705 Mewse descendants are identified in this branch, not counting spouses
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GENERATION 1 His father or more probably his grandfather) may have been the John MUSE who was a butchers apprentice in 1508 - see details here. John married (a) Ann RUSSELL 1556 at Framingham Pigot and (b) ....COKOE, also at Framingham Pigot in 1561
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MEWSE BRANCH
Names in red are my direct ancestors
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Last update 27 Apr 2008
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MEWSE
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To see a summary of the Mewse family history please click here
Note: Variants of the name are all treated as "Mewse", and include Muse, Meuse, Meawse but not Mews which is a separate family
INDEX OF SURNAMES
Please click on the surname you are interested in, other than Mewse, to go to its location
Adams 1861...Adams 1867...Albrow...Alderson...Allden...Aldred 1705...Aldred abt 1950
Allen 1900...Allen abt 1921...Allerton 1792...Allerton 1797...Amiss...Andike...Applewhite
Archer...Ascough...Ashby 1588...Ashby 1934...Asher...Atkin...Ayres
Bagshaw...Bales...Ballard...Barafar...Barber 1797...Barber 1864...Bardwell 1649
Bardwell 1725...Barnard...Barnaby 1859...Barnaby abt 1870...Barnett...Barrett 1827...Barrett 1880...Bateman
Beck...Bell...Bessey...Betts 1888...Betts abt 1980...Bird 1861...Bird 1896
Bishop...Blowers...Boardley...Bollard 1625...Bollard 1673...Bollchen...Bolton
Bothwell...Bower...Bowyer 1923...Boyce...Bradle...Brame...Breach
Brethett...Brittain...Brook...Brooks...Bristow...Brown...Bryant 1908...Bryant abt 1915
Burgess...Bury...Butcher 1927...Butcher 1889...Butcher 1910...Butteson
Canham 1705...Canham 1706...Carter 1737...Carter 1965...Catchpole...Cawthorne...Chambers...Chapman ...Chatten 1846
Chatten 1859...Church...Clarke 1838...Clarke 1876...Clarke 1878...Clerke...Coby
Cock...Coe 1654...Coe 1676 1705...Cokoe...Coleman 1827...Coleman 1878...Coleman 1891...Coleman 1916
Connor...Coe 1654...Cooe...Cook 1868...Cook 1864...Coote...Cossey...Coward
Crickmore 1867...Crickmore abt 1901...Crickmore 1919...Crisp...Crispe...Cross 1764...Cross 1802
Cross abt 1950...Curtis
Darling...Dent...Dodman...Doe...Downs...Duncan...Dutton
Eache...Easter...Eade...Edmonds 1854...Edmonds abt 1930...Edwards...Ewart...Eves
Faulkener...Farrer...Fayerchild...Felton...Ferney...ffarabe...Fisher 1714
Fisher 1864...Firmin...Fisher abt 1918...Fowle...Fox...Frary...Freeman
French...Friend
Galo...Garner...Gates ...Gibson...Girling...Gislingham...Glasspool
Gobbett...Goddard...Goden...Godin...Goldsmith...Goldsmithe...Goodwin
Gordon...Gowen...Green 1620...Green 1899...Groom 1664...Grudgefield...Gryme
Hall 1598...Hall 1869...Hall 1898...Haltaway abt 1725...Haltaway 1754...Hammond...Harper
Harris...Harvey...Harwood 1679...Harwood 1902...Haslam...Hastie...Hawes
Haylett 1864...Haylett 1900...Hecht...Healey...Herris...Hewson...Hickleton
Hollamby...Hovell...Howes...Howard...Hubbard...Hulbert...Hunt
Jackson...Jarvis...Jenkenson...Jentleman...Johnson...Jones...Julings abt 1916
Kersey...Kingsbury...Killet 1671...Killet 1721...Knights ...
Langley...Lark...Last...Lawton 1894...Leach...Leeman...Leesingham
Liffen...Ling...Lingwood...Little...Long...Lott...Love
Loveday...Lowe 1861...Lull...
McDonald...McGregor...Manning...Marjoram...Mantripp 1876...Manning 1715...Manning 1725...Mantripp abt 1900...Marshall-Nicholls
Martin...Mason...May...Mayes...Mickleborough...Mighells...Mileham...Miller
Milsom...Milligan...Mitchell 1644...Mitchell abt 1940...Mizen...Moates...Monk...Moore...Mouse...Mower...Munns...Muse 1481...Muse 1508
Nelson...Neslen 1766...Neslen 1820...Newson 1812 and 1827...Newton...Neudagg...Nichols
Noble...Nunn
Osbaldstone...Osborn
Pacy...Page 1893...Page 1893...Pake...Palmer...Parr...Payne
Peach...Peak 1695...Peak 1837...Peake...Pearce...Pearson...Pennington
Perkins...Perney...Perret...Pickavance...Platt...Porter...Pope
Postle...Prentig(c)e...Pye
Randall...Raven...Ray...Read...Reynolds 1867...Reynolds abt 1945...Richardson
Rising...Rix...Robking...Ross...Rumsby...Russel...Ruthan...Rutter
Sadler...Sallows...Sargent...Saunders...Sayer...Seaman...Seppens
Sharman...Shaw...Shenfield...Sherlock...Shirris...Shonakan abt 1942...Siers
Smith 1681...Smith 1684...Smith 1746...Smith 1877...Smithson...Smyth...Soames...Sowell...Speciall
Spratt...Spurding...Squire...Starling...Stephens ab 1919...Sterry 1798...Sterry 1804
Sterry 1823...Sterry 1858...Sterry 1869...Stone 1844...Stone 1861...Stone 1906...Sturgeon
Symonds 1692...Symonds bef 1729
Taylor 1792...Taylor abt 1900...Thurling...Thurston...Tingay...Toppany...Treleven
Trundle...Turner...Turrell 1823...Turrell 1847...Turrell 1860
Urquhart...Vingoe
Wailton...Wall...Waller...Wells...White...White 1906 ...Wickenden...Wight
Wilcox...Wills...Wilkin...Williams...Wilson 1684
Wilson abt 1986...Wilson abt 1992...Wisbich...Wood...Woodcock...Woodhouse...Woods
Woods 1881...Woods 1884...Woodthorpe ...Wright 1709...Wright 1880...Wright 1882...Wright abt 1963...Wroth
There are few earlier references to the name MEWSE.
An Adrian MUSE was a "denizen" and London merchant and is recorded as having one bale with 12 cloths 6 yards in a barge belonging to Henry SMYTH going to Gravesend on 20 Feb 1481 and one bale with 12 cloths in the ship of Richard LULL on 25 Aug 1481.
The Suffolk Lay Subsidy return of 1524 lists Jaffrey MEWSE in South Elmham St George (value in goods: £4. paying 2s.0) and William MEWSE at Flixton in Elmham.
There is also a record of George MUSE who was warden of the church of the Grey Friars of Dunwich in 1505 and a John MEWSE bap 23 May 1574 in Norwich,
son of Bartholomew and Audrey who subsequently moved to Catfield where they had Thomas MEWSE bap 14 Feb 1587.
A Vance MEWSE was a servant with Roger JAMES in London, Tower Ward in 1582
Customs records for Sept. 1567-Sept. 1568 show Richard MOUSE to have been dealing in the following imports: ling, staplefish [good-quality, salted cod], eels, Scottish salmon and herrings.
Note: Wyllyam, my 10 x great grandfather, was a butcher and owned two houses, one in High Street, Lowestoft and the other in West Lane (which became Swan Lane, now Mariner's Street. The house stood on the south side of Swan Lane at its junction with High Street). In 1568 he paid subsidy (a tax on land valued at £1) at the rate of 1s.. 4d. There is a record in the Manor book of 1581 showing William (with Mewse spelt Mease) as a juror.
The Muster Roll of 1535 shows "William Mewse's servant" as an able billman - this William is almost certainly father to Wyllyam above. [Proc Suff Inst Arch & Hist XVI]
Muster Rolls were periodic assessments of the availability of local militia to act as a defence force when needed.
