1
(DAT ED FEBRUARY 2007)
NOTES ON THE ANSELL FAMILY
AS RESEARCHED BY DONALD MALCOLM ANSELL DURING THE YEARS
1970 - 1992.
The information was gathered from various sources, i.e. Salt Library, Stafford, Haughton
Church and Church records of births and deaths.
1400 John Ansell exchanged rectory of Addington,
Buckinghamshire, for prebendary at Stafford.
1428 William Ansell Juror at Stafford.
1539 Muster Roll Charnes in Eccleshall north/west of
Stafford:John Ansell
Richard Ansell
Thomas Ansell
1581 George Ansell and Tomison Sharrett married on 1st
October.
1610 Possibly John Ansell and Francis married about
this year.
1613 Dorothie, daughter of John and Francis baptised
on 29th August.
1613 Dorothie, daughter of John and Francis buried on
20th November.
1615 John, son of John and Francis baptised (Answell)
on 11th May.
1618 Phillis, daughter of John and Francis baptised on
11th April.
1621 Isabell Ansell buried on 8th August.
1622 Isabell, daughter of John and Francis baptised on
24th January.
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1625 Francis, wife of John Ansell buried on 10th
August.
1625 John Ansell married Ann Cockes on 21st November.
1627 Alice, daughter of John and Anne baptised on
3rd July.
1659 ....nsell (torn) buried.
1672 Phillis, daughter of Thomas and Marie baptised on
13th February.
1672 Thomas and Marie Cockes married on 15th August.
1676 Thomas, son of Thomas and Marie baptised on
17th July.
1680 June, daughter of Thomas baptised on 12th December.
1852 Sixteenth Lord Willoughby de Broke died 6 acres - Mr. Ansell
Ansell’s Farm as shown on a map of the 1840’s, was situated, on the Stafford side, a
mile or so down Thorneyfields Lane, Doxey Wood, Coppenhall, nr. Stafford.
3
THE ANSELL FAMILY TREE (NB..THIS COPY IS DATED FEB.2007)
(TAKEN FROM THE HAUGHTON (NR. STAFFORD) PARISH REGISTER)
JOHN ANSELL (1ST) BORN 1590 MARRIED Francis (Cockes?) in about 1612 (She
was buried in Haughton churchyard AUG. 10th.. 1625)
CHILDREN OF JOHN AND FRANCIS......
Dorothie BAPTISED.. AUG.
John (2nd) “
MAY
Phillis
“
APR.
Isabell
“
JAN.
29th. 1613 (Died Nov. 1613)
11th. 1615
11th. 1618
24th. 1622
JOHN ANSELL (1st) (above) MARRIED Ann Cockes, probably his sister – in – law
on 21st. NOV. 1625 at Haughton , near. Stafford.
CHILDREN OF JOHN AND ANN.....
Alice BAPTISED.....3rd. July 1627
??
JOHN ANSELL (2nd) probably had a son Thomas Ansell... Born about 1645 Died
1706.
THOMAS ANSELL (1st) MARRIED Mary Cockes AUG. 15th. 1672 at Haughton.
CHILDREN OF THOMAS AND MARY...
Phillis ...
Thomas (2nd)
Jane...
1680
BAPTISED ...13th. Feb. 1673
“
17th. July 1676
THOMAS ANSELL (2nd) (BORN 1676 (above) Married Catharine who DIED 1736.
CHILDREN OF THOMAS AND CATHARINE.....
Danill ...... BAPTISED
APRIL.. 23rd.1699
Ann.....................”......
.APRIL. 2nd. 1700
Valentine
.. ”
DEC.. 5th. 1701
(Possibly Thomas...........
1705 (Hard to decipher))
4
Catharine
“
Phelice (Phyllis ?)
John
“
AUG
26th.1711 (DIED 1793) ( DEC. 4th. 1735 married.
John Cox)
FEB. 6th.
