The Bower & Collier Family History
Research by Colin Bower
The Big One!
The Ransom(e) Family
Family History Research Report
Bower/Collier Family Tree
Introduction
When I set out to study the Bower/Collier Family Tree, my initial aim was to identify my 8 Great Grandparents (Bower) and my wife Chris’ 8 Great Grandparents (Collier).
Though I have tended to study t he Family History of the 16 Great Grandparents, I have also sought to find out the additional 16 Great Great Grandparents’ family names, and any 3 x Great Grandparents along the way!
The names that I have identified are:
Bower/Brecht Family Tree
Great Grandparents
Bower
Jones
Hayes
Gardner
Brecht
Walland/Worland
Saunders
Seabourne(e)/Saban
2 x Great Grandparents
Pitts (Bower)
Counter (Jones)
Bradbrook (Hayes)
Tunstell/Tunstill (Gardner)
Somes/Piper (Brecht)
Hutley (Walland/Worland)
Neville (Saunders)
Holbrook (Seabourn(e)/Saban)
3 x Great Grandparents
Pinnion (Pitts)
Spence (Jones)
Mason (Hayes)
Robinson (Bradbrook)
Shocke (Brecht)
Reynolds (Walland/Worland)
Hunt (Piper)
Howard (Seabourn(e)/Saban)
4 x Great Grandparents
Bates (Pitts)
Smithers (Pinion)
March (Jones)
Venice (Robinson)
Juliane (Brecht)
Adamson (Neville)
Siggins (Walland/Worland)
5 x Great Grandparents
Cook/Cock (Jones)
Wyat (Robinson)
Jahns (Brecht)
Odell (Walland/Worland)
6 x Great Grandparents
Amears (Robinson)
7 x Great Grandparents
Amore/Mills (Robinson)
Collier/Hunt Family Tree
Great Grandparents
Collier
Gardiner
Peryer/Perrier
Smith
Hunt
Farrow/Pharoah
Marjoram
Ransome(e)
2 x Great Grandparents
Adams (Collier)
Goodchild (Gardiner)
Mitchell (Peryer/Perrier)
Nye (Smith)
Sheldrake (Hunt)
Smith (Farrow)
Rookyard (Marjoram)
Aldous or Alhous/Ollis (Ransome(e))
3 x Great Grandparents
Mason (Collier)
Ridett (Adams)
Sly (Nye)
Snelling (Peryer/Perrier)
Spall (Hunt)
Shepherd (Farrow)
Allen (Ransome(e))
More (Aldous/Aldis or Alhous/Ollis)
4 x Great Grandparents
Trigg (Peryer/Perrier)
My research has included a One-Name Study into the name Brecht, my mother’s maiden name.
Names Index
The additional surnames in this Report have been listed in the Names Index below.
Ransom(e) Family
Progress To Date
Chris’ Great Grandparent: Elizabeth Ransom(e)
- Her Parents: George Ransom & Susannah Aldous or Alhous/Ollis
- Her Grandparents: Thomas Ransom and Elizabeth Allen
Mini Family Tree (Direct Ancestors)
The Ransom (e) family tree to date may be summarised:
Thomas Ransom b c 1757/8 d 1826
Married 25.2.1779
Elizabeth Allen b c 1754/5 d 1832
George Ransom b c 1790/1 d 07.10.1865
Married
(1) 17.11.1811 Susannah or Susan Aldous or Alhous/Ollis b 25.9.1791
d 1.11.1840
(2) 1845 Sarah b c 1801
Elizabeth Ransom b 1836 bp 10.4.1836 (see Note re Chris' cousin's line)
Married 16.5.1864
Jeremiah Marjoram b c 1825/6
Eliza Marjoram b 11.4.1870
Married 25.12.1889
Arthur Hunt b 1.7.1866
Phyllis Marjoram Hunt b 6.6.1912 Died 1991
Married 6.6.1936
Leonard Stanley Collier b 30.11.1909 Died 9.5.1988
Christine Elizabeth Collier
Married 15.10.1966
Colin Bower
Note
Chris’ cousin’s line
George Ransome b 1825 (Elizabeth's brother) - see picture below
Married 1850
Ellen Colethorpe b 1829
Susan Ransome b 1863 - see picture below
Married 1892
John Walkerley b 1861
George Ransome, Brother of Elizabeth Ransome - Chris' direct line
George Ransome's daughter Elizabeth
Summary of Research To Date
Elizabeth Ransome was Chris' Great Grandmother who married Jereimiah Marjoram in 1864 in Debenham, Suffolk.