Children of Wyllyam and Elizabeth
1a....Elizabeth bur 6 Oct 1568
2......Thomas date unknown Lowestoft bur 18 Oct 1620
Thomas Mewse was recorded in the 1584 muster list as having a byll and salet (weapon similar to a halberd and a steel cap or helmet)
3......Margaret date unknown m Edward LEESINGHAM 15 Apr 1574
4......Alice bap 25 May 1589
5......Joanne b abt 1561
6......Willyam bap 20 Jul 1561 butcher bur 15 Apr 1592 Lowestoft
Note: William Mewsse was recorded in the 1584 muster list but no weapons were mentioned
7......Ann bap 12 Jun 1563 Lowestoft
8......Agnes m (a) Henry PRENTICE 21 Apr 1595 (issue:William d 1601) (b) Richard HALL 1598 [see Prentice branch]
Note: Edward may have been a son of Bartholomew and Audrey MEWSE, mentioned in the green header above
Children of Edward and Margaret
1b......Christopher bap 23 Jul 1594 Catfield
1c......Elizabeth bap 23 Mar 1596 Catfield
1d......Margaret bap 16 Apr 1600 Catfield

GENERATION 2
You can see the house which was the Bell Inn or alehouse, now a private house but with alcohol adverts all over it, here It has now (2007) been modernised and the old adverts have gone.
The house in West Lane left him by his father passed to one "GOLDSMITHE" and then to Richard BURY. It was described in the Manor Roll of 1618 [NRO 194/A10/73] as being "Situated south of West Street and abutting onto the High Street to the east, and on to the house of Gilbert BATEMAN (formerly held by Nicholas HEWSON) to the West". Presumably it was surplus to Thomas' requirements when he inherited it.
Although the house in West Street seems to have passed on his father's death to Mr Goldsmithe, Thomas did own two other properties. The first of these was passed on to Alice BURY widow who paid 4d Lord's rent, and stood on the corner of Swan Lane (now Mariner's Street) and High Street (now under the Town Hall). The second one belonged to George SEPPENS who may have been a butcher and paid 4d Lord's rent, and stood on the south side of Swan Lane, again under the modern town hall complex.
On 25 Feb 1582, a Ralph FAYERCHILD was fined 3s 4d for "making an affray upon Thomas MEWSE"
(The name Phillipp was in the 16th and 17th centuries a girl's name - Phillipa does not appear until the mid 19th century.)
Thomas was in trouble with the law on a number of occassions and was fined in the Leet Court [NRO 194/A10/73]:
7 Mar 1584 fined 3d for obstructing the roadway with "neets scalpis" (cattle heads) (with six other butchers)
7 Mar 1618 fined 6d for selling beer by unlawful measure (with 10 others)
2 Mar 1620 fined 3d for the same offence (with 8 others)
16 Feb 1621 fined 12d for selling beer by unlawful measure. Since he was buried on 18 Oct 1620 this was a posthumus fine!)
These were my 9 x great grandparents.
Children of Thomas and Phillipp
9......Willyam bap 20 Jun 1585 Lowestoft bur 17 Jul 1656 Lowestoft
10....Margaret bap 22 Feb 1590 Lowestoft bur 15 Jun 1590
11.... John bap 20 Aug 1592 Lowestoft bur 29 May 1667 Lowestoft
12.....Ann bap 1594 Lowestoft bur 12 Jan 1678 m Thomas FELTON 1 Mar 1635 Lowestoft
Note: see Felton branch here
Children of Robert and Joan
5a......Christian (female) bap 28 Apr 1582 Lowestoft
5b......Daniell bap 27 Jul 1585 Lowestoft
5c......Wyllyam bap 6 Aug 1587 Lowestoft
Children of Willyam and Elizabeth
0P1 Mark PACY (d 1596) m (a) unknown (b) Elizabeth WIGHT (d 1620 Lowestoft)
Note: Mark was a sailor at first but gave up the seafaring life after buying property sand fishing boats and became a prosperous businessman. After Mark's death, Elizabeth continued to expand the family interests. See Elizabeth's will here Child of Mark and Elizabeth
P1......Nicholas bap 9 Jul 1581 Lowestoft d 1652
P1a....Margaret bap 18 Aug 1583 bur 8 Mar 1585
P1b....Elizabeth bap 9 May 1585 bur 9 Jun 1590
P1c....Barbara bap 22 Jun 1589 bur 20 Oct 1589
P1d....John bap 16 Aug 1590
P1e....Samuel bap 9 Jul 1592 bur 2 Aug 1611
P1f....Thomas bap 7 Apr 1594
Note: William paid 13s 4d in ship money in 1636 - one of the highest in Lowestoft! [NRO 589/178] and again in 1640 he paid 3s 4d
William lost £150 of goods in the fire of 10 Mar 1645 which were stored in the yard of the Bell Inn, where they were probably hiring premises or outbuildings from Simon HAMMOND he having bought the messuage from Phillipa MEWSE and her sons in Oct 1627.
The Leet Court records that he was elected constable and ale-taster on 2 Mar 1620 and ale taster again on 1 Mar 1623
William was admitted to the west end of a tenement at Lord's rent of 2d on 6 Aug 1645. The following year he mortgaged the dwelling to Thomas LEEMAN for £22..8s It was then sold by William and Thomas LEEMAN to Robert RIX The same place was occupied by 33 Simon Mewse below
| Ale Tasters, who were appointed by the court-leet were sworn "to examine and assay the beer and ale, and to take care that they were good and wholesome, and sold at proper prices according to the assize; that proper measures were used and also to present all defaults of brewers to the next court-leet." Manorial in origin the constable had been the link between the Lord of the Manor and his tenants, and was also the keeper of law and order. He was appointed from the better off members of the parish by the jury of the leet court. The post was unpaid and no expenses were given. The constable raised taxes and kept accounts. It seems that the appointee had no say in the matter - his appointment was for one year, when he was replaced with a new ale taster or constable |
Note: John lost £100 worth of goods in the great fire of March 10th 1644/5, and his son (25) John lost £50 worth of goods. John paid 2s in ship money in 1636 [NRO 589/178]
John was elected ale taster in the Leet Court of 16 Feb 1621 and on 26 Feb 1653 he was elected hog reeve (the person responsible for seeing that all pigs' snouts were ringed)
In the same Leet Court he was fined on 10 Feb 1649 for not maintaining the footway next to his house (3d), and a further 3d for not scouring out his ditch
These were my 8 x great grandparents
| Lowestoft was a royalist town, but not particularly strongly so - its defences consisted of a rope across High Street and a cannon which was unloaded. Not very frightening for Oliver Cromwell! He arrested the official defence |
F1 William FRARY m (a) Alice BOLLARD 12 Sep 1625 Lowestoft (b) Elizabeth BARAFAR 18 May 1627 Lowestoft (See Frary branch here)
Note:These were my eight times great grandparents
A Margaret BARAFAR is recorded as marrying William RAILTON in Lowestoft in 1615 - probably a sister to Elizabeth
When Oliver Cromwell went to Lowestoft in March 1643 to thwart a royalist arms shipment he stayed overnight at the Swan Inn - next door to William Frary, separated only by Swan Score entrance.. Cromwell's troops may well have been requisitioning various things and William as taking no chances - he hid his horse in the parlour of his house!
