Foulk Gray was aka Fowk, Fuke, Fownas, Founess, Founous, Foulness, etc. As Founess Gray he was buried at St Giles Cam in 1828. His wife was Mary.
They are known (through the IGI) to have had:
Silva (your Silvester) baptised 27.10.1793 Orwell, Cam d/o Fuke and Mary
Holland (f) Gray d/o Foulk baptised 20.3.1796 Harston Cam
Ambrose Gray s/o Founous and Mary baptised 6.8.1780 Gamblingay Cam
Constance Gray d/o Fownas & Mary baptised 6.02.1785 Sundon, Befordshire
Mary Ann Gray d/o Foulness & Mary baptised 4.04.1783 Barrington, Cam.
Have not found baptism record for Dinah Gray, but she is also reputedly of this family, and she is on the 1861 census listed as being born abt 1781 at Stotfold Bedforshire.
(Id be wary of that place of birth though, as it seems its more likely a "place they knew they used as a homebase on a regular basis" than an actual place of birth - details to follow.
Firstly though - the 1861 census for Great Chesterford Essex
RG9; Piece: 1121; Folio: 25; Page: 43
Dinah Shaw aged 80 widow, mother born Stotfold
Silvester Shaw (daughter of above) head 42, Wicken Ex
Stephen Shaw son 20 Caxton Cam
Counceletta Shaw dtr 18 Bourne, Cam
Christiana Shaw dtr 16 Bluntim (sic) Bluntisham Cam
Catherine Shaw dtr 12 Hampshire
Centenia Shaw dtr 11 Ickleton Cam
(blank space) Shaw son 9 Shepreth Cam
Polly Shaw dtr 7 Bishops Stortford Hrts
Alfred Shaw son 4 Essex
Zachariah Shaw son 3 High Laver Ex
Ireliah or Izeliah Shaw dtr 2 months Ickleton Cam
Acquila Shaw dtr (actually Niece) 15 Saffron Walden Ex
also with this family are:
Stephen Loverage 48 head born Buckinghamshire
Priscilla Welsh head Biggleswade, Bedf
Alfred Welsh son Widdington Ex
Cinderella Welsh dtr Barton Cam
Elizabeth Welsh dtr Corket Cam
As you can see it becomes rather obvious this is the same family as appears on the 1851 census at Saffron Walden picked up by Irret in an earlier post, and proves that Acquila Shaw is the daughter of Jonas Shaw and Susannah Thorpe, not the daughter of Silvester Shaw.
Jonas Shaw 23 born Sawston Cam
Susanna Thorpe 22 Ureskingworth Bed - found her on the IGI baptised 1826 Wrestlingworth Bedf - as Susannah SHAW, daughter of James and Dinah.
Hennimore Shaw 7 Newport Ex
Acquila Shaw 4 Saffron Walden, Ex
Naomi Shaw 2 Whittlesford Cam
Stephen Loveridge 31 Towader (Towcester) Nthants
Silvester Thorpe 29 Wicker (sic) Wicken Cam (daughter of James Shaw and Dinah proven by 1861 CR)
Stephen Loveridge 8 Caxton Cam
Councillette Loveridge 6 Bourne, Cam
Christiana Loveridge 4 Colne, Hants
Catherine Loveridge 2 Abbotsley, Hants
Antina (Centina) Loveridge 1 Ickleton Cam
Esther Dimmock Thaley 18 (sic) Thorley Cam
Councilla Thorpe 53 Gt Maden Cam
Frances Shaw 15 grandaughter Newnham Cam
Jonas Andrews 7 (no rel given) Hindon Cam
Using the IGI I also found Cresana Shaw baptised 1818 Stotfold, daughter of James and Dinah Shaw.
Given that Dinah Gray/Shaw was the sister of Silva/Silvester Gray who married John Thorpe, its easy to see why the name Silvester appears in this family.
so who was Esther Dimmock? she was the daughter of Rebecca Dimmock, baptised in 1833 at Thorley. Rebecca was baptised in 1810 at Bishops Stortford the daughter of Richard and Esther Dimmock. They also had James in 1812 at Much Hadham Hrts and FRANCES in 1803 at Enfield, London. Now Frances Dimmock married Moses Shaw born abt 1797 Howell Cam.
Moses Shaw and Frances had Jemima 1833 Kingston Cam
Loumesca or Louisa 1836 Steeple Morden Cam, Naomi 1836 Steeple Morden Cam, Moses 1839 Thriplow Cam, John 1840 Little Abington Cam, and James 1843 Fulbourn Cam. They also appear to have had someone listed as "Dowser" on the census, but it wouldnt be too far to stretch it to "Jonah or Jonas" as both were born abt 1827,and related to this family in some way.
Jonas/Jonah of course, married Susannah Shaw, who also went by the alias thorpe, as did her sister Silvester.
Moses Shaw was probably the son of Moses Shaw and Miney (Jemima) Smith who married in 1787 at Stotfold. They were known to have had the following:
Elizabeth 1800 Stotfold, Winishall 1788 Stevington Bedf, Sarah 1803 litlington Cam, John 1806 Fowlmere Cam, Mary 1795 Bassingbourn Cam, and Susannah 1790 Brington, Hunts.
How does James/Jim Shaw fit in? I found him baptised at Stotfold in 1788, the son of "Moses Shaw and Sarah". Looks like Moses had a liason with Sarah, and produced a child.
Finally, your John Thorpe would have been born circa 1790 if married to Silva/Silvester Gray b.1793. He could well be the brother of Mary Ann Thorpe b.cir 1796 West Wickham, Cam, and married Charles Gray b.cir 1788 Teversham Cam, the son of Charles Gray and Acquilla Smith (and brother of Foulk).
