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. Phil How   16/06/08    phil@howlight.co.uk Hi I have been researching my family tree, and find that I am descended from the MAKIN family of Kettlebaston. My 4th great grandparents were Maria MAKIN and Daniel FAYERS. Maria was baptised there on 29 May 1787 and buried there on 25 Mar 1817, whilst the FAYERS came from Bildeston, where they had been since around1680. Maria's memorial apparently reads: "In memory of Maria, wife of Daniel Fayers, who departed this life March 18th, 1817, aged 29 years" The earliest ancestor I have traced to Kettlebaston was one Henry Makin baptised 30 Apr 1682 at Long Melford. He married a Mary Hammond at Preston St Mary on 28 Jun 1705, and they then had 4 children at Rattlesden, before moving to Preston St Mary, and then in 1715 they moved to Kettlebatson, where they had at least another 5. Being a fairly small village, I wonder whether there are any records there specific to the Makin family? I would be most interested in any info that you may have. In the earliest census (1841) the family are shown thus:   Dwelling:  High House Farm, Kettlebaston,  Suffolk Robert Makin 45  Farmer  of Suffolk Mary Makin 35  of Suffolk Ann Makin 10 of Suffolk John Makin 8 of Suffolk Frederick  Makin 5 of Suffolk Hariott Sarah Makin 4  of Suffolk   I also know that there is apparently a plaque in the church there referrring to a Robert Makin who was probably Maria's brother. Regards Phil How Following a response from the Webmaster, Phil added the following information: Hi Thanks for taking the trouble to reply. Certainly you could upload my mail. It would be much appreciated. I am not local to the area, living in Croxley Green, Herts, But my Nan was born at "The Mills" Rushmere St Andrews, and moved back there in the late 60s when my Grandpa died. I spent many happy summers there staying at Nan's cottage at the bottom of the "garden" The Dawsons were the millers there from the 1840s until the mill was dismantled c1930. Nan's father Alfred Dawson was the last miller there, and his father William had another windmill at No 1 Foxhall Rd in California, Ipswich. Nan's brother, my great Uncle Douglas was the last Dawson to live at the mills when my Nan left there to move to Felixstowe. He died around 1993, and is buried at Rushmere. It was through Douglas that I discovered the FAYERS connection. I always knew him as Uncle Douglas, but his full name was Alfred Douglas Fayers Dawson. I spent ages trying to find out his grandmother's maiden name, and it wasn't until I found out his full name that I discovered his grandmother was Elizabeth Fayers, bap Milden 1835 daughter of Daniel Fayers and Elizabeth Thorpe from Bricet.  Carey Sherwood Elliott    30/04/08    celliott@eanes.k12.tx.us Dear Sir, I was most exited to find your web page about Kettlebaston. Your little hamlet looks so quaint and inviting. I have also viewed Kettlebaston through Google Earth surrounded by endless farm fields of green. I could even see grave stones in the cemetery next to St. Mary's church, I have a particular interest to your small community because I have ancestry connected to the village even though I am half way around the world. There names were Thomas Sherwood (1585-1655) and his wife Alice Seabrook with five daughters Thomasin, Margaret, Sarah, Hannah and Rose. They lived in Kettlebaston between 1613-1622 and left for the colonies from Ipswich in 1634. He is eleven generations behind me. I have included a chart connecting me to Thomas Sherwood thus connecting me to Kettlebaston along with excerpts from the book "A Changing America as seen through one Sherwood family line". If by chance you have any records thereI would be most appreciative to know. Also, if you have any pamphlets or brochures of Kettlebaston I would be most happy to receive them. I truly hope to visit your quaint and beautiful town one day. With much regards, Cary Sherwood Elliott 367 Hollowbrook Avenue Johnson City Texas 78636 Webmaster's note - we have actually heard from another member of this family, and hopefully helped them make contact. Please see entry dated 4th may 2006 for more details on the Sherwoods'. In case it is of any use to other genealogists, please see my response to Cary below: Dear Cary,   Firstly, may I please apologise for taking a few days to get back to you - It's a busy time of year in these parts!   Thank you so much for taking the time to contact me, and for providing so much background information. I will pass your letter on to our Village Archivist for safe keeping, and (with your permission) would like to post the content on our online 'Visitors Book' - perhaps you could let me know please?   OK, the best bit first, and I'll move on to the other queries later.   I have been contacted by another 11th generation member of your family previously - in 2006 to be exact, when Geoffrey Sherwood of N.J. emailed me prior to his visit to the UK. During his stay he took the time to visit the village with his family and meet with some of the inhabitants, and actually received some hospitality at the home of our Village Archivist (with whom I believe he is still in contact). His email and address are on our Vistors Book page at www.kettlebaston.suffolk.gov.uk and I'm sure he would be delighted to hear from you (he will certainly have numerous photos of the village, and may well have some of the historical data you are seeking). If you have difficulty contacting him please let me know, and I'll make further enquiries.   As you will appreciate, documents dating from the 17th century are very fragile and have to be stored extremely carefully. Because of this all historical data is archived in temperature/humidity controlled vaults at local public record offices. Data pertaining to Kettlebaston is located at both Ipswich and Bury St Edmunds - some 30 minutes drive away (different documents at each). Items can be viewed in person, but sadly I do not believe that they operate a 'look up' service at present (but this may have changed). More information on their location and services can be found at: http://www.suffolk.gov.uk/LeisureAndCulture/LocalHistoryAndHeritage/SuffolkRecordOffice/Contac tUsLocations/ They certainly hold manorial data and maps from the relevant period, but I am afraid that I do not know where the parish records are located - they may still be retained by the Church at Bury St Edmunds or even Ely?   We are a tiny hamlet, and very little literature has ever been produced about it, but anything that is in circulation is available without charge on the website (under the Y2K Project banner). Also 900 years of occupation has taken its toll, and I believe that all gravestones from the period in which you are interested have been removed long ago. I would love to produce a map of the churchyard showing the ancient grave sites for genealogists, but insufficient data appears to be available to do this. But I will continue to make enquiries, and should any further information come to light I will of course contact you.   Wishing you every good fortune in your search.   With kind regards,   Andrew Gourlay. Joan Gomer     12/11/06 Dear Sirs, 1 have recently looked at the website for the Kettlebaston Millennium Project and 1 congratulate you on what such a small village has achieved! My grandmother was Anna Brett born in Kettlebaston in 1873. From my researches, her grandfather John Brett was born in Hitcham in 1798, moving to Kettlebaston shortly after his marriage in 1820 and all of his six children were born in Kettlebaston. He is shown on the censuses living at Church Farm and Back Road. Anna's father, also John, born in the village around 1830, is shown on the censuses living at Waggon Farm and The Green and nine of his ten children were born in Kettlebaston. He moved his family to Newton/Edwardstone around 1876 where he became a farm bailiff, none of his children remained in Kettlebaston - two lived in Sudbury, most of the rest went to London. The article from the Chronicle and Mercury 1 had not seen before but 1 had read the one in the East Anglian some years ago and decided that "Ria" Manning must have delivered my grandmother and her siblings. Harry Pitt (the devout churchman pictured) may be the Henry Pitt (or a relative) who witnessed the marriage of Anna's parents, John Brett and Harriet Allen, in 1851. My grandmother being a Brett, what interests me is, of course, the identity of Mumpshy Brett. Anna's grandfather was married twice and she might have been either of his wives. Also she might have been the wife of Anna's uncle Cornelius Brett. Presumably anyone who might have known her Christian name is long since gone. Is the stone cottage where Mumpshy (and later Miss Barton) lived still in existence? Probably long gone, 1 suppose, but I would like to see it if it does exist! The article in the Chronicle and Mercury has Mrs Ward relating how her grandmother was loused by Mumpshy. Are there any relatives of Mrs Ward around? 1 thought that if 1 knew her grandmother's name and when she lived 1 might be able to tie down which one of the Bretts Mumpshy was! I appreciate that the website says no genealogical research can be undertaken but 1 enclose an SAE in case anyone local knows the answers! Yours sincerely, Joan Gomer 55 Hythe Hill Colchester Essex C01 2NH Patricia Bridges     17/05/06    patricia@bridgessuffolk.plus.com I am presently updating the page of Towns and Villages on-line for The Suffolk Surnames List. I shall happily recommend this excellent village web site. The Suffolk Surnames List has lots of information regarding finding your ancestors in Suffolk. www.suffolk-surnames-list.co.uk with best wishes Pat ... in Little Waldingfield Geoffrey Sherwood     04/05/06    demidave@juno.com Hello, I am writing to you because of an astounding coincidence. I am Geoffrey Sherwood, an eleventh-generation descendant of Thomas Sherwood (1585-1655), who sailed on board the "Frances" from Ipswich, England, in April 1634, and arrived in Boston, Massachusetts Colony, two months later. American Sherwood researchers, of whom I am one, have been searching for the English home of Thomas for well over a century. It has been a frustrating search, and I had long since given it up. I live in New Jersey, USA, with my wife and two children - David (age 12) and Demetra (age 13). We will be arriving in England on May 26th and staying until June 4th. This will be our first ever trip to Great Britain. We are all beside ourselves with excitement. I just this week learned of an article by a Mr. Leslie Mahler, published in the October 2005 volume of "The American Genealogist", that establishes almost irrefutable proof that Thomas Sherwood's English home was in Kettlebaston, at least from 1610 until 1623, the period during which the baptisms of his daughters - Rose, Rebecca, Anna (Hannah), Thomasine, and Jane, are recorded in the Kettlebaston parish register, according to a transcript cited by the author. This is absolutely stunning news to thousands of American and Canadian Sherwoods who are descended from Thomas (he had fourteen children by two wives, so there are a VERY large number of his progeny in North America today). And the amazing coincidence is that this discovery has occurred fortuitously on the eve of my family's trip to England. I would first like to extend my family's warmest regards to everyone in and around Kettlebaston. And secondly, I would like to ask a bit of advice if it's not an imposition. I would just like to know what would be my best avenues of research in Suffolk relating to my Sherwood ancestors in Kettlebaston. One thing I am particularly interested in knowing is exactly what church they belonged to. I don't know if the parish register provides this information. I would also like to know something of what life was like in Kettlebaston in the late 16th - to early 17th century. Early generations of my American Sherwoods were master builders and millwrights, specializing in the building of grist mills (they built some of the earliest grist mills and finest homes in colonial Connecticut). So I am also interested in learning if there were any mills in the Kettlebaston area at the time that Thomas was there. Lastly, if any of the good folks of Kettlebaston would like to meet a thoroughly humbled, gawking, overwhelmed American Sherwood family around June 2nd or 3rd, it would be a wonderful way for us to end our vacation in England. Kind Regards, Geoffrey Sherwood Montville, NJ, USA Michele Phillips     20/02/06    Michelejack3@aol.com I liked your site, i am presently researching my family history and have found that some of my family lived in the village (1800's) and are burried there "Grimwoods" it was good to find out about the village it would be nice to have a little bit more about those individuals who lived in the village over time and their way of life, thankyou for what you have already achieved Kind regards Michele Phillips   Response from the Webmaster: Dear Michele, Thank you for your kind comments re the Kettlebaston website. There are additions planned for the 'historical' section in due course, and one project I intend to tackle will be to map out the graveyard (as numerous headstones are now unreadable or missing). I hope this would be a useful resource to aid genealogists and historians in their research. I'd dearly love to expand the site to incorporate pages on each of the families that have lived in the village, but sadly the information simply isn't available to me. There are now very few inhabitants that grew up in the area and I am therefore totally reliant on contributions from members of the public - like yourself - who can offer data for inclusion within my site, or give me a link to an external page. If you would care to set the ball rolling I would be delighted to post a feature on the Grimwood family - photos are always welcomed. Good luck with your research. Kind regards, Andrew Gourlay. D'Ann and Doug Matthews    31/12/05     dmcookbooker@aol.com My husband and I very much hope to visit your beautiful village some day in the near future - especially since we have dear friends living there - Jan and Alan Guilford - and, it's been far too long since we've had the joy of visiting with them in person. Warmest regards to all - D'Ann and Doug Matthews Pauline Clare Coventry     11/08/05    redwineandale@aol.com You seem to have a charming hamlet I enjoyed reading about it shame about the aircraft noise! Regards Pauline Clare Coventry   Response from the Webmaster: Dear Pauline, Thank you for your email, and please accept my sincere apologies for not posting your message more quickly (I'm totally snowed-under preparing another site at the moment). I'm hoping that your comment re aircraft noise was referring to the article on our News page and not from personal experience! Thankfully the revised Stansted stacking area hasn't had a significant effect on our tranquillity (as yet), but it's the post-expansion levels that really give cause for concern. Whilst noise levels will never become truly intrusive, l will always miss the comparative silence that we enjoy at present. What really ticked me off was that the decision to divert the area was made without consultation! Regards, Andrew. Peter Probert    26/07/05     peterprobert@btconnect.com Wow! What an impressive website - informative and interesting! My partner and I live in nearby Chelsworth and we regularly make a detour through Kettlebaston on our jaunts to take in the stunning view and pass by one of our favourite houses: the utterly charming "Evan's Corner". We enjoyed an unforgettable evening at last year's Service of Compline and we look forward to joining you all again for this year's service. Thanks again. Peter Probert Kevan Wilding    13/05/05     kevan@essex1841.com     http://essex1841.com Hi all, I previously posted when my site was at kevw.net which is now no longer operational. You can view many residents of the 1841 census for Kettlebaston and surrounding areas at my newer site at http://censusology.net or http://essex1841.com I have traced my ggfather William Wilding back to Kettlebaston. He was born around 1854 and moved on to marry a Mary Ann Cole in Raydon. They moved on to Hemley, Chelmsford and then Mary and my gfather Robert were in Romford since 1901. Long since, with the help of the Cosford database, I have also been able to find him as a step son in 1841 and matched up much of this information with other Wilding / Death families in the area; and more. There is a complete genealogy tree on my site, which may be of use to your study, and lots more. Best Kevan Wilding Venetia Webb   07/05/05     venetia@webb1493.freeserve.co.uk Trying to find out what happened to Francis John Pitt born 6.1.1879, twin son to Hannah Ann Pitt of Kettlebaston, Twin brother was my grandfather Arthur Leonard Pitt (Rushbrooke) killed in Arras on 24.3.1918. Thanks Venetia Webb Corin Greenhow     21/01/05    corin.greenhow@eur.cushwake.com Hi to all in Kettlebaston, I grew up there in the 1970's, we used to live at The Croft in the middle of the village, many many happy memories. Corin Greenhow. Flat 2 27 James Street Mayfair London W1. Michael Minter     23/11/04 Church of the Assumption of Our Lady Kettlebaston is very dear to me. A picture of my visit about ten years ago always hangs in my cottage. May God bless all in the Parish and all who visit. James AH Campbell    08/02/04     james@netcampbell.com Such a beautiful village! Lisa Fletcher    27/01/04     lisa.fletcher@dfat.gov.au Congratulations on a lovely community, set in Englands stunning countryside! The villages hospitality has been warm with every visit, and I look forward to returning soon. I wonder if there is a better place on earth for a summer barbecue. Mary Ellen Hendricks     26/01/04    mecubs@aol.com To the charming people and devotees of Kettlebaston, How proud you must all be to present and share information on your lovely village. After a quick review, I found myself longing for a stay, as it is my good fortune that my cherished friends Jonathan and Tasia are blessed to be part of the Kettlebaston community. I look forward to another visit in the near future. Best wishes for abundant health and peace to all residing in this pleasant and welcoming place. Mary Ellen, Chicago. Jeannine Juhnke    21/01/04   jmjuhnke@hotmail.com I have two very good friends in Jonathan Campbell and Tasia Kavvadias who live in Kettlebaston. So, when I think of this beautiful village in the Suffolk countryside, I also think of the wonderful times I've had with my friends, both in Kettlebaston and places far beyond. My husband and I became engaged there and will continue travelling there for a long time to come. David Murray     21/01/04 Kettlebaston is a lovely scenic village in the heart of the beautiful Suffolk countryside. I can heartily recommended the area for walking and cycling, though beware the steep hill coming back into the village! Lindsay Critchley    20/10/03     eagerbeaver@shaw.ca I want to thank you for your wonderful site. In looking into my family history, I have found that my great grandmother Sarah Ann Brett was born in Kettlebaston in 1857. My family now live in Canada and the U.S., so visiting is very difficult, and it has given us tremendous pleasure to be able to read about, and view on our home computers, the village where our ancestor was born. Thank you. Sue Curtis     02/09/03    susannecurtis55@aol.com Congratulations on a brilliant site and regards to all in Kettlebaston. Kevan Wilding    14/06/03     kevan@essex1841.com     http://essex1841.com I have traced my ggfather William Wilding back to Kettlebaston. He was born around 1854 and moved on to marry a Mary Ann Cole in Raydon. They moved on to Hemley, Chelmsford and then Mary and my gfather Robert were in Romford since 1901. I am looking for William's parents, possibly Thomas Wilding and Harriet Death ?? They had a son William in 1850 who died the same year, therefore there is a good chance they called their next child William. Just for interest, I will be doing quite a large article on Kettlebaston on my site, as I have already done for some of the areas in Essex, if anyone is interested. Any info or contacts welcome - I know about the Cosford Database. Thanks Kevan