1716 (DIED 1720)
MAR 16th. 1717 (DIED 1793)
THOMAS ANSELL (3rd) (BORN about 1705 DIED 1753,
Married Mary about 1730
CHILDREN OF THOMAS AND MARY
Mary... BAPTISED
.SEP. 7th.
th
26 . Dec. 1754 at Haughton)
1732
(MARRIED John Haywood
Ann...
8th. Dec. 1766 at Haughton)
1737
(MARRIED James Scott
Thomas
MAR. 21st.
.. BAPTISED
Sarah...
“
FEB. 14th.
1743
th
16 . April 1737 at Haughton)
(DIED 1747)
Joseph ...
BAPTISED
MAR. 31st
1741
(MARRIED Joseph Townsend
1746
JOSEPH ANSELL . BAPTISED 31st. MAR 1746. MARRIED CATHERINE
WEATE 30th. SEPT. 1771 AT HAUGHTON.
CHILDREN. OF JOSEPH AND CATHERINE...
Thomas........1772
Lucy Ansell ? married Ephraim Arkinstall
Thomas........1783
17th. Nov. 1799 at Haughton.
Jane..............1785
Joseph..........1790
John.............1793
Fortunatus....1794 (BAPTISED 31st. AUGUST 1794 at HAUGHTON Nr.
STAFFORD) DIED FEB. 1864, AGED 69, BURIED AT PENKRIDGE
FORTUNATUS ANSELL (Labourer, Doxey Wood, Coppenhall,)
Nr. Stafford ) MARRIED ANN LOCKLEY 23rd. SEPTEMBER 1819 at
BRADLEY Nr. STAFFORD.
ANN LOCKLEY WAS BURIED IN COPPENHALL CHURCHYARD 11TH. FEB.
1872 AGED 77 yrs.
(In the 1861 census Fortunatus was living at the farm in Thornyfields Lane
Doxey Wood Coppenhall with Ann, his wife, Ellen, his daughter who was unmarried,
5
and Clara, her 3 yr. old illegitimate daughter. Clara was buried in Coppenhall churchyard
15th. May 1879 aged 23. In the 1871 census nobody called Ansell was living in the area.
Fortunatus had died in 1864 aged 69.)
CHILDREN OF FORTUNATUS AND ANN...
Mary...............BAPTISED........ DEC.3rd. 1820
(Married William Birtles
30th.Dec. 1839 at Castle Church)
Myra.......................”..................APR.28th..1822 (Married George Stevenson
April 9th. 1844 at
Penkridge)
Rachel.....................”..................JAN.11th. 1824 * (SEE END - RE: RACHEL)
Harriet................... “..................DEC.4th. 1825
(Married John Boulton
May 9th. 1848 at Penkridge)
George....................”..................FEB.24th 1828
Thomas................. .”..................NOV.29th. 1829
James (1st.).................”...............MAY 12th.1833. BURIED SEPT. 17th 1895 in
COPPENHALL CHURCHYARD.
Ellen.......................”..................MAR. 4th. 1835
Emma.....................”..................JUN. 10th. 1838 * (SEE END - RE: EMMA)
.
JAMES 1st ANSELL MARRIED JANE ASPERLEY or ASTBURY? (OF
RICKERSCOTE STAFFORD ) ON 20th. JUNE 1854 AT CASTLE CHURCH
STAFFORD
(Though written in the margin is “False entry, marriage deferred for want of a certificate
of the banns having been published in the man’s parish.)
He is given as the son of Fortunatus but there is no record further on of another marriage
after the deferral, though it must have taken place.)
At the time of the 1861 Census James aged 28 was living at 18, The Green, Brocton
with his wife Jane, aged 27, and Emily, aged 5, and John, aged 2.
At the time of the 1881 Census James aged 48 was living in Hatherton, nr. Cannock.
