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BACKGROUND STUDIES
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2.5.1 DORSET/Gillingham Because the Gillingham, Dorset Elmes and the Worcestershire Helmes used the same armorial crest on headstones, and since the Gillingham Elmes were later than those in Worcestershire, It is presumed that the Gillingham group came from the Worcestershire group, but the exact connection is not yet known. It is also considered likely that the Worstershire Helmes were derived from and followed those in Lancashire. That connection is not yet established either. RELIGION OF THE GILLINGHAM HELMES It is not now possible to prove what religion they were. The staff in the Record Office were given the printed sheet of the Caribbeana baptisms of the Gillingham Helmes and they could not tell where they came from. They had no Church records in Gillingham Library and like the record office, they had none at all for the mid 1600s to mid 1700s. The conclusion is that they are still at the church. Mainly RC records were in Latin (as these were) during that period, however according to the Dorset Record Office some Church of England records still retained the Latin. Thomas Helmes two marriages were found on a type written list, but all religions had to get married in a Church of England church during that period. (Catholics would have had another wedding the same day. Christiana Broome's marble tablet is on the wall of Gillingham Parish Church which was obviously Church of England at the time. Some names in the Gillingham appear more biblical and therefore on the nonconformist side, definitely not RC. The majority of the wealthiest families in Dorset (the ones with private armies) remained RC and had a lot of local support which could be called upon in times of need. The Gillingham Helmes were extremely rich merchants of the gentry class. Their monuments in the West Indies bear the crest of the Worcestershire Helmes. We really need to know of what religious persuasion the Worcestershire Helmes were. One theory is that one of the Worcs Helmes married a rich heiress in the Gillingham area and set up home there. They were not there at Domesday or in the court leet records for the 15th and 16th century. LAND OWNED BY THE HELMES OF GILLINGHAM Orchard called Chantryland and estate called Landacres? (difficult to read) (Henry VIII dissolved the Catholic chantries sometime after 1530). Newberry Hall Christiana Helme was appointed administrator of her mother, Ann Helme's (widow) estate in December 1729 One of the Stewards was in Virginia in the early 1600s _ they were intermarried with the Helmes _ the Helmes must have been out there too. Gillingham Helm relatives Brian Rhodes has provided the Mormon surname indexes for B, R and S. Sutton and Cox Those names occur in many Helm affairs here. The Society of Descendents of Bowman's Station Settlers (Newsletter Vol 1, 1993 _ Lexington, Kentucky) re: wills, genealogy. tables, maps, parts, US/CAN Book Area 976.947 D255. Mentions George Helms. There was also in the Bowman surname section:_ Conyers Relatives of the Gillingham Helmes: RALPH HOOKER of Barbados, 14 March 1663. proved 27 May 1665. To my good friend and neighbor MRS JUDITH PINNEY eight hundred and twenty one pounds eight shillings and three pence which she oweth me, and also one hundred thousand pounds of Muscovado Sugar. And for the remainder of her debt to me my executors to forbear to call on her for it until February next, excepting only the debt which she owes me as executrix of MR ROBERT CHALLONER deceased, which I desire may be paid this year. To my friends CAPT JEREMY EGGINTON, MR JOHN KNIGHT, MR STEPHEN SPICER, MR JOHN BOWDEON AND MR JOHN SPARKS each a ring with a death's head, value three pounds sterling. To my frend DR PETER LA ROUS fifty pounds sterling to buy himself a ring. To MR JEOFFRIE BODY two thousand pounds of Muscovado Sugar. To EDWARD RUSSELL my servant one half piece dowlas. To my cousin MR JAMES WOODS of London merchant, ten pounds sterling and to his wife ten pounds sterling. To my cousin MRS WOODS relict of my cousin JOHN WOODS five pounds sterling. To my cousing EDWARD HOOKER his children that are alive in England five pounds sterling each. To my cousins ROBERT AND EDWARD BOYS, my cousing SOANE and her sister and my cousin ANNE BOYS to each of them five pounds sterling. Item I give and bequeath unto my young cousin PETER BENNETT the son of RICHARD BENNETT of New England (the which Peter was my own sister's son) the sum of one hundred pounds sterling, to be paid him when he shall accomplish the age of eighteen years of age. To my poor kindred in England one hundred and fifty pounds sterling, to be distributed by my cousin James Woods, something of it to be given to my AUNT WEBBE her children of Ottebourne, if any alive, my cousin Edward Hooker of Chilcombe can inform. For goods consigned by CAPT SAMUEL DAVIS and myself he to make returns to the principals in London, but not to meddle or intermedle with any of my other consignations. A reference to goods sold in this island on account of SIR ANDREW RICCARD and CO. To CAPT DAVIS five pounds sterling and a horse. To my friend CAPT WILLIAM PORTER ten pounds and a gold had band an my best baver if he pleases to wear it for my sake. To HUGH LEWIS three pounds sterling to buy him a ring. My executor to confer with MR STEPHEN SPICER who is administrator with me about MR JOHN WILLIAMS estated. Reference to shipments home to MR MICO on account of JOHN WILLIAMS deceased, _ much more sugar that I have received on account. My executor