By George Solly
I have had two contacts since the last Journal:
1. From Chris Hearsey
His enquiry dated 10.04.23
I am a new member and am researching my mother’s family line of Solly. I have my mother’s grandfather was Charles Solly, born 1845 in Littlebourne, died 1888 in Maidstone and was a barber.
His father was James Solly, born Woodnesborough 1795, died Littlebourne 1860 and was a head dresser.
The lineage then goes James Solly, b. Ash next Sandwich 1761, died Eastry 1849. Richard Solly, b. Chislet 1734, died after 1764. Richard Solly, b. Chislet 1707, died Chislet 1768. Richard Solly, b. Ash 1673, died Chislet 1709. Richard Solly, b circa 1650.
I am very interested in further research and if any links up with any pre existing research.
Kind Regards
Chris Hearsey
My reply (11.04.23):
Hi Chris,
Thank you for your email and welcome to the Sole Society.
I have been looking back at your stated line from Charles to James 1761-1849, at which point I find a discrepancy:
as I have his birth date as 1767 and married to Ann Pay at St Nicholas, Ash. His father I have as Richard married to Elizabeth, but born 1730 not 1707. It is unlikely but not impossible for him to be father at 52, especially if his wife is much younger. I wonder if you have any leads on this?
There are so many Richard Soll(e)ys originating from Ash / Sandwich / Woodesborough with similar dates, it is quite difficult tracking down the right one!
The closest Richard I have to yours born 1650 is:
10.01 Richard Solly (MM4N-Q3Z) bc.08.09.1633 Goodnestone d.22.10.1683 at the Moat, Ash m. 05.10.1658 St Mary Bredin, Canterbury (ref KTAA pedigree) Owned Moat Farm, The Mole, Brook House and Hills Court. Bur. St Nicholas, Ash Churchwarden (1662 & 1675), Yeoman, Constable. Taxed in 1664 on 5 hearths; paid artes on 120 acres at Hills Court. At marriage given Mote Farm by Mary.
10.02 Mary Proude (Aka Prowde)(L51Q-NWS) bc 25.10.1635 Stourmouth, (alt 1637 St Peters, Thanet) d. 00.10.1669.
My earliest Solly is Arthur Sollie 1412 married to Ellen Tilley 1414- – so it would be nice if we could tie up my line with yours.
Best wishes, George
His reply 14.04.23:
Hi George
Thank you for your reply. When I started my research many years ago, before computers, I thought the main family names were uncommon enough to make tracing fairly straight forward. I didn’t realise an uncommon name can be geographically common. After a long break for family and work commitments and the arrival of computerised research the truth has been a bit of a shock.
James (1795 – 1860) was married to Elizabeth Love and my great grandfather, Charles, was their 10th child of 11. Elizabeth was James’s second wife. He was first married to Sarah Kennett, who died in 1820, with whom he had a son James.
James (1761 – 1849) was married to Ann Pay and they both appear on the 1841 census aged 75. On this census it would indicate they were born between 1761 and 1766. This is dependent on the enumerator being given the correct age in the first place. I have his baptism as 19 April 1761 at St Nicholas, Ash.
Sorry it looks like I missed a generation when writing the message to you the other night.
James’s parents I have as Richard Solly and Elizabeth (Smith). They married at St Alphage, Canterbury on 6May 1751 by licence, both described as of Elmstone. James was 17 at the time, and Elizabeth about 3 months pregnant, which may explain the licence. I have they had 4 children baptised between 1751 and 1764, however there is a large gap between 1752 and 1761.
This Richard I have being baptised in Chislet in 1734 to Richard and Judith (Kedman) who married in 1732 at Chislet. They had six children, all born in Chislet, between 1732 and 1740. Judith was Richards second wife, his first was Sarah How who he married in December 1730. She was buried in Chislet in February 1731.
This Richard I have being baptised at St Mary the Virgin, Chislet on 11 May 1707, son of Richard and Martha (Cantis). Richard and Martha married on 30 November 1695 at St Mary Bredin, Canterbury and had 5 children, all born in Chislet. Richard, the father, was buried in Chislet on 7 August 1709.
This Richard I have being baptised on 11 November 1673 at St Nicholas, Ash-next-Sandwich, son of Richard and Mary. This is likely to put the birth of the eldest Solly at somewhere between 1640 and 1650, though I have yet to find either his baptism or marriage.
That is as far as I have got. Having corrected the previous error I think the discrepancy has been eliminated, we seem to have the same people but some very slightly different dates.
Many thanks, Chris
My reply 16.04.23
Hi Chris,
Thank you for this additional information. I shall endeavour to see if we have a common ancestor and thus will be able to add a few more generations to your known forbears.
Best wishes, George
2. Nicholas McNair from 22.04.23
Nicholas has been studying the Sollys for as many decades as I have it seems, and we have shared considerable information between us.
His original message:
I just saw the article by Rosemary Bailey about the Sollys of Pedding, Richard Heaton Solly, etc. I am doubly descended from the Sollys of Walthamstow and have much information on the family going back to Peter Solly of Hoaden (will dated 1495) that connects up the names Rosemary mentions. My great great grandfather, Nathaniel Neal Solly, was the one responsible for the claims about the Septvans family being ancestors, and I have his notebook dealing with the subject. Our side descends via John Solly of Sandwich whose account of the family dated 1734 I also have (your site does not let me attach it!). It was his brother Richard, Mayor of Sandwich who was the ancestor of Richard Heaton Solly. I am happy to share information with anyone interested.
Best wishes, Nicholas
My replies (abridged)
I’ve been doing the family tree for well over 50 years now and have nearly 200 pages of pedigree, including Solly’s, Dennes, Harfleets etc and Oberheides (from my German mother’s side). I was at Kent University early seventies and joined a local history group looking at original parish registers and transcribing details to be computerised for a project led by Cambridge University. Ash was considered one of the best English registers so was used. Any Sollys I found I noted for my own use!
I attach my direct Solly line from 1412 which you might find if interest. My forbears also include the Walthamstow Sollys and the famous Isaacs.
I mentioned to Nicholas that being the youngest of four, my father youngest of three and his father seventh of eight that I have very little in the way of original documents or pictures. In response he sent the pictures on this page and the next. Here is Nicholas’s explanation as to who they are:
Here for now, instead of scans (I do not know where the original of John Solly’s account is – I only had
NN Solly’s transcription), are some portraits. John Solly mentions his mother-in-law Katherine Legay: here are the original portraits of her, her husband Isaac Legay, and her parents, Edward Williams (1646 aged 63) and Jane Langford (1667 aged 63). There is much to tell about them on a Coronation day. Jane’s first cousin Christabel Pyne was said by Samuel Pepys to have had great influence over King Charles I, and was his son Charles II’s lady nurse as a baby and 15 years later his first lover, at Bridgewater in 1645, where her husband Edmund Wyndham was governor.
