Comments on: Travelling Roads Through Time

By: Sue Cooke

Sue Cooke — Wed, 14 Jan 2026 18:42:09 +0000

Hello Stuart,
Just seen your couple of posts about the Beavis and Montague families. I have come down through the line of John Beavis Loom Maker and then his son Charles and his wife Margaret then their daughter Ester ( no H ) who married George Montague. It was their son Thomas Montague who married Esther Joel, her mother being my Ester’s sister Ann so we have a double family relationship going on. I thought these two families were either Jewish or French Huguenot descent but could not find anything to back this up, neither myself nor other family members that have taken DNA tests show any of these traits. I will be interested if you find anything else on this subject.
I take it you know that one of John Beavis’s other sons was Benjamin, a Beadle of Norton Folgate and he is mentioned in many cases at the Old Bailey online, there is also a great painted picture of him if you do not have it just search for Benjamin Beavis of Norton Folgate and it should come up.
Look forward to hearing from yet another relative.
Kind Regards,
Sue

By: Stuart Beavis

Stuart Beavis — Thu, 15 Aug 2024 11:45:20 +0000

Karol Settergren,

I would like to make contact, but I have only just discovered your letter, written 2 years ago. I am aware of the watchmaker, William Beavis. I believe there could be a connection to my ancestors. My ancestor, John Beavis, born 1741, mentioned in my letter above, was also a watchmaker, as were his son and grandson, also watchmakers, both also named John Beavis. Even though these men were described as watchmakers, I would not be surprised to find they also made clocks. I have found other references to William Beavis, who seems to have been well known for his trade. If you do happen to read this letter, my email address is bsbqs1@optusnet.com.au.

Stuart Beavis, Brisbane, Queensland, Australia

By: Karol Settergren

Karol Settergren — Wed, 27 Jul 2022 17:34:23 +0000

For Stuart Beavis, We may have a piece of your family history as we own a Wm Beavis tall clock. I would like to share this information with you but unsure how to make contact.

Karol Settergren
Rochester Hills MI

By: Stuart Beavis

Stuart Beavis — Tue, 14 Jul 2020 11:00:06 +0000

Gillian,
I have just found this story. I have an interest in the origin of Beavis families from central London. My Beavis ancestors lived in this area and I have found other Beavis families in the same general area, but I cannot find links to connect them. My earliest traceable Beavis ancestor was John Beavis who was born in about 1741 (from his death notice stating he was 68 when he died in 1809). One of the families I have discovered goes back to John Beavis, born in about 1755, who lived in the Liberty of Norton Folgate. He was a Loom Maker and I believe he might be the grandfather of Ann Beavis in your story, through his son Charles. I have developed a tree of some of his descendants in which I have Esther Joel’s mother-in-law as Esther Beavis, sister of Ann Beavis, and married to George Montague. It is apparent from the names, both surnames and first names that there was a strong Jewish connection, but I was surprised to read that you have grouped the Beavis name in the Jewish group. I have never thought there was a Jewish connection to any Beavis names that I have encountered in my research and as you intimated in your story the Jewish people appear to have had their children baptised into the Church of England. Do you have any documentation that shows that Beavis family members were in fact of Jewish stock? I had been looking for a Huguenot link. I would be very interested in finding information about any Beavis’s you may have encountered in central London in your research. My email address may be ascertained through “Spitalfields Life”. If not, perhaps I could reach you through “Spitalfields Life”?
Regards, Stuart Beavis.

By: Pamela Traves

Pamela Traves — Mon, 11 May 2020 23:31:02 +0000

These are Wonderful Pictures. Thank You So Much!!???????

By: Gillian Tindall

Gillian Tindall — Mon, 04 May 2020 19:17:15 +0000

May the Fourth be with us indeed! With very best wishes to David Harrison.
Gillian Tindall

By: David Harrison

David Harrison — Mon, 04 May 2020 14:18:10 +0000

I’m honoured to share a Birthday with such a wonderful writer. May the Fourth be with us.

By: paul loften

paul loften — Mon, 04 May 2020 11:42:43 +0000

Thank you both Gillian and the GA for this interesting history of early Jewish immigrants to London. It has to be said that their history when compared to the lives of those Jewish people who remained in Europe, was relatively uneventful. Although I should think if you asked their descendants today they would be quite satisfied with that.

By: Jill Wilson

Jill Wilson — Mon, 04 May 2020 07:33:47 +0000

Another great contribution from Gillian (as always!)

I’d love to be able to walk the streets of London without all the traffic and noise, to really feel and appreciate the history and hidden geography of the city. I have always loved the fact that the street plans of London are so random, and it is fascinating to wonder why they have developed the way they have.

Instead I have to make do with our local woods (admittedly very beautiful at the moment) and the village of Limpsfield in Surrey. Spookily enough I think of Gillian every time I go past the Manor House where she was at school and which featured in her book Three Houses, Many Lives – another very good read.

Keep up the good work Gillian, and have a very happy birthday – and stay safe!