I am an ex student from Badsey first school and am very confused with what I recently read in the Evesham Journal. I left badsey 6 years ago and now am in year 11 at Prince Henrys High, Evesham. During my time at Badsey, in year 3 ( 9 years ago) we all celebrated the 100th anniversary of the school, so how is it now that 9 years on the school is 150 years old? I have photos of the pupils on the field in a 100 shape which was taken by a helicopter and remember well that we dressed up in Victorian outfits, so I am not mistaken. Please could you get back to me, and explain how Badsey is 150 years old.
The answer is a simple one. The school building was 100 years old in 1995.
Badsey National School opened on 1st November 1854 in premises which have now become the British Legion. The school was a Church school and was funded by voluntary contributions. However, by the 1880s, it was running into financial problems, and in May 1893, the responsibility for educating the local children passed to a local Board. From May 1893, it was known as Badsey Board School. At this time, the population of Badsey was growing quickly with the growth of market gardening, and the Board either had to extend the school already in existence or move to new premises. The opportunity came up to purchase some land, so it was decided to build on a new site. On 21st June 1895, the teachers and children were able to move into the new building. The building was much smaller in those days, and has been extended extensively over the years.
From 1903-1948, the school was called Badsey Council School, from 1948-1975 it was called Badsey County Primary School, from 1975 to the present day, it has been known as Badsey First School. In a sense, there's a chance for lots of anniversaries - the original founding of the school, the move to the new building, or since it became known as Badsey First School!
It's the same with your current school. I believe Prince Henry's moved to its current premises in 1911, but the school foundation is much much older, dating back several hundred years.
I came across your site during a search engine trawl for information, specifically "exactly when in 1943 was the wartime ban on ringing lifted?" My reason for writing is to say that you have all the (very nice) photos of St James' bells upside down! When bells are set for ringing they are mouth upwards and the clapper (painted a nice shade of blue on these) rests against the edge of the bell. If they had been in the 'down' position (as after ringing is finished) they hang downwards like in your photos. But the clappers then would hang centrally in the bell, not touching the side of the bell.
I've enjoyed ringing at Badsey on a number of occasions and will copy a copy of this to Hilary Bolton and Roger Savory, both of whom know me!
Hello Everyone, It is some time since I have looked at the Badsey website. Consequently I had not seen the addition of the pictures of Badsey's bells, inserted in several places on the site. This evening I took the time to take a look, following Pam Copson's e-mail note.
She is, of course, quite correct in her statement that the pictures of the bells, in every case, having been inserted upside down. I have known Pam for quite some time, and we usually meet up in some belfry or another (or pub) when I'm back over in the Vale to get a much needed "recharging of batteries" in the old country --- something that clearly would not be complete without the bells and the beer. Pam is well-known in "ringing circles" throughout the world for her excellence in ringing, and particularly in the teaching of newcomers to the Art.
As for the pictures in the webpages, as currently presented they are probably more aesthetically pleasing to the layman than if they were "correctly" inserted "the right way up"!. But, as a "purist", I must admit that I would prefer to see the pictures rotated through 180 degrees, so that they are technically correct. It's a very difficult, if not impossible, job to take good pictures of bells in their "normal" mouth-down position, packed tightly in their bell frames inside a church tower. And this is mainly because the bells themselves, when in this "Down" position, are mostly hidden from view in their "pits". It's not until the bells are pulled into their "Up" position that you get to see clearly the metal bells themselves. Well, they were obviously in the "Up" position when Peter Stewart took his pictures. (See also the position of the louvres in the window in some of the pictures which, as shown, would direct rainwater INTO the tower, rather than keeping it out!). The bells will probably "look funny" if you do decide to rotate the pictures into their "correct" orientation --- but that's your call.
Regarding Hilary's question about the band that rang the first peal on the eight bells at Badsey on December 30, 1902, they are all Oxford Diocesan Guild men and part of Rev F.E. Robinson's itinerant "regulars". Furthermore, Robinson was not a member of the Worcestershire & Districts Association at that point. Hence, I think it's more than likely that this peal was rung for the ODG. You could ascertain this for certain by going to the ODG records and asking for the peal details, much of which is, of course, already given in Robinson's book "Among the Bells". Robinson was the first person to ring in 1,000 peals, and these were predominantly of Stedman Triples, most of which he conducted himself. It is said that when he rang a peal at his home tower of Drayton, Berks, after the peal he would invite the rest of band into the Vicarage for supper. But if they lost the peal attempt Robinson just put on his hat and said, "Good evening gentlemen --- No Peal, No Supper!".
As for his travelling considerable distances for his peals, yes he did, and most of it was I believe by train. However, all the details in his book are not accurate. For example, on page 369 there is the following extract, dated April 1903 :- "Having been (recently) elected a member of the Worcestershire Association, I accepted an invitation from the Rev. J. F. Hastings of Martley, and conducted my first peal of Stedman Triples in Worcestershire at Hartlebury on April 23, 1903....". We know, of course, that this is incorrect, since Robinson had by then already conducted his first peal of Stedman Triples in Worcestershire at Badsey the previous December 30.
Hilary and John Bolton of the St James Guild of Bellringers at Badsey also contacted us about the photographs: John noticed the louvres were upside down in the photos, strangely enough before he registered the position of the bells, perhaps as you say Roger they may well suit the lay person best this way but like you we would rather see them in the correct position, in this case 'the up for ringing' position. I can confirm John had just raised the bells in readiness for a wedding later in the day when Peter Stewart was around doing some photographic recording. At John's suggestion he took him up the tower to take these shots. Shows off Brian White's shade of blue to a treat. The clappers were sprayed or painted this colour on collection from his works after rebushing. Can recommend a good job well done.
Richard Phillips comments: We have had several more letters about the photographs. The photographer Peter Stewart did carefully consider the issue of which way up to display his pictures. But in view of the objections we have now inverted all the photos of bells so they are now the right way up ... or the wrong way up ... look at them and you will see what we mean.
Hi. To begin with we would like to say how wonderful your web site is. We have had great pleasure in looking at items and searching for families.
My husband is researching his CLARKE family of Bretforton and many associated families. Hannah HARWELL (HARTAL) married Thomas CLARKE on 17 Nov 1808 at Badsey. They are my husbands 4x greatgrandparents.
My husband's great grandfather Herbert David CLARKE married Ellen Eliza SOLLIS at Bretforton 09 Aug 1884. Ellen's father was given as George SOLLIS. I have checked all the SOLLIS/SAL(L)IS references on the Badsey website and have found a possible anomaly: On Marriages at Badsey 1860 - 1869 George SALIS married Mary Ann ROBINS dau of William ROBINS 15 Sep 1864 but the IGI record shows the wife of George SALIS as Sarah Ann ROBINS. Would you mind checking the original parish registers?
Until recently all the information we had is that Ellen Eliza SOLLIS married Herbert David CLARKE at Bretforton. On her marriage she gave her father's name as George and one of the witnesses was a John SOLLIS. At each census she gave her place of birth as Dorsington GLS. So far we have not been able to find any record of her birth. In the 1851 census there was Daniel and Amelia SALLIS with four sons, John, Job, Charles and George are at Lower Farm, Bretforton, so we have been working on the premise that this family are possibly related to Ellen. Until we have proof that George and Sarah Ann ROBINS are her parents it would be incorrect for us to publish the assumptions we have made until we are able to confirm the link. If we are successful I will be happy to contact you again with the SOLLIS family information.
We have not made a link with the more recent SOLLIS families although when we visited Bretforton in 2000 I recorded the cemetery records of some of the Sollis burials.
We would love to have Bretforton records added to your web site!
Many thanks for your email pointing out the error. Yes, you are right, the marriage entry for 1864 should be SARAH ANN ROBINS rather than MARY ANN ROBINS. On checking my records, I had already picked up this error on my own database, but had forgotten to get it amended on the website which has now been done.
You may have noticed that we now have a Members' Interests page on the website. Have you considered supplying details about what you know about the Sollis family. I have put together some information about what I know about the SOLLIS family from Badsey records, and from the IGI and 1881 census. What I haven't been able to work out, though, is how the Sollises who appear in Badsey records in the latter half of the 19th century link up with the Sollises who lived in Aldington at the beginning of the 19th century. Do you have notes about the family that you could supply for the Members' Interest page? Do you know how they all link up? Please let me know if I have made any errors in my assumptions.
