Looking for Samuel WOOD d.1748

[Kylie B]

Hello
I am trying to find out more information about Rev Samuel Wood- he was a non conformist minister in Wivenhoe, Lavington and finally Woodbridge. He was apparently minister at the Quay Congregational Church in Woodbridge from 1736- 1748.

He died in Woodbridge on 28 Sept 1748 aged 65- meaning he was born circa 1683.

His nephew- also Samuel Wood, preached at his funeral sermon. He was apparently a minister in Norwich at the time.

His son- another Samuel Wood  was a non conformist minister in Framlington at that time.

I have contacted the Quay Congregational church directly- but they apparently do not hold any information on their ministers from so long ago.....

So I dont know where else to look....I am trying to find out who Samuel Wood of Woodbridge's wife and children were- I have one son, Samuel Wood of Framlington, but would like to know who the rest of the family were.

Can anyone help with access to appropriate parish records, or who might be visiting the Local records office- if they might hold the old church records??

Thanks! Otherwise I seem to have hit something of  brick wall
Kylie B

[Suffolk Mawther]

In haste 

There is no Lavington in Suffolk.

Could be Lavenham or possibly Levington?

And it's Framlingham by the way, have a look on the history pages at www.framlingham.co.uk
Lovely market town with ancient castle and very famous church dedicated to St Michael and All Angels + plus a plethora of Independent chapels (the Congregational was built by my husbands ancestors - now a holiday home 'with the WOW factor' - so they say).

Pat ...

[Kylie B]

Sorry Pat - I keep making that typo with Fram!!
Framlingham is definately where I meant.

Have double checked and the book reference says Lavington, but I am picking your first suggestion of Lavenham as probably being the right one.

Thanks
Kylie B

[Suffolk Mawther]

Just before I go to bed, here are a couple of web sites to show you what Lavenham is like - I live in the next village and am often in Lavenham.

http://www.lavenham.co.uk/

http://www.beenthere-donethat.org.uk/lavenham.html

http://www.lavenham.co.uk/collage/contents/

http://www.roughwood.net/ChurchAlbum/Suffolk/Lavenham/LavenhamChapel2005.htm

I looked around for a photograph of the Chapel where furniture, bric a brac etc and cream teas are to be found.

I checked in our copy of 'Lavenham Panorama' a second collection of Lingard Ranson's photographs (out of print and like gold dust).  It confirmed that the photograph as above on the Roughwood site, now the furniture shop, is indeed the former Congregational Chapel in the High Street.

So this could be where your ancestor once preached 

Framlingham and Lavenham are both tourist destinations for visitors to Suffolk 

Pat ...

[Hephzibah]

Hello Kylie B
In 'My Ancestors were Congregationalists' by David J.H.Clifford, there were congregationalists meeting in Lavenham between 1697-1960. The church was built 1827, no indication as to whether this replaced an earlier building..  The only records listed for the period when Samuel Wood may have been there are the Birth & Baptism records for 1735-1835 which are held at Ipswich RO (RG4/1852) & SoG.
Hephzibah

[Suffolk Mawther]

Doh!  Thank you Hephzibah

I wasn't paying enough attention to the dates was I  

Pat ...

[Kylie B]

Ladies
Thank you both very much.....I seem to have hit a deadend here sadly. The original chapel is no longer there, and the only records for when my Samuel might have been minister are BMD's- so might show who he provided the minstrations for...but not his own.

Pehaps if his childrens' baptisms were included amongst them, that would at least give his wife's name...Hephezbah are those avail online at all, as I cannot visit the RO or SoG (I live in Australia!)...so only other option would be to try a post asking if anyone is going to the Ipswich RO and could look them up for me, I guess?

Kylie B

[Hephzibah]

Sorry Kylie B, I don't know if the records are on line. When I go to the Ipswich RO I'll have a look at the Lavenham records although am not planning a visit for a while....am trying to get through what I already have from there!!
Hephzibah

[Suffolk Mawther]

Kylie, my late web partner did a lot of research in his ancestral town of Lavenham.  There are a great many records on the Cosford-Database, which is unfortunately off line at the moment - although an archived version is available with many of the records.  
I think your research might be a bit early for the records on the database, but possibly be worth a look
http://web.archive.org/web/20080611133922/http://www.cosford-database.co.uk/

Pat ...