm, Paplings, Newpound and Malham). I assume that after Dendy lost everything on the roulette tables of London that Henry Napper worked in the house forge to earn money, but he must have been born gentry and forced into a trade. Its a fascinating tale of riches to rags by all accounts.
Henry's son Charles Henry was a Grocer, born in Tunbridge Wells. His son Frederick George Napper (my great grandfather) was born in Tunbridge Wells and moved to Oldham in the 1890's to become headmaster of Oldham Grammar school. His son Jack, born in 1901 was my grandfather, brother Frederick, sisters Winifred and Edna, all born in Oldham around the turn of the century (as far as i know).
Jack became a renowned architect in Hull and Newcastle where he set up the architectural school in the university and ran a practice called "Napper Collerton Architects". His children Richard (my father, an architect) Adrian (Professor of architecture/engineering at Herriot Watt) and Claire were all born in Newcastle. Thats the line, i think thats as far as i can go back, but maybe with your help, i can go further. I think the illuminated family tree of Henry Frederick the Elder could be the missing link to take our tree back into the 1500's!
I also went to Warnham church where the naughty Dendy is buried, his tomb is cracked in half (probably still owed money) and there are a few family graves right next to the church. Apparently there is a dedication to Mathew and his wife inside, so i may return to have a look at that......
Many thanks for the photographs! Have you ever seen the print of the cricket match called 'The Great Match"? It has 5 members of the family portrayed watching the game or playing, i have a copy but you can look at it in most printshops that sell old prints. It is really how all of this started for me, because i love cricket and apparently it's in the genes!.....John Laker Napper played for Sussex as did his son Edwin.....
sorry to go on, i've never met anyone who knows about or is interested in this stuff,
Thomas Napper
its great to see those photo's, there is a striking resemblance to my grandfather Jack in Edwin. I have been working from my grandfathers work on a "Pedigree of Napper" family tree, which is the Sussex Arch. one i mentioned yesterday. It's a little unclear but it is marked that we go back to John Laker Napper who was Henry Frederick (the elders) brother, he lived at Lakers Lodge and Tismans (which i visited in the summer), Lakers Lodge is now owned by Phil Collins' ex wife!! Its a beautiful manor farm in Loxwood. Tisman's is an even more beautiful Georgian farmhouse, which appears in a sense to be the family nest.
I think that John Laker Napper was the son of Mathew Napper of Cranleigh and as you mention, and he was the son of Henry Napper of Crawley b.1698, but that's as far back as i can go, the tree itself goes back to 1404 and very soon becomes established in Loxwood (via the chapel) and Wisborough Green (St. Peter and Vincula). This is almost the family church, there were seven family tombs inside and i counted forty family graves outside.
The first birth certificate I have is for Charles Henry Napper in 1833 who was the son of Henry Napper, who was born and raised at Ends Place. He was a Blacksmith so my father always assumed and told me that we were all blacksmiths going back to 1404! Going to see Ends Place, Tisman's and Lakers Lodge i was not expecting that kind of scale, i don't think blacksmiths have ever lived in houses like that! John Laker seems to have owned a great deal of land south of Loxwood, I found contracts between him and the Wey and Arun Canal, and he owned farms all the way down to Pulborough via Roundstreet Common (Sparr Farm, Paplings, Newpound and Malham). I assume that after Dendy lost everything on the roulette tables of London that Henry Napper worked in the house forge to earn money, but he must have been born gentry and forced into a trade. Its a fascinating tale of riches to rags by all accounts.
Henry's son Charles Henry was a Grocer, born in Tunbridge Wells. His son Frederick George Napper (my great grandfather) was born in Tunbridge Wells and moved to Oldham in the 1890's to become headmaster of Oldham Grammar school. His son Jack, born in 1901 was my grandfather, brother Frederick, sisters Winifred and Edna, all born in Oldham around the turn of the century (as far as i know).
Jack became a renowned architect in Hull and Newcastle where he set up the architectural school in the university and ran a practice called "Napper Collerton Architects". His children Richard (my father, an architect) Adrian (Professor of architecture/engineering at Herriot Watt) and Claire were all born in Newcastle. Thats the line, i think thats as far as i can go back, but maybe with your help, i can go further. I think the illuminated family tree of Henry Frederick the Elder could be the missing link to take our tree back into the 1500's!
I also went to Warnham church where the naughty Dendy is buried, his tomb is cracked in half (probably still owed money) and there are a few family graves right next to the church. Apparently there is a dedication to Mathew and his wife inside, so i may return to have a look at that......
Many thanks for the photographs! Have you ever seen the print of the cricket match called 'The Great Match"? It has 5 members of the family portrayed watching the game or playing, i have a copy but you can look at it in most printshops that sell old prints. It is really how all of this started for me, because i love cricket and apparently it's in the genes!.....John Laker Napper played for Sussex as did his son Edwin.....
sorry to go on, i've never met anyone who knows about or is interested in this stuff,
Thomas Napper