Peter Brown Family History

James Shirley (1828) & Sophia Stripp

peter pedigree tree
General History

James Shirley & Sophia Stripp were one of my 4th generation ancestors.

Key Dates:

James Shirley was baptised 12th October 1828 in Godstone, Surrey. He was the son of James Shirley & Philadelhia Bones. He married Sophia Strip on 10th November 1849 in Blindley Heath, Surrey. In 1851 they were living in Hook Lane (or Hook Style) Godstone, next door to uncle Robert (& Mary) and also to James & Sarah Strip 1784. James died in about August 1902 in Godstone RD, Surrey (aged 73-source 8).

Sophia Stripp (Strip) was baptised on 2nd Novemeber 1828 in Horne, Surrey. She was the daughter of James Stripp & Sarah Daniel. She died about in about February 1910 in Godstone RD, Surrey (aged 81-source 8).

 

Children Click to return to 'Top of Page'

James & Sophia had nine known children.

Naomi Sophia Mary Richard John Jesse Philadelphia Frederick Frank
  1. Naomi Matilda Shirley was born 18th August 1850 in Godstone, Surrey. She married James Brown. Details of James Brown & Naomi Shirley are shown separately as they are direct ancestors.
  2. Sophia Shirley was born 15th November 1851 in Godstone, Surrey. In 1871 she was maybe possibly living in Kentish Town, St Pancras, London.
  3. Mary Shirley was born about August 1854 in Godstone RD, Surrey. She probably married David Noble in about May 1883 in Lambeth RD, Surrey. They lived at Stock Park Farm, South Godstone, Surrey in 1911 and later in Horley, Surrey and possibly had two children. (see Elsie Brown Personal History)
  4. Richard Shirley was born about November 1856 in Godstone RD, Surrey. He married Sarah Morley in about November 1882 in Godstone RD. Richard & Sarah were living at 10 Gays Cottages, Blindley Heath and they had nine children.
    1. Louisa Shirley was born about 1882 in Godstone , Surrey.
    2. Jessie Shirley was born in about November 1883 in Godstone RD, Surrey.
    3. Harry James Shirley was born in about November 1885 in Godstone RD, Surrey.
    4. Sarah Sophia Shirley was born in about February 1887 in Godstone RD, Surrey. She married Henry Tanner in about May 1912 in Godstone RD, Surrey. Henry & Sarah had a child (Gladys M Tanner).
    5. Frederick Shirley was born in about February 1889 in Godstone RD, Surrey.
    6. Ethel May Shirley was born in about May 1890 in Godstone RD, Surrey. She married James Smith in about June 1916 in Godstone RD, Surrey.
    7. Richard Shirley was born in about May 1893 in Godstone RD, Surrey.
    8. George Victor Shirley was born in about August 1897 in Godstone RD, Surrey.
    9. Frank Shirley was born in about November 1898 in Godstone RD, Surrey.
  5. John Shirley was born on 20th July 1858 in Godstone, Surrey. He married Emily Roser in about February 1880 in Godstone. Emily was born in about 1856 in Chiddingley?, Sussex. They lived initially in Godstone but later moved to Guildford living at Stoughton Terrace, in 1891 and at Manor Road, Stoughton, Guildford in 1901. John was a Gardener. John & Emily had eight children (1891 census shows their name as Shilely).
    1. James Shirley was born on 4th April 1880 in Godstone, Surrey.
    2. John Edward Shirley was born in about November 1882 in Godstone, Surrey (Godstone RD).
    3. Ethel Olive Shirley was born in February 1885 in Godstone, Surrey (GodstoneRD).
    4. Nora Shirley was born in about 1887 in Worplesdon, Surrey.
    5. Emily M Shirley was born in about 1890 in Stoughton, Guildford, Surrey.
    6. May Shirley was born in about 1893 in Stoughton, Guildford, Surrey.
    7. Harold Shirley was born in about 1895 in Stoughton, Guildford, Surrey.
    8. Stanley Shirley was born in about 1899 in Stoughton, Guildford, Surrey
  6. Jesse Shirley was born about November 1863 in Godstone RD, Surrey. (all source 9) He possibly married Frances Fanny Treasure in February 1898 in Frome RD, Somerset. Frances was the daughter of Caleb Treasure & Mary Ann Lambert. She was born in about November 1867 in Malls RD, Somerset. In 1911 Jesse was living at 6 Layham, Godstone with his wife Francis, working as a bricklayer. Jesse & Frances had one child.
    1. Caleb James Shirley was born in about August 1902 in Godstone RD, Surrey.
  7. Philadelphia Shirley was born about August 1865 in Godstone RD, Surrey. She married William Arnold in about February 1890 in Godstone RD, Surrey. William was born in about 1864 in Horne, Surrey. Philadelphia possible died in about August 1939 in Bromley RD, Kent. Philadelphia & William had four children (source 9).
    1. Eveline Arnold was born in about May 1891 in Orpington, Kent.
    2. William James Arnold was born in about May 1893 in Orpington, Kent.
    3. Florence Mary Arnold was born in about May 1895 in Orpington, Kent.
    4. Lily May Arnold was born in about February 1901 in Orpington, Kent.
  8. Frederick Shirley was born about 1868 in Godstone, Surrey. He died in about May 1888 in Godstone RD, Surrey (aged 19).
  9. Frank Shirley was born about May 1870 in Godstone RD, Surrey. He possibly married about February 1894 in Godstone RD.

