Joseph Fairey, Yeoman of Ellington

[Gillg]

I have recently come across the will of Joseph Fairey, yeoman of Ellington, dated 4 Feb 1828 (last digit unclear).  In it he leaves money to his sister Mary, wife of John Allen, and his nephew Joseph, the son of his late brother Samuel ffairey (sic).  The will was proved on 7th Feb 1839 and nephew Joseph was the executor.

Trying to relate this family to my own Faireys of Ellington, I'm coming to the conclusion that they may not have been from the village, in fact I seem to have found the marriage of Joseph's sister Mary and John Allen in Dean, Beds, on 18 May 1785, and a possible marriage of brother Samuel with Mary Marsh in Dean on 14 April 1794, who could be the  Samuel Fary, born Keysoe, Beds, baptised 13 July 1746.   

But where is Joseph, and how did he become a yeoman of Ellington?  Could he and Samuel have been the sons of Joseph Pharey, baptised 34 March 1716 in Keysoe? Can anyone help?

Thanks
Gillg

[Sue222]

He sounds a bit too posh to be an Ellington Fairey.
There was a Samuel Fairy m Sarah Deacon in Dean 12 Nov 1759. Their children included (all baptised in Dean with slightly different spellings) 
Mary 18 July 1762
Samuel 13 July 1766
and Joseph 19 Feb 1769
(from http://pilot.familysearch.org/recordsearch/start.html#start)
Those names and dates would fit the information in the will, wouldn't they? But it doesn't explain what Joseph was doing in Ellington (although it isn't far away).

[Sue222]

And for nephew Joseph how about
Joseph Farey baptised Dean 31 May 1796 son of Samuel and Mary.
He appears on the 1851 census living with wife Ann in Covington and farming 28 acres (and ditto on 1841 but transcribed as Favry)

[Gillg]

Thanks very much, Sue22.  That's very interesting, particularly as another potentially related Fairey family lived in Dean, so I will query this further with their owner.

I love your remark about Joseph snr. being "a bit too posh to be an Ellington Fairey" .  You're quite right, mine were mostly ag labs with the occasional shoemaker and even the odd jailbird and poacher, but how did you know?

In his will Joseph leaves his sister Mary £200, and to each of his nephews and nieces except his nephew Joseph he leaves £5, Joseph receiving the residue of his estate, so J snr. must have been quite a wealthy man. 

There is currently a Fairy's Lodge Farm in Covington which was possibly part of Joseph's estate at one time.

I'm just curious to find out what Joseph snr. was doing in Ellington. 

Gillg

[Gillg]

Looking at the 1881 I see Joseph Fairey retired farmer aged 84 living in 6 Low Street, Covington, with wife Ann and niece Mary L Brown aged 14, all born Dean. (RG11 Piece 1582 Folio 85 Page 21)  The nephew?

I can't find a death on FreeBMD for Joseph snr, but it must have been between 1828 (last digit not clear) when the will was made and 1839 when it was proved, so maybe before Sep Q 1837.  Maybe a record in Hunts burials index?

[bedfordshire boy]

The only Joseph buried in Ellington was aged 22 on 15 Sept 1826, so that's obviously not him. And there are no subsequent Josephs in Hunts that would fit. How about Joseph age 67 at Dean on 13 Jan 1837? Fits a 1769 birth.

You know I can't resist your Faireys!

David

[Gillg]

Bonsoir, David!

I was wondering if you would become involved with this one!

Joseph buried aged 22 was definitely one of my not so posh family.  It certainly looks as though Joseph the yeoman returned to Dean for his burial, probably to be interred in the family vault.  But what was he doing in Ellington when alive.....? 

I have contacted Marlene in NZ to see if her Fairey family was posher than mine.

Thanks for your input, as always.

Gill

[Dale]

Kia Ora
None of mine swanned with Queen Vic Gill!

I have a Joseph & Ann, but at Yeldon, with a son named Amos (!) and was confused by the Covington clan at first!

I am convinced there is a link somewhere as you may recall that Richard Fairey of Fairey Aviation claimed that his family had been in Hunts for 400 years! Doubtless there are a few of the winged ones floating around  if only we could connect them!

OR someone could persuade the clergy in Hunts & Northants  to make public their Registers in order for us to claim our heritage!

Gripe, grumble
 
Marlene
PS
Are you home again David? Dealing with the grief over the Football World Cup???

[Gillg]

Hi Marlene 

There seems to be at least one Amos in every Fairey family, and generations of them in mine!

As to Richard Fairey, my aunt and grandparents were convinced he was related to us, but maybe they were just romancing - he was a dashing figure in those days.

Re the World Cup performances - surely only the French could do something as dramatic as to dismiss the whole squad .  Now, why didn't we Brits think of that?

Gill