Emonson Family History

Introduction

I constructed this web-site in 2005 to encourage communication and the sharing of family history by the members of the Emonson families throughout the world.

In 1997 I decided it was important for me, my children and their offspring, that I set about researching our ancestry. Using phone directories I extracted all names and addresses of members of the Emonson family in Australia, United States and the United Kingdom. I then wrote to or phoned each of them. From those numerous contacts I gathered critical information, photos and stories relating to our ancestry.

Research has been frustrating at times - however generally it has been most enlightening. Establishing dates, places, events and relationships has been relatively easy, however gathering personal recollections and anecdotal stories has been more difficult.

My research has established that every Emonson living in Australia (some 500+) is a direct descendent of John and Maria Emonson who emigrated from England in 1849.

There is some evidence to suggest that there may be a Scandinavian connection prior to settlement in England.

I would very much like to receive contact from anyone who has undertaken research relating to the Emonson family.

I look forward to receiving your thoughts. See 'Assistance' page.

Robert (Bob) Emonson

Our English Ancestry - Samuel Emonson & Ann Drury

Samuel was born at Whitkirk, Yorkshire , England in 1760. He married Ann Drury at All Saints Church, Wakefield , Yorkshire in 1785. I can only guess as to why they chose to travel all the way to Richmond , Surrey , soon after their marriage, a challenging journey of 270km on both unmade and cobble stone roads. Was he a soldier, reassigned to a new posting? Did one or both families not approve of the marriage, causing them to leave York to protect their relationship? Or were they just a young couple, possessing the Emonson spirit of adventure and independence, who set out to explore new horizons and opportunities?

It would be fair to assume they enjoyed the role of parents, as they appear to have planned for a new arrival every 2-3 years. They had 10 children, the first being Samuel George who was christened 28 June 1789 at St Mary Magdalen church, Richmond , Surrey . The remaining children (except William) were all born at Kingston Upon Thames, Surrey and christened at All Saints church in the village. They were;

Ann (born 11 November 1790 and christened 5 December 1790)
William (born 4 October 1792 and christened 11 November 1792)
Elizabeth (born 11 December 1794 and christened 14 January 1795)
Christopher (born 25 June 1798 and christened 22 July 1798)
Mary (born 11 April 1800 and christened May 1800)
Louisa (born 26 October 1802 and christened 21 November 1802)
Thomas born (21 December 1804 and christened 27 January 1805)
John Emonson (born 25 September 1807 and christened on 25 October 1807) and
William (born 13 June 1811 at Hampton Wick and christened at All Saints church, at Kingston Upon Thames, on 9 August 1811).

John Emonson & Honor Cross

John became a grocer and married Honor Cross, who was born in 1804 at Wincanton, Somerset (160km west of Twickenham). After their marriage they lived at Hanworth Road , Twickenham for 30 years.

They had two children;
John James Emonson (born 1826) at Teddington and
Ann Emonson (born 1828) at Hampton Wick.

Ann married a plumber named William Richard Newman, at Richmond , Surrey in 1829. They had two children, both born in Twickenham, being Mary Ann (born 1852) and Honor (born 1859) taking the name of her grandmother.

The 1841 census records John Emonson, aged 30 and Honor aged 35, living at Hanworth Road, Twickenham with their daughter Ann Emonson aged 13 and John's mother Ann Emonson aged 70.

The 1861 census records John as a retired Grocer at the age of 55 with Honor his wife aged 57 and their grandchildren Mary Ann Newman aged 9 and Honor Newman aged 2, living at Hanworth Road, Twickenham in the Parish of Holy Trinity, Twickenham.

The 1871 census records John a Grocer aged 64 with wife Honor aged 68 and Mary Ann Newman, grand daughter who was a grocers assistant, aged 19 and Honor Newman aged 12.

John died at Fifth Cross Road, Twickenham on 4 August 1878 aged 72 years.

One would hope that John could count the days takings better than he calculated his age at each census. I, having been a supermarket manager (modern day 'grocer'), have pondered what it must have been like for John in his shop. No refrigeration, no self-serve, no plastic bags and possibly completing all tasks on his own.

The villages and towns of Kingston, Richmond, Hampton Wick, Twickenham and Teddington are all on the banks of the Thames River.This was on the western border of London during that period but is now absorbed within Greater London.

John James Emonson & Maria Phipps

John James Emonson was born in 1826 in the village of Teddington, in the south of the County of Middlesex. John, a market gardener and later a florist, married Maria Phipps on 2 February 1849 at The Trinity Church in the Parish of Rotherhithe, which is situated near Greenwich in the north east corner of the County of Surrey.

Mogg's 1827 Map of London with Rotherhithe highlighted in red

Maria was born on 13 March 1826 at Berkhampstead (a village in the extreme east of the County of Hertfordshire) and Christened on 21 May 1826 at Ardeley in the same county. The three counties adjoined each other on the western border of London (as it was at that time) .

Their life was about to undergo a major change (see 'Move to Australia')