| Leggett Home Page England Bet Bet Berrimal Descendants Resources/Links |
| Leggett History in England
It is known from Victorian birth records that Edward Henry Leggett, born Ramsgate, married Ruth Cundy, born Devonshire, on 8 September 1851. Ramsgate records show the marriage of Henry Leggett of Stafford Place to Ruth Cundy of High Street on 8th September 1951 at St. Georges church, Ramsgate. Henry's father was John Leggett. Ruths father's name is illegible, but his profession was shoemaker. The witnesses were Thomas Leggett and J. Twyman. This information was primarily all we had to go on for a few frustrating years. Luckily, 2005 heralded the start of renewed progress. Firstly, Gordon Leggett of Wedderburn came across a large number of photos, including a letter dated 1924 and photo (circa 1910) from English cousins living in Walton-on-Thames. Then Christine Callow from ENG-surrey@british-genealogy.com provided invaluable assistance with linking the main people in the letter/photo to 1891/1901 census records. From there the on-line census records from Ancestry.com have been invaluable for filling out the 1841-1901 timeframe. For example, Edward Henry Leggett was found as a 9 year-old in the 1841 census with his family in James St, Ramsgate, and March 1851 census at 5 Charles St, Newington - unmarried and a shoemaker aged 19. Ruth Cundy is a 12 year-old in the 1841 census with her family in Tavistock, but is still unfound in the 1851 census. The family identified in the letter/photo are Elizabeth (nee Lofts), the widowed second wife of John Richard Leggett (born Ramsgate 1821, and died 1879) and her children born mostly in Newington, and her sister Eleanor Mitchell (nee Lofts). John Richard L and his first wife were in Newington in the 1851 census (and this appears to be the close connection with Edward Henry Leggett), but by the 1861 census his first wife is a 'deserted wife' back in Ramsgate, and John Richard L has three new children from his second wife. The census information about Edward Henry Leggett and his parents and siblings was finally settled when Mick Twyman from the Margate Historical Society kindly provided copies of parish records from Ramsgate. So at last we have our link - to the Leggetts of Fordwich. Not unsuprisingly, we had years of contact with Leggett-Fordwich researchers, and had seen the beguilingly extensive amount of historical Leggett records extracted from Ash and Fordwich, in Kent - but could only now make a firm connection. This Legget group from Ickham-Ash-Fordwich extends back to the mid-1600's in parish records and wills. The known family lines extending to present day from this group come from John (b.1789) and his brother William (b.1803). Of interest is that the other likely forebears we had been investigating for years were a large group of Leggetts in Gt Yarmouth, who frequented Ramsgate as mariners. Link to family tree of the first six known generations from Ralph Leggett (1613-1699) to William Leggett (1756-1840). Link to family tree of William Leggett (1756-1840), his wife Pleasant Tomlin, and their children. Two known decendant lines extend from William's children - John b.1791 and William b.1806. The descendant details of William b.1806 are provided at www.??? Link to family tree of John Leggett (1789-aft.Sep 1851), his wife Mary Ann ? (abt.1791-abt.1855), and their children. Four known decendant lines extend from John's children: Link to family tree of William Leggett (abt.1816-aft.1891), his wife Charlotte Louisa ? (abt.1809-bef.1871), and their children. Link to family tree of John Richard Leggett (abt.1821-1879), his first wife Elizabeth ? (abt.1822-aft.1861), his second wife Elizabeth Lofts (1832-aft.1901) and their children. Link to family tree of Thomas James Leggett (abt.1825-aft.1891), his wife Angelina Goodburn (abt.1819-bef.1891), and their children. Link to family tree of Edward Henry Leggett (abt.1834-1911), his wife Ruth Cundy (abt.1832-1897), and their children. Electronic copies of census and parish records are available on cd to interested researchers - just email. Ruth's parents are Moses Cundy from Petertavy and Amy. It is not clear if Amy died between 1841-1851, or she was also known as Mary born Exeter in 1851 census. Of Ruth's siblings, Thomas was a joiner married to Elizabeth with no obvious children, and living in Stoke Demeral through to 1901 census. Two sisters and a brother are not yet traced. A website for St. Georges Church, Ramsgate is here. A map of the streets of Ramsgate and showing the general area of Hertford Place is here. The newly married couple sailed from Plymouth in the PERSIAN, departing 18 September 1852, and arrived Melbourne, 27 December 1852. The trip occurred at the height of UK embarkation to Melbourne, and poor conditions on board led to many deaths. (Click here for additional information on the PERSIAN and Victorian immigration.) |