I'm trying to find out more about my great great grandfather Robert William Arnold who was born in Romsey and was a miller, I think it was Fox's mill.
He was married to Laura Burt who was a daughter of Aine Burt a miller from Witchampton.
According to his will in 1923 he owned 9 cottages in Middlebridge Street, but I have no idea which ones. I don't know who his father was or any other of his family, so if anyone can help i'd really appreciate it. Thank you Gail King

Reply:
Reply from the local History Group:
Robert Arnold was indeed the miller at Fox Mill. There were two Robert Arnolds who were buried in Botley Road cemetery in the late 19th century.
I am not sure that Arnold owned the mill. It is more likely that he was a tenant of Broadlands.
I don't know about the ownership of cottages in Middlebridge

I'm trying to find information and possibly any family, in the Mottisfont area, belonging to the Baker family.
William born 1770 Mottisfont. Married 1791 to Anne Coombes 1772
Charles born 1800. married 1826 in Nursling to Susanagh Mitchell born 1801 in Coombe Bissett.
Geoge born 1834 Mottisfont. Married Ann Perkins born 1833 St. Mary's South Southampton.
James Henry born 1860 Mottisfont married Bessie Bartlett born Iwerne Minster.
I have just been to Mottisfont Church in July 2010 but cannot find any graves with these names.

Reply:
You have a lot of information there so I presume you have looked at the records for the details. Maybe you need to look at the other churches for burials. Have you tried the Hampshire Archive office? The keep all parish records so would be the best way to proceed.

HENRY BUNGAY born 1859 in Nursling. Married EMILY FRANCES SILLENCE in North Buddley 1885 died Finchley 1925.
His father JOHN T BUNGAY born 1834 Romsey. Married HARRIET WHITE in Romsey 1858 died Southampton 1923.
His father JOHN BUNGY (the spelling of his surname varied through out his life) Born (1797 possibly not sure where) Married CHARLOTTE BUDDEN in East Wellow 1818. Death date unknown.
I would be grateful to have these facts confirmed as correct or given details which show alternatives as being correct plus any further information that some one may think will help me progress. Thank you.

Reply:
I have put your query on my 2010 genealogy page for viewers. I do feel that the place name should be North Baddesley - not Buddley. Nursling and North Baddesley are not geographically far apart.
There is a small amount of detail in another query in 2007 about the Sillence family. The name Sillence has been an important one in Romsey at some time, but for the moment I cannot locate anyone else connected.
Have you tried the Hampshire Archive office? They might be able to help.

I will be visiting the U.K. from the U.S. and I'm trying to find anyone who has knowledge of my grandfather Charles James Cosgrove. He died in 1970 but I believe there may be people from Romsey who may have some information about him
I wrote a letter to an address I had in the Trowbridge area and the lady who lived there (80 yrs. old) said that to her knowledge my grandfather had friends in Romsey and that I should try inquires there. I'm sorry that I don't have any more info. He was a director of an insurance co. (Norwich Union) in So'ton. He was also a director of a soccer team "the Saints" probably in the forties. Hoping someone can give some information.

I wonder if you can help, I'm trying to trace my Gt Grandfather Robert Harry Crisp he was a Coachman from 1886 to 1900 in the Braishfield area. I'm assuming he would have worked for a Brewery. Would you know if there was a brewery in or around the area that he might have worked for?
Kind regards, Linda Hassett

Reply:
Strong's Brewery in Romsey may have been where your Grandfather worked. If you enter "Strongs Brewery" in the box on Romseynet Search page there are quite a few places to read about the brewery. Its not possible to write all those details here. I hope you find some help there.

I am descended from the Fox family which lived for several generations (from the 1600s to the 1830s at least) in the Mottisfont/Romsey area as yeoman farmers.
I am trying to estaliblish exactly where they farmed (as I would like to visit the Romsey area in a few years time, and would like to have some idea of where they lived), and also where they were buried.
Names:
1. Richard Fox (born ca1680 Mottisfont - it is thought the family originally came from East Dean) and Mary Wiltshire (children Richard, Sarah, Stephen, Mary, John, Elizabeth, Jonathan)
2. Richard Fox (born/bapt. 14 Dec 1713 Mottisfont) and Mary Leach of Wallop [his third marriage], child Richard)
3. Richard Fox (born 1749 Mottisfont) and Martha ? [surname not known] of Ashbridge (children Richard, Stephen, and Martha) - per his will dated & March 1826, Yeoman of Mottisfont, he bequeathed his copyhold ... under the Lord of the Manor of Mottisfont to his son Richard Fox.
4. Richard Fox (b. ca 1760-1770s, died between 1826 and 1833)) and Sarah Golden of Lyndhurst married 27 Dec 1796, Parish Church of Romsey, Church of England (born ca 1761 or later at Hatts Farm, died 18 Jan 1837) (children Charles, John, John James, Sarah, Thomas, Alfred, Mary, and the youngest Samuel George Fox [whom I am descended from, who was born ca1815 Mottisfont died 31 August 1890 Islington, London]. Any information about this family would be most gratefully received

Reply:
On the genealogy page is a link to Gravestones at Romsey Abbey. One John and his wife Sarah Fox are listed as having died in 1766. Maybe the John is the son mentioned in the children of your first Richard Fox.
A little bit about Mottisfont Church itself here plus lovely photo. There are obviously grave stones there but whether there is a comprehensive list of those I do not know. Many churches are compiling these lists, but Mottisfont is a very small community so may not be anyone to do that. If they are readable you might see the details when you visit yourself.
Perhaps the parish records give more details of some of the family and where they actually lived, ask here at the Hampshire Records Office.
I hope that helps and maybe someone else viewing the genealogy page might have some connections/suggestions.

