Help with Will
 

I understand concentration and motivation is thin on the ground at the moment and this isn't an easy problem, but if anyone fancies a go - I really need to find the people in this will:

Edward Gale (Edward Geale (X)) late of Abinger now of Esher, husbandman, weak 3 Jun 1725
to nephew William May's eldest daughter Elizabeth of Esher £300 at marriage or 21; to Ann second daughter of William £200 at marriage or 21; to William eldest son of William May £350 at marriage or 21; if Elizabeth dies £100 to Ann and £200 to William; to my sister Jane Franks £100 exclusive of her husband and to her children £10 each; to nephew William May £20, exec.; if William widower residue to him but if still married half to sister Jane's children and half to Elizabeth, Ann and William May, jnr. Overseers: friends John Cobbet; Thomas Cooper
Witnesses: John Briggs; Thomas Cooper; Margaret Cooper
Proved: 1 Feb 1725/6 to exec. [DW/PA/7/20; DW/PA/5/1726/62]

The name Geale evolved into Gale, it is also regularly written as Jeal/Jeale.

What I have so far (nothing really!)

The only Edward Geale in Abinger married there in 1641 - unless he lived to around 100, it isn't him in the above will. But, he appears to have had no children in Abinger, but 4 were born to an Edward Geale between 1641 abd 1651 in Great Bookham, including a Joanne. The reason I think there is a connection is because Robert Geale also had a number of children around the same years in Great Bookham and also died in Esher. I have long held the (completely unproven) feeling that Edward and Robert were brothers.

A Jane Gale married a Thomas Cobbett in 1669 in Great Bookham.

A William May married Mercy Dally in Esher in 1709 (the Dally family having had loose business connections with the Geale/Gale family). But I don't think they had daughters called Elizabeth or Ann.

This has been driving me bonkers forever.

The sister, nephews and nieces could be sister, nephews and nieces of Edward's wife. I will have a look and see if I can find anything.

There is a John May / Elizabeth Gale marriage 1 May 1660 but it is at Chittlehampton, Devon.

Indeed ...... as far as I am aware, the family were Surrey dwellers in their entirety, and forever, bar the odd foray into London. But obviously, nothing can be discounted.

Now is not the time for this sort of research, but the manorial records for Surrey are well documented. Have you looked at the Surrey History centre 's catalogue? There's at least one Edward Geale of Abinger there.

No, four references.

Oooh, no I haven't looked there. Thanks Phoenix.

Err....... why isn't it the time for this sort of research?

I assume Phoenix meant because you can't go and look at the manorial records or get copies of documents from archive offices etc because they are not open, not that we don't want to do research! (again, someone correct me if I'm wrong!!)

:o:o:o


Merry is quite right. The Surrey History Centre has wonderful original documents. I have photos of manorial documents which proved what I had suspected in one of my Surrey families. But they are quite inaccessible at the moment.


I certainly wouldn't dream of suggesting we shouldn't be doing what research we can at the moment, and compiling to do lists for the future.


I get the feeling that we are like pirhana fish at the moment, just waiting to attack the next research question. I could be wrong :D:D:D