Lewknor Genealogy

Recent Communications

24/11/07 Tim Horn, Northants

For the past three of four years I have been researching my family tree. I am looking for any information all(no matter how little) about my great uncle Percy Reginald Horn(e). He was born Armston Northants1899 and his address, when he died at the age of 83 on 4/6/1982, is given as 9, Shisburn Road, Lewknor Oxon. His wife wa Rose Marie who I believe to have been French, maiden name Hurter; she died in 1888 in Shillingford on Thames. Not certain but is possible there may have been a daughter Annick?

Any information would be very gratefully received and of course treated in confidence

19/11/07 Dave Ross

I would be grateful if you could add my contact details to your website.

I am a direct descendant of the White / G(J)ifkins line. The earliest reference I have found so far is Sarah White, who had a son James in 1827. He married Jane Gifkins, also of Lewknor (Jane b.1831 daughter of John and Hannah). James and Jane were my g.g.grandparents.

My (still living) mother Marjorie White was born in Lewknor in 1930, although she had moved from the village by 2 years old, when her father Harry Basil White died. I would like to add more to my family tree, especially on the Whites, since most contact with that side of my lineage was lost after the death of Harry.

26/10/07 Andy Ellis

I've found your web-site and references to the geanealogy section. My mother's maiden name is Mayling and the oldest relative we can trace by any on-line source and family records leads us to a Charles Hollon Mayling who was born in Lewknor in about 1838.

We are unable to trace any family members back beyond this. Does anyone know of this family name in the area/graveyard or possible other spellings of the name (Maling , Maylin , Maelin etc). Are the parish records easily accessible ?

Any help much appreciated.

08/10/07 Mary Blathwayt

I am still searching for any information re. Rev MB Thurburn and his wife Elsie. He was Vicar of Lewknor from 1920 to 1934. There is a stained glass window in the church in memory of him and his wife. He was my husband’s grandfather and we know very little about him. Can anyone in Lewknor answer any of the following questions:-

1. When did he die?
2. Did his wife die at the same time?
3. Are either or both of them buried in the churchyard?
4. What did he/they die of?

I cannot find records of their deaths other than they both died in 1934 leaving three young daughters. Two of the daughters are dead now and none of them have ever talked about the death of their parents. Is there some mystery attached to all of this? We would love to know and don’t know how to find out!!

I would appreciate your help!

17/7/07 Michael Jarvis

Hello, my name is michael jarvis and I have just seen the pictures of the church,school and pub and would like to say they do not seem to have changed since i was there in the early 70,s when my father worked there on the first section of the m40 we lived on the main office site as my dad was the caretaker there and i went to the village school for several months. It did not seem inportant then how beautiful the village was, but as you get older, am now 45 I appreciate how things seem to have stayed the same,any way just thought you would like an opinion from someone from way back and would love to visit again in near future.

yours sincerely
michael jarvis

6/7/07 Geraldine James (Hicks and Hawes)

I am looking for information on Sally Hicks who, on the 1851 census gives her place of birth as Lewknor Oxon. She was born about 1810/11 and any information about her [parents, siblings etc or where to look for her] would be appreciated. She married John Mole of Ludgershall and seems to have spent the remainder of her life there. John Mole gave his occupation as carpenter and Innkeeper.

I am also looking for information on John Hawes who in the 1871 & 1881 censuses gives his place of birth as Witney in Oxon. He was born in 1804/1805 and lived most of his life in Oakley where he married Elizabeth Eborn, baptised in Oakley in 1818. They had a family of 9 children. I am trying to find John's parents and where he was baptised.

Any assistance or ideas to further my research from Australia would be greatly appreciated.

1/7/07 Jeff Hester

I would like for you to place my family of HESTER on your excellent web page.

