Family History

On my mother’s side, generations of the family have lived and worked in the tiny village of Marston St Lawrence, where my mother was born and grew up, situated between Banbury and Brackley in Northamptonshire.

My grandparents were Charles Gibbons and Dorothy Rutland.  The Gibbons' originated from Kings Sutton and had strong ties with Helmdon, before taking up residence in Marston (they were tailors and carpenters).  The Rutlands were mostly agricultural labourers living in Marston but latter generations of the family moved to London where they became shopkeepers - one became a butcher, another a cheesemonger.   However, my line remained in the village but  I am in contact  with researchers descended from the  London line.

My great-grandparents were:  William Thomas Rutland and Aminda Hawtin and Orlando Gibbons & Sarah Elizabeth Barrett.  The Barretts may have originally come from Pillerton in Warwickshire but the earliest recording in Marston is for Richard Barrett, who was a Churchwarden in 1665.  In Kelly’s Directories the Barretts were noted as carpenters and wheelwrights.  The Hawtins were agricultural labourers living in Shenington, Oxfordshire and have lived in the village since 1728.

My greatx2 grandparents were:  Thomas Gibbons & Jane Spires Cockerill, Robert Barrett & Sarah Elizabeth Belcher, William Rutland & Ann Isham, Jesse Hawtin & Deborah Hopkins.  The Cockerills came from Wappenham in Northamptonshire and appeared to be wealthy farmers.  The Belchers were originally from Adderbury in Oxfordshire, the first child born in Marston was Jane (daughter of Thomas and Hannah) born in 1744.  The Belchers were farmers and at one time they ran the village pub in Marston St Lawrence.  I have not researched the Isham line  but Ann  came from the neighbouring village of Greatworth in Northamptonshire.  The Hopkins were agricultural labourers from Shenington, Oxfordshire, although originally from Temple Guiting, Gloucestershire the first child born in the village was William in about 1799. 

On my father’s side, my research changes to town life and more industrial occupations and a few surprises!  My father was born in Portsmouth but moved to Surrey when he was about eight.

My grandparents were Walter Ward & Maud Jones.  Walter was born in Birkenhead, Lancashire and made a career in the navy but sadly died in his early forties when my father was very young.  A generation lived in Birkenhead where they worked in the Liverpool shipyard but they originated from Oswestry in Shropshire where they were sawyers.  The Jones' were from Wales, Maud was born in Cardiff, both her parents were Jones.

My great grandparents were Thomas Ward & Florence White, Robert Jones & Catherine Pereina Jane Jones.  Florence White was born in Hull, more interesting facts on her parents are given below.  Catherine Pereina Jane Jones (or Pryna as I first knew her) came from Merthyr Tydfil in Glamorgan, her father was a warehouseman when he first married but was down as a collier by the time Catherine married in 1896.  I know little about her husband Robert Jones or his family, except that he was a ships journeyman and his father was called Goodman Jones and a caterer.

My greatx2 grandparents were  Thomas Ward & Margaret, William White & Sarah Ann, Goodman Jones & ?, Philipp Jones & Perina.  As you can see, I do not know much about my greatx2 grandparents.  However, William White came from Margate in Kent, he was married twice, firstly to Ann and then Sarah.  All three have appeared in censuses where their occupations were actor and actress or stage player!  This was a great surprise to me after so many ag labs, however, by the 1861 census and the birth of their first daughter Florence, William's occupation changed to tailor.