BRITTONs in Bedminster

[mervyn.britton]

Although I have been researching my various trees for the past 10 years, I had always considered my own line too damn hard <grin> as there are a proliferation of Britton families of many different spellings, in and around Bristol.
I wondered if someone with local knowledge had worked on this dilema and was able to give me a pointer. I am working from Western Australia, with only the IGI, Census and etc on-line and a number of CDBooks to glean from.

I know that my GGrandfather Arthur BRITTON (1859) (Cordwainer) was born in Bedminster 20th August. Married Isabella COXHEAD 12th May 1883 in St Johns Deptford, Greenwich and Died 5th April 1923. In the 1891 Census he is living in the same house at 26 Strickland St Deptford, as John James GAIT (Bootmaker)of Chilcompton in Somerset, who is married to another of the COXHEAD sisters.
I wondered therefore if there were any other associations between the BRITTONs and GAITs that might better identify the families in Bedminster and surrounds?

I have Arthur's father and Mother as Arthur(1817) (Coalminer)and Louisa ISLES (1820), and Arthur's (1817) father as Samuel (Colier) and Martha. Their children commence in 1810 through 1835 but no marriage info is known. Beyond that I guess at Aaron and Ann (married 1779 St Philip & St Jacob, Bristol; but they are unconfirmed.

Any help or direction will be appreciated.

Mervyn Britton
researching: BRITTON BAUCKHAM BORRAS COXHEAD DIPROSE HAZELDINE
LARLHAM TOWNSEND MURPHY WILDGOOSE

[Suziandian]

Hi Mervyn,

I found your name on another site, but have had my emails returned on two other email addresses, so I'm hoping this one will be successful!

I have only been researching Bauckhams since Christmas, so have found out some of the information but not all. The last known whereabouts of the Bauckham family I am researching is in Thornaby-on-Tees in Co. Durham. My mother Marie Bauckham was adopted by Thomas William b1910 and Elizabeth (nee Cairns), I know that Thomas had many brothers and sisters, some of which I can confirm by the 1901 census, Herbert J. c1883, William T c1884, Frank H c.1895, Mary E c1896, George c1900, I believe that there is also Minnie Florence c1896, but she was visiting on this census. Mum also remembers mention of the following, Uncle Albie, Edie, Gladys and Hilda. I think it was Gladys who married Bert North and we think their offspring went to Australia (the Chilterns).

William Hale (Shipwright) was Thomas Williams father b1861, he was married in 1894 to Mary Agnes Maulson c1872 and died sometime before 1933. His father was Edwin (Master Tailor) c1829 and mother Emma Hale c1834 and I believe that Edwin was the child of Charles and Ann Bauckham c1800, but I am unable to confirm that at the moment - however Charles may have been born in Gravesend which I think is one of the areas you are researching.

I hope this is of some interest to you, and interestingly I see from one of your postings that there was a hanging in the Bauckhams... is Ernest Albert related to you?

Regards

Suzi Anderson

[gill colmer]

I notice that you list the name Larlham amongst your interests. My mother was a Larlham, and would be interested to hear from you and anyone else with an interest in this very unusual name.

[mervyn.britton]

My Great Grandfather Stanley Wellborne Hazeldine (1867) married(?) Rosetta Cox (1854) who brought to the marriage a son (Alfrded Montague 1879) from a former marriage (sept 1878 Saffron Walden) to Benjamin James Larlham (1852). I have never been able to locate a marriage for Stanley and Rosetta, and do not know why she married under her maiden name and not her married name (Larlham). This troubled my father in his lifetime as it suggesated by lack of other proof that his mother might have been illegitimate. <sigh>
Any information on the Larlham family is of great interest to me. Alfred was raised together with my grandmother and siblings as a full part of the family.
Hoping to hear more. I have traced the family backwards to Edmund (1763) Larlham in Weeting, Norfolk, but would love to document some forward associations.

[gill colmer]

Great to hear from you! Benjamin Larlham was my great grandfather's brother. I have lots of information on 19th century Larlhams and some 18th century ones. They did originate in Norfolk/Suffolk, but most moved to London at the beginning of the 19th century. If you email me at [email protected] perhaps we could exchange information

[tbauckham]

Ernest Bauckham died in Brixton Prison in October 1936 while awaiting trial for murder. There were three reports in the (London) Times which can be found in the Times digital archive.

Tim Bauckham
researching Bauckham; Lingham

[Cousin Kay]

Hello Mervyn,
I see you have Wildgoose in yoiur family. Perhaps we could exchange data?
Kay

[ash33au]

Hi Mervyn, my Britton's are from Bristol.

