The Ferry family of Burton Bradstock and Southampton

G1. ALICE JANE BAGGS born FERRY

Alice Jane Ferry was born on the 24^th August 1846 in Burton Bradstock, Dorset. She was baptised in the parish church of Burton Bradstock on the 3^rd September, and on the 17^th was received into the church.¹

In 1851 "Jane" was a scholar, living with her parents at 4 St Mary's, Southampton. In 1861 "Alace" was still a scholar, now living, with her parents, at 12 Amoy Street, Southampton. In 1871, now with no occupation shown, she was still living with her parents, now at 15 Liverpool Street, Southampton.²

On the 31^st October 1877 she married [E2] Walter Baggs at St Luke's parish church, Southampton, at which time she was living at 2 Upper Dover Street, Southampton. Their children were: Walter William (1879–1931), Alice Margaret (1881–1970), [E1] Ruth Elizabeth (1882–1949), and Frank Henry John (1888–1944); all except John were born in Southampton, John being born in Tavistock, Devon.³

Alice Jane (Ferry) Baggs

By 1879 she was living at 15 Lower Dover Street, Bevois Town, Southampton. She is found there, with her family, in the 1881 census.⁴

In 1888 she was living in Princetown, Lydford, in the district of Tavistock, Devon.⁵

In 1891 she was living with her family in prison quarters, at H.M. Convict Prison, Gillingham, Kent.⁶

In 1901 she was living with her husband and three children at 2, H. Quarters, Portland Prison, Dorset.⁷

In 1911 she was living with her husband and daughter at 433 Canterbury Rd, Gillingham; 5 rooms.⁸

She died of pneumonia on the 20^th April 1918, at 31 Marlborough Road, Gillingham. Her body was buried at Woodlands Road Cemetery, Gillingham, grave reference Section BE. Number 1143 (C).⁹

Alice Jane Ferry was the eldest child of [G2] Richard and [H1] Ann Ferry.¹⁰

1 birth certificate; parish register; TNA: RG 12/665 f121 p44 gives place of birth as Southampton; 1911 census return gives place of birth as Sherbourne, Dorset, and a birth year calculated to 1851—RG14PN3952 RG78PN150 RD47 SD2 ED23 SN25R

2 TNA: HO 107/1669 f237 p20; RG 9/677 f20 p33; RG 10/1187 f35 p19

3 marriage certificate; information from Sidney Beck—John; RG 11/1205 f45 p26; RG 13/1997 f79 p43

4 census returns; children's birth certificates

5 son's birth certificate

6 RG 12/665 f121 p44

7 RG13/1997 f79 p43

8 RG14PN3952 RG78PN150 RD47 SD2 ED23 SN25

9 death certificate; Kent Burials

10 birth certificate; RG 9/677 f20 p33

G2. RICHARD FERRY

Richard Ferry was born about 1821, in Burton Bradstock, Dorset, and baptised there on the 6^th December 1821.¹

In 1841 he was a rope maker's apprentice, living in Southover, Burton Bradstock, with his mother, as well as his aunt, and brother. In 1841 there were only two ropemakers in Burton, but many Burton men worked at various trades, including rope making, at Bridport Harbour (now known as West Bay). It seems probable that his experience was very similar to that of another Burton boy, known to have been apprenticed, as a ropemaker, in 1840, to Ephraim Matthams and Co., Ropemakers, of Bridport Harbour—a seven year apprenticeship, in which he received 3/- a week in his first year, rising to 7/- a week in his final year.²

signature of Richard Ferry He married, first, [H1] Ann Trevett, on the 29^th December 1845, at Burton Bradstock parish church, after banns, at which time he was a ropemaker in Burton; he signed his name. He was still a ropemaker there in the following year. Their children were: [G1] Alice Jane (1846–1918), John (1849–1943), Amelia (1852–1854), Harry (1855–1927), Annie (1857–1934), and Catherine (1860–1914). Alice Jane was born in Burton Bradstock, the others in Southampton.³

Shortly after 1846 the Ferrys moved to Southampton. In 1849 Richard was still a ropemaker, living with his family at St Mary's Street, Southampton. He continued working as a ropemaker until at least 1852, but by May 1854 he had become a railway porter. The 1854 electoral register records him as eligible to vote by virtue of his house in Saint Mary street.⁴

By May 1857 he had moved to 23 Amoy-street, Bedford Place, Southampton, and by February 1860 to 12 Amoy Street (though possibly the street was simply renumbered)—where he is found in the 1861 census, living with his wife and five children. The 1863 Post Office Directory records "Richard Ferry, S.W.R." at 1 Dover Street, Bevois Town, Southampton. In July 1865 Richard, of Dover Street, Bevois Town, voted for Geo. Moffatt and T.M. Mackay—both Radicals—in the Southampton parliamentary election. Cox's 1871 Directory also describes him as S.W.R., but at 15 Liverpool Street, Bevois Town. This is where the census also found the household, unchanged from 1861. The initials "S.W.R." confirm that his employer was, as might be expected for the location, the London & South-Western Railway. Richard's wife Ann died in August that year. At the time of his daughter's marriage in 1877 Richard was still a railway porter.⁵