Initially, we did not know much about the Ransom(e) Family. Because they were Suffolk folk, where families stayed for many years, we were able to obtain information about the Ransomes when we were researching the main name Hunt in Suffolk, particularly from our visits to Debenham.
The main research undertaken has been IGI and Parish records but we obtained further information from one of Chris’ cousins with whom we have since lost contact.
Family legend has it that one of Chris’ ancestors founded Ransome lawn mowers and the family were “rooked” out of the family fortune. This appears to be wishful thinking!
Two Families named Ransome in Debenham
During 18th/19th centuries, there were two families of Ransomes who lived in Debenham :
George & Susan (Aldous or Alhous/Ollis) Ransome & family (George’s parents were Thomas & Elizabeth (Allen) Ransome) and
John & Mary (Garrard) Ransome & family (John’s parents were William & Elizabeth Ransome)
Progress Early Days
The marriage certificate of Elizabeth Ransom/Jeremiah Marjoram gave Elizabeth’s father as George Ransom and Sarah Ransome as a witness (George’s first wife was Susan Aldous who died in 1840). This immediately illustrated the two main potential versions of the family name of Ransom(e).
I bought the IGI sheets for Ransome (Suffolk) and various fiche (Parish Records). We enjoyed some very pleasant visits to Debenham where a local historian, with whom I corresponded, had put the Parish Records on to a card index. We also went to the County Record Office in Ipswich. The research received a boost when we received information from one of Chris’ distant cousins.
Progress 2004/7
The research into the Ransom(e) family became dormant and exchanges of correspondence dried up.
Progress 2008
We added an entry from the 1861 Censuses.
Progress 2009
-
Progress 2010
This report was written as part of the Big One! project.
Progress 2011
-
Things we wish we knew
Record of George Ransome's birth or baptism
Maiden name of George Ransome's second wife
Research Undertaken
Summary of Records Held & To Do:
Summary of Records Held - Ransome Family
Birth Marriage & Death Certificates Held (see Appendices below.)
- Births: 1
- Marriages: Jeremiah Marjoram & Elizabeth Ransome
- Deaths: Susan Ransome
Census Records Obtained (see Appendices below.)
- 1841 George Ransome Widower & family
- 1851 George & Sarah Ransome &family
- 1861 George& Sarah Ransome
- 1871
- 1881 Sarah Ransome & Robwer Ransome
- 1891
- 1901
- 1911
- 1939 Register
Other Research Undertaken
- IGI sheets for Suffolk held (see Appendices below)
- Parish Records – Debenham & Wetheringsett (see Appendices below.)
- Wills -
- Businesses -
- Correspondence - with Chris' cousin
Chris’ cousin (3rd cousin, once removed) provided:
- Information about Susan Aldous’ family (Elizabeth Ransome’s mother)
- His family tree (cousin was descended from Elizabeth Ransome’s brother George)
- Photograph of George Ransome’s son George
- Biography of son George
- Photographs – Debenham
- Misc Info/Documents
Early Advert for Ransome Mowers
Ransomes’ Mowers was founded in Ipswich by Robert Ransome who originally came from Norfolk.
Summaries
The information above has been summarised in the following formats:
Analysis of Information to Date
Information has been drawn from the IGI, Parish Record and Censuses:
Ransome Family - Analysis of Information To Date
Where they were & what they did
The attached table summarises the name of my ancestors, where they lived and their occupations:
Ransome Family - Where they were & what they did
Family Tree Maker Sheets
The family details of Thomas & George Ransome have been summarised in the attached Family Tree Maker sheets which I may enter into the relationship database, Family Tree Maker:
Family Tree Maker Sheet - Thomas & George Ransome
Names Index
The following surnames appear in this Report in addition to the names at the start of this Report.
