Looking for PHEASANT BEERHOUSE

[paul searing]

Hello Forum

Ok its my last try
Im doing my family tree for which I have discovered that in 1871 my grt grt grt grandfather lived and worked in Beerhouse (so called)

The location was "PHEASANT BEERHOUSE" College Road, Cheshunt I would guess that its has long since gone by now
but would there be anyway of getting info on it
such as local library or local historians who are familiar with the area and its history.

also

What have been the local Burial place for that period 1850's
Im sure that many of my direct decendants are buried in and around Cheshunt
and Wormley.

perhaps a forum member can help me
|bowdown||bowdown||bowdown|

[Peter Goodey]

Reposting from the other place...

...the obvious question is whether the beerhouse was there in the 1881 census (the 1881 census is indexed on address even using A....y;)).

Bear in mind that beerhouses could be very transient undertakings.

[uksearch]

It may be listed in the local trade directory. In large towns and city directories they are listed.

UK

[Peter Goodey]

Since you didn't mention that they were there in 1881, I assume it changed hands between 1871 and 1881.

It may perhaps have changed name when it changed hands. Perhaps it just closed. The new licensing regulations may be relevant here.

The 1881 census may clarify the situation otherwise I'd try the licensing registers.

[Clive Blackaby]

Reposting from the other place...

...the obvious question is whether the beerhouse was there in the 1881 census (the 1881 census is indexed on address even using A....y;)).

Bear in mind that beerhouses could be very transient undertakings.
Of course if you can't find it on 1881, you could try ploughing through the images of the 1871 census (On A....y, or on microfilm at County Records Office*** or LDS library). Tedious, but it's "real research" :)

A letter or email to Herts County Records Office *** might bring forth joy - all sorts of addresses on www.hertsdirect.org
also have you tried www.hertfordshire-genealogy.co.uk

[Clive Blackaby]

p.s. - I knew the name rang a bell!

Although it is not a line on which I have done any original research, I do have a few Searings in my tree, from the right area (Cheshunt / Wormley) and period.

This information came from a contact researching the name Le May

I have Henry Searing & Alice, with daughters Emily (1873) and Alice (1865)

Henry was the son of Samuel Searing, son-in-law of Sarah Macer, my gggg aunt, so the relationship is a bit remote, and comes from someone else's research.

If it rings any bells I can get further details, or put you in touch with a nearer relative.

[paul searing]

Its good to have positive feedback
when you feel a deadend ahead
someone will always shine a light to keep you going

ok Clive

if you could be kindenough to put intouch with your relitive
it may help to get a little futher

I will try all the leads I get and find out about the "Pheasant Beerhouse"
and its location.

Thank you

Paul

[Clive Blackaby]

Paul,
I'll send my contact a link to this page, so she might pick up from there, but if you'd like to contact me through the email facility on this site, I'll pass your details on to her as well.
c :)

[paul searing]

Great stuff
could be a relitive though distant
thanks for you help clive

[paul searing]

Hi all

I just had a reply back from Herts direct which reads...

"We are not able to find and listings for the PHEASANT BEERHOUSE in Cheshunt yet I have it documneted on Birth and Deathe cetificates.

looks like a there is a problem :confused::confused::confused:

[Jan1954]

Hi all

I just had a reply back from Herts direct which reads...

"We are not able to find and listings for the PHEASANT BEERHOUSE in Cheshunt yet I have it documneted on Birth and Deathe cetificates.

looks like a there is a problem :confused::confused::confused:

I shall have a squizz at the Kelly's (or similar) when I'm out there tomorrow. It may be that they were just looking for Pheasant Beerhouse. You mentioned earlier that it was in College Road, so I'll se if there are any pubs in that road going under a pseudonym! ;)

[SBSFamilyhistory]

from BT.com

Crocodile,The
telephone: 01992 623263 - Text Number
College Rd, Cheshunt, Waltham Cross. EN8 9NQ - Map


that looks like the only one in that road, no picture on line so unable to judge the age of the building ..

