We welcome three new members to the Sole Society, researching the Sewell name, Ian Russell Sewell, David Pritchard and Peter Whitworth.

Ian Russell Sewell’s grandfather and great grandfather were born around Southwark area, but when Ian went further back he discovered Essex connections. His x2 great grandfather was George John Sewell born in Maldon Essex about 1847; he married Rose Russell in 1875. Brian Sewell our Essex co-ordinator recognised the tree that Ian sent and was able to send Ian more information. Brian has this tree going back to John Sewell who married Susan Ell in 1804 in Mundon, Essex. Ian recently visited Mundon and was able to find several gravestones that are his ancestors.

David Pritchard, is the son of one of our longstanding members, Edna Pritchard. Edna has researched her Mitcham family back to James Sewell who married Ann Doust in 1803 in Streatham. Two of their sons, Thomas and William Humphries, calico printers by trade also played cricket for England and Surrey.

Peter Whitworth’s maternal grandfather was Albert Sewell who moved from Thornage, Norfolk to Bolton, Lancashire, before his marriage to Alice in 1908. Albert’s parents were James and Agnes nee Cannell. In his research, Peter had found two James Sewells, which rather confused him as to which was the correct James for him. The first James was born 1842 in Hardingham, Nfk and the other 1843 born Wicklewood, Nfk. James born in 1843 married Hannah Revell. Both James’s are the great grandson’s of John and Elizabeth nee Payne who married in Hardingham in 1761. James born 1843 was the grandson of John and Elizabeth’s son John. While James born 1842 was the grandson of William Payne another son of John and Elizabeth. Both Peter and the husband of member Diana Sewell are descended from William Payne Sewell.

Other enquiries include one from Joanna Howard. Joanna said she had heard that one of her ancestors was Phoebe, the daughter of the 6^th baronet Sir Watkins Williams Wynne who had eloped with William Sewell a servant. However our records showed that, a Phoebe Martin had married, William Sewell a coal dealer, in Worcester in 1799. Joanna gave me some of their later descendents while I was able to give Joanna details of William’s parents and siblings.

One item on Joanna’s family tree that caught my eye was the marriage of Anne Marie Perkins to her cousin Joseph Sewell. There were two possible Joseph’s in the tree, however one remained single, which left me with one. However it appears that this is the Joseph that is the son of John, grandson of William and Phoebe. Joseph was born to John’s second marriage to Karenhuppchen Pennington. However Anne Marie Perkins was the daughter of Sarah and Philip Perkins, Sarah being a daughter from John’s first marriage. This would make Joseph, Anne Marie’s half uncle rather that cousin. I am hoping that Joanna will send me a copy of Joseph and Anne Marie’s marriage certificate to prove or disprove my theory.

Since the last Soul Search there have been only a few enquiries, allowing me time to catch up adding new census data to our records. This has of course produced the usual problems, finding families moving through the counties and deciding what families go together.

Some problems can only be solved by buying certificates. In particular Brian and I had the problem of Charles (Henry), with two births, two marriages and two deaths closely related in years. By sending for two marriage and two death certificates, we have now ended up with four separate families, two in Essex, one central London and one Lambeth.   

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