By Bob Solly

There have been a number of enquiries about Soll(e)ys and we have been able to be of some assistance.

All these enquiries help to fill out and expand the various family trees we hold. We still have a substantial amount information from the Registrar’s records which could still be incorporated into the family records as further connections come to light. 

From: Kevin Yeats

I was wondering if you have any details on the ancestry of Mary SOLLY/SOLLEY who married Henry JENKEN/JENKIN at Elmstone, Kent, 4 Apr 1637 (based on Berry’s SSX Pedigree for JENKIN).  Canterbury marriage licence 21 Mar 1636/37 gave her father as Stephen SOLLEY of Ash and her age as 15 and upwards. There is a member-submitted IGI for bap of a Mary SOLLEY, daughter of Stephen for 5 Nov 1621 in Ash-next-Sandwich.

Answer:

I have a note of the marriage of Mary SOLLY to Henry Jenken in Elmstone, but have the date as 21 March 1636 (from the marriage licence) – I should change that to 1637 as it was the old date system, so thanks for that.

Although I have no information (you obviously do) of children etc. I do have father and mother as Stephen Solly and Mary Omer (m 12 Oct 1618 at Ash, Kent). That particular tree is confirmed to go back to 1418 (a Peter Soly of Hoaden, near Ash).

From: Kevin Yeats  I  am keen to obtain a copy of the established ancestry for Mary – do I need to join the Sole Society?

Also, are there any restrictions on the use of the tree? I have my mother’s tree, which includes Mary SOLLEY, as a public tree on Ancestry.com.au site (a subscription site). Happy to comply with any IP requirements.

If you are interested I can give you guest access to view the tree on Ancestry – no subscription required as I understand it.

I have just loaded up a will summary I did for Henry JENKIN who married Mary SOLLEY – he mentions his father-in-law Stephen SOLLEY. Henry J. died Oct 1652 at a relatively young age (his eldest son was 14, youngest 6) & wife Mary had pre-deceased him, so she would probably have been under 30 when she died.

Answer

Stephen SOLLY - KT*,

Birth: 19 Aug 1593, KEN, Pedding

Death: 8 May 1662, KEN, Ash

Burial: 8 May 1662, KEN, Ash, St Nicholas

Occ: Yeoman & Gentleman

Spouse: Mary OMER - KT, 457

Birth: 18 Oct 1601

Death: 20 Aug 1629, KEN, Ash

Marr: 12 Oct 1618, KEN, Ash, St Nicholas

Children: Mary, 459 (1621-)

John, 461 (1624-)

Stephen, 463 (1626-)

Susanna, 464 (1629-)

Other Spouses Catherine SAFFRY - KT, Dorothy PORDAGE - KT

Henry JENKIN - KT, 460

Birth: abt 1613, KEN, Eyethorne Death: Oct 1652

Probate 20 May 1653 father in law Stephen Solley to appraise estate1

Spouse: Mary SOLLY - KT, 459

Birth: 5 Nov 1621, KEN, Ash

Father: Stephen SOLLY - KT, 379 (1593-1662)

Mother: Mary OMER - KT, 457 (1601-1629)

Marr: 4 Apr 1637, KEN, Elmstone2

Children: Mary, 1798 (~1637-), Thomas, 2562 (~1638-1674), John, 2583 (~1640-), Susannah, 2649 (~1644-), Henry, 2803 (~1646-1685)

1.1 Mary JENKIN, 1798

Birth: abt 1637, KEN, Eyethorne, Spouse:Thomas TERRY, 2332

Marr: 2 Sep 1654, KEN, Sandwich

1.2 Thomas JENKIN, 2562

Birth: abt 1638, KEN, Eyethorne, Death: 16 Jan 1674, Spouse: Anna, 2563

1.3 John JENKIN, 2583

Birth: abt 1640, KEN, Eyethorne

1.4 Susannah JENKIN, 2649

Birth: abt 1644, KEN, Eyethorne, Spouse: James BUNCE, 2770,

Marr: abt 1665

1.5 Henry JENKIN, 2803

Birth: abt 1646, KEN, Eyethorne, Death: 7 Dec 1685, KEN, Biddenden

From: Kevin Yeats

I’ve been trying to reconcile the will summary on Rootsweb for John SOLLEY of Wingham, gent probated 8 Oct 1661, with person KT,380.  The summary indicates that his father was Mr Stephen Solley:

Source: Consistory Court of Canterbury Vol 53 f.145, Probate 8 Oct 1661, John Solley of Wingham, gent., will dated 27 Aug 1661, To be buried near ancestors at Ash; 4 daughters Mary, Susan, Elizabeth and Margaret Solley 4 sons John, Francis, Richard and Thomas; Wife Margaret, executrix Father Mr Stephen Solley, Eldest son Stephen < 21, Youngest daughter Martha < 21  Michael Solley at Ash, Occupier Osmond Saffery at Ash; Witnesses John Halsned, Henry Foche.