Dwelling: Hatherton 1881
Census Place-: Hatherton, Stafford, England
Source: FHL Film 1341667 PRO Ref RG11 Piece 2786 Folio 113
Marr Age Sex Birthplace
James ANSELL (1st) M 48 M Doxey Wood, Stafford, England
Page 1
6
Relation-: Head
Farm Labourer
Jane ANSELL M46 F Bradley, Stafford, England
Rel: Wife
George ANSELL 14 M Baswich, Stafford-, England
Rel: Son
Wi11iam ANSELL 12 M Cannock, Stafford, England
Rel: Son
Scholar
James ANSELL (2nd) 7 M Cannock, Stafford, England
Rel: Son
Scholar
CHILDREN OF JAMES AND JANE
Emily....... BAPTISED at Bradley...........SEPT. 2nd. 1855
(SEE EMILY’S MARRIAGE AND FAMILY BELOW)
John .... BORN......at Ranton ?
1858
(SEE JOHN’S MARRIAGE AND FAMILY BELOW)
Anne…..BORN at Stockton, Baswich
1863 (In the 1881 census she was
in service at Penkridge.) She married Edward Joseph Thompson at St.Lukes church
Cannock in 1886
George.......BORN.....at Baswich
1867 (Died Feb.1892 aged 25 of a brain abscess
brought on by a chronic ear infection – see Death Certificate)
William ... BORN..... at Cannock ?
1869
(SEE WILLIAM’S MARRIAGE AND FAMILY BELOW)
James...(2nd.)......BORN.........at Cannock
1873
(SEE JAMES’S MARRIAGE AND FAMILY BELOW)
(James 2nd. was baptised May 22nd 1874 while the family were living in Bridgtown,
Cannock but his birth (1837online.com) is given as late 1873.)
James 1st was buried in Coppenhall Churchyard Sept. 17th. 1895 aged 62.
He is said to have walked from his home at Cannock to a relative’s house in Coppenhall,
after remarking that Cannock cemetery was too draughty to be buried there! Myra
Stevenson, his sister, was by now a widow amd living, (in 1881 census) at Coppenhall,
maintained by her son and it is possible he stayed there till he died.
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Jane, his wife (1901 Census was living at 268 Cemetery Rd, Cannock with William, her
son, a miner, (aged 33) and his wife Mary Ann (nee also Ansell!!)
Jane remarried Samuel (“Tinker”) Griffiths who mended kettles etc, as a whitesmith at
the bottom of Hightown Hill in Chadsmoor Cannock.
Feb.16th. 1902 at Cannock.
Emily Ansell married Joseph Oakley, labourer age 26, at Penkridge
Feb. 24th. 1880. In 1881 census they were living with husband’s father, Edward at
Dunston Heath and Ann a 10mth. old baby.
John Ansell, miner, aged 25, Watling St. Bridgtown nr Cannock, married Ann Petrie,
aged 23, at Cannock in 1883
George Ansell married Emma Arnold daughter of a blacksmith (ThomasArnold) from
Hednesford in the Autumn of 1888 at ?? (They were living in Hednesford Lane??)
though his address, given on his Death Certificate in Feb. 1892 is given as 258
Hednesford Rd. Cannock.
William Ansell, miner, aged 31, married Mary Ann Ansell (same surname!!) at Cannock
April 16th. 1900. At this time they were living in Old Fallow but later they can be found
in Cemetery Rd. Cannock near where James (2nd) lived with Phoebe.
CHILDREN OF JOHN AND ANNIE ANSELL (nee Petrie)
Ernest James .......
Born .... 15th. June 1884. Baptised Sept. 11th. 1884 at Cannock (living at Watling St.
Bridgtown)
Died (1837online.com) at Stafford Oct, Nov. or Dec. 1969 Aged 85yrs. (No record of
marriage yet found)
Edith ???
July, Aug or Sept. 1889
CHILDREN OF JOSEPH AND EMILY OAKLEY (nee Ansell)
Ann (10 mths old in 1881 census.)
?
?
