Good to have the Buffaloes ruled out; I hadn't known their regalia carried a buffalo. And thank you for the point about the pentagram and freemasonry — I had been leaning away from the family's Masonic attribution, so it is worth my testing properly rather than dismissing.

I have since found that the Royal Forest of Dean Lodge No. 1067 was warranted in May 1865 and consecrated in June 1866, meeting at the Town Hall in Coleford and at the Speech House — about a mile from where Samuel lived. It moved to Newnham-on-Severn from 1869, which would have been a long walk from Coalway Lane End. A search of the Grand Lodge membership registers returns three possible entries under Horobin and Harobin, though I cannot see the details without a subscription, so I have asked the Museum of Freemasonry whether any of them relate to a Gloucestershire lodge.

If they come back with an answer I will post it here, in case it is of use to anyone else.

Might I ask one thing: do you know whether the friendly societies in the Forest — the Oddfellows, the Foresters, or local benefit or burial clubs — used a five-pointed star in a circular badge? The one in the portrait hangs from a broad plain ribbon on the left breast, with no apron or collar.

With thanks,

Lottie Aston

there is a long association of the Pentagram with freemasonry.

Other groups like -The Buffaloes (RAOB) (a society that my FoD family were involved with) typically had a buffalo in their regalia.

regards

First name(s) Samuel
Arrival port New York
Last name Horrobin
Arrival date 12-Apr-1881
Sex Male
State New York
Age 48
Country United States
Birth year 1833
Source dataset New York Passenger Lists & Arrivals
Origin country England
Year 1881
Record set British & Irish Roots Collection
Ship departure port Bristol
Category Travel & migration
Destination country United States
Subcategory Migration
Arrival year 1881
Collections from Americas, Great Britain, Ireland, United States

https://www.statueofliberty.org/arrival-details/?id=QVSK-TLR6 on board the SS Devon

Not unheard of for Foresters to end up in a Bristol hospital - The Royal Infirmary (BRI)- for treatment. Why? I suspect that cases were too complex for the local Gloucester hospitals to handle.

1871 CoalWay Lane End

Samuel Harrobin Head - Male 40 1831 Coal miner Coalway Lane End, Gloucestershire, England
Edith Harrobin Daughter - Female 15 1856 - West Dean, Gloucestershire, England
Alice Harrobin Daughter - Female 4 1867 Scholar West Dean, Gloucestershire, England
Tom Lewis Step-son - Male 10 1861 Coal miner West Dean, Gloucestershire, England

I've lost one man in a single census and wonder whether local knowledge can help.

Samuel Horrobin (also Horobin, Horribin, Harrobin), baptized Drybrook 13 March 1831, son of Thomas and Ann, collier, of Coalway Lane End:

- 1852: married Mary Ann Hale at Parkend, both of Coalway Lane End
- 1863: his wife buried at Coleford Congregational, residence given as Bristol
- 1866: married Alice Lewis at Coleford Congregational (FamilySearch gives her as Alice Preece — I have not resolved which)
- 1870: his second wife died, aged 34, buried at Coleford Congregational
- 1871 census: at Coalway Lane End, West Dean, widower, aged 40, coal miner, head of household
- 1881: I cannot find him under any spelling
- 1887: said to have died at Beadling, Pennsylvania, having emigrated from Bristol on the SS Devon in April 1881

If he sailed in the spring of 1881 he may simply have left before census night, but I'd welcome confirmation, or any sighting of him in 1881. I'd also be glad of advice on which spellings and districts tend to hide Forest families in that census.

A second, smaller question if anyone knows: the 1863 burial entry gives his wife's residence as Bristol, though he was at Coalway throughout. Was it common for Forest families to go to Bristol for medical treatment?

Thank you,

Lottie Aston

I'm researching my Forest ancestors from California, and I'd be grateful for local eyes on a family portrait.

The sitter is Samuel Horobin, baptized at Drybrook on 13 March 1831, son of Thomas Horrobin, collier, of Coalway Lane End. Samuel married Mary Ann Hale at Parkend on 29 May 1852; he was a collier and appears at Coalway Lane End in the 1851, 1861 and 1871 censuses. He emigrated to Pennsylvania in 1881.

The portrait is large — about 4½ by 5½ feet. His daughter Edith took it to America, and it is still in the family here.

He is shown standing in a studio interior, in a dark three-piece suit, wearing a badge on his left breast: a five-pointed star inside a circular medal, hanging from a broad plain ribbon. Our family notes call it Masonic, but I wonder whether it is more likely a friendly society or temperance order — Foresters, Oddfellows, Rechabites, Good Templars, or perhaps a local benefit or burial club.