[Geoffers]

in 1871 my grt grt grt grandfather lived and worked in Beerhouse (so called) The location was "PHEASANT BEERHOUSE" College Road, Cheshunt I would guess that its has long since gone by now
but would there be anyway of getting info on it

In the absence of much other information on the beerhouse, you may be able to pinpoint where it stood by working through the 1871 census for College Road as recorded by the enumerator and picking out the locations of named properties in relation to each other and then seeing if you can pick them up on detailed maps, such as can be found on the old-maps website.

Is this beerhouse near to a post office, or is it near to several shops (which may at least point to which end of a street it was).

Beer houses could just be a house in a road, which acquired a name through local use or because of something that stood out.

[Davran]

Have a look at this website. (Scroll down a bit to page 2 0r 3)
http://tewkesburyslostpubs.com/images/earlyhistory.pdf

Although not Hertfordshire, I imagine the situation was much the same there. It appears that beerhouses were often in private residences, so your Pheasant may well be just a house now. :(

[Clive Blackaby]

In the absence of much other information on the beerhouse, you may be able to pinpoint where it stood by working through the 1871 census for College Road as recorded by the enumerator and picking out the locations of named properties in relation to each other and then seeing if you can pick them up on detailed maps, such as can be found on the old-maps website.

Is this beerhouse near to a post office, or is it near to several shops (which may at least point to which end of a street it was).

Beer houses could just be a house in a road, which acquired a name through local use or because of something that stood out.

Geoffers speaks wise words, as always :)

The only thing I would add is don't stop at 1871, as you have said it was there for a number of years. Yep, I know it's tedious |snore| especially as college road is about 1 km long, but the results can be astonishing if you find it. And don't necessarily expect the address to be "The Pheasant BeerHouse" (or any other beerhouse) either. Look carefully at the occupations of the inhabitants.

I've done this exercise on 1881 census (took about 5 minutes :) ), and have the results in an RTF file. They are quite interesting, as there were several beerhouses in the area at that time - I'll email the file to you once I have your address, as putting it on here would breach the licence terms of the census CDs

[Clive Blackaby]

putting it on here would breach the licence terms of the census CDs
And anyway, even a summary is too big to post here :(
But here are the real interesting bits for the determined researchers amongst you - just the named premises and the heads of the households. Turners Hill runs north/south at the eastern end of College Road, and the 4 addressses there are contiguous.
Some of the 6 pubs, including the Croc are still there, but The Old Pond at the other end of College Road, which I remember well is apparently now a Tandoori Restaurant. It's importance, however, lives on as it is a recognised local landmark - it still has a Bus Stop named for it :) ! I have mixed childhood memories of getting off the bus at the wrong stop on a trip from my native Hoddesdon - I should have gone to "The Old English" (Gentleman):-

Address Head Marr Age Sex Born
Rose & Crown Turners Hill James.T. PEGRUM M 52 M Roydon, Essex, England
The Woodlands Turners Hill William.G. ROWLETT M 31 M London, London, Middlesex, England
The Old Pond Beer House Turners Hill William.M. KNIGHTLEY U 66 M Cheshunt, Hertford, England
The Rifleman Beer House Turners Hill George SMITH M 32 M Edmonton, Middlesex, England
The Cricketers Beershop College Rd John HAYES M 34 M Cheshunt, Hertford, England
College Rd Post Office Sophia BALLS W 63 F Chelmsford, Essex, England
College Rd Post Office Edmund BURTON M 42 M Astley, Lancashire, England
The Laurels College Rd John GOCHER W 77 M Cheshunt, Hertford, England
The Magpie Beerhouse College Rd John NICHOLLS M 55 M Cheshunt, Hertford, England
Cowmans Cottage College Rd Philip POTTON M 38 M Hertford, England
Gardeners House Cheshunt Cottage John GILL M 53 M Pitminster, Somerset, England
Gardeners House Cheshunt Cottage College Rd Mary A. SANDERS U 65 F Cheshunt, Hertford, England
Post House College Rd James MATTHEWS W 72 M Cambridge, England
Post House College Rd Joseph ADAMS W 77 M Cheshunt, Hertford, England
The Crocodile Beerhouse College Rd Arthur F. BRAY M 31 M Hertford, Hertford, England