I'm hoping your Local History Group will be able to help me. I'm researching my family history and I'm told that my aunt and her husband were mayor and mayoress of Romsey. I'm not sure when this was but her name was Audrey May Harvey (nee Barnett) and she was born in 1912 and died in 1995. I don't know where to access a list of past mayors of Romsey and wondered if you could help or whether anyone has information regarding my aunt. Grateful for any light you can throw on this.

Reply:
Reginald Henry Harvey was Mayor of Romsey for the year 1960. Unfortunately there is no date of birth or address where he lived or indeed his occupation. This information is usually applied alongside the photo on the memorial board at the Town Hall.
Also the photo of Mayor Harvey is very black and not recognisable; which is unusual because all the others are good and have been taken wearing the Mayoral robes of office.
So if you should happen to have a photo of your Uncle or indeed know details of his occupation while he was resident in the town we should be very pleased to put that right on the memory board.
There is no mention of his wife although no doubt she would have been his escort, but escorts are not given with any of the Mayor's details.

Tricia repied:Thank you very much for the details below. Unfortunately no-one in my immediate family would have a photo as we lost contact until one of my sisters contacted my aunt towards the end of her life. My sisters tells me that Reginald Harvey was an estate agent and auctioneer in Romsey but whether he was anything to do with the Parnell Jordy & Harvey estate agents currently operating in Romsey I don't know. They say on their website that they were established in 1947 which would sound about the right year for Reginald Harvey. If I find out any more I will certainly let you know.

My query is one regarding my great grandfather Tom (not Thomas) Seward Holloway, who was born in Romsey abt 1828, according to his death certificate in (1875) which gave his age as 47, with his wife as informant.
The IGI shows a Tom Seward Holloway of Romsey to have been chr 28 May 1830 with only the name of the mother, Harriett Holloway, being given.

The IGI also shows a Tom Holloway of Romsey as being christened 03 May 1835 with the mother's name - Harriet, as well as the father's name - Charles Holloway being given.

Harriett (Colson) and Charles Holloway were married 30 May 1825 (IGI). Tom has two older sisters, Harriet, chr 15 Oct 1826 and Ann, chr 16 May 1830 (IGI) as well as three other siblings, all of whom were born after him.
All six children (except Harriet who is in service elsewhere) show up in the household in the 1841 census. All christening and marriage entries are from the C of E Romsey Parish records.

Can anyone shed any light on why Tom would have been christened twice, and also, why so (relatively) long after his birth? Any help very much appreciated.
Thanks, Gail Spanier, Perth WA Australia

Reply:
Hoping some readers might have a suggestion - its a conundrum!

My Grandmothers story that her Great Grandmother had been born out of wedlock to a member of the Jones family who had given her his name and brought her up as an educated lady.
When she married our Great Grandfather Robert Brown, her name was given as Harriet Adams, but at the birth of one of her children her name is written in the Parish Register as Eliza Harriet Jones. Her birth was around 1840, marriage 1865 Southampton, death 1902 Southampton. Can anyone help please? My second cousin John Bartlett of Southampton has been doing research and found out this information but we are now stuck! I live in New York and will be visiting your area in September to do further research.
Thanking you in advance, Claudia Blackler

Reply:
Hoping some readers might have a suggestion - its another conundrum!

I believe I may have found a link into my family through the marriage of a Frank A. MOODY to Florence Kate FIELDER in 1916, Romsey.
I know that Florence Kate was born 1891 to Henry Elbra FIELDER and Edith Mary BARNES and have most of the Census details 1881-1911 (Michelmersh).
Frank A - if he is mine - was born 1886, Islington, London.
What I am particularly interested in is finding out more about Frank and Florence and any children. FreeBDM shows two MOODY births - Charles D. MOODY - 1917 Margaret M. MOODY - 1920 in Romsey
Frank, in 1911 Census, was living with his parents and described as a Cycle Dealer and Gas Fitter.

Reply:
Have you read about the Moody families in Romsey on Romseynet Genealogy 2005 page? I don't think I can offer any more information than is given there - even links to other places for details. There is a picture of the Gun shop, now Romsey Tourist Information Centre, at the top of 2006 Genealogy page.
Reply 2
Don't give up on the Romsey connection - Michelmersh is a bare mile, as the crow flies, from Romsey town centre. Apart from the brickworks there are no other businesses there, so people would need to look in Romsey for work.
There is a church in Timsbury/Michelmersh which might have some Parish records Hampshire Record office might be able to give you some details.
Also Romsey Abbey is a centre of focus in the Romsey and many marriages and births will be recorded there, if the nearest local church is not used for those occasions, especially if the people were of some importance.

I was very interested to see your internet site. Having spent 5 years research the biography of Richard Sharp you will see that my Wikipedia article on him. acknowledges that he was a descendant of the Sharps of Romsey. He was a cousin of the Richard Sharp who rented Bowood House. He is the most famous, and certainly the most interesting of the Romsey Sharps. Richard Sharp MP

Reply from LTVAS:
There was a superabundance of Sharps throughout Romsey and Southampton - and probably more in Hampshire generally - since an 18th-century Sharp married twice and had 16 children, most of them boys! Obviously, some went further afield after school.