Wednesday 28 February 2018

#52Ancestors Week 9 "Where there's a Will"

The first will I ever received was from a very generous chap named Andy Gravett, Andy had been building his family tree for several years before I even started.  So thank you Andy.

This will is Thomas Gravett's my 7th Great Grandfather (1681-1741). This will confirmed my earlier research, giving the name of his brother, wife, son, daughter in law and grandson.  His son Thomas Jr was my 6th Greadgrandfather and so far I can see there were no other siblings.  The Grandson metioned, William was th first of 7 children of Thomas Jr and Elizabeth and my 6th Great Uncle.  I have looked on old maps but have yet to find the lands mentioned in this will, looks like he had several properties.  Nice touch bequething 30 dozen loaves of bread to the poor.

It reads

In the name of God, Amen. I Thomas Gravatt of Wisborough Green in the County of Sussex, yeoman being in good health and of sound disposition and memory and understanding. Thanks be given to Almighty God for the same considering the certainty of death and uncertainty of the times revoking all forms of wills by me made demake and declare this to be my last will and testament in name and form following / that us to say first of all I commend my soul to the hands of Almighty God my creator hoping through death and passion of Jesus Christ my only Lord and Saviour to for pardon of all my sins and my body I commit to the earth to be decently interred at the discretion of my executors hereafter named and as to the disposal of such estate as God in his mercy has blessed me with I give and devise and bequeath all that my messuage or tenement farms and land with the appertainers commonly called and known by the names of Jakofs and Haydon lying and being in Wisborough Green aforesaid and also all that my other messuage or tenement farm and lands with the appertainers situate and being in the same parish and called as known by the name of Hook land unto my loving brother William Gravatt of Albury in the County of Surrey yeoman and to my good friend Thomas Elliott of Wisborough Green aforesaid yeoman and their heirs to hold the same unto the said William Gravatt and Thomas Elliot and their heirs in trust and to and for the uses intents and purposes hereinafter mentioned expressed limited and declared of a concerning the same that is to say / as to for touching and concerning all that the aforesaid messuage tenement farm and lands with the appertainers called Jakofs and Haydon in trust and to and for the only soul and proper use and benefit and of my dear and loving wife Mary and her assigns for and during the terms of her natural life subject nevertheless and charged with and Annuity of three pounds a year to my son Thomas Gravatt the younger and Eliyabeth Gravatt wife of him the said Thomas Gravatt or the longest liver or survivor of the said Thomas or Eliyabeth Gravatt aforesaid during the terms of their natural lives and further my will and meaning is that if my loving wife Mary shall be married again I give and devise the said land called Jakofs and Haydon in trust to and for the only use and of my said son Thomas Gravatt during the term of his natural life subject nevertheless and charged with one annuity of six pounds yearly out of the said lands called Jakofs and Haydon aforesaid during the term of the natural life of my loving wife Mary and her assigns during the term aforesaid my of her and in any kind whatsoever as touching the said land or freehold estates called Jakofs and Haydon aforesaid and further my will is in case my loving wife Mary married again or shall continue and remain a widow then my will sis that she shall receive the yearly income rents and profits of the said lands and use of all my household goods during the term of her natural life and from and after her decease then in to and for the only use and behoof of my said son Thomas Gravatt the younger and his assigns during the term of his natural life and from and after his decease in trust and to and for the only use and behoof of my grandson William Gravatt son of my said son Thomas Gravatt the younger and the heirs of my said grandson for ever and as to for touching and concerning all that the said messuage or tenement farm and lands with the appertainers called Hook land in trust to and for the payment of all my debts first by cutting and making sale of all such timber as shall be felled for market and in case there shall not be sufficient to pay all my debts and funeral expenses and the other charges which my executors in trust shall be at in the execution of the Trust by me in them reposed I give and devise the said lands in and by the executors in trust to sell or mortgage as they shall think proper for the payment of my debts funeral expenses and other charges as aforesaid and after the payment of all those my said debts what moneys be and remain over and above them in trust the interests and produce to be equally divided between my loving wife Mary during the term of the widowhood that is to say one half to my said wife during the said term and in trust the other half in trust to and for the only use and behoof of my son Thomas Gravatt and his assigns during the term of his natural life and from and after his decease pass in trust to and for the only use of my daughter Eliyabeth Gravatt the wife of Thomas Gravatt aforesaid during the term of her natural life to and for the maintenance and bringing up my grandchildren the children of him my said son Thomas Gravatt and Eliyabeth aforesaid and from and after the decease of my said daughter in law Eliyabeth Gravatt aforesaid I give and bequeath and devise the lands if not then sold to be by the trust as aforesaid sold and equally divided amongst my grandchildren the children of my said son Thomas and Eliyabeth Gravatt share and share alike and from and after the payment of my debts all the and residue of my goods and rights and personal estate after the payment of my debts and funeral expenses I give in trust for uses as aforesaid and also I give thirty dozen of breads to be distributed at the discretion of my executors to the poor of Wisborough Green and I do desire to be burryd at Crandly (sic) in the county of Surrey. And I do hereby make and appoint my said loving brother William Gravatt and my good friend Thomas Elliot Executors and in them trust as aforesaid of all this my said will whom i desire may be reimbursed out of my effects all such charges as they shall be put in to in the execution of the trust by me in the deposed in whereof I have hereinto set my hand and seal this eight day of February in the year of our Lord one thousand seven hundred and thirty six
Thomas Gravatt signed sealed and delivered published and declared by the said Executors of this last will and testament being written on two sheets with his hand and seal to both sheets in the presence of subscribed our names




