WOLFORD'S HOUSE & FAMILY HISTORY

If you would like information about the history of a particular house or about previous residents of the village, whether of not they were born here, you are invited to send details of your request, which will then be investigated and the findings published on these pages.

Recently a ldy enquired about Dyer genealogy. She had traced her predecessors back to a Robert Dyer baptised in the Wolfords in 1779. She asked if anything was known of Robert's predecessors. It was possible from our Parish records to trace a further four generation back into the late 16C. It was then that the correspondent revealed that Tony Dyer was her uncle so this established line of predecessors was also Tony's!

The earliest known of these Dyers is Richard., born c1590 so the line is traced for over 400 years. It appears that Robert left Wolford in the late eighteenth century having married a Todenham girl. A later predecessor moved to Moreton where they continued to reside. Tony was born in and lived in Moreton until returning to Great Wolford!

Tony has returned home!

THATCHED COTTAGES IN THE WOLFORDS

There is sparse written or photographic evidence of thatching in the Wolfords.  In fact, as far as I am aware, there is no evidence of thatch in Little Wolford at all    My belief is that no further thatch was originated in Great Wolford after about 1700 by which time stonefield slated roofs were appearing on new cottages, always having been the choice on more substantial houses.    The following photographs are our only evidence.

Today, this  is Jasmine Cottage before which it was Simon' Cottage named after the son of Mr & Mrs Ames the previous occupiers.   These buildings are on the c1770 map of the village and are desribed as thatched in 1920.  In 1970 they were  described as at 2, Back Street and "two eighteenth century two storey thatched cottages combined into one unit.  Built in stone.  Wooden casement windows under exposed timber lintels.  Stone lean-to extensions with corrugated iron roofing".  The thatch in this instance was replaced some time in the 1970's.  The photograph is believed to date from the 1930's

This cottage is no longer there.  It was on the site of what is now Ashfield House.  It is on the 1770 map occupied by John Fletcher  and It is believed to have been there as late as 1970, albeit derelict'

This is "The Retreat" about 1906 according to the supplier of this photograph.  The woman was his grandmother Carlena Hyatt , baptized in Great Wolford in 1883.   This cottage is late 17th century, dated by a thimble discovered buried in the walls on restoration in the 1970's.

This is "The Retreat" today, prior to the recent re-ridging.

This is "Road End".  It was described as thatched in 1920 but was destroyed by fire in the 1920's.  It was remembered by Mrs Lucy, the then postmaster's daughter who provided a vivid description of the occasion.

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If anyone has further photographs, memories of or stories about thatched roofs, unfortunately very expensive, the writer would like to know that they may be recorded before their final disappearance

Will there be any thatched buildings in 2050?

IN RESPONSE TO THE ABOVE,  evidence ot previous thatched roofing at "The Rosary" in Little Wolford has been reported.  This is being investigated and the presence of the house in 1820 and subsequently has been established from various maps.   IT has been possible also to identify successive tenants.   Direct evidence of thatching in Little Wolford has also been discovered.  The investigation continues.

THE RYMAN FAMILY IN THE WOLFORD

After visiting the Church,, Mr and Mrs Ryman from Lichfield, Staff, called enquiring about the above family.  I looked at my records and  was able to tell them the following: 

I had no information at all about their predeccessor Giles Ryman's first wife and family. who lived in Great Tew.  Giles Ryman had been born there, married there and raised a famliy there. Unfortunately he was also widowed there before 1817. 

There was more about his second marriage and the resulting offspring.  Giles Ryman, now a widower ,certainly married Mary Dyer in the Wolfords 28 Jan 1817 and the baptisms of four children are recorded viz

John Charles, baptised 30 Mar 1817, Mary, 20 Dec 1818, Stephen, 27 Jan 1822, Ann, 24 October 1824 and Sarah 21 Sept 1818. Of interest might be that Giles was recorded as a farmer at the baptism of the first two children but thereafter as a labourer!

Giles was buried on 1 Jan 1833 aged 64 suggesting he was born circa 1769 and was aged 33 when first married. Mary, his second wife was buried 19 Nov 1833 aged 48 so was much younger. Sarah was buried on 14 May 1829 aged 11 months suggesting she was born the previous June. No more is recorded of the other four children and no Rymans occur in either Great or Little Wolford in the 1841 Census. (the inscription on the Gravestone in the Wolford Churchyard says that Mary was 59 when buried. I personally think this is mistaken but if in doubt the Rymans were advised to check the Parish Registers at the Warks Record Office.  If I am right, the coincidence of two people of quite different ages being buried within days of each other needs explanation)

A Robert Ryman of Barton on the Heath married Sarah Shepard, a widow, in the Wolfords on 24 May 1824. He was probably the oldest son of the first marriage aged 19 on his marriage.

Additionally an Eliza Ryman married William Smith in the Wolfords on 14th Oct 1823. Whether she fitted  into the Ryman's  family tree I could''t say.

I did try to trace the birth and parentage of Mary (Holton) Dyer. Unfortunately there were three Mary Dyers baptised in 1775, 1779 and 1782, any of whom might be the relevant predecessor. They were born to Samuel and Catherine, John and Mary and Thomas and Sarah successively but in no case could I find a "Holton" connection. (the Rymans had indicated that Holton was Mary's  second christian name)

Further information was found in the Land Tax. In 1813 Robert was liable for Land Tax on an estate in the Wolfords and from 1814 to 1817 Giles was liable for the tax on the same estate. In both cases they were tenants of Lord Northampton.

Finally I was able to give then a transcript of a lease showing  Giles leasing a considerable estate in Great Wolford in 1814.

In conclusion, it did seem that the Rymans were here for a short time only. The evidence suggests that their Wolford existence started in 1814 and continued till their burial in 1833 all the offspring having flown the Wolford nest.

Last Updated: 1/7/2008