CHILDREN OF GEORGE AND EMMA ANSELL (nee Arnold)
Elisabeth Jane............................Baptised April 5th. 1891 at Cannock.
George died in Feb.1892 aged 25. His death certificate gives cause of death as a
brain abscess which spread from a severe ear infection (chronic otorrhoea).
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His occupation is given as coal miner.
Emma (aged 26) remarried James Hickinbotham (aged 27) Dec. 2nd. 1895.
He was from Shareshill.
CHILDREN OF WILLIAM ANSELL AND MARY ANN...
William Thomas .................................................. Baptised Oct. 6th. 1901.
(married Florence M. Stretton at Cannock St. Lukes
1932?)
Annie Plant............................................................
(married Harold J. Jeffery at Cannock St. Lukes
”
July 5th. 1904.
1927)
Harry......................................................................
“
Dec. 1st. 1905
Fortunatus George.........................................................”
(married Florence M. Williams at Cannock St. Lukes
June 19th. 1907
1933)
Catherine Jane...............................................................”
(married Tom M. Bates at Cannock St. Lukes
Nov. 24th. 1909
1934)
Helena Mary .........................................................................Feb.26th. 1912
Evelyn...................................................................................Oct,Nov. or Dec. 1914
James Arnold ......................................................................Jan.Feb.Mar.1918
PLEASE SEE BELOW FOR NOTES ON FORTUNATUS GEORGE (WITH
THANKS TO DOUGLAS ANSELL OF CHASE TERRACE, STAFFS. HIS SON)
CHILDREN OF FORTUNATUS GEORGE AND FLORENCE
June Florence.........................................Born..April, May or June 1933
(married Laurence Alsopp from Cheslyn Hay, in 1954, who predeceased her)
They had two children Heather and Graeme.
June later married and later divorced Harold Leek (no children)
June then married Denis Emery who also predeceased her. In 2005 she was living in
Chasetown.
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Constance May......................................Born Jan, Feb. or March 1935
(married Robert Dodd from Saredon in 1962) No children. Now (2005) lives in
Cannock.)
Janenne................................................Born. July Aug. or Sept. 1937
(married Bernard Mills Spring 1964. By 2005 Janenne was deceased. No children)
Rita........................................................Born Oct, Nov. or Dec. 1938
(married Alan Astbury, 5 Children Yvonne,Ian, Stephen, Lyn and David. She lived in Gt.
Wyrley but died prior to 2005)
George Kenneth....................................Born Oct. Nov. or Dec. 1939
(married Pamela Dawkes, Summer 1968. No children. Living in Rhyl 2005)
William Roy.........................................Born July, Aug. or Sept. 1941
(married Elsie Mayo, Summer 1969. Divorced then remarried Brenda Goodridge. No
children.)
Douglas John........................................Born Oct. Nov. or Dec. 1943
(married Barbara Manning, Early 1966. Living in Chase Terrace, Nr Lichfield Staffs.
2005. Had one son..Richard John
Stewart James...........................born July-Sep. 1948 Living in Cannock 2005.
JAMES. ANSELL (2ND) BORN...1873, MARRIED PHEOBE (SPELLED
THUS WRONGLY ? ON 1901 CENSUS) LAWTON OF BROOMHILL, NR.
HEDNESFORD, STAFFS)) IN ABOUT 1895
JAMES. ANSELL (2nd) was buried in Pye Green Rd. Cemetery Cannock on
19th. JAN. 1963. Phoebe, his wife was buried in the same grave on 4th. MAR. 1965.
(Grave No. 52, Div. E, Sect. 1)
CHILDREN OF JAMES (2nd) AND PHOEBE...
(All baptised at Cannock St. Lukes.)
Albert Henry ...............................................................Baptised Nov. 4th. 1896
(Killed on the Somme 26th. Sept. 1916 aged 19 (On War Memorial, Cannock).