I was just looking at your survey of graves on the Badsey website. Thank you for your wonderful work and even more for putting it on the website. I am presently doing research into my family and was lucky enough to find a huge amount of information about my grandmother's family, the Malins. In your conclusion you mentioned Louisa Malin who was my great, great, great grandmother but she is not listed in the surname index, or indeed, are any of her descendants (there are Malins but we are Malin). Does that mean that they are buried elsewhere? If so, do you have any idea where? I would appreciate any information you could give me to make my records more complete.
I am presently living in the USA but I am returning for a holiday around Christmas and staying for a week with my brother who lives in Shipston-on-Stour. I plan to visit Badsey and would like to check some records and maybe visit a grave site or two.
Peter Stewart who carried out the survey of graves was able to help Joanne with further information as he had already researched the Malin family history back to the 17th century. Because there are no known graves for most of the Badsey Malin family, they do not appear in the index of individuals.
I have been looking at this site as my maternal grandmother was Christabel Byrd from Badsey. Christabel married Dennis Creech (I think?) then, later, Tom Miller. My mother, Ruth Miller, was evacuated to Badsey, to relatives, during the war. I spent lots of time in the surrounding area in the 1960s during the school holidays - picking beans etc! My Mother's cousin's husband, Cyril Andrews, still lives in Offenham.
I wondered if anyone could help me with information about the second world war and its effect on Badsey?
I work for the Defence of Worcestershire Project based in the County Archaeology Service. We are always on the lookout for references to WW2 sites in the county. We are particularly interested in sites that were used by the military or civil defence during WW2.
The sites we are interested in include:
Home Guard bases, road blocks, observation posts and training grounds;
Air Raid Precautions posts, first aid posts and air raid shelters (if any);
Any military sites or billets including searchlight sites;
Women's Land Army hostels - apparently there was one at Littleton but we do not know its location.
We are looking for all sites that were involved in the war effort and so this list should not be regarded as inclusive. Any information will be much appreciated as, so far, we have nothing listed for the Badsey parish. Thanks.
Colin Jones, Defence of Worcestershire Project County Archaeology Service
During researching into my Watson family history, I came across the Will of John Watson, of my family (Badsey/Bretforton/Bengeworth), who was Bishop of Winchester (died 1580). In this Will, he mentioned a farm at Auton ? Being from North Yorkshire, this had me baffled, until I later read that this was in fact Aldington! I have attached a couple of pages of my transcript of the Will.
My Watson family lived in Badsey in the 1500's, and also in Bretforton and Bengeworth (in the house that is now the Evesham Hotel). I would be most interested to hear from any other Watson family reseachers or any connected families.
Yours sincerely, Barry M. Watson, Scarborough, North Yorkshire
My wife found this site by accident while chasing family tree links.
I attended Badsey School for three years 1953 to 1955 and was Head Boy in my last year. In your feature on School Outing to Cheddar Caves and Cardiff in 1954 I am fourth from the right in the picture with mostly boys. I am afraid I do not remember the other faces, though I remember the name of David Ellison.
I remember the trip mostly for the walk through the Gorge and the Caves.
Mr Hunt was our Master, and Mr Harvey the Head. Mr Binyon always held a General Knowledge quiz each year for the top class, and I remember this as it was the only prize I won at Badsey.
We used to play all our sports down on the rec and had to walk there in crocodile once a week. No exceptions. Games in the school playground were enjoyed, marble, spinning tops, football, cricket. And if you lost the ball over the fence into the market gardeners yard next to the playground, you had to fetch it. Much against the rules. I remember doing this more than once.
The senior class performed in the Worcestershire Schools Choir concert at Blackminster school. I remember that in my year the whole choir fluffed one chorus, and stood like dummies for several seconds. We did pick up again in the next verse. Happy times.
I went on to Prince Henry's from there, and met and married my wife and we now live in Bidford, having moved to Corby and Reading beforehand.
My son happened upon your survey of monumental inscriptions in Badsey churchyard while tracking our surname on the internet. My name is Thomas Adam Knurek and my son Jeff was surprised to find an Adam Knurek buried in Badsey. My father came to the U.S. from Poland in 1914 (He as born in l896) He enlisted in the Army during the WWI and received his citizensship upon his discharge. He never kept up any communication with his family so we have very little information to track our relatives. We doubt that any of his direct family is still living: however, we still would like to know more about people by that name. It is not common even in the U.S. with its large Polish population arriving at the turn of the century. I would be interested to know if any Knurek's still live in Badsey and if you have any way of knowing.
Peter Stewart who conducted the churchyard survey replies: During the survey of Badsey I met many people including many Poles who still live in the area. I was also closely associated with a close friend of Adam Knurek; he was Walter Olender. Both Walter and Adam Knurek married Italian girls and then moved to the village of Badsey. Mrs Knurek still lives in the village. Walter Olender died in September 2002, and his funeral was attended by many Poles, including the Knurek family. I will try to contact this family for you ... I have spoken to the Knurek family on the phone today and sent them your message to me. They will be contacting you via e-mail. I sincerely hope that you are indeed related to the Badsey Knureks. My best wishes to you and your family.
My name is Geoff Kite and my 19th century ancestors come from the Worcester/Kempsey/Norton juxta Kempsey area. One of the earlier Kite ancestors is William Kite, born 19/10/1834 in Norton who married Mary Anne Melin born 1836 in Offenham or Badsey. I have been unable to find any information on her family. Another deadend is Harriet Bendall, born 1850 place unknown, who married George Kite. The earliest I have been able to get back to with any certainty is John Kite, born 1799 NjK died 1881 Kempsey, married Frances Jones, born 1805 NjK died 1871 NjK. If anyone has any information on the Kite, Melin, Bendall or Jones families that could help me, I would appreciate it.
Thanks, Geoff Kite Geoff@gkite.plus.com
(or phone 01352 741625 or write to Geoff Kite, Bryn Eithin, Cefn Bychan Road, Pantymwyn, Flintshire CH7 5EN)
Your ancestors were William and Mary A Kite who were living at Kempsey, Worcester, at the time of the 1881 census, with their seven children. There does not appear to be any close connection with the Badsey Kites. However, here is some information about the Kites and Malins, which might help you in your researches.
There were Kites in Aldington, for a short period in the 1830s (Sarah Sophia Kite, baptised 1832, and Harriet Kite, baptised 1833, the daughters of Richard and Frances Kite). However, the name does not become prominent in the village until several decades later. The Kyte family (descendants of whom still live in the Badsey/Evesham area) moved to Badsey some time in the late 1870s. John and Ellen Kyte had been born in Childswickham about 1824 and 1831 respectively. They had at least six children, all born in Childswickham: Herbert (about 1849), Charles (about 1856), William (about 1858), John (about 1862), Elizabeth (about 1869) and Annie (about 1874). The name appears variously as KYTE or KEYTE, rather than KITE. As your ancestor, William Kite, was born in Norton in 1834, there would appear to be no connection. I see from the IGI that your ancestor was one of ten children of John and Frances Kite, and also that John and Frances, and their sons, William and George, were married at Norton. The 1881 census reveals that George's wife, Harriet, was born at Kempsey (which was where they were living in 1881). A day spent at the Family History Centre in Worcester should easily solve most of your problems.
As far as Mary Ann Melin is concerned, it is possible that she may have been related to the Malin family that moved to Badsey in the late 1850s. Thomas Malin had been born in Broadway in 1814. He married Louisa from Offenham and they lived in Offenham where most of their children were born. Around 1857, they moved to Badsey with their nine children: Thomas (born 1841), Dinah (1844), Harriet (1846), Eliza (1848), Giles (1850), John (about 1853), Betsy (about 1856), Prudence (1857) and Charles (1860). Thomas and Louisa also had a daughter, Mary Ann, born in 1843, but she did not move with them to Badsey; presumably she had a job in service.
It is possible that this Mary Ann may have been the Mary Ann Malin who married William Kite, although this would make her about 38, rather than the 46 given in the 1881 census. However, errors sometimes occurred, either on the part of the census enumerator or the transcriber. But, presumably if you have the marriage certificate for Mary Ann and William Kite, this gives an indication of age. If it appears she was born in 1836, you will need to check the Offenham records thoroughly for all occurrences of the name MALIN (or MALINS, MALING, MEALIN, MEALING, as it variously appears), and the early census returns. You say, however, that she may have been born in Badsey, but there is certainly no record of a Mary Ann Malin being baptised there. What source of information led you to believe that to be the case? If your Mary Ann Malin turns out to be the daughter of Thomas and Louisa Malin, then you have longevity in your genes! See the report on Louisa Malin's death in the Parish Magazine in 1910.
