Samuel Blazey and Susanna Plunkett

Photo © Marathon (cc-by-sa/2.0)

The Norman nave of Wymondham Abbey, Wednesday, 19 August, 2015

Photo available for reuse under this Creative Commons licence.

Banns were read in Wymondham on 23 Jun 1782 and 30 Jun 1782, for the marriage of Samuel Blazey (bap. 12 Sep 1761 in Wymondham), of this parish, bachelor, son of Paul Blazey and Mary Day, and Susanna Plunkett (bap. 27 Jan 1763 in Wymondham), of the same parish, Spinster, daughter of John Plunkett and Mary Bale, but on the third date the record states that they were not published. Unfortunately, I can't read the reason written on the record and to be fair, nor could various online OCR tools, the best of which, channelling it's inner Stanley Unwin (that'll date me) came up with, "at the men's steather and he had vermed astotter from herden which forted the going on". Indeed. What I interpret the situation to be is that Samuel had requested them not to be published as the couple had separated. If so, only temporarily, because after the banns were recalled on 8th, 15th and 22nd Jun 1783, Samuel Blazey and Susan Plunkett were married at Wymondham Abbey on 23 Jul 1783. Witnesses at this wedding were Sam Taylor and Jeramiah Forster.

Samuel and Susanna Blazey had at least five children:

1. William Blazey bap. 5 Oct 1783 in Wymondham
2. Elizabeth Blazey bap. 28 Mar 1785 in Wymondham
3. Paul Blazey bap. 4 Apr 1790 Private Baptism in Wymondham
4. Susanna Blazey bap. 11 Jul 1792 in Wymondham
5. Mary Blazey b. 12 Aug 1797, bap. 20 Aug 1797 in Wymondham

On Elizabeth's and Susanna's baptisms, their mother's name is Susanna Blazey (late Susanna Plunkett) and on Paul's, it's Susan Blazey (late Plunkett).

So far I've not found a record of the death of this Samuel Blazey. There are various records that could relate to Susanna (a further marriage included), but, so far, I've been unable to confirm if any of them are relevant.

George Churly and Mary Ann Stone

Photo © Bill Boaden (cc-by-sa/2.0)

The Iron Duke, Friday, 10 July, 2020

Photo available for reuse under this Creative Commons licence.

A Wetherspoon's on the central crossroads in Wellington, Somerset. This was originally the town hall, completed in 1833. Its current name commemorates the Duke of Wellington.

George Churly (b. 28 Jun 1831, bap. 26 Jul 1831 in Silverton, Devon), Batchelor, Wheel Wright of Stawley, Somerset, son of William Churly and Melony Godfrey, married Mary Ann Stone (b. Aug 1834, bap. 25 Dec 1834 in Langford Budville, Somerset), Spinster, Dress Maker of Ashbrittle, Somerset, daughter of William Stone and Elizabeth Sprague, at The Register Office in the District of Wellington, Somerset on 21 July 1853. The venue for this marriage, I can only assume, will have been in the then Wellington Town Hall. Witnesses were Henry Stone and Mary Ridgeway (later my 2x great-grandparents). In turn, George and Mary Ann Churly were the witnesses at Henry & Mary's marriage in 1854. Mary Ann was Henry's half-sister.

Spellings of this surname are widely varied, often as Churley, sometimes Chorley and one time even Charley, but Churly is on George's baptism, as well as on the marriage certificate, so I'm considering that the 'standard' spelling.

George and Mary Ann Churly had nine children:

1. Laura Churly bap. (as Laura Chorley) 30 Jul 1854 in Stawley, Somerset
2. Abel Asa Charley (sic) b. 24 Aug 1856 (1856 S Quarter in WELLINGTON - SOMERSET AND DEVON Volume 05C Page 357), bap. (as Abel Asa Chorley) 3 Jan 1858 in Stawley, Somerset
3. Eli Churly b. 23 Sep 1858, bap. 5 Jun 1859 in Stawley, Somerset. Died, aged 35, in 1894 S Quarter in WELLINGTON Volume 05C Page 177 and was buried on 4 Sep 1894 at All Saints' Parish Church, Holcombe Rogus
4. Ada Churly b. 1861 D Quarter in WELLINGTON Volume 05C Page 380, bap. (as Ada Charley) in 1863 in Holcombe Rogus, Devon
5. Obadiah Churly b. 17 Sep 1863, bap. 1869 in Holcombe Rogus, Devon
6. William Wilfred Churly b. 23 Oct 1866 (1866 D Quarter in WELLINGTON-SOMERSET AND DEVON Volume 05C Page 355), bap. (as William Wilfrid Chorley) 1869 in Holcombe Rogus, Devon
7. Levi Churly b. 1870 J Quarter in WELLINGTON SOMERSET AND DEVON Volume 05C Page 396, bap. (as Levi Chorley) in 1870 in Holcombe Rogus, Devon. Died, aged 4, in 1874 S Quarter in WELLINGTON SOMERSET AND DEVON Volume 05C Page 233 and was buried at All Saints' Parish Church, Holcombe Rogus
8. Frederick John Churly b. 1873 M Quarter in WELLINGTON SOMERSET AND DEVON Volume 05C Page 376, bap. 1875 in Holcombe Rogus
9. Levi George Churly b. 1875 J Quarter in WELLINGTON SOMERSET AND DEVON Volume 05C Page 359, bap. 1875 in Holcombe Rogus

