Genealogy Forum UK

Hi everyone,

I've managed to make a breakthrough in researching the parents of my x3 Grt Grandfather John Tolley but the information I've found has led me into yet another brickwall

I've found the marriage entry of Johns' parents:

William Tolly & Esther Masus 3rd April 1797 in Ribbesford, Worcestershire

Great I thought I might be able to research Esthers family but her surname is a complete mystery to me. I can find no record of any Masus on the IGI in the Worcestershire area and also no information listed about the meaning of the surname.

Is Masus a surname or has it been spelt incorrectly and if so what the dickens could it be ?

I've searched and search but found nothing and I'm baffled.

Any ideas

Kind regards
Adrian

Mason...Masias... Moses....??

I have seen Masus on the Channel Islands.

Hi,

I was thinking along the lines of maybe Mason but the idea of Moses is also interesting and both of these surnames appear in Worcestershire.

I did manage to find a couple of Bap' entries on the IGI:

Alice Masus 13 MAY 1736 Chipping Campden, Gloucester, England
William Masus 11 MAR 1683 Saint Michael, Coventry, Warwick, England

The surname seems to have existed but very rare and nothing in the Worcestershire area.

Very strange

Adrian

Can you find them on the census? Does it say where Alice was born?

Plenty of them on I.G.I.

Mostly from Finland.

Same on Ancestry. Most are from Finland.

1841 Fish Street, St Helen, Worcester
TOLLEY, Esther F 60 1781 Worcestershire
REYNOLDS, Susan F 20 1821 Worcestershire
REYNOLDS, Mary F 1 (12 months) 1840 Worcestershire
DLAMREY, Thos M 8 1833 Worcestershire
HOLDING, James M 4 1837 Worcestershire

Hi,

Well if she was Finnish wouldn't that be spooky given I married a Finn and living in Finland and given Finland has such a small population I could be related to my wife

I'm convinced the name has been mis-transcribed and I'll take a look at the Mason/Moses suggestions because the surname seems to have been popular in the Worcestershire area.

Interesting find and I'll also take a look:

1841 Fish Street, St Helen, Worcester
TOLLEY, Esther F 60 1781 Worcestershire
REYNOLDS, Susan F 20 1821 Worcestershire
REYNOLDS, Mary F 1 (12 months) 1840 Worcestershire
DLAMREY, Thos M 8 1833 Worcestershire
HOLDING, James M 4 1837 Worcestershire

Many thanks everyone,
Adrian

Hi
Might be worth asking if anyone is able to look at the record itself. I once looked at the Ribbesford records at Worcester family history centre and they can be shockingly difficult to read. But it is different to squint at one particular record rather than transcribe a bunch.

Hi,

Many thanks for all your replies.

I've taken your advice gardener and sent an email to the Worceter History Centre asking them if they could confirm the surname details.

I'll post there answer when I receive a reply.

Kind regards
Adrian

Hi,

I've just received a reply from the Worceter History Centre confirming that the records are very difficult to read and that Masus is the best guess at what's written. They suggested it may be Morris but I'm not sure about that but I have enough to go on to attempt to unravel the mystery and I will let you know if I find out any new information.

I think this thread can be closed.

Many thanks
Adrian

Hi Adrian

You know you can request a copy from them I think it is for £4.50
they are very good and quick at sending them out I have purchased a few from there.
You could then have a look or put a bit of it on here and we could all see what we think

Hi Adrian, what about Massey, that was a good local Worcs/Shropshire name

What a nightmare for you

Linell.

Hi,

Yes it's proving a really headache but hey all you can do in these situations is

I'f I was a bookie these would be the runners and starting prices for the Masus surname
1. Mason evens fav
2. Massey 2-1
3. Moses 5-1
4. Mathews 10-1
5. Morris 100-1

The problem is I can't find any Esther with the above surnames born abt 1776 in or near Martley, Worcestershire however the reason I've put Mason fav' is that there are a lot of Masons born in Martley around the mid to late 1700's.

I've not got a gambling addiction honest but I fancy a fiver on Morris at 100-1 oops

I will request a copy of the marriage entry and post it on here to check.

Mant thanks
Adrian

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