Can someone confirm this says COVIL?

[Mandie]

I recently sent for the birth certificate of Thomas Watts b1861 in Honing, and I'm hoping someone with local knowledge would be able to confirm his mother's maiden name.

http://homepage.ntlworld.com/mandieh/ann_WATTS.png

I believe it to say COVIL. Would that be right for the Norfolk area? :)

[busyglen]

It certainly looks like COVIL, although I can't say there are any in Norfolk. I did a quick `Google' and there were/are COVILS around, so highly possible. Not seeing the the rest of the handwriting for comparison, I did wonder if it could have been COOCH. Sometimes a `blob' that looks like an `i' often throws people out. I've been caught out with that myself. However, I think Covil is more likely.

Glenys

[Geoffers]

I recently sent for the birth certificate of Thomas Watts b1861 in Honing, and I'm hoping someone with local knowledge would be able to confirm his mother's maiden name.
I believe it to say COVIL. Would that be right for the Norfolk area? :)This message goes on a bit, bear with me......

The name is COVIL. There are variants COVIL, COVILL, COLVILLE, COVEL, COVELL, COVAL. The 1851 census shows a cluster of COVILs from NE Norfolk.
A transcript of the 1861 census for Honing is on the Norfolk Transcription Archive. This shows:

RG9/1198 f42 p6
Honing
WATTS James, 36, hd, mar, ag lab, Worstead
WATTS Ann, 37, wf, mar, Westwick
WATTS Robert, 14, s, ag lab, Worstead
WATTS George, 12, s, ag lab, Worstead
WATTS Mary Ann, 9, , d, scholar, Worstead
WATTS Hannah, 8, d, scholar, Worstead
WATTS John, 5, s, scholar, Worstead
WATTS Maria, 3, d, Worstead
WATTS Jonas, 1, s, Honing

continued......

[Geoffers]

In 1851 the family was at:

HO107/1808 f281 p8
Worstead
James WATTS, hd, mar, 26, Farm Labourer, Worstead
Ann WATTS, wf, mar, 27, Westwick
Robert WATTS, s, unm, 5, Scholar, Worstead
George WATTS, s, unm, 3, Worstead

So I checked Worstead registers (also index on the NTA website). Worstead registers are a nightmare to to read, the handwriting is difficult and the images poor. However....

Worstead Marraige Register, entry 30
28th J(ul?)y 1840
James WATTS, of full age, sm, labourer, otp, son of (James?) WATTS, labourer
Ann COVAL, of full age, sw, otp, dau of John COVAL, labourer
bride and groom X
wit: George COVAL X - (Ann???) COVAL, X

continued......

[Geoffers]

James WATTS was in turn baptised:

Worstead Register, entry 263
15 May 1825, James son of James + Elizabeth WATTS, otp, father a labourer.

Ann COVILs father may be shown on the 1851 census as:

HO107/1808 f269 p21
Wethergate, Worstead
John COVILL, hd, mar, 65, Ratcatcher, bn Felmingham
Elizabeth COVILL, wf, mar, 65, bn Westwick
John COVILL, Son, unm, 23, Ag Labourer, bn Westwick
George COVILL, GSon, unm, 18, Ag Labourer, bn Southreps

James Watts' father, James married at Neatishead:

Neatishead Register:
entry 43
James WATTS, otp, widower, married
Elizabeth RUDRAM, otp, widow
married by banns, 1st May 1820
bride and groom X
wit: Andrew ROSE, X - Mary PALMER, X

continued......

[Guy Etchells]

Looks like Covil but could possibly be Cavil, 1560 on the 1881 index, including a number in Norfolk.
Cheers
Guy

[Geoffers]

The 1851 census shows James WATTS (father of James) living in Worstead:
HO107/1808 f269 p21
Wethergate, Worstead
James WATTS, hd, mar, 53, Ag Labourer, Westwick
Elizabeth WATTS, Wife, mar, 50, bn Horning
Mary Ann WATTS, Daur, 14, Scholar, Worstead
Thomas WATTS, Son, 12, bn Worstead
Charlotte WATTS, Daur, 9, Scholar, bn Worstead
William WATTS, Son, 6, Scholar, bn Worstead
Henry WATTS, Son, 4, bn Worstead

Then going to the 1841 census for Worstead there are two neighbouring families who are:
HO107/784 p15
Worstead
WATTS James, 40, Ag. Lab. (Withergate), Nfk
WATTS Elizabeth, 40, , Nfk
WATTS George, 8, , Nfk
WATTS John, 6, , Nfk
WATTS Mary, 4, , Nfk
WATTS Thomas, 2, , Nfk
COVILL John, 55, Ratcatcher(Withergate), Nfk
COVILL Elizabeth, 55, , Nfk
COVILL William, 20, , Nfk
COVILL Robert, 14, , Nfk
COVILL Ann, 20, , Nfk

But I seem to have digressed and gone on a bit :o sorry. To answer your question, yes, it's COVIL.
Geoffers

[busyglen]

Wow Geoffers, I'm impressed! |bowdown| What a pity my ancestors didn't come from that area. Can you send me some of your knowledge by email....I could do with a memory boost!! :(

Glenys

[Mandie]

But I seem to have digressed and gone on a bit :o sorry. To answer your question, yes, it's COVIL.
Geoffers

|bowdown| Go on as much as you want! You have given me so much information to look into, that I'll be busy for weeks. I can't wait to get started on it.

