Brick Wall #1: Hugh South

Originally published 17 Dec 2015

Hugh South was my great-great-great-great-grandfather. What do I know about him?

  1. He married Elizabeth Batsford my great-great-great-great-grandmother on the 24th April 1820 at St James church, Snitterfield, Warwickshire. He was a widower. He did not sign the parish register, but made his mark instead.
  2. He and Elizabeth had 3 children between 1820 and 1825, all of whom were christened at Snitterfield. His occupation on the parish register was shown as gamekeeper. Between 1829 and 1837, Elizabeth had 3 more children who were christened at Snitterfield, with no father shown on the parish register.
  3. On the 8th April 1820, Hugh was appointed gamekeeper for Snitterfield, Bearley and Wolverton by Robert Philips of Prestwich, Lancashire. On 15th March 1826, Robert Philips appointed Joseph Enoch to the position of gamekeeper for Snitterfield, Bearley and Wolverton.
  4. On the 1841 census Elizabeth is living with 4 of her 5 surviving children in Snitterfield. On the 1851 census, Elizabeth is shown as widowed. She was buried on 3rd January 1877 in Snitterfield.

I have not found a record of Hugh being buried in Snitterfield.

I have found no records relating to him after 25th December 1825, when his son Robert was christened at Snitterfield, or before 8th April 1820 when he was appointed as Robert Philips' gamekeeper.

The only possible information I've found for Hugh prior to 1820 are the following records, which relate to a Charles South (1813-1849) from the London area, whose father was (William) Hugh South, a gamekeeper.

  1. Charles South, son of Hugh South, labourer, and Elizabeth, was christened 6th June 1813 at Ealing parish church.
  2. Elizabeth South, 32y, was buried in 1818 in Ealing.
  3. At Ealing Parish church, on 15th November 1840, Charles Hugh South, of full age, fisherman of Old Brentford, son of William Hugh South, gamekeeper married Mary Ann Tooley, minor, of Old Brentford, daughter of William Tooley, shoemaker.
  4. Charles South, 36y, of Wapping, was buried on 4th June 1849 at St John, Wapping. According to The Era , Charles was a fisherman who drowned in the Thames.

The only reasons I have for thinking these records could relate to my Hugh are that both this Hugh South and my Hugh were gamekeepers, and that my Hugh was a widower when he married Elizabeth Batsford in 1820.

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  • Last modified: 2023/10/25 15:58