[Geoffers]

The only thing I would add is don't stop at 1871.....college road is about 1 km long, but the results can be astonishing if you find it. And don't necessarily expect the address to be "The Pheasant BeerHouse" (or any other beerhouse) either. Look carefully at the occupations of the inhabitants.

'tis a good point Clive, I was aiming to build it up in stages, rather like....."Ah, well, now you've done 1871, try comparing........"

The extent of interesting information that can be gleaned is difficult to overestimate. Think of it, the pople listed are your chap's customers - they're the people he knew, who probably stopped by for a pint......or two. Look at how things changed over two or three census returns and you get a sense of how a community changed; you might pick up why your chap moved there; and if he left....maybe the reason why. It all helps to give substance to your research.

[Clive Blackaby]

They're the people he knew, who probably stopped by for a pint......or two.
How true - and maybe to chat up his daughters, and so ......

There were 3 beer houses on College Road, and another 3 on Turners Hill, just at the top of the street - and the enumerator, poor chap, had to visit 'em all on census night! |5cups| +1

I agree with your step by step approach, but these days the steps can turn into leaps. If you're prepared to spring a few quid for access to our dear friends A.C.uk (|hug| 'em or |nutkick| 'em, they're darned useful for this sort of hunt) you can flip through 70 years worth of censuses in a few hours. Doing the "basics" on 1881 took me about 5 minutes!

I sometimes find it hard to fathom that most of the research which my late father-in-law did on his family over the space of 25 years or so, with much trecking around the UK (and undeniably enjoying the tours - it had its plus points as well :)) I could pretty much replicate / verify from the comfort :confused: of my own home in the space of a week at a fraction of the cost.

[paul searing]

Its amazing

you people (all of you) are just simply amazing
the information you provide and the will to keep looking:) and a reason
to make worth my hunt to seek out my family

I perhaps to a degree dont always understand how to access CENSUS the location to start looking and get results.

I have in the past done leg work (long before PC's were invented) although I admit to owning a ZX81 |oopsredfa .

Living here in sunny Bedford, and working all day makes getting out difficult but this will not deter me, I want to visit Cheshunt and the locations of my Past Blood, to get just one confirmed result, just one would be a blessing two or more well who knows, perhaps to lay flowers on a grave maker.

So to you all
I cant thank you enough, for your patenice and advise
without which I would not have the will to persue|bowdown||bowdown||bowdown|

Paul|hug|

[Jan1954]

Hi Paul,

Have just got back from Hertford. Had a look in the directories and, hats off to the RO, I could find no listing for the Pheasant Beer House either.

I had a look at Kelly's/Post Office directories - very patchy coverage - but below is what I did find (working backwards):

1878

William H EYRE, Beer retailer, College Road
William MEE, Beer retailer, College Road
John NICHOLAS, Beer retailer, College Road
Thomas WARREN, Beer retailer, College Road

1874

William CAPELL, Beer retailer, College Road
William COCK, Beer retailer, College Road
Thomas WARREN, Beer retailer, College Road

1870

William Harper CHEFFINS, Beer retailer, College Road
William COCK, Beer retailer, College Road
Isaac TAPPING, Beer retailer, College Road

1869

Harry MEARING, Beer retailer, College Road

1867

Robert CARR, Beer retailer, College Road
Harry MEERING, Beer retailer, College Road

I also checked for the name SEARING elsewhere in Cheshunt as I went through and found the following:

1869:
William & Daniel SEARING, Farmers, Rickless Farm
Thomas SEARING, Farmer, Flamstead End
John SEARING, Beer Retailer, Turnford

1867 had exactly the same entries as 1869, but could see no others listed commercially after that date.

