Website visitors are invited to post comments or requests regarding local history matters here, but remember this is not a family history society. If you are just starting family history we suggest you look at the following sites which provide much helpful information: www.genuki.org.uk especially www.genuki.org.uk/gs/Newbie.html and www.sog.org.uk/leaflets/starting.pdf
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Title:The Starling FamilyDate: 24 Jun 2008 11:57:04 GMT
Comment: I am currently building my family tree and I have a lot of relations on my mothers side from Blakeney. So I am finding all that I can about the Starling family. Can you give me any pointers to where and how I can find out their history.
Name: Richard Williams Email:
Title:Village PumpsDate: June 20, 2008 8:33 PM
Comment: I wonder if the Blakeney Area Historical Society could help me, please? My wife and I have just returned from yet another few days in Blakeney, when this time I took the opportunity to hunt down old Village Pumps in the area. I have a website dedicated to the subject (see below), and am currently writing a short book on the topic.
I found 3 pumps in Blakeney, all off the High St., and wondered if you knew anything of their history. As one walks up the hill from the quay, the first pump is on the right, at a corner where one of the little alleyways leads off. It retains its iron handle and fulcrum attached to a wooden plank, and its operating rod is connected at one end via a bow and at the other through a stuffing box to a working barrel which is probably made of brass. A lead downpipe disappears down to the water source, and instead of the pump having a traditional spout a lead delivery pipe is taken from a side branch. There seems to be no sign of a maker's name or trademark.
A little way further down the alleyway is what I take to be a much older lead pump, with its handle and operating rod missing (as is frequently the case with lead pumps), but carrying the inscription "RH" and an embellishment in the form of a classical urn. Typically, initials on these types of pump are either those of the maker or, more often, the person who had it installed.
Further up the High St., again on the right hand side, through a gateway and part way along a driveway to a couple of houses, is what I assume was a private pump. This is a traditional cast iron pump, with a cracked working barrel (probably frost damage), but still having its handle in place, complete with a spout and a bucket hook. There's a maker's name on the side of the spout, but I couldn't get close enough to photograph it without tresspassing!
If you're still with me and I haven't bored you to tears, are you able to add any further information please on the history of any of these pumps? I'd be most grateful if somebody could take a closer look at the one with the maker's name and let me know what it says please!
There are further pumps at Cley and at Holkham which I've photographed and am currently researching. Do you by any chance know of any others in the region?
Name: David Green Email:
Title:The Green Family - DockingDate: April 13, 2008 3:10 PM
Comment: I noticed in the latest copy of Who do you think you are, an article about the Blakeney area. I have been working on a family tree for many years,and I wondered if Docking was within your area of research. I have come to a halt with my Great Grandfather who was born there about 1815. His name was William Green ,and his father was also William, and on my Great Grandfather's wedding certificate, his father was a farm labourer in the Burnham Norton area. Is there any way you could help?
Name: Margaret Holmes Email:
Title:Migration to South ShieldsDate: April 12, 2008 9:04 AM
Comment: I was interested in the article in the latest edition of WDYTYA? about your organisation. The mention of migration to South Shields in the 19th century chimes with me as I have relatives (Porter/Burcham) who did exactly that. Is there any published material about the migration, the background and any later connections between Tyneside/Wearside and the Blakeney area? I would be grateful for any reference.
Title:Norfolk DialectDate: October 25, 2008 11:37:49 GMT
Comment: Anyone interested in the Norfolk dialect there is a very interesting website called FOND (friends of the Norfolk dialect) they produce a magazine every 2 or 3 months of which I am member; its very interesting with stories of years goneby I'm sure they would like to here from you all including Blakeney history society: they also visit and talk on different subjects all todo with Norfolk; website is: www.norfolkdialect.com editor of the Merry Mawkin is Ashely Gray. From a Nofolk Dumpling Judy Pegden {nee Wilson]
Title:The Glaven Ports Date: 7 Dec 2008 19:35:45 GMT
Comment: I want to get hold of a book called " The glaven ports : A maritime history of Blakeney, Cley and Wiveton in north Norfolk" , By Hooton, Jonathon, Published in 1996 by Blakeney History Group. I cannot find it for sale anywhere on the net. I would be really happy if someone has a copy they want to part with for a reasonable sum, or knows of a shop where I may obtain a copy.