William Britton married Sarah Siviter in 1839 - I have no DOB for either or who their parents are. However I do have info regarding their children, in particular my ancestor Emma. Perhaps we have a connection.

They always spelled their name as Britton except in one census where it was spelled as Brittain.

[mervyn.britton]

Hi Mervyn, my Britton's are from Bristol.

William Britton married Sarah Siviter in 1839 - I have no DOB for either or who their parents are. However I do have info regarding their children, in particular my ancestor Emma. Perhaps we have a connection.

They always spelled their name as Britton except in one census where it was spelled as Brittain.
Hello Kay
Welcome ro my nightmare. If you have investigated the Bristol area of Somerset & Gloucestershire, you will have by now seen that the surname is spelled in several variants. These are loosely grouped in different areas Hannam, Oldfields, Bristol St George, Keynsham, Bitton, Kingswood etc. Whilst there may well have been some reason for one or another areas to prefer one or the other spelling, it all breaks down dut to intermarriage. Suddenly the Britains are marrying the Britons and the Brittains are marrying the Brittens and the Brittons are marrying the Brittons just to confuse us all. I suspect the individuals recording the activities in the various locations decided on their own spelling and it was accepted into a population that had little reading or writing. The bulk of all these families were either Coal Miners or involved in the shoe & boot making industry. The final straw is that there appears to be a choice of about eight male Christian names in use and often no naming pattern being followed.
Of all my family lines; my own family (BRITTON) has been the least productive or rewarding. My Wildgoose connection is through William Wildgoose who's photo I inherited as a relation who married into the Brittons. For 15 years on and off I have tried to piece the puzzle together, but as yet no joy.
I have my tree on G Runtd if you wish to check.
Mervyn

[Cousin Kay]

Thank you for your quick reply, Mervyn. I am the member of the Guild of One-Name Studies researching the surname Wildgoose (and all its over thirty variants!) and I do have details of several of the Bristol families. Are you able to tell me where your William Wildgoose fits in? I'd love to see his picture - and perhaps add it to the portrait gallery on my website, with your permission, of course.
I also have some Brittons/Brittens/Brittains in my database.
Best wishes,
K

edit: url removed - home page can be found by checking profile

[Tony Rainer]

Hi Mervyn
I was interested reading your posting (1/9/2008) on the variant spellings of the name in the Bristol area.

One of my great-great-great grandmothers was Elizabeth BRITTAIN (or BRITTON), who was born in Bristol on 28 April 1813; she married combmaker James SAMUELS (snr) (1810-1887) there on 17 July 1832; they and their family emigrated in 1852/53 to Sydney, NSW, Australia (after arriving at Melbourne 12 January 1853). The Samuels family moved to Dubbo, NSW, in 1855.

This Elizabeth was a daughter of Thomas BRITAIN (or BRITTON) (born about 1777) and Margaret ("Peggy") NOBLE (born about 1782) (a daughter of Bristol glassmaker Benjamin and Ann NOBLE). Thomas and Margaret had married on 26 January 1801 at Holy Trinity (CofE) Church, Gosport, Hants.

Elizabeth ("plain Betty Britton"), Mrs James Samuels, died in Dubbo, NSW, Australia, on 20 November 1899 (aged 86).

Elizabeth had several siblings, including ones who came to Australia:
Eliza (later "Mrs Walker", Mrs Topping, Mrs Sansone) born about 1807.
Harriet 18 April 1813 (Mrs William Scapens or Sceapens)
William 31 March 1817 (also known as William Blannin, a convict to Australia)

Other 'possible' siblings (connections not yet proven):
Sara Brittain 13 September 1805
Mary Brittain 21 September 1807
Jane Brittain 30 June 1815
Caroline Brittain 12 August 1820

Thomas BRITTAIN (or BRITTON) worked as a blacksmith or "moulder" (on his daughter's death certificate as "the foreman of an iron foundry"), but according to family tradition was also a professional boxer (Bristol was considered as a "nursery of boxing" at the end of the 18th century), using such names as "Jem", "Jack" and "Bill" (Thomas may have had William as a second name). A Jack Britton was beaten in 1798 in Bristol by fellow Bristolian James "Jem" Belcher (1781-1822) who in 1800 claimed the English boxing "crown". On Saturday, 27 April, 1805, "Bill" Britton of Bristol, in a match of 30 rounds at Shepperton-common, near Chertsey, Surrey, was beaten by celebrity Samuel Elias (“Dutch Sam”) (1775–1815).

Does any of this sound familiar to you, Mervyn?

Tony Rainer
Melbourne, Victoria,Australia
Sat., 7 March 2009
rainersw [at] iprimus.com.au