Johnson / Bryans Families

Tracing the ancestry of Pamela Murdoch Bryans and Maurice Alan Johnson

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Richard Nelson

Churchwarden, Bungay St Mary's
Male 1660 - 1718  (58 years)


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  • Name Richard Nelson 
    Relationshipwith Marion Murdoch Johnson
    Gender Male 
    Born 1660 
    Occupation Between 1694 and 1698  [1] 
    Churchwarden, Bungay St Mary's 
    Died 28 Dec 1718 
    Buried 2 Jan 1719  Holy Trinity, Bungay, Suffolk, England, Kingdom of Great Britain Find all individuals with events at this location  [2] 
    Last Modified 29 Apr 2021 

    Wife Margaret Adams
              b. Abt 1665
              d. 2 Dec 1727  (Age ~ 62 years) 
    Children 
     1. Frances Nelson
              b. Abt 1695
              d. 31 Jan 1760  (Age ~ 65 years)
     2. Richard Nelson
              b. 1700
              d. 24 Oct 1768  (Age 68 years)
     3. Margaret Nelson
              d. 1 Sep 1738
    Last Modified 29 Apr 2021 

  • Notes 
    • Early Life
      Richard Nelson was born c. 1660 (inferred from his memorial, see below). I have a hand-made tree for Richard that shows his father as Thomas Nelson of Pulham (d. 1668), son of Thomas Nelson of Kelsale (d. 1639), son of Robert Nelson of Aldeburgh (d.1619). This reflects a gradual migration north from the South Suffolk coast (at Aldeburgh) up towards Bungay. However, I have found no documentary evidence of this tree1,2.

      Career
      A hint on the Bungay Town Trust website suggests that the Nelson family owned the navigation at Bungay Staithe. Staithe Road still exists (a few minutes' walk to the east of Holy Trinity church) and the Staithe is labelled in older maps, near some malthouses, a mill pond and a mill.

      Bungay Staithe was associated with navigation up and down the Waveney river, something was still possible in the 1700s (navigation finally ceased in in the 1930s). All goods arrived at, and were despatched from, the staithe and so this was probably a considerable source of wealth for the Nelsons. This copy of the Norwich Gazette from 14 August 1725 indicates that Richard Nelson was partner and co-owner of Bungay Staithe with John Dalling (who was, apparently, an apothecary) .

      Family Life
      Richard married Margaret Adams, some time c. 1690. They had at least three known children:

      1. Margaret, b. unknown but died 1738
      2. Frances, b. e. 1695 and who married William Burtsal; she died 1760
      3. Richard, b. 1700 and died 1768


      Death
      British History Online has an entry for Richard, being a transcription of his memorial, which reads:
      In memory of Richard Nelson Gent. who died Decr 28th 1718 aged 58 years.
      Also of Richard Nelson Gent his son, who died Octr 24th 1768 aged 68 years

      Richard was buried on the 2nd of January 1719 at Holy Trinity.

      Footnotes
      [1] The BHO entry indicates that Richard was armigerous so perhaps a family pedigree is registed with the College of Arms?
      [2] The Norfolk Family History Society (https://www.norfolkfhs.org.uk/indexes,family-pedigrees/) lists two possibly-relevant pedigrees for the Nelson family
      - Nelson of Bungay and Loddon, descending from Thomas of Yoxford and covering 1650-1730 (available in Norfolk Genealogy Vol. 6); and
      - Nelson of Yoxford and Bungay, co. Suffolk, descending from Robert of Aldeburgh, covering 16th-18th centuries, which sounds like it matches the hand-made tree mentioned above

  • Event Map
    Link to Google MapsBuried - 2 Jan 1719 - Holy Trinity, Bungay, Suffolk, England, Kingdom of Great Britain Link to Google Earth
     = Link to Google Earth 

  • Sources 
    1. [S0100] flickr.com, Various, https://www.flickr.com/photos/52219527@N00/9601451718/in/photolist-JG3TKT-JktqDr-22y95D3-dKtSke-fCrX61.

    2. [S0071] National Burial Index for England & Wales, FindMyPast, (findmypast.co.uk), Richard Nelson; Holy Trinity, Bungay, Suffolk, 2 Jan 1719.