William Ginn/Gynn of Tottenham d.1860s

William Ginn here was son of Richard in my post of 24th March 2013 .  Over his life (not I suspect as a result of a conscious decision by Bill but more because of the spelling by the parish clerk - his surname became Gynn and this it stayed.) 

Bill was a labourer in the brickfields at Tottenham for much of his life. He married Sarah Merry who was also from Tottenham (born 1804 to William and Ann, William being a Sawyer) at Cheshunt in Hertfordshire in 1823, possibly marrying there because Sarah was underage and did not have her Dad's consent, her mother having died in 1814.

For the greater part of their early married life (at least until 1851) Bill and Sarah lived at Ship Yard which was next to the "Ship" public house on the west side of the High Street.  Research indicates that this was built in the 1830s replacing a nearby Inn which had been demolished years before.   The pub still stands and is shown above.  There was a yard at the back which now seems to be what is perhaps optimistically called a "beer garden" and I believe that there was a cottage there where the Ginn family lived. 

As I say, the Ginn surname went through a transformation to Gynn during Bill's lifetime.

Both Bill and Sarah were alive in 1861, but the Tottenham churchyard closed in 1857 and neither of their deaths being registered, I do not know exactly in the 1860s when the couple died.

William and Sarah had ten known children, they were not scrupulous in having them baptised and there could be more:

Caroline -  born in about 1827, she was a Corset maker (Gynn indexed as Gegan) in the 1851 census.  She claimed to be 24 and was at Stoke Newington.  No record of her thereafter has been found

William- see later post

James - see later post

Louisa - In 2010 she was traced and clearly married George Partridge of Camberwell in Surrey in 1852.  I cannot find them as a couple thereafter, George later appearing as a widower.  She likely died in childbirth soon after the marriage

Eliza Perry - A servant at Stoke Newington in 1861.  Married William Rule at Shoreditch in 1865.   They were at Tottenham in 1871 and she died in Whitechapel in 1881.  No children known

Elizabeth Jane - married Joseph Sawyer at Edmonton in 1856

Richard - died infancy

Sarah - there were three of that name, unfortunately none seem to have survived childhood

William Ginn of Great Munden d. 1828

William here was the son of John in my last post.  It is to be regretted, but as so often with the Munden family, I know nothing more than names and dates.

William was a Labourer.  He lived in Gt. Munden all his life and died there in 1828, aged 75.  The age quoted in the register is exactly correct.  Sadly that is all I know.

 

A Hertfordshire couple of a slightly later period but the smock frock of the labourer was universal of the 19th century

Sarah, "the wife of William Jenn" died in 1794, presumably in childbirth.  There is no evidence that William remarried.

William and Sarah had five children:

Thomas - went to live in Sacombe.  See  later post

James - likely went to Cottered - see later post

William and John - have not been traced.

Sarah - married James Lincoln in 1818

John Ginn of Great Munden d. 1773

John Ginn is a mystery man.  He is the origin of what I call the "Ginn family of Munden" but I do not know his own origins.  For years I had a theory that he was the son of Thomas Ginn who married Jane Smith at Braughing in 1724, this Thomas (according to my theory which was highly likely) the son of William Ginn the Miller of Braughing (see post of  4th September 2012).   This highly likely theory was however exploded when it was discovered beyond doubt that Thomas Ginn of Braughing was apprenticed as a carpenter in London and married and set himself up there (see post of 8th November 2012).   So who this John was I have no idea.

All that I know is that John Ginn was a Labourer .  He is the first Ginn to show himself in Munden in "modern" times, though there were Ginns in Munden in the medieval period, marrying Ann Coleman there in 1751.  I still think that he likely connects to the Braughing family but cannot rule out other connections

He was in the Munden Militia list until 1762, which would accord with his having more than three infant children alive from that year (and thus no longer eligible for the Militia).  

John died in January 1773, likely aged about 48.  I have not traced Ann's burial record; it seems to have been missed.

Their children

William - see next post

John -a "presumed" unbaptised son as in  the 1773 Militia List.  Untraced

Thomas - married twice.  His first wife Elizabeth Robinson died, and Thomas "a widower" remarried Mary Hillsden.  He only had one child (William -1786 by Elizabeth - see below).

Thomas was a Labourer, who lived and died at Green End, Little Munden.  He died in 1817, aged 58.  Mary, "widow of Green End” died in 1825, she was 67.

Thomas’ son, William, is a bit of a mystery.  He died in Hertford workhouse in 1863 aged 77.  He was then said to be “of Watton”.  I have traced him in the 1841 and 1851 census at Watton.  At both times he was clearly already the widower he claimed to be in the 1861 Hertford return.  There is no credible marriage entry in any extant Hertfordshire register, so this man may have married outside the county.  Children are unlikely, but cannot be ruled out.

James - see later post

Elizabeth - she had an illegitimate child, Jane, in 1786.  This was 8 years prior to her marriage to Daniel Wallis.

