Dennis Hilsdon Esq.

[benny1982]

A lot of London Land Tax records have just come on Ancestree and I have found a few ancestors of mine but one interesting one is a man with the same name as my ancestor and it is a rare name.

My ancestor was Dennis Helsdon was was a weaver born in Norwich in 1729, wed in 1752 and died in 1804. A few of his children went down to London and in 1750 Dennis was left his dads loom in his will.

In 1760 to 1763 a Dennis Hilsdon Esq was a tenant at Dover Street St George Hanover Square in London. If it is my Dennis then there are no other records that he was an Esq. This Dennis was just a tenant though. My Dennis had a child baptised in Norwich in 1761 and 1763. If it is the same man he could have flitted between Norwich and London.

My Dennis died in August 1804 in Norwich aged 75 and was buried at St Augustine's Church.

[p.risboy]

Esquire isn't a big deal Benny, I think it's term used for a chap that has a slightly higher social ranking.

I think the term Esquire, held more meaning years ago.

Nice find though Ben.

[benny1982]

Well his children Dennis born 1756, Benjamin born 1761, Mary born 1760 and Rebecca born 1763 all baptised in Norwich married in London in 1784, 1785, 1786 and 1787. And in 1796 their brother Henry wed in Norwich but was of St Luke, London.

Maybe in 1756-1773 they waited until they were in Norwich to have children baptised. Dennis was a weaver so yes it does seem they spent time in London in the 1760s. Some of their children born 1760, 1761 and 1763 may have been born in London but christened in the parents home parish 120 miles away in Norwich.