He is buried in Plot 7, Row G, Grave 8 in Regina Trench Cemetery, Grandcourt, France
(Exit A1 Autoroute Du Nord at Bapaume. Head SW on D929 in direction of
Albert/Amiens. Take Right turn into Courcelette Village. The cemetery is in open fields
between this village and Grandcourt.)
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Clara........................................................................... Baptised Feb. 8th. 1899
(lived in or near Cemetery Rd, Cannock where she was born next to “The White Lion”
pub.) Stafford Rd Huntington.
Clara married Walter Mosedale. They had one son, Raymond who was living in the
1990’s off Arthur St. Chadsmoor (Peters Field?)
John Thomas (Jack)......................................................Baptised Oct. 10th. 1900 )
Moved to Nuneaton and lived at 68 Jodrell St. with Ethel Hammond and her (his?) son
Albert Edward Hammond till he fell down stairs at a pub. He died soon after from a
fractured skull (Feb.25th. 1957 aged 56 yrs.
James (3rd.) BORN JUNE 1903 Died APRIL 1990 at Cannock aged 86 (cremated at
Stafford) Like all his brothers except Edward he was a coal miner.
(married Elsie Riley at Cannock St. Lukes
1927)
Maud..............................................................................Baptised May 17th. 1905
(Died in her late 90’s in a nursing home at Rawnsley (2003)
(married John Robert Davies (Bob) at Cannock St. Lukes 1930)
They had one son Geoffrey who was living at Heath Hayes, nr. Cannock in 2002.
Samuel............................................................................Baptised Nov. 13th 1907
(lived in Pye Green Rd, W. Chadsmoor.Died 6th June 1983
(married Mary Dewis of Central Ave. Chadsmoor, Cannock who died 28th Feb.1995.
Late in life had two daughters, Jayne, b. 1956, and Lorna, b.1959.
Jayne married Brian Hudson and had two sons, Andrew b. 17th May 1985, Christopher b.
9th August 1986. Lorna married Stephen Schofield on 12th April 1980 at Chadsmoor
Baptist Church.They had two daughters, Naomi Jayne b. 24th June 1981 and Hannah
Elizabeth b. 2nd June 1985.
George............................................................................Born 1909
(married Violet Elsie Holmes from Bradley at Cannock St. Lukes 1932?)
George lived at Churchbridge and later, Cannock. Died in the same nursing home
as his sister Maud in 2000 in his early 90’s.. He married Violet, from Bradley
and had a daughter Joyce who married and lived for a time at Brereton but later moved to
Borth in N. Wales. George remarried in his 70’s to Gertrude, a woman he had been
engaged to when he was young. They lived in Cannock till moving together to the
Nursing home in Rawnsley nr. Hednesford where she predeceased him by a few years.
Edward.(Ted).....................................................................Baptised Oct.25th. 1911
Married Elsie May Polley (whom he met when he was stationed at Warley Barracks,
Brentwood) in July 1938 at her local church, St. Peter’s, South Weald, Brentwood, Essex.
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He had two daughters, Susan, born 1946, Jean, born 1939, and a son, Kenneth, born 22nd.
Oct. 1942 who lives (2007) in Harestock, Winchester.
Edward died in 1967 aged 55 During the second World War he saw action in N.Africa
and Italy, including Monte Cassino where he later described harrowing incidents to
James his brother. He related digging a deep trench and hiding in it under heavy fire, then
having to advance and dig another less deep trench, then given the order to advance
again, and, totally exhausted and unable to dig more, lying in the open with bullets
passing over him. He also related seeing a fellow soldier from further up the line who had
been shot in the stomach race down the mountain in panic, only to collapse and die near
him.
JAMES ANSELL (3RD) BORN JUNE 12TH. 1903 in Stafford Rd. Huntington,
Cannock, next door to The White Lion Pub. (DIED 1990) Cremated at Stafford
crematorium.
JAMES ANSELL (3RD) (Coal Miner) Married Elsie Riley 1907 – 1997 of Chadsmoor
1927)
CHILDREN OF JAMES ANSELL (3RD) AND ELSIE... While living in W.