Child of William and Alice
F2......Alice b 1626 Lowestoft d 1626 Lowestoft
Children of William and Elizabeth
F3......Ralfe bap 26 Feb 1628 Lowestoft bur 27 Mar 1628 Lowestoft
F4......Elizabeth bap 6 Dec 1629 Lowestoft
F5......Margaret bap 12 May 1632 Lowestoft bur 12 May 1632 Lowestoft
F6......Ann bap 14 Jul 1633 Lowestoft
F7......Margaret bap 11 Oct 1635 Lowestoft
F8......William bap 11 Feb 1638 Lowestoft
F9......Susan bap 20 Feb 1643 Lowestoft m John PEAKE 21 Apr 1664 Lowestoft
F10....Rebecca bap 20 Feb 1643 Lowestoft
Note: Nycolas was a mariner, known locally as "Captain Pacy" and became a succesful fish merchant
Children of Nycolas and Margaret
P2......Nicholas b abt 1614 Lowestoft d 5 Nov 1680 Lowestoft aged 66 m Katherine MOORE 1638 Wrentham
Note: Nicholas emigrated soon after his marriage to Katherine who came from Corton, and was granted 10 acres of land in Salem, Massachusetts on 21 Nov 1638, and was granted a further 30 acres in 1639. Katherine died, perhaps in childbirth in March 1640. The Salem witchcraft trials took place some 50 years later. He returned to Lowestoft at some unknown date.
P3......Elizabeth dob unknown
P4......Thomas dob unknown
Note: In 1674 Thomas was assessed as having 2 hearths for the Hearth Tax
P5......John dob unknown
P6......Samuel b 1624 d 17 Sept 1680 aged 56
P7 ......Margaret dob unknown

Dorothy RISING brought to their marriage one small house and a fish house at Lords rent of 7p as a result of her husband William RISINGs will - she was admitted 27 Feb 1658 Dorothy's will left it to husband Thomas who was admitted on 23 Aug 1671. Thomas, with the release of William RISING, jnr, surrendered the property to Mary PORTER on 14 May 1673. This property stood at the bottom of Gallows Score/Cart Score. The site is now part of the Sparrow's Nest garden area.
Children of Thomas and Elizabeth
36......William 12 Dec 1647 Lowestoft bur 19 Nov 1688 Somerleyton
37......Sarah bap 14 Oct 1649 Lowestoft bur 26 Feb 1658 Lowestoft
38......Elizabeth bap 14 Oct 1649 Lowestoft bur 28 Feb 1658 Lowestoft
39......Mary bap 20 Jul 1655 Lowestoft bur 10 Nov 1684 Lowestoft m (a) James MAYES 30 Aug 1675 [see Mayes branch] (b) Thomas ANDIKE widower 18 Dec 1716 Lowestoft
39a....Ann dob unknown
Note: This is the Samuel Pacy whose daughters were claimed as bewitched and whose evidence led to the execution of two Lowestoft witches: you can read all about here
Samuel Pacy was one of the richest and most influential men in Lowestoft of his time and was well known as a dissenter. He owned two fishing boats (handling 750000 fish in the autumn of 1662 and his own merchant vessel called "the Red Lyon". He also had shares in two other ships - the "Black Lyon" and the "Baltic Trader" as well as smaller shares in the "Riga Merchant" and the "Neptune"; both merchantmen. He lent money on mortgage and his principal house was rated as having 8 hearths, one of the largest in Lowestoft. When he died he left £2387 in cash, and his wife Elizabeth was a good enough businesswoman to have increased it to over £2849 when she died two years later.
In 1647 he became a trustee of the Lowestoft Townlands, was many times a juryman and twice served as churchwarden; in 1662 he was an Overseer of the Poor"
Children of Samuel and Elizabeth
P8......Susan bap 12 Apr 1647 Lowestoft bur 22 Mar 1707
P9......Elizabeth bap 29 Jan 1650 Lowestoft d 14 Oct 1657 Lowestoft
P10....Deborah b 1653 bap 12 Apr 1654 Lowestoft d 23 Jan 1695
P11....William bap 5 Mar 1656 Lowestoft bur 26 Oct 1656 Lowestoft
P12....Mary bap 24 Aug 1657 Lowestoft
P13....John bap 10 Oct 1664 Lowestoft
CHildren of Philip and Ann
20a......Mary bap 2 Jul 1652 Lowestoft m Mr BOLLARD
20b......Ann bap 22 Feb 1655 Lowestoft bur 17 Jun 1728 m Mr COE abt 1676
20c......Phill(ippa) bap 13 Apr 1657
Note: Simon was assessed as having 2 hearths for the hearth tax of 1674 Simon was elected constable at the Leet Court of 27 Feb 1669 Children of Simon and Judith
Child of John and Elizabeth
He was elected ale-taster on both 11 Mar 1761 and 15 Feb 1673
He was fined 3d for not maintaining the footpath next to his house on 24 Feb 1672
These Leet Court records probably refer to this Simon but may refer to 33 Simon
He was elected constable on 13 Feb 1692 at the Leet Court. Judith's surname was revealed in her grandmother's (Phama KNIGHTS) will of 20 Aug 1656
46......Ann bap 7 Aug 1654 Lowestoft bur 14 Aug 1737 Lowestoft
46a....William bap 6 Jan 1657 bur 20 Mar 1716 aged 60
46b....Mary dob unknown, bur 2 Apr 1734 Lowestoft
47...... Simon bap 4 Dec 1664 Lowestoft bur 30 Oct 1736 Lowestoft
48......Judith bap 17 Nov 1667 Lowestoft bur 4 May 1669 Lowestoft
49......John bap 26 Mar 1669 Lowestoft bur 8 Apr 1690 Lowestoft
50......Judith bap 8 Jan 1673 Lowestoft bur 9 Feb 1675 Lowestoft
51......Hovell bap 21 Sep 1675 Lowestoft
52......Havel bap 18 Dec 1679 Lowestoft bur 5 Jan 1680 Lowestoft
52a....Elisabeth bap 13 Dec 1677 Lowestoft bur 22 Dec 1758 Lowestoft
52b....Mary bap 2 Apr 1685 bur 4 Oct 1685 Somerleyton
53......John d.o.b. unknown bur 1 Apr 1664 Somerleyton
Francis was admitted to property at 1d Lords rent (now 138 High Street) on 6 Jan 1686. It passed to his grandchildren by the terms of his will
Children of Francis and Elezbeth
Note: These were my 7 x great grandparents. William (a butcher) and Rebecca lived for a while in Wapping, returning to Lowestoft, perhaps, to escape the plague. At some stage William was living in Gt Yarmouth, for he was the joint guarantor on 27th Oct 1691 with Robert SEAMAN, a shipwright, of a settlement bond for a Robert SPECIALL, woolcomber previously of Norwich and his wife and family: William is recorded (YC/35/155) as a pulley maker.
The tithe accounts book of 1698 to 1767 recorded that he "had not held any cattle for three year"
William was fined in the Leet Court [NRO194/A10/4 - 16] 3d for not maintaining Lyons Score (now Crown Score) on 27 Feb 1669, and again on 11 Apr 1671. On 9 Mar 1709 along with four others he was fined 3d for failing to maintain the footpath alongside his property adjacent to the Denes (now 34 High Street)
Their house passed to 70 William on hos mothers death, but occupied by Simon and Ruth Canhamin 1720
William also owned copyhold three tenements witha slaughterhouse at 5d Lords rent for the tenements and 1d for the slaughterhouse from 12 Mar 1673. It had previously been owned by Mary ROBKING and was clearly used to raise mortgages, and presumably to let to tenants. It was mortgaged on 3 Mar 1688 to Richard JENKENSON for £106, on 27 Jul 1692 to Susan FERNEY for £105 (cleared 31 May 1704), again to Samuel WRIGHT and Robert PAKE for £105 (cleared 7 Dec 1709) and promptly on 7 Dec 1709 mortgaged again to Samuel WRIGHT for £105. The tenements passed to 70 William by the terms of his father's will. The property stood on the south side of Swan Lane (now Mariner's Street) and is beneath the Town Hall.
William was elected fen reeve (Supervisor of hedge and fence maintenance) together with his son William (70 below) on 9 Feb 1706
Children of William and Rebecca
See a summary of his will here
He was assessed as having 2 hearths in 1674. The Tithe accounts book for 1798 to 1867 show that he "held" one cattle, but the Tithe book (NRO 589/90) of 1707 claims 2 cattle due to the minister but that Simon had none. In 1708 this claim was made zero.
