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
Also see Summary of Records Held (Completed& To Do):
Summary of Records Held - Ransome Family
Research Undertaken
The detail of the following research has been listed as Appendices to this report:
Birth Marriage & Death Certificates Held (see Appendix 1.)
- Births: 1 (see Appendix 6.)
- Marriages: Jeremiah Marjoram & Elizabeth Ransome
- Deaths: Susan Ransome
Census Records Obtained (see Appendix 2.)
- 1841 George Ransome Widower & family
- 1851 George & Sarah Ransome &family
- 1861 George& Sarah Ransome
- 1871
- 1881 Sarah Ransome
- 1891
- 1901
- 1911
- 1939 Register
Other Research Undertaken
- IGI sheets for Suffolk held (see Appendix 3.)
- Parish Records – Debenham & Wetheringsett (see Appendix 4.)
- Wills -
- Businesses -
- Correspondence - with Chris' cousin (see Appendix 5.)
- Visits – Debenham and Ipswich
- Photographs – Debenham
- Misc Info/Documents – see Appendix 6.
Early Advert for Ransome Mowers
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
1 January 2012