There is now an index for the 1851 Worcestershire census (which I have not used, so cannot comment on, but should be available for perusal at the Worcestershire Record Office, and possibly some other Record Offices, or you may wish to buy it yourself) which should help you to find out more about William Kite and Mary Ann Melen.
I hope this is of some use to you. Please do let us know once you have sorted out the connection, so that we can keep our information up-to-date.
Peter Stewart added this postscript in November 2003: I have just read your April letter regarding William Kite and Mary Ann Malin. Maureen Spinks, with her usual thoroughness, has given you much useful information regarding the Malin family living in Badsey, and I feel I can further add to that information. Mary Ann, the daughter of Thomas and Louisa was born in Offenham, and baptised there 23 April 1843. She is the only Mary Ann to be baptised in Offenham, and I feel that she is most likely the Mary Ann who married your William Kite. Regarding ages in the census returns - I have a James Malin who was aged 40 in the 1881 census, 43 in the 1891 census and 58 in the 1901 census. He comes from the Hampton line of Malin. I am currently researching three lines of Malin, all unconnected. Your Mary Ann's line can be traced back to a Giles Malin (born abt. 1680) of Stanway, Glos. This family were also prominent in Broadway, with connections in Offenham and then Badsey.
Can anyone help me locate a house called Ladbrooke Badsey Lane? It is stated as the address of Wilson Bedenham in his will dated 2.7.1937.I am trying to put together a family tree. Wilson Bedenham was my Gt.Grandfather
Best wishes for continued success with you fabulous site. Shirley Baynes
I don't know if you live locally and know the area, but this is what I can tell you. Most of Badsey Lane is actually in Evesham. If you look at the map on the website, you will see Badsey Lane going off the map to the left. The land to the west of Badsey Brook is Evesham, that to the east is Badsey. Badsey Lane is now bisected by the bypass (off the map left). It is likely that Ladbrooke is one of the houses to the west of the bypass. If you live in Worcestershire, Smith's Household Almanack (found at Worcestershire Record Office and Evesham Library) may assist you. There are two people by the name of Bedenham buried in Badsey Churchyard (William Bedenham, died 1960, and Elsie Bedenham, died 1972), but other than that, Bedenham does not appear to have been a Badsey name.
Ian Major was one of those who successfully identified a mystery photograph showing an abandoned vehicle near Aldington ford. He writes -
Nice to know that my memory is still reasonable, I am not in a position to check the location since I live 120 miles away! John and Will no doubt remember the row of elm trees next to that old vehicle. Sadly they, plus the one that stood on the western horizon above Aldington, were victims of Dutch Elm Disease.
Bits of old vehicle are scattered all over the area. Following the brook downstream from Birmingham Road bridge in Blackminster to Cuckoo Eye bridge (under the railway) you will pass three other bridges. Two are brick humpbacked bridges, and carry public rights of way. The middle one is a flat concrete slab, which was used to get cattle between the fields. If you look under this one (assuming that it has not been removed) you will see that it is a small lorry chassis slung across the brook with a concrete slab on it. This was a source of problems during flooding, since branches would get caught up in the chassis then block the water flow.
An interesting item near there which you may not have seen is at the ford. The road from the ford up to Aldington has a slight hump next to the ford. If you look at the bank below the ford on the Aldington side of the brook, you will find mouth of the tunnel that carried water from the old mill wheel. As kids we used to crawl along inside it (frightening to think of it now), though the last time that I saw it, it was nearly closed up with silt.
Judging by my surname you will probably already know what my interest in Badsey is - my family. From family photos etc, I can establish a link with Seward House. I remember seeing and having recollections of photographs from my grandfather, Francis Sladden who died recently.
The links I am trying to make are with Francis Nixon Sladden, brother of Sir Julius. Tracing this side of my family history has been very interesting. From what I can make out Francis Nixon Sladden is my great great grandfather. But this is not definite! What I am trying to find out at the moment is where he went, who he married etc.
Seward House is also of great interest me. As my grandfather only died recently, I have been unable to obtain some of the things I would like in terms of the photos he has of distant family so that I can match up what is what. Any information you can give me I would greatly appreciate. The generation of the family which I want to trace the link with takes me to Lacey Green in Buckinghamshire.
Any information or photos you may have would be greatly appreciated, in return I will supply you with other photos of Seward House as and when I receive them from my father. I hope this may be of interest to you, and if you can help in anyway I will greatly appreciate it. I look forward to hearing from you.
(The Francis name still remains in the family, my father Michael Francis Sladden, my brother Mark Francis Sladden, and mine, Ian Francis Sladden.)
I was interested to read your e-mail about your interest in the Sladden family. I don't know if you have seen the 1881 Census Index (you should be able to view at your local library or Record Office), but I had a quick look tonight, and see that in 1881, Francis Nixon Sladden was living with his wife, Edith, and their three children, Norah (6), Thomas C (5) and Edith A (4) at Ash near Sandwich in Kent. With a bit of detective work at The Family Records Centre in London, you should be able to make the connection between your Grandfather and Francis Nixon Sladden.
I am sure you will definitely find some clues, also, at Worcester Record Office. There is an absolutely enormous collection of documents - letters, postcards, diaries, photographs, etc - relating to the Sladdens. It would certainly take you a day or two to go through it in some detail, but it looks like a real treasure trove for anyone interested in the Sladden family.
I have just found an article regarding letters written by school children from Badsey. I was particularly interested in one that contained reference to the Beach Jam Manufacturing factory. I am researching my family history and one name I'm researching is the name of Beach. In particular the family of T W Beach in Evesham. I would love to receive any other information from any one else who had contact with the Beach family in Evesham.
My name is Ann Tillier (nee Newbury) from Evesham. I have just started researching my family tree on my fathers side. My father was Richard (Dick) Newbury born 1919. I have just discovered this brilliant website and have managed to find some information but wonder if anybody could give me any more information. On the 1901 census I have found my grandfather Wilson James Newbury living at 27 Old Post Office Lane with his uncle Richard Pendlebury father of my grandmother Maud Ellen Newbury (nee Pendlebury). Next door at 29 Old Post Office Lane is James Newbury(my great-grandfather) , Hannah M. Newbury (my great-grandmother), John Bird (my great-uncle) and Albena Bird (nee Newbury, my great-aunt), Wilson Newbury's sister.
My great grandfather Richard Pendlebury came from Lancashire - I wondered if anybody knew how he came to be in Badsey and what the connection to the Newbury's was (other than he was Wilson's uncle). If this helps I know Wilson and Albena Bird (nee Newbury) were born in Childswickham so at some point they came to live in Badsey but I don't know when.
Lastly I've found an entry on the 1924 electoral list showing Wilson & Maud Newbury living at 2 Orchard View, could anybody tell me where this is?.
I would love to hear from anybody who knows anything about any side of my family.
Orchard View is the name of a house on Old Post Office Lane - there is a photo of it - but it is just possible that the name was used elsewhere in the village.
I have been researching my family for a while, with much assistance from your wonderful site. The whole family seem to have worked on the land, and I cannot find any reference to them on the 1901 census. Perhaps because George Henry Crane was allegedly illiterate.
I am stuck on several "Cranes" and wonder if anyone else is researching this rather prolific family?
I have attempted to get as much information from existing members of my family as possible, but my grandmother is now 93 and is one of three remaining of the twelve children of Amelia Louisa Perkins and George Henry Crane. (The three remaining of the 12 are Zena, Hilary and Vera) I am particularly interested in their children Doll (Dorothy?) Crane who married Sidney Porter, William (Bill) Crane who married Edith ?.
Amelia and George also seem to have had a daughter Margaret Doris Crane in 1903 but as this child has never been mentioned by my grandmother (Irene Vera Crane, known as Vera) I suspect she did not survive infancy.
I am also interested in Amelia's sister Charlotte Perkins who married Amelia's husband's brother, Albert John Crane and had children Henrietta (married a Mr Padfield), Albert Crane, Jessie May Crane (also married a Mr Padfield) and Winifred Crane (married a Philip Smith). If anyone has any information about these Cranes, or any others from Badsey, or the surrounding area I would be delighted.