If this is an accurate summary, then this person would be KT,461, not KT,380.

Answer: Not yet resolved – George Solly still working on this link

From: Julie Hooke

My particular interest is the Sheffield family, but William and Gertrude Mary Burville’s children were cousins of my grandmother, Alice Sheffield.  For what it is worth, it looks to me as though the William Burville and Mary Ann Solley from Ash were probably Florrie and Tiny’s grandparents, and that would explain the inclusion of their sibling named Solley, born at Daylesford in 1885. Solley is an unusual name, but the family connection would explain it.

Answer:

I have one Thomas SOLLEY

Birth:  abt 1772, KEN; Death: 23 Sep 1845, KEN, Richborough; Burial:29 Sep 1845, KEN, Ash, St Nicholas

Occ:  Farmer

“In memory of Thomas Solley of Richborough in this parish who died 23rd September 1845 aged 73 and also of Elizabeth the wife of the above who died 17th October aged 70 years. Farmer of Castle Farm, Richborough (tithe map)1”

Spouse: Elizabeth SMITH - KS2, 92; Birth: 8 Mar 1775, KEN, Wingham

Death: 17 Oct 1845, KEN, Richborough

Father: Crawford SMITH - KS, 870; Mother: Elizabeth AGEN - KS, 882

Marr: 6 Apr 1794, KEN, Ash, St Nicholas

Children: Thomas, 778 (1794-1870), Mary Ann, 97 (1795-), Stephen, 93 (1796-1849),  William, 779 (1798-), Elizabeth, 780 (1799-1800), Jane, 98 (1800-1879)

Bridget, 96 (1803-1814), Juliet, 873 (1805-), Elizabeth, 875 (1807-1835),  Kezia, 877 (1809-), Emily, 879 (1810), Elizabeth, 881 (1812-1817)  George, 954 (1814-1865)

Mary Ann SOLLEY

Birth: 1795, KEN, Richborough

Married by licence - witness Thomas Solley

Spouse: William BURVILLE - KS, 998; Birth:1803, KEN, St Margarets, Cliffe

Marr: 23 Nov 1824, KEN, Ash, St Nicholas

From: Matthew Titterton

I was just doing a little research online about my house I moved into in Ash, near Wingham, Kent and Google brought up your April 2010 report on the Solley name.

Dr A C Wallis (643) was looking for the SOLLY name (Margaret Ann Solly, dau of Thomas Wickes Solly & Mary Collet of Ringleton) in the Dent de Lion Hall, Kent "William remarried, to Ann Darwin Smith in 1841. In the 1841 census, he and Ann are living in Ash Street, in the parish of Ash next Wingham, with his three sons, William, Wood and Walter.
I am also curious as to where this residence precisely is, or was. There is an earlier entry on the Census page for a "George and Dragon", presumably the inn. However the closest George and Dragon I can find is in Sandwich, not the village of Ash. Also the following entry in the census is for "Moat Farm" which is being occupied by a family and others, all agricultural labourers."

Well, the reason your page turned up, is because the house I live in which is now 87 The Street, Ash used to originally be a public house called George and Dragon! It stopped trading as a pub around war time and got divided into two houses. Moat Farm is just around the back on the house off Moat Lane.

Old George & Dragon (Now 89/87 The Street)  http://deadpubs.co.uk/KentPubs/AshnextWingham/GeorgeDragon.shtml

Moat Farm - http://www.francisfrith.com/ash,kent/photos/moat-farm-and-oast-houses-c1955_a232006/

Could you pass this on to anyone that wants it!!! Feel free to pass on my email address if they have any questions about the building, or if they want any local knowledge of the area! It's a small village so there is always people who know history here!!

Answer

Many thanks for your information. It certainly helps with the detective work. I will be sure to pass the details about the original George and Dragon on (with your permission I will post it to our web site forum). So you may hear further from us. I assume there are no ghosts but the may be the odd Solly or two (and many of us are odd) connection in your house. In fact Thomas Wickes Solly appears on a family tree that goes back to 1418;

I don’t have any descendents from Margaret Ann Solly.

For space reasons, communication with Pat Solly has been omitted, this will appear in the next journal. 

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