Children of Simon and Ann
Note: William was a parish overseer of Hopton in 1673; Amphillis m (as widow) Augustin MILEHAM 17 May 1692 Somerleyton
Children of William and Amphillis
84......Elizabeth bap 11 Dec 1673 Hopton bur 25 Oct 1710 Somerleyton
85......John bap 4 Dec 1675 Hopton m Eliza KED..Y.ER 10 Jan 1695 Somerleyton
Note: John was described in the register as "gent"
86......Mary bap 4 Oct 1683 Somerleyton bur 4 Oct 1685
87......Mary bap 2 Apr 1685 Somerleyton
88......Ann bap 3 Jan 1685/6 Somerleyton
89......Frances bur 28 May 1691 Somerleyton
Children of John and Sarah
Note: See William's will here
Wiliam was elected ale-taster on 8 Mar 1690 at the Leet court, but on 28 Feb 1691 was fined 10s 0d for not carrying out his duties . He and 12 others were fined 3d at the same sitting of the Leet Court for not maintaining the footway adjacent to his house.
William, a butcher, is recorded in 1686 in the manor rolls as buying the copyhold of no 71 High Street This was on the corner of High St and Rants Score - in later years some tenement houses were built in the rear of the garden and became 1 - 5 Rants Score, dwelt in by William's descendants.
William also had 2 tenements at 3d Lords rent previously held by Ann ARNOLD to which he was admitted on 29 Nov 1710. In the year before he died he mortgaged the property to Robert GRAVE for an unknown sum, and his widow Mary was admitted to it on 16 May 1716. The poperty lies in the St Margaret Plain area, but was on the north side of Fairstead/Almshouse Lane, now Dove St.
In 1692 and in 1693 William was fined 3d each time for blocking a drain (presumably a ditch) with sheeps' heads! Archaeological digging in the garden behind no 71 High St revealed huge amounts of bones, all showing the usual signs of butchery
But the piece de resistance was his being fined 6d for "inflating his veal with wind"!!! (shades of John Mewse of 1508 fame - see above)
The Lowestoft Tithe book entry for 12 Jun 1707 shows that the Minister was claiming 6 cows of William Mewse Score Head [probably his address to differentiate from 32 William from whom the minister was also claiming]. The following year on Apr 29 the minister was also claiming 6 cows, and the comment at the side says "he has more to reccon with you for".
On 15 Sep 1686 William and Mary were admitted to property described as "several tenements with yard" at 7d Lord's rent (now 70 - 71 High Street) previously occupied by John and Mary PORTER. Mary stayed there after William's death. The property was mortgaged to Sarah ALEXANDER in the sum of £105 and cleared on 1 Apr 1691 but was remortgaged on 12 Aug 1713 to John SMITH. It was later forfeited to Joshua SMITH, heir to John.
47 Simon MEWSE bap 4 Dec 1664 bur 30 Oct 1736 Lowestoft [see will] and see inventory here m (a) Elizabeth MANNING (d 5 Mar 1729 bur 7 Mar 1729 aged 34) 24 Nov 1715 Lowestoft. (See Manning Branch here) and (b) Mary PEACH 1 Jul 1729 NOTE: Mary Peach re-married after Simon's death to Richard SALLOWS 21 May 1738
Simon (described as junior) was elected ale-taster on 13 Feb 1692 (his father was elected Constable at the same court sitting0
A memorial inscription in St Margaret's Lowestoft reads:- Simon became churchwarden of St Margaret's Church, and his initials are on the inner face of the plain wooden door and was elected constable at the Leet Court on 17 Feb 1689
"Here resteth the body of Simon Mewse who departed this life the 27th October 1736"
Children of Simon and Elizabeth
101......Simon bap 24 Sep 1716 Lowestoft d 27 Jan 1716/7
102......Alice b 1717 Lowestoft
103......Elizabeth bap 6 Apr 1718 Lowestoft bur 3 Aug 1719 Lowestoft
104...... Margaret bap 7 Aug 1719 Lowestoft d 20 Aug 1719
105......Ann bap 26 Feb 1720/1 Lowestoft bur 7 Apr 1721
106......Mary bap 22 Apr 1722 Lowestoft bur 26 Apr 1722 Lowestoft
107......Simon bap 2 May 1723 Lowestoft bur 5 Jul 1723 Lowestoft
108......Margaret bap 3 Jun 1726 Lowestoft bur 17 Nov 1726 Lowestoft
109......Mary bap 24 Nov 1727 Lowestoft m James CURTIS (bur 9 Jan 1797) 29 Jul 1748 by licence
Note: James was a decorator at Lowestoft Porcelain. You can see an article about the subject here
Children of Simon and Mary
110......Simon bap 1 Jun 1733 Lowestoft bur 19 Aug 1734 Lowestoft
111......John bap 26 Oct 1734 Lowestoft bur 2 Nov 1734 Lowestoft
Children of Henry and Elizabeth
55a......John dob unknown
55b......Rebecca dob unknown
Samuel MEWSE and Martha SQUIRE completed a licence allegation 28 Jul 1720. Samuel and Martha lived in Wapping where he was described in 1721 as a Master and Mariner, and he wrote his will at this time, (see it here) although it was not proved until 1759. He was asked in a letter from Admiral Lestock on 23 July 1746 to undertake a survey of a ship, the Hare Transport, which had been deemed unfit for sea , along with Nicholas TRELEVEN, Michael GODEN, Thomas SMITH, Thomas LOVE and Simon COWARD
Benjamin MEWSE, an infant was buried 12 Aug 1697 Lowestoft without having parents recorded
Samuel Smith was Ann's father and his memorial stone in Lowestoft states 'Also his daughter Ann ye wife of Mr William Mewse of St John, Wapping who departed November ye 17th 1727 aged 64 years.'
William was fined 3d for not maintaning the footway next to his house on 4 Mar 1693, and was elected ale-taster at the same Leet Court sitting
On 25 May 1692 they were admitted to property (now 59 - 60 High Street) described as one messuage with yard and fish houses at 6d Lord's rent. On 29 Jul 1702 the property was mortgaged to John STROUD for £84, which was cleared on 9 Apr 1718. In 1711, the Rev Tanner records that "The Bell at Church lately cast being not approved of for Sound etc. It was new cast in Willm Mewse's Fish House by Thomas Newman in May 1711 and weighed 17cwt 0qr 14lbs".
In 1717 the property was affected by the fire which swept through part of Lowestoft.
| "On the 12th of November 1717, about four in the morning another sudden and terrible fire broke out in this town, in the fish-houses belonging to the co-heirs of Captain Josiah MIGHELLS. then in the occupation of Joseph SMITHSON which, in a short space of time, entirely consumed the said houses, together with part of those houses belonging to William MEWSE which laid to the south.... The wind blew pretty fresh at south east so that the sparks flew over the town and once actually fired the thatch of a house in Swan Lane, but men and water being ready for that purpose it was immediately stopped" - an account of the fire by Edmund Gillingwater, local historian |
Children of William and Ann
112......Rebecka bap 9 Jan 1685 m John OSBORN 16 Nov 1718 Lowestoft
113......Samuel bap 14 Jan 1688 Lowestoft
113a....Simon bur as infant, 16 Jan 1690/1 Lowestoft
113b....Judith bur 4 Feb 1690 Lowestoft
113b....John bur 27 Feb 1693 Lowestoft
113b....Mary bap 7 Dec 1694 Lowestoft
114......Elizabeth bap 20 May 1697 bur 22 Dec 1758, spinster in Wapping
115......John bap 25 Jun 1700 m Mary RANDALL 26 May 1730
116......Susannah bap 2 Aug 1702 Lowestoft d 27 May 1742 spinster
117......Ruth bap 2 Aug 1702 Lowestoft d 5 Oct 1702 interred in same plot with her mother, Lowestoft
118......Thomas d o b unknown
119......Margaret dob unknown d abt 1748 Wapping as spinster - see will here
There was a William MEWSE baker in Terrington St Clements [will of 1747]
Note: He and Elizabeth were jointly admitted to copyhold in the Manor of Carlton 4 Apr 1722 and Thomas alone to one in Broomholme at the same date. Elizabeth was the daughter of Simon CANHAM, a mariner, and Sarah PHILBY Thomas and Elizabeth were non-conformists.
