Notes on Dissenting Congregation families pre 1800

In 1705 the Independent Meeting House's building was certified under the Toleration Act by seven leading members of the Church: Walter Scott, James Thompson, Samuel and Anthony Serrell, John Hayward, John Pushman and Charles Weekes. The land was conveyed to Wheeler, Thompson, William Seymour, Abraham Smith, Charles Weeks, Stephen Lock, John Howard, and Nathaniel Clarke.

(Source: see page 11 of 'A history of Swanage United Reformed Church from Independent Meeting House to Congregational Chapel to United Reformed Church 1705 - 2005' by Rollo Woods.)

The Dorset History Centre holds the earliest surviving baptismal register -1786 to 1794 - under uncatalogued reference: NP-32/UA/Acc6682/Box7. It has now been transcribed by Richard Wiltshire, and has been added to the transcribed 1794-1837 baptismal register which is held by The National Archives and is on the Swanage OPC baptism pages.

This page is to help outline the key families who were dissenters and members of the congregation. Luckily several were successful mercers and stone merchants and left wills and other evidence which confirm each generation.

Any additions would be appreciated.
 

BARNES
John Barnes (died 1770) was a yeoman in Swanage. His wife Joan surived him. His will confirms he had:

- John
- Charles (c1735-1813) married Ann Rampstone (c1735-1825) in 1760
- Robert
- Elizabeth (Betty) (c1727-1764) married John Cull in 1751, see Cull family
- Mary married Peter Meader in 1750 (and died 1750 along with their son John Meader)

Charles, yeoman of Herston, Swanage (c1735-1813) also left a will which proves they had
- John (c1762-1833) married Martha Warren in 1788
- Mary (c1765-1851) married Samuel Phippard in 1789, Langton Matravers. They had Jane (c1790-1842) and Samuel (c1793-1856) before their remaining children who are recorded in the chapel baptism register commencing 1794
- Elizabeth (Betty) married John Ellis in 1789, with at least John Ellis born before remaining children who are recorded after 1794
- Anna (c1772-1845) married James Wakeley in 1792, secondly to James Corben in 1811
- Sarah married Charles Ellis in 1800 at Portsea with children recorded in the chapel baptism register
- Charlotte married John Cull (see Cull family) in 1806 with children recorded in the chapel baptism register
- Charles

BONFIELD

Abel Bonfield was baptised in 1675 and son of Robert and Mary (nee Hort). His grandfather Hugh Hort, marbler of Herston left bequests to his daughter Mary Bonfield and her sons Abel and John in his will of 1689. Abel married Sarah Talbot in 1705 who appears to have been buried 'without Christian burial' in 1708. Abel then married Elizabeth Howard at Tyneham in 1714. Abel Bonfield was buried in 1738.

Their daughter Mary was born and buried in 1716. Their son John Bonfield, marbler (c1718-1758) married Elizabeth (c1718-1769/70). No marriage has been found. Does the naming of their grandson George Serrell Bonfield suggest her maiden name was Serrell? They had:
- Sarah (c1750-1801) married Henry Gillingham (see Kim Parker's notes under Gillingham - will page)
- Elizabeth (1754-1829) married Peter Gover
- Martha (1756-1813) married John Tivitoe, and living with Govers in 1803 and
- George (c1758-1801).

Howard Serrell's will of 1767 confirms that they were John Bonfield's children, 'cousins' and main beneficiaries of his mercery and grocery shop business and salt house room.

George (c1758-1801), stone merchant married Mary Butler, bc1759. Her sister Sarah married Joseph Ellis, also members of the congregation). George and Mary's children were:
- George Serrell c1782-1813 married Elizabeth Bonfield in 1808
- Elizabeth c1784-1812 married Titus Chinchen Bower of Langton Matravers in 1808
- Sarah c1786-1833
- Mary c1789-1796
- William Sedcole c1792-1858, baker and schoolmaster named after the congregation's minister Reverend William Sedcole. He lived in the High Street with his orphaned niece Elizabeth Bower.
- Thomas Butler 1794-1795
- Mary 1797-1797

Howard Serrell's will also refers to his 'kinsmen', almost certainly brothers, Samuel and Abel Bonfield. Abel married Mary Bromby of Poole in 1754 and buried in 1801. He was witness to his brother Samuel's marriages to Betty Brine in 1759 who died of smallpox and Dorothy Groves in 1762. Howard Serrell's will of 1767 confirms Samuel Bonfield, marbler [and Dorothy] had at least Samuel (c1763-1848, who married Margaret 'Peggy' Shoren) and Howard Bonfield (c1765-1828, married Hester Warren). Abel Bonfield (c1767-1832) who married Sarah Phippard is likely to be a further son given he names his first son Samuel and also a member of the congregation.