Monday 26 February 2018

#52Ancestors Week 8 "Heirloom"

Just a short one this week, been struggling with this weeks hint. Haven't got much in the way of anything handed down from my ancestors other than my DNA.  One thing I do have is an enamelled holly broach given to my Mum when she was about 19 by her brother in law Keith West.  It was brought fromWrights the jewllers in Western Road, Brighton.  The firm is no longer is business.  As far as I can remember Mum used to wear this broach every Christmas and I do now so Mum is always with us at Christmas, her favourite time of the year.

Monday 12 February 2018

#52Ancestors week 7 "Valentine"



As I have no-one born or married on 14th Feb I decided to think laterally Valentine = Love

The marriage of my paternal Grandparents Charles Henry West and Dorothy Evelyn Mitten

Back row Charles Mitten; Maria Wood; ? ; Helen Mary Briggs; Henry Charles West
Front row Edith Mitten; Dorothy Mitten; Charles Henry West; Elsie Mitten

Charles and Dorothy were married on Boxing Day 1923

Dorothy was born 08 March 1900 in St Leonards, she lived with her parents Charles and Maria (nee Wood) sisters Bertha and Elsie along with her  Grandfather John George Mitten, Grandmother Sarah Ann (nee Laws)  and their other children Fanny and Alfred and stepson Alfred Latham at 24 Western Road, St Leonards in 1901. The 1901 census shows Charles, Maria and their 3 children living in just 2 rooms in Western Road.   By 1911 the family had increased in size with a total of 7 children and they have moved to 1 Cornfield Terrace, St Leonards, where according to the census there are 4 rooms, the kitchen is counted as a room, so 9 people in 3 rooms, it must have been  cramped.  Family rumour says that she was in service and worked in a nursing home and nursed a famous writer before her marriage.

Charles was born on 5th February 1899 in Hastings.  The 1901 census shows him living at 4 West Hill Cottages, St. Clements, Hastings with his parents Henry Charles and Ellen Mary (nee Briggs) and sisters Nelly and Daisy. By 1911 his family have moved to 105 St Georges Road, Hastings and he has 2 brothers and 2 more sisters.  Charles at the age of 17 ½ enlisted on 16th Sep 1916.  18th March 1918 and Charles is shipped to Egypt as part of the Royal Army Service Corps as an infantryman.  His records show that he was working as a newspaper reporter with Southern Publishing in Hastings before his enlistment.  Charles was discharged due to ill health in March 1920 due to recurrent malaria; the first bout was November 1918 just 8 months after he arrived in Egypt.

