The Search for the Origins of Robert Gaymer (C1739-1822)
PAGE INDEX
Research visit to Norfolk CRO October 1997
Research visit to Suffolk CRO October 1998
Research Visit to the Society of Genealogists - May 1999
Research Visit to Suffolk CRO - October 1999
We know little of the early years of Robert Gaymer. We do know that he was born about 1738/9 but no previous research data has been made available for us to determine where he was born or who his parents were.
It is known that he arrived in Banham from Starston before 1784 and that a number of children were born by his wife Hannah. Records indicate that he was assessed for land tax in 1784 in Banham, was an highway surveyor in 1799, and was a freeholder in the Polls of 1802 and 1817. He died in 1821 and left a Will that was proved in 1822. Hannah died and was buried in Banham in 1805. Robert and Hannah's children were "Long" John (bapt. Starston 19.8.1769 - died Banham 1843), Ann (1774 - 1798), William (c1775 - c1822), Robert (1780 - ?), Sarah (1777 - 1806) and Elizabeth (1787 - ?).
Up to October 1997, this seemed to be the totality of our knowledge of Robert and Hannah. The undermentioned research was carried out to expand our knowledge.
Research visit to Norfolk CRO October 1997
In October 1997, the author visited the Norfolk CRO and made a search of the parish registers of Starston, Redenhall, Needham, Alburgh, Putnam St Mary The Virgin, Putnam St Mary Magdalen, Hempnall, Topcroft, and Tasburgh between the years 1700 and 1780 (to 1800 in the case of Starston). The results of all but the first and the last proved negative with no record of any Gaymers.
The original Starston parish registers in September 1764 recorded the publishing of the Banns of Marriage between a Robert Gayman (sic) of Starston and a Hannah Penniwill (sic) of Tasburgh. Additionally, an Elizabeth (father Robert Gayman) is shown in the baptisms for 7 February 1768 (mother not shown). Lastly, the baptism of John Gaymer (father Robert and mother Hannah) is recorded on 19 August 1769.
This must have been "Long John" Gaymer. The Banns of Tasburgh were searched but for some unknown reason, there was no entry for Robert and Hannah. However, the actual marriage is recorded on 7 October 1764 between Robert Gaymer of Starston and Hannah Perriwill (sic) of Tasburgh. Both made their marks in the register. So, was Hannah a Penniwill or a Perriwill. The IGI shows no Perriwills (or similar) in Norfolk but does record an Elizabeth Pennywell, bapt. 24 March 1786 in Attleborough, whose parents were Henry and Mary.
Likewise, the IGI for Suffolk shows no Perriwills but lists a multitude of Perrys. It also records a numbers of Pennywells, Pennewells, Penwells, and Panywells. Although it is a difficult decision to make, the balance of information would suggest that the safest name to adopt for Hannah at this stage would be Penniwill. What then of Elizabeth Gayman (bapt. 7 Feb 1768, father Robert)? This was probably Elizabeth Gaymer, daughter of Robert and Elizabeth, who married William Ellis in 1787. She died in Banham in 1794 aged 26.
Back then to the origins of Robert. Did he come from the Norwich area passing through Tasburgh on the way down to the southern border villages of Norfolk? (The IGI shows a Robert Gymer being baptised in Norwich in 1739). Or did he come from Suffolk?
The name Gaymer/Gymer was also well established in Suffolk and in the northern parishes of the county in the 16th, 17th, and 18th Centuries and this points to where the next research visit might be undertaken.
Research visit to Suffolk CRO October 1998
I had two main objectives. Firstly, to see if my William had been born just over the county border south of Diss, and secondly, to search the area south-west of Starston/Diss for the origins of Robert Gaymer (C1839-1821) as his Will suggested that he had some connections there
. The following parishes were searched between approx 1700 - 1800 with no trace of Gaymers: Redgrave, Rickinghall Inferior, Rickinghall Superior, Stanton All Saints, Stanton St John, Mendlesham, Eye, Palgrave, Stuston, Yaxley.