Mary - one died in infancy - the other is untraced

Jane - died infancy

Martha - is untraced

Benjamin Ginn of Royston & London d. 1888

Benjamin Ginn was son of Benjamin in my post of  8th March 2014 and was a Coachman.  He moved to Wandsworth in Surrey though kept in touch with all in Royston.  He first married Eliza Crane at St Saviour, London in 1843 and the couple had five children.  It is unclear when Eliza died but in 1879 he remarried Elizabeth Drew and the couple retired and moved back to Royston  He died in a London hospital in 1888, but is buried at Royston. Eliza died in 1892.

It is evident that the two sons grew up with Dad with a love of horses.

Their five children


Mary - was a servant and died unmarried aged 30 in 1874

Benjamin - joined the 17th Lancers - see post of 25th July 2012

Willliam John - at some point this man also joined the Cavalry, in his case another fine regiment –  “the Blues”  ie Royal Horse Guards, part of the Household Cavalry at Buckingham Palace.  He was in barracks in London in 1871 and was a Trooper.  Yet another Ginn to have obviously come across Queen Victoria.

He clearly left the regiment in the 1870s and subsequently married Harriet Clarke at Eton in 1878 and became a  Police Constable, presumably in the Buckinghamshire Constabulary.

William John and Harriett had three children: 

                       William Benjamin      

                        Eliza Sarah          

                        Lawrence Arthur      
  

 William Benjamin Ginn  was also a Policeman in Buckinghamshire and  in his 50s married Rose Welford in 1930 in Thame.  He died in 1942 and Rose who was a good deal younger as late as 1982.   No children known.  Eliza was alive at the time of the 1901 census and is believed to have emigrated. Lawrence died in World War One – he was a gunner in the Royal Field Artillery.  It seems likely he was at Gallipoli and may have been taken prisoner/wounded and he died in 1916 in Turkey.  He is on the Slough War Memorial below

William John  died in Slough in 1909.  Harriet had died in 1903.

Thomas - died in Wandsworth in 1865, aged 15

Eliza Ann - married the much older Thomas Weston of Royston at Bloomsbury in 1891.  They had two children and lived in Royston

Billett Genn of Ely d. 1872

Billett, son of Robert in my last post was variously described as a Yeoman, Writer, Book-keeper and Sheriffs Officer.  He is currently on my research list and more should be known in due course. He married Margaret Austin  at Cambridge in 1814.   Margaret would appear to have been born to James and Ann at Trinity, Ely in 1786.

He was the administrator of his father's estate after Robert's death in 1833.  His father did not leave his affairs in order, and there are quite a number of documents concerning this at Cambridgeshire Archives. I made some attempt to look at these in September 2021 (mid Covid pandemic).  However restrictions were tight and I could only lend these documents a cursory glance, but below is a digital photo I took of Billett's signature on one of the deeds - he signed twice - once for himself and once as administrator.

It is unclear whether they had 1 Lynn Road in Ely (opposite the Lamb Hotel) built in 1837 or simply had it altered because of road widening works (there are deeds at the CRO remaining to be investigated on this) but certainly they owned it and this was where they lived.  Below is the house in later years with Billett jnr standing in the doorway.

Margaret Genn had died as early as 1837, it is unclear why.  She was stated to be 50.  Billett died in 1872 and has a headstone in St Mary's graveyard.  The couple had five children of only two lived to marry viz

Robert - died in 1837, aged 20.

Ann -   died in Ely in 1847, aged 27 and unmarried

Elizabeth - died in infancy

James Japhet - Little is known to me.   Robert Seymour Genn knew very little but had corresponded with a descendant.  He thought that there were few descendants but this seems unlikely from what I have discovered. 

I knew nothing of a personal nature about the guy until September 2021 (during the Pandemic) when I managed to get to the Cambs Archives now at Ely and follow up something I had read of.  See KESCo/P/1/168

James was 13 in 1831.  His friend was a Charles Taylor Ellingham who was still 12 and the son of a David Ellingham who was a solicitor's clerk - see https://www.friendsofelycemetery.co.uk/david-ellingham-1794---1869.html

Ely sits on the River Ouse.  It is very beautiful down by the river, but the river is some way across.

It was a hot day on 22nd August 1831.  Charles, his Mum and James were walking down by the river.  Charles, stupidly, presumably to impress his Mum, jumped into the river and attampted to swim across.  It must have been a nightmare for his mother.  Half way across he shouted "help" and sank, came up and shouted what seemed like "Jean" perhaps a garbled reference to James.  He sank again and was no more.  The last James saw was a hand.  Some boatmen recovered the body and it was taken to the gloriously named "Bushel and Strike" Public House and the Coroner arrived.  The depositions of James and one of he boatmen were taken.  I doubt James  ever forgot it.  I have photograped the deposition and his signature below

James was reputedly a Tailor in later life and married Elizabeth Noakes at Dover in 1850 and moved to Kent.  It is unclear exactly what was happening, but James certainly died in 1853 and was buried at Marden near Maidstone - he was 35. He supposedly had tuberculosis.   I cannot find what happened to Elizabeth. They only had one child that I know of, a son James Billett, who married Eliza Potter in 1883 and had the children shown below.  I also attach a rudimentary note of what I now happened subsequently.  I would expect quite a number of descendants

James E                          md  at Maidstone 1909  Died WW1

James Billett                  md  at Tonbridge 1908

Frederick  W                  md  at Maidstone 1908

Charlotte E                    unknown

Margaret B                    unknown

John A                           md May Lamkin  at Maidstone 1913

Henry H.                        Killed in action in WW1 at Cambrai

Edgar E.                         joined RAF in 1917

Thomas C                       unknown

Billett - The second of that name.  Had a remarkable life - see post of

Robert Genn of Ely d. 1833

Robert Genn (son of Richard in my post of 9th March 2013) became a fairly prominent Ely figure.  He was admitted to the King's School in Ely in 1771 (at the age of 11) as a Cathedral Chorister and remained as a chorister in the Cathedral Choir until the age of 36.

