The given names of Lemon and Leman appear five times within this Aldous family line. James’ son and four grandsons bore these names.

James Aldous

Born: 1806 in Hoxne, Suffolk County, England

Father: William Aldous (1767 to 1852)
Mother: Jane Mills (1774 to 1848)

Spouse: Frances Notley (1813 to 1878)

Married: 7 DEC 1829 in Eye, Suffolk County, England

Children:

William Aldous (1831 to 1903)
John Aldous (1832 to Unknown)
Jeffrey Aldous (1834 to Unknown)
Hannah Aldous (1837 to 1905)
Emma Aldous (1839 to 1902)
Harriet Aldous (1840 to 1920)
James Aldous (1843 to Unknown)
Frances Aldous (1845 to 1924)
Alvina Aldous (1848 to 1915)
Leman Aldous (1851 to 1929)
Mary Aldous (1854 to 1915)
Laura Jane Aldous (1860 to 1938)

Died: 1891 in Thwaite, Suffolk County, England

Timeline:

1829 Marriage to Frances
1830 Birth of son, William
1832 Birth of son, John
1834 Birth of son, Jeffrey
1837 Birth of daughter, Hannah
1839 Birth of daughter, Emma
1840 Birth of daughter, Harriet
1841 Thwaite, Suffolk County, England
1843 Death of sister, Hannah
1843 Birth of son, James
1845 Birth of daughter, Frances
1848 Birth of daughter, Alvina
1848 Death of mother, Jane
1851 Birth of son, Leman
1851 Thwaite, Suffolk County, England
1852 Death of father, William
1854 Birth of daughter, Mary
1860 Death of sister, Jane
1860 Birth of daughter, Laura
1861 Thwaite, Suffolk County, England
1871 Thwaite, Suffolk County, England
1878 Death of wife, Frances
1878 Death of sister, Martha
1879 Death of brother, William
1881 Thwaite, Suffolk County, England
1886 Death of brother, Geoffrey
1887 Death of brother, John
1890 Death of son, James
1891 Death and Burial

Occupation: agricultural laborer

Records:

1841 to 1881 England Census Records
England, Select Marriages, 1538–1973
England & Wales Marriages, 1538-1940
England & Wales, FreeBMD Death Index: 1837-1915

Variations of Surname: none

Spouse:

Frances Notley:

Fanny was born in 1813 in West Harling, Norfolk County, England. She died in 1878 in Thwaite, Suffolk County, England.

Fanny’s father was John Notley. He was born in 1765, unknown birthplace. He died in 1821 in West Harling, Norfolk County, England.

Fanny’s mother was Mary Taylor. She was born in 1778, unknown birthplace. She died in 1832 in Blo Norton, Norfolk County, England.

Fanny had one brother:

William Notley (1811)

Fanny’s family lived in the parish of West Harling in Norfolk County, England. GENUKI’s 1845 Gazetteer entry describes the parish as:

“HARLING, (WEST) a parish of scattered houses, from 1 to 2 miles W.S.W. of East Harling, contains 117 souls, and 3166 acres of land . . .”

When I tried to find this parish on Google Maps all that appeared was All Saint Church, West Harling. This location is two miles southwest of East Harling, Norfolk County, England.

Simon Knott of the Norfolk Churches website describes the area as:

“The south of Norfolk can seem a forgotten land. Apart from the lovely town of Diss, there is nothing of any size along the border between Thetford in the west and Yarmouth in the east; nothing but winding lanes, forgotten hamlets, woodlands, and marshes. Between Diss and Thetford, the lanes off the main road dogleg and meander, as if they are in no particular hurry to go anywhere. Tracks head into the Breckland, splaying out towards the border, the occasional scattering of houses showing that they have a purpose, or had once.”

As Fanny’s parents died before the 1841 England census was enumerated, I had very little information to add to their profiles.  Fanny’s baptism record listed her father’s occupation as a gamekeeper. He may have worked for one of the private landowners in Harling Woods. I also discovered a marriage record for John and Mary. They were married on 12 SEP 1798 in Hoxne, Suffolk County, England.

Daughters:

Hannah Aldous:

Hannah was born in 1837 in Thwaite, Suffolk County, England. She died in 1905 in Lexden, Essex County, England.

Hannah married John Barrell in 1855 in Thwaite, Suffolk County, England. Eight known children were born to this marriage:

Emma Barrell (1856 Wickham Skeith, Suffolk)
Harriet Barrell (1858 Wickham Skeith, Suffolk)
John Barrell (1860 Wickham Skeith, Suffolk)
George Barrell (1865 Beaumont, Essex)
Hannah Barrell (1867 Beaumont, Essex)
Susan Barrell (1869 Tendring, Essex)
Jane Barrell (1877 Thorpe Le Soken, Essex)
Arthur James Barrell (1880 Beaumont, Essex)

John Barrell was born in 1830 in Wickham Skeith, Suffolk County, England. He died on 12 JUL 1905 in Lexden, Essex County, England.