Charles and Dorothy had 5 children, Keith Charles who was born 1925 in Hastings, John Robin who was born 5 years later in 1930, Jean Margaret in 1935 who unfortunately did not survive,  Sheila 1936 and finally Michael Alan in 1940.  Charles at some stage after demob had a change of occupation changing from a reporter with the Evening Argus to working at the Tax Office (Inland Revenue) and in 1937/8 was transferred from the Hastings office to Brighton.  Initially he stayed in digs in Bates Road before finding the house in Waldergrave road and bringing his family to Brighton. 
 
After the family moved from Hastings to Brighton in 1937/8 they  lived at 148 Waldergrave Road and Charles, Dorothy and Michael lived there for the rest of their lives.

Memories from John West (son) “ I remember that Keith and Sheila got the train with Mum to Brighton as Sheila got car sick, I went in the removals van.  The company that moved us was Dengates.  There was a carnival in Hastings on the front, Dad’s office overlooked the sea and we used to watch the carnival from his office window.”

Thursday 8 February 2018

#52 Ancestors Week 6 “Favourite Name”



Gravett Meaning:  English: topographic name for someone who lived by a copse or small grove, Middle English gravette, grevette (from a diminutive of Old English graf ‘grove’). Altered spelling of French Gravet


Initially I was thinking of finding my favourite name of one of my ancestors, second thoughts I thought I would look for the name that appears the most in my tree, therefore a family favourite name.
William  Gravett or Gravatt.  This name appears 20 times in my tree, here they are starting with Great great Grandfather


William George Gravett (1822-1897)Great Great Grandfather

William George was born late 1822 and baptised at St Mary the Virgin, Billingshurst on 1st December 1822, the second son of Edward Gravett (1789-1857) and Ann Puttock (1794-1871)  William is living at Swan House, Billingshurst with his Uncle, Philip Puttock and Aunt Mary and is showing as a male servant on the 1841 census when he is 19 years old.  William marries Mary Jeal (1826-1903) in Billingshurst on 25th March 1848.  Their first son George William was born 1849 in Horsham.  By the next census in 1851 William is living with his wife and son also William’s sister Ann is lodging with them at Springfield Road, Horsham.  William is working as a brewers cellar man, there are 6 brewery’s in Horsham at this time, so unable to say where he was working.  In 1853 William and Ann’s first daughter Ann Maria is born in Horsham.  Some time between 1853 and 1854 when their next son Morris Edwin is born they have moved to Chapel Street, Brighton.  Their 3rd son James Frederick is born 1857 then daughter Mary Jane 1861 by which time they have moved to 10 St Johns Place, Brighton where William is working as a labourer and Mary is charring. Rosina is born in 1863, Charles Thomas 1868 by which time they have moved again to 28 Hanover Street, Brighton.  Their final child Robert John is born in 1873.  William continues to live in Hanover Street until his death on 10th October 1897



William Gravett (1578-1626) 10th Great Grandfather
Son of William Gravett and Alice Shepherde William was born in Easebourne in 1578 married 3 times and dying at the age of 48 in Chiddingfold, he was buried on 20th Feb 1626 

Willyam Gravat (1545- ?) 11th Great Grandfather
Son of William Gravett and Agnes baptised in Easebourne, Sussex 1545

William Gravett (1520-1574) 12th Great Grandfather
Son of John Gravett and unknown mother. William was born Easebourne in 1520 and died 1574

William George Gravett  (1892-1974) 1st cousin twice removed
This William was born in Brighton 21st November 1892 the son of Charles Thomas Gravett and Clarrissa Mary Miles.  He joined the Army in 1915 and served in the Royal West Surrey Regiment and fought in France and was wounded 28 Feb 17 with a gunshot wound in his left arm and was sent home 1st March 1917.  He married Johanna Clark in 1918, they had 3 children Eric, Roland and Jessie.  The 1939 register shows him as working as a PSV driver living in The Highway, Brighton

William Gravett  (1858- ?) 1st Cousin 3 times removed
Born in 1858 the son of Henry Gravett and Mary Childs William was baptised in Billingshurst, Sussex 26th Dec 1858. William was a general labourer moving around Surrey until he married Elizabeth Kislingbury 7th Sept 1895 in Marylebone, London.  They had two sons William Charles and Robert Frank.

