Research Forum

Weston super Mare family history research topic.

Thanks to the wonderworld of DNA knowledge; I am now happy to tell you that Tom Young is off the hook! 

I am still related to Stewart Young in a similar way, but my grandmothers father who met Lilian Weymouth in 1894 appears not to be the father of Stewarts grandfather, but the father of Stewarts grandmother. Namely ERNEST WILLIAM WILLCOCKS (1864-1925). He was descended from THOMAS LOCOCK b 1799 via his parents ISAAC WILLCOCKS and MARY ANN LOCOCK.  The families were from the Weston Super Mare and Axbridge area.

I think the most likely way LILIAN WEYMOUTH met ERNEST WILLCOCKS was as a servant in his home, which was a boarding house in 1901 at 2 St Johns Terrace.

The reason for this change of tack is that I have now found another DNA match who is also matched with Stewart Young; and where their two family trees meet in Weston Super Mare lies the undoubted answer to who my own great grandfather is.  So my search is off.  And yet I should love to hear anything from Westonians who have WSM Willcocks and Lococks in their family.

I am also intrigued as to why Mary Ann Millett adopted my grandmother BEATRICE WEYMOUTH as a baby in 1894. And grateful to her too!.

The 1894 did TOM YOUNG (1863 – 1946) of Stonehouse, Gloucester meet LILIAN JANE WEYMOUTH (1877 - 1971) of Weston super Mare.   

Only 13 years ago did I find out that my paternal Grandmother BEATRICE was born in Axbridge workhouse in 1894 to Lilian Weymouth; baby Beatrice was then ‘adopted’ by MARY ANN MILLETT, a laundress in WSM. Until this year I had to assume that Mary Ann’s son HERBERT MILLETT (the same age as Lilian Weymouth and living close by in the Town) was the father of Beatrice.  I even entered this in my Ancestry tree to test the hypothesis with further research and finally a DNA test.

I took a DNA test a few years ago and noticed that none of the DNA ‘matches’ appeared to link us with the Millett family. I concluded that I had no real evidence that Herbert was the father.  The only hint might have been that his sister Eliza was known to my father and grandmother as Auntie Billy and she remained close to the family after moving to Bournemouth and my Grandmother, once married, moving to Weymouth, Dorset. But the term ‘Auntie’ could simply be explained by the fact that Auntie Billy (ELIZA MILLETT) could have been as much of a mother to Beatrice as Mary Ann Millet, who was almost 50 years old when she adopted BEATRICE and then died when Beatrice was aged 12, leaving Eliza to take care of Beatrice.

I kept an eye open for DNA matches that weren’t connected to other lines in my family tree. Finally, last year I received a message from Stewart Young who’s shared DNA match with me indicated a common great grandfather on my paternal side.  After two phone calls exploring our respective ancestors, we decided that the most likely link by far was his gt grandfather Tom Young and my missing gt grandfather, father of Beatrice, despite Tom being a business man 14 years senior to Lilian’s 17 years. Lilian was described as a domestic servant on Beatrice’s birth certificate.

Beatrice was born to and raised by Weston super Mare families.    Tom Young, whilst coming from Leeds and then living in Stonehouse, Glos., had three sisters who ran a boarding house in WSM. There were other family links to Weston too.   Therefore, I am exploring any facts and stories that might substantiate further the theory that TOM YOUNG is my great grandfather.   I’m curious to know why Mary Ann Millett adopted Beatrice Weymouth as a baby, if in fact her son Herbert was not thought to be the father.  

I would like to know where LILIAN WEYMOUTH was a domestic servant in 1893/4.  Did she ‘live in’ somewhere, e.g. a boarding house?  Where were JANE, ISOBEL and ALICE YOUNG (tom’s sisters) running their boarding house in 1894?  (In 1901 they were living at 13 Raglan Circus).  

Were there stories of a secret liaison between Tom Young and Lilian Weymouth.  Did Tom honour his responsibility to an illegitimate child by supporting financially someone to raise her?   Perhaps Mary Ann Millett took laundry in from the sisters boarding house and was aware of plight of Lilian’s plight? Maybe she received payment for raising the child? 

Does anyone know of ERNEST WEYMOUTH? (Lilian’s brother) who kept a watchful eye over his illegitimate niece Beatrice and was witness at her wedding in Swindon in 1915.  (I was told he had a jewellers shop in WSM).

Some of these questions seem ‘far out’! But I cannot explain the DNA connection otherwise.

Angela Willes

I am trying to find out what happened to Edmund PETERS/PETTERS after the 1881 census where he is found living with  his wife Sarah née LEACH. 

He was born the 2nd qtr 1848 at South Brent/Brent Knoll and married Sarah LEACH 20th May 1873 at Brent Knoll.  Son of Thomas and Martha PETTERS.

I cannot find Edmund for 1891 census but I have found Sarah at the home of her father George LEACH (transcribed LUCK) and her brother.  She states she is married but no sign of Edmund.

I think I may have found Sarah in 1901 in London as Sarah J PETERS a widow and a mother's help.  (Not sure about the initial J though or whether it is the right one)

I cannot find a death or any other reference to Edmund.

Can anyone else help please?

Just found Sarah's baptism which was 25.Jun 1837 so she has knocked a few years off her age every census.