My family left Kingston Blount in the parish of Aston Rowant in 1848 to Geelong in Victoria, Australia. They were James HESTER born 10 June 1776 and his wife Mary WHITE born 17 Feb 1799 and their children Thomas born 17 Feb 1822 (who married Elizabeth Ann BAILEY born 23 Apr 1826, 6 months prior to coming on 2 May 1848) Henry born 25 Feb 1827, Edward b. 16 Aug 1829 and Susan b. 23 Jan 1834.

I am a direct decendent of Thomas HESTER and Elizabeth Ann BAILEY.

.

28/06/07Adrian Neighbour

I am keen for my e-mail address to be incorporated within your website; as I have family tree info relating to my family the Neighbours' of Lewknor.

20/5/2007 Martine Heartland (Lipscombe)

I am a descendant of the family 'Lipscombe' my earliest recorded ancestor is from Lewknor. His name is Christopher Lipscombe, I am unsure of his birth date but his burial was in 1702 in Lewknor. My Lipscombe line eventually left Lewknor in the 1840s and we gradually made our way to Worcester. Most of the Lipscombes in Lewknor appear to be gardeners and a parish clerk.
I have been researching my family tree for around 3 years and am very excited to be visiting in July. I look forward to visiting the parish. I am happy for any queries from anyone researching the Lipscombe family tree.

2/5/2007 Michael Turner

I have ancestors linked to the village as far back as 1592, (Christopher Pytcher, was of Lewknor, in 1592). The other branch of the family was of the name Messenger who also had connections with the nearby village of Turville. I hope to produce a family tree in the near future but need further research to complete the picture. If any one has information relating to these two families I would be pleased to hear from them.

17/4/2007 Jane Littlejohns(nee Battersby)

My Great Grandfather
I have recently been researching my family tree and have discovered that my Great Grandfather was the publican of The Old fox Inn in 1901 together with his wife Cordelia. His name was Charles Battersby and he had had a career in the army. In the 8th Foot. Lancashire regiment. He was born in 1840 in Amersham and married Cordelia Buckingham who was born in Maidstone. She was 17 and he was 11 years older. Their first 6 children were born in various parts of the country I imagine as he moved from one barracks to another. My Grandfather was his first son and he was born in Ashton under Lyne. Then followed, Manchester, Preston, Cork Ireland, Aldershot, and Wycombe. They went on to have 6 more children, the last one, Doris was born in Lewknor in 1897. I have found your web site most informative and interesting. I would dearly like to know if I have any relatives, maybe from Doris living in Lewknor. My husband and I hope to pay a visit to Lewknor in the near future.We live in Solihull.Warwks. I would love to hear from any one who may have any information on Charles and Cordelia.

24/3/2007 Patricia Kingwell patannk at gmail.XXcom

I was interested to see your Lewnor area website, as I have a special interest in Stokenchurch. My g.grandmother Elizabeth Dobbins was born at Stokenchurch in 1825, so I have transcribed the images of the 1841 census for the village and am busy doing the 1851 census.
I have also looked at the parish records for the village and others nearby.
I am interested in the social history of the area, so I am looking at the occupations of the residents and tracking them into and out of the village, as they moved about; looking for work, married etc.
I wonder if any of my research might be of help to others, who trace their ancestry to the Stokenchurch area?

08/2/2007 Amanda Schofield

I am at present putting together my husbands family tree these names include, Heather ( west wycombe) ,Filbee ( lewknor,postcombe) ,Perrin ( Quainton) ,Oxlade
If any body has info please contact Amanda.

3/1/07 Paul Sulphur

Hello, am interested in my great grandmother Alice Mary Lowe, born in Lewknor in 1883. In 1891 she lived in 2 Primrose Terrace, in 1901 she was in service in Oxford. She had siblings called Kate, born abt 1886, Sidney, born abt 1889, Eva, born abt 1893 and Herbert born abt 1895.
Their parents were James, born abt 1831 in either West Wycombe, Wherler End or Willow End depending upon which census record one reads and Annie, born abt 1862 in Ickford again in either Oxfordshire or Buckinghamshire depending upon which census record is read.
Any help would be much appreciated.