Comment: My ancestor, Henry Mallett, was a tailor in Blakeney from about 1820 until his death in 1871. I read in a book of monumental inscriptions that he has a gravestone in Blakeney Churchyard but I have not been able to locate it. Can anyone help? Also Has anyone come across other references to the Malletts in Blakeney apart from census and parish register entries? Would be grateful for any assistance.
Comment: Hi, a few years ago my late uncle was talking to someone who was researching Blakeney and he was told a few things about our family and shown some pictures of our ancesters. There was also talk of a family crest, I have been looking in my university library and the internet but can't find any more, I was wondering if you could possibly help me? I would love to join him to my family tree. My grandfather came from Blakeney and unfortunately he died a number of years ago so there is no one who knows! My grandfather was Henry Shorting nicknamed stash. any help you could give me would be greatly appreciated. thank you for your time.
Val Fiddian kindly passed on your web site address. I am trying to research my family tree. My (now) deceased (Ethelbert Blomfield Dunn) father did so but the tree went down with his ship in WW2 and I am now, belatedly starting from scratch.
I am currently ‘stuck on’ Thomas Dunn living in Sheringham Norfolk in about 1746 and then moving (back?) to Blakeney, home of his second wife... His grandson Thomas was born in Cley in 1794 and (the latter) is my great great great grandfather. In case it is of any interest, I attach an abridged introduction to something I wrote for my cousin's 75th birthday This shows how far I have got (you could say how little I have achieved....). Another cousin, David Dunn, was so taken with the copy he went round Blakeney, photographing Thomas Dunn's house and I hope to see him soon to find out what he learned (he is not 'on line!') He has a holiday cottage as Mundersley and intends to retire there - and was previously unaware that he was returning to 'his roots'...
As far as I am aware:
Thomas Dunn was born About 1748 in ? Norfolk , England and died on Dec. 25, 1808 in Blakeney, Norfolk , England. He married Ann Taylor on Feb. 11, 1770 in All Saints, Sheringham, Norfolk , England . Ann was born About 1750 in Norfolk ? and died in 1771 in Sheringham, Norfolk , England. He married Elizabeth Johnson on Nov. 2, 1773 in St Nicholas, Blakeney, Norfolk , England . Elizabeth, daughter of Joshua Johnson and Amy (Mother), was born in 1745 in Blakeney, Norfolk , England and died in 1826.
Note: John JOHNSON, brother of Elizabeth , was a witness at her 2/11/1773 marriage to Thomas Dunn (widower), and probably the father of William Johnson, 1st husband of their daughter Amy. Burial: 28 DEC 1808 St Nicholas, Blakeney, Norfolk , England Blakeney church gravestone (MI140) noted in 1880s survey (now all moved)
Notes on daughter Amy Dunn Father of Thomas unknown Marriage '2' Thomas Alcock b: in Wiverton? Married: 31 MARCH 1807 in St Nicholas, Blakeney, Norfolk, Eng
Children: 1. Elizabeth Alcock b: 4 MAY 1808 in Blakeney, Norfolk , Eng. 2. Sarah Alcock b: 7 JUNE 1810 in Blakeney, Norfolk , Eng
Marriage 3 William Johnson b: C1771 * Married: 27 SEPT 1799 in Blakeney, Norfolk , Eng
Children: 1. William Johnson
Burial- 12 Feb 1843, 69yrs, St Mary the Virgin, Wiverton, Abode-Cley next the Sea . I have records only of Amy - a daughter- and an 'early deceased' daughter Eilizabeth - but four years before Thomas Dunn was born to Amy at Cley, there was a marriage bond from a Thomas Dunn of Cley. I'm sure Amy wasn't an only child and was likely to have an older brother (the eldest?) named Thomas after his father... It might be possible to work out from the marriage bond, depending who put up the surety for the bond.... But that means making time to do some work at NRO and I am not very mobile at present.... I also do not know where my ‘earliest’ Thomas was born and am struggling to go 'further back' but you will see what I do know about their travels from my attachment… If you are able easily from your records to help in any way – or even lead me / point me in any other direction to join at least some ‘of the dots’, I would be most grateful…
Title:Local Family HistoriesDate: 13 Aug 2009 15:31:51 GMT
Comment: Firstly, belated thanks for your wonderful Open Day in August 2008, and for all your work. I have subsequently produced a first draft of a family history which includes a link between the Carroway and Dew families of Blakeney and also the members of the Leverett, Boyce, Loose, Wright & Dew in a radius of ten miles inland. I should love to be in contact with other interested descendents. I should like to buy Richard Wright's book, please, if you have one left.
