Well, that was a bit of a break. Twenty months between posts is slightly outside the (overly optimistic?) weekly schedule I set myself back when I started this blog. Thanks to some welcome reductions in my commute, I might once again have some time to look at the family tree!
I celebrated my return to the land of the formerly living by trying to find any possible link between my ancestor, Hannah Halls, who married William Clark in Toppesfield in 1791, and Martha Halls, who married William's brother Thomas in Birdbrook in 1768. Long story short, they might have been sisters, the children of Daniel Halls and Sarah Bradman, but as of today I can neither prove nor disprove that Hannah Halls of Birdbrook is the same Hannah Halls who wed at nearby Toppesfield.
What I did discover was that the earliest parish register for Toppesfield (1559-1696) held at the Essex Archives has suffered significant damage rendering it nearly illegible. Fortunately, someone made a transcript of it - and Essex Archives has digital images of the transcript available. The transcript was produced by genealogist Robert Hollingworth Browne of Stapleford Abbots in 1913 prior to the register being damaged, and in his transcript he notes that the pre-1599 records were themselves transcribed at the end of the sixteenth century and the originals lost.
He includes a list of rectors and vicars from the fourteenth to nineteenth centuries, and some information on gifts to the church (both lists having been added to later by another author, as they include details of George V's Silver Jubilee).
Below is my transcription of a memorandum Browne wrote about one John Overed, minister at Toppesfield, and then Browne's notes on the registers themselves - their condition, the deplorable handwriting of several of the incumbents, items of note (and lamenting the absence of any local or other historical events), and sometimes Browne's own views on the records he has found.
Memdm
Re. John Overed,
sometime minister of this parish but not recorded in Newcourts History as the
appointment seems to have been made in an irregular way. David’s Annals pp.499
under Toppesfield
“John Overed.
Calamy says that in his younger time he lived in the house of Mr
(John) Mead in Finchingfield wither Mr Stephen Marshall used to come
very frequently.
The living of
Toppesfield seems to have been sequestered from Lawrence Burnell, one of the
King’s Chaplains, and who according to Walker was also chancellor, and Caven
residentiary of Exeter. Overed as in 1636 already hear at the appointments of
the “Classes”.
Burnell died 12
Nov. 1647 and Overed was then appointed to the vacancy, under the following
order of the House of Lords 20 July 1648……”Whereas the Rectory and Church of
Toppesfield is now void by the death of Dr Lawrence Burnell, being
above value and immediately in his Majesty’s gift and now at the disposal of
both Houses of Parliament, the Lords & Commoners…have ordered and ordained
John Overed Clerk to be Rector…” Overed signed the Essex Testimony in 1648, and
also the Essex Watchword in 1649. In 1650, he is returned as an able minister.
After the Restoration
Clement Thurston petitioned for the living and obtained it notwithstanding the
presentation to Overed, who then petitioned for a revocation of the grant to
Thurston, succeeded and obtained a Patent for himself.
But Thurston
again appealed to Charles alleging that the living had been sequestered for
Burnell, and that Overed had obtained the revocation by secret and sinister
representations, and that God, not honoring his fraud, he was rejected for
insufficiency and soliciting a new presentation.”
He was again
successful and Overed was finally ejected under the following Order…Whereas Mr
John Overed hath by sinister means procured from us our royal patent…and hath
been since upon due examination before Gilbert Bp London adjudged insufficient
for that Care…that you will prepare a Bill for our Royal signature, containing
a presentation of Clement Thurston to the said rectory…
Notwithstanding
this Thurston was not inducted to the living. Edward Wolley followed and was
admitted 2 March 1660. He with many other clergy joined the King at Oxford and
was made DD in 1642. Remained here until 1665 when he was promoted to the See
of Clonfort & Kilmacogh in Ireland, but he does not seem to have been very
successful in undoing the work of Overed as it is recorded in the Visitations
that a Conventiels[?] was held in the house of one Thomas Cromwell.
