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Friday 22 July 2016

Abel Brereton’s Children



Rosemary Jewers 8th May 2016


I've found there's a lot of confusion regarding the children from Abel Brereton’s two marriages, therefore having research it for others, I thought this would be the ideal place to record some of the baptisms and deaths.

The children listed are from his first marriage to Anne Rouse and from his second marriage to his cousin Elizabeth Lloyd. All baptisms and deaths are taken from the Brinton Archdeacons Transcripts. The only two deaths not taken from the A T's are of his son and daughter who died in Canada.
1774 “August 8th Bridget the daughter of Abel Brereton and Anne (late Rouse) his wife was baptized.”

1785 “23rd October Anne the daughter of Abel and Anne (late Rouse) his Wife was baptized.” Ann (Anne) married William Copland - on her gravestone and marriage certificate she was named as Ann. The Canadian gravestone gives her age as 48 and her death as 4th Jan 1835, making a discrepancy of 1 to 2 years. When the family travelled to Canada via New York, the passenger list shows her age as 48 years. The Archdeacons Transcripts are not complete as some years are missing, but the years from 1785 to 1787 are complete and they indicated that Abel and Anne had no further children baptised until 1787 when their son John was baptised at Brinton.

In 1787 Abel and Anne Rouse had a son John who was baptised at Brinton.

In 1789 Abel Brett Brereton was baptised, he was the son of Abel Brereton and Anne Rouse.

On 14th Nov. 1789 Abel Brett Brereton was buried at Brinton.

1792 to Easter 1793 Mary Brett Brereton was baptised, she was the daughter of Abel and Anne Rouse.

1794 baptism on 27th August of Sarah Margaretta daughter of Abel Brereton and his wife Anne Rouse.

On Sept 10th 1794 Sarah Margaretta Brereton was buried.

Abel’s first wife, Ann Rouse died in 1795. “1795 Jan 31st Mrs Abel Brereton was buried”.

In 1796 he married his cousin Elizabeth Lloyd.

Abel Brereton and Elizabeth Lloyd were married at Brinton on 6th December 1796.

1798 “16th Sept. Elizabeth the daughter of Abel Brereton and Elizabeth (late Lloyd spinster) his wife was baptized.”

1799 “October 13th Cloudesly Shovell the son of Abel Brereton and Elizabeth (late Lloyd spinster his wife was baptized”. I have double checked this spelling in the A T’s. Over the years the family did change the spelling between Cloudesley, Cloudesly and Cloudsley and Shovell and Shovel. Cloudesly Brereton travelled to Canada and married there. He was in touch with and saw his Copland nephews, the children of his half sister, Ann. Cloudesly’s daughter married her cousin William Copland. On Cloudesly's Canadian grave, his name has been written as "Cloudsley Shovel Brereton". The spelling of Cloudesly is a different and Shovell only has one L. He died "March 4th 1873".

1802 May 2nd Margaret the daughter of Abel Brereton and Elizabeth (late Lloyd spinster) his wife was baptised

1803 burial Oct 14th John son of Abel and Anne Rouse was buried (aged16). NOTE, this was Abel and Anne Rouse’s son.

1806 marriage Brinton Oct 2nd William Copland of the Parish of Sharrington single man and Ann Brereton of this Parish... Witnessed by John Brereton Mary Seppings JD Copland Mary Hewitt

I have checked to the end of the Archdeacons Transcripts, I could find no further children mentioned that were born to Abel and Elizabeth.

A further snippet regarding Cloudesly's son.

While I was looking into the life of Cloudesly Shovell Brereton and the Copland family in Canada, Faye Brereton Goodwin kindly offered to do some investigating on her side of the Atlantic. She highlighted the fact that Doctor William Brereton, son of Cloudesly and his wife Charlotte Fisher, had married an Anne Marie Lount. Faye knew that I had been reading about the Upper Canada rebellion, apparently a Samuel Lount had been hanged in 1838 for his part in the uprising. Faye wondered if he could be related to the wife of Dr William Brereton. She wrote "Samuel Lount became a woodsman – and worked with his brother in the survey business. He became an elected member of the Upper Canada Legislature for Simcoe County (which included both East and West Gwillimbury) ."

After a little searching I found that this Samuel Lount had a brother Gabriel, and he had a son Hiram Lount. Hiram had a daughter, Anne Marie who married Dr William Brereton.

Link to the Copland family page.

If you have enjoyed reading this article you might consider donating to www.fosalm.org which will help restore St Andrew's Church Little Massingham. This church has been very important to the Brereton family.