Mrs Elizabeth Morrison, the wife of the congregation's minister Reverend John Morrison (1757-1786) was also a kinswoman of Howard Serrell. She first married as Elizabeth Bonfield to George Bannister, Mariner of the 'Medway' in 1754 at Studland. He had died by 1756 when his estate was administered by Elizabeth, with Howard Serrell recorded as bondsman. She was clearly very closely related to Samuel and wife Dorothy Bonfield who were her witnesses to her marriage in 1763 to Reverend John Morrison. She may well have been their sister - are they jointly children of Abel and Elizabeth (nee Howard)? Samuel's son Samuel and wife Margaret name their first son John Morrison Bonfield bc 1788-1859.

After Reverend Morrison's death Mrs Morrison's relation Anna (Hannah) Bonfield lived with her from at least before 1791 until 1803. We assume Anna Bonfield was sister to Howard Bonfield given he is a witness to her marriage in 1804 to William Hall of Wareham. Hester Daimon's will of 1791 reveals she left Mrs Morrison 2 guineas and Anna Banfield 'now living with Mrs Morrison' silk mittens, my beaver gloves and cloth gloves'.

The other Bonfield family is that of Robert Bonfield c1723-1809, marbler. A lease of 1807 confirms he was a quarrier 'eldest son of John Bonfield, quarrier, deceased' and took a lease with Jeremiah Warren (DHC: D1/8309). It is very likely he was son of John Bonfield who married Grace Stanly in 1718 at Tyneham. They probably also had daughter Grace Bonfield (died 1764) who married James Collins, stonemason (died 1783).

John is likely to be John Bonfield (bc1683), brother of Abel Bonfield (c1675). Their sister Temperance Bonfield (bc1679) named after her grandmother Temperance Hort (nee Willis) did not marry and is recorded as a dissenter buried in 1751.


COLLINS

Sarah Collins who married John Tomes in 1756 was born c 1729-1810. Two John Collins were marriage witnesses. The only recorded John Collins are John Collins married Mary Hort before 1719 and John married Betty Serrell in 1768. Assuming they are her father and brother.

A likely relation quarryman John Collins later became minister of the congregation and died in 1833.

Joseph Collins died 1789, stone merchant was likely brother of Sarah, married Mary Howard in 1742, Studland and had at least

- Joseph (c1748-1826) married Sarah Marsh
- Isaac (1750-1750)
- Sarah (1750-) married James Small
- Howard (1754-1822) married Mary Marsh
- Robert (1757-) married Hester Phillips

CULL

William Cull was baptised in 1674 son of William and Mary Montier and likely married Mary Meader in 1698. She was buried as a widow in 1737. At the parish church they baptised:
- William 1699, who married Elizabeth Linnington in 1723, she died 1761
- John 1702 (mother recorded as 'Elizabeth')
- Elizabeth 1704

Sometime after this date they appear to have become dissenters as few parish baptisms are recorded.

An assignment of messuage and land at 'Knightson' [assuming this is Knitson, Corfe Castle], 1738 (Dorset History Centre reference number: D-RGB/LL/58), mentions William, John and George Cull of Swanage, marblers, James Davis, cordwainer and Betty his wife and others. Elizabeth (Betty) Cull had married at Langton Matravers in 1733 to James Davies, both of Swanage.

George was a marbeller on his majesty's ship Dragon and died c1742. His will refers to brother John and also brother-in-law Moses Vivian, mariner (died 1795). Moses himself in his will devises half his property to nephew James Cull son of Henry Cull, stonemason of Ramsgate, Kent. Henry (c1734-1822) was of Swanage when he married Elizabeth White at Thanet in 1759 with children baptised there between 1760-1774 including James Cull 1765-1827. Henry had a major involvement in the building of the Ramsgate Royal Harbour.

In 1754 Moses Vivian, then of Tyneham, married as a widower to Hannah Millar, widow of East Lulworth. John Cull was a witness. They had a daughter Hannah Vivian, baptised at Tyneham, 1755. Give Moses' nephew was James Cull, it is likely therefore that Hannah Millar was formerly Hannah Cull and a sister to George, John and Henry. Her marriage to Mr Millar has not been found nor her burial before Moses married again to Mary Gillingham (again no marriage found) of the non-conformist Swanage Gillingham family.