Overed removed to
Castle Hedingham and took out a Licence to be a Presbyterian teacher date 1672.
This Register of the parish of S. Margaret Toppesfield in
the County of Essex begins in the second year of Queen Elizths reign
& in the year A.D. 1559 or twenty one years after the institution of
Registration in 1538.
The usual
Transcript appears to have been made in the year 1599 ending at the vj. Of May
or thereabouts. Edward Graunt being Rector, who with the churchwarden should
have attested the correctness of the copy, but they omitted to do so in this
case. One peculiarity of this Register and two or three others in the Yeldham
District, is that it is deficient in name title or Dedication, so that it is
not easy, at first sight, to determine to which parish the books might belong.
It is quite outside my province to deal with the family names mentioned in
these Volumes, but the Edwards and Crackrodes appear to amongst the chiefest,
the former being mentioned many many times. Then there are French names of
interest e.g. Chatters, Chattres, Gascoygns & others. There is an entire
absence of wives names throughout the Transcript but whether these were
mentioned in the original, it is of course impossible to say. Anyway it was not
till the year 1619 that the names of both parents were given – Avis Fitch da of
Will & Grisell.
The population of
the parish must have been numerous even at an early date no less than twenty
seven children being Baptized in the year 1629 twenty five in 1632. The entries
were duly and regularly made all through the period of the Rebellion which is
rather remarkable John Overed the intruding Minister about whom so much has
been written, seems to have been married twice the first wife being named
Christian 1639 and Penelope 1645. Appointment of lay Registers 1653, vox populi
and sworn before a local Justice of the Peace. There is no evidence of any such
appointment here, so it is fair to assume that Overed was a sufficiently good
Puritan not to need any alteration in the old order of things. It is only just
to say that in some instances the election of these laymen was a distinct
advantage, as some of their books, eg Chelmsford, were not only substantial,
but well Kept.
On the other hand
some of these fellows were totally unfitted for the part and made a sad hash of
the names and other particulars. The man at Hackney left out the prefix St.
so that it reads strange when we meet with “Giles Cripplegate” and the like.
The clergy must not be blamed either for the loss of books at this period or
for the way in which they were kept as they, for the most part, had nothing to
do with it for seven years, that is to say, down to the Restoration; the fault,
if any, was in not insisting that all the church books were handed back
and restored.
1661 Wolley
becomes Rector, and he is the only one who keeps the Register in anything like
classic form.
Then comes
Colebrand, his Curate being Saml. Owen, and 1670 Thos. Bampton churchwdn;
1672 Robert Laver warden, Six Baptisms only
1674 Robert Wild
rector only four Baptisms this year
1677 First
mention of one Francis Gall, the redoutable [sic] Church Clerk, who I
suppose had been appointed by Wilde. His unblusing [sic] effrontery may seen in
the way in which he not only scrawls his name at every available place in Vol I
but actually writes it over the beautiful work of the scribe, who made the
Transcript.
1684 Galls deplorable
muddle, but he does tell us about the fall of the steeple in 1689.
1691 Willett
becomes Rector and exit Gall.
Several entries
at the end of Vol. I are also included in Vol. II, these being ticked in red.
Willett keeps the record fairly well but his writing is deplorable.
1714 mention of
the Killingbeck family. One of these was living at Navestock a few years ago
and took an active part in the betterment of the laboring classes in this
district; a rather ponderous lych-gate has been put up to his memory.
1716 Four adult
Baptisms giving parents names too often omitted
1727 Turpin –
possibly one of the Hempstead family so notorious in the 18th
century. Note my mothers ancestors belonged to this parish.
1734 Dr
Daye Rector. Nota, his dreadful handwriting
1737. Dr
Hume, D.D. succeeds Day.
1749 Abrah.
Coham Curate and Dr Squire, Rector, but only for a year.
1750 Henry
Herring, Rector
1753 The New
Style or alteration in the Calandar [sic] No mention of it or the commotion it
made throughout the country.