                                               Ely Cathedral

He married Ann Reynolds, widow of William Reynolds (proprietor of the Lamb Inn or Hotel in Ely) by special licence in 1786 and they proceeded to have three children, though only one survived infancy. Ann had a son, James by her previous marriage.

Robert had various official posts over the years, being Overseer of the poor, Surveyor of the Highways and sundry other roles.  Robert Seymour Genn with the aid of Reg Holmes found out a lot about this man, but was unaware of a letter that Robert wrote to a Colonel Yorke of a government department and which survives at the British Library (reference ADD MS 35669. It runs as follows

Sir

I hope you'll be kind enough to excuse the liberty I have taken in writing to you, but I would wish to inform you that Mr Pratt, the Postmaster of Ely is in a very bad state of health  at this time and is expected not likely to recover.  If it should happen that the Postmasters place should be vacant, I shall esteem it a very great favour if you would be kind enough to recommend me to the General Post Master.

I have taken the liberty of asking the Bishop [of Ely] for the favour of this recommendation I think it my Duty to inform you.

In hopes that you will not promise your interest to any other person, if solicited.  I understand several are making application, so [if] I should be lucky to succeed.[will] Endeavour to execute the Business with all the care and regularity I possibly can.

Your humble and Most Obedient Servant

Robert Genn, Ely, May 23rd [1788]

Thomas Pratt, Postmaster of Ely died in June, 1788

From 1788 to 1813 Robert Genn was the Ely Postmaster and owner of the Lamb Inn/Hotel for the greater part of that time, this being reputedly the best Inn in Ely.  We find the following advertisement:

"Lamb Inn at Ely Cambs

Genn 's Post Coach from Ely to the King's Head, Bridge Street, Cambridge, three times a week viz:  Mondays, Wednesdays and Saturdays and returns the same day, and if required sets out in time for the London coach each morning. If not, at such times as shall be most agreeable to the passengers.  Inside 4 shillings, outside 2 shillings. Neat post chaises with able horses and careful drivers either by the week or the day”.

There were frequent cock-fights at the Inn, details survive, and in 1808 upon his retirement

 from the Inn an advertisement was placed in the Cambridge Chronicle, wherein Robert thanked his former patrons for their custom.

                                   The Lamb as it is today

In 1815, Ely notables gave their support to a celebration dinner for the poor at the defeat of Napoleon at Waterloo and Robert was the patron and president of one table subscribing a guinea towards the cost of the dinner.

Ann Genn died in 1805, stated to be 56.  Robert Genn died in 1833, aged 73.  Letters of Administration (CRO) were granted to his sole surviving son.

Robert and Ann had three children

Billett - see next post

 Robert - two of the name died in infancy



For the notes above I am indebted to the late Robert Seymour Genn, a descendant of this family.  A more complete version is in his booklet at the Society of Genealogists in London.

John Ginn of Great Hormead d. 1867

Little (too little) is known of this man.  John was brother of James in my next to last post and son of James in my post of  23rd March 2013 .  All that I know for certain is that John Ginn was a Labourer.  It would seem clear that he married twice, leaving Great Hormead after his first marriage to Sarah Coxsell, but returning after his second (which may have been a common law arrangement) .  Both wives are called Sarah.  He does not appear to have had any surviving children from his first marriage.

They lived at Great Hormead and hopefully with detailed research the exact cottage could be located.

John Ginn died in 1867, quoted as being 74: he was 73. Sarah has no burial entry at Great Hormead and so far has not been traced elsewhere..

John and Sarah had four children

Betsy - Elizabeth (commonly known as “Betsy”) became friendly with her considerably older first cousin, Thomas Ginn (see later post) who lost his first wife in 1853.  Elizabeth married Thomas at Camberwell in 1860.

John - married Catherine Lawrence in 1855.  They had five daughters and one son (James Levi) the latter dying in Bishops Stortford at 1947 as a bachelor and Annie also died unmarried.  Of the others, Fanny married Thomas Bardwell in 1897 and Ellen, Sally (Sarah) and Emily are as yet untraced. Catherine died in 1900 and John in 1906.

Eliza - married George Pursglove in 1866.  He was a widower aged 40, then of Wyddial.  In 1881, the couple were living in Great Hallingbury in Essex, and Eliza’s niece Ellen (above) was staying there.  Eliza and George have descendants

James - died in infancy

.