Ablett
Browse
Churchfield
Colethorpe
Garnham
Garrard
Goldsmith
Skipper
Trebble
Walkerley
Warner
Colin Bower
18 March 2024
Appendices
IGI Records
Christenings in Debenham (per IGI)
Eliza Ransom bp 24.02.1822 Debenham Independent
Parents George Ransom & Susan
Elizabeth Ransome bp 10.04.1836 Debenham Independent
Parents George Ransome & Susan
George Ransom bp 14.03.1817 Debenham
Parents John & Mary Ransom (Garrard)
George Ransom bp 14.08.1825 Debenham Independent
Parents George Ransom & Susan
*Hannah Ransombp 13.04.1834 Debenham Independent
Parents George Ransom & Susan
*Hannah Ransome bp 13.04.1834 Debenham Independent
Parents John Ransome & MaryM
Harriett Ransom bp 28.01.1820 Debenham
Parents George & Susan Ransom (Ollis)
Kenny Ransome bp 24.03.1824 Debenham Independent
Parents Jno Ransome & Mary
Mary Ransom bp 11.01.1813 Debenham
Parents George & Susan Ransom (Alhous)
Mary Ransom bp 20.01.1820 Debenham
Parents John & Mary Ransom (Garrard)
*Samuel Ransome bp 13.04.1834 Debenham Independent
Parents George Ransom & Susan
Sarah Ransom bp 26.06.1813 Debenham
Parents John & Mary Ransom (Garrard)
Susan Ransom bp 10.10.1817 Debenham
Parents George & Susan Ransom (Ollis)
William Ransom bp 23.09.1821 Debenham Independent
Parents John & Mary Ransom
William Ransom bp 12.04.1829 Debenham Independent
Parents George & Susan Ransom
* Parish Records indicate that there was another
Hannah born 25.12.1811 bp 2.01.1812 – parents George& Susan
Note: 3 children were christened on same day (13.4.1834)
Parish Records
St Mary’s Debenham
Elizabeth Ransom bp 15.03.1820
Wife of Robert Churchfield
George Ransom, single
married Susanna Ollis, single (see Aldous)
both of Debenham 17.11.1811
Hannah Ransom born 25.12.1811, privately bp 2.01.1812
daughter of George & Susan Ransom (Ollis, spinster)
Mary Ransom born 27.12.1812, bp 11.01.1813
daughter of George (labourer) & Susan Ransom (Aldous, spinster)
Robert Ransom born 14.03.1815, bp 15.05.1815
son of George (labourer) & Susannah Ransome (Ollis)
Susan Ransome born 9.07.1817, bp 18.10.1817
daughter of George (labourer) & Susan Ransome (Ollis)
Harriet Ransome born 19.01.1820 bp 28.01.1820
daughter of George (labourer) & Susan Ransome (Ollis)
John Ransome, single
married Mary Garrard single, 6.12.1812
both of Debenham
Sarah Ransome born 24.04.1813, bp 26.06.1813
daughter of John (labourer) & Mary Ransome (Garrard)
George Ransome born 7.03.1817, bp 14.03.1817
son of John (labourer) & Mary Ransome (Garrard)
Mary Ransom born 6.01.1820, bp 20.01.1820
daughter of John (labourer) & Mary Ransom (Garrard)
Mary Ransom, spinster of Debenham
married 2.01.1837 James Ablett, bachelor of Stoke Ash
Elizabeth Ransom, full age, spinster, daughter of George Ransom (labourer)
married 16.05.1864 Jeremiah Marjoram, full age, bachelor, sawyer both of Debenham
George Henry Ransom bp 1.05.1866
son of George Henry (Ostler) & Anna Ransom
Debenham Independent Church
William Ransom b 15(?) 8. 1821 bp 23.9.1821
(Parents: John & Mary Ransom)
Eliza Ransom b 18.1.1822 bp 24.2.1822
(Parents: George & Susan Ransom)
Wetheringsett cum Brockford
Fiche 5 Baptisms
Mary Ransome 20.11.1780
(Parents Thomas & Elizabeth Ransome)
Hannah Ransome 09.06.1782
(Parents Thomas & Elizabeth Ransome)
Nan Ransome 04.09.1785
(Parents Thomas & Elizabeth Ransome)
Fiche 6 Marriages
Thomas Ransome & Elizabeth Allen 25.02.1779
Witness: John Ransome
Fiche 7 Banns
Thomas Ransome & Elizabeth Allen
Both of this Parish 07.02.1779, 14.02.1779, 21.02.1779
Fiche 8 Baptisms
Martha Ransome 08.03.1801
(Parents Thomas & Elizabeth Ransome)
John Ransome 14.07.1807
(Parents William & Mary Ransome)
Ann Ransome 28.11.1807
(Parents William & Elizabeth Ransome)
Lionel Goldsmith 22.01.1815