1724 Burder
family One Dr Burder was a well known Congregationalist at Hackney
circa 1855. [this line out of sequence]
1771 George
Pawson L.L.B. on the resignation of Herring
1774 Twenty four
Baptisms
1783 Introduction
of Pitts Tax of 3o paupers exempted. It is significant that there
were but three Baptisms set down for this year.
1791 A new Book
was provided, ready stamped in payment of the duty. Such books are not common;
but are met with occasionally
1799 Mr Hunt is
recorded as being an itinerant grinder Alas! What I could write about this! By
the way, a few trades are given in this Register.
1819 Gooch was Rector
and remained as till 1876. Malcolm (Gilbert) was Curate in 1806 and Lewis Way
in 1812.
End of the
Baptismal section of the Register which has been remarkably well kept
throughout.
Marriages
The marriage
portion of the Register shows at very considerable deficit inasmuch as the
first Sixty were entirely lost. It will be seen that the list commences with
the marriage of George Rule and Jone Wells in 1598 which is the identical year
when the Transcripts were made. We may therefore assume that the marriages had
entirely disappeared out of the old original paper record, and that the above
was really the first entry in the current account.
The account is
exceedingly well kept for many years afterwards, down to the outbreak of the
Rebellion in 1641, when the loss was all too common in parish Registers. The
institution of Civil marriages during the Commonwealth was no doubt largely
responsible for this. It is very doubtful whether the Justices kept any record
of the “solemnization” of these so called marriages at all events I have never
met with any, if I had it would have been possible to make good the loss, and
it is hardly likely that they would be met with in the Bishops Transcripts,
unless they had first been set down in the original parish Register. However
John Willosby was married to his “wife” in 1642; and John Newman to Sarah Hogg
in 1649.
Coming to 1654
and on to 1658 a large number of marriages are recorded, and as I have noted
the beautiful hand writing it is quite likely that the register was in
different hands for a time at least.
There were no
less than eighteen marriages in 1656 headed by that of Timothy Tice Esqr.
We have a hamlet
in this parish of Stapleford called Tisea Hill which is supposed to have
been the original home of the Tiseas or Tices.
There was also a
branch of the Edwards family residing in this parish, and according to a MSS
book on the heraldry of Essex in the possession of Mr. Cunnington of Braintree
the arms of this family were in the parish church or more properly in the old
church which was wantonly demolished about fifty years ago.
1659 a second
volume of the Register is begun but there were but six marriages down to 1669
during the time of the two Rectors Wolley and Colebrand. Why this extraordinary
falling off?
1670 Three
1671 None
1672 One only –
Anthony Crashrode [?Crackrode] of London to Susan Layer of Belchamp St.
Paul
1673 to 1680 –
seven years not a single marriage. Robert Wild was Rector.
1681 Two
1682 none And
then only a few for several years down to 1690.
It is abundantly
clear that Toppesfield was not a favoured parish for marriages.
1696 Three and so
on to 1703 when four examples were “bound together”
1704.5.6.8 None
1722 nine
marriages
1725.26.27.28.29.30
Seven only which averaged about one a year! Is there any explanation?
1742 One only
1746 none
1751 one
1754 The new books
introduced under the Act known as Lord Hardwick’s 27: Geo.II.
These books were
so deeply ruled in black that the lines often obscured the handwriting of the
Incumbents or Clerks.
The Act was
intended to prevent Clandestine marriages. This arrangement prevented the
insertion of original matter and I fear that the actual abode of one or both of
the contracting parties was overlooked in too many cases. “Both of this parish”
might mean a temporary lodgment [sic] of so many days.
Burials
The burials begin
in 1560 and contemporary with the Baptisms, the first name being Simon Gesborow
and then John Purkas.
The entries have
all the appearance of being a true copy of the original. I purpose just
glancing through these noting any of special interest.
1597 Burial of
Rector Whiting
1570 “Flowers”
Hall; 1589 “Fullers”
1599 “A poor girl
that dwelt in the town”
1602 “Mother
Kemp, and widow Harrington two aged women”
1603 First plague
year of the 17 Century.