Hope this helps,

[Geoffers]

I perhaps to a degree dont always understand how to access CENSUS the location to start looking and get results.

There are various sites where you can search census returns and download images, findmypast, The Genealogist, 1901census.nationalarchives and ancestry are some examples. You should be able to view previous and following images with these. Everyone has their own preferences as to which is better.

An alternative, which you can use whether you have internet access or not, is to purchase census returns on CD from the likes of The Parish Chest (http://www.parishchest.com/)

If you use online indexes to find specific people and then download an image, that will be the starting point; page back to the beginning of a street, or enumeration district (and do look at the pages which include the enumerator's description of the area covered, it can sometimes provide useful information) - then work through the area of interest. You might have a large scale, or street map available whilst working through census returns so that you can pick out locations which are mentioned.

[paul searing]

Hi Jan

Thankyou for looking
seems I have a blank |banghead| I re-check my Cirtificates to ensure it's not me
but its there in black and white.

although there is one "Harry Mearing" you have found could he be a "Searing" is there a spelling error

I will try and scan my certificates to let the forum see the address
I have for College street.

perhaps Im in the wrong Place |idea||idea|

but I ow you one

Paul

[Jan1954]

although there is one "Harry Mearing" you have found could he be a "Searing" is there a spelling errorl

It was printed rather than script. He shows as MEARING in 1869 and MEERING in 1867.

Meself, I was wondering about the chap out at Turnford.

[paul searing]

yes Jan

I did look at him myself

I have had a few wrong spellings in the past
which have (after investigation) turned out to be
a "Searing" often spelt as seering sherring spearing or even mayby Mearing......is it a possible

it just seems to uncanny that there is a "Mearing" is in College road, as for Harry :confused:

somthing is still does not add up
yet pehaps I should give this one a miss and move on
its as if Im only skimming accross the ice and cant see below|banghead||banghead||banghead||banghead|

but thankyou one and all ;);

Paul

[Clive Blackaby]

Kelly's/Post Office directories
1869
Harry MEARING, Beer retailer, College Road

1867
Harry MEERING, Beer retailer, College Road

1869:
John SEARING, Beer Retailer, Turnford


The above are especially worthy of note: Searing --> Meering is not a great leap giving full regard to the general degree of accuracy of Kelly's. Was your ancestor's name Harry, (or maybe middle / Sunday name Henry)?

The others are also good to compare with the 1881 census files, and to start your searches on the less accessible censuses.

Following on from my email, if one of the names which Jan has given you from Kellys 1867, 69 or 70 matches someone on the file I sent you from 1881, we should be able to find him on 1871 census as well. That will give us a fixed point, and it's then a matter of walking up and down the street via the enumerator's records. There are 74 households to chose from!

I'll help you with that if you want me to, or give you whatever useful tips I can, but I don't wan't to teach my grandma to suck eggs, nor do I want to deprive you of the satisfaction of finding it for yourself.

[Peter Goodey]

I've just looked in on this thread again and I thought I'd answer the question that I asked in the 2nd message in the thread.

The 1881 census is indexed on address so we can enter College Rd, Cheshunt. We don't know where to start so we'll start anywhere. Now we can walk along the road noting a few landmarks and names, preferably tradesman likely to have reasonably permanent premises.

For example we find Lowin the upholster. I enter his details in the 1871 census and bingo there he is in College Rd.

Looking along the road in 1871 we have:

The Pheasant Beerhouse
Revel
Lowin the upholsterer
Ward
Archer.

1881 was obviously enumerated in the opposite direction and we have:

Archer
Batson
Lowin the upholsterer
Lightfoot
The Crocodile Beerhouse

My conclusion is that the Pheasant became known as the Crocodile between 1871 and 1881.

