20+ Years Milsom/Pope Marriage Brick Wall

[Sallybathome]

Hello all, I've just been advised by Super Moderator Sue from Wales that now would be a good time to post my huge brick wall query due to the current techie difficulties - so hear goes.

For 20+ years now my daughter and I have been researching the illusive Henry Milsom in our family tree. Henry Milsom born c1761 and married Mary Ann Pope 4 May 1789 at St Martin in the Fields, Westminster. The Banns notice states they are 'both of this parish'. We do not have a definitive dob for Mary Ann Pope. We have been led to believe from both research and family memorabilia that Henry and Mary lived in Bath and had a son, Charles Milsom b. 8 May 1800.

Our dilemma however is that we have been trying to ascertain Henry's parentage. For three generations the family has been told that we are direct descendants of Daniel Milsom who instigated the eventual building of Milsom Street in Bath, UK. (For further info on this please see my website)

We know about the lease of land known as Town Acre and the Milsom Garden sale to Bath Corporation for the building of Milsom Street but we have struggled for definitive evidence that Henry Milsom was the son of Daniel Milsom, or indeed related anyhow. We have no birth, marriage, death or burial information for Henry Milsom.

You may ask why we so strongly believe in these facts and the truth be known is due to four oil portraits of Henry Milsom, Mary Ann Pope and 2 x Charles Milsom that came into our possession upon the death this year of my great uncle, S F C Milsom (himself a noted Professor of Law at Cambridge Uni).

Finally, of interest to note is that my father now aged 84 years is the last remaining male Milsom of this once fine family of Bath. Whilst doing very well, time is obviously precious for him and I would like nothing more than to be able to show him his roots and confirm to him that the family stories from his childhood and before are true.

My website gives fuller information and the Milsom family tree on Ancestry is available for viewing to help further.






Apologies that the pictures are squiffy ...

I guess I'm desperate now for information and would be very grateful to anyone who is able to shed some light on this 20-year old mystery.

Thank you for taking the time to read through this message and please feel free to contact me if you need any further information from me.

Kindest regards
Sally Milsom

[Sue Mackay]

Hi Sally. I have fixed the link to your website, which wasn't showing correctly. Am now off to have a good browse. Being addicted to Regency fiction I am fascinated to learn the origins of Milsom Street

BTW, I did look up the Milsom/Pope marriage in the Westminster Collection on FMP. Have you any idea who the witesses, Joseph Franley and Mary Phillips were?

[Sue Mackay]

There is a baptism in St.Clement Dane, Westminster for a Mary Ann Pope, daughter of William and Elizabeth on 24 October 1773. This would make her about 16 at her marriage, but slightly older if she was baptised as a toddler, which is about right for the time. Mind you, I expect you've found this, and are merely stumped as to know if it is the right one! I looked quickly on FMP for a suitable marriage for William and Elizabeth, hoping to find an Elizabeth with a maiden name of Franley or Phillips, but no such luck. Maybe the other forum sleuths will have more joy.

[Sallybathome]

Hi Sue, how lovely to receive your prompt replies. Thank you for taking the trouble to look up the Milsom/Pope marriage - I'm afraid I do not know who Joseph Franley or Mary Phillips were - but I'll start digging. Thank you so much for this helpful information.

[Sallybathome]

My fingers are tightly crossed Sue and it would be wonderful if a 'forum sleuth' stumbled over something to shed light on this long, long mystery Thank you again

[emeltee]

I haven't looked at your website so if you already have this info I do apologise. FreeReg has the following children born to Henry and Mary Ann

Mary Ann bapt. 14 April 1790 Bath St Michael
Henry bapt. 30 Jan 1795 Walcot St Swithin
Charles bapt. 30 May 1800 Bath St James
Anna Foster bapt. 17 April 1812 Bath St James

Also baptised Bath St James 4 Jan 1792 is Elizabeth daughter of Henry and Miriam. I suspect Miriam should read Mary Ann.

Emeltee

[helachau]

Bath Chronicle & Weekly Gazette, 20 Sep 1821

"Monday died, suddenly in his 61st year, Mr Henry Milsom, lodging house keeper, in the North Parade"

Age at death gives a calculated year of death of 1760

[helachau]

Bath Chronicle & Weekly Gazette, 4 Oct 1821

"NOTICE - all persons who stand indebted to the Estate of Henry Milsom, Lodging House Keeper of the North Parade, deceased, are requested to pay the same forthwith to Messrs. Henry and Charles Milsom, Executors of the said Henry Milsom ..."

[geneius]

The portraits can be found on The Sale Room site as late as July 2016

Unknown Bath: Secrets and Scandals from the Past

a snippet review of this book suggests that Daniel MILSOM was a Councillor who developed Milsom Street under an agreement by which the whole area reverted to the corporation

We know about the lease of land known as Town Acre and the Milsom Garden sale to Bath Corporation for the building of Milsom Stree

To me it appears that part of the land was owned by Bath Corporation who in turn granted a lease to Daniel MILSOM for 35 years. On the expiration of the lease, the land reverts back to it's owner Bath Corporation, any 'ground rent due by the leaseholder being paid to Daniel Milsom who discharges the rent to Bath Corporation

15 Milsom Street ( extract from planning permission application dated 7 Dec 2009 ref BA1 1DE Bath .gov.uk)
It was one of the last remaining significant pieces of land owned by the Corporation and was leased by Daniel Milsom in 1746 and laid out and developed in a joint venture between the Corporation and Milsom’s son, Charles, in 1761

Have you thought of looking on land registry

[almach]

According to Daniel's will 1755 he had a brother named Charles, a sister is also mentioned and a nephew and niece, however I didn't see mention of a son, or daughter.

Have you seen the will? It is available to read on Ancestry.

Or, is this a different Daniel?