3/12/06 Paul Buttle Keswick, Cumbri.,

I stumbled on your Lewknor website this morning - although I was actually looking for a Treby.

But Lewknor is a familiar surname with me because I've been researching rotten boroughs in consequence of which I came across the following story which concerns a John Lewknor and the rotten borough of Stockbridge:-

In September 1689 the death of one of Stockbridge’s sitting MPs necessitated a by-election to take place which was won by William Montagu. Montagu had stood in order to avoid the imminent threat of his imprisonment. His peril arose from his having eloped with the wife of John Lewknor who was consequently taking steps to sue Montagu for damages, for having - as the law then termed the matter - “debauched his wife”. As Lewknor would doubtless win his case this would put Montagu in Lewknor’s debt and once in his debt Montagu clearly expected to be placed in debtor’s prison - as an MP however he would be immune from such a fate.

To secure his election Montagu paid four guineas to each of the 44 electors who voted for him. His opponent William Strode, who received but six votes, petitioned Parliament to have the result over turned - even though he himself, had offered to pay six guineas a vote!

As a result of Strode’s petition Montagu was ejected from his seat and barred from taking part in the subsequent by-election.

Three months after Montagu’s ejection a general election took place in February 1690 which Montagu was not debarred from taking part in. Once more, therefore, he was elected to represent Stockbridge. By this stage, however, Montagu was unable to take up his seat - in the proceeding January Lewknor had won his case and been awarded £5,073 damages. Lewknor’s trap had therefore been sprung - at the time of his second election Montagu was already in debtor’s prison.

Montagu, however, had hopes of an early release. Within weeks of his election he petitioned parliament to “be enlarged to attend the service of the House.” He might well indeed have been “enlarged“ had not Lewknor also been elected to the House of Commons in 1690 making him thus well placed to raise objections to Montagu gaining his freedom. His objections proved successful. Montagu, therefore, remained in prison and less than a year after his petition had been rejected, whilst still incarcerated, on 2 April 1691, he died just 39 years of age.

Do you have any information on this John Lewknor who became an MP in 1690. --regards

29/10/06 Sandra Dawson, Port Dover, Ontario

I have just discovered your web pages and found it so interesting.. I have ancestors from this area..STOPS, LOADERS, BRITNELLS, SCHOLES, CROXFORDS, JEFKINS, VERE...DUTTON and many others........ I hope some of the people that wrote to you are still active, as I would like to chat with some of them.
I have the family records of Drucilla SMITH of Pleasant Grove Utah. Drucilla did a great deal of research on the families that I am descended from .

28/10/06 Tom Goode Remembers

Old John Goode was sitting wrapped in a shawl by the fire in my paternal grandmother's kitchen. I gathered he spent most of his time there. I was five years old, so I was later assured, and it was a fine sunny day, which I do remember. I am recalling either the late summer of 1927, or the early summer of 1928. Meeting his great-grandson seemed to perk up the old gentleman. For a short time he became quite animated. My grandmother remarked on it. She was sent away to fetch a box, and on her return the old man gave me a crown dated 1799. (George III) He told me it had been given by his great-grandfather to his grandfather as a wedding gift. Now he gave it to me.
He went on to tell me how he had sat on his grandfather's shoulders at 'The Lambert Arms' on the Oxford Road to see the Duke of Wellington pass by. The Duke was in a carriage.
"He was getting old." explained great-grandfather,"He always used to ride a horse in all weathers when he was younger."
Seeing the Duke and other gentry passing by on the main high road was apparently an important event in his young life, and he talked about these incidents frequently to anyone who would listen, as old men tend to do! I was a fresh audience so very welcome. However, he soon tired, and I was sent out into the garden to play. "Your great-grandad's nearly ninety," I was told. This would put his date of birth around 1840.
He had spent all his life, until coming into his daughter's care, in Lewknor, as had his father and grandfather before him. Perhaps the 'Goode' family had always been thereabouts in Oxfordshire under the shelter of the Chiltern Hills. His cottage, and the place where my father lived as a small child, fronted on to