Finningham was the last parish I tackled and may turn out to be the Gaymer Holy Grail. My findings were as follows:
Baptisms - 18 March 1736 John Gaimer, son of William and Sarah; 15 June 1740 Robert Gaimer, son of William and Sarah; 13 July 1755 James Gaimer, son of Sarah.
Marriages - 1 October 1702 Edmund Gaymer (Cordwayner) and Susan Chapman.
Burials -11 January 1659 Elizabeth Gaimer; 26 February 1737 John Gaimer, son of William and Sarah; 5 June 1763 Sarah Gaimer, widow.
This was one of the areas that I had hoped to find Gaymers as Robert's Will showed he had connections in this northern part of Suffolk, Finningham being approx 17 miles from Starston and approx 14 from Banham. So, maybe Robert Gaimer is the one we have been hoping to find.
Below are some thoughts on the matter:
Research Visit to the Society of Genealogists - May 1999
Transcripts for the years 1600/1650 - 1800 were examined for the following parishes:
Finningham, Badwell Ash, Thornham Parva *, Wickham Skeith *, Mendlesham, Burgate *, Walsham le Willows *, Rickinghall Inferior *, Eye, Gislingham, Rickinghall Superior *, Braiseworth, Wattisfield, Stanton *, Wyverstone *, Cotton, Stoke Ash, Thornham Magna, Bacton *, Westhorpe, Mellis *
No trace of any Gaymers were found in the parishes marked with an asterisk but substantial finds were made in the parishes of Gislingham, Finningham, Braiseworth and Eye. From these findings it is possible to establish a tree of about four generations back from Robert Gaimer/Gaymer (bpt 1740) to Robert Gaymer (b. C 1600) who was Constable of Braiseworth.
Research Visit to Suffolk CRO - October 1999
Searches of over 30 parishes were carried out which means that we have now done a substantial sweep of over 60 Suffolk parishes bordering the Norfolk boundary (approx 15 miles deep) in our search for the origins of Robert Gaymer (b.C1739).
An earlier sweep of 17 parishes in Norfolk radiating from Starston did not reveal any Gaymers before about 1770. As I have mentioned earlier, there were reasonably strong pointers to the suspicion that Robert originated in Suffolk and Finningham in particular. A tabulated list of findings is shown below.
Baptisms:
Date |
Name |
Father |
Mother |
Parish |
Comments |
3 May 1773 |
John Gaymer William Gaymer |
Robert |
Hannah |
Hinderclay |
|
23 May 1774 |
Ann Gaymer |
Robert |
Hannah |
Hinderclay |
|
6 Oct 1776 |
Sarah Gaymer |
Robert |
Hannah |
Hinderclay |
|
4 July 1784 |
Thomas Gaymer |
John |
Charlotte |
Hinderclay |
See burial |
1 Jan 1800 |
Charlotte Maria Gayner |
- |
Charlotte Gayner |
Stanton All Saints |
|
25 Jan 1801 |
Mary Gaymer |
William |
Ann |
Oakley |
See burials for William Goymer and Ann Gormer |
12 July 1804 |
William Gaymer |
William |
Ann |
Oakley |
See burial for William Gormer |
15 Dec 1807 |
Edward Goymer |
William |
Mary |
Oakley |
|
27 Sept 1640 |
James Gaymer |
John |
- |
Metfield |
|
4 April 1678 |
Mary Gaymer |
William |
Elizabeth |
Cratfield |
|
22 Dec 1679 |
William Goimer |
William |
Elizabeth |
Laxfield |
Bpt at home |
18 Nov 1604 |
Robert Gymer |
John |
Margaret |
Gt. Livermere |
|
18 Oct 1607 |
John Gymer |
John |
Margaret |
Gt. Livermere |
See burial |
10 Feb 1610 |
Ann Gymer |
John |
Margaret |
Gt. Livermere |
|
4 Sept 1614 |
George Gymer |
John |
Margaret |
Gt. Livermere |
|
16 Mar 1616 |
Margaret Gymer |
John |
Margaret |
Gt. Livermere |
|
25 Sept 1642 |
Phebe Gymer |
John |
- |
Gt. Livermere |
See burial |
Marriages:
Date |
Husband |
Wife |
Parish |
Comments |
2 Dec 1783 |
John Gaymer (of Gislingham) |
Charlotte Doe |
Hinderclay |
|
15 Jan 1666 |
Edmund Harvye |
Margaret Gimer |
Withersdale |
|
24 Jun 1735 |
William Gaymer |
Sarah Houchin |
Occold |
|
25 Feb 1800 |
William Gaymer |
Ann Goodesham |
Oakley |
|
26 Sept 1725 |
Peter Gaymer |
Elizabeth Beals |