Emma Aldous:

Emma was born in 1839 in Thwaite, Suffolk County, England. She died in 1902 in Aspall, Suffolk County, England.

Emma married Ephraim Oakes in 1865 in Thwaite, Suffolk County, England. No known children were born to this marriage.

Ephraim Oakes was born in 1818 in Gislingham, Suffolk County, England. He died in 1874 in Gislingham, Suffolk County, England.

Ephraim was 20 years older than Emma. When they married in 1865, Ephram was 47 years old and had never been married before that time. He died nine years later. He may have been suffering from an illness such as cancer or diabetes.

Emma then married James Girling in 1896 in Thwaite, Suffolk County, England. No known children were born to this marriage.

James Girling was born in 1850 in Wetheringsett, Suffolk County, England. He died in 1932 in Eye, Suffolk County, England.

James was 20 years younger than Emma. When they married in 1896, James was 46 years old and had never been married before that time.

Harriet Aldous:

Harriet was born in 1840 in Thwaite, Suffolk County, England. She died in 1920 in Wickham Skeith, Suffolk County, England.

Harriet had one child out of wedlock with Robert Bloomfield:

Robert James Bloomfield Aldous (1861)

Harriet did not marry Robert Bloomfield until 1865 in Wickham Skeith, Suffolk County, England. Nine known children were born to this marriage, all were born in Wickham Skeith:

Josiah Bloomfield (1868)
Joseph Robert Bloomfield (1869 to 1876)
Harriet Bloomfield (1869)
Peter Bloomfield (1870 to 1895)
Judith Bloomfield (1872 to 1895)
Fanny Bloomfield (1877 to 1900)
Emma Bloomfield (1879)
Kate Bloomfield (1880 to 1882)
Kate Bloomfield (1883)

Robert Bloomfield was born in 1830 in Wickham Skeith, Suffolk County, England. He died in 1910 in Wickham Skeith, Suffolk County, England.

Robert and Harriet’s first child, Robert James Bloomfield Aldous, was born in 1861 in Beaumont, Essex, England. The 1861 England census shows that Harriet was living in that parish with her married sister, Hannah, and her husband, John Barrell.

Yet, Robert and Harriet did not marry until 1865. He was 35 years old at that time. Could Robert have been married before? Was he in the middle of a divorce? Is that why they had to wait to get married?

I decided to search the England & Wales, Civil Registration Marriage Index, 1837-1915. In this database was an 1855 marriage record for the Hartismere Registration District in Suffolk County, England. Wickham Skeith was one of the civil parishes under this R.D.

Two couples were married on the same day and in the same parish. The four people were:

Robert Bloomfield
Ann Clarke
Maria Hammond
Ephraim Seely

If Robert had married one of these women and had to wait until his divorce was final, that woman should appear on the 1861 England census. I decided to check.

I did not find a Maria Bloomfield on the 1861 England census, but I did find an Ann Bloomfield. She was working as a cook in St Pancras, Middlesex County, England. The document shows that Ann was 26 years old (1835), born in Halstead, Essex, and her marital status was listed as “divorced”.

I did not add this information to Robert’s profile, because I did not have any definite proof. But, the question is still there. Why did Robert and Harriet wait four years after their son was born to marry?

Frances Aldous:

Frances was born in 1845 in Thwaite, Suffolk County, England. She died in 1924 in Wyverstone, Suffolk County, England.

Frances married John Brooks in 1864 in Thwaite, Suffolk County, England. Six known children were born to this marriage. The oldest child was born in Cotton, Suffolk County, England. The others were born in Bacton Green, Suffolk County, England.

Ada Brooks (1866)
Nathaniel Brooks (1868)
Jesse Brooks (1870)
James William Brooks (1872)
Rachel Fanny Brooks (1878)
Annie Brooks (1882)

John Brooks was born in 1829 in Bacton Green, Suffolk, England. He died in 1896 in Woodbridge, Suffolk County, England.

The 1901 England census shows that Frances was working as a house servant for William Meen.

In 1903, Frances married William Meen in Wyverstone, Suffolk County, England. No known children were born to this marriage.

William Meen was born in 1835 in Wickham Skeith, Suffolk County, England. He died in 1911 in Wyverstone, Suffolk County, England.

William had previously married Sarah Martin on 18 MAY 1864 in Witham, Essex County, England. No known children were born to this marriage.

Sarah Martin was born in 1837 in Kelvedon, Essex County, England. She died in 1892 in Wyverstone, Suffolk County, England.

Sarah had one child out of wedlock:

Emily Jane Martin (1861 Ipswich, Suffolk County, England)

Alvina Aldous:

Alvina was born in 1848 in Thwaite, Suffolk County, England. She died in 1915 in Stoke Ash, Suffolk County, England.