Name: Andrew Moore Email: abmoore@live.co.uk
Title:The Moore Family of CleyDate: 2 Oct 2009 11:27:14 GMT
Comment: I am researching three generations of the Moore family. Mark Moore (1741-1813) his son Matthew Moore (1769-1843) and his son Martin Moore (1807-1890)All were registered as born in Weybourne and living (and dying) in Cley. Martin was a policeman and lived in Durrants Row Cley in 1881. I have just discovered that Matthew is shown as a Farmer in the 1841 census and wondered if any records of farming exist for that time? Many thanks Andrew Moore
Name: Robert Price Email: bob.pricerobert@hotmail.com
Title:The Baines, Murrell and Jary Families Date: 2 Mar 2010 14:02 GMT
Comment: Can anyone help me make a connection between my family ancestors, and the Baines Murrell family? My gt. gt. grandparents: Robt. Benjamin FOX m. Elizabeth Murrell 1843 Blakeney. Their daughter, Mary Ann, Married Henry Jary at Blakeney 1868 (gt grandparents) Henry Jary's mother was Ann Rebecca Jary, sister of Sarah Ann Jary, who married Francis Baines in 1842, in Blakeney. So, there are Murrell and Baines connections within the Jary family, but I cannot yet connect them into the bigger picture--the Baines Murrell family. I have seen the family chart for Baines Murrell but find no connecting point. Any help with this would be much appreciated.
Henry Jary was born in Walsingham (Union House?) but no baptism found, and Ann Rebecca was unmarried at time of his birth. Later --1881 Census, shows Henry as a boarder in Sth Shields, with his mother, now married to Henry Potter or Henry Futter--depending on which transcript one reads-- easy to make that error I would think. I need to see the original. I believe HP/HF to have been Henry Jary's father---named Henry after his father!! How to prove/disprove that? Are there any existing Baptism Registers or ATs for Walsingham Union House, assuming Baptisms took place in the Chapel there? The Jary family moved to Sth Shields just after the 1881 Census. My grandmother, Emily Maud Jary was born there in 1886.
I would like to expand the relationships of all the Jary line, but living in Germany makes the research somewhat difficult. I have found the Jary name here also, and wonder if somewhere in the depths of the past the Jarys originated from Germany--or maybe the other way round--from England to Germany! I have German ancestry too, as Emily Maud Jary, my grandmother married Johann Friedrich Lapsien on New Years day 1908, in Sth Shields. Regarding the general migration from Blakeney /Cley to Sth Shields in the 1880s, it looks as if a great many of the families were related.
Does anyone know of any Cley Baptism ranscriptions free to view online? I have just this week found the Blakeney Transcriptions 1813-1880 online--some 1600 entries--which gave me hitherto unknown information. I wondered why they only start at 1813--when there are earlier Registers in existence--back to 1765 at least!