On Laura's baptism, George's occupation is listed as Carpenter. There don't appear to be GRO civil birth registrations for Laura, Eli or Obadiah.

In 1861, George Churley (sic) (28) Sawyer from Silverton, Devon, was living in South Street, Holcombe Rogus with Mary Ann Churley (26) from Langford Budville, Somerset; Laura Churley (6); Abel A Churley (4); and Eli Churly (2).

In 1871, George Churley (sic) (39) was living in Fore Street, Holcombe Rogus with Mary Ann Churly (36); Eli Churly (11); Ada Churly (8); Obediah Churly (6); William Churly (4) and Levi Churly (1). Laura Chorley (sic) (16) from Stawley, Somerset, was a Servant in the household of William J C Browne (William James Caulfeild Browne) in Kittisford, Somerset (Rev. William J. C. Browne M.A. was rector of Kittisford 1862—91); and Abel Chorley (sic) (13) was a Servant to Thomas Cape, also in Kittisford.

In 1881, George Churley (sic) (49) Carpenter, was living in Fore Street, Holcombe Rogus with Mary Ann Churly (46); Obadiah Churly (16) Grocers assistant; Frederick Churly (8) and Levi George Churly (6). Laura married in 1878; Abel Asa Churly (23) Blacksmith was a Visitor in the household of his married sister Laura Downing (25) Wife of Ships Carpenter, in Cross Street, Northam, Devon. (There also was Mary Ann Fry (22) who Abel married in 1886 in Ontario, Canada); Eli Churly (22) Gunner RMA (Royal Marine Artillery) from Wellington, Somerset, was with HMS Audacious at Devonport Stoke-Damerel; Ada Churley (sic) (19) was Housemaid in the household of Elizabeth J Wilmot, Widow at Clevehouses (Clift Cottage), Northam, Devon and there also was William Churley (sic) (14) Stable Boy.

In 1891, George Churly (59) was once again living in Holcombe Rogus with Mary Ann Churly (56), Levi Churly (16) and Eli Churly (31).

George Churly died, aged 60, in 1891 D Quarter in WELLINGTON, SOMERSET AND DEVON Volume 05C Page 249.

Eli Churly had enlisted in the Royal Marines at Taunton, Somerset on his 18th birthday, 23 Sep 1876. At that time he was 5ft 7¼in with a fair complexion, brown hair and hazel eyes. On final discharge, in 1888, he'd grown to 5ft 10in. Much of his career was listed simply with R M Artillery. He was with HMS Audacious from 8 Aug 1879 and transferred to HMS Repulse on 15 Apr 1881, confirmed here as it states, "Portsmouth 21 Apr 1881 Crew of the Audacious, from Devonport, turned over to the Repulse, guardship in the River Humber." On 28 Aug 1882, during the Battle of Kassassin, Eli Churly suffered "gun shot wounds both thighs (severe)" and was transferred to To Hosp[ital]. (There were several columns devoted to the action in the Portsmouth Evening News of 31 Aug 1882, and Agincourt Road was renamed Kassassin Street in Southsea to commemorate the Battle of Kassassin, which took place in Egypt in 1882 during the Anglo-Egyptian War.) However, Eli was back in service on 25 Sep 1882 for a further six years. From 1883 to 1885 he was with HMS Hercules, flagship of the reserve fleet from 1881 until 1890. Eli Churly was finally Discharged Invalided on 10 Oct 1888 and died, aged 35, in 1894.

