I’m beginning to feel like an expert in family reunions following my columns about Hamer and the Ford, Boddy and Eddon families, where relatives and descendants have come forward. We also recently read about the family reunion of the Beans from the Easingwold/Husthwaite area, and there were a few others further back. I now I have another interesting connection crop up.
Late last year I wrote a series of columns on unusual first names, which prompted Brian Reader to contact me with the following: “Two of my grandfather Rocious’s sisters were named Fera and Ellengor! So far I haven’t found the origins.”
It led me to try to find out the where these quirky names came from, and I had a few ideas about Rocious and Fera but I could find out very little about where the name Ellengor originated.
I wrote at the time: “I have found a few mentions of women called ‘Ellengor’, most of whom came from the Northallerton area and one of which might well be Brian’s great aunt. We have Ellengor Barker (1862-1955), Ellengor Bramley (1871-1965), and Ellengor Barker Rollins (1889-1977) all from Northallerton and who might well be related. My guess is that Ellengor Barker Rollins is the daughter of Ellengor Barker.
“There are also a couple more: Ellengor Kimberley (b.Boynton) who was born in either 1889, 1899, or 1900 and died in 1961, and her daughter Ellengor Collins (1922-2015). Both of these women came from the Bedale area. I wonder if all the Ellengors are related and named after one original family matriarch?”
After having read my piece, Brian got back in touch to say: “The Rollins and Bramley families are all related to Barker. The earliest Ellengor I have found so far was Ellengor (Ellen) Barker (nee Elliott) born in 1822 in Woodhouse and who died on 4th June 1887 in Northallerton. I have yet to follow up the Elliott family.”
And now, Neil Kimberley has been in touch to say: “I have just stumbled across a recent piece by you regarding unusual names and you refer to a character Rocious, the grandfather of a reader. Rocious Boynton is, I believe, the brother of my grandmother Ellengor Kimberley (nee Boynton) who married Wilfred John Kimberley in Kirklington near Bedale in the same year they had their first child Ellengor who married a Collins, also briefly referenced in the article.”
It looks like Brian and Neil are related, but not in contact. Is there another family reunion on the cards?
Last week I also mentioned Tom Lee who was known as the ‘Grassington murderer’. I have found some mentions from contemporary newspapers of the time. Although he was suspected of the murder, he was initially set free. On Tuesday 22nd July 1766, the Leeds Intelligencer informs us: “The indictment against Thomas Lee, on suspicion of murdering Mr Richard Petty of Grassington in Craven, was not found.”
However, two years later, on 12th April 1768, the same paper explains: “A few days ago, Thomas Lee of Grassington in Craven, was committed to York-Castle, on suspicion of murdering Richard Petty, late of Grassington, apothecary, about two years ago…but it is now said a young man has made some discovery which is the cause of his being again committed.” And then on 26th July, again at the assizes at York: “Thomas Lee…was executed yesterday.”
So we know he was accused, but acquitted, then following a witness coming forward with new evidence, was found guilty and executed for the crime. What’s missing from the newspaper reports are any more details about what happened, and what that evidence was. I do need to do some more digging, and a book has been written about the whole tale, which I will try to get my hands upon.
What my Grassington friends told me was that Lee’s body was returned to the town and displayed on a gibbet on a little hill next to the bridge across the River Wharfe as a deterrent to others who might be tempted to commit such an outrage.
Does it trouble you that in days gone by, the word of just one man was enough to send another to his grave? Or was there more to it? There will be more to come on this local legend once I have had a good ferret about!
The Countryman's Daughter 