Genealogy Chat

Request from SLP do you have COLYER family in your tree.!

Solved: case of the first stamped letterJul 4 2006 By Paul Rhys THE mystery of the world's first stamped envelope has been licked by a team of first-class historians. Now they're hoping South London Press readers can help them complete the pieces of the puzzle after a trail going back two centuries led them to a Peckham street. The world's first stamped envelope was sent by the daughter of Thomas Moore Musgrave, the Postmaster of Bath, to an address in Peckham on May 2, 1840. But as only a small section of the envelope - posted with a Penny Black - still exists, nobody knew who it was sent to and which street they lived on until historians got on the case. Southwark Local Studies Library archivist Stephen Humphrey eventually came across the solution, matching fragments of the address with rates records to find the recipients - the Colyer family of Union Row. Union Row was part of Deptford Lane, the old name for Queen's Road, and next to where Cherry Tree Court is today. A James Colyer appeared in the 1841 Rate Book. John Beasley, 61, who edits the Peckham Society News,sparked the search after being tipped off about the envelope's existence. He said: 'This is a very important discovery. We're talking about the world's first authenticated stamped letter.Now we know who it was sent to and where they lived - in the heart of Peckham.' Library manager Steve Potter rounded off the investigation by looking up the Colyer family in the 1841 census. They were Mary, 51, Charlotte, 27, Mary, 19, Austin, 13, and Elizabeth, 10, all of Deptford Lane. James Colyer did not appear. The three historians are now hoping our readers might recognise the names from their family tree and be able to tell their story. Mr Beasley said: 'There are still questions to be answered, such as why Mr Colyer didn't appear on the census. 'If South London Press readers have any information it would be great to have it.' Mr Humphrey had studied a postcard of the envelope published by Bath Postal Museum. A stamp collector owns the original. *If you can provide any information about the Colyers - or the first stamped envelope.

The first thing that came to mind was that surely the two families must have known (or been related to) each other. Here is the postmaster and his family in Bath...... Charles Musgrave abt 1835 Somerset, England Walcot Somerset Mary Musgrave abt 1806 Walcot Somerset Mary Musgrave abt 1829 Walcot Somerset Thomas Musgrave abt 1781 Walcot Somerset Thomas Musgrave abt 1826 Walcot Somerset William Musgraves abt 1841 Somerset, England Walcot Somerset Most of them not born in Somerset. Merry

and the Colyer Family, all born out of Surrey: 1841 Charlotte Colyer abt 1814 St Giles Camberwell Surrey Elisha Colyer abt 1828 St Giles Camberwell Surrey Elizabeth Colyer abt 1831 St Giles Camberwell Surrey Mary Colyer abt 1790 St Giles Camberwell Surrey Mary Colyer abt 1822 St Giles Camberwell Surrey Merry

We are looking for details of a family named Colyer who lived in the Peckham, South East area of London during 1841.

The Colyer family has Elisha on the 1841 census, not Austin as in the article! Merry

I think Merry is looking for a family tie or connection between the two familes. Its all very interesting though!

Can we find a James Colyer!

The newspaper wondered where James was.......Well, he was somewhere (ie not dead!) as he reappears in 1851: Charlotte Colyer abt 1813 Colnbrook, Middlesex, England Daughter Camberwell Surrey James Colyer abt 1788 Farmingham, Kent, England Head Camberwell Surrey (occupation, Annuitant) Mary Colyer abt 1789 Orpington, Kent, England Wife Camberwell Surrey Sarah Colyer abt 1824 Underine Seal, Kent, England Daughter Camberwell Surrey Sarah Linch abt 1815 Ireland Servant Camberwell Surrey Joseph C Marriott abt 1847 Grace Church at City, Middlesex, England Grandson Camberwell Surrey Merry

The Bath postmaster is still alive in 1851: Ann Musgrave abt 1813 Falmouth, Cornwall, England Daughter Bathwick Somerset Thomas M Musgrave abt 1775 London, England Head Bathwick Somerset Ann Redgwell abt 1829 Waltham, Essex, England Servant Bathwick Somerset But he's a widower, so we don't know where his wife was from.... Merry

every little bit of information is great.

Here's the birth record of their son, Elisha....... ELISHA COLYER Event(s): Birth: 08 OCT 1827 Baptist, Eynsford, Kent, England -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Parents: Father: JAMES COLYER Mother: MARY PAWLEY -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Messages: Extracted birth or christening record for the locality listed in the record. Pawley must be mum, Mary's, maiden name as this is most likely her baptism; MARY PAWLEY Female -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Event(s): Birth: Christening: 06 NOV 1788 Orpington, Kent, England -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Parents: Father: HENRY PAWLEY Mother: GRACE -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Messages: Extracted birth or christening record for the locality listed in the record. Merry

50p says the postmaster's late wife is something to do with either the Colyer family or the Pawley family (you know how women like to keep in touch!!) Can't find a marriage for Thomas Moore Musgrave :o(( Merry

Thomas Moore Musgrave was born in London on 28th December 1774, a son of Thomas and Elizabeth Musgrave. He married an Elizabeth Haywood in 1761 at St . Peter's Church in Leeds. From 1833 to 1854 he became Postmaster of Bath Musgrave must have received the new Twopenny blue Mulready envelopes by 6th May 1840 for he posted one of these on that day. Only 3 Twopenny envelopes are known to have been used on 6th May 1840 and the one sent by Musgrave is now held by the museum. It was addressed to a Miss V. Tudor of Kelston Knowle. Her father, a noted surgeon, would have been known by Musgrave. Is it possible that the Bath Postmaster wrote her a note suggesting she keep it for posterity, which she did. On 4 Sept 1854 Musgrave died at No. 10 Edward Street, Bath. His daughter Anne, aged 32, was living with him at the time, and in his will he bequeaths everything to her.

Good job I only bet 50p then!! Merry

Hang on Carol.......there's something wrong with those dates.....was his Mum Elizabeth Hayward, perhaps? In 1841 his wife was Mary (well, prob his wife!)....though he might have been married more than once? Merry

Did he marry before he was born then?

Thomas Moore Musgrave was born in London on 28th December 1774.

I know that, but if he was born in 1774 how could he have married Elizabeth in 1761?. must be his mother.

No think that might have been his mother, just noticed above that her name was Elizabeth (perhaps she was Elizabeth Haywood) will make further enquiries with Bath Postal Museum as to name of his wife and date of Marriage.