(Parents Henry Goldsmith & Mary Ransom)
William Warner 30.04.1815
(Parents William Warner, Timberman & Eliz Ransome)
John Ransome 26.4.1818
(Parents William Warner & Elizabeth Ransome)
Fiche 9 Baptisms
Mary Farrow 23.07.1821
(Parents William Farrow & Martha Ransome)
Amy Farrow 17.08.1823
(Parents William Farrow & Martha Ransome)
George Farrow 01.07.1826
(Parents William & Martha Farrow)
Maria Farrow 21.08.1831
(Parents William & Martha Farrow)
Fiche 10 Marriages
William Farrow & Martha Ransome 24.10.1820
Fiche 11 Burials
Henry Goldsmith 20.01.1815 (Age 25)
Lionel Goldsmith 18.06.1815 Infant
Emma Ransome 07.04.1822 Infant
Thomas Ransome 28.07.1826 (Age 68)
Fiche 12 Burials
Elizabeth Ransom 26.09.1832 (Age 77)
Francis Aldous 29.07.1835 (Age 89)
Henry Goldsmith 17.06.1837 (Age 79)
Fiche 13 Baptisms
Mary Ransome 02.05.1847
(Parents Edmund & Sarah Ransome)
Suffolk Marriage Index
Hartismere Deanery
John Ransom
Married 18/7/1818
Harriot Skipper at Rickingham Spr
Elizabeth Ransom, Widow
Married 9/4/1818
John Garnham at Rickingham Spr
Martha Ransome
Married 24/10/1820
William Farrow at Wetheringsett
Suffok Burial Register
Elizabeth Ransom (77) buried 26/9/1832 at Wetheringsett cum Brockford
Emma Ransome (infant) buried 7/4/1822 at Wetheringsett cum Brockford
Thomas Ransome (68) buried 28/7/1826 at Wetheringsett cum Brockford
Certificates Held
Notes:
1. The asterisk * denotes one of our direct ancestors
2. The symbol # denotes unrelated certificate, it appears!
#Full name: Elizabeth Susan Ransom
Born at: Holkham (Date: 8/12/1839)
Father: (Occupation: )
Mother: Ann Ransom (Maiden Name: )
Full Name: Susan Ransome of: Debenham (Age: 50)
Occupation: Wife of George Ransome, Agricultural Labourer
Died at: Debenham (Date: 1/11/1840)
Cause: Consumption
Informant: Sarah Trebble (of: )
#Mary Ransome born Mendlesham (date: 19/1/1850)
(Parents: Robert Ransome, Wheelwright& Mary (Browse) Ransome)
Full name: Jeremiah Marjoram* (of: Debenham)
Occupation: Sawyer (Age: Full)
Father:
Married at: Parish Church, Debenham (Date: 16/5/1864)
Spouse: Elizabeth Ransom* (of: Debenham)
Occupation: (Age: Full)
Father: George Ransom*, Labourer
Relevant Witnesses: Sarah Ransome
Censuses Entries
1841 Census
Debenham, Suffolk
George Ransome Agricultural Labourer Age 50*
Robert Ransome Agricultural Labourer Age 25*
Harriot Ransome Age 20*
George Ransome Agricultural Labourer Age 15*
William Ransome Age 10*
Samuel Ransome Age 6
Hannah Ransome Age 5
Elizabeth Ransome Age 2
Note:
* Age to nearest 5 years below
1851 Census
Debenham, Suffolk
George Ransome Age 60 born Suffolk, Wetheringsett
Sarah Ransome Age 49 born Norfolk, Gissing
Elizabeth Ransome Age 15 born Suffolk, Debenham
Suffolk 1851 Census Index
Volume 10 North Suffolk (HO 107/1795)
Hartismere District
Name Age Birthplace Folio/Parish
Ransom Mary 19 Sfk Thorndon 032 Mendlesham
Ransom Thos 22 Thorndon 465 Thorndon
Ransome Jane 6 Sfk Mendlesham 020 Mendlesham
Ransome John 4 Sfk Mendlesham 020 Mendlesham
Ransome Maria 28 Sfk Mendlesham 020 Mendlesham
Ransome Mary 1 Sfk Mendlesham 020 Mendlesham
Ransome Robert 30 Sfk Thorndon 020 Mendlesham
Ransome Sarah 2 Sfk Thorndon 020 Mendlesham
1861 Census
Back Lane Debenham, Suffolk
George Ransom (70) Agricultural Labourer born Wetheringsett, Suffolk
Sarah Ransom (61) born Gissing, Norfolk
Elizabeth Ransom (25) born Debenham, Suffolk
1881 Census
The Cross Green, Debenham
Sarah Ransome Widow (79) born Gissing, Norfolk
Union Workhouse, Ipswich
Robert Ransome Unmarried (66) ?Ostler born Debenham
1901 Census
Thorndon
Anna Ransome (69) No Occupation born Wetheringsett
Research Undertaken
At an earlier stage, the detail of the research undertaken was listed as one long Appendix:
