My Grandfather George Cook was born at Romsey in 1865 whilst his father Lud Cook was a coachman at the Abbey, in the 1871 census they are listed at the Coachman's cot. Is there anyway that I could obtain a copy of George Cook's baptism record of 17th March 1865.
I would be obliged for any help whatsoever, Regards Sue Lewis

Reply:
I suggest the following two websites might be helpful:
Hampshire Record Office
Hampshire Genealogy Society
Maybe your grandfather was baptized in Romsey Abbey since you say his father was a coachman there.

I was looking on the internet and came across your site, I am tracing my father's side of the family tree in Romsey and was wondering whether you could point me in the right direction.
This is what I know my Great grandfather was John Coughlan, he and his wife Julia came across from Cork Ireland with their three children, John, Michael and Eilleen in the late 1930's. Story has it that they stayed in the Covent with the nuns for a while as they had nowhere to live and the children went to the convemt school. I know that from Julia's death cert in 1963 that the family was living at 39 Priestlands and that John was a retired brewer's labourer, I know that shortly after Julia's death John married Connie Alford, and that is about as much as I know. Being that the family was Irish and that the surname is quite unusal how do I go about finding more information? Would there be any records from the convent?

Reply:
The convent is called Convent de la Sagesse, situated at Abbey House, Romsey Hampshire SO51 8YB Tel: 01794 522320
I do not know whether they keep records going back that far but it would be worth a try giving them a ring. You don’t say where you are situated – maybe not in the UK?
Looking in my local telephone directory, nobody by the name of Coughlan lives at Priestlands but there are 3 entries, names – spelt the same, two in Southampton and one in Romsey. The Romsey one is for a P. J. Coughlan (Address and Telephone number given to you in my email reply.)
Maybe John or Michael settled in town – perhaps John was P. J. Coughlan?

I have just been browsing Harvey Turner's wonderful 'Colourful Romsey' and noticed 'The Old Bricklayers Arms' - now a private house, but once a pub. Mr Turner says the pub was 'Fleur de Lys' until 1830, when it became 'The Bricklayers Arms'. possibly, Mr Harvey says, because of links with the building trade.
How right he is, the pub was bought (and presumably renamed) by my gx6 grandfather, Henry Floyd, master bricklayer.
Henry was a character in his own right. On your genealogy pages on March 16 1997, Martin Smith has quoted an extract from what he believes is a local paper of Henry's funeral - I have an old carbon copy of that exact extract, originally shown to me by my grandmother in the 1980's. I have since found two more records of his funeral, in the 'Hampshire Advertiser' and the 'Hampshire Chronicle'.
I have tried to contact Mr Smith, but unfortunately have had no reply. Regards Maggie Tanner

Henry was definitely buried in Romsey Abbey - he died before Botley Road cemetery was built. My gran and great aunt saw the gravestone in the 1960's, unfortunately it's now part of the pathway around the war memorial and so worn it is now unreadable. When I enquired about his actual burial place in the Abbey a few years ago, I'm afraid I was dismissed as having my facts wrong as he was a 'commoner'!!!
I have been unable to find a copy of the LVTAS book to buy, but will look in the library. I tried a few years ago to contact Mr Smith as I am intrigued to find out how many descendants have a carbon copy of the report!!

Reply:
Did you try for the LTVAS book as mentioned about old pubs of Romsey called "So drunk he must have been to Romsey"? Always possible there is some mention there of your relative. LTVAS web pages
Maybe Henry Floyd was buried in Romsey Abbey and detailed in the parish records; particularly with regards to the size of everything, but also because of the large attendance at the funeral.
Since it is now 9 years since Mr Smith sent in his query I do not have any new contact for him, so cannot advise further.

I'm trying to find more information about the Grace family, Here's what I know:
Where's Broughton? Where is Oakley Meadows?
Find details that Mark has given about THE GRACE FAMILY TREE HERE

John Grace married Sarah Mills 1819 New Forest Area, Lyndhurst, Hampshire, England???
Though the census says my earliest Grace, John Grace, was born in Lambeth Surrey in 1786 I can find no trace of him. Also he sets up home in or around Romsey??? (assuming that’s where Broughton is) where there appears to be lots of other Graces with no direct link, yet. Does anyone know about the Grace family in that area? Did a member of a previous generation go to Lambeth?

Reply:
Broughton is a small village to the North West of Romsey in Hampshire, England. It is also a short distance from Mottisfont, which I see is where many of your relatives worked. Mottisfont has an historic Abbey house and large gardens; now a National Trust museum and both it and the gardens are open to the public. I do not know if they keep records of their employees, going back this far maybe not. More details at the link below: Mottisfont Abbey and Gardens
Broughton has a church and its own cemetery, where may be some of your relatives are buried. The link below is the only website offering information about Broughton and is not up to date, but it does give links to various church personnel who you could contact for burial details. The Local Channel
I cannot see any reference to "Oakley", but sometimes the Census centres did not always follow a specific named area on the map, maybe just the name of the building where the Census count took place. The street map link below should help you with the general layout of the locality. Streetmap
Lyndhurst is indeed in the New Forest in the county of Hampshire. Lyndhurst
Lambeth is now a suburb of London, but no doubt was in the county of Surrey in the century in which your relatives lived. It is quite a long way from Romsey/Broughton/Mottisfont - even more so in those days, but people did move about somehow, so John Grace may well have travelled further afield to find work perhaps. You could also get more information about parish records from the Hampshire Record Office

I am trying to find any information or iving relatives of my grandmother Mary Grace Jones; but she only used the name, Grace Jones. She was born in 1883 her parents were father, Robert John Jones and mother, Margaret Jones. She was born in the upper lodge at Benarth Hall, Gyffin Conway, Caernavonshire [in those days now named Conwy]
Her parents did work at the hall for many years and Grace spent her childhood there playing with the son of a doctor Edwards who's name was Lionel Dalhousie Robertson Edwards, the artist author of many books. As she grew up she also worked at the hall at the age around 17 years old and worked there till the Benarth Hall and estate was sold, when she would have been 32years old.
Grace Jones then moved with Lionel Edwards and his wife Ethel to the village West Wellow in the neighbourhood of Romsey, where they found and rented Rose Cottage and was their home for the next two years. Then around 1917 they moved and rented Manor Farm at East Wellow and later, in 1920 they moved to live in Mainstone House on the Broadlands Estate, at the foot of Pauncefoot Hill, just out side Romsey. Later they moved to live on the Downs beyond Broughton - it was an old farmhouse named Buckholt and it remained their home.
[Mary] Grace Jones, now the year 1920 would have been around 37 years old and this is where i have lost trace of her and cannot find any more information about whether she got married, which i think she did and may have had a child named Olive. The name Woods used to be mentioned in my family as i grew up, but nothing more, so if anyone can supply me with any information I would be very grateful.
many thanks Graham Jones [Bendigo Australia]

Reply:
I suggest the following two websites might be helpful:
Hampshire Record Office
Hampshire Genealogy Society
If Grace got married while still living in Romsey maybe the parish records would be helpful.

I am tracing my ancestors and I am guided towards Osborn Hoouse School in Romsey. Listed on 1871 census is one Henry T Marsh attending the said school but I can't find any reference to it.

Reply:
Information from the LTVAS: “We have plenty of information about Osborne House School, established in Church Street c1850s by John Frederick Osborne, who, as well as being a headmaster, was also a councillor and was mayor of Romsey in 1877.
Osborne House stood on the site of present-day Abbey Walk, and LTVAS has several photographs of it as well as copies/abstracts of some school records. Osborne family members are buried in the Botley Road cemetery near the Non-conformist chapel.
There was a gap in the school's history after the death of Mr Osborne at the end of the 19th century. And then c1904 it re-opened under the same name with a new owner/head called Mr Summers. He died during the war and the school as a private institution closed although the building was then used by HCC as a sort of overflow for council schools + centre for school dinners. It was pulled down in the 1960s to make way for new buildings.”

I am trying to find information about the Medleys who lived in Romsey. Particularly the family of Charles Medley (b. abt. 1826) who I believe had a grocers shop in Market Place. He was my great-grandfather.
I will be visiting Romsey next week so any information on where I could find out more would be gratefully received.
Many thanks, Karen Parr (née Medley)

Reply:
If you are coming to Romsey next week your best bet would be to attend one of the LTVAS meetings. Find the details here: LTVAS They are very knowledgeable about the town and have many collections to view.
On Romseynet itself there is reference to the Medley family here: Gravestones
I discovered this link which also mentions your family in relationship to another family: Robinson family

Seeking information regarding the following as listed in Romsey Abbey:
John Warren - Intruder Vicar. Can someone please explain this term? Seeking any additional information regarding this John Warren.
Thank you, Patricia Warren, Astoria Oregon USA

Reply:
I have made some enquiries from the local history group, and this is the reply:
" 'Intruder' vicars were imposed by the Puritans/Parliamentarians during the English Civil War - which ended with the execution of Charles I in 1649 - and on into the Interregnum (Oliver Cromwell). They replaced vicars who were considered too High-Church for the Puritan liking. They were referred to as 'intruders' because they were not episcopally appointed.
In fact John Warren was ejected in 1662. This was two years after the Restoration of Charles II, and the year in which the Clarendon Code was introduced, imposing regulations on the Church of England with which the Puritan clergy could no longer comply.
John then stayed on in Romsey with his brother, Thomas Warren, who had also withdrawn from the Anglican Church. Together they established the Nonconformist Independent Chapel, which later became the Congregational Church, now the United Reformed Church. That is why the board outside the URC bears the foundation date of 1662, denoting the starting date of the church as a body, although the current building only dates from the 1880s.”