On finding the real EDWARD ASHWIN!

[Ashwin descendant]

Hello,

No, I only meant "unusual" in the sense of upping sticks with 7 children and his mother from the rather benign and benevolent region of Warwickshire to take a long and dangerous ocean journey in the hope of building a better life (I assume, unless he was running away from something) by buying farm land in the remote east of Banks Peninsular, New Zealand. And then proceeding to have 11 more children. Probably not unusual in those days.

What I can't understand though, is why 11 years later, he then moved again to Hautapu in the North Island.

[whiteKat]

Hello jim,

Thank you for the information about the parish Church Bidford-on-Avon St Laurence - much appreciated.

And Ashwin descendant I have sent you a 'pm' in regard to 'the letter'.

Regards
Kate

[allanash]

I am a great grandson of Martin Richard Ashwin. I was under the impression that we were descended from Thomas Ashwin of Tower Hill, Bidford. My records show,Thomas Ashwin a gentleman of considerable inherited means married Hester Manley of Charleeste Manor and Honeybourne Farm Estates. 4 sons and 1 daughter.
Manley at Honeybourne.
Edward at Cook Hill.
William at Willersley,
Thomas at Tower Hill.
Caroline married Robert Fletcher.
Our Edward married Elizabeth Wheeler of Mickleton. had 3 sons and 4 daughters.
Edward, John, Martin Richard (my GGF), Ester, Marian and Sarah. Martin married Emma Copson. My grand father (Martin Edward) was one of the kids and married Alice Allan. I have a Descendancy chart. commencing with William Ashwin 1721.
If it's any use I could email it to you.

[whiteKat]

Hello allanash,
Welcome to Rootschat - I have had unbelievable information from people on Rooschat - I think it is an amazing site. I hope you will find it as exciting as I have. And what a lovely New Year's present - to receive word from another of Martin Richard's descendants! Again I am really excited about this. I suppose from the fact that that Martin Richard and Emma Copson had eighteen children - there must be many descendants such as us out here in the big world. Esther Alexandra Cunningham Ashwin was my Great Grandmother - a lovely lady I hear through my cousins though I never met her personally.

I would be absolutely delighted to have the descendancy chart dating back to 1721. Thank you for your kind offer. I have found it very difficult to verify Thomas Ashwin's parents and the exact year of his birth and his marriage let alone anything before this.

I see this is your first post - as per the Rootschat regulations after three posts we can talk through Personal Messages and I can then give you my email address.

Thank you sincerely
Regards
whiteKat

[allanash]

Good morning whiteKat,
I assume you are a cousin of Adrian. He and I are friends from our motorcycling days. His mother startd me on this family thing, Gave me a bit of info
years ago and I've been working away ever since. I have gathered quite a lot of stuff over the years unfortunately I can't authenticate much of it. You are welcome
to copies of what I have.
Keep up the good work.

[whiteKat]

Hello again,
You are absolutely correct about my cousin - isn't that interesting!. He and his brother have been been of great help to me likewise - in putting the family puzzle together - but I still have a way to go yet. With Edward Ashwin's birth I have actually searched parish records in the Warwickshire Records Office - my husband and I were there last year - and all I could find was an Edward Ashwin in 1790 being born to a Thomas Ashwin and Pheobe. This is where my brick wall is - I cannot find an Edward being born to a Thomas Ashwin and Hester.

Do you know where or from whom the information on Edward and Hester came from? It all certainly sounds correct as the name 'Manly or Manely' is found repeatedly in the family as is the name 'Esther and Hester. It is just so frustrating not being able to pin Parish Records to what we believe is our history. You say you have information going back to 1721 - you can go back further than Thomas Ashwin and Hester? That certainly sounds fascinating! If I can be of any help to you in any way on the family I would be more than happy to do so.

Regards
Kate

[allanash]

My records show 7 sons, 7 daughters. 3 of Martin Edwards sisters came to NZ wih the family. Helen, Marian and Sarah had a school for young ladies called Hagley House, in Christchurch. According to the Sebastopol passenger list they brought 7 children with them. I would be interested to know who the extras were.

[whiteKat]

Hi allanash,
Good to hear from you again. Martin and Emma certainly had a lot of children!. I thought there were eighteen but I could be wrong as I can only come up with seventeen currently. The children's names as I understand them to be are:

Helen Ashwin 1856
Marion Emma Ashwin 1858-1876
Martin Edward Ashwin 1859-1902 - your Great Grandfather
Lily Jane Ashwin 1861
Theodore Craven Ashwin 1862
Esther Alexandra Cunningham Ashwin 1864-1956 - my Great Grandmother
Jane Ratcliffe Ashwin 1866
Edith Sarah Packer Ashwin 1866-1958
Charles Avery Ashwin 1868-1952
William Horace Durham Ashwin 1868
Manley John Ashwin 1869-1937
Leonard Thomas Ashwin 1871-1945
Clara Chapman Ashwin 1875-1875
Mabel Ashwin 1876-1940
Jessie Milne Ashwin 1878-1950
Darcy Durham Ashwin 1880-1915
Cecil Stanley Ashwin 1881-1904

Some dates for birth are tight unless there were twins - I am not sure of this! Hope these names are of help to you.

I can now send you a personal message with my email address if you like - now that you have three posts.

I am still very interested in the Descendancy Chart - if you are willing!

Regards
Kate

[allanash]

Hi Kate,
It's a real mixup isn't it ? My records say 7 sons and 7 daughters. But adding them up there appears to be 7 sons and 8 daughters. I have a copy of the passenger list of the Sabastobol which lists 3 of Martin Richards sisters Helen,Mary and Sarah acompanied them to NZ. They set up a school for young ladies in Christchurch called Hagley House.  I think there may be some confusion and they are lumped in with all the kids. Even so they were obviously profilic breeders. My grandmother (Alice) who married Martin Edward was from a family of 16. Big families were the norm. Yes emails would be good. But there is that much stuff here that post would be better.

Name Allan Ashwin. I would love to hear from you.
Kind regards,
Allan.