I was delighted by your web site. I was trying to research my ancestors who came from Wickhamford and found your web site.
This gave me all the information I needed about JUDITH SIMPSON and her ancestors. Judith married in Wickhamford and lived there for the rest of her life. Her youngest son married Louisa Hall, who was also living in Badsey by then.
They moved around a lot after that, Shenstone, Bonehill, both in Staffordshire, Then the hamlet of Wolverton, Hall, both Worcestershire before moving to Foxton, and Great Bowden, in Leicestershire. Your Census and Parish Register Transcriptions were a great help. I just wish other villages would do this.
Also regards to Cottage Garden Plants for their excellent stalls at the Malvern Shows.
Thanks for a wonderful site. I am Henry Knight of Sydney Australia. I have traced my ancestors back to Joseph Knight who died in 1727. The tree goes via baptized and b dates - Thomas 1686 (a twin), Henry 1712, James 1760, Thomas 1788, Charles 1814, Charles 1840 (emigrated to Brisbane on the Samarang 1865), Charles b1867 (a twin), Herbert b1913 to me b1940. I noticed you mentioned in one of your replies to Lucy Sweeting, Joseph marrying an Eleanor but can find only children from Henry 1699 to James 1715 in the records. His children Thomas 1686 to John 1695 show no mother. There was a death of a Joan Knight 1697 between the two groups of children. Was she connected?
Since our last contact I have been trying to establish a connection between Captain Valentine Knight who put forward plans for the rebuilding of the City of London after the Great Fire of 1666 and all our Valentine Knights. Haven't had any success yet but I did receive two small documents from the PRO regarding Capt. Knight's imprisonment by King Charles the Second, they are in Old Legal Latin. Can you suggest anybody that might be able to translate them? Does anyone know anything about a Sid Knight who went to South Africa and wrote a book of nostalgia called Cotswold Lad, published c 1960. We think Sid Knight was born in Broadway around the mid 1890s and his father was A.E.Knight, he says in the book his Grandfather was Henry Knight.
Thanks again for the wonderful website. Happy Christmas and a successful 2003.
As the last of the English born (1932) Hierns, I was thrilled to find your web site. I have been deep into genealogy since 1949 and have now, thanks to you, found yet more spellings of the name! Don't know how to thank you for such an interesting site. I wonder why the Badsey Hierns all died out. Perhaps the Plague had something to do with it? The family seems to have petered out completely in England now although there are a good many in Australia and America.
Thanks again and a Happy Christmas to you and all your volunteers.
In our index the name appears under HYERNE. I had a look in our local phone book and could not see an entries for Hierns or its variants. There are plenty of Hines and Hearn, but I guess they are different. The family left Badsey about the time of the Civil War which was a time of great social upheaval. Perhaps someone else knows more.
I am David John Knight, now 50 years old and a Royal Naval officer living in East Cornwall. My father, who sadly died at the age of 77 a few years ago, was Albert Knight - born on 21 September 1921 in Badsey. Until joining the Army in WW2 he worked for a farmer called George Witts not far from Evesham, where he met my mother, then Patricia Jarvis, who was a Land Girl. Although Dad took a smallholding in Mum's home county of Essex when they married after the War, he remained a proud Worcestershire man all his life, so much so that I feel a decided pull to the right every time I pass Bredon Hill going north on the M5, and see the Cotswolds on the eastern horizon. He never lost the distinctive accent, and even this Essex-born Cornish "incomer" has been known to say "occud" instead of "awkward" (probably because it was a word Dad often used about me)!
I was delighted to learn that us Knights were so prolific in Badsey, but have no way of knowing whether I have more in common with those that still live there than just the surname. Regrettably, although Dad often told stories of his childhood and youth, I never thought to remember the names of his family and friends. He was an only child, although I believe he may have had a cousin called Dorothy (Dot), and my childhood memory of his mother reveals only a very kind white-haired lady who lived in Bengeworth Avenue in Evesham until she died (in the early 60s, at a guess). She must have remarried, because her surname was then Penson, and I have a very vague recollection of being told that Dad's father, her first husband, had died when he was young.
I'd be delighted to hear from anyone who could shed more light on my murky family history!
I would like to be able to say I could present you with a family history going back several centuries, as has been true for some other Knight enquirers to the website, but unfortunately this does not appear to be the case for you. However, after a little detective work, I can reveal the following: Albert Knight enrolled at Badsey Council School on 12th January 1926, aged 4½. He lived at Brewers Lane, Badsey, and his father’s name was Joseph Knight. He transferred to the "Mixed Department" (as the Junior Department was known) on 1st October 1928, aged 7. His parent then was given as Minnie A Knight. He left Badsey School on 25th October 1929, the reason being "left the district".
The burial registers for the 1920s (not on the website) indicate that a Joseph Knight was buried on 22nd February 1927, aged 42. This Joseph Knight does not appear to have been born in Badsey. He would have been born about 1885 but, having checked the baptismal registers, there is no Joseph Knight baptised in Badsey at the appropriate time (this was at a time when most children were baptised); there is also no record of a Joseph Knight attending Badsey School. Smith’s Household Almanack lists a Joseph Knight for the years 1922-27 (the years (1920 and 1921 are missing), so it seems that the Knights moved to Badsey around the time of Albert’s birth, and then Minnie left the village after the death of her husband.
Having had a look at the 1901 Census website, when putting in an entry for Joseph Knight, who would have been around 16 at the time, it lists 68 Joseph Knights within a 2-year age-range of 16. The most likely person seems to be 15-year-old Joseph Knight, living at Broadway (about 5 miles from Badsey), whose occupation was "help on farm". His place of birth is given as Webheath, Worcestershire, now swallowed up by Redditch. The best thing would be to purchase a copy of the census page, to see if this will assist you in your researches, and whether this appears to be your grandfather.
What a lot of work has been carried out - gathering all these records and then publishing them. I run the Corbett One Name Study Group and found some Corbetts. They are from 2 families but who knows, they might be found to be connected. The witness at one was a Robson Corbett and the only man with this name that I have found lived up in Northumberland at that time so it is quite probably him but I haven't found the connection yet.
Thanks everyone from me who was involved in collecting these records and preparing them and the website for publication on the net.
Best wishes, Jean C Noble, The Corbett Study Group, Whitley Bay, Tyne & Wear, England
Many thanks for your good wishes. William Corbett and his daughter Georgina appear to have lived at Harrington House at the time of the 1881 census. William died in 1886 and his headstone at Badsey also mentions his son 'CAPTAIN WILLIAM SMITH CORBETT ONLY SON OF THE ABOVE, WHO DIED AT SHANGHAI, CHINA AUGUST 22ND 1869, AGED 25 YEARS'. If you have not discovered it already our website also included a photo of this headstone and a short article on Harrington House.
Posted in 2002 and I have only just seen it, Richard. My apologies. Age has caught up with me, I’m afraid, so everything has slowed dow. By 20 years in this instance. How embarrassing. Regard, Jeane
Comments
Re: Parker and Warmington families
Sadly, Allan Warmington died in 2007. For more on the Warmingtons and Parkers, including some photos, see our Research Interests page.
Badsey School anniversaries
I am an ex student from Badsey first school and am very confused with what I recently read in the Evesham Journal. I left badsey 6 years ago and now am in year 11 at Prince Henrys High, Evesham. During my time at Badsey, in year 3 ( 9 years ago) we all celebrated the 100th anniversary of the school, so how is it now that 9 years on the school is 150 years old? I have photos of the pupils on the field in a 100 shape which was taken by a helicopter and remember well that we dressed up in Victorian outfits, so I am not mistaken. Please could you get back to me, and explain how Badsey is 150 years old.
Thank you, Emma Butters
Re: Badsey School anniversaries
The answer is a simple one. The school building was 100 years old in 1995.
Badsey National School opened on 1st November 1854 in premises which have now become the British Legion. The school was a Church school and was funded by voluntary contributions. However, by the 1880s, it was running into financial problems, and in May 1893, the responsibility for educating the local children passed to a local Board. From May 1893, it was known as Badsey Board School. At this time, the population of Badsey was growing quickly with the growth of market gardening, and the Board either had to extend the school already in existence or move to new premises. The opportunity came up to purchase some land, so it was decided to build on a new site. On 21st June 1895, the teachers and children were able to move into the new building. The building was much smaller in those days, and has been extended extensively over the years.