Thank you so much for all your help with this, I was just hoping for confirmation of a name and you now I have lots of info. :D

[Geoffers]

|bowdown| Go on as much as you want! You have given me so much information to look into, that I'll be busy for weeks. I can't wait to get started on it.

Thank you so much for all your help with this, I was just hoping for confirmation of a name and you now I have lots of info. :D
Slight amendment to my posting about the marriage of James Watts. The marriage in 1820 looks like it was a different couple. The marriage of your James looks to have been at Worstead:

Worstead Parish Register
Entry 42
James WATTS, sm, of Tunstead married
Elizabeth ROPER, sw, otp.
Married after banns 26th day of May 1823
Groom and bride X
wit: Henry WATTS, X - Charlotte ROPER, X

Note the forenames of witnesses and names of children in the 1851 census

continued.....

[Geoffers]

Although the 1851 census transcript shows James' birthplace as Westwick, the 1861 census shows his birthplace as Worstead:

RG9/1198 121/11
Worstead
WATTS, James, 64, hd, mar, ag.lab, bn Worstead
WATTS, Elizabeth, 63, wf, mar, bn Honing
WATTS, William, 16, son, unm, ag.lab, bn Worstead
WATTS, Henry, 14, son, unm, ag.lab, bn Worstead

There is no baptism of James Watts in Westwick registers

Worstead registers are in a truly awful condition for the end of the 18th century, but record:

1797
"James son of Christopher WATTS & Ann his wife late Ann WISEMAN was born Ap 25. Baptized Privately Ap 30th. Rec into Church."

continued.....

[Geoffers]

Worstead Registers also record:

Christopher WATTS, otp, sm married
Anne WISEMAN, otp
after banns 10 April 1787
Bride and Groom X
wit: Samuel PERRY, sig - Josep BUNN, sig

Interestingly, the very next marriage is recorded in the parish is:

Robert WATTS, otp, sm married
Mary BEANE, otp, sw
after banns 5 Jun 1787
Bride and Groom X
wit: Thos SHALDERS, sig - Willm TINKER, sig

Becuase of the Wiseman connection, you should consider contacting Jan White via her website
http://www.geocities.com/wisemanfamily_uk/
she has a one-name study of the name in Norfolk and is descended from the Worstead/Sloley Wisemans

Apologies for digging out the wrong mariage earlier, I was in a rush to get my eldest son to indoor cricket nets.

Geoffers

[Geoffers]

Whilst it's dark and I have my fiches out, I had a quick look for the baptism of Elizabeth Roper (who married James Watts). Although Census returns show her born Honing, I think she was baptized in Worstead - the two parishes are next to each other.

Honing registers note the baptism of several children of Jonathan + Hannah Roper (late Hannah Gedge). These are all from 1800 onwards. In 1799 in Wortead there is recorded:

"Elizabeth daughter of Jonathan ROPER & Hannah his wife, late Hannah GEDGE was born Novr 19 Baptized Privately Novr 24. Recd into Church."

Honing registers record:

Jonathan ROPER, otp married
Hannah GEDGE, otp
after banns 25 Jun 1798
groom and bride X
wit: John HOWARD, sig - Robert KEMP, 'R' his mark

I'll leave you in peace now - but if you get stuck in Norfolk, post a message on the forum and I'll see if I can help.

Geoffers

[Mandie]

I'll leave you in peace now - but if you get stuck in Norfolk, post a message on the fourm and I'll see if I can help.
Geoffers

Thank you once again, you've been such a help. :)

Thanks also for the link to Jan White's Wiseman site, it certainly seems there could be a connection somewhere. I'll sort out all the information and email her.

And, yes, I may be posting again, in the future, as Thomas Watts' first wife and his second wifes' parents were also from Norfolk.

[PatMac]

Hi Mandie, I've been researching all manner of Covils, Covells, and Covals in Norfolk, mainly in Felmingham, Dilham, North Walsham, and this general geographic area. Those "ratcatchers" mentioned in other folk's responses were definitely members of my ancestral family! The occupation was passed on through the family, and may have originated with George Covell born @ 1746. This is pretty much off the top of my head- I don't have the details in front of me right now, but you can contact me at my personal email address, OK?

[Mandie]

Hi Mandie, I've been researching all manner of Covils, Covells, and Covals in Norfolk, mainly in Felmingham, Dilham, North Walsham, and this general geographic area. Those "ratcatchers" mentioned in other folk's responses were definitely members of my ancestral family! The occupation was passed on through the family, and may have originated with George Covell born @ 1746. This is pretty much off the top of my head- I don't have the details in front of me right now, but you can contact me at my personal email address, OK?

I will certainly be in contact, in the next few days. :)