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Hi Lesley,

Oh my goodness, that's amazing! The baby Elizabeth referred to is my great-great-grandmother, born 17 September 1856. It's possible her mother Margaret gave birth to her at Sunlaws. The earliest record I have of the Lillicos actually living on the estate is the 1871 census and it appears they stayed there until William and Margaret's deaths in the 1890s.

It must have been very difficult making a living as a gardener during the winter months. I imagine William would have done general labouring work wherever he could find it. I feel sad thinking of them trying to eke out a life in a miserable little cottage with their four girls. The birth record of their seventh child, William, states he was born at Sunlaws Lodge, so it looks like they were settled there by then.

Colin Cumming of North Berwick in East Lothian, a fellow descendant of William and Margaret Lillico, has told me that his grandmother (Isabella Mather, born 1873, daughter of Jane Mather, nee Lillico) spoke of going on holidays to Sunlaws Estate, where her grandfather (ie William) was head gardener.

I can tell you what became of Elizabeth... she did indeed thrive. In September 1872, at just 16, she married Andrew Dryden, a domestic coachman, in Kelso. In 1883, they migrated to Queensland, Australia, with four of their five children (2-year-old son James died of measles while the ship was quarantined off the coast at Townsville and he was buried on Magnetic Island), arriving in Townsville on 24 October. They settled in Brisbane and had seven more children (poor Elizabeth!) She died on 18 December 1904, aged 48.

Thank you very much for this information, Lesley.

Regards,

Rachel

I've found out more about my Beacoms since I last posted...

John Beacom and Rebecca Mitchell married at Magheracross Parish Church, Ballinamallard, Fermanagh on 5 May 1829. Their children were Mary (bap 11 Apr 1830), Isabella (bap 20 Apr 1832) (my great-great-grandmother), Edward (bap 15 June 1834), Andrew (bap 4 Sep 1836), Jane (bap 15 Aug 1839) and Margaret (bap 18 Dec 1842).. all in Kilskeery, Co. Tyrone. They lived at Glassmullagh, Kilskeery, Co. Tyrone. John's parents were Edward and Isabella Beacom.

Lots of info can be found at the Fermanagh Gold and Ireland Genealogy Projects websites.

Hi Jeannette,

I've just found out that my 3 x great-grandmother Tryphena Owen and her siblings were living at Llys House in Oswestry when she was a teenager. They're listed there in the 1841 England Census when she was 15 years old. Unfortunately I know nothing more about the house.

Cheers, Rachel

Hi Marlene et al,

I've researched my hubby David's Freegard family.. his great-great-grandparents were John Freegard (1848-1903) and Katharine Freeth (1847-1922). Their daughter Alice Maud Freegard (1877-1975) was his great-grandmother. I didn't know their son Garnet migrated to Australia as well, so thanks for that info. Alice married William Charles Weeks (1878-1949) in 1899, they migrated to Australia c1900 and lived at Taabinga, near Kingaroy, in Queensland. Alice died and was buried there, William died and was buried in Brisbane.

I've attached a photo of John and Katharine's headstone in St Martin's churchyard, Bremhill, Wiltshire. Also attached is that of John's parents' Thomas Freegard (c1811-1879) and Margaret (c1817-1856) (nee Matthews), John's grandfather John Freegard (1764-1837), and great-great-grandmother Elizabeth Freegard (nee ??) (c1697-1767) and her son John (1727-1757) (modern text superimposed over faded inscription). John Freegard's inscription reads..

"Sacred to the memory of / JOHN FREEGARD / Who departed this life / 17th February 1837 aged / 73 years / Mourn not dear wife at my decease / hope with God is made in peace."

So my hubby's line is.. Alice Maud Freegard -> John Freegard & Katharine Freeth -> Thomas Freegard (c1811-1879) + Margaret Matthews (c1817-1856) -> John Freegard (1764-1837) + Elizabeth Wilkins (c1768-1859) -> James Freegard (1725-1799) + Susannah Hill (c1732-1794) -> George Freegard (c1699-1770) + Elizabeth ? (c1697-1767)  All the Freegard men from Bremhill, Wiltshire. Their wives: Katharine Freeth, born Burghclere, Hampshire; Margaret Matthews, born Tockenham, Wiltshire; Elizabeth Wilkins, born White Cleeve, Wiltshire; Susannah Hill, born Berwick St John, Wiltshire.

Rachel