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Map showing all the villages on the Jemmett Trail

1. Rotherfield Peppard

In the beginning was Walter Jemmott, born around 1583 in Shiplake, Oxfordshire. He married Mary Higgs and they begat Griffin Jemmett around 1630 in Rotherfield Peppard. They also begat John, Walter, George, Henry, Mary and Sarah.

On June 6, 1656, Griffin married Margaret Wise in Rotherfield Peppard, just west of Henley in Oxfordshire.

On May 25, 1658 their first child, that we know of, was baptised John at Rotherfield Peppard, over the next five years they had at least four more children and seem to have stayed in the same village.

John Jemmett married Ann, also from Rotherfield Peppard, where their first three children were born in 1681, 1685 and 1687. There may have been another one in 1683 that died.

Rotherfield Peppard

2. Shiplake

John and Ann's next son, Griffin, was baptised on December 31, 1688, a few miles away in Shiplake. They then had at least seven more children, over the next 15 years up to 1703, but we don't know where. Ann died (or was buried?) in Rotherfield Peppard 10 March 1726.

Shiplake

3. Checkendon

Griffin Jemmett married Anne Clerk, we don't know where or when but the first child for whom we have a date was baptised Elizabeth in 1719 in the village of Checkendon, still in Oxfordshire. They had at least six other children, one of which was John, baptised in Checkendon on November 9, 1721 (apparently recorded as Jimmott).

Checkendon

4. West Wycombe

On December 18, 1753 John Jemmett (senior) married Winifred, or Wineyfruit, Slater. She was born in Rotherfield Peppard but we don't know where they married.

John and Winifred's first child was baptised John (junior) on November 15, 1754, in West Wycombe. Over the next five years they had at least two more children, Guinifred and Ann, also in West Wycombe.

In 1816 John Jemmett (senior) apparently died in Wheeler End. But deaths were not usually recorded before 1837, just burials, and there is no church in Wheeler End, it is in the parish of West Wycombe. It is not known whether John (senior) had moved to West Wycombe with his family, or whether he moved there later to live with his son. The fact that Winifred was born in Rotherfield Peppard suggests she met John (junior) before they moved some distance to the north.

West Wycombe & Wheeler End

5. Hambleden

John Jemmett junior married Hannah Weedon in 1785 at Hambleden, Bucks. She had been born on August 8, 1766, in Hambleden. They had at least thirteen children, the seventh of which was Job Jemmett, born 1794 in Hambleden.

Hambleden

6. Turville

Between 1799 and 1801 the family moved to Turville, Bucks, where the last three children were baptised.

On May 14, 1815 Job Jemmett married Charlotte Hunt, from nearby Ibstone, in the parish church of Turville. Their first child, James Jemmett, was born the same year, on November 5, followed by at least one more son, probably several other unknown children.

Turville

James Jemmett & Hannah Neighbour marriage certifcate, 1844

James Jemmett, date unknown

7. Cookham Dean

By 1828 the family had moved to Cookham, Berkshire, where the second known son, Eli, was born. James would have been 13 so there were probably other children.

On June 9, 1844, James Jemmett, 27, married Hannah Neighbour, 26, in 'the Church of Cookham'. Both gave their occupations as 'Servant'. Their first child, George Jemmett, was reputely born on August 17, 1845, but this does not appear to be in the Civil Records, so the date may be wrong.

James and Hannah had at least seven other children by 1863. In the 1851 census James is a bricklayer labourer in the Cookham district.

In the 1861 Census their address is given as simply 'Cookham Dean', they had with them all the children except George - James was now a 'Gate Keeper'. In the same census George appears at Highway Farm as a 'Carter boy', his age is given as 14 - if the birthdate above is correct then he would have been 16. The census shows addresses in Pinkneys Green either side of Highway Farm, and the modern map (right) shows a housing estate called 'Highway' near Pinkneys Green, which was built on the farm.

On the 1882 map (right) showing Highway Farm, it is clear that the 'Highway' is the London to Bristol road - the modern A4, just west of Maidenhead. On the right of the map is 'Cookham Workhouse', which now appears to be a hospital site in Maidenhead. At that time it seems that Maidenhead was just a very small village, and Cookham was the main town in the area.

In 1871 James and Hannah were still in Cookham with four of their children, and James was still a gatekeeper. No record of George has been found.

By the time of the Census in early 1881 George, age 35, had returned to live with his parents and their address is given as Tugwoods Common, Cookham Dean. James was a 'Highway Gatekeeper', and George a 'gardener labourer'. The street sequence on the census suggests that 'Tugwoods Common' must have been on the north side of Cookham Dean village, between Pope's Lane, Dean Lane and Winter Hill, which still exist (see map right).

