Author Topic: VANHAM - North Lopham  (Read 2618 times)

Offline YvonneP

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VANHAM - North Lopham
« on: Friday 23 March 07 12:40 GMT (UK) »
Isaac John Cole Vanham was born, according to the 1851 census, in North Lopham c1825.  On this census he was 26 years old and living with his mother Esther Cowles, a widow of 51, and three younger stepbrothers - Frederick 24, George 16, and Robert 9 - the family were in Kenninghall.  All these facts would seem to indicate that his mother was married to a Mr Vanham, or her maiden name was Vanham prior to her marriage to Mr Cowles.  My investigations do not seem to prove this.  Benjamin Cowles married (H)esther Cole in 1831, this was his second marriage and (H)esther too was described as a widow, her maiden name being Jessop.  John Cole married Esther Jessop in 1822.  I have not yet established a death for him.
In the Bishops Transcripts for North Lopham is a baptism for Isaac Banham on 27th February 1827 - son of John Banham, a shoemaker and Esther - Isaac's marriage certificate states that his father was John Vanham, Shoemaker.
Until 1875 an informant could name anyone as the father of an illegitimate child.  If this is one such case then Isaac could have been born between Esther's two marriages when her legal name was Esther Cole.  The evidence appears to be in the name he used for the rest of his life - the Cole even being passed on to his daughter, my husbands great grandmother Hannah Maria Cole Vanham.

I have searched for the elusive Mr John Vanham for some years now and he has eluded me.  As this is not a common surname I wonder if there are any folk out there who could shed some light on this mystery?
Parker - Northamptonshire
Bradford - S Lincolnshire
Cook - S Lincolnshire
Clarke - Derbyshire
Flowers - Buckinghamshire/Hertfordshire
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Offline daviesa

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Re: VANHAM - North Lopham
« Reply #1 on: Friday 23 March 07 13:55 GMT (UK) »

Hi Yvonne and welcome

Ive looked on 1841 census for John and found the following:
No sign of John Vanham but Banham

HO107/784/15
Street, Neatishead, Norfolk.

John Banham     45  shoemaker
Mary Banham     41
Edward Banham 25  general sh

All born in county.

He is the only shoemaker i can find, hope it helps

Alison  :)
Rose - Essex, Cheshire
Davies - Flintshire, Cheshire
Sainsbury - Gloucestershire, Cheshire, Anglesea
Sampson - Norfolk,Suffolk,Chester
Anguish - Norfolk, Suffolk, Chester

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www.nationalarchives.gov.uk

Offline YvonneP

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Re: VANHAM - North Lopham
« Reply #2 on: Friday 23 March 07 14:09 GMT (UK) »
Hello Alison, thanks for that.

I expect shoemakers/menders travelled around and this guy is the right age to be Isaac's father.  I have a feeling that his mother was not married to his father, which is why  Cole appears in his name. 

I have a chap in my tree who was christened with his father's name as his second name and  the two were switched around when his parents later married.

Parker - Northamptonshire
Bradford - S Lincolnshire
Cook - S Lincolnshire
Clarke - Derbyshire
Flowers - Buckinghamshire/Hertfordshire
Laxton - Northamptonshire
Shields - S Lincolnshire

