Peerless Powditch's
Volume 3, Norfolk Vacated
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"Peerless Powditchs"
Vol.3 Norfolk Vacated
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INTRODUCTION
No Powditch needs any introduction to his or her own name. Inherited at birth,
spread by marriage (or integrated into other families), increased by children
- and marginally reduced by death, the surname and its respective “owners"
have made many marks in history.
Many questions are still being asked, and investigations are continuing, into
the origin of the surname. Early documents in the form of Wills, apprenticeship
Indentures, Parish Registers, Manor Rolls, and Rolls of Freemen, have, over
the last 535 years, recorded the surname variously as;- Pawedyche (1454-
1455); Powdiche (1460); Powdych (1467); Powdyth (1471); Powdrich (1503);
Powdiche (1504); Podishe (1526); Podych (1528); Powdych (1545);
Powdyche (1549), and Pordage (1623).
When one compares the modern day spelling of Powditch, with that of any of
its predecessors, one is drawn to the probable original pronunciation of the
name. The William who went to Derby in the 1800s has been remembered
for stating that the name should be pronounced "Porditch", and the early
spellings of "Paw.."; "Pawe.."; "Po.."; and "Por.."; (as shown above), appear
to confirm the statement.
The following pages look at the lives - social, political, geographical,
economic - and careers of most 17th to 20th Century Powditch's who are
descended from the James who married Dorothy Holden, in 1691, although,
due to some members of the family being "missing" during the period
researched, there are (unavoidably) a few unanswered "gaps" concerning
certain individuals' history, and their descendants.
Such "gaps" in the history, revolve principally around the Norfolk sea-villages
of King's Lynn and Great Yarmouth, although, as in other areas, research is
still continuing, and hopefully will provide the "answers".
Whilst this Volume can never be "finished", - for even as I write the "last"
word, another letter, another reference, another Will or Parish Register, begs
me to include its contents - the wealth of information in this book will
hopefully steer others to previously undisclosed documents, or to conduct
their own research into specific aspects of the family history.
Five years ago, I set out to research the surname "Powditch" in the Cardiff,
South Wales area; to my knowledge then, the name being peculiar to Cardiff,
although mention had been made of "Norfolk". Discovery that Powditch's
existed in other parts of the country, plus that there were emigrants to
Australia, Canada and France (this Volume) - and New Zealand, and Chile
(Volume 2), has amazed Powditch's everywhere, for all had previously
believed that they were the last surviving branch of the family.
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"Peerless Powditchs"
Vol.3 Norfolk Vacated
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On the following pages, the "bones" of early research have been covered with
flesh and clothes. Names and dates have been expanded by employment,
geography, and historical associations, and interest has hopefully been
injected into what has been part of a fascinating self inflicted project.
Background history to the "characters", and the periods has been thoroughly
researched, and a Bibliography to most of the works consulted, has been
included. All details stated, regarding individuals, and their families, have
been extracted from accessible documents such as Parish Registers,
Wills, Indentures, Trinity House records, Birth, Marriage and Death
Certificates etc., copies of which (plus many other documents) are in my
possession, should you wish to consult them. Notwithstanding the
aforementioned, I apologise in advance for any typing, or other, errors in the
text.
Now, to plagiarise a familiar saying - "If Powditch be the food of love, read on" !
John C. Algar,
5a, Southgate Road,
Southgate, Gower,
Swansea, West Glamorgan,
South Wales, SA3 2BT
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Contents
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