From 1903-1948, the school was called Badsey Council School, from 1948-1975 it was called Badsey County Primary School, from 1975 to the present day, it has been known as Badsey First School. In a sense, there's a chance for lots of anniversaries - the original founding of the school, the move to the new building, or since it became known as Badsey First School!
It's the same with your current school. I believe Prince Henry's moved to its current premises in 1911, but the school foundation is much much older, dating back several hundred years.
Hope this helps and that you are reassured that your maths is still OK! More information about the school history can be found on this website.
Natacza Boon
The actress Natacza Boon grew up in Badsey and contacted the website to send her kind regards. She now lives in Berlin. For news of her see her homepage www.beepworld.de/members47/natacza/index.htm and to contact her go to www.ukscreen.com/contact/Natacza.
Bell ringing (1)
I came across your site during a search engine trawl for information, specifically "exactly when in 1943 was the wartime ban on ringing lifted?" My reason for writing is to say that you have all the (very nice) photos of St James' bells upside down! When bells are set for ringing they are mouth upwards and the clapper (painted a nice shade of blue on these) rests against the edge of the bell. If they had been in the 'down' position (as after ringing is finished) they hang downwards like in your photos. But the clappers then would hang centrally in the bell, not touching the side of the bell.
I've enjoyed ringing at Badsey on a number of occasions and will copy a copy of this to Hilary Bolton and Roger Savory, both of whom know me!
With best wishes, Pam Copson
Bell ringing (2)
Hello Everyone, It is some time since I have looked at the Badsey website. Consequently I had not seen the addition of the pictures of Badsey's bells, inserted in several places on the site. This evening I took the time to take a look, following Pam Copson's e-mail note.
She is, of course, quite correct in her statement that the pictures of the bells, in every case, having been inserted upside down. I have known Pam for quite some time, and we usually meet up in some belfry or another (or pub) when I'm back over in the Vale to get a much needed "recharging of batteries" in the old country --- something that clearly would not be complete without the bells and the beer. Pam is well-known in "ringing circles" throughout the world for her excellence in ringing, and particularly in the teaching of newcomers to the Art.
As for the pictures in the webpages, as currently presented they are probably more aesthetically pleasing to the layman than if they were "correctly" inserted "the right way up"!. But, as a "purist", I must admit that I would prefer to see the pictures rotated through 180 degrees, so that they are technically correct. It's a very difficult, if not impossible, job to take good pictures of bells in their "normal" mouth-down position, packed tightly in their bell frames inside a church tower. And this is mainly because the bells themselves, when in this "Down" position, are mostly hidden from view in their "pits". It's not until the bells are pulled into their "Up" position that you get to see clearly the metal bells themselves. Well, they were obviously in the "Up" position when Peter Stewart took his pictures. (See also the position of the louvres in the window in some of the pictures which, as shown, would direct rainwater INTO the tower, rather than keeping it out!). The bells will probably "look funny" if you do decide to rotate the pictures into their "correct" orientation --- but that's your call.
Regarding Hilary's question about the band that rang the first peal on the eight bells at Badsey on December 30, 1902, they are all Oxford Diocesan Guild men and part of Rev F.E. Robinson's itinerant "regulars". Furthermore, Robinson was not a member of the Worcestershire & Districts Association at that point. Hence, I think it's more than likely that this peal was rung for the ODG. You could ascertain this for certain by going to the ODG records and asking for the peal details, much of which is, of course, already given in Robinson's book "Among the Bells". Robinson was the first person to ring in 1,000 peals, and these were predominantly of Stedman Triples, most of which he conducted himself. It is said that when he rang a peal at his home tower of Drayton, Berks, after the peal he would invite the rest of band into the Vicarage for supper. But if they lost the peal attempt Robinson just put on his hat and said, "Good evening gentlemen --- No Peal, No Supper!".
As for his travelling considerable distances for his peals, yes he did, and most of it was I believe by train. However, all the details in his book are not accurate. For example, on page 369 there is the following extract, dated April 1903 :- "Having been (recently) elected a member of the Worcestershire Association, I accepted an invitation from the Rev. J. F. Hastings of Martley, and conducted my first peal of Stedman Triples in Worcestershire at Hartlebury on April 23, 1903....". We know, of course, that this is incorrect, since Robinson had by then already conducted his first peal of Stedman Triples in Worcestershire at Badsey the previous December 30.
Best Wishes, Roger Savory
Re: Bell ringing (2)
Hilary and John Bolton of the St James Guild of Bellringers at Badsey also contacted us about the photographs: John noticed the louvres were upside down in the photos, strangely enough before he registered the position of the bells, perhaps as you say Roger they may well suit the lay person best this way but like you we would rather see them in the correct position, in this case 'the up for ringing' position. I can confirm John had just raised the bells in readiness for a wedding later in the day when Peter Stewart was around doing some photographic recording. At John's suggestion he took him up the tower to take these shots. Shows off Brian White's shade of blue to a treat. The clappers were sprayed or painted this colour on collection from his works after rebushing. Can recommend a good job well done.
Richard Phillips comments: We have had several more letters about the photographs. The photographer Peter Stewart did carefully consider the issue of which way up to display his pictures. But in view of the objections we have now inverted all the photos of bells so they are now the right way up ... or the wrong way up ... look at them and you will see what we mean.
Sollis and Clarke families of Bretforton
Hi. To begin with we would like to say how wonderful your web site is. We have had great pleasure in looking at items and searching for families.
My husband is researching his CLARKE family of Bretforton and many associated families. Hannah HARWELL (HARTAL) married Thomas CLARKE on 17 Nov 1808 at Badsey. They are my husbands 4x greatgrandparents.
My husband's great grandfather Herbert David CLARKE married Ellen Eliza SOLLIS at Bretforton 09 Aug 1884. Ellen's father was given as George SOLLIS. I have checked all the SOLLIS/SAL(L)IS references on the Badsey website and have found a possible anomaly: On Marriages at Badsey 1860 - 1869 George SALIS married Mary Ann ROBINS dau of William ROBINS 15 Sep 1864 but the IGI record shows the wife of George SALIS as Sarah Ann ROBINS. Would you mind checking the original parish registers?
Until recently all the information we had is that Ellen Eliza SOLLIS married Herbert David CLARKE at Bretforton. On her marriage she gave her father's name as George and one of the witnesses was a John SOLLIS. At each census she gave her place of birth as Dorsington GLS. So far we have not been able to find any record of her birth. In the 1851 census there was Daniel and Amelia SALLIS with four sons, John, Job, Charles and George are at Lower Farm, Bretforton, so we have been working on the premise that this family are possibly related to Ellen. Until we have proof that George and Sarah Ann ROBINS are her parents it would be incorrect for us to publish the assumptions we have made until we are able to confirm the link. If we are successful I will be happy to contact you again with the SOLLIS family information.
We have not made a link with the more recent SOLLIS families although when we visited Bretforton in 2000 I recorded the cemetery records of some of the Sollis burials.
We would love to have Bretforton records added to your web site!
Regards Jenny James, Oamaru, New Zealand
Re: Sollis and Clarke families of Bretforton
Many thanks for your email pointing out the error. Yes, you are right, the marriage entry for 1864 should be SARAH ANN ROBINS rather than MARY ANN ROBINS. On checking my records, I had already picked up this error on my own database, but had forgotten to get it amended on the website which has now been done.
You may have noticed that we now have a Members' Interests page on the website. Have you considered supplying details about what you know about the Sollis family. I have put together some information about what I know about the SOLLIS family from Badsey records, and from the IGI and 1881 census. What I haven't been able to work out, though, is how the Sollises who appear in Badsey records in the latter half of the 19th century link up with the Sollises who lived in Aldington at the beginning of the 19th century. Do you have notes about the family that you could supply for the Members' Interest page? Do you know how they all link up? Please let me know if I have made any errors in my assumptions.
Malin family history
I was just looking at your survey of graves on the Badsey website. Thank you for your wonderful work and even more for putting it on the website. I am presently doing research into my family and was lucky enough to find a huge amount of information about my grandmother's family, the Malins. In your conclusion you mentioned Louisa Malin who was my great, great, great grandmother but she is not listed in the surname index, or indeed, are any of her descendants (there are Malins but we are Malin). Does that mean that they are buried elsewhere? If so, do you have any idea where? I would appreciate any information you could give me to make my records more complete.