“ The
Institution of Bishops Transcripts, or duplicates which were sent to the local
Registray or direct to the Bishops Court in London.
Those of Essex
were destroyed in the Great Fire but they are still well preserved at Ely,
Lichfield and some other places. Those which have accumulated at St
Pauls since the rebuilding are in a great disorder.
1605 An aged
woman an hundred years old !!
1607 Mother Gyps
an old woman
1609 Thomas
Chutterton
Joan Barber an old woman
1611 John Reed of
the Hill
1614 Ede Fisher,
a base. These were somewhat common in this parish.
1618 Thomas
Crackrode, the Elder, Gent.
1620 Twenty
burials including Mrs John Crackrode
1621 Death of Dr
King who had been Rector xvj years.
Probably a period of sickness.
John Crackrode gent.
1626 Twenty two
burials
1627 A wandering
beggar. These unfortunate people still wander the country despite our boasted
civilization.
1629 Marie Chatterton
wife of William
1630 Twenty two
burials
The church is never mentioned in any
connexion
1632 Elizabeth
Spurge, a well known name at Ongar
1633 Two only
1637 Robert
Maltiward son of Robt. gent
1638 Katharine
Chatterton wife of William
1639 Twenty six
burials including John Overeds first wife named Christian. She probably died in
childbed.
1642 The
Rebellion. No burials recorded for ten years! viz. down to 1653. It is
impossible to assign any cause for such gross neglect.
1653 and onwards.
The register is now well and regularly kept which rather tends to the
supposition that a lay “Register” had been appointed after all.
1660 The “Restauration”
[sic]
1663 John Edwards
elected Parish Clerk which Wolley the Rector records in a rather elaborate way
Richd Colebrand Rector
1665 The third
plague year. There were but fifteen deaths.
1666 Mr
Mordant Crackrode
1667 Saml Owen,
Curate
1675 to 1679 None
recorded!
1678 Introduction
of the objectionably law for burying in woollen only. It is always interesting
the different way in which this measure was received. In some parishes the
Register is sprawled over with the words “was buried in woollen only” vide
Chigwell whilst in other places it was scarcely noticed. The learned Mr
Walters tells us that a separate book was kept for the purpose, which was
totally unnecessary as mention of the affidavit would have been enough.
1680 We now come
to Galls time
1688 The
Revolution, but there is absolutely no reference to any political event or any
other startling occurrence local or otherwise.
1690 Death of
Wilde
1700 Still no
mention of the Affidavits
1720 Bare lists
of names without any word of explanation or comment
1727 Twenty
burials the same as in 1620.
1730 Death of Willett
1731 William Daye appointed with his
dreadful writing
1733 Death of Robert Edwards Esq the last
of his race
1734 The fall of the chimnies [sic] at
Hoses?
1735 Thomas Giblin died of the Small Pox.
This is the first mention of any epidemic or outbreak of disease.
1738 A sickly year: no less than twenty
seven deaths.
1747 George Hardy was drowned in a pond,
and Joseph Argent fell into the river
1749 John Sneesum of Wixor (?)
1751 Ellen Butcher a Felo de Se – suicide
– most unusual
1775 Death of Ann Pawson da of the Rector –
note his reflection upon the melancholy event
Sarah Norfolk who was murdered by her
husband who was hung at Chelmsford
1778 Thomas Boreham Clerk of the Parish at
73
1783 Pitts Tax, already referred to. Note
the number of Paupers who were exempted (P)
1797 Death of Rector Pawson, his son made
the Curate
1807 Thomas Eastick of Sybil Hedingham who
died in the snow 17 Febry.
Ages of the departed given
occasionally
John Hardy 84
Joseph Mayhew 87
1808 Rebecca Hardy 84
John Cross killed from a cart
1812 Sarah Allen wife of James Parish
Clerk
The
End
No comments:
Post a Comment