In 1901, Mary A Churly (66) Widowed, was living alone in Holcombe Rogus.

Mary Ann Churly of Union Workhouse, Bideford, Devon, died, aged 71, in 1905 S Quarter in BIDEFORD Volume 05B Page 290 and was buried in on 6 Sep 1905 at St Margaret of Antioch, Northam, Devon.

John Brown and Elizabeth Perry

St Dionis Backchurch

John Brown (b. ~1710) married Elizabeth Perry (bap. 27 Mar 1714 in Woolwich, Kent), eldest daughter of Philip Perry and Elizabeth Flemming, at the church of St Dionis Backchurch, located in the heart of the City of London on 13 Feb 1734 (Julian) 1735 (Gregorian). The record reads, "John Brown of the Parish of St Dunstan Stepney in the County of Middlesex Batchelor & Elizabeth Perry of the same parish Spinster were married (by Licence) on Thursday the 13th day of Feb 1734/5."

The records of seven children can be attributed to this couple:

1. Sarah Brown b. Friday, 11 Jan 1740, bap. 5 Feb 1740 (at 25 days old) at St Dunstan's, Stepney. Sarah, daughter of John Brown of Poplar Brewer & Elizabeth
2. Elizabeth Brown b. Wednesday, 3 Jul 1745, bap. 11 Jul 1745 (at 8 days old). In the records of St Dunstan's, Stepney, it says 'Elizabeth, daughter of John Brown of Poplar Brewer & Elizabeth at Poplar'. Being baptised 'at Poplar' may have been at Poplar Chapel (St Matthias Old Church).
3. Susanna Brown b. Tuesday, 21 Apr 1747, bap. 19 May 1747 (at 28 days old) at St Dunstan's, Stepney. Susanna, daughter of John Brown of Poplar Brewer & Elizabeth.
4. John Ephraim Brown b. Wednesday, 14 Feb 1750, bap. 5 Mar 1750 (at 19 days old) at St Dunstan's, Stepney. John Ephraim, son of John Brown of Poplar Brewer & Elizabeth.
5. Helen Brown b. Saturday, 12 May 1753, bap. 6 Jun 1753 (at 25 days old) at St Dunstan's, Stepney. Helen, daughter of John Brown Poplar Brewer & Elizabeth.
6. Catherine Brown b. 26 Apr 1755, bap. 28 Apr 1755 (at 2 days old) at St Dunstan's, Stepney, Catherine daughter of John Brown of Poplar, Brewer and Elisabeth. (Listed as Kitty in the Will of her Uncle Ephraim Seehl)
7. Ann Brown b. 9 Aug 1758, bap. 27 Aug 1758 (at 18 days old) at St Dunstan's, Stepney, Ann daughter of John Brown of Poplar, Brewer and Elisabeth.

The baptisms all list their father as John Brown of Poplar, Brewer. Additional evidence that these are the children of this family: Sarah was the name of Elizabeth's aunt and sister; Elizabeth is obviously her own and her mother's name; Susanna was another of Elizabeth's sisters; John, clearly for his father, but Ephraim after his uncle, Ephraim Seehl, married to his mother's sister, Sarah; and Helen was the widow of Elizabeth's brother, Philip Perry.

John Brown was alive when he was witness at daughter Elizabeth's marriage to John Perry on 19 Mar 1765, but we know he died before 29 Apr 1775, because a Codicil to the Will of his brother-in-law, Ephraim Reinhold Seehl, of that date stated he had died. Brown is not the easiest name to research, however, one would expect a man of his standing to leave a Will, so I began looking there, within the window between those dates, and indeed, found the Will of John Brown of the Hamlet of Poplar in the Parish of Stepney, Brewer, dated 7 Apr 1768 and proved on 22 Apr 1768, who left all of his estates together with his household furniture, stock in trade, plate, ready money ... to his dear beloved wife Elizabeth Brown, who he also appointed sole Executrix. He specified that bequests of £300 each should be given to their two youngest daughters, Catherine and Ann, upon Elizabeth's death, but otherwise, gave her full discretion 'to dispose of whatever she shall be possessed of in such manner as she shall think proper'. In the parish records of St Dunstans, Stepney on 15 Apr 1768, is the burial of "John Brown of Poplar, at Ditto". This means, first of all that he clearly died between the 7th and 15th of April 1768, and that he was buried at Poplar Chapel (St Matthias Old Church), as were so many other members of the Perry family.

Locating the death of Elizabeth Brown (née Perry) is another day's challenge.