 

Personal History Click to return to 'Top of Page'

General:

The families of Strip/Streape and Shirley tend to very interconnected with marriages between them and also the families living adjacent to each other. The families tend to be based around the Surrey/Sussex border at Copthorne, Horne (Frogit Heath) and Blindley Heath. Looking at the parish map one can see that the parishes of Tandridge, Godstone & Horne all merge at this point and also are adjacent to Worth & East Grinstead. Frogit Heath is actually in Horne & Godstone parishes and Blindley Heath is actually in Horne, Godstone, Tandridge & Lingfield parishes. The location is some distant from the actual villages of Tandridge and to a lesser extent Godstone. Thus it is likely that the family ancestors arise from Sussex.

James Shirley

James lived at Blindly Heath at the date of marriage, and the family lived in Byers (or Byes) lane (which is between Horne and Blindly Heath) in 1861 census.In the 1861 census he is shown as a Road Labourer. He was previously decribed on Matilda's birth certificate as an agricultural labourer and on his marriage certificate as a labourer. In the 1871 census the family was living at Brick House Farm, Horne and James was described as an agricultural labourer.

Children Matilda (or Sophia) do not appear on 1871 census anywhere in Surrey or Sussex, but James Brown is still living with his father so presumably she is working away somewhere. (However see verification below item 5.3).

Sophia Strip

Sophia could not write as the marriage certificate and the birth certificate of Naomi Matilda were both maked with a cross

 

Verification & Concerns Returns to 'Top of Page'

  1. Other names found in parish registers are Shirley, Sherley, Shurley, Shirly, Sharely, Shearley,
  2. There are no Shirley's etc in the Horne, Lingfield or Limpsfield parish registers.
  3. James Shirley on the BMD index shows him as being aged 73 at the date of death which is consistent with the date of birth shown. Sophia Shirley on the BMD index shows her as being aged 81 at the date of death which is consistent with the date of birth shown.
  4. Names interchange between Sherley & Shirley
  5. 1851 Census: Shirley
    1. Godstone : see family top - James 22, Sophia 22, Matilda 7 mnths
  6. 1861 Census: Shirley
    1. Godstone : see family top - James 32, Sophia 32, Matilda 10, Sophia 9, Mary 7, Richard 5, & John 2. All born in Godstone- living in Byes Lane , Godstone
  7. 1871 Census: Shirley
    1. Horne: see family top - James 42, Sophia 42, Richard 15, John 12, Jesse 7, Philadelphia 5, Frank 2, Fred 10 mnth (Fred born in Horne)
    2. Kentish Town,St Pancras, London, household 230-family ref 1 : Christopher R Solomon 65, Mary R Solomon 61, Mary A Perry 32, Edward Solomon 27, Christopher H Solomon 17, Matilda Shirley 21 (working as servant)
  8. 1881 Census: Shirley
    1. Godstone : see family top - James 52, Sophia 52, Richard 24, & Jesse 17, Phillis 15, Frederick 12 & Frank 10. All born in Godstone except Frank who was born in Horne. Last two inconsistent with 1871 census.
    2. Godstone shows: see family 5 - John 22, Emily 24 (Chatenly??,Sx), James 1 living at No 15 Block Cottages, Godstone
  9. 1891 Census: Shirley
    1. Blindley Heath, Godstone: see family top - James 62, Sophia 62, Frank 20 + lodger
    2. Blindley Heath, Godstone- see family 4: Richard 33, Sarah 28, Louisa 9, Jessie 7, Harry James 5, Sarah Sophia 4, Frederick 2, Ethel May 11 mnths.
    3. Stoughton, Guildford shows: see family 5 - John 32 (Godstone), Emily 34 (Chievely Sx), James 11 (Godstone), John E 8 (Godstone), Ethel A 6 (Godstone), Nora 4 (Worplesdon), Emily M 1 (Stoke, Sy).- name shown as Shilely- living at Stoughton Terrace, Guildford.
  10. 1901 Census: Shirley
    1. Blindley Heath, Godstone- see family 4: Richard 45, Sarah 40, Harry J 15, Sarah S 14, Frederick 12, Ethel May 10, Richard 8, George V 3, Frank 2.living at 10 Gays Cottages, Blindley Heath
    2. Stoughton, Guildford shows: see family 5 - John 43 (Godstone), Emily 45 (Chiddingleigh, Sx), James 20 (Godstone), Ethie 16 (Godstone), Emily 11 (Stoughton), May 8 (Stoughton), Harold 6 (Stoughton) - living at Manor Road, Stoughton, Guildford
    3. Godstone - see family 6: Jesse 37, Frances 33 + lodgers
  11. 1911 Census:
    1. Godstone - see family 3 NOBLE : David Noble 50 from West Wratting Cambs, Cowman & Mary Noble 55 from Godstone. Married 27 years. Lived at Stock Park Farm, South Godstone
    2. Orpington, Kent (Bromley RD) -see family 7 ARNOLD: William Arnold 36, Philadelphia (born Godstone) 34, Eva 10, William 8, Florrie 5, Lily 2 mnths
Documents Returns to 'Top of Page'

Certificates & Official Records

  1. James Shirley Marriage Certificate
  2. 1881 Census return
  3. 1861 Census return
  4. Sophie Shirley Birth Certificate

 

Sources Click to return to 'Top of Page'
  1. Surrey Parish Records - Godstone, Horne
  2. Census Records - 1841, 1861, 1871 - British Origins Web site
  3. Census Records - 1851- Godstone District CD
  4. Census Records - 1881 Family Search CD
  5. Census Records - 1901- National Archives
  6. Surrey Marriage Index CD
  7. Sussex Marriage Index CD
  8. FREEBMD (Index of birth, marriages, deaths post 1837)
  9. Rebecca Williams from Holland who is a descendant of William Streape. Email: acceber@zonnet.nl
  10. Family Search.org  (Latter day Saints): For initial identification of details only