The Sole Society, a Family History Society researching Sole, Saul, Sewell, Solley and similar names

SOLLEY Co-ordinator's Report May 2006

By Bob Solly

Welcome to our new members David Solly (K D Solly) who lives in Ottawa, Canada and Christine Gilmore from Altrincham in Cheshire.

 

I received an enquiry from David Godfrey-Smith who is researching the ancestors of Ellen Solly b.1836 in Paris, France and d.1893 in Australia: “She was my Great Great Grandmother, born in Paris, France and spoke French before she spoke English.  It is not clear whether her parents were French, but she certainly had many cousins in England.  She left France at an early age and lived with relatives in England.  Her father was an architect but died young and her mother remarried”. 

 

I had an e-mail from Sandra McFadden, who is interested in the Denne name (prominent in Kent) and mentions that she is descended from Henry Collard and Mary Solly. They were married in St Nicholas at Wade in Kent on 15 February 1680. She would like to find further details of Mary’s parents. I wrote to say we do not have much information and that the only Mary Solly I can find that may fit the bill was born 4 June 1637 in Ash. Another Mary Solley was born 4 Dec 1664 in Ash. Ash is about 5 miles south of St Nicholas at Wade. The surname spelling can change according to the Clerk of the Church in those days.

 

We do have, I think, a record of all christenings in Ash in the period up to 1710 as there was a comprehensive study done at the time. The Solly name originates in Ash so it may be that Mary’s family had already moved from Ash to St Nicholas at Wade. Coincidently, the church at Ash is dedicated to St Nicholas.

 

I have found one or two Collard but from a later period - Ambrose Collard m Susanna Solly in 1754 at Alkham Kent and John Solley m Elizabeth Collard 12 Oct 1758 at Ash.

 

Return to The Sole Society Home Page