From to Auckland New Zealand

Hello, I'm interested in Pilton because of a family connection. My great grandfather Richard Parnall Allen was from Pilton and his son, my grandfather Charles John Allen was born in the area, (Shepton Mallet 1875) and lived at Gray Gables on John Beales Hill. He married Elizabeth Beard aged 22 (his cousin apparently!) in 1898. There is a connection to the Strode family (my sister's middle name is Strode) and on my brief visit to Pilton a few years ago I noticed the names Allen and Strode in the church. My mother thought that we were related to Sir George Strode, youngest son of William strode of Shepton Mallet.

I have a copy of a will for John Allen, (Richards father and my great great grandfather, I think) dated 8 August 1889, in which he mentions 3 cottages and the orchard in Pilton. I think he owned Gray Gables, as well as cottages and land in West Pennard An interesting thing is that he does not specifically mention Gray Gables in the will, but does talk about "possession" of his office room below stairs, and and the middle chamber upstairs. It seems that he was leaving the house to his oldest son John Parnell Allen, with a place for Bessie to live? He left the "occupancy" to his wife Bessie. Witnesses to the will were Henry Charles Grant Baker of Pilton, and James Rogers, Baker Pilton, maybe there are descendants of those families still in Pilton?

I am very interested in the history of Pilton, and of my family connection including the Beard side, and would  be very interested in any family connections/history should someone there be kind enough to find time to pass it on.

Yours sincerely,

John Allen

Auckland, New Zealand

REPLY (received May 09)

Hi
With reference to John Allen's e-mail about his family history, I too have Richard Parnell Allen in my family tree. My connection is with the Beard family. My 3xtimes grandfather was Robert Hawkins Beard (1804-1847) who married Susana Barrett (born 1812). Robert's children included William Beard (born 1838) who married Eliza E (surname unknown) and their children were Susan E Beard (b.1863) And Elizabeth Beard (b. 1879). Mary Ann Beard (b.1843) was Robert's daughter, she married Richard Allen and their son was Charles J Allen, so it would appear that Charles did indeed marry his cousin. My family connection is with another of Robert Beard's children, his daughter Mercy married Benjamin Filer and their daughter Florence Mary married my great grandfather, William Henry Wilkins. I would be happy to send any information to John Allen if I can help in any way. 
 
Janet Jacob
Somerset

(Thanks Janet...Pilton.com)

Please send any information to contact@pilton.com

Looking for a Mann

A Sunday School runs every Sunday at the Pilton Methodist Chapel from 11.00 am to 12.00 noon.
All children are welcome to attend to take part in creative activities, listen to stories, sing songs etc.
For further details please contact Jacquelyn Taylor. Tel: 701

The Hole Story

Dear Pilton.com,

I've enjoyed looking at the site and I wonder if you could put me in contact with anyone interested in the history of Pilton?
I'm trying to research the Hole family - not for family history purposes but for their links with the 18th century diarist Parson Woodforde. Also a friend told me that the family and their house are mentioned in a leaflet "The Pilton Trail" and that the family plot is in the churchyard outside the east window.

Kind regards

Carole Child

(Kent)

Please contact pilton.com via the CONTACT page if anyone can assist. All messages will be passed on.

A Penny For Your Thoughts

?

From some family history I researched in the 1980's I believe that my father's side (Penny) had some connections with the village of Pilton. Unfortunately none of the family that I am aware of still live in the area, having moved firstly to Exeter and then my own branch up to the North West of England.

My great grandfather was Gilbert Penny who was born on 28.1.1863 and died on 21.2.1949 was buried at Pilton Parish Church. In circa 1921 he built the house called Thornton House, Lower Road, Pilton . He was originally a carpenter by trade but joined the prison service, retiring from Exeter prison in 1921. His father was Edmund Penney. Edmund was born on 16.4.1826 and died on 31.8.1900. He was also buried at St. Johns, Pilton. He married Martha Moon on 29.5.1849 at Cowl Street Chapel, Shepton Mallet and is recorded as being a 'skilled bootmaker' working from a shack in his garden of a cottage called 'Nestor' in Bread Street, Pilton.

His father, and alas, that was as far as I could trace, was Edmund Penny. He was born 1801 and was married to Sarah. From the 1841 cencus he is recorded as a 'beer seller' living in the seventh house on Pike Lane in Pilton. The cencus did not show his parish of birth and there my 'tree' came to an end.

Some 20yrs on since I did my family history research, I still have memories of the last of the above being connected to a place called the Barrowstyle Inn but could never find anything conclusive. It would be lovely to hear if you had some knowledge or idea where I could perhaps start a new search or indeed if you know if the Penny's of Pilton are being researched by other's who may have been more successful than I.

Richard Penney

Penymynydd, Nr. Chester.

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