Chadsmoor) Cannock
Jean...................BORN MAY 16th. 1929 (married Joseph Gray while he was in the RAF
from Homerton E. London. They live in Brereton, Rugeley (2004) and have one son ,
Peter, aged 45, who also lives in Rugeley and works at the Power Station.)
Donald Malcolm..................”......JAN. 26th. 1941
DONALD ANSELL (Teacher) MARRIED Bettina Stanley of Caxton St. Cannock
AUG. 8th. 1961.
CHILDREN OF DON AND BETTINA... (Lea Hall Lane, Brereton, Rugeley.)
Lynne Kathryn...BORN. July 18th. 1968 (Later a nurse at Stafford Hospital.)
Gavin James ........ .”..... June 30th. 1970 (Later a doctor at Rugeley and Stone)
*ADDITIONAL NOTES....
Emma, daughter of Fortunatus (born 1794), married Israel James 2nd May 1858 they
had 6 children,
John, George, Beatrice, Charles, Agatha and Myra Eleanor, born 17th March 1869,.
Myra Eleanor married George Davies 7th July 1890.
Myra died in Australia 29th April 1914 soon after childbirth.
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Myra and George had 5 daughters
Their eldest daughter Emily Jane was born 8th October 1892 in Wolverhampton .
In 1908 the Davies family emigrated to Australia Emily was 15years old. At the time she
had 3 younger sisters Myra, Beatrice and Lizzie.
A 4th sister was born in Australia 28th April 1914.Their mother died the day after her
birth.
Emily Jane married Frederick Charles Cookman 21st December 1910
Dorothy Ellen, their daughter was born in 1911.
In 1929 she had a daughter Norma
Norma married Cyril Keith Ewings in 1948
They had a daughter Patricia on October 20th. 1949
Patricia is now Patricia Somerville and living in Australia.
Here are Israel and Emma's (James nee Ansell = daughter of Fortunatus) children:
John
born about June 1861
George
""
June 1862
Beatrice
""
Aug 1864
Charles David" " Feb 1867
Myra Eleanor born 17th March 1869, m. George Davies 7th July 1890, died 29th April
1914 in Prosperpine, Queensland, Australia.
Agatha born about 1873
The only one I know the exact date of birth is Myra
Eleanor because I have a copy of her birth certificate. The only dates I have for the others
are their christening dates except for Agatha because I only got her information from the
1881 census. I have been unable to find an exact date for her.
Here are Myra and George's children:
Emily Jane born 8th Oct 1892, m. Frederick Charles Cookman 21st Dec 1910, died 6th
June 1956, Brisbane, Queensland, Australia
Myra Eleanor born 25th July 1895, m. Walter Tottenham Gray14th June 1914, died 4th
July 1991 Bowen, Queensland, Australia.
Beatrice Ann born 16th June 1896, m. David Thorval Anderson 27th January 1917, died
20th July 1982 Charters Towers, Queensland, Australia.
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Lizzie about 1902, m. Jack Alfred Doyle 1922, died 20th April 1942 Lismore, New South
Wales, Australia
Georgina born 29th April 1914, m. Mr McDonald. When I received this information
Georgina was still alive but it is nearly 3 years since I received it.
The four eldest daughters of Myra and George were in Wolverhampton. Georgina was
born in Proserpine the day her mother died. have highlighted the line I belong to (Patricia
Somerville)
*
Rachel, daughter of Fortunatus Ansell, (born 1794) married William ?? Holford 13th.
June 1847 at Penkridge.They moved to Salt They had several children, including Emily
who married Thomas Chilton. Thomas and Emily had several children also, including
Joseph Chilton who married Lilian Mason. Joseph and Lilian had one child Reginald
Joseph Chilton. Reginald Joseph Chilton married Marjorie Fisher and their only surviving
child was Ann. Ann Chilton married
?? Furber
and they now (2004) live in Gt. Haywood Staffs.