There may be errors in my interpretation but I think the method is sound

RG 10/1347 f 98 p 30
RG 11/1397 f 96 p 18

I hope this helps.

[Jan1954]

Looks good to me, Peter.

[paul searing]

Hello Pete

Thankyou for your for your advice, I do look at every option
and try to make heads and tails of it all
I kinda feel a lttle stuck here and and there
taking onboard all that I see

I did try to upload a copy of my Cetificatesjust to show
Im not loosing the plot but oh well

I suppose the one thing that I have over looked is they may have been
residing at the beerhouse as a birth in 1870 and a death 1n 1871 both have the Pheasant beerhouse as a place of residence
and occupation also "beeretailer" and "beerhouse keeper" so am I missunderstanding somthing.

will I wake up one night and scream out loud with the anaswer
there is no way I could have got this far without help and advise from this forum.

[paul searing]

Hi Clive

Would love if you could chech the 1871 Sensus for me
also I have much respect for your advice and everybodies advise and help
suck eggs only if there pickled |scold|

also

where is Turnford ?

Paul

I'll help you with that if you want me to, or give you whatever useful tips I can, but I don't wan't to teach my grandma to suck eggs, nor do I want to deprive you of the satisfaction of finding it for yourself.[/QUOTE]

[Jan1954]

where is Turnford ?



It's just a couple of miles north of Cheshunt. See here:

http://www.streetmap.co.uk/newmap.srf?x=536500&y=204500&z=5&sv=536500,204500&st=4&ar=Y&mapp=newmap.srf&searchp=newsearch.srf&dn=842&ax=536500&ay=204500

[paul searing]

I've just looked in on this thread again and I thought I'd answer the question that I asked in the 2nd message in the thread.

The 1881 census is indexed on address so we can enter College Rd, Cheshunt. We don't know where to start so we'll start anywhere. Now we can walk along the road noting a few landmarks and names, preferably tradesman likely to have reasonably permanent premises.

For example we find Lowin the upholster. I enter his details in the 1871 census and bingo there he is in College Rd.

Looking along the road in 1871 we have:

The Pheasant Beerhouse
Revel
Lowin the upholsterer
Ward
Archer.

1881 was obviously enumerated in the opposite direction and we have:

Archer
Batson
Lowin the upholsterer
Lightfoot
The Crocodile Beerhouse

My conclusion is that the Pheasant became known as the Crocodile between 1871 and 1881.

There may be errors in my interpretation but I think the method is sound

RG 10/1347 f 98 p 30
RG 11/1397 f 96 p 18

I hope this helps.

You must be right

Mary Ann Broadway Searing wife of William Searing (Pheasant college rd) he died in 1871 and looks as if she moved out with there son Henry after his death in 1871 so the Crocodile Beerhouse could my my place after all but why rename it ?|jumphappy

I cant finad any other reference to the pheasant in College rd

Thanyou

Paul

[paul searing]

Thankyou Jan

sorry dont meen to be thick
I thought it was a little suburb somewhere and not the obverse derrrr
also Looks as if my "Pheasant" changed its name to the "Crocodile"

(mayby they new my mother in law)

Paul

[Jan1954]

... so the Crocodile Beerhouse could my my place after all but why rename it ?


You could try contacting them, find out if they are a managed or free house. If managed, ask for the details of the brewery and write to their archives department.

The Crocodile, College Rd, Cheshunt, Waltham Cross, Hertfordshire, EN8 9NQ

[Clive Blackaby]

I thought I'd answer the question that I asked in the 2nd message in the thread.

My conclusion is that the Pheasant became known as the Crocodile between 1871 and 1881.


Nice piece of detective work Peter - glad I opened up the thread and found it before doing much the same walk up and down the street!

My first gambit was to find Mary Ann on 1871, not living at the Pheasant - she and her children have moved out to Cadmans Lane, Cheshunt, which does not appear to be there anymore. The name rings a bell, but cannot remember where it was - probably re-named it Cliff Richard Boulevard or something like that.