I am presently living in the USA but I am returning for a holiday around Christmas and staying for a week with my brother who lives in Shipston-on-Stour. I plan to visit Badsey and would like to check some records and maybe visit a grave site or two.
Yours, Joanne Davies, Athens, Georgia, USA
Re: Malin family history
Peter Stewart who carried out the survey of graves was able to help Joanne with further information as he had already researched the Malin family history back to the 17th century. Because there are no known graves for most of the Badsey Malin family, they do not appear in the index of individuals.
Picking beans in the 1960s
I have been looking at this site as my maternal grandmother was Christabel Byrd from Badsey. Christabel married Dennis Creech (I think?) then, later, Tom Miller. My mother, Ruth Miller, was evacuated to Badsey, to relatives, during the war. I spent lots of time in the surrounding area in the 1960s during the school holidays - picking beans etc! My Mother's cousin's husband, Cyril Andrews, still lives in Offenham.
Anne Frost, Bristol
Badsey in WW2
I wondered if anyone could help me with information about the second world war and its effect on Badsey?
I work for the Defence of Worcestershire Project based in the County Archaeology Service. We are always on the lookout for references to WW2 sites in the county. We are particularly interested in sites that were used by the military or civil defence during WW2.
The sites we are interested in include:
We are looking for all sites that were involved in the war effort and so this list should not be regarded as inclusive. Any information will be much appreciated as, so far, we have nothing listed for the Badsey parish. Thanks.
Colin Jones, Defence of Worcestershire Project County Archaeology Service
The Watsons & a farm in Auton
During researching into my Watson family history, I came across the Will of John Watson, of my family (Badsey/Bretforton/Bengeworth), who was Bishop of Winchester (died 1580). In this Will, he mentioned a farm at Auton ? Being from North Yorkshire, this had me baffled, until I later read that this was in fact Aldington! I have attached a couple of pages of my transcript of the Will.
My Watson family lived in Badsey in the 1500's, and also in Bretforton and Bengeworth (in the house that is now the Evesham Hotel). I would be most interested to hear from any other Watson family reseachers or any connected families.
Yours sincerely, Barry M. Watson, Scarborough, North Yorkshire
Trip to Cheddar in 1954
My wife found this site by accident while chasing family tree links.
I attended Badsey School for three years 1953 to 1955 and was Head Boy in my last year. In your feature on School Outing to Cheddar Caves and Cardiff in 1954 I am fourth from the right in the picture with mostly boys. I am afraid I do not remember the other faces, though I remember the name of David Ellison.
I remember the trip mostly for the walk through the Gorge and the Caves.
Mr Hunt was our Master, and Mr Harvey the Head. Mr Binyon always held a General Knowledge quiz each year for the top class, and I remember this as it was the only prize I won at Badsey.
We used to play all our sports down on the rec and had to walk there in crocodile once a week. No exceptions. Games in the school playground were enjoyed, marble, spinning tops, football, cricket. And if you lost the ball over the fence into the market gardeners yard next to the playground, you had to fetch it. Much against the rules. I remember doing this more than once.
The senior class performed in the Worcestershire Schools Choir concert at Blackminster school. I remember that in my year the whole choir fluffed one chorus, and stood like dummies for several seconds. We did pick up again in the next verse. Happy times.
I went on to Prince Henry's from there, and met and married my wife and we now live in Bidford, having moved to Corby and Reading beforehand.
Mike Wells, Bidford-on-Avon
The Knureks - a Polish family in Badsey
My son happened upon your survey of monumental inscriptions in Badsey churchyard while tracking our surname on the internet. My name is Thomas Adam Knurek and my son Jeff was surprised to find an Adam Knurek buried in Badsey. My father came to the U.S. from Poland in 1914 (He as born in l896) He enlisted in the Army during the WWI and received his citizensship upon his discharge. He never kept up any communication with his family so we have very little information to track our relatives. We doubt that any of his direct family is still living: however, we still would like to know more about people by that name. It is not common even in the U.S. with its large Polish population arriving at the turn of the century. I would be interested to know if any Knurek's still live in Badsey and if you have any way of knowing.
Sincerely, Thomas A Knurek
Re: The Knureks - a Polish family in Badsey
Peter Stewart who conducted the churchyard survey replies: During the survey of Badsey I met many people including many Poles who still live in the area. I was also closely associated with a close friend of Adam Knurek; he was Walter Olender. Both Walter and Adam Knurek married Italian girls and then moved to the village of Badsey. Mrs Knurek still lives in the village. Walter Olender died in September 2002, and his funeral was attended by many Poles, including the Knurek family. I will try to contact this family for you ... I have spoken to the Knurek family on the phone today and sent them your message to me. They will be contacting you via e-mail. I sincerely hope that you are indeed related to the Badsey Knureks. My best wishes to you and your family.
Kite, Melin, Bendall and Jones
My name is Geoff Kite and my 19th century ancestors come from the Worcester/Kempsey/Norton juxta Kempsey area. One of the earlier Kite ancestors is William Kite, born 19/10/1834 in Norton who married Mary Anne Melin born 1836 in Offenham or Badsey. I have been unable to find any information on her family. Another deadend is Harriet Bendall, born 1850 place unknown, who married George Kite. The earliest I have been able to get back to with any certainty is John Kite, born 1799 NjK died 1881 Kempsey, married Frances Jones, born 1805 NjK died 1871 NjK. If anyone has any information on the Kite, Melin, Bendall or Jones families that could help me, I would appreciate it.
Thanks, Geoff Kite Geoff@gkite.plus.com
(or phone 01352 741625 or write to Geoff Kite, Bryn Eithin, Cefn Bychan Road, Pantymwyn, Flintshire CH7 5EN)
Re: Kite, Melin, Bendall and Jones
Your ancestors were William and Mary A Kite who were living at Kempsey, Worcester, at the time of the 1881 census, with their seven children. There does not appear to be any close connection with the Badsey Kites. However, here is some information about the Kites and Malins, which might help you in your researches.
There were Kites in Aldington, for a short period in the 1830s (Sarah Sophia Kite, baptised 1832, and Harriet Kite, baptised 1833, the daughters of Richard and Frances Kite). However, the name does not become prominent in the village until several decades later. The Kyte family (descendants of whom still live in the Badsey/Evesham area) moved to Badsey some time in the late 1870s. John and Ellen Kyte had been born in Childswickham about 1824 and 1831 respectively. They had at least six children, all born in Childswickham: Herbert (about 1849), Charles (about 1856), William (about 1858), John (about 1862), Elizabeth (about 1869) and Annie (about 1874). The name appears variously as KYTE or KEYTE, rather than KITE. As your ancestor, William Kite, was born in Norton in 1834, there would appear to be no connection. I see from the IGI that your ancestor was one of ten children of John and Frances Kite, and also that John and Frances, and their sons, William and George, were married at Norton. The 1881 census reveals that George's wife, Harriet, was born at Kempsey (which was where they were living in 1881). A day spent at the Family History Centre in Worcester should easily solve most of your problems.
As far as Mary Ann Melin is concerned, it is possible that she may have been related to the Malin family that moved to Badsey in the late 1850s. Thomas Malin had been born in Broadway in 1814. He married Louisa from Offenham and they lived in Offenham where most of their children were born. Around 1857, they moved to Badsey with their nine children: Thomas (born 1841), Dinah (1844), Harriet (1846), Eliza (1848), Giles (1850), John (about 1853), Betsy (about 1856), Prudence (1857) and Charles (1860). Thomas and Louisa also had a daughter, Mary Ann, born in 1843, but she did not move with them to Badsey; presumably she had a job in service.
It is possible that this Mary Ann may have been the Mary Ann Malin who married William Kite, although this would make her about 38, rather than the 46 given in the 1881 census. However, errors sometimes occurred, either on the part of the census enumerator or the transcriber. But, presumably if you have the marriage certificate for Mary Ann and William Kite, this gives an indication of age. If it appears she was born in 1836, you will need to check the Offenham records thoroughly for all occurrences of the name MALIN (or MALINS, MALING, MEALIN, MEALING, as it variously appears), and the early census returns. You say, however, that she may have been born in Badsey, but there is certainly no record of a Mary Ann Malin being baptised there. What source of information led you to believe that to be the case? If your Mary Ann Malin turns out to be the daughter of Thomas and Louisa Malin, then you have longevity in your genes! See the report on Louisa Malin's death in the Parish Magazine in 1910.
