Research Forum

Map of North Somerset recently published
published by on Tue, 29/05/2012 - 17:31

Hi,

I notice on the Map just published of all the Parish's served by the Society that Chelvey was formed later.

Can someone please let me know which former Parish was Chelvey.

My Ancestor who was Samuel URCH died in Long Ashton Workhouse aged 92 on the 24 January 1845 so therefore he was born circa 1753 and he was residing in Chelvey.

I don't know where nor when he was born so I don't have his parents names and have hit a brick wall.

He was married twice as far as the records I have found tell me.

First to Jane VOULS married in St. Philip & Jacob Bristol on the 10 September 1787 who was buried in Chelvey on the 1 February 1805 and then to my Ancestor Hester BASSETT in Chelvey on the 6 March 1808.

I don't know where both wives were born nor who their parents were either.

I do have the Chelvey Parish Fiche but the Clerk who was around the year 1800 was removed from office as he neglected his work and only recorded some of the records, so his neglect hasn't helped either.

Any help would be appreciated.

Alun URCH

Comments ..

Submitted by Pat Hase on Thu, 31/05/2012 - 2:14

I'm afraid that was an error on our part - Chelvey is a very old parish and had been omitted from the map which we are currently using but it wasn't formed from an even older parish. I'm sorry to have raised your hopes here but thank you for drawing it to our notice - it has been corrected. There may be other members researching URCH who would be interested in the elusive Samuel URCH although I suspect from past contact with you it is more likely that you would be able to help them!

If he was 92 when he died, Samuel does seem to be fairly old when he married Jane - could be have been married before?

Submitted by on Thu, 31/05/2012 - 8:33

Hi Pat,

Thanks and yes, I thought about that possibility of Samuel URCH being married 3 times.

After transcribing Westbury sub Mendip Parish Records ( I am still in the process of checking them) I found a few missing pages, one of which could have been relevant to the birth of Samuel URCH, and it is possible that this Samuel was the son of a Thomas & Francis URCH maiden name unknown as yet.

This Thomas URCH was the grandson of the first URCH in Westbury sub Mendip, a Samuel URCH from Wedmore who married a Sarah HARDWICH circa 1684.(another page missing)

I printed off a lot of URCH Burial & Marriage Records from the old website FamilyHistoryOnLine raised by Somerset & Dorset Family History Society before they were bought out by BrightSolid the Company who runs Find My Past & the 1911 Census Company.

On one Marriage Record on the 13 March 1825, I have a George URCH marrying an Elizabeth BEAUCHAMP, Elizabeth being a Minor, but both from Chelvey. They emigrated to the USA along with some of their chidren. I don't know where these records were found as they are not in the Chelvey Fiche I have so I can only presume they were found in the Bishops Transcripts. I haven't checked this out yet though.

There are large gaps in the children's births of Samuel & Jane URCH nee VOULS, about 9 years so it is odd that no children were born in this gap and George's approx birth fits in nicely. I don't know if you knew but the Parish Clerk was removed from office in Chelvey as he was caught failing in his duties by not recording a lot of records, so quite a few are missing.

I am in regular contact with some USA URCH Researchers and one lady has knowledge that her ancestor a John URCH baptised in Westbury on 27 January 1793 meeting up with his cousin in Pottsville, Pennsylvania. The only URCH's in Pottsville at that time were this George & Elizabeth URCH nee BEAUCHAMP. So I know it is only conjecture at this moment but that is all I have - Clutching at straws so to say. It certainly looks a possibility that this George URCH from Chelvey was a distant cousin to John URCH from Westbury and if so it could mean that Samuel URCH my elusive brick wall could be from Westbury.

It is just finding the proof.

Alun URCH