Many thanks to Faye Brereton Goodwin

The Ann Seppings nee Brereton Sampler

Rosemary Jewers 2016 - updated 2018

In the early summer of 2014, I was due to take a party of some 30 people to visit Brinton Hall in North Norfolk. Before undertaking the journey, I decided to do a quick Internet search, to see if there was any new information about the Norfolk Brereton branch that might be of interest to the party. To my surprise I found the following information and a link to a 'Norfolk Darning Sampler', made by an Ann Brereton. The company selling the sampler were based in Philadelphia, America and they had obviously asked someone to carry out background history searches into whom Ann Brereton was, and to learn more about her family.

I was determined to find out more about this Ann, as I wondered if she was really related to the Brereton family of Brinton in Norfolk. Their branch already celebrated two renowned needlewomen. Firstly, Anna Margaretta Brereton nee Lloyd, who is well known for her bed hangings and secondly Anna's granddaughter, Mary Dowell nee Brereton, who had pieced together the extraordinary 41 foot sampler, comprising of 1000 patterns on 400 different canvas patches.

The link I found was for the image of the sampler and a link to the seller Amy Finkel of M Finkel and Daughter of Philadelphia. On their website it stated,
"An unusual Norfolk darning sampler is currently on offer by Amy Finkel of M Finkel and Daughter at samplings.com. As identified by a note penned by the maker's son, Thomas Seppings, the sampler is the c. 1816 work of Ann Brereton."

On the Hudson Valley site there is also a photo of the backplate and a note written by Ann's son Thomas Seppings. 'Worked by Ann Brereton my dear mother when a child aged 9 years (1816) Thos Seppings July 1850.'

The Hudson Valley website then describes the sampler and the background information – some of which I have selected here, it was posted on 29th March 2014 by Joanne.

"Highly inventive birds/insects accentuated by metallic threads and egg-shaped darning patches on this work are unique among thus far identified Norfolk darning samplers. The only comparison might be the birds and insects worked with metallic threads in the unsigned sampler from the Feller Collection pictured on page 304 of Imitation and Improvement: The Norfolk Sampler Tradition."
 "The Brereton family was originally from Cheshire. In Norfolk the original family seat was at Letheringsett near Fakenham until it was acquired by the William Hardy family in the mid 1770's. In the 18th and 19th centuries branches of the Brereton and Seppings families were intermarried, making absolute identification of this samplermaker difficult. There is little doubt that she was probably from the area around Fakenham, about 25 miles northwest of Norwich, and two villages to the east/northeast of Fakenham -- Brinton and Briningham. Brinton Hall, a Georgian house in the village of that name, was rebuilt in 1822 by the Brereton family"
"In this part of Norfolk, as in other rural communities, business associations were strengthened by ties of kinship. For example The UK Register of Duties Paid for Apprentices' Indentures records that in 1770 a Thomas Seppings was apprenticed to John Brereton of Brinton, a Norfolk mercer."

When I first found the sampler advertisement, I spent ages searching, trying to make the family connection. To begin with, I found it impossible, because of the date on the back of the backplate - 1816. I knew that Ann Brereton, 1756-1840 was the daughter of Shovell Brereton and Mary Middleton. Shovell and Mary had four daughters, Ann, Cicely, Mary and Elizabeth, because they only had daughters, after Shovell's death, his brother, John and his descendants inherited Brinton.

I had seen a family tree and knew from records that Ann Brereton had married Thomas Seppings (1), I also knew that in the next generation, Mary Brereton (daughter of John Brereton and Anna Margaretta) had married a Thomas Seppings (2), but after many weeks, I finally managed to work out, that Ann Brereton, the sampler maker, was the daughter of Shovell. Her father, Shovell, was the brother of John Brereton who married Bridget Brett and his sister was Mary Brereton who married David Lloyd!

John and Bridget's son, also a John, married his cousin, Anna Margaretta Lloyd, daughter of Mary Brereton and David Lloyd. Ann Seppings was John and Anna Margaretta's first cousin. I was also able to establish that Thos Seppings (2), who wrote the note on the backplate, was the Thomas Seppings who married his cousin Mary Brereton – daughter of John and Anna Margretta Brereton!

Having been preoccupied with the date 1816,  finally the breakthrough came after weeks of searching. My extensive searches had been unable to find another Ann Brereton who married a Thomas Seppings and would have been aged 9 years old in 1816.

It was only when I contacted needlework specialists that they immediately drew my attention to the fact that the date was in a completely different hand and was probably added at a later date... in fact it was a red herring! I had looked at this date so many times, I had noted the rather scratchy upright handwriting, but I was obviously so absorbed by the date I believed it to be accurate. I couldn't believe I hadn't spotted it before and it didn't follow the flow of Thomas' handwriting. Thomas had written the label on the back in old age.

I was asked again for the date of Ann's birth, I checked my records, it was 1756. The experts were able to zoom into the on-line photo and confirming the sampler was a very early example of a Norfolk darning sampