This was the Blacksmths Shop which once
stood at the entrance to "The Old House" (Craxes)
The date of this can be traced back to circa 1769
The same location today
Chronological Order
of events as known:
Yocklettes,
later Blands Cottages with 4 acres of land,
1793 Thomas Godfrey, late Scott, for lands. Rent was 7s.4d countersigned
by Baker. 1793. John Baker held the copyhold premises, late Thomas Godfrey
and formerly Thomas Scott.
Subsequently held by two more John Bakers; the third died 1841 then
holding the same 5 acres and tenement with barn and shop.
His widow wed James Sawyer, blacksmith
across the road at Craxes.
1846. Anne
Sawyer and her son John Baker the 4th then aged 17, sold land
to the railway contractors which split their 5 acres in half.
The tenement then occupied by Nathaniel Bland who was baptised 1816,
son of Thomas and Elizabeth Bland.
1848
Nathaniel Bland was recorded as shopkeeper
at Yocklettes
-----------------
THE
OLD HOUSE (also known earlier as Godfreys and Craxes)
1769 Thomas Godfrey
was the tenant at Craxes with 9 acres of land. Thomas also farmed Yocklettes
across the road which he probably used in conjunction with his Wheelwright
business across the road. (see photograph above)
1799 -1830
Anne and George Caswell followed by their daughter Ann Rolt
inherited the property.
The house and barn at Godfreys
were leased to Joseph Hayward, Blacksmith
1862. John Garrad
purchased all Anne and John Rolts estates, Godfreys included which was
then occupied by James Sawyer senior, blacksmith.
1881: James
Sawyer, junior (Blacksmith) and his wife Phoebe Honeyball were
tenants (County Records)
|
James Henry SAWYER (1802-1882) married Elizabeth BLAND (1807-1842)
|
|
James Henry
SAWYER
(son of James SAWYER
and Mary [SAWYER] of East Mersea.
Birth 24 Nov 1802 East Mersea,
Essex
Occupation btw 1841 and 1872 (age 38-70) Blacksmith
Census 1861 (age 56 Fordham,
Census 1871 (age 69 (Mount Bures
Census 1881 (age 78) Mount Bures
Death 1882 (age 79) Mount Bures
Burial Mar 1882 (age 79) Mount Bures
|
Elizabeth BLAND
(possibly 2nd wife)
Father: Thomas BLAND (1771?-aft1841)
Mother: -Elizabeth Ruggles
Birth 1807 Mount Bures,
Christening 15 Nov 1807 Mount Bures,
Married 5 June 1829
Conceived 7 children
Death 23 Mar 1842 (age 34) Mount Bures,
Burial Mar 1842 (age 34) Mount Bures,
-============================================
|
|
Seven CHILDREN
|
Emma SAWYER
Birth 1828 |
William SAWYER
Spouse: Susannah MCLAREN (1848- )
Birth 1833 Mount Bures, Essex
Emigration 1856 (age 23 )to Australia.
William joined as a ships crew
member to see the world. He then decided to disembark in Melbourne
where he stayed and eventually made his fortune.
|
Zeckial SAWYER
Birth 1835 |
Caroline SAWYER
Birth 1837 |
Selena SAWYER
Birth 1837 |
James
SAWYER
Spouse: Phoebe HONYBALL (1835- )
Birth 1839 Mount Bures, Essex
Occupation Blacksmith |
Elizabeth
SAWYER
Birth 1841 |
|
| |
|
After the death of Elizabeth, James
married a second time to ANN CLARRYVINCE on 30 January
1845 in Mount Bures.
They appeared in the census on 30 March 1851 in Mount Bures
Ann conceived three children by
James.
|
|
Ann SAWYER (1846- )
|
Ephraim SAWYER
(1847-1875) |
For more comprehensive information of
the Sawyer descendants visit:- http://www.kirkend.com/kft/toc17.html
---------------
Yocklettes, later
known as Blands Cottages with 4 acres of land,
1848
:-At this point in time Nathan Bland was
recorded as shopkeeper
1857. Yocklettes Sale:- Beer house
and general shop with cottage and 5 acres of very superior arable land
.
circa 1900: The tenement with its 5 acres was amalgamated with
the Hall Farm lands and remained so until 1970s. The last Bland
family had occupied the house since early 20th century during which
time it was used as two cottages. Arthur Bland
and his wife occupied one and Ted and Percy Bland
and a sister Edie occupied the other.
The men worked all their lives on Hall Farm and it was not until after
their deaths that the cottages were sold by William McMaster.
Ted Bland, sadly, had a fatal road accident
walking home from Bures; fortunately young Neville Lock of the Thatchers
Inn, who was with him, was unhurt.
Closure of Smithy
George the last surviving
member of the Garrard family ( wealthy land owners) , died a bachelor
in 1978 aged 90. He used the Old House as a workers cottage when the
Smithy finally closed
-------------------------------------------------------
Census Records
|
Bland Family
Census 1841
|
Sawyer Family
Census 1841
|
|
Thomas Bland abt
1771 (age 70)**
Susan Bland abt 1821
Thos Bland abt 1816
Thos Bland abt 1827
|
Apparently Thomas
Bland** was living with his daughter Elizabeth, son in law James
and grandchildren when the census was taken.
In those times because of his age he was classed as the "Head",
so his name was used for all of them instead of putting him down
as Thomas Bland then Sawyer for the rest.
James Sawyer age
(35)
Elizabeth Sawyer abt 1831 (33)
Emma Sawyer abt 1830 (11)
Elizabeth Sawyer (10)
Thomas Sawyer abt 1840 (14)
William Sawyer abt 1833 (8)
Zeckial Sawyer abt 1835 (6)
Selena Sawyer abt 1837 (4)
James Sawyer (2)
|
|
Bland Family
Census 1851
|
Sawyer Family
Census 1851
|
|
Alfred Bland abt
1847
Ann Bland abt 1808
Fredrick Bland abt 1850
George Bland abt 1842
Nathaniel Bland abt 1817
Oliver Bland abt 1845
Sarah Bland abt 1848
|
Ann Sawyer abt 1846
Elizabeth Sawyer 1931
Elizabeth Sawyer abt 1841
Ephraim Sawyer abt 1848
James Sawyer abt 1839
Selena Sawyer abt 1837
William Sawyer abt 1833
Zeckial Sawyer abt 1835
|
|
Bland Family
Census 1861
|
Sawyer Family
Census 1861
|
|
Ann Bland
George Bland
Nathanl Bland
Oliver Bland
Sarah Bland
Thomas Bland
|
Ann Sawyer
Ephraim Sawyer
James Sawyer
John Sawyer
|
|
School Records
|
| Mary &
Edith Sawyer - admitted 1881 |
Geo. Bland
admitted 1886 |
| Eliza Sawyer
- left district 1889 |
Fanny Bland
and George Bland re-admitted. 1891 |
| Ref:- http://www.mount-bures.co.uk/school/school2.htm |
The next part of this story surfaced
in January 2012 from Australia, where Grahame Sawyer contacted the web
site with this message:-
"I am looking for information
for James Sawyer 1802/1882 his first wife
was Elizabeth Bland 1807/1842.
It`s his second wife and I need help with, her first name was Ann maiden
name unknown they had 2 children ann born 1846 and ephraim born 1848
they are my 3x grandparents and any help would be appreciated contact
me"
Ida McMaster was the source of the answer
as I discovered in her book, together with the fact that the Blands
worked for her husband Bill.
It would appear that William Sawyer in
1865 joined the ships to see the world and then decided to land in Melbourne,
where he stayed and made a home for himself.
Grahame (Australia) Notes:-
William who came out to Australia was
a Sawyer, he was the son of James Sawyer the blacksmith 1802/1882 and
Elizabeth Bland his first wife 1807/1842 (dec)
Her parents where Thomas Bland and Elizabeth Ruggles also from Mount
Bures,
Later he married a Susannah McLaren
(b Sydney 1848)on the 13/02/1864 at St Enochs church in central Melbourne.
Apparently from what family notes, we were given they think it was when
the youngest child Florence died, they decided to relocate to Victoria.
After working in Victoria on the railways,
William and four of his sons moved to Menzies(WA) to seek their fortune
gold mining.
Williams wife Susannah and the other children following later.
Eventually, William purchased the Lady
Harriet and the Lady Shenton Mines.
|
|
William Sawyer (1833-1914)
and
Susannah Sawyer nee McLaren (1848-1921)
|
|
|
The Sawyers outside the Lady Harriet
(Menzies WA) Gold Mine.
Reading left to right are:
Charles William James (James and Elizabeths grandsons)
William senior( their son) and Ephraim(my grandfather
Thomas,their grandson
These would have been Grahames,
Grandfather two Uncles and Great Great Grandfather
|
It was a very hard life for the women
with all the children, as Kalgoorlie was 82 miles away but they coped
and made good lives for all.
My grandfather Tom married Mary in Menzies in 1906 and after living
in a cottage moved to a comfortable home of wood and tin. They had 7
children 3 boys and 4 girls, 2 of the girls passing away at a young
age one from a hole in the heart.
He was manager of the Lady Harriet and warden of the Freemasons.
My father Hector was their 5th child and worked the mines as well.
The Charles in the above photo is their
son which makes him the grandson of James and Elizabeth also on that
site is the photo of them all in front of their mine that
My link is James and Elizabeths Grandson Ephraim known as Tom who was
my grandfather not to be confused with the Ephraim that James and his
second wife Ann Baker had William named him after his half brother.
James Sawyer and Elizabeth Sawyer nee Bland and anyone connected with
the family can be proud of William
He arrived in Australia at a time when conditions were harsh with nothing
but the work ethic his father had instilled in him.
My own journey of discovery has led
me to Mt Bures and although my ancestors go back further my heritage
lies with Mt Bures where William left his family and extended family
to start a new life in Australia.
Now finally I also have a new family and a place I can proudly say my
family comes from Mt Bures, that is my heritage
Grahame (Australia)
More Photographs
Part 2
ADDENDUM:- It is interesting to note
that the Blands lived in Mount Bures, but
there was also a family in Bures St Mary ( adjacent Parish) called Brands.
These were Agricultural Engineers and Blacksmiths, with workshops in
the High Street
Acknowledement to:-
Ida McMaster for her valuable assistance
"Mount Bures its Lands and its People" book by Ida McMaster
Grahame and Suzanne from Australia
Shirley Brown from Australia for the Mine
and Family Photographs
Moya Sharp for her web site photographs (http://www.outbackfamilyhistory.com.au/Menzies/Menzpictures.htm)
