NEATE in Devizes area 18-17C

[NickWilkinson]

Hello Peanut.

I have only just found your posting here, hence the delay in replying.

>> I have had a look in the Southbroom baptisms for your Dennas and it says Dennis Neat daughter of Thomas and Betty 31/ Jan 1802.
I know of this baptismal entry.

>> I then looked for Dennis and her parents are Thomas Neat and Elizabeth Eden.
Where did you find this? I believe that the Thomas NEATE = Elizabeth EDEN marriage is the more likely one but so far I have no evidence to prove or disprove this.

Best regards,
Nick Wilkinson.

[B.J.D.]

Hello Nick,

I am descended from Thomas and Elizabeth Neate's daughter Dinah (c1795). She first married John Cole who was a gunsmith in Northgate Street Devizes. After his death in 1835, she took over the business and then remarried to Thomas Ewell Lott - also a gun maker (later of Reading). Her son George Cole married Thomas Lott's daughter Mary Ann Faulkner (widow). Their daughter Emily was my g.grandmother so I am descended from both her husbands!

I assume this makes us distant cousins.

It's of no help to your research, Greybird but, I spent my early childhood in Devizes.
Cole's sports shop was in the Market Place, next door to W H Smith, where I had a morning paper round. I bought my first air-gun in that same shop and indeed all our sports gear came from there.
I note that in Nicks reply to you, he refers to an Elizabeth Duck.
As a further coincidence, Duck's in Sheep street, Devizes were also a newsagent and I had a Sunday paper-round there as well.
There was a baker in Monday Market street, (James's) where I worked from 0700hrs. till 1800hrs. on Saturdays.

Thank God there was no time to send me up the chimney

Pop round for a cuppa.

[greybird]

Hello B.J.D

and thank you for your post. This is very interesting. I would think it very likely that a gunsmiths would evolve into a sports shop - especially if they sold airguns! I believe the original premises was in Northgate Street, but on the map this doesn't look too far away, so perhaps it is the same family. John Cole and Dinah had 2 sons, John b.1822 and Frances b.1829 so they could well have carried it on couldn't they?

I believe John Cole may have come from Stert - I am currently investigating that. We are not not sure that the Elizabeth Duck marriage is the right one - if all the children were born in wedlock, the Elizabeth Eden marriage seems the more likely, but who knows! All the families seem to stayed in the area, certainly.

[B.J.D.]

I believe John Cole may have come from Stert - I am currently investigating that. We are not not sure that the Elizabeth Duck marriage is the right one - if all the children were born in wedlock, the Elizabeth Eden marriage seems the more likely, but who knows! All the families seem to stayed in the area, certainly.
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Hello Greybird,

Coinidence after coincidence. My wifes family hail from Stert.
We are back to "Ruben Hale" of Stert, who interestingly enough would have witnessed the "Battle of Roundway Down" in 1643.
Which (Not wishing to seem political) was a resounding success for the "Royalists".
Except of course, "Old Ironside" blew up the magazine in Devizes castle.
Who knows? A John Cole could well have been making muskets for that same
conflict.
Whoopeee!!
I have just found a photograph showing clearly, "COLE GUN MANUFACTURER".
Taken it says pre 1885 looking down Nothgate st. from the market place.
HO_HO! another one here (1890's) showing H.B.Cole Hairdresser and Tobacconist (Market place) and one of Coles and son (singular) which was the shop I well remember as being a gunsmith and sports equipment outlet. Picture taken early 1950's.
"How about that"?

Must be time the nurse came round with my medication.

Pop round for a cuppa

[greybird]

Hello B.J.D

and thank again for your interest. Where did you find the photographs? I would love to see them if that's possible. Are they in a publication I could get?

I gather that Stert is quite a small village so I expect they knew each other. I'm afraid my historical knowledge is not what it should be and I didn't know about the battle you mentioned - I must read up on it.

Best of luck with the medication!

[B.J.D.]

Hi. greybird,


The book containing the photograph of your Mr. Cole, Gun Manufacturer, Northgate Street is:- A Devizes Camera II. It's by David Buxton and John Girvan (just realised, I know him). Publishers are Devizes Book Press, Monday Market Street, Devizes. (£9.50 in 1986)

The book containing other pics. which might be of interest to you is "AROUND DEVIZES" in Old Photographs. Once again by David Buxton. (£7.95 in 1990)
I have just had an interesting telephone conversation with "JO" a really helpful lady at Devizes Books.
While she has neither of these copies in stock she does have a book by John Girvan (There he is again). "JO" read out some facts about Mr. Cole re:- Storage of explosives etc. and his subsequent move to The Market Place etc.
She has agreed for me to pass on her tel. no. 01380 725944.

Good luck in your quest and if you need help in that area, please feel free to ask. I have a large family in and around Devizes and I hate to think of them doing nothing.

Pop round for a cuppa.

[greybird]

You are so kind. I will certainly speak to Jo at Devizes Books. My brother and I have been trying for some time to find out more about John Cole, but until corresponding with you, we had drawn a blank. We knew he was a gunsmith from his son's marriage cert, but in spite of my brother being "in" with gun circles (because he had, until recently, shot black powder guns), nothing had come to light. I am sure this will set us down the right road. Its nice to think that our respective ancestors lived in the same area and would have been part of the same community. Thank you again.

[vincentcay]

Hi

Researching the family back to John Cole you speak of, do you know who his father was and any further info on their children?

I think we are descended from him so any further info you have would be great.

Thanks

[greybird]

Hello Vincentcay

IGI gives him as "of Stert around 1789". This was the record of his marriage to Dinah Neate in 1815. However, I have just bought the CD with the parish records from Stert and there are no Coles. I am assuming that he was simply living there at that time. There is a possible John Cole from Chippenham, but I am not sure about that yet. I do have quite a bit of information from him onwards;

Children: Matilda 1819. John 1822. George 1824. Emma 1826. Frances 1829. Frederick 1831. Julia 1834.

John Cole died in 1835 leaving his gunmaking business to his wife (his will in Wiltshire Archives). 1841 census has her and several of their children still in Northgate St Devizes, but she has remarried Thomas Ewell Lott, also a gunsmith of Reading. Her son George married Thomas Lott's daughter Mary Ann Faulkner (widow) in 1852. Their daughter, Emily, was my g.grandmother, so I am descended from both Dinah's husbands.

Thomas Lott died in 1862, and the business passed to Frederick Cole, who continued it at 3 different premises in Devizes. It later passed to his son, Frederick and then his grandson AE Cole.

In 1871 Dinah (now calling herself Cole again) is living in Lambeth with son Frances, solicitor.

I do have more information about the later years of the gunmaking business if you're interested. Which child are you descended from?

[vincentcay]

Hi

Thanks thats a great help, i am related to Frederic Cole who i have traced back: 1830 to 1897, he was my dads Martin Cole GGfather. Any info you have on the gunmaking biz would be helpful, did they have shops in the U.S as i know they supplied the American Civil War?

Thanks