On June 2, 1881, George Jemmett married Jane Smith, 25, from Dunns Heath, near Shrewsbury, Shropshire. They were married in the Cookham Register office - their first child, James (with Hannah, right), was apparently born before the end of the year, which might explain the registry office wedding.

The previous year Jane's sister, Maria, had married Henry James Tugwood in her home parish in Shropshire. Henry was a cabinet maker from Marlow, Bucks. His father was John Tugwood - born in Cookham Dean. The 'Tugwoods Common' address given in the 1881 Census does not appear on the modern map but the name is too much of a coincidence.

It is not known how Maria and Henry met, but it then seems likely that Jane was visiting her sister in the Marlow/Cookham area when she met George.

George and Jane had at least six children, of which the first three were born in Cookham.

Hannah Jemmett (nee Neighbour) died in the third quarter of 1887 in the Cookham district, age 70.
James Jemmett died in the Maidenhead district in the second quarter of 1899, aged 87.

Cookham & Cookham Dean

Pinkney's Green and the 'Highway' housing estate

Highway Farm, 1882

Cookham Dean

George Jemmett and Jane Smith marriage certificate, 1881

George and Jane Jemmett with their son John, taken in Wycombe.

Frank Jemmett birth certificate, 1887

Frank Jemmett & Lily Church marriage certificate, 1909

Arthur Jemmett birth certificate, 1913

Frank Jemmett death certifcate, 1937

Arthur Jemmett and Kathleen Stratford marriage certificate, 1940

Kath & Arthur wedding, 1940

8. High Wycombe

At some point between 1884 and 1887, the family moved to High Wycombe. On November 11, 1887, their fourth child, Frank Jemmett, was born in Queen Street. The birth certificate gives George's occupation as a gardener.

The 1891 Census has five children including Frank age 3. George, 44, was described as 'Gardener domestic servant', and the address as no. 10 Queen Street.

By 1901 they had moved a few yards to Duke Street, next to the pub, which is at the bottom of Queen Street. George was still a gardener and Frank, 14, was living at home.

On March 29, 1909, Frank Jemmett, 21, married Lily Church, 27, at the Register Office in High Wycombe. Frank gave his address as 18 Gordon Road, a few more yards along from Duke Street. The marriage was winessed by Amy Jemmett, Frank's older sister, and a J. H. Westrup who is not known.

Frank's occupation was 'Coachman (domestic)' and his father, George was 'Gardener (domestic)', possibly working for the same family.

On April 26, 1912, Lily gave birth to their first known child, Elsie, who died within a few months. Their address was now 5 Coopers Yard, Frogmore, High Wycombe, and Frank's occupation was 'General Labourer'.

On November 10, 1913, Arthur Jemmett was born at the same address, but Frank was now a 'Muffin maker'.

In the early summer of 1916 Frank and Lily's third child, Katie, was born.

Apparently Lily had another son, also called Frank, but by a different father. The details of this are proving difficult to trace as there is no birth record for a Frank Jemmett in Wycombe within the relevant years. He may have been born elsewhere, or have taken his father's name.

On October 14. 1937, Frank Jemmett died at the War Memorial Hospital, High Wycombe, folliwng a road accident. The death certificate says: "Shock due to laceration of the brain consequent on his being run into by a motor car and thrown from a pedal cycle which he was riding. Accidental death. No P.M. Certificate received from J. Bailey Gibson Coroner for South Bucks. Inquest held 18th October 1937."

His address was given as 6 Lower Hammersley Lane, High Wycombe.

On April 27, 1940, Katie Jemmett, 24, married George Mordue, 28, at Wycombe Register office. The witnesses were Kathleen Ruth Stratford, presumably a friend of Katie's, and George's father, also George. Her father, Frank, was described as '(deceased), Motor lorry driver'.

On July 16, 1940, Arthur Jemmett, 26, married Kathleen Ruth Stratford, 26, at St. Pauls Church, in the Parish of West Wycombe. They initially lived with Kath's parents at The Haven, Downley.

Queen Street, High Wycombe, in 2005. George and Jane lived at no.10 which was a short way up on the right. Now demolished.

Queen Street and Duke Street and Gordon Road.

Frogmoor

Hammersley Lane, Loudwater

6 Lower Hammersley Lane, at the end of the terrace (2005)

West Wycombe parish church in 2005 (click for more photos)

The Haven, Downley, 2005