Research Forum

If you put "Thomas Harrill Uphill" into Google you will get a number of seemingly relevant "hits".

Dave Erasmus

Thanks, Dave.  Google has been very useful.

Brian

I did look at the HARRILL family some years ago when I saw some of the documents in the Somerset Record Office concerning the Thomas HARRILL Charity.  

As far as I could work out the Thomas HARRILL, born in about 1766, who you mention, was the son of yet another Thomas HARRILL (sometimes HARRIL or HARREL or HORRILL etc.) and his first wife Mary DORY.  The Wills of Thomas HARRILL senior (who died 1824) and his second wife Jemima (who died 1837) explain the makeup of his two families.

I believe that your Thomas was born in Brislington and christened at St Luke's Church, Brislington on the 4th Jan 1767.  He married Jane TAYLOR at St James Church Bristol on Christmas Eve 1790 and their children, Thomas and Charles Taylor were both christened at the same church.  Thomas, Jane, both their sons and their wives were all buried at Uphill.

In 1832 a Thomas HARRILL living at Newton St Loe, was the Parish Clerk and was entitled to vote - I think this is the one who later moved to the Weston area.  The connection between Brislington and Newton St Loe may well have been the GORE-LANGTON family who owned land in both places.  Look at the tithe maps for more details.

At that time I didn't look at the descendants of this Thomas HARRILL - what is your connection?  My interest is that I was born in Brislington and was married at St Luke's!

Hello, Pat. It's good to "meet" another Harrill researcher. Our connection with the Brislington/St Luke Harrills is direct descent from Thomas Harrill (1738-1824). His son and grandson farmed Eastwood and Hollybush farms on Earl Temple's Langton Court estate.

Like you, we are not 100% sure of Thomas Harrill (Uphill)'s place in the Brislington family but agree with your view. Thomas Harrill (Uphill) was known of in our family and we assumed he had set up the Harrill Charity but soon found that his son Thomas was the benefactor.

I'm wondering if you or other members can give me information on the lives of Thomas (Uphill) and son Thomas (WSM). Does anybody know of living descendants?

Have you seen this? - it was published in the Bath Chronicle and Weekly Gazette - Thursday 29 April 1841

 "The Rector and inhabitants the village of Newton St. Loe have presented to Mr. Thomas Harrill, on his leaving the parish, a handsome silver tea-pot, with a suitable inscription, in testimony of their respect and esteem for his services, as Master of the Free-School and Clerk of the Church, dating a period of thirty-two years."

He obviously was only in Uphill for a short time as his death was announced in the Bristol Mirror - Saturday 05 February 1842

"DEATHS: - Jan 20th at Uphill, in his 76th year, Mr Thomas Harrill, upwards of thirty years Master of the Free School and Clerk of the Church at Newton St Loe"

In 1840 a Thomas HARRILL of Weston-super-Mare is listed in the press as having donated £10.00 towards the building of the new Church in Uphill - which Thomas was that?  But it looks as if his son, Thomas must have lived in Uphill after his father's death because in 1849 a Thomas HARRILL gentleman of Uphill  is listed as qualifying to sit as a Somerset Jurer.  Can you find the son on the 1841 census?  He's in Uphill in 1851 with his widowed mother, Jane and his brother Charles HARRILL is also living in Uphill.  By the 1861 & 71 censuses Thomas is living at Lansdown Villa, 66, Church Road Upper - that building can still be seen today - it's called Lansdown House and can clearly be seen on Google Streetview.

Thomas HARRILL(jun) became very active in the Weston area - He was one of the first Town Commissioners elected in 1842 when Weston-super-Mare became a Town.  In 1845 he served on a committee set up to finance the building a pier in Weston-super-Mare to connect South Wales and Ireland with the Western and Southern Counties, London and the North - The first attempt build a pier at Birnbeck.

I'll be in Corston today (Sunday) at the History Weekend, prob 12-1.  Could chat if you're there.  I haven't got a red carnation, just look for a couple late 70s, me with a fringe of grey hair around a balding crown (not unique, I know), Jill still blonde.

Alas, car won't start, battery flat, Green Flag on way.  Will not make Corston today (Sun).  Would like meet, though.  We near in mid-Dec.

Brian