William Gravett (1829-1912) 1st cousin 4 times removed
William was born in 1829 in Billingshurst, Sussex and at the age of 23 left for the USA arriving in New York on 30th March 1852.  William married Ellen Johnson on 8th Feb 1853 in White, Illinois. William and Ellen had 10 children John Peter, Sarah, Alice, Hugh Henry, Florence, Eunice, William Allen, Edward, Nell and Edmond. William died in 1912 in Greyville, White Illinois.

William Gravett (1829-? ) 1st Cousin 4 times removed
Born in 1829 the son of William Gravett  (above)and Mary Shrubb he was baptised in Rudgewick , Sussex 18th October 1829.  At the age of 21 he is working as an Ag Lab in Rudgewick.  After the 1861 census where he is lodging in Ewell and working as an ag lab I can find no further record of William

William Gravett (1723-1778) 1st cousin 8 times removed
Son of William Gravett and Elizabeth Stredwick William is baptised at Cranleigh, Surrey on 10th Dec 1723 and lived in Cranleigh until his death in 1778

William Gravett (1633- ?) 1st cousin 10 times removed
The son of Jeremiah Gravett and Elizabeth Granger William is born in Lyminster  circa 1633

William Charles Gravett  (1896- ?) 2nd Cousin 2 times removed
Son of above born 18th May 1896 and baptised in Leatherhead 26th July 1896.  During WWI he served in Royal Garrison Artillery He married (Doris) Frances A Solomon in West Ham 1924. 1939 they are living in New Maldon and William is working as a tool engineer.  He has one son Kenneth W E Gravett in 1930.  William dies 10th Oct 1957 at the age of 61 in Kingston upon Thames

William Allen Gravett (1871-1951) 2nd cousin 3 times removed
William was born 1871 in Grayville Illinois the son of William Gravett and Ellen Johnson.  William married Maud Stanley Patty (1880-1975) on 23rd Nov 1907 in Miami Ohio. They had 4 children Charles, Edmund, Patty and Robert.   Willian died if Florida at the age of 80 in 1951

Willie Gravett (1868 -? ) 2nd Cousin 3 times removed
Willie was born 1868 in Grayville, Illinois the son of Thomas Gravett and Mary Ann Johnson

William Stanley Gravett (1780- ?) 2nd Cousin 7 times removed
The son of George Gravett and Mary Richardson he was born in 1780 and baptised at Ewhurst  on 24th  Sept 1780.  William lived all his life in Ewhurst married Elizabeth Taylor and had one son Henry in 1827. Have yet to find details of William Stanleys death, he is recorded in the 1861 census at the age of 81

William Gravett (1793-1867) 4th Great Uncle
William was born in Billingshurst 1793 the son of Thomas Gravett and Ann Redman.  He was baptised 17th July 1793.  William married Mary Shrubb on 1st Oct 1821 in Rudgewick, Sussex.  William was an agricultural labourer. William and Mary had 8 children and lived the rest of their lives in Rudgewick.

 William Gravett (1760-?) 5th Great Uncle
The son of Thomas Gravatt and Susannah Saires William was baptised on 30th November 1760 in Pulborough, Sussex.

William Gravett (1732- ?) 6th Great Uncle
Born in 1732 the son of Thomas Gravett and Elizabeth Tribe William was baptised in Wisborough Green, Sussex on 4th Dec 1732

William Gravett (1691-?) 8th Great Uncle
Son of Thomas Gravett and Sarah Gadd William was baptised in Cranleigh on 21st  Oct 1691

William Gravett (1643-1708) 9th Great Uncle
The son of Ralph Gravett and Eliabeth Chalcroft William was baptised in Chiddingfold, Surrey on 19th Nov 1643 he died in Cranleigh aged 65 in 1708

William Gravett (1597- ?)  10th Great Uncle
The son if William Gravett and Elizabeth Shepherde William was baptised in Felpham 23rd Aug 1597