There is now an index for the 1851 Worcestershire census (which I have not used, so cannot comment on, but should be available for perusal at the Worcestershire Record Office, and possibly some other Record Offices, or you may wish to buy it yourself) which should help you to find out more about William Kite and Mary Ann Melen.
I hope this is of some use to you. Please do let us know once you have sorted out the connection, so that we can keep our information up-to-date.
Re: Kite, Melin, Bendall and Jones
Peter Stewart added this postscript in November 2003: I have just read your April letter regarding William Kite and Mary Ann Malin. Maureen Spinks, with her usual thoroughness, has given you much useful information regarding the Malin family living in Badsey, and I feel I can further add to that information. Mary Ann, the daughter of Thomas and Louisa was born in Offenham, and baptised there 23 April 1843. She is the only Mary Ann to be baptised in Offenham, and I feel that she is most likely the Mary Ann who married your William Kite. Regarding ages in the census returns - I have a James Malin who was aged 40 in the 1881 census, 43 in the 1891 census and 58 in the 1901 census. He comes from the Hampton line of Malin. I am currently researching three lines of Malin, all unconnected. Your Mary Ann's line can be traced back to a Giles Malin (born abt. 1680) of Stanway, Glos. This family were also prominent in Broadway, with connections in Offenham and then Badsey.
A house called Ladbrooke
Can anyone help me locate a house called Ladbrooke Badsey Lane? It is stated as the address of Wilson Bedenham in his will dated 2.7.1937.I am trying to put together a family tree. Wilson Bedenham was my Gt.Grandfather
Best wishes for continued success with you fabulous site. Shirley Baynes
Re: A house called Ladbrooke
I don't know if you live locally and know the area, but this is what I can tell you. Most of Badsey Lane is actually in Evesham. If you look at the map on the website, you will see Badsey Lane going off the map to the left. The land to the west of Badsey Brook is Evesham, that to the east is Badsey. Badsey Lane is now bisected by the bypass (off the map left). It is likely that Ladbrooke is one of the houses to the west of the bypass. If you live in Worcestershire, Smith's Household Almanack (found at Worcestershire Record Office and Evesham Library) may assist you. There are two people by the name of Bedenham buried in Badsey Churchyard (William Bedenham, died 1960, and Elsie Bedenham, died 1972), but other than that, Bedenham does not appear to have been a Badsey name.
Badsey Brook downstream
Ian Major was one of those who successfully identified a mystery photograph showing an abandoned vehicle near Aldington ford. He writes -
Nice to know that my memory is still reasonable, I am not in a position to check the location since I live 120 miles away! John and Will no doubt remember the row of elm trees next to that old vehicle. Sadly they, plus the one that stood on the western horizon above Aldington, were victims of Dutch Elm Disease.
Bits of old vehicle are scattered all over the area. Following the brook downstream from Birmingham Road bridge in Blackminster to Cuckoo Eye bridge (under the railway) you will pass three other bridges. Two are brick humpbacked bridges, and carry public rights of way. The middle one is a flat concrete slab, which was used to get cattle between the fields. If you look under this one (assuming that it has not been removed) you will see that it is a small lorry chassis slung across the brook with a concrete slab on it. This was a source of problems during flooding, since branches would get caught up in the chassis then block the water flow.
An interesting item near there which you may not have seen is at the ford. The road from the ford up to Aldington has a slight hump next to the ford. If you look at the bank below the ford on the Aldington side of the brook, you will find mouth of the tunnel that carried water from the old mill wheel. As kids we used to crawl along inside it (frightening to think of it now), though the last time that I saw it, it was nearly closed up with silt.
Ian Major
Francis Nixon Sladden
Judging by my surname you will probably already know what my interest in Badsey is - my family. From family photos etc, I can establish a link with Seward House. I remember seeing and having recollections of photographs from my grandfather, Francis Sladden who died recently.
The links I am trying to make are with Francis Nixon Sladden, brother of Sir Julius. Tracing this side of my family history has been very interesting. From what I can make out Francis Nixon Sladden is my great great grandfather. But this is not definite! What I am trying to find out at the moment is where he went, who he married etc.
Seward House is also of great interest me. As my grandfather only died recently, I have been unable to obtain some of the things I would like in terms of the photos he has of distant family so that I can match up what is what. Any information you can give me I would greatly appreciate. The generation of the family which I want to trace the link with takes me to Lacey Green in Buckinghamshire.
Any information or photos you may have would be greatly appreciated, in return I will supply you with other photos of Seward House as and when I receive them from my father. I hope this may be of interest to you, and if you can help in anyway I will greatly appreciate it. I look forward to hearing from you.
(The Francis name still remains in the family, my father Michael Francis Sladden, my brother Mark Francis Sladden, and mine, Ian Francis Sladden.)
Yours, Ian Sladden
Re: Francis Nixon Sladden
You will find many references to Seward House and the Sladden family on our website including a comparison of Seward House today and how it looked in the 1920s. You can see Buckley Bent's very early colour photograph of the house taken about 1910. We also have a group photograph that includes Francis Nixon Sladden.
Re: Francis Nixon Sladden
I was interested to read your e-mail about your interest in the Sladden family. I don't know if you have seen the 1881 Census Index (you should be able to view at your local library or Record Office), but I had a quick look tonight, and see that in 1881, Francis Nixon Sladden was living with his wife, Edith, and their three children, Norah (6), Thomas C (5) and Edith A (4) at Ash near Sandwich in Kent. With a bit of detective work at The Family Records Centre in London, you should be able to make the connection between your Grandfather and Francis Nixon Sladden.
I am sure you will definitely find some clues, also, at Worcester Record Office. There is an absolutely enormous collection of documents - letters, postcards, diaries, photographs, etc - relating to the Sladdens. It would certainly take you a day or two to go through it in some detail, but it looks like a real treasure trove for anyone interested in the Sladden family.
Beach jam factory
I have just found an article regarding letters written by school children from Badsey. I was particularly interested in one that contained reference to the Beach Jam Manufacturing factory. I am researching my family history and one name I'm researching is the name of Beach. In particular the family of T W Beach in Evesham. I would love to receive any other information from any one else who had contact with the Beach family in Evesham.
I look forward to hearing from you,
Pat Kearns
Newbury & Pendlebury family
My name is Ann Tillier (nee Newbury) from Evesham. I have just started researching my family tree on my fathers side. My father was Richard (Dick) Newbury born 1919. I have just discovered this brilliant website and have managed to find some information but wonder if anybody could give me any more information. On the 1901 census I have found my grandfather Wilson James Newbury living at 27 Old Post Office Lane with his uncle Richard Pendlebury father of my grandmother Maud Ellen Newbury (nee Pendlebury). Next door at 29 Old Post Office Lane is James Newbury(my great-grandfather) , Hannah M. Newbury (my great-grandmother), John Bird (my great-uncle) and Albena Bird (nee Newbury, my great-aunt), Wilson Newbury's sister.
My great grandfather Richard Pendlebury came from Lancashire - I wondered if anybody knew how he came to be in Badsey and what the connection to the Newbury's was (other than he was Wilson's uncle). If this helps I know Wilson and Albena Bird (nee Newbury) were born in Childswickham so at some point they came to live in Badsey but I don't know when.
Lastly I've found an entry on the 1924 electoral list showing Wilson & Maud Newbury living at 2 Orchard View, could anybody tell me where this is?.
I would love to hear from anybody who knows anything about any side of my family.
Nicola Tillier
Re: Newbury & Pendlebury family
Orchard View is the name of a house on Old Post Office Lane - there is a photo of it - but it is just possible that the name was used elsewhere in the village.
Investigating the Cranes
I have been researching my family for a while, with much assistance from your wonderful site. The whole family seem to have worked on the land, and I cannot find any reference to them on the 1901 census. Perhaps because George Henry Crane was allegedly illiterate.
I am stuck on several "Cranes" and wonder if anyone else is researching this rather prolific family?