Children of Thomas and Elizabeth
He was admitted to copyhold ownership of what is now 34 High Street on 8 Dec 1714 and promptly mortgaged it to James KINGSBOROUGH for £36..15s and again to Simon CANHAM on 7 Jan 1719. Simon and Ruth CANHAM were in possession of the property in 1720 - did William renege on his mortgage?
Children of William and Judith
Children of Simon and Margaret

Note - Anne Haltaway, who was the daughter of Thomas HALTAWAYof Belton and Susan GRYME of Burgh Castle ( and who married in Somerleyton 28 Sep 1654) married 134 Simon MEWSE 8 Apr 1754 by licence after Samuel's death: also there is a record of John HALTAWAY [Anne's brother?] bur Corton 1711 aged 40 as well as a Susannah MEWSE bur Corton 2 Apr 1775
Samuel became landlord of the White Horse Inn at Corton and left it to his son William. A hundred years later Thomas Sales was the landlord - see here. You can see the pub as it is today here
Note: James was dissenting minister at Lowestoft from 1738 to 1760 - the longest serving of all such clergy. Gillingwater says that he was held in high esteem in the town.
Children of James and Judith
126a......James dob unknown
126b......Judith dob unknown m Mr WOODHOUSE
126c......Robert dob unknown
126d......Elizabeth dob unknown
126e......John dob unknown
126f......Thomas dob unknown
Children of Mr APPLEWHITE and Elizabeth
127a......Henry dob unknown
127b......Elizabeth dob unknown
Note:William was recruited into the Customs service and worked in Cromer, Yarmouth and finally in Southwold. There is a Lowestoft Porcelain tankyard in Bristol Museum which you can see here, marked "Willm Mewse Southwould 1771". And you can also see the website of the new Lowestoft Porcelain which tells you about him here.
My brother has a 1754 book with William's nameplate about Dunwich, Blythburgh and Southwold by Thomas Gardner, which he annotated. William was a subscriber as you can see here
Sarah his widow died intestate, and letters of administration were granted to Cornelius BARNETT of Southwold, mariner, Sarah's brother, on 25 Apr 1807 by the Archdeaconry of Suffolk. Her effects were declared as "under £200"
Child of William and Sarah Clerke
153......Sarah bur Southwold
Note: There exists a Lowestoft Porcelain bowl, painted in underglaze blue, nine and a half inches diameter, inscribed "John & Ann Glasspool Blundstone 1772" showing a sportsman with a gun in a landscape. It is likely, from other entries in the Somerleyton register, that John had siblings: Henry, William and Sarah Glaspoole.
See Glasspoole branch here
Children of John and Ann
154......William bap 17 Sep 1759 Blundeston
155......Sarah bap 12 Feb 1760 Blundeston
156......John bap 25 Jun 1761 Blundeston m Elizabeth COOTE 25 Oct 1787 Somerleyton
Note: John was said to be of Burgh at marriage and Elizabeth lived in Burgh Castle and raised a family there
157......William bap 19 Aug 1765 Blundeston
158......Henry bap 24 Apr 1767 Blundeston
159......Mary bap 13 Oct 1771 Blundeston bur 30 Jul 1772 Blundeston
Child of Simon and Mary
159a......Simon bap 1 Jun 1733 Lowestoft bur 19 Aug 1734 Lowestoft
159b......John bap 2 Sep 1734 bur 2 Nov 1734 Lowestoft

Note: William lived in Corton and kept the White Horse. He was admitted to the tenancy (previously of Samuel MEWSE) on 17 Jun 1747 according to the list of tenants in the Lowestoft Manor Rolls. His will shows him as a mariner, which may explain why Catherine was baptised in Gt Yarmouth
Children of William and Catherine
160......William b after 1750
161......Catherine bap 8 Oct 1758 Old Meeting House, Goal St Presbytarian, Gt Yarmouth
Note: William was the son of Richard NESLEN and Elizabeth WOODTHORPE
Children of William and Mary
171......Mary bap 25 Mar 1768 Lowestoft bur 3 Jun 1768
172......William bap 2 Sep 1769 Lowestoft bur 16 Feb 1830
Note: This was the William was witness to the marriage of 179 Hannah MEWSE bap 27 Mar 1797
173......Samuel bap 24 Dec 1770 Lowestoft bur 9 May 1771
174......John bap 3 Feb 1772 Lowestoft bur 12 Apr 1774
175......Elizabeth bap 11 Apr 1773 Lowestoft d 25 Aug 1822
176......Ann bap 11 May 1775 Lowestoft bur 11 May 1775
177......Samuel bap 28 Nov 1778 Lowestoft

Also in this generation: a Mary MEWSE and Joseph SAILE made a marriage licence allegation

Note: In 1841 the family lived at Pound Street, South Side,Lowestoft, but John was not present. Living with them were James aged 26 and Eliza BOYCE aged 24 and their son James aged 1. James BOYCE was a twinespinner. John was a twinespinner in 1861 living at 177 Church Road Lowestoft, when Mary A STONE (b Nfk) was a visitor. John and Charlotte were Wesley Street, Infirmary Plain in 1871 with their son James. John was bur at Lowestoft Cemetery on 13 Dec 1887 in plot L/3/63 (Fisherman, age stated as 77) and died at Fishermen's Hospital, Beach. Mary A, his second wife was a net mender in 1881
Children of John and Charlotte
259......Elizabeth b 1836 Lowestoft
259a....James b 3rd qr 1838 Lowestoft [Mutford 13 404]
Note: James was described as a cripple in the 1861 census. He was living at 71 Anguish St in 1902 (directory)
260......John Daniel b 5 Dec 1840 Lowestoft [Mutford 13 423]d 29 Mar 1886 off Yarmouth
Note: John was a fisherman, and in the 1861 census he was on board the "Prince Albert" (Master: John BIRD) [RG9 4445]
261......Benjamin b 2nd qr 1843 Lowestoft [Mutford 13 487]
261a....William b 3rd qr 1850 Lowestoft [Mutford XIII 486]
Note: William was a fisherman in the 1881 census
Note John was a carman. In 1861 the family was at 2 Queens Crescent, St Pancras, London
Children of John and Susannah
191b......Charles b 4th qr 1850 [St Pancras 1 345]
191c......Mary Ann b 2nd qr 1853 [St Pancras 16 2]
191d......Daniel William b 2nd qr 1855 [St Pancras 1b 11]
191e......Eliza b 1st qr 1858 [St Pancras 1b 131]
Note: Witnesses Samuel MEWSE and Ann STERRY (see Sterry branch here)
Note: the family was living at Shuckford Loke, Lowestoft in 1851, and Ann was living at 3 Shuckford Loke in 1871 when she was widow and a netmaker, and 1 Spark Building Lowestoft in 1881
You can see the full STERRY family history here
Children of John and Ann
219......James bap 26 Dec 1824 Southwold m Elizabeth CHATTEN 6 Aug 1846 Lowestoft
219a....Timothy b 1826
220......Virtue bap 8 Jul 1831 Lowestoft m Edward EDMONDS 25 Dec 1854 Lowestoft [see Edmonds branch here]
221......Frederick William b 19 Jan 1835 bap 10 May 1835 d (drowned) 4 Nov 1864 m Ann COOK
222......Naomi b 1839 m James Theodore FRIEND 2 Nov 1858 Lowestoft
223......Charlotte b 1841 m Charles John TURRELL 20 Dec 1860 Lowestoft
224......John b 1846
201 Samuel Barber MEWSE bap 1803 d May 1860 at sea m Maria Rumsby GIRLING (b Pakefield 1802 d Mutford last qr 1882) 6 May 1827 Lowestoft Witnesses Hobt NEWSON and J BARRETTNote: The family lived at 110 Beach in 1851, and Maria was living as a widow at 10 Alms Houses, Thurston Rd, Lowestoft in 1881, a parish dependant
Samuel is the first entry on the fishermen's Memorial in St Margarets Church, Lowestoft
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Alfred was awarded a silver medal by the Royal National Lifeboat Institute for his part in the rescue of fourteen people from the steamer SHAMROCK of Dublin. The story appeared in the Illustrated London News of 26 Nov 1859: "When the lifeboat reached the steamer the sea was breaking over the masthead, but she was providentially able to anchor in a most advantageous position ahead of her, and although the seas broke over her and repeatedly filled her, this excellent lifeboat as often, in her bouyancy, clearing herself of the seas, was at length, with difficulty, enabled to approach the steamer. A communication was then by ropes established with the wreck and the whole crew of fourteen were hauled by the lines through the sea to the lifeboat and brought safely to the shore"
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228......Sarah Ann b 1831 Gt Yarmouth
229......Susannah bap 1835 bur 16 Jul 1840
230......William b 3rd qr 1837 [Mutford 13 318] d 7 Jun 1838
231......Isabella b 1st qr 1839 Lowestoft [Mutford 13 437] m Sidney ALLERTON 3rd qr 1859 Lewisham [Mutford 1d 947] (see Allerton branch)
Note: Isabella embroidered a sampler which you can see here. She was also a witness to the marriage of Naomi STERRY and JamesTheodore FRIEND 2 Nov 1858
232...... William Robert bap 1843
233......George A b 1851 Lowestoft
Children of James Barber and Susan
Eliza was living at Palmer Square, East St, Beach when she died. When he died, James lived at Coleman's Square, Beach
Note: Mary Ann was recorded at home on the night of the 1841 census but John was not present. Mary Ann, John, Elizabeth and William were also present as was a Phebe HOLMES
John was a seaman. Ticket no 112046, 35 yrs old when ticketed, height 53, fresh complexion, eyes grey hair brown, first went to sea as a mariner 1820, ticket issued at Gt Yarmouth 20 Mar 1845. He was recorded as a fisherman in 1841 and 1861 living at 119 Beach, next door to brother James Barber MEWSE.
