Peerless Powditch's
Volume 3, Norfolk Vacated
|
You are here: home > Peerless Powditch > chapter 4
|
Chapter 4
WELLS - The Place, or Surname?
 "Peerless Powditchs"Vol.3 Norfolk Vacated |
The last in our trilogy of James and Mary (nee Oldman)'s sons who married, is
Wells,
Of the Christian name the useage of it has; been the subject of much speculation
and discussion in the past, - mostly due to the belief that the family (Powditch)
originated from Wells(next-the-Sea), and therefore that certain sons "Inherited"
the Place-name as a Christian-name,
Having discovered the traditional useage of the Mother's (or Grandmother's)
surname incorporated in the first or second names of children (or
grandchildren) - such as Metcalfe, Rumbles, Oldman, etc, I am personally more
inclined to believe that the Wells has been handed down through the marriage
of Elizabeth Wells to James Powditch, in 1746, particularly as Elizabeth, being
Wells' Grandmother, in the endowment of her surname to his Christian name,
continued the tradition of the period.
Wells then, like his brothers before him, married in St. Nicholas Church, at
Wells-next-the-Sea. Following Banns being called on 20 October, 6 and 13
November 1796, Wells Powditch married Mary Vincent, in the presence of
Ann Connors (or Cormar), and Ann Woods (or Wards'). The marriage was
conducted by the Curate - Mr. Horsfall - on 16 November 1796, and whereas
Wells signed the certificate with an "X", Mary signed her name.
Mary was one of four known "Vincent" children, they being;
William, baptised 16 June 1762
Mary (herself), baptised 3 June 1764
Edmund, baptised 8 February 1766
Henrietta, baptised 25 July 1770
- all of whom were the offspring of Edmund Vincent and Mary Vincent (nee
Lingwood), who married on 8 February 1762, at Wells.
Did Wells Powditch - a Mariner - die at sea? One researcher queries "died at
sea?" whilst another records that Wells "drowned in a fishing smack off Norfolk
coast between 1830-38". Acknowledgement of this possibility suggests that
Wells was aged between 54 and 62 at death. Mary, however, died in 1849,
and was buried at Wells on 20 December 1849 - aged 82 years (approx).
Before Wells and Mary died however, they had six children, two of whom died
young, and four of whom married, - each producing a fascinating insight into
the movements of 19th Century families,
- 23 -
|
||||||||||||
| "Peerless Powditchs"Vol.3 Norfolk Vacated |
Wells and Mary's children were;
As can be seen from the above, the youngest son, (Peter), and the youngest
daughter (Rosamond), both died young, whereas the remaining 2 brothers
and 2 sisters all married.
Of the surviving females, Mary Ann married William Fodder, after Banns on
13 October 1828. The service was conducted by Revd, Hill, and the witnesses
were Robert Grimmer, Hannah Fodder and Robert Skeet. Mary Ann, a
singlewoman at her marriage, signed with her "mark" as did William, her
husband.
That William signed with an "X" has given some puzzlement, for on the 1841
Wells-next-the-Sea Census, William Fodder (aged 37) is at home, and living
with his wife Mary (aged 40), daughter Anne. (aged 12) Mary's Mother - Mary
(aged 75) and another Mary (aged 40) - and all resident in Logger Yard -
almost next-door to James and Biddy (q.v.). William Fodder is recorded
under "Occupation" as (apparently) being a Lawyer - which doesn't link in with
the "X" given for his mark in the Marriage Register. Due, however, to
Victorian writing, and the shape of the letter "L", it is just possible that he may
have been a Sawyer (!) which would give a better explanation for the "X".
- 24 -
|
||||||||||||
| "Peerless Powditchs"Vol.3 Norfolk Vacated |
By 1851, William and his family appear to have moved away from Wells,
perhaps not long after the "old lady" - Mary - died in 1949. Where they went,
or whether they had any more children (other than Anne), I do not know.
Jemima, on the other hand, had a chequered life.
Born on 12 December 1807, and received into St. Nicholas Church on
13 March 1809, she must have caused great consternation in the family, when
she gave birth to an illegitimate daughter - Rosa? - in 1822
Recorded in the Baptism Register is that Jemima (Spinster) had Rosa
(daughter) baptised on 17 December 1822 - though of Rosa's life-span I have
no further details.
Two years later however, on 5 May 1824, Jemima, a singlewoman, married
William Henry Stepney, a singleman (and a Carpenter by trade) of the Parish,
after Banns: - and the service was conducted by Nathaniel Hill, Rector. Both
William and Jemima signed their names, and witnesses were Thomas
Powditch, Robert Skeet, Emily Powditch and Mary Ann Powditch,
William - who had been born around 1802-03 - and Jemima, had five
children;
William, baptised 26 March 1825, in Wells
Sarah Ann, baptised 15 December 1828, in Wells
Henry, baptised 11May 1834, in Wells
(the two remaining children were both born in America),
Jemima, in 1838-39
Victoria E., in 1840-41
The family must have moved back to Britain before 1848 however, for English
Registers record that William Henry Stepney died in 1848, and that Sarah
Ann - his daughter - married in 1849. (rather interestingly, one of Sarah Ann's
own daughters was named Rosetta Elizabeth).
Current descendants of this branch of the Stepney/Powditch union, include the
surnames Slade, Heinrichs (or Henricks), and Castells.
The families of James and Thomas lead us many a merry dance around the
Counties of England and Wales, and along the way, will cross the water to
Guernsey, as we look at their lives, and those of their descendants in following
Chapters .....
- 25 -
|
Acknowledgements |
|
|