Alvina married George Clarke in 1866 in Thwaite, Suffolk County, England. Six known children were born to this marriage, all were born in Stoke Ash:

George Ernest Clarke (1867)
Lemon William Clarke (1871)
Walter James Clarke (1876)
Harriet Alvina Clarke (1878)
Kate Clarke (1885)
Elsie Clarke (1888)

George Clarke was born in 1844 in Thornham Magna, Suffolk County, England. He died in 1915 in Stoke Ash, Suffolk County, England.

Mary Aldous:

Mary was born in 1854 in Thwaite, Suffolk County, England. She died in 1915 in West Ham, Essex County, England.

Mary had one child out of wedlock:

James William Aldous (1872 Thwaite, Suffolk)

Mary married William Turvey in 1874 in Thwaite, Suffolk County, England. Four known children were born to this marriage:

George William Turvey (1874 Thwaite, Suffolk)
Emma Alice Turvey (1877 Woolwich, Kent to 1884 West Ham, Essex)
Albert Arthur Turvey (1879 Woolwich, Kent)
Mary Turvey (1884 Silvertown, Essex to 1894 West Ham, Essex)

Wiliam Turvey was born in 1850 in Wickham Skeith, Suffolk County, England. He died in 1884 in West Ham, Essex County, England. William was only 34 years old when he died.

Mary then married John Senior on 12 SEP 1886 at St Mary Magdalene’s Church in Woolwich, Kent County, England. Two known children were born to this marriage, both were born in Silvertown:

John Senior (1887)
Laura Jane Senior (1890)

John Senior was born in 1850 in Warrington, Lancashire County, England. He died in 1919 in West Ham, Essex County, England.

Laura Jane Aldous:

Laura was born in 1860 in Thwaite, Suffolk County, England. She died in 1938 in Mendlesham, Suffolk County, England.

Laura married John Howlett in 1878 in Thwaite, Suffolk County, England. Seven known children were born to this marriage, all born in Mendlesham:

Horace John Howlett (1881 to 1881)
Agnes Howlett (1884)
Gilbert John Howlett (1888)
Ada Howlett (1893)
Lilian Howlett (1895)
Lemon Howlett (1898)
Stanley Howlett (1899)

John Howlett was born in 1855 in Mendlesham, Suffolk County, England. He died in 1932 in Mendlesham, Suffolk County, England.

The Name Lemon or Leman:

Within this post were two men with the given name of Lemon:

Lemon William Clarke (1871)
Lemon Howlett (1898)

My grandfather was named James Lemon Aldous (1914 to 1991).

Two other men within my family tree were named Leman:

James’ son, Leman Aldous (1851 to 1929)
Leman’s son, Herbert Leman Aldous (1885 to 1960)

The Surname Database has a description for both variations of this name. These names translate to a “dear or beloved man”.

This website also explains:

“The personal name appears as Leman in the Domesday Book for Hampshire (1086)”.

“The first recorded spelling of the family name is shown to be that of Reiner Leman, which was dated 1185, in the Knights Templars Records of Essex”.

The GENUKI map shows that the southwest part of Suffolk County abuts Essex County.

This could mean that we have more Aldous ancestors who used the names Lemon, Leman, or its many other variations. I could also surmise that a man with one of these surnames may have married into the Aldous family in the very distant past.

It will be interesting to find the connection!

Notes:

Here are some links to websites that helped with my Aldous family research:

Aldous.net (Aldous family history and family tree)
Ancestors of Tim Farr, Descendants of Stephen Farr (family tree)
Reid-Schroeder Genealogies (family tree)
The Tree of Us (family tree)
Family Search (family tree website)
The Internet Surname Database (surname meaning and origins)
House of Names (coat of arms)

Creating Your Family Tree

Interested in building a great family tree? Remember these important steps:

Look in your photo albums. You may have old pictures that your parents or grandparents gave you. Or, ask them for copies of photos that they have in their possession. Many people will write names and dates on the backs of photographs. Letters, diaries, and family bibles are also excellent sources for vital records.

Talk to your older relatives to find out about your ancestry. They may relate stories about an ancestor that you can add to your family tree. Family history is usually not found in newspapers. It is more of a verbal memory passed down from generation to generation.

Find the right family tree builder that suits your needs. You can choose one that has a paid subscription like Ancestry.com. There are also free sites like FamilySearch.org.

When you start building your family tree, add documentation to your ancestor’s profile. Records should include birth, marriage, death, census, military, city, and county directory listings. Any information that you can find will help create a life story about your ancestor.

If you have a unique surname, you may find databases on the internet that are useful in your search. I use SurnameDB.com for my English surnames. There are other websites on the internet for countries like Italy and Germany.

Genealogy is the study of a person’s “line of descent.” As you create your family tree, you would start with one individual and go “back into time.” You would add their parents, grandparents, and so on. There are also family trees that go “forward into time.” Many of these family trees start with a famous person, such as a president or royalty. They would then move forward into the present time. The purpose of this type of pedigree is to establish a person’s bloodline to that famous person.

There is no limit on how big your family tree can grow. The blank canvas is there for you to use. Cherish your family history, and it will be there for generations to come!