During Christmas 2000 I decided that I should like to trace my family history.
I am very lucky that I have many elderly relatives alive who are able to pass on the history. Having spent time pulling all this together and with the help of the Littleport Society I intend to expand this back further.
I have a lot of current history and have only placed here my grandparent's (in bold) and any information I have prior to them. I have a more information than I have listed here but to try to prevent it from becoming too confusing I have decided to only list the basic information.
I would love to hear from anyone who believes they may have a connection to any of the names that appear below or would like to swap any information, relevant or not. Even if you think the connection is only by marriage.
You can email me at shane.strawson@btinternet.com
Please note that anything written in italics has not as yet been confirmed.
John William GARWOOD, born 12/04/1906 died 06/1988,
married Harriet Mary POPE 23/04/1932 in Hilgay church, Norfolk. They
moved to Little Ouse in Cambridgeshire after they married.
John was the son of Joe GARWOOD and Rhoda GERMENEY who were married at St George's Church,
Littleport, Cambridgeshire on 08/10/1904. Rhoda died when John was 6 months old. Joe
remarried Katie SHIPP on 06/05/1911 again at St George's Church, Littleport. Joe and Katie
went on to have a son, Bert and a daughter, Edie.
Joe would of been born around 1874. His father was John GARWOOD who was born in
1844. He was a farm bailiff from Littleport and had land in the Camel Road area of
the village. John married Mary MARTIN on 21/11/1868 at St George's Church, Littleport,
In the British Census in 1881 John and Mary have children, Joseph aged 7 and Harry
aged 1. John's birthplace is given as Bury St Edmunds, Mary's as Coveney, Isle of Ely,
Joseph and Harry birthplace is given as Mildenhall, Suffolk.
John's father was also John GARWOOD.
Sarah GARWOOD (aged 19) married George WOLLARD (aged 24) at St George's Church,
Littleport on 17/03/1866. Bride's father was John GARWOOD. In the 1881 census
Sarah's birthplace is Hardon, Suffolk.
Caroline GARWOOD (aged 20) married John NEAL (aged 21) at St George's Church,
Littleport on 02/05/1863. Bride's father was John GARWOOD. In the 1881 census
Caroline's birthplace is Hardingham, Suffolk.
Rhoda GERMENEY was born in the parish of St John's,
Little Ouse and baptised at St John's Church, Little Ouse on 1st December 1886. She
married Joe GARWOOD on 08/10/1904. I believe she had a child that died before John
William GARWOOD was born in 1906. She died aged 20 when John was only a few
months old..
Rhoda was the daughter of James GERMENEY (born 1853) and Ann (nee HARLOCK, born
1855) who seemed to have lived in the Littleport / Little Ouse area.
James and Ann were married at the St George's Parish Church in Littleport on 06/05/1876.
James was baptised in the parish of Littleport on 11/06/1853. During the British
Census in 1881 James and Ann have children, John H aged 4, James W aged 3 and
George aged 1.
James's parents were William (b 1804) and Rhoda (b1805) GERMENEY.
During the 1851 William and Rhoda were living in High Street, Littleport, William's
birthplace was given as Gastrop, Norfolk and Rhoda's birthplace was given as Heveninghall,
Norfolk. In the 1881 census, they were still living in Littleport but William's birthplace
was given as Garboldsham, Norfolk and Rhoda's as Kenninghall, Norfolk. During the 1891
Rhoda was living with her granddaughter, Rhoda in the village of Littleport.
Germeney is often spelt as Germany, Germeny or even spelt with a J not
G.
Harriet Mary POPE born 27/05/1911, died 08/03/2001
married John William GARWOOD on 23/04/1932 at Hilgay Church, Norfolk.
Harriet was the daughter of William POPE and Emma Jane ARMIGER and was born in Hilgay,
Norfolk. Harriet has many brothers and sisters, if you would like details of them please contact me.
William was born in 1879 in the Southery, Norfolk area, died aged 68 in 1946. He
had brothers John, Robert and Joseph who I know very little about. Another brother James
was born 1880, Southery, Norfolk area died 12/04/1918 in France. He was reported to have a
wife, F G Pope and to be living in Heeley, Sheffield prior to the war.
William also a sister Hannah born 1883, Southery, Norfolk who married a parson and went to
live in Canada / America. It is believed that they adopted a child ? COATES before they
left.
William's parents were Jeremiah POPE and Mary DENT who were married in St Mary the Virgin
Church, Welney, Norfolk on 08/07/1865. I think they moved from Welney to Southery /
Hilgay in Norfolk within a year or two of their marriage.
Jeremiah had brothers Richard, Joseph (married Margaret MOWDEN 21/11/1863 in Welney
Church) and John (married Eliza CURTIS 07/11/1891 in Welney Church).
Jeremiah had sisters Mary (married Thomas HOWE 11/10/1862 in Welney Church), Eliza
(married Robert MARTIN 23/11/1867 in Welney Church) and Alice born 1850 but died
before 1861.
I believe Jeremiah's parents to be John POPE b 1810 of Chatteris and Ann ? b 1811 of
Thetford.
Emma Jane ARMIGER b 12/06/1886 and died 11/07/1950. She married
William POPE and then after his death in 1946 remarried a man named ROWELL.
Emma came from Burham Westgate in Norfolk. Emma's mother harvested
Samphire (seaweed) which she then sold.
Emma's parents were George William ARMIGER bapt 12/11/1861 from Burnham Norton and Harriett SOFTLY b 1860 who were married in Burnham Westgate in Norfolk on 12/3/1881. They were living in Burnham Westgate during the 1881 and the 1891 census. Emma was the third of nine children.
