The Fox family from Sporle/Swaffam Norfolk

[Davy W]

I am great nephew of Greenland Fox who was born 1878 in West Durham. I believe he was named after his uncle who was born in Sporle in 1851, died 1876.
 It seems there were a few 'Greenlands' in the family. Although this name is not exclusive to the Fox family, does anyone know of the origin of this unusual first name.

[Poppy Rose]

Hello Davy W

As you probably already know the first Greenland to be found in Sporle was the son of James Fox and Sarah (formerly Feltwell) baptised in 1791.

Yours is an interesting family being some of the first pioneers, if not the first, to migrate to the industrial North from Sporle. Many people from this parish followed them.

Have you come across a book by Henry Green edited and published by the Durham County Local History Society? There is a paragraph in it about the Greenland Fox who died in 1876.

Henry Green, born in Sporle in 1855 and later a farm labourer, was a distant relative of mine who migrated north to Durham in the early 1870s where he worked in the coalmines.

I am unable to answer your original query but I hope the above is of interest. Just a thought - the name Greenland may have started life as a surname further back in your family. 

[Davy W]

Hello Poppy Rose,
                            Many thanks for your reply. I have found the book you recommended and have ordered a copy, I would like to learn about life in both Norfolk and West Durham in those times. A few of the Fox family moved up here for work - certainly not for the weather !  Thanks for the surname tip - I do know that the Fox family have used maiden names to name their children and it is a clue that I will follow up, possibly a Greenland female married a Fox male.

[Poppy Rose]

Hello Davy W

I had a look on the internet to see if I could see something to help with your name query but could find nothing really useful.

But mainly from the FamilySearch records I found a Greenland Fox living in Scotland. He appears in the following census:

1841 Edinburgh (born England)
1851 Lanarkshire (wife Elizabeth)
1861 Milton
1871 Lanarkshire

There was a baptism of a son John to Greenland and Christain 1824 Paisley.

There are six marriages listed!

1814 Christain McDougall, Greenock
1836 Mary Combe, Paisley
1841 Isabella Fergusson, Edinburgh
1850 Elizabeth Houston, Glasgow
1861 Mary McConnell, Milton
1870 Catherine Brock, Glasgow

I don't have access to Scottish records to check everything out but from the indexes it looks as if it could all be one man!

Looking at the ages on the census records I have a feeling this is your original Greenland Fox born 10th December 1791 in Sporle and baptised on 1st Jan 1792 the son of James. There seems to be no mention of this Greenland in Sporle after his baptism record.

If it is him then he is a long way from Sporle in Norfolk and if it isn't him then you have another incident of the Greenland Fox name born in England and he may be related.

Have you researched this man? I would be very interested to know something about him. Was he the one from Sporle? 

[trish1120]

Greenland FOX;
Baptised 01 January 1792, The Virgin Mary at Sporle with Palgrave, Norfolk
Birth 10 Dec 1791
Parents James FOX and Sarah FELTWELL
Notes, Mother late Spinster

Siblings (Baptism only)
SUSANNA 25 June 1786
THOMAS 27 July 1788
WILLIAM 27 March 1785
JOHN 28 Jan 1798
ROBERT 11 April 1800

James FOX, Single, of Necton Parish Married Sarah FELTWELL of Sporle Parish,
28 Marc 1785, same Church as above
Witnesses, Thomas GREENWOOD, Henry WHISKER

(Source FreeREG)

Out of desperation even tried to find out when Greenland was mapped to see if he was named after an event!


Trish

[keith wanless]

I guess that there must have been a lot of Foxes in Sporle. My great grandfather Edward Fox appears in the 1881 census in Co.Durham, aged 39, so born in1842. he was born in Sporle, occupation horseman/carter.
A lot of men went north at that time, I know, to work in the mines. As I am starting to trace that branch of my family perhaps someone has connections ?
I live in Scotland, so it is difficult to search local records - help appreciated,

Keith W

[Poppy Rose]

Hello Keith

Welcome to Rootschat.

Yes there were several Foxes in Sporle but I believe they were all one family.

I don't know whether you have this: Edward Fox was baptised in Sporle as Edward James Fox on the 28th of November 1841 the eldest son of James Fox and Anne (formerly Barker).

James Fox (Edward' father) was a son of the James Fox mentioned in Trish's post above but by his third wife Elizabeth (formerly Stebbings).

James Fox senior married Sarah Feltwell in 1785. He then married Jane Dixon in 1802 and Elizabeth Stebbings in 1809 and had children with all three.

I hope this helps.

 

[trish1120]

Welcome Keith to Rootschat.

The original poster on this Davy W has not been on Rootchat since 2012

Poppy Rose has provided you with extra info.

If you need more please ask

[keith wanless]

Thanks Poppy Rose, that's great information. One of these days I will try to get to Sporle to see where the ancestors came from and perhaps browse the local records.

Your help appreciated,

Keith