Morton Valance - Mill

[Tony Harrison]

Hi Simowaud
I doubt very much if your John is the son of John Birt and Ann Hawkins who did not marry until 1800 and who lived all their life in Gloucestershire.
Regards
Tony

[simowaud]

Hi Tony,

Thanks for your response.  I'll keep digging and let you know if I can find a more positive lead.

best
simowaud

[Julia Birt]

Hi Tony
I was very interested in you post about John and Ann Birt (ne Hawkins). I am married to Nicholas Birt. )(These Birts come from Painswick and Minchinhampton although he is also related to the Morses, Silveys who come from the Moreton Valance Epney and Fretherne area) Today when Nick was sorting some things for his Mum he has come across the wills of John and Ann dated repsectively 1854 and 1875 written apparently on vellum and extracted by the solicitor Brethertons. These look to be contemporaneous with those dates by the age of the document  and copper plate . We are intrigued since we do not think that we have found a connection between the Birts of Painswick and these. Therefore we are not sure how these would have come into the hands of this branch of the Birts. Any help would be much appreciated.

Regards

Julia Birt

[Tony Harrison]

Hi Julia
Thanks for your post, a fascinating discovery. I have a copy of John's will  but not Ann's. According to probate Ann died 4th Oct 1874 which is confusing if the will is dated 1875.
 I do not know of any connection with the Birt's from Painswick but can go back to about 1680 with the family. I have not traced all the children so it is possible one of them ended up in Painswick.
Who is your earliest Birt in Painswick and do you know where he was born. Will try to help if I can.
both John and Ann lived in Epney. I descend from John's brother Joseph.
Regards
Tony

[Sam Coley]

I am a direct descendant of Mary Birt nee Fryer and, in the days when you had to do a little more legwork, I visited Gloucester record office and came across this will. I had to ask what the will said and was informed that the mill was in fact a cider mill with the accompanying press. To make cider the apples first have to be milled i.e. broken up and then put in the press to extract the juice to make cider. This part of Gloucestershire had a lot of cider producers. So the upshot is that there was no mill building in the area. Hope that helps