Mary Ann was a beatster (a netmender) in 1861, living at Beach, and 1881. The 1871 census shows them at Whapload Road, Fishermans Shop. In 1881, when John was described as a Fisherman (Late) they both lived at 4 Hospital House, Whapload Rd Lowestoft with their son William who was a fisherman. In 1891 Mary Ann is shown as a widow aged 79 living at Alms Houses, Thurston Rd Lowestoft. When she died, Mary Ann lived at 155 St Peter's St. John Barber and Mary Ann were my great great grandparents.
Children of John Barber and Mary Ann
240......Mary Ann bap 14 Sep 1832 Lowestoft d 24 Sep 1832
241......John bap 1832 d 1832
242......John bap 7 Sep 1833 bur 10 Sep 1833
243......William bap 17 Sep 1834 d 6 Nov 1845
244......John ("Crawney") b 16 Nov 1836 bap 1 Mar 1837 d 27 Mar 1918 bur 3 Apr 1918 Lowestoft
Note: In 1841 John is recorded with his mother at Beach, Lowestoft. John died of senile decay and apoplexy (a stroke) at Fishermen's Hospital Cottages, Lowestoft. The informant was daughter Alice Catchpole of Loddon Rd Broome, near Bungay who was present at the death. You can see a picture of the Fishermen's Hospital entrance here
245.... James b 3rd qr 1838 [Mutford 13 404] d bef 1884 m Elizabeth Ann MARJORAM 4th qr 1878 [Mutford 4a 1656]
246......Mary Ann b 21 Mar 1839 Lowestoft bap 2 Jun 1839 Lowestoft m William PARR 1864 Newington, Surrey
Note: Mary Ann was a servant at 22 Nelson Street in 1861
247......Elizabeth b 26 Feb 1841 bap 24 Aug 1843 m Francis ADAMS (b 1835 seaman) 25 Nov 1861 Lowestoft (See Adams branch here) [Mutford 4a 1491]
Note: James' father was James ADAMS, baker. Witnesses to the marriage were Daniel NICHOLS, Hannah ADAMS and Mary Ann MEWSE: Elizabeth was recorded as a dressmaker in 1861 and was 2 weeks old at the 1841 census
248......Samuel ("Snotty Sam") b and bap 24 Aug 1843 Lowestoft bur 8 Aug 1936 Lowestoft plot L/B/307 aged 93
Note: Samuel was a mariner - he is recorded as a fisherman in 1861; as well as serving on the "Volante" with his brother 196 William, under the mastership of his older brother John in 1864 and 1865, he was also with John on the "Sophia" and served as seaman on the "Antelope" in 1866, "Morning Star in 1866 and 1867 first as seaman then as Mate. In 1880 and he was "Part Owner and Master" of the "Twilight" and in ,1885 and 1886 he seems to have been the sole owner of the "Twilight". Read his complaint to Customs and Excise here
249......William b 15 Apr 1846 Lowestoft bap 3 Jul 1847 Lowestoft
Note: William was a visitor on board the Volant with brother John as the master on 7 Apr 1861. The 1871 census shows him aboard the "Little Polly" William was single and a fisherman, living with parents in 1881
He was a seaman on the "Volante" with his brother Samuel in 1863 and 1864 with brother John as Master. In 1874 he was seaman on the "Morning Light".
250......Susannah b last qr 1848 bap 1848 d 1848
251......Alfred b 8 Apr 1850 Lowestoft d 1850
252......Alfred b 3rd qr 1852 Lowestoft bap 31 Jul 1852 Lowestoft d 16 Sep 1852
Note: there is a record of Maria MEWSE dying in the first quarter of 1875 in Mutford , but it is not certain that it is this Maria. It cannot be the wife of 210 Henry below, because she gave birth after this date.
Child of John and Maria
262......William Warren b 1st qr 1838 Gt Yarmouth North District 07 [GY 13 323]
263......John b 1840 Gt Yarmouth North District 07
Note: John was listed as a fisherman on the vessel "Prince Albert" on 7 Apr 1861
The 1841 census also shows a Hannah MEWSE at South End, Lowestoft a servant to Sarah FARRER
There was also a Charlotte MEWSE aged 20 in 1841 who lived in Denney's Score with her illegitimate child Maria b Jan 1841
There was a Martha Ann MEWSE d 2nd qr 1846 [Mutford 13 336]

GENERATION 10

Note: witnesses to the marriage were Daniel and Elizabeth MEWSE. Maria's parents were Benjamin RUMSBY, labourer and Amy STURGEON) In 1871 Henry and Maria lived at 4 Jacob Street, Lowestoft. In 1882 Henry was not present, but Maria was living with her mother,Amy RUMSBY and her grandmother Ann STURGEON as a boarder, with children Emma and Catherine. Also present in the 1881 census with Amy RUMSBY was Alice MEWSE b abt 1840 Lowestoft, a general domestic servant. In 1891 Henry was a general labourer. in 1902 the directory states that Henry was living at 73 Seago St
Children of Henry and Maria
264...... b 1st qr 1864 Lowestoft [Mutford 4a 742]
Note: In 1891 George was a general labourer
265a....Alice Elizabeth b 1866/7
264b....Emma Jane Rumsby b 1868/9 Lowestoft
265......Catherine E Rumsby b 1872 Lowestoft
265c....Emma Jane b 5 Jul 1874
266......Arthur Samuel Rumsby b Sep 1877 Bourn Lincolnshire [ref 7a 357] d 1962 London (buried Well Hall Rd Cemetery SE9.)
Child of Charles and unknown
266a......George
Note: in 1901 Charles was described as a "corporation labourer"
Child of Charles and Rachel
266b......Charles b 14 Jun 1901 Newcastle on Tyne
266c......Ewart d.o.b. unknown
Note: Elizabeth was the daughter of William HAYLETT, fisherman b 1808 and Mary STARKING (b 1803 d 3rd qr 1912 [Yarmouth 4b 9]
Both of them gave their address as Row 131 Gt Yarmouth at marriage. The witnesses were George and Elizabeth AMISS. John was listed as a mariner in North district , Gt Yarmouth in the 1871 census, living at 5 Blackfriars Road, Great Yarmouth and a trawler skipper and lived at 59 Blackfriars Road, Gt Yarmouth in 1881.