On the 22^nd December 1878 Richard married, secondly, Harriett Lavington, at the East Street Wesleyan Chapel, Southampton, following the rites and ceremonies of the Wesleyan Methodists. His bride was a 45 year old widow (cal 1834 – 1915), of 41 Rockstone Lane, Southampton, daughter of Charles Bell, carrier, and the widow of Thomas Lavington, tinman. Richard was described as a railway servant, now of 15 Dover Street, Southampton.⁶

Clearly he moved in with his new wife, as the 1881 census finds him living at 41 Bevois Place, Rockstone Lane, Southampton. He was again described as a railway servant, living with his and Ann's daughter Catherine, his second wife, and her two children. At the marriage of his daughter Annie, in June 1881, he is still described as a railway porter, though by December, when his son Harry married, he is described as a writer, which I take to mean a clerk.⁷

By 1884 41 Rockstone Lane had been named 'Rockstone Cottage'. Richard died at home there on the 1^st July 1884, having suffered from a cerebral tumour for two months, culminating in four days effusion. Though his death certificate (and his daughter's marriage certificate from two months earlier) described him merely as a railway servant, it is clear by a delayed entry in the local directory that by the time of his death he had become superintendent of the railway coal department in Southampton.⁸

Richard Ferry was the sixth child, and fifth son, of [G3] John and [G4] Elizabeth Ferry (John's tenth child and eighth son).⁹

1 census; parish register. TNA: HO 107/280/16 f22 p5 suggests birth year 1821–6, TNA: RG 9/677 f20 p33 returns suggests 1820–1, RG 11/1205 f94 p29 suggests 1822–3.

2 HO 107/280/16 f22 p5; Elizabeth Buckler Gale (1984) Farmers, Fishermen & Flax Spinners: The Story of the People of Burton Bradstock (2e) 77, 111

3 marriage certificate; children's birth certificates; parish register; banns book; GRO index

4 letters to me from Maurice Ferry; HO 107/1669 f237 p20; 1853 and 1855 Post Office Directories; children's birth certificates; daughter's death certificate; electoral register

5 1859 and 1863 Post Office Directory; Cox's 1871 Directory; RG 9/677 f20 p33; RG 10/1187 f35 p19; wife's death certificate; daughters' birth and marriage certificates; poll book

6 2^nd marriage certificate; GRO index

7 RG 11/1205 f94 p29; daughter's and son's marriage certificates (in 1890 his son John gave his late father's occupation as railway clerk

8 death certificate; daughter's marriage certificate; Stevens's Directory of Southampton (1884 & 1887); Hampshire Advertiser, 1884-07-05

9 parish register; censuses

G3. JOHN FERRY

John Ferry was probably born in 1771. He was baptised on 22 August 1771, at Compton Valance, Dorset.¹

He married, first, Elizabeth Bridle (? – 1802), on the 28^th August 1797, after banns, at Burton Bradstock, where he then lived; he marked his name. They had three children: Ann (1798–1880), Joseph (1800–1805), and George (1802–1802), all born at Burton Bradstock.²

His wife died in 1802³; and he married, secondly, [G16] Elizabeth Trevett, on the 26^th February 1805, after banns, at Bothenhampton, Dorset. He was said to be a resident of Burton Bradstock. Their children were: William (1806–1842), James (1808–1888), Jane Trevett (1810–1830), Joseph (1812–1867), Robert (1815–1884), Samuel (1816 – ?), Charles (1818–1911), [G2] Richard (1821–1884), and Sarah (1825 – after 1871); all were baptised at Burton Bradstock.⁴

He worked as a labourer.⁵

Of Burton Bradstock, his body was buried in the churchyard there on the 1^st April 1836.⁶

John Ferry was the eldest child of [G4] John and [G9] Sarah Ferry.⁷

1 letters to me from Maurice Ferry; OPC Dorset; "England, Dorset, Parish Registers, 1538–2001", database with images, FamilySearch: 2 June 2020, John Ferry, 1771

2 parish register—named spelt 'Ferrey'; GRO index; censuses; parish register

3 bur. at Burton Bradstock on the 12^th December

4 parish register; GRO index; censuses

5 parish register; son's marriage certificates of 1843, 1845 and 1878

6 parish register

7 parish register; GRO index; censuses; information from Linda Sheraton-Davis; Our Family tree

G4. JOHN FERRY

John Ferry was baptised at Stinsford, Dorset, on 1 July 1741.¹

On 21 February 1770, a shepherd, of Winterborne Abbas, Dorset, he married [G9] Sarah Bonnel there, by banns. He is elsewhere described as a labourer.²

