Genealogy Chat

OC Thanks for that I was aware of one of them the 1781 Doc as it is up on http://www.somerset.gov.uk/archives/lists/ddlists/ddsbt.txt Lease and release of 14a near Kingweston Elm and Beggars Well (15a), Butleigh. (2 docs.) 13/1/24 1781  1] James Board of Ilchester, yeoman 2] Edward Talbot the elder of Butleigh, yeoman 3] John Jones of Shapwick, miller 4] James Grenville of Butleigh Not aware of the second, but does confirm what I already knew that the Jones family held two Mills the one in Shapwick and one in Moorlinch How would I go about getting acces to this document in full? Unfortunately it's unlikely to get me any nearer to knowing if my John Hockey Jones was the son of William the miller, or William the farmers son, but any background info on the families is worth looking into I suppose, never know what may be there.

Richard By getting the earlier document, you may be able to work forward and discover which William is which. Also, as I said, where there is one document, there are usually more, I find. To get the 1741 document you need to contact the holder of the document - I will just have a look and see what it says. It might also be worth you exploring the Manorial documents for the area, to see if the family were regular leaseholders - if they were, there may well be a will. Back in a mo! UPDATE - click on the link at the top of the page to Somerset Archives and Records and this will give you an email/contact addy to order the document (use the A2A reference number). You could ask at the same time if they hold any more documents for this family. OC

Thanks for that OC will give it a go!

OC I have visited the Somerset Records site and inputted the ref: RefNo: DD\BR\py/94 Title: Shapwick deed. Description: Lease for a year of land called Windmill Batch and a windmill there by Robert Westlake, senior, roper, and Robert his son, both of Moorlinch, to Richard Joanes of Shapwick, miller. Date: 1740 Extent: 1 Format :document Access Status: Open Didn't seem to be any more to the collection relating to Jones, just this one lease. I did however find two other collections relating to the other Jones' RefNo: DD\PAM/6 Title: Huntspill, Moorlinch, Woolavington deeds etc Description: Various small groups of land acquired by William Mogg. Copy will James Jones, Shapwick, yeoman, 1810. Date: 1777-1841 Extent: 24 Format :document Access Status: Open Though this obviously includes duplicates of the James Jones will I have already paid for, the dates 1777-1841 and the extent 24 pages suggests alot more to it There's also another smaller collection also for William Mogg, James Jones son in law, which includes his own will RefNo: DD\PAM/5 Title: Bridgwater, etc, deeds etc. Description: House in Castle Street, Bridgwater, c66a in Woolavington, 4a in Huntspill, c6a in Moorlinch, c3a in North Petherton. Deeds of 1811 and 1815 relate to moiety of the manor of St John Baptist, Bridgwater and North Petherton and property in Eastgate, Bridgwater including house rebuilt on site of the Bird in Hand Inn. Copy will William Mogg, Bridgwater, merchant, 1848. (Mogg, Ruscombe Poole). Date 1811-1887 Extent: 11 Format: documents AccessStatus: Open Probably worth checking out all three of these? Not having any experience how would you suggest I go about this OC. I'm assuming getting them to copy and send these docs, if even possible, will cost me an arm and a leg? I may be able to get to Somerset Records Office some time later this year, If I can wait that long! Would it be possible and easier to view them in person. I noticed another collection which has an index to Shapwick baptisms, 1700 -1884; marriages, 1703-1851; burials, 1700-1912, census returns, 1841-91; trade directories, 1859-1894; tithe award, 1839; and land tax records, etc. That could be useful to.

Gosh, sorry Richard, I did notice the baptism records etc but assumed you had already found them! There are an awful lot of hits on A2A just using the word 'Shapwick' to search and there may be other stuff of interest if you work your way doggedly through all the hits. I would email the Somerset archives asking for the cost of these documents - they will only be photocopies after all, and how much can they charge for photocopies? I have never paid very much (Lancashire Records Office) for photocopies sent by post and sometimes nothing at all if it is a single sheet (they sent me an image). As a guide, the last Will I had from Lancs RO, eleven pages, was £4.00. That is about half the price of a cert, and it had 35 names on it! Interesting that you found more documents, as I thought you might - I am pretty sure that all of these archives have only indexed about a tenth of what they've really got! Of course you could wait till you visit the archives in person, but personally I wouldnt be able to wait if the cost is reasonable, and they may give you information which leads to another search when you DO visit. Good luck - I love this part of research, it is so exciting and satisfying when you finally tease out what seemed an impenetrable puzzle to start with. OC

OC Thanks again for your help My Parish Record info on these families is purely based on the IGI at the moment, and the Shapwick batch numbers. So hopefully the Registers themselves may be a bit more enlightening. The charges certainly sound more reasonable than I was imagining, so I will send them through an email today a see if they can copy and send those three collections through. With any luck they may just hold the answer!