He was presented to Queen Victoria on her visit to Gt Yarmouth as a representative of Norfolk fishermen.
His portrait hangs in the National Gallery entitled "Fisherman of England".
He was lost at sea in 1886 - the record shows:
29th March 1886
"ARAUNAH"
Voyage - Fishing & Return, Type of vessel - Sailing Cutter, (Smack) Construction - Wood,
Owner - J MEWSE, Crew - 2, Number Lost - 1, Skipper - J MEWSE.
Vessel foundered in wind S W Force 7, 52.35N 01.54E.
A report in "The Times" of 31st Mar 1886 states: "Yesterday intelligence was received at Great Yarmouth of the capsizing of a shrimp boat in the roads during a sudden squall. There were two men of the boat at the time, John Mewse the owner and William Joseph Read, a fisherman. They swam together for some little time, but after some minutes Mewse became exhausted and sank. Read was rescued by the crew os the schooner Ariel and was brought to the Sailors' Home, where he soon rallied. Mewse leaves a widow and six children"
Elizabeth gave her birthplace as Misterton in 1891 census and was a charwoman widow. She clearly had a difficult life: at the age of 10 (1851) she was in Rollesby Workhouse with parents, William and Mary who had married in 1833 at Winterton. William died in 3rd qr 1853 at the workhouse. Elizabeth's siblings were at the workhouse in 1851 too: they were Sarah Ann, aged 16 Mary aged 14 Thomas aged 12, James aged 8 and Joseph aged 6.
This is the sign which stood above the door to the Workhouse

Children of John and Elizabeth
267......Ann Elizabeth dob unknown d 1869 Gt Yarmouth
267a....Ann Elizabeth b 3rd qr 1869 Gt Yarmouth m either Walter Lewis HAYLETT or Arthur ASCOUGH 4th qr 1900 Gt Yarmouth
268......Elizabeth b 1870 Gt Yarmouth m William READ
Note: In 1891 Elizabeth was a domestic servant at 67 Fellows Road Hampstead with a solicitor, Patrick SHAW and his family
269......William John b 18 Sep 1875 Gt Yarmouth d 13 Dec 1956 Middlesborough
Note: In 1891 William John was a rope maker living with his widowed mother who was working as a charwoman and was living at 14 Highfield Road Gorleston
270......Florence Kate b 1876 Gt Yarmouth d Gorleston 17 Jan 1955 bur Gorleston cemetery
Note: Florence was a general domestic servant in South Lynn with George W GOWEN in 1891 at 15 Whitefriars Terrace South Lynn, Kings Lynn.. Sheila Alderson sent me the following: "George Gowen is something of a colourful figure on my side of the family tree. Sometime after 1891 he moved to Cardiff with his family, where he was a journalist. Around 1909 he left his wife and family and moved to London with his mistress, who was only a few years older than my grandmother; ie his eldest daughter!"
271.......Minnie Edith b 3rd qr 1878 Gt Yarmouth [Yarmouth 4b 6] (see SLAPP branch here)
272.......James Arthur b 4th qr 1880 Gorleston [Yarmouth 4b 10] d 2 Sep 1953 Fleetwood
Note: James was living at Gorleston in 1891. The "London Gazette" of 24 Sep 1930 records: "Ch Skipper J A Mewse placed on retired list with rank of Skipper Lieut (September 22nd"
Note: In 1881 the family were living in 5 Raglan Terrace, Elswick, Northumberland and in 1891 at 20 Shumac Street, Newcastle where Frederick was a port night watchman . Also boarding with the family in 1891 was Frederick COLEMAN a 29 year old general labourer born Lowestoft. In 1901 Frederick was a nightwatchman in a leather factory
226 Samuel Barber MEWSE b 1827 m Elizabeth TURRELL (b 1827 dau John TURRELL d 2nd qr 1898 Lowestoft aged 70 bur 2 Jun 1898 Lowestoft plot L/9/210) 27 Dec 1847Note: Witnesses William MEWSE and Penelope AYRES They lived with parents at Beach in 1851 and still at Beach Lowestoft in 1861. Alfred was a fisherman. In 1881 Sarah Ann was a beatster (netmender) living at 2 Whapload Road, Lowestoft
Children of Alfred and Sarah Ann
284......George Alfred bap 1851 d 22 Nov 1858
285......Eleanor Isobel b 3rd qr 1852 m either Henry COPEMAN or William Puncer POPE 1st qr 1884 [Mutford 4a 1020]
Note: Eleanor was a dressmaker in 1881 living with mother. At her wedding she called herself Eleanor Isabella
286......William Frederick b 1855
287......Charles Henry James Ayers b 1856, fisherman (boarding with Samuel COSSEY in 1881) m Pleasance WOODS (b 1862, dau of Henry WOODS, labourer [dec] ) 15 Oct 1884 Witnesses William Frederick MEWSE and Louise Jane SADLER.
Note: Charles was a seaman on "Star of the East" and "Sapphire" in 1878 and 1879. The 1900 Kelly's direcory shows him as living at 71 Albert Street, Lowestoft, a boat owner. Either he or his brother 288 Henry is the subject of a report in "The Times" of 3rd August 1934 as having been a retired boat owner, and leaving £11315 (net personalty £10236). The name given is "Henry James Ayers Mewse".
286a....Eleanor Isabella b 3rd qr 1857 Lowestoft m William Puncher POPE (b 1859), 24 Jan 1844
Note: witnesses Henry James Ayers MEWSE and George and Hannah MEWSE William was a fisherman son of Henry POPE railway pilot
288......Henry Ayers b 1857 Lowestoft, Mariner
289......Margaret Alice b 4th qr 1863 Lowestoft (blind) [Mutford 4a 674]
290......Alonzo Shorten b 1871 Lowestoft
291......Georgiana b abt 1862 Lowestoft
291b....Alfred George b 3rd qr 1868 Lowestoft [Mutford 4a 687] d 1st qr 1914 Gt Yarmouth m Ada CORNWALL (b 1874 Southwark d 31 Mar 1907 aged 32) 11 Apr 1900 St Mary Newington
In 1901 Alfred and Ada were living at 147 Albany Road, Camberwell (St George's) and Alfred was a commercial clerk. The family story is that Ada died giving birth to their only son - Thanks, Jean!
Note: Benson and Mary Ann were living at 11 Lighthouse Hill in 1861, 5 Lighthouse Score in 1898 : Benson was a boatbuilder/shipwright - confirmed by Cook's Directory of Lowestoft in 1883, stll living at Lighthouse Hill. Benson, Mary Ann and Florence were living at 5 Lighthouse Score in 1901. Mary Ann died at 5 Lighthouse Score and Benson died aged 66 at Beccles Road, Oulton Broad. You can see a photograph of cottages in Lighthouse Score here
Children of Benson and Mary Ann
291a....Susan b 1860 Lowestoft
292......Mary Elizabeth b 4th qr 1862 [Mutford 4a 622] m 1st qr 1882 [Mutford 4a 1013] either William WRIGHT or Charles HUBBARD
293......Benson George bap 1865 d Nov 1917 bur 23 Nov 1917 Lowestoft [L/J/125] aged 52
Note: Benson was a "boy" aboard the vessel "Champion" in 1881 but at death is shown as a Fish Merchant, having been living at 6 Wesley Street, Lowestoft.