Has anyone seen this badge in photographs of Forest men in regalia? I'm happy to email photographs and close-ups to anyone able to take a look, or to post them here if attachments are possible.

Many thanks,

Lottie Aston

( cross checking with Victoria County History - Westbury on Severn --Ley Mill on the Ley brook where it was crossed by the Huntley road was owned by Richard Young at his death in 1635, and it passed with the adjoining farms to the Probyns. Between 1805 and 1879 the Coleman family worked the mill; it apparently ceased working c. 1908, and only a ruined stone wall remained in 1969.

Lea (or The Lea) is a village and civil parish in the south east of Herefordshire. It lies south-east of Ross-on-Wye and adjoins the boundary of Gloucestershire.Amenities include a school, church, village hall, shop, public house, garage and a twice-weekly mobile Post Office, all of which lie on the A40 road which passes through the village and links Ross and Gloucester.

The Church of St John the Baptist is a Grade II* listed building. The church consists of tower, with spire, three bells, nave, chancel and north aisle. The north aisle is terminated by a chapel, probably erected by the Grey family of Wilton, whose arms are placed there. The church was restored in 1854, and fitted with open seats. The marble baptismal font, of c. 1200, is south Italian, given to the church in 1909 in memory of Sarah Decima Bradney (died 1907). The knotted shaft stands on an elephant and the bowl has a band of Cosmati work.

The Church of England parish is in the united Ariconium benefice of six parishes: Aston Ingham, Hope Mansell, Lea, Linton, Upton Bishop and Weston under Penyard.

and

Ley

A small area south of Huntley north of Northwood Green

https://www.geograph.org.uk/photo/7851232

https://britishlistedbuildings.co.uk/101186532-ley-court-westbury-on-severn Ley Court https://www.geograph.org.uk/photo/7650016

- a modern address Ley Mill Farm
Huntley
Gloucestershire
England
GL14 1PR

Can anyone tell me where or what the Lea/Ley was?

Thanks.

Chris

( Parish records begin 1538 for Ruardean a 1538 Act of Parliament required ministers in the Church of England to record baptisms, marriages, and burials. )

I have seen mention of a John Yeme in old postings, christened in Ruardean in 1512.

He could be the John Yeme whose 1582 Will identifies him as the Blacksmith who cast/repaired the disused treble bell that sits at the back of Ruardean church and was the father of Richard, Stephen and Joan who are currently the end of my line.

Can anyone point me to a document or reference that supports a 1512 christening please?

Chris Yemm

We have a family tree on Ancestry.com. I've only just learned of the DNA projects you mentioned. The little that we know of William comes in part through the journal of Priddy Meeks (1795-1886), who was a somewhat famous figure out in Utah (I am directly descended from his brother). He has his own Wikipedia page if you want to look him up. He was a frontier doctor and a prominent Mormon convert and polygamist. He had 19 children. Of course, the Mormons are very interested in genealogies. William entered what is now the U.S. through Virginia and his children ended up in North Carolina, South Carolina, Illinois, and Kentucky. I was hoping to find out why William left England/Wales and who he left behind.

Priddy's journal has been published but is only available from various university libraries here in the U.S.

Thanks,
Darla Meeks

Are you subscribed to Ancestry / Myheritage DNA ?

Are you in touch with https://meekgenealogy.com/ ?

1911 Elton Court
Henry Gillman Dowding Head Married Male 33 1878 Farmer Westbury Glos
Lillie Dowding Wife Married Female 29 1882 - Wraxhall Dorset
Dorothy Lilian Dowding Daughter - Female 2 1909 - Westbury Glos
Gerald Henry Dowding Son - Male 1 1910 - Westbury Glos

1939 Hagloe House, Blakeney,
Henry G Dowding 13 May 1877 Male Dairy General Farmer Married 67 1
Lillie Dowding 02 Jan 1882 Female Managing House Married 67 2
Kathleen R Dowding 31 Aug 1918 Female Assistant In House & Poultry Single 67 3
John E Dowding 27 Nov 1919 Male Assistant On Farm Single 67 4

The 1912 date is interesting. My Grandfather John Edward Dowding (born 20th November 1919) was born at Elton Court (Elton Corner) and always gave me the date of 1923/4 moving to Hagloe. However, he's not here to ask now! He's the youngest of the family. Douglas was one of his brothers who I think was nicknamed Bob. I think the family originated from Blaisdon, from what I can make out.

Stan