John Cull married Elizabeth (Betty) Barnes (c1727-1764) daughter of John Barnes (died 1770) in 1751 (see Barnes family). Hutchins' transcript of her gravestone is the next inscription after William Cull, recorded in his burial as 'senior' who died in 1729, likely John's father or grandfather.

Likely children are
- John Cull (c1753-1804), who married Ann Osmond in 1775, Corfe Castle
- George who appears as occupier to John Cull in 1786 Land Tax
- Ann (c1764-1852) who married Joseph Hickson Phippard. No marriage has been found and the indication only comes from the naming of their youngest son as John Cull Phippard in 1805, perhaps to remember John Cull who died in 1804.

In 1759 John Cull is recorded 'aged 40' (born c1719), dairyman in the Purbeck Militia List. John went on to marry secondly to Sarah Phippard in 1779. Hannah Cull was a witness, also to his will in 1787, the year he died. He is recorded as dairyman of Scholes [farm at Kingston, Corfe Castle] and left all his leasehold tenements in Swanage to wife Sarah.
Hannah Cull (bc 1766-1824) was daughter of William Cull and Hannah (Thompson) who married in 1760 - they also had Thomas 1762 and Henry 1764. Hannah married James Haysom (bc 1762) in 1792 when Sarah Cull was a witness.

John Cull (c1753-1804) listed above lived at Herston. His will proves John and Ann had at least two children Sarah (c1776-1818) who married James Summers in 1807 and John, who married Charlotte Barnes daughter of Charles and Ann Barnes in 1806 (see Barnes family). Both couples baptised their children at the Independent Chapel.

ELLIS

HOWARD (HAYWARD)

We know from Howard Serrell's property claim of 1763 (Dorset History Centre reference: D/MOW/T3 (DT65/T3)) that his grandfather was John Howard (also Hayward). He is almost certainly the John Hayward founder member in the meeting house certificate. We know from John Howard's gravestone in Hutchins transcription that he was born in c1664 and died in 1730. He married Alice (c1653-1726, likely baptised as Alice Gover). Their stone was next to John and their daughter Elizabeth Bonfield.

Howard Serrell's will of 1767 confirms his close Bonfield cousins and kinsmen and kinswomen. It can therefore be inferred that John Howard had at least two daughters:
Ann married Samuel Serrell in 1709 at Studland
Elizabeth married John Bonfield in 1714 at Tyneham.

John Howard's birthdate matches baptism in 1664 son of John (born c1632 to Nicholas and Mary nee Baker) and Joane (also nee Howard born 1638 to Henry and Martha nee Baker) who married in 1658. Howard Serrell's property claim confirms this relationship as his grandfather John Howard received land from relation Anna Verge in c1703 (D/MOW/T3 (DT65/T3)). This will be his father's sister Anna Howard c1629-1704 who married Thomas Verge, marbler (c1624-c1693) in 1650. Anna Verge, widow had joined the congregation as she was buried without Christian celebration in 1704.

MARSH

SERRELL

In 1728 James Thomson of Corfe Castle, mercer left in his will £13 6s 8d to Samuel Serrell of Sandwich, marbler for support of Swanage Meeting. Given that Samuel and Anthony Serrell are listed alongside James Thomson in the Swanage meeting house certificate of 1705, it can be assumed that Samuel is the same person.

There is no baptism for Samuel, but a burial is recorded in 1733. His son Howard's will confirms that Samuel had at least two brothers William and David Serrell. The meeting house certificate suggests a relation to Anthony Serrell (this could be either Anthony c1638-1707 or Anthony c1669-1744). Samuel Serrell of Swanage should not be confused with Samuel Serrell of Langton Matravers c1691-1749 who married Mary Cockram.

Samuel Serrell owned a banker for stone at Swanage and mentioned in his son Howard Serrell's property claim in 1763 for ownership of land against Ilminster School (D/MOW/T3 (DT65/T3)). Howard Serrell's will confirms his father in law was John Howard. He married Ann Howard in 1709, Studland. She is likely Anna or Hannah Serrell, widow, recorded as a 'Presbyterian' buried in 1757. Samuel and Ann had at least
- Howard died c1769, mercer and grocer with stone banker with property claim 1763 and will dated 1767 and
- Samuel died 1785 (unmarried in 1767).

WEEKS

Charles Weeks (likely Charles baptised 1661 son of Charles and Margery), founder member had a grandson John Weeks according to Howard Serrell's property claim of 1763. This is likely to be John Weeks married Jane Baily 1737 and buried their daughter Hester in 1756. No baptisms appear in Swanage.