294......William Samuel b 4th qr 1870 bap 1871 hairdresser m Annie Elizabeth PAGE (dau James PAGE, fish hawker) 21 May 1893
295......Alice Maud b 1876 m Daniel James HALL (b 1876, fisherman) 17 Apr 1898 witnesses Osgood Robert TRUNDLE and Florence Martha MEWSE
296......Florence Martha b 1879 m William Robert STONE or Herberet HARRIS 1st qr 1907 [Mutford 4a 1634]
297......Clara Gertrude b 2 Feb 1881 Lowestoft d 6 Dec 1954 Lowestoft
Note: William was the sixth son of James PARR and Maria CHAPMAN b 1841 Kirkley. He was a carpenter/joiner
Children of William and Mary Ann
P1......Elizabeth b 2nd qr 1862 Lowestoft [Mutford 4a 709]
Note: Elizabeth's birth was registered as Mewse but in the census she appears as Parr
P2......William b 2nd qr 1865 Lambeth Surrey [Lambeth 1d 344]
P3......Alfred b 4th qr 1867 Lambeth Surrey [Lambeth 1d 361]
P4......Samuel Mewse b 1871Lambeth Surrey [Lambeth 1d 415]
P5......John Mewse b 3rd qr 1873 Lambeth Surrey [Lambeth 1d 395]
P6......George b 1874 Lambeth Surrey
P7......Maria Chapman b 4th 1879 Lambeth Surrey [Lambeth 1d 410]
Frances was the daughter of William James GARNER and Frances CHATTEN - see Chatten branchand was a braider in 1861
[2] Elizabeth CRICKMORE (b 1847 d 14 May 1919) 12 Oct 1867 St John's Church, Lowestoft [see Crickmore branch] Note: Witnesses William MEWSE and Elizabeth ADAMS
There appear to have been two vessels of which he was master - one, the Volant is recorded in 1861, and the other was the Volante reg LT14 which was built in 1880. [the Volante can be seen here with a list of the 1861 crew],
In 1883 there was a great storm in which the Volante lost her boat and sails - an account in verse may be seen here At this time the Volante was owned by W SLACK of Denmark Road, Lowestoft according to the 1883 Cook's Directory of Lowestoft
He was also involved in the abortive rescue of the crew of the "Defender" in 1902 - for a description click here
Children of John and Elizabeth
The 1861 census shows John as master of the Volant, at sea.The 1871 census shows John and Elizabeth, my great grandparents, living "Next the Gas House": John is shown as a fisherman - he was Master of the "Volante" in 1863 and 4, with his brother Samuel as part of the crew, and of the "Sophia" in 1864 and 1865, and in both 1885 and 1888 he is recorded as Mate on the "Twilight", having previously served on the "John Smith KG". The 1881 census shows John and Elizabeth living at 2 Rant Score (see a picture here), Lowestoft: John, fisherman aged 44, Elizabeth aged 33, Fanny 18, Eliza 7, John 3. In Kelly's of 1900 and 1902 directory John was shown at 2 Waveney Terrace, Whapload Road In the 1901 census John is described as a "Shrimper".
John was a member of the "Old Company" - a group (there were three at Lowestoft) which was formed to salvage wrecked vessels. Even in the mid 1800s when John was first a member, priority was given to saving lives over salvage, but when the alarm was raised there was a concerted rush by each company, since the first to get to the wreck got the salvage money. You can see some of the "Old Company" outside their "shod" here.
John, who had the nickname of "Crorney", inherited by his son John Samuel, was coxswain of the Lowestoft lifeboat from 1901 to 1911, but had been involved as a member of the lifeboat crew since the 1850's and had been second coxwain from 1896 to 1901. In 1905 he took the lifeboat "Samuel Plimsoll" to the Thames, where she was used for motor trials by the RNLI, and returned with the 46 foot "Kentwell" built at a cost of £2197 by Thames ironworks. See an account of all his launches here
In 1866 John helped in a courageous rescue of the crew of the Austrian ship "Osip" for which he was later awarded a medal, along with the rest of the crew. For a description of the event, click here.The medal shown below was issued to John, along with the others of the rescuers, and is now in the Maritime Museum, Lowestoft.
The 'Laetitia' was a 42'6" x 11'8" Norfolk and Suffolk class lifeboat built in Sparham's Yard which was on station from 1850 to 1876. In 47 launches her crew rescued 271 people. She was broken up in 1876. 
This medal was presented to the museum by 421 Russell Mewse, great grandson of John after being found in the effects of his deceased brother 419 Ray Alan Mewse.
and here is a picture of the Lifeboat Kentwell in 1910 of which John was cox from 1901 to 1911
Also in the 1881 census Elizabeth Mary Ann lived at 1 Rant Score with Susan Crickmore (nee Shorten - see CRICKMORE branch) her grandmother and Susan's grandsons, William aged 5 and James aged 4. Also living at no 1 was James Pye who is recorded as Susans grandson. Elizabeth nee CRICKMORE died while living at Fishermens Hospital Cottages (6 almshouses for retired fishermen) Whapload Rd (between Rant's Score East and Wildes' St) of Cardiac failure and Bronchitis. John had died the year before at the same address. he is buried in plot L/K/36 in Lowestoft Cemetery
Children of John and Francis
298......John Samuel bap 1860 d 22 Nov 1870
299......Frances (Fanny) bap 1863, a net repairer in 1881 m John James CRICKMORE 4th qr 1881 St John's Church, Lowestoft. [Mutford 4a 1760] Witnesses were William Almond CRICKMORE and James Robert CRICKMORE (see Crickmore branch)
Note: At the time of his marriage John James was living at 52 Toning Street, Lowestoft and Frances Mewse was at 7 St John's St Lowestoft
300......Samuel John bap 7 Jun 1868 d 22 Nov 1870
302......Elizabeth Mary Ann bap 4 Dec 1870 d 27 Oct 1944 m Frank James GREEN [see GREEN branch] 30 Nov 1899 - witnesses George TAYLOR and Alice Elizabeth GREEN
Note: In 1881 she was living next door at 1 Rants Score with her grandmother Susan Crickmore. Elizabeth Mary Ann was an assistant schoolteacher in 1891 at Hintlesham, Suffolk, boarding with Tom and Annette ATKIN at Hadleigh Road, Hintlesham. She was a teacher at Kirkley Infant School during its first year of operation in 1898, and was given a clock as a wedding present from staff and pupils, [still in my posession, 110 years on] when she left. See details here
303......Eliza Ann Alice b lasr qr 1873 bap 5 Oct 1873 m Walter William Harvey CATCHPOLE 2nd qr 1900. [Mutford 4a 1985]
Note: She registered and was present at her mothers death in 1919, at which time she lived at Loddon Rd Broome Bungay. Walter made himself a car about 1900 which can be seen here.
304......Alice Maud Susan bap 6 Dec 1874 bur 3 Aug 1875
305......John Samuel b 6 Apr 1877 d 31 Mar 1931 Ilford, Essex
306......Samuel John b 3 Nov 1878 bap 1 Dec 1878 bur 28 Jul 1879
307......Samuel Ernest b 10 Aug 1880 bap 6 Sep 1880 d 30 Apr 1881
308......Alice Maud Daisy b 16 Oct 1882 bap 26 Nov 1882 All Saints Church, Lowestoft d 27 Aug 1883 bur 3 Sep 1883 St Margarets, Lowestoft
309......Alice May bap 1887 bur 22 Aug 1827 aged 2 months
Note: Elizabeth was the daughter of James Garwood JONES, painter. Witnesses to the wedding were Edward COLEMAN and Eliza CLARKE.Also living with the family in 1891 were Mary A Marjoram, a 23 year old netmaker a daughter to Elizabeth and her daughter-in-law Matilda MARJORAM aged 20. At that time Elizabeth was a net maker. After James died Elizabeth Ann married again to William GREEN 1st qr 1884 Lowestoft [Mutford 4a 1033]
Child of James and Elizabeth
245a......Mildred Susannah b 2nd qr 1879 Lowestoft
Note: Mildred was described as lame in the 1891 census, and was living with her mother who was again a widow
Child of Samuel and Naomi
310....Beatrice b 1872 Lowestoft
Note: William was the son of Ambrose GOODWIN (bricklayer). Witnesses to the wedding were Ambrose GOODWIN and Mary WHELER (sic)
Child of Maria