I have to admit that I misread a previous posting and that the Pheasant was not there on the 1871 census, so I was going to look for the family in Cheshunt on the 1861 census, but I doubt if they were there, from the ages and birthplaces of the children.

Mary Ann B Searing 31 abt 1840 Shaftesbury, Dorset, England Head
Emma S Searing 7 abt 1864 Bermondsey, Surrey, England Daughter
William T Searing 6 abt 1865 Bermondsey, Surrey, England Son
Clara Ann Searing 5 abt 1866 Bermondsey, Surrey, England Daughter
Alice ?Lucinda? Searing 3 abt 1868 Deptford, Kent, England Daughter
Laura Maude Searing 1 abt 1870 Southwark, Surrey, England Daughter
Henry Edward Searing*under 1 year? abt 1871 Cheshunt, Hertfordshire, England Son
Charles Searing 27 abt 1844 Newington, Surrey, England Visitor

(could Charles be William's Brother?)

RG10/1348 Folio 36 Page 26

The Crocodile now calls itself a "Public House and Restaurant", apparently recently refurbished. Local real ale fan's appear not to like it much. Phone # is 01992 623263.

[paul searing]

I have possibly been very lucky or completely blind
or just plane dumb, getting to understand how to investigate compile and create scraps of information that put a story together.

there is so much more I want to learn so I with all your help I will get there
so thankyou all for your input no matter what.

I plan to come down to Cheshunt and hope to locate some burial places and who know's might even find one.

if I can help anyone down here in Bedford please feel free to ask
you are all very kind.

kind regards

Paul

[paul searing]

Hi all

OK
William Thomas Searing b.1837 married Mary Ann Broadway (pheasant)
Charles Searing* (his brother) b.1843
Henry Searing (his brother) b.1840 (pheasant)
Eliza Searing (his sister ) b.1840 ?
Emma Jane Searing (his sister) b.1845
James Searing (his brother) b.1847
Harriet Searing (his sister) b1849

so yes Clive Charles was his Brother

I got lots of bits of paper with all sorts scribbled all over ther place|nopity|
I need to make heads and tails of it all
perhapts a pint at the Crockodile ?

paul

[Clive Blackaby]

I plan to come down to Cheshunt and hope to locate some burial places and who know's might even find one.

kind regards

Paul

Well this from National Burial Index First edition may help as a start, though they are all a bit early - Searing Burials at St.Mary the Virgin, Cheshunt:-

DATE FORENAME AGE
30 Nov 1828 Alce 82
24 May 1839 Ann 73
2 Jun 1832 Arthur 5
19 Jan 1851 Benjamin 26
12 Jan 1835 Dorcas inf
25 Feb 1833 Elizabeth 3
16 Feb 1837 Elizabeth 75
12 Apr 1844 George 37
25 Nov 1849 Harriet 38
7 Jan 1848 John 83
12 Jun 1836 Joseph 69
17 Mar 1850 Joseph 66
7 Feb 1832 Maria Sophia inf
9 Dec 1837 Mary 37
7 Jul 1839 Mary 66
7 Sep 1839 Sarah 1
20 Mar 1841 Thomas inf
4 Apr 1842 Timothy 81


A later edition may have more, if not you may have to trawl through the burial records on microfilm.

P.S.
But then again perhaps not; "The ancient parish church of Cheshunt, is dedicated to St. Mary the Virgin. The ancient burial ground was used from earliest times to 1855."
http://www.lowewood.com/Cheshunt/Cheshunt_Church.htm

[Peter Goodey]

The ancient burial ground was used from earliest times to 1855.


...and Cheshunt Cemetery opened in 1856 ;)

http://www.broxbourne.gov.uk/

[Clive Blackaby]

...and Cheshunt Cemetery opened in 1856 ;)

http://www.broxbourne.gov.uk/

You'll probably find that "Hertsdirect" will have the burial records for the cemetery.

