Yeomans family – The Families of Judith and Nicholas

First Generation of Yeomans.

Thomas Yeomans and ann Clayton

nicholas Great great great grandparents

The furthest back that I have been able to trace the Yeomans family was to Thomas Yeomans born about 1786 in Norfolk. He married Anne and in 1841 they are living in Hardingham. Thomas died just 3 years later in 1844. The had five children that I have been able to trace who were:

1/ John Rolfe baptized on 28th December 1802

2/ Robert born on October 14th and privately baptized on November 4th 1804 and publicly baptized on April 14th 1805. I am not sure why this happened but assume that he may not have been expected to live in 1804.

3/ Lucy was born on November 3rd 1806 and privately baptized on November 20th 1806

4/ Rolfe was baptized on 23rd May 1813

Second generation

Rolf Yeomans and Thirza Julie cook

Nicholas Great Great Grandfather

Rolfe Yeomans baptized on 23rd May 1813 and married Thirza Cook in 1841 and as he is single in the census which was taken on 4th June, I assume he married later in that year. Thirza was the daughter of William ( a miller born 1792 and died 1872) and Clarissa Cook and Granddaughter of John and Elizabeth.

I am not going to do a separate post about the Cook family as I can only go back two generations but I have found some interesting articles about them. One is about Barnham Broome mill and this is the reference to William and Clarissa:

We were doing some research into my wife’s family – Yeomans – and the connection with Barnham Broom. On reading the file on the two Mills by chance – bingo – because there was a reference to the 1841 census and the connection we were looking for….. Ralph Yeomans age 25 was a servant at the mill in 1841 and coming by that year was a family of journeyman millers with a young daughter !!
The records show that he and Thirza were married the same year and they had 10 children, one of whom was George Sutton Yeomans, a direct descendant of my wife. (Our second son is named James Sutton – so we now know why !!)
They lived in Barnham Broom for the rest of their lives and they are both buried at the village church. There is also a reference by the great great grandson of Robert Atkins, the miller at the BB mill when Ralph and Thirza met and married.
We have no photos or personal records but would very interested if anyone did…
Alan Sparshott – 25th January 2011

Listed under Census 1841 is recorded a family by the name of ‘Cook’. William Cook (a Journeyman Miller) and his wife Clarissa Cook are noted to be at the Mill with their five children…
The youngest of the children Clarissa aged 10 in 1841 appears to be the wife of my Great Grand Uncle Edward Henry Howes.
Edward Henry Howes was born on 6th February, 1839 in Wymondham and died on the 3rd September 1900 at Bondi Sydney Australia.
Clarissa Cook was born in 1832 at Norfolk and married Edward Henry Howes on 25th March 1860 at St.Stephens Church Norwich. The Marriage Certificate recorded her fathers name was William Cook and he was a Miller.
Unfortunately Clarissa Cook died on the 7th October, 1860 from a miscarriage aborted at 6 weeks. As both myself and other relatives have a great interest in the Cook and Howes family we wondered if anyone may have any further information which could be helpful to the families here in Australia.
Robert Lee, Queensland, Australia – 1st March 2013

You can now read about the Barnham Broome mill.

Ten years later, according to the 1851 census, Rolfe and Thirza have five children and are still in Hardingham. The children are:

1/ Thomas William aged 9, born 1842. In 1861 at the age of 19 William is a boarder in North Elmham and is a gardener

2/ Mahala Ann Clayton (or Clarissa) aged 7 born 1845. Mahala is a live-in servant in 1861 but marries Arthur Yeomans in 1874. I assume he is related and his parents are Robert and Mary Ann Yeoman.

3/ Sarah Ann Harriet aged 5 born 1847 becomes a servant and marries John Saunders in 1870 who is an agricultural labourer. They have 7 children

4/ George Sutton aged 3 baptised on 7th January 1849. George becomes a park keeper of the Royal Parks in Barnham Broom and marries Elizabeth. They had two sons that I have found

5/ Harriet Elizabeth aged 9 months June 1850

In the 1861 they now have eight children having added

6/ James John in 1852

7/ Lucy Mary Ann born in 1854

8/ Frederick A born in 1857 also becomes a gardener

9/ Arnard C born in 1858 and died in1943 in Blythe, Suffolk. Arnard is a gardener in the 1911 census

10/ Alice Maria baptised on 10th March 1861 and who married Frederick Abraham Kerven in London

11/ Leonard Roofe baptised 13 July 1862

Ralph Yeomans is described as a gardener

In the 1871 census they are still living in Hardingham. Ralph is aged 58 and he and his son William are both gardeners

In 1881 Ralph and Thirza have a visitor called Horace Yeomans. Ralph is still described as a jobbing gardener and appears to be still working in 1891 at the age of 76.

Ralph died in 1899 Thirza died on 22nd July 1896 in Barnham Broom

Kerven family