I have attempted to get as much information from existing members of my family as possible, but my grandmother is now 93 and is one of three remaining of the twelve children of Amelia Louisa Perkins and George Henry Crane. (The three remaining of the 12 are Zena, Hilary and Vera) I am particularly interested in their children Doll (Dorothy?) Crane who married Sidney Porter, William (Bill) Crane who married Edith ?.
Amelia and George also seem to have had a daughter Margaret Doris Crane in 1903 but as this child has never been mentioned by my grandmother (Irene Vera Crane, known as Vera) I suspect she did not survive infancy.
I am also interested in Amelia's sister Charlotte Perkins who married Amelia's husband's brother, Albert John Crane and had children Henrietta (married a Mr Padfield), Albert Crane, Jessie May Crane (also married a Mr Padfield) and Winifred Crane (married a Philip Smith). If anyone has any information about these Cranes, or any others from Badsey, or the surrounding area I would be delighted.
Many, many thanks. Hilary Sharp 0118 9678272
Simpson family
I was delighted by your web site. I was trying to research my ancestors who came from Wickhamford and found your web site.
This gave me all the information I needed about JUDITH SIMPSON and her ancestors. Judith married in Wickhamford and lived there for the rest of her life. Her youngest son married Louisa Hall, who was also living in Badsey by then.
They moved around a lot after that, Shenstone, Bonehill, both in Staffordshire, Then the hamlet of Wolverton, Hall, both Worcestershire before moving to Foxton, and Great Bowden, in Leicestershire. Your Census and Parish Register Transcriptions were a great help. I just wish other villages would do this.
Also regards to Cottage Garden Plants for their excellent stalls at the Malvern Shows.
Diana Wallis
Knights in Australia
Thanks for a wonderful site. I am Henry Knight of Sydney Australia. I have traced my ancestors back to Joseph Knight who died in 1727. The tree goes via baptized and b dates - Thomas 1686 (a twin), Henry 1712, James 1760, Thomas 1788, Charles 1814, Charles 1840 (emigrated to Brisbane on the Samarang 1865), Charles b1867 (a twin), Herbert b1913 to me b1940. I noticed you mentioned in one of your replies to Lucy Sweeting, Joseph marrying an Eleanor but can find only children from Henry 1699 to James 1715 in the records. His children Thomas 1686 to John 1695 show no mother. There was a death of a Joan Knight 1697 between the two groups of children. Was she connected?
Thanks again for a very helpful site.
Henry Knight, Sydney Australia
Valentine Knight
Since our last contact I have been trying to establish a connection between Captain Valentine Knight who put forward plans for the rebuilding of the City of London after the Great Fire of 1666 and all our Valentine Knights. Haven't had any success yet but I did receive two small documents from the PRO regarding Capt. Knight's imprisonment by King Charles the Second, they are in Old Legal Latin. Can you suggest anybody that might be able to translate them? Does anyone know anything about a Sid Knight who went to South Africa and wrote a book of nostalgia called Cotswold Lad, published c 1960. We think Sid Knight was born in Broadway around the mid 1890s and his father was A.E.Knight, he says in the book his Grandfather was Henry Knight.
Thanks again for the wonderful website. Happy Christmas and a successful 2003.
Tony & Lucy (nee Knight) Sweeting, Wales
Hierns family
Hallo from Australia!
As the last of the English born (1932) Hierns, I was thrilled to find your web site. I have been deep into genealogy since 1949 and have now, thanks to you, found yet more spellings of the name! Don't know how to thank you for such an interesting site. I wonder why the Badsey Hierns all died out. Perhaps the Plague had something to do with it? The family seems to have petered out completely in England now although there are a good many in Australia and America.
Thanks again and a Happy Christmas to you and all your volunteers.
Olga Hiern-Cookeon, Australia
Re: Hierns family
In our index the name appears under HYERNE. I had a look in our local phone book and could not see an entries for Hierns or its variants. There are plenty of Hines and Hearn, but I guess they are different. The family left Badsey about the time of the Civil War which was a time of great social upheaval. Perhaps someone else knows more.
Albert Knight
Many congratulations on a marvelous web site!
I am David John Knight, now 50 years old and a Royal Naval officer living in East Cornwall. My father, who sadly died at the age of 77 a few years ago, was Albert Knight - born on 21 September 1921 in Badsey. Until joining the Army in WW2 he worked for a farmer called George Witts not far from Evesham, where he met my mother, then Patricia Jarvis, who was a Land Girl. Although Dad took a smallholding in Mum's home county of Essex when they married after the War, he remained a proud Worcestershire man all his life, so much so that I feel a decided pull to the right every time I pass Bredon Hill going north on the M5, and see the Cotswolds on the eastern horizon. He never lost the distinctive accent, and even this Essex-born Cornish "incomer" has been known to say "occud" instead of "awkward" (probably because it was a word Dad often used about me)!
I was delighted to learn that us Knights were so prolific in Badsey, but have no way of knowing whether I have more in common with those that still live there than just the surname. Regrettably, although Dad often told stories of his childhood and youth, I never thought to remember the names of his family and friends. He was an only child, although I believe he may have had a cousin called Dorothy (Dot), and my childhood memory of his mother reveals only a very kind white-haired lady who lived in Bengeworth Avenue in Evesham until she died (in the early 60s, at a guess). She must have remarried, because her surname was then Penson, and I have a very vague recollection of being told that Dad's father, her first husband, had died when he was young.
I'd be delighted to hear from anyone who could shed more light on my murky family history!
David Knight, Cornwall
Re: Albert Knight
I would like to be able to say I could present you with a family history going back several centuries, as has been true for some other Knight enquirers to the website, but unfortunately this does not appear to be the case for you. However, after a little detective work, I can reveal the following: Albert Knight enrolled at Badsey Council School on 12th January 1926, aged 4½. He lived at Brewers Lane, Badsey, and his father’s name was Joseph Knight. He transferred to the "Mixed Department" (as the Junior Department was known) on 1st October 1928, aged 7. His parent then was given as Minnie A Knight. He left Badsey School on 25th October 1929, the reason being "left the district".
The burial registers for the 1920s (not on the website) indicate that a Joseph Knight was buried on 22nd February 1927, aged 42. This Joseph Knight does not appear to have been born in Badsey. He would have been born about 1885 but, having checked the baptismal registers, there is no Joseph Knight baptised in Badsey at the appropriate time (this was at a time when most children were baptised); there is also no record of a Joseph Knight attending Badsey School. Smith’s Household Almanack lists a Joseph Knight for the years 1922-27 (the years (1920 and 1921 are missing), so it seems that the Knights moved to Badsey around the time of Albert’s birth, and then Minnie left the village after the death of her husband.
Having had a look at the 1901 Census website, when putting in an entry for Joseph Knight, who would have been around 16 at the time, it lists 68 Joseph Knights within a 2-year age-range of 16. The most likely person seems to be 15-year-old Joseph Knight, living at Broadway (about 5 miles from Badsey), whose occupation was "help on farm". His place of birth is given as Webheath, Worcestershire, now swallowed up by Redditch. The best thing would be to purchase a copy of the census page, to see if this will assist you in your researches, and whether this appears to be your grandfather.
Corbett families
What a lot of work has been carried out - gathering all these records and then publishing them. I run the Corbett One Name Study Group and found some Corbetts. They are from 2 families but who knows, they might be found to be connected. The witness at one was a Robson Corbett and the only man with this name that I have found lived up in Northumberland at that time so it is quite probably him but I haven't found the connection yet.
Thanks everyone from me who was involved in collecting these records and preparing them and the website for publication on the net.
Best wishes, Jean C Noble, The Corbett Study Group, Whitley Bay, Tyne & Wear, England
Re: Corbett families
Many thanks for your good wishes. William Corbett and his daughter Georgina appear to have lived at Harrington House at the time of the 1881 census. William died in 1886 and his headstone at Badsey also mentions his son 'CAPTAIN WILLIAM SMITH CORBETT ONLY SON OF THE ABOVE, WHO DIED AT SHANGHAI, CHINA AUGUST 22ND 1869, AGED 25 YEARS'. If you have not discovered it already our website also included a photo of this headstone and a short article on Harrington House.
Re: Corbett families
Posted in 2002 and I have only just seen it, Richard. My apologies. Age has caught up with me, I’m afraid, so everything has slowed dow. By 20 years in this instance. How embarrassing. Regard, Jeane