Somerset place name WARE

[Adrian Smith]

Hi All,

I am looking at the 1881 census for Bradford on Avon [RG11/2050] and I see a Jacob Hemmings - place of birth Ware, Somerset.  I cannot find any such place in any list of Somerset villages.

I think the enumerator may have been a bit deaf as I believe the surname should read Hemmings.  Any ideas about the true identity of the place of birth?

Regards,

Adrian.

[SueTeakle]

Hi Adrian,

Could it be Weare 


Sue

[charlotteCH]

The only place called Ware  in the AA Road atlas  is in Herts.

charlotte

[GAJ]

In 1861 Jacob Hemmens aged 25 and Eliza his wife aged 27 (born Ireland) were living in Great Alfred Street, Weston-super-Mare.  Then he gave his place of birth as Woodberrow (also spelt Woodborough sometimes) a hamlet in the parish of Winscombe.

In 1851 there is the following family in Woodberrow:
Charles Hemmens 44  cordwainer  born Winscombe
Elizabeth Hemmens wife  42 born Shipham
Frank Hemmens  8  born Winscombe
Samuel Hemmens  3  born Winscombe
Jacob Hemmens 15  errand boy  born Winscombe

[GAJ]

1841 in Winscombe:

Charles Hemens 35 cordwainer
Elizabeth
Frances 11
Silas 9
Henry 7
Jacob 5

Winscombe and Weare are only a couple of miles apart along the A38.

[GAJ]

There is an index of Winscombe parish registers online at:

www.origins.plus.com/winscombe/index.html

There are masses of Hemmens there.  It is a very common surname in this area.

[Adrian Smith]

Many thanks for all of the fantastic information.

This is going to get complicated 

GAJ: The Jacob you list in 1841 is in fact the Jacob I am researching, though later in his life he was known as George and later Jacob George.  I have the 1851 and 1861 records and I am fairly happy with those [even though in 61 the name was spelled Hemmings].

I am trying to tie him in with the 1881 record where he gives Ware as his place of birth.  I have always assumed this to be Weare [not too far from Winscombe], and for some reason he was being less than truthful.  If I am wrong, the next reliable information I have is his second marriage in Westbury, Wiltshire in 1884 which means he effectively disappeared for 23 years!

I'll keep digging.

[firestorm]

Weare is about 5 miles from Winscombe