George William ARMIGER was one of the ten children of Henry and Frances (nee RUMBLES) ARMIGER who were married on 31/10/1857 in Burnham Sutton.
Henry ARMIGER was the son of William ARMIGER from Great Walsingham and
Frances RUMBLE was the daughter of John RUMBLES of Muckleton, a small hamlet south of
Burnham Market.
Walter Reginald CLIFT born 17/08/1915 and still living
married Mabel SCOTT on 23/11/1938 at St Mary's Church, Welney. Norfolk.
Walter was the son of John William CLIFT and Alice COOPER who were married in Oct
1903. Walter has many brothers and sisters, if you would like details of them please contact me.
John William CLIFT born 16/06/1881 died ? in the Black Horse Drove area of Littleport,
Cambridgeshire.
John had the following brothers and sisters.
Mary A b 1872 married George HARE on 26/10/1895.
Charlie born 1893 died 26/12/1917 2nd Bn., Suffolk Regiment in France.
Matilda b 1873 married ? KIDD.
Ria ( Maria ) married ? HARLEY
Eliza b 1876 married ? HART
Jim married ? went on to have 4 children, one of whom is called Les CLIFT who lives
in the village of Littleport.
Tabitha b 1879 married George BEDFORD who went on to have a son called Joe. Joe
BEDFORD married Anise Lille OXBOROUGH. Lil, as she was known, was the sister of Albert
OXBOROUGH who married Elizabeth SCOTT. Elizabeth was Mabel SCOTT's sister. (See SCOTT
section.)
They were the children of John b 1840 and Ann b 1850 CLIFT. John's birthplace was Mildenhall, Suffolk and Ann's birthplace was Downham, Norfolk.
John was the son of John baptised 3/8/1806 and Maria b1806 CLIFT from Mildenhall, Suffolk. He had 7 sisters. John CLIFT married Maria DOE on 13/10/1827 in Mildenhall, Suffolk. John was buried on 9/2/1852 in Mildenhall, Suffolk. Maria CLIFT was buried 12/4/1849.
I believe John to be son of Jonathon and Mary CLIFT (nee GODFREY) who
were married in Mildenhall, Suffolk abt 28/12/1783. Jonathon and Mary had 10 children,
John being the youngest.
Alice COOPER born 27/05/1885/87 died 1979 married John William
CLIFT in 17th October 1903 at St John's Church, Little Ouse. They lived and worked for the
Kerridges on Cave's Farm in Hale Fen.
Alice was the daughter of Charles and Ellen COOPER.
Alice had the following sisters.
Louisa who married ? BARBER.
Bertha who married ? BYE.
Lily whose first husband Albert THORNHILLl died in the 1st World War. She then remarried ?
GREY and moved to March, Cambridgeshire.
Eliza b 1877 who married ? HODSON. 1881 census lists Eliza's birthplace as Bourne,
Cambridge.
Jane b 1875 who died soon after she married. Name of husband is unknown. 1881 census lists
Jane's birthplace as Longstow, Cambridge.
Charles b 1845 and Ellen b 1855 were from Arrington, Cambridge
were living in the Little Ouse, Norfolk area by the 1881 census.
Mabel SCOTT born 19/01/1916 and still living married Walter
Reginald CLIFT on 23/11/1938 at St Mary's Church, Welney, Norfolk.
Mabel was the daughter of William Richer SCOTT born 07/04/1887 and died 31/10/1956 who was
married to Florence Mary SWANN. Mabel has many brothers and sisters, if you would like
details of them please contact me.
William had the following brother and sisters.
Sydney married Daisy KENT.
Charlie married Elsie ?, Charlie was a sailor in the First World War. Moved to
Prickwillow in Cambridgeshire.
Hannah who had an illegitimate son Billy SCOTTt. ( I have quite a good history to the
present day along this line.)
Jack ( could also be George ), Alfred and Bertrum I know very little about.
There could be more children.
They all grew up in the Welney / 100 Foot Bank area of Norfolk. William was a shepherd on
the Welney Wash.
Florence Mary SWANN born 02/08/1885 and died 13/05/1968 married
William Richer SCOTTt in 1908.
Florence had the following brothers and sisters.
Horace George born 03/01/1887 married Lydia Fuller.
Ethel Elizabeth born 03/11/1888 married Fredrick Elmore.
Betha Adelaide born 21/08/1890 married Francis Etherington.
Emily Frances born 01/02/1892 married William KEMP. William's father was Stephen and
Ruth KEMP (nee HARLEY).
Leonard Charles born 13/03/1894 died 01/05/1917 9th Bn., Norfolk Regiment in France.
Roger Harold born 29/02/1896 died 05/03/1917 9th Bn., Norfolk Regiment in France.
Clarence Elijah born 20/12/1898 married Lizzie Reeve.
Hilda Althea born 1902 married Bernard Thurston.
Herbert Oswald born 19/02/1903 married Sylvia Taylor.
Arthur Cecil born 1906 married Ada JAMES. I remember Arthur vaguely when I was
child.
All were the children of George and Jane Elizabeth (nee RUDLAND) SWANN who
lived in Welney, Norfolk. George was born 22/09/1861, died 08/12/1948 and married Jane on
17/10/1884 in Welney Parish Church. Jane was born 06/06/1862 and died 11/05/1947. Jane had
sisters called Mabel and Jessie. I have further information regarding the RUDLAND family.
With the help of the Littleport Society I have now managed to take the SWANN family back
to a marriage of William SWANN b 1734 and Unity SHEARMAN b 1755. They lived in Burrough
Green, Cambridgeshire.
