Comments

The book that Pat mentions above - 'Saints, Crooks and Slavers' - is also available via two local bookshops: Books on the Hill in Hill Rd, Clevedon and Storysmith in North St, Bedminster.

Hi Pat,

I thought it was you that had an interest in the Puddy family, so thank youfor your reply.

The James b 1803 in your husband's tree is suggested by Ancestry to be the half brother of my 3 x great grandfather George born 1796 son of James and Joan.  They give the common ancestor as Elizabeth Parsons which of course is the wife of Benjamin so in my view not the mother of my George.  The only thing I can think of is that Benjamin and George's father James were half brothers if Benjamin's father Samuel married twice with James being son of the 2nd wife Jane Hooper.

I will check this out tomorrow as it is nearly 1.00am here.

Elizabeth

Not sure whether this is going to help but here goes.  My husband's great grandfather was a John PUDDY who was born in 1814 in Burnham on Sea but christened at Mark 11th May 1814 s/o John & Joan PUDDY.  His first wife was a Maria Jane PUDDY who he married in Burnham on Sea in 8th April 1841.  Her father was Benjamin PUDDY - I think she could be the daughter of Benjamin and Elizabeth PUDDY nee PARSONS who was christened as Mary in 1813.  There is a brother James christened in 1805 and a George in 1803.

How confident are you that your George was born in 1796? I ask because there are a couple of GPs baptised in Mark in early 1800 including one baptised on 25 February 1803 to Benjamin and Elizabeth.

Dear Pat,

I was thrilled to read your article about the Weston Worthy John Gregory the other day! I have been researching the Gregory family in north Somerset for some years, many of whom were Quakers, and on reading your information I wondered if I had this John Gregory on my tree.

I was thrilled to find that John Gregory is my 4xgreat-uncle! I had a feeling of real pride on reading that he and his sons had made such a mark on Weston society for so long!

Thank you, Pat, for your research which has helped me no end on putting more flesh on the bones of my forebears!

With kind regards,

Jill Cotton

I have been researching the farms in my village of Weare as a lockdown project, it has kept me sane!  It has proved very revealing on rural life and work.  I have also found interesting snippets to the lives of residents by using British Newspaper Archives,  from court cases, house sales to even what the bride wore at a wedding! I hope this helps.

Margaret