There is also a list of monumental inscriptions available on microfilm, including an index.

You'll find the details of it in the LDS catalogue - http://www.familysearch.org/Eng/Library/FHLC/frameset_fhlc.asp - go to placename search and "follow your nose!"

(Don't know if you use LDS Family History Centres at all - there's not one really local to you. Luton, Stevenage, Cambridge and Northampton are all a bit of a jaunt. There's a link "Family History Centres" on the above page where you can find the :( least inconvenient!)

Another useful source would be the Hertfordshire Family History Society, who are compiling a burial index, and would probably do searches on their database for you:-

http://www.hertsfhs.org.uk/hfphs1.html

[Peter Goodey]

If I were in Bedford, I'd be hopping on the train to London. The Society of Genealogists' library has a good range of stuff from Cheshunt including MIs. See the catalogue - choose SOGCAT from the home page
http://www.sog.org.uk/

The Mormons' Hyde Park place also has Cheshunt stuff permanently in stock.

[paul searing]

as usaual I have not been let down
and I turn on my PC and my hearts lifts
to see yet more contributions and wow:):)

I dont know how of where you get such fantastic information Im only glad you do

thanks Peter and Clive for your great help
and reason to reaserch.
I can see part of my history coming to life
I never thought I would get this far
I ow you all a big thankyou |bowdown|

I will (now I know) follow your advice
and look for links and places to Trawl and to
get results loke the one ones above.


Paul

[Clive Blackaby]

I dont know how of where you get such fantastic information Im only glad you do
....
I will (now I know) follow your advice and look for links and places to Trawl and to get results like the one ones above.
Paul
This should get you started -

http://www.british-genealogy.com/ is the home site for this forum, which has lots of helpful advice and links, not forgetting our sponsors - http://www.parishchest.com/shop/index.php, where you'll find a good selection of CD-Roms of historical records which are unavailable elsewhere, except perhaps by contacting or travelling to individual Records Offices. (And there are many things where that is going to be the only way you'll ever get them, certainly in the foreseeable future)

Then http://www.pricegen.com/english_genealogy.html has more links than you could shake a stick at. It even tells you which ones are free, and which you have to pay for.

Then of course there is the whole community of amateur genealogists out there - in addition to these forums, it's worth getting yourself onto some of the sites like Genes Reunited, Lost Cousins and Rootsweb World Connect. Be warned, avoid putting anything on any of them that you wouldn't put in the national newspapers, like the d.o.b. or mother's maiden name of anyone who might still have a bank account, and be prepared to get a number of contacts from folks speculating wildly on whether your John Smith b 1870 in London might be their long lost Uncle Jack. It's worth living with those for even one contact who knows where your Algernon Farquhar was born!


Regarding the burials records, if you follow Peter's suggestion - uz up North forget how well served you are for trains into London - you could gather all of the info, and then take a quick train trip up to Cheshunt whilst you're at it!

[ddclutch]

Just found this thread and although it has been quiescent for some time I thought I would chip in.

My wife is a Searing from Wormley, Herts. Her direct line ancestors were Searings from Wormley from around 1840 onwards. Prior to that they were from the Cheshunt area back to at least 1788. Other family branches (cousins) remained in Cheshunt and at Goff's Oak.

Although Searing is a fairly unusual name and very localised, there seem to be quite a lot of them around at that time! One has to keep a close watch on dates of birth and addresses as some of the first names are common across several cousins of similar age. It does get quite confusing and all too easy to start swapping children and parents around!

Guy

[Clive Blackaby]

Hi Guy, and welcome!
The Searings in my tree are very distant rellies (gg grandmother Jane Macer's 1st cousin Mary Ruskin married one Samuel Searing of Wormley), so not done much original rsch, but I can probably put you in touch with some closer contacts if you wish - message me through private messages on this site :)

[Keyboard86]

Hi all who have done a remarkable job on this thread, it has been a treat reading through, I have nothing really further to add, other than just to a slight correction to a road mentioned in Clive Blakaby's post 34, the road he was trying to remember is Cadmore Lane Cheshunt, and it still exists.