The Queen Alexandra Memorial Hospital was officially opened by the Duke and Duchess of York in 1928. A souvenir brochure was issued at the time and can be viewed on the internet here - https://wellcomecollection.org/works/m4shrt54/items?canvas=15&langCode=eng

A member of my family has discovered what appears to be a commemorative medal issued at the time. It was found in her late mother’s effects. Photos of the front and back are attached. The medal needs a good clean, so the photos are not great. But they are the best available I’m afraid.

I’m trying to establish why and to whom the medal was issued. Any information would be gratefully received.

My Great grandfather lived in Jubilee Road about 1900 and was a Tailors Journeyman my Grandfather was also from Weston and after WW1 trained as a gas fitter at what is now Weston Museum. I am looking for anyone that has any records of employees of the former gas works in Weston?  

My GGG Grandmother was Elizabeth (Betty) PARKER, died 20 Jul 1868, Weston-super-mare.  She was married to George PARKER, Blacksmith, died Weston-super-mare 4 Oct 1845.  She and George were married in Bleadon on 22 May 1808 and her maiden name SALVIDGE.  So far, so good, but I am stuck following Betty’s SALVIDGE line back.  Can anyone help?

The age on her death certificate (87) suggests she was born 1781.  The 1851 Census shows her born Bleadon (inferred 1779), the 1861 Census shows her born West Harptree (inferred 1781).  I have looked at all SALVIDGE ‘events’ in Somerset and can find no baptism for Elizabeth anywhere.

There are only 3 SALVIDGE families with baptisms c1780.  One at Winscombe, one at Chewton Mendip and then James and Sarah SALVIDGE who were baptising children at Bleadon 1771-80.  This may well be the same James and Sarah SALVIDGE whose first six children were baptised at Litton (near Chewton Mendip) 1763-1770.  To support this theory the only marriage I can find for James Salvidge in the relevant period is at Shipham, on 17^th Nov 1759, between James SALVIDGE, farmer, of Litton, and Sarah TUTTON of Shipham.  

My theory is that Betty SALVIDGE is the daughter of James and Sarah.  Others of James and Sarah’s children were baptised ‘privately’ and only later in Church and recorded in the Register, so did this happen in Betty’s case, but she didn’t have the later public baptism? Both Betty’s parents were dead before she was four years old – is that a factor?  (James SALVIDGE buried, Bleadon, 4 July 1782 and Sarah SALVIDGE buried, Bleadon, 5 March 1784)  The Bleadon location would square with what the 1851 Census says for Betty’s birthplace?  But what about the 1861 Census showing West Harptree as Betty’s birthplace?  I know the SALVIDGE ‘clan’ can be found right along the Mendips and if Betty was orphaned, was she looked after by other family? James and Sarah, her parents, had lived in Litton, only 3 miles from West Harptree before they moved to Bleadon ?  Perhaps Betty herself didn’t know exactly where she was born?  I’d welcome any thoughts or if anyone has any information?

This leads to my next enquiry about Betty SALVIDGE’s mother!  Assuming Betty’s parents were James SALVIDGE (d1782) and Sarah (d1784) I can find that Sarah’s father is most likely Samuel TUTTON.  The TUTTON maiden name theory is backed because several of James’ and Sarah’s children (Betty’s siblings) have the middle name ‘Tutton’.  The fact that Sarah’s father’s name was Samuel appears backed by an entry in the Bleadon parish register that states “I received of the above-named Mr. James Salvidge, as Executor of the above-named Samuel Tutton, gent, this Thursday the 5^th day of September 1771 one guinea for the burial of the said Samuel Tutton, widower, his late wife Mary Tutton, and Mr. Salvidge’s above-named infant daughter, christened, Mary Tutton, in our Church’.  Surely this must indicate James was Samuel’s son-in-law and Sarah’s father?  This is also backed up by the fact that James’ and Sarah’s eldest son (and Betty’s oldest brother), Cornelius SALVIDGE, actually got a private Act of Parliament in 1786 to change his name to Cornelius TUTTON ‘pursuant to the Will of Samuel Tutton Esquire’!!!

All this creates another question, because the only marriages I can find for a Samuel TUTTON (Betty’s potential father) before 1750 are for the marriage by licence of Samuel TUTTON ‘Yeoman of Banwell [about 6 miles east of Bleadon)’ and Mary BENNETT of ‘Bladon’ (Bleadon?) 19 Oct 1747 at Bath Abbey or a marriage between Samuel TUTTON and Betty PIERCE at Chew Magna on 26 Mar 1749 .  Surely the first one is more likely, because we know Samuel as a ‘Gent’ when he died?… And yet, if her parents only married in 1747 and Sarah TUTTON married James SALVIDGE in Shipham in 1759(!) she would only have been 12 when she married and had her first child at 16 – she is described as a ‘Minor’ in the parish register but even so???  Again, any thoughts or observations would be welcome!

I am more than happy to share any information I have or will learn about the SALVIDGEs and TUTTONs

Thanks, Chris Martin

Please can anyone identify these names on the 1841 Census HO107, Piece 968, Folio 48, Page 4

I believe the last entry is Frederick MARTILL, who is the Weston Worthy I am currently researching, but who is the Independent woman who appears to be employing him as a servant?   Thank you!