Offline jonathanbo

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Re: VANHAM - North Lopham
« Reply #3 on: Tuesday 15 November 11 16:26 GMT (UK) »
Hello Yvonne,
                   My wife`s grandma was Florrie Vanham born Cullingworth 1893.I think the John Cole born 1801 became John Cole Vanham.I picked the following mainly from the Family Search website:
          John Cole born 4/11/01 bapt.7/12/1801 privately.Mother Mary Cole, reputed father John Venom, Fersfield.
           Mary Cole born and baptized 12/6/1806,daughter of Mary Cole by John Venom the reputed father, Fersfield.
           John Venham married Mary Cole 17/7/1808 Fersfield.He is a widower she a spinster.
           Hannah Venham baptized 31/7/1812 dtr. of John Venham and Mary Cole,Fersfield.
           John Coal bachelor married Hester Jessup spinster both of Kenninghall 29/1/1822
           John Vauhan or Vanham buried at Banham 3/3/1830
           Hannah Maria Vanham, born 23/4/1830,baptized 27/5/1830 at Banham.Parents John Cole Vanham deceased, shoemaker.and Esther, late Jessup.
           Marriage of Benjamin Cowles, widower and Hester Cole, widow ,by banns,7/11/1832, Kenninghall.
           Marriage of Isaac Vanham,bachelor aged 26 and Harriet Brett,22, both of Kenninghall, 11/10/1852.Grooms father John Vanham, shoemaker.
            I have searched Kenninghall 1822 to 1832,Banham 1821 to 1830 and North Lopham 1821 to 1830 for a baptism for Isaac without success.It could however be a late baptism as I noticed some parents bringing as many as five children to be baptized at the same time.   


Offline YvonneP

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Re: VANHAM - North Lopham
« Reply #4 on: Tuesday 15 November 11 17:35 GMT (UK) »
Hello Jonathan,

I posted this original message so long ago I had forgotten about it, thanks for the reply.  Since posing my question I have found out quite a bit about Isaac John Cole Vanham and his ancestors, as it seems so have you.   His father John Cole was born in November 1801 the son of Mary Cole, at his baptism on 7th December in the village of Fersfield, Norfolk he was recorded as "John the son of Mary Cole by  John Venom the reputed father"  A later baptism for a Mary Cole in 1806 has the same annotation.  On 17th July 1808 the parish records show the marriage of Mary Cole and John Venham - widower.   So it would appear that John Cole Vanham was entitle to use the name after his parents actually married and it would seem that John Venham/Vanham was a married man when he fathered John and Mary.   John Cole was recorded as marrying Esther Jessup and she used the name Cole when she married her second husband but when John was buried in 1830 he was recorded as Vanham, I do wish they would chose one name and stick to it, it would make life less interesting but easier!

The baptism of Isaac John Cole Vanham took place in the village of Banham and he was recorded as Isaac Banham, which is why you could not spot him.

By the way, my husband's Great Grandmother was Hannah Maria Cole Vanham, daughter of Isaac John Cole Vanham she married Joseph Henry Birch in Cullingworth so I guess we have a connection

Thanks again, Yvonne 
Parker - Northamptonshire
Bradford - S Lincolnshire
Cook - S Lincolnshire
Clarke - Derbyshire
Flowers - Buckinghamshire/Hertfordshire
Laxton - Northamptonshire
Shields - S Lincolnshire

Offline peba

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Re: VANHAM - North Lopham
« Reply #5 on: Saturday 27 May 17 21:49 BST (UK) »
Good evening all,

I see that I am posting more than 5 years after the last reply on this thread. If there is still a discussion to be had, I would like to participate. Vanhams of Fersfield, North Lopham, and Kenninghall are my ancestors, possibly some of those mentioned here. From earliest to latest generations, they are:

John Vanham & Mary Cole
Isaac Vanham & Susan Cole
John Vanham & Rebecca Keeble
Hannah Vanham & ?
Willie/William/Willy Vanham (registered illegit.)
Mary Vanham - my great-grandmother

There is some uncertainty about the earliest generation, perhaps two.

I have a photo of Mary about 3 years old (c. 1892) with her 'Granny', who was 'Granny Ringer' by her later married name and I this assume is Hannah Vanham (son Willie was registered illegitimate and took his mother's maiden name). At some time somewhere I think I have seen a group photo that includes Willie Vanham and want to track it down. I have Willie's original birth certificate.

My immediate thoughts on this rare surname are that it could be a variant of Venham (or vice-versa, given the Norfolk accent!) or a slightly anglicised (contracted?) version of a very similar if not identical Flemish name. Didn't quite a lot of people come from the Low Countries to drain the fens centuries ago?

Best regards,

Paul Armitage