The Crocodile is a famous old Hostlery just off the main Cambridge Road the A 10, used to be a "tied" pub ie utilized one breweries produce, it is now managed and has lost all the character it once had not that many years ago.

Best Regards
Keyboard86|wave|

[ddclutch]

Hi Guy, and welcome!
The Searings in my tree are very distant rellies (gg grandmother Jane Macer's 1st cousin Mary Ruskin married one Samuel Searing of Wormley), so not done much original rsch, but I can probably put you in touch with some closer contacts if you wish - message me through private messages on this site :)

Hi Clive,
Yes, very distant relatives! My wife is a direct line descendant of Samuel Searing / Ann Ruskin. I e-mailed you on the private messages section last Saturday but am new to this site and may not have sent it correctly. I cannot find a "sent messages" box so perhaps it didn't work!

Guy

[Clive Blackaby]

This seems to have gone way off the original "crocodile" topic :)

Behind the scenes, I've had some very interesting exchanges with "ddclutch" via email, which have resolved a substantial error in the Searing, Ruskin and Macer family trees which I thought would be worth sharing.

On the 1841 census for Wormley we have

William Ruskin, 75
William Ruskin, 55
Samuel Searing, 25
Mary Searing, 30
(remembering these ages are rounded)
and Sam and Mary's sprogs.

In 1851, we have

William Ruskin, Head, Wid, 69
Samuel Searing, Son in Law, 39
Mary Searing, Wife, 43, b Stevenage (not Wormley)
+ assorted sprogs as before

Obvious conclusion, which was in my tree, confirmed by several others, William was Mary's father, so she was born Mary Ruskin, and must be Mary, daughter of William Ruskin and my gg aunt, Sarah Macer, she being the only Mary Ruskin born at the right time in a goodly wide radius. Done and dusted.

The fact that Samuel Searing's mother was (according to another searcher) one Ann Ruskin was a curiousity: a somewhat uncomfortable curiousity .....

But when I saw ddclutches tree, some of the dates and places just didn't add up.
He had Mary's maiden name as Mary Kent, not Mary Ruskin

In between various discussions about all sorts of things, (e.g. double-declutching Austin 7's which would lose most folks, and the development of Wormley Village in the 1880s) I turned up the 1861 census.

Samuel Searing, Head, 49
Mary Searing, Wife, 56 b Stevenage
(various sprogs as before)
William Ruskin, Uncle, Wid, 79

Now if I'd turned this record up first, the conclusion would have been blindingly obvious. The "Son-in-Law" reference in 1851 just has to be total gammon.

Wm Ruskin sr
|--->Wm Ruskin jr m Sarah Macer (my gg aunt)
|...............|-->Mary Ruskin (not the wife of Samuel Searing jr) b Wormley
|--->Ann Ruskin m Samuel Searing sr
.................|-->Sam'l Searing jr m Mary Kent
................................|-->various sprogs as aforementioned

An object lesson for me in checking all possible sources, and not |scold| believing the first reference you find |blush| If you have an inconsistency, i.e. one of many facts has to be wrong it might be that the fact you think is a bit dodgy could be "spot on", but something else apparently totallly kosher might be misleading you |banghead|

Altogether an enjoyable and instructive weekend!!

[paul searing]

Yeeks Clive and ddcltch

I feel kinda guilty about all this, indeed "looking for the Crocodile" had turned into a safari (soory could.nt resist it) you are the man.

I keep chewing over (rather snappy) at all the points that we have and in conclusion will be employing a secretery to deciver all including my own research.

but all aside many thanks Clive and ddclutch, we turn up new avenues and places to look and I hope others will read threads like this and find links to there research.

I print and keep all that I see and from it look for and investigate everything so thanks and I will find details for my Crocodile bearhouse.

blees you all

Paul|bowdown|