may employ MR JEOFFERY BODY on my books and accounts. He knows the acocunts between MR JOHN KNIGHTS and myself and also about Mr John Wiliams esate, MR JOHN LEWIS' estate and all athe accounts in my books. My loving cousin John Hooker now residing in the Island of Barbados, to be sole executor and my cousin James Woods of London, merchant, to be overseer in trust. Wit; JOHN HAWKESWORTH, JOSIAS COX, JOHN WATKINS (The Richard Bennett referred to in the above will, said by Savage to have been of Salem in 1638, afterwards of Boston, had a wife Sybil, the mother of his children whose maid name is here shown to be Hooker, and a second wife Margaret. Hils will was proved at Boston 8 Sep 1677. In it he mentions grandchild _o_o_o_na Bennett, dau of son Peter, wife Margaret Bennett, son JONAS CLARKE and _o_o_o_ne his wife and cousin Anthony Bennet of Bass River, New England. (Suffolk probate registry)." The names of families that were either living next door to, were cousins or related through marriage _ or were business partners of the Gillingham Helme/Elme families are: Wilson, Hawkins, Chester, Butler, Chutterbuck/Clutterbuck, Brome/Broom, Chapman, Porter, Steele, Taylor, Simonds/Symonds, Hawkins, Merriweather, Alford, Harrison, Madden, Meredith, Tilman/Tilghman, Brown, Marion, Lee, Philips, Crouch, Reeves, Bowman, Littleton, Pinney/Pynney, Cox, Mullens, Pollard, Card, Sutton, Harman, Ede/Eade, Gifford/Giffard, Nanfan, Watkins, Jessup, Turner, Washington, Clarke, Hill, Cave, Knight, Jones, Barraby/Barnaby, Morras/Morris, Reed/Reid, Little, Price, Freeman, Dutton, Carpenter, Bell, Wiseman, West, Thorn, Fisher and Fry Gillingham wills *HELME ELIZABETH (Alias Kelloway) Gillingham A 1704 C GI These wills can be examined in Gillingham. The remainder of the wills went to a higher church court such as Canterbury and are available only in London. 21 May 1830 WILL OF MR JAMES GIFFORD of Gillingham, Dorset, Surgeon WILL OF MARTHA HELME Martha Helme of Shaftesbury, widow. Left house to William Haytor the Elder and William Haytor the younger. Sister Alice Haytor of Gillingham and Wm Harrison of Gillingham and Sarah Harrison. ADMON OF ELIZABETH HELME OF GILLINGHAM Widow. Mentions Thomas Card of Gillingham and Mary Helme. Witnessed by Geo Frome or Brome, Tho Frome or Brome and Mary Helme. ADMON OF ROBERT HELMS OF GILLINGHAM Mary Helm administered the estate and William Crouch, Yeoman. Inventory came to £17 19s. ADMON OF ANNE HELME OF GILLINGHAM 1729 Estate in hands of Christian Helme of Gillingham and Christopher Helme of CADON??? Glver of Rithardum???, Nova Sarum (This is latin slang for New Salisbury) in Wiltshire. Witnessed by: Elizabeth Read, Tho Mawkin, Christian Helme, Christopher Sichnig?, Richard Dean. No will for Mary Helme of Gillingham was found. It should have been there. The microfilm suddenly jumped a few years and missed it. St Mary the Virgin, Gillingham Parish Church When we arrived it was a lovely sunny afternoon and the church looked absolutely beautiful. We went inside and saw the marble tablet dedicated to Christiana Broome and others. We photographed it but were unable to read it as it was set high up close to the ceiling. The walls had tablets dedicated to the Read and Cox families, special ones to Mary Read and Grace Cox. Two Jessups were carved in stone lying on top of a stone tomb in the part of the church which was reserved for the gentry behind the rood screen before the church changed from being RC to Church of England during the Reformation. The Frekes and the Frys were on tablets. The Graveyard outside the church door had huge headstones relating the CARD family which the first Thomas Helme of Gillingham married into. The above surnames were the gentry of the area. Gillingham Marriages 16 Jan 1770William Gofe = Grace Elms 7 May 1677Robert Elmes = Doroth Alford (dau of Dorthea Clarke - widow) 24 Jun 1737John CAVE = Rose Elms 12 Feb 1670Thomas Elmes = Mariam (latin for Mary) Suton (in Caribbeana but spelt Helmes) 21 May 1764Ann Helme = Robert Clarke In 1792 Betty Helms and Thos Godwin were witnesses to the marriage of George INGS = Mary HISCOCK. 7 Jun 1762James BELL = Mary READ at Bourton by Licence. 7 Nov 1643Robert Helm = Mariam (Mary) Card, dau of Thomas CARD. Gillingham Date:97-08-01 06:18:18 EDT The following are extracts from a history book of Dorset. Gillingham In 1694 the town was devastated by fire and the Inventory has few entries for monuments of the 17th century or earlier. At the end of the 18th century silk weaving was an important local industry. The Parish Church of St Mary Parts date from the early 14th century. Bells - third bell inscribed Thos Freke Esq; Mr Edward Reeves, Ch WDS 1726 W.C; 5th and 6th inscribed Thomas Heale, John Read 1793, Thomas Mathews, John Jupe 17894-5, 6th Thomas Freke and Henry Jukes, churchwardens; 7th J Read and T Matthews churchwardens; tenor and 3rd bell, WM Cockey Bell, Founder. The sanctus bell - inscribed GABREEL probably c 1350. Monuments and Floor Slabs - In chancel, on N wall Silver stand-paten with date-letter of 1663 and dedicatory inscription
of Robert Thorne. Newberry House 3/8 mile SE of the Parish Church is of two storeys and has rendered walls and slated roofs. It was built probably in the first half of the 19th century (they are a good 100 year's out) and has a symmetrical E front of five bays, with central doorway flanked by sashed windows and with 5 corresponding windows on the first floor. To N and S are slightly lower wings, perhaps of somewhat later date than the main range. |
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| New Mar 2002 |