On Sat, 14 Nov 2020 at 12:53:05, Ruth Wilson <
ruth.wilson@virgin.net>
wrote:
Hi all,
Seeing as John has pointed out how quiet it is (where is everyone? what
is the current alternative to newsgroups?) I thought I would post a
query.
I guess Twitter and Facebook (and all their relatives) for general chat,
and forums (fora) for specialist interests.
My husband's ancestors, surname Covell, moved from Surrey (Mitcham) to >Bodfari in Flintshire/Denbighshire sometime in tbe 1770s (baptised
children Surrey 1769, Bodfari 1780).
Now, I know that people moved around more than is popularly believed,
and I know there were push and pull effects, so I understand the
principle. But what made someone move from Surrey to Bodfari. It seems
a fairly obscure place to go. I can't see any Welsh connections of the
family before this.
Have you found it on Google Maps? I find that often useful.
I have tried to check up if there was a landowner with holdings in both >places, as I have seen that behind a cross-country move, but I haven't
found anything yet.
I seem to remember reading that Surrey was not a very prosperous county
My ancestors - at least, some of them (Neave/Neve/le Neve) moved from
Norfolk to Northumberland, I think because Norfolk was not very
promising (agriculture, which doesn't provide a growing jobs situation),
but that was around the time mining was getting going - especially in Northumberland and Durham; I _think_ that was a little later than your
move. Could that be a reason though? I know mining was big in Wales at
times, but I don't know which parts (more in the south though I think),
nor where Bodfari is.
at that time - would enclosure have been a factor pushing them out? -
(No idea I'm afraid; my British history's not what it ought to be! I
associate the disruption caused by enclosures more with Scotland and
Ireland, but no reason why it shouldn't disturb people elsewhere.)
and maybe North Wales was a fresh start. They did actually own land
there according to the tithe maps of 1830 and owned other property
Though that's 50 years after the move; if they'd settled and worked
hard, they might have earned enough to buy some by then.
according to a couple of family wills. I don't, however, know of the
family situation while in Surrey (did they have to sell up, was it a
step up or down?)
Any death dates? My GGGM went to Northumberland to join relatives
already there (at least I think that's what she did), it looks like
because her husband died young leaving her young and with a brood to
look after. (He was a builder - family lore is he fell off a ladder.)
Does anyone have any thoughts on this? e.g. why this specific move and
how might they have found out about it? Any other interesting
observations welcome!
Sorry no, guesswork only! Looking at ages of those moving might give
some ideas - were they fit young men (who could go into mining), say?
Also, of course, look at (at least stated) occupations - around that
period, on baptism records (son of Fred Smith, farmer), though marriages _sometimes_ say, and marriage _bonds_ do too - but I expect you've
already done that.
Ruth
(I have some around the Flintshire/Cheshire border, but since the name
is mainly Hughes, I think they're from the area.)
John
--
J. P. Gilliver. UMRA: 1960/<1985 MB++G()AL-IS-Ch++(p)Ar@T+H+Sh0!:`)DNAf
Advertising is legalized lying. - H.G. Wells
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