The couple had twelve children: [G3] John (1771–1836), William (1773 – ?), Mary (1774 – ?), Robert (1777–1847), James (1779 – ?), George (1781–1864), Clementina (1783–1852), Samuel (1784 – after 1827), Isaac (1785–1785), Sarah (1787–1850), Elizabeth (1793 – after 1841), and Charlotte (1796–1850); the first three were baptised at Compton Valence, the remainder at Burton Bradstock, Dorset.³

From 1808 to 1810, and in 1814, John Ferry was a proprietor in Burton Bradstock, assessed for Land Tax of 1d. Of Burton Bradstock, his body was buried there on 4 February 1825.⁴

John Ferry was the 2nd child and 2nd son of [G5] Robert and [G8] Mary Ferry.⁵

1 parish register

2 parish register; letters to me from Maurice Ferry; information from Linda Sheraton-Davis

3 Compton Valence and Burton Bradstock parish registers; GRO index; censuses; Our Family tree; Exeter and Plymouth Gazette, 1827-02-24

4 Land Tax returns, Dorset History Centre Qde(L)23/1-44; parish register

5 parish register (which gives a calculated birth year of 1739); information from Linda Sheraton-Davis

G5. ROBERT FERRY

Robert Ferry was born in 1714 in Winterborne Steepleton, Dorset, where he was baptised on 3 October that year.¹

Of Winterbourne Steepleton, he married [G8] Mary Rogers on 13 February 1737/8, at Compton Valence, Dorset. Their children were: James (1738 – ?), [G4] John (1739–1825), Hannah (1744 – ?), Elizabeth (1745 – ?), Jane (1749 – ?), William (1750–1751), William (1754–1832), and Mary (? – 1763); all were baptised at Stinsford, Dorset.²

In 1758, a labourer, he was listed as fit to serve as a militia man in the parish of Stinsford and Bockhampton.³

His body was buried at Stinsford on 17 February 1799.⁴

Robert Ferry was the second child and eldest son of [G6] John and [G7] Mary Ferry.⁵

1 parish register

2 Compton Valence parish register; Stinsford parish register

3 Dorset Militia Lists, L/A 4/1/1

4 parish register

5 parish register

G6. JOHN FERRY

John Ferry married [G7] Mary ____. Their children were: Ann (1711 – ?), [G5] Robert, James (1716–1782), William (1718/9 – ?), Hannah (1721 – ?), and John (1724–1757).¹

1 parish register; "England, Dorset, Parish Registers, 1538–1936", database with images, FamilySearch: 7 December 2017, John Ferry, 1757

G7. MARY FERRY born ____

Mary ____ married [G6] John Ferry. Their children were: Ann (1711 – ?), [G5] Robert, James (1716–1782), William (1718/9 – ?), Hannah (1721 – ?), and John (1724–1757).¹

1 parish register; "England, Dorset, Parish Registers, 1538–1936", database with images, FamilySearch: 7 December 2017, John Ferry, 1757

G8. MARY FERRY born ROGERS

Of Winterbourne St Martin, Dorset, Mary Rogers married [G5] Robert Ferry on 13 February 1737/8, at Compton Valence, Dorset. Their children were: James (1738 – ?), [G4] John (1739–1825), Hannah (1744 – ?), Elizabeth (1745 – ?), Jane (1749 – ?), William (1750–1), William (1754 – ?), and Mary (? – 1763); all were baptised at Stinsford, Dorset.¹

Her body was buried at Stinsford on 5 November 1770.²

1 Compton Valence parish register; Stinsford parish register

2 parish register; the register also notes "and her child sometime before"

Suggestions for further research

The birth and parentage details for [G6] John Ferry need to be found, as well as his marriage. No work has so far been undertake on the ancestry of [G8] Mary Ferry born Rogers.

In a letter to me dated 25 October 1985 the late Maurice Ferry wrote the following:

[ . . . ] it is nevertheless absolutely clear that they [the forebears of (G4) John Ferry] are descended from anyone of a group of five FERR(E)Ys that arrived in South Dorset from the Cherbourg peninsula in the 1480s. It will never be possible to positively link anyone with any of the five as their recorded particulars are so vague that it is not even possible to relate them one to the other and anyway there is a gap of 4-5 generations between their arrival and the first Parish records. That said these five were granted denisation (naturalisation) whilst still living in South Dorsetshire and married to English women in 1544 at which time I have been unable to find any record of other FERR(E)Ys in this country. The majority of FERR(E)Ys living in the UK at present are descendants of the Huguenot Refugees.

Maurice provided no sources for this information, and it is not something that I queried, at the time. It would be terrific if someone were to track this down, and establish whether or not this 'origin myth' is sustainable.

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This page was last revised on 2024-03-10.