By George Solly
Here follow the enquiries I have received since the last journal:
1. Ann Solly (member)
Enquiry from Ingrid Bayles
Good Morning, Thank you for allowing me to join your research group.
My interest is in an Ann Solly thought to have been born about 1713 and baptised on the 4th November 1713 in St. Nicholas church at Ash in Kent.
Her parents being Stephen Solly and Ann Ansell.
Ann Solly was my 6th great grandmother. And it is her, and her daughter Ann I am keen to learn more about.
I know that Ann (snr) married a Stephen Chandler on the 4th November 1735 in Ash and they have seven children (confirmed through Ash’s Baptism records).
But there is possibly an 8th child who I can find no baptism record for. This particular child known as Ann Chandler and thought to have been born about 1740 (stated on Ann’s burial record at Ash in 1830).
But with the lack of a baptism record has led me to wonder if she was born illegitimately and much earlier than first thought.
Sadly despite researching this theory I cannot find a baptism for an Ann Solly neither (1730-1735).
Her own children, following her marriage to Richard Love in Margate 1758 are consistent with the names of Anne (jnr) is supposed siblings, so I tend to think this is her family but my fear is I have gone terribly wrong between Ann Chandler and Ann Solly.
But I cant help wondering why seven children were baptised but not Ann!
So, my questions are ; Do you have any record for an Ann Solly illegitimate daughter of Ann Solly in the said time span that could be her. Then perhaps I can go backwards generation by generation.
Thank you for taking the time to read.
Kindest regards Ingrid
Reply:
Dear Ingrid
Thank you for your email and Solly enquiry.
I have started to answer your query by looking at Stephen Solly b. 1675 who married Ansell (b. 1695) in 1711. They have eight children, with Ann (1713-1760) who married
Stephen Chandler 4.10.1735, being the second oldest after Stephen Solly (1712-1779).
Ann and Stephen Chandler’s children are recorded as being eight in number with roughly on average two years between each birth except with Jane b. and d. 1750, we think, her namesake Jane 1751-1756 and then lastly Adnet (1755-1818) also born just one year after Frances (b. 1754). By this time Ann Chandler was in her early forties and we might speculate that childbirth of viable children was becoming difficult. She died five years after the last born at the age
of 47.
Ann Chandler ‘junior’ is not recorded being part of this family, although if the record is missing her birth in 1740 falls neatly into the two year cycle so she’d be between siblings. Thomas Chandler (1738-1818) and Sarah C. (1742-1767).
If we look the other way from junior Ann Chandler’s marriage to Richard Love in Margate in 1758, we can’t see a link back to the previous Ann.
Unfortunately we have no record for an illegitimate Ann, but your supposition that she could be the third child of Ann Solly and Stephen Chandler could indeed be valid but sorry we can’t be definitive
about it.
Hope this helps
Regards
GS
Follow Up
Thank you for your input. I guess it’s back to the drawing board!
Regards Ingrid
2. My Solley Family
Enquiry from Kathryn Sloan Ashworth (non-member)
My 2nd Great Grandfather was Joseph M Sollie 1857-1918 born in Tuscaloosa Alabama, US
His father was John William Sollie 1825-1865 Georgia, US
Grandfather was John William Sollie 1800-1874 Alabama, US
Great Grandfather was Daniel Solley 1780 Georgia, US
I have searched for where they originally came from but have a dead end. As you see the spelling of the name is not consistent. I would appreciate any hints of where they originally lived. Your information is the first that I have seen of Sollie family being in England. Thank you in advance.
Reply
Thank you for your enquiry. Sadly I have no information about your Sollies and Solley family as the Solly family we are aware of is originally from Thanet, East Kent with the first Solly dating back to the mid fifteenth century, particularly from the village of Ash-next- Sandwich. We don’t have many records of early immigration to the US. We hope this location information might help you in your genealogy research
Best wishes
GS
3. Isabelle Solly, born 1570
Enquiry from Charles Barret (non-member)
George Solly says Isabelle married first John Rigden in 1591, and then John Paramore (1575-1659). This second marriage took place in St Clement, Sandwell, in 1611 but, if George Solly is right, that this is the same Isabelle, why do records not describe her as Isabelle Rigden? A widow’s marriage was normally recorded using her married name.
Reply
Thanks for your email which has been forwarded to me.
Yes, one would expect the former married name to be used, so either the assumption is incorrect or perhaps another unknown reason came into play.
Sorry, can’t shed any further light on this query.
Regards GS
4. Rev Henry Solly
Enquiry from Isabell Thomas (non-member)
Dear Sole Society,
In my PhD research I regularly encounter the Reverend Henry Solly.
The 1991 article [from your journal] The Reverend Henry Solly and the Working Men’s Clubs (https://sole.org.uk/sole2/revhenry.htm) contains the following quote:
a large majority of the members of all social and political clubs prefer lectures, conversation, reading, recitations, and good music in their clubs on Sundays, to the empty headed nonsense and noise, however ‘refreshing’ the latter amusements may now be.
I would find this particular quote extremely useful but cannot find the source for it. Do you have access to the original publication, and do you know if it contains any references?
Many thanks,
Isabel
Reply
Thank you for your enquiry. Bob Solly wrote that article 33 years ago. I would guess however Bob sourced much of his article from Rev Henry Solly’s book, These 80 Years,
which appears still to be available from Amazon, EBay and Waterstones.
I seem to remember an unflattering obituary, but regret can’t provide sources for it.
Sorry that I can’t be more helpful
Regards
GS
[Ed: Henry Solly was the son of Isaac Solly (1769 – 22 February 1853) who was a London merchant in the Baltic trade. During the Napoleonic Wars his company Isaac Solly and Sons, were principal contractors supplying hemp and timber to government dockyards. In addition, if you cut and paste the quote into Google, you come up with one result, which is too long to reprint here, but takes you to a Google books, with the text included, so the quote might be in there. We are sure Isabell has done this, but have told her just in case.]