Brome |
|
11 Sept 1746 |
Samual Guymer |
Elizabeth (?Guymer) |
Denham St John (near Eye) |
Register read "Samual and Elizabeth Guymer were married" |
14 Dec 1705 |
Stephen Gaymer |
Grace Wills |
Coddingham |
Noticed entry in parish index whilst scanning film J562/25. |
1602 |
John Gimer |
Margaret Bugge |
Gt. Livermere |
|
1621 |
John Hyner (sic) |
Margaret Goodman |
Gt Livermere |
Burials:
Date |
Name |
Father |
Mother |
Parish |
Comments |
6 May 1785 |
Thomas Gaymer |
John |
Charlotte |
Hinderclay |
infant |
17 Dec 1808 |
William Goymer |
Oakley |
|||
16 Oct 1814 |
William Gormer |
Oakley |
Aged 11 |
||
11 May 1822 |
Ann Gormer |
Oakley |
Aged 53 |
||
22 May 1573 |
Nicholas Gymer |
Jhon (sic) |
- |
Gt. Livermere |
|
19 April 1620 |
John Gymer |
Gt. Livermere |
|||
5 July 1641 |
John Gymer |
John |
- |
Gt. Livermere |
|
20 Dec 1661 |
Phebe Gymer |
John |
- |
Gt. Livermere |
In general not a great deal was found. This was not disappointing as the object of the exercise was to eliminate parishes and hopefully confirm that Robert indeed came from the Finningham/Gislingham area.
Having said that little was found, that statement is not quite correct for we stumbled on one remarkable village - Hinderclay - the boundary of which is about 3 miles from the boundaries of Finningham and Gislingham. Hinderclay - I still do not quite understand its relevance to Robert - but it would appear that he and wife Hannah brought their first four children back from Starston or Banham to be baptised there on three different occasions. The names and dates are all in their correct order.
Re-visiting the IGI, it is now significant that their dates of baptism were not shown but only places accompanied by the @ sign indicating a source not generally from parish registers - possibly Robert's Will or an early Gaymer tree (IGI source was in 1949). The only problem I have with all of this was that in 1997 I found a baptism of Robert's son John in Starston for 1769. He may, of course, have been baptised twice or perhaps the 1769 John (possibly born 1768) died in 1769 and was immediately replaced by another John born in 1770/1771, an extremely common practice.
So why did Robert take his children back to Hinderclay to be baptised? If he was a Suffolk man then he might have wanted his children to be recorded in Suffolk - there were no birth certs in those days. It is felt that probably he had some family connection(s) there. You will see from the list that a John Gaymer was living in Hinderclay in 1783 with his wife Charlotte, John having come from Gislingham (possibly originating from next-door Finningham). He may have been a younger brother of Robert or perhaps a cousin. There is the possibility that Robert's ageing father moved there to find work some years earlier. Although research has been done for all these neighbouring parishes, I believe that many events were never recorded.
There were also a number of Perrys living in Hinderclay. Robert had an illegitimate daughter, Mary Perry, whose mother's name is not known. It was noticed that an Elizabeth Perry was baptised on 5 Jan 1738 who would have been of a similar age to Robert. There were also some Hunts born in Hinderclay in the 1790's. Again, Robert's son William had an illegitimate son (Gaymer Hunt) by Margaret Hunt in 1794.
Summarising the last two years' research covering nearly 80 parishes, I think that it is now reasonable to conclude that Robert came from Finningham and was the son of William (b.1706) and Sarah. The area fits, the dates fit, no other Roberts near to the time have been found, and there is now evidence that he returned to his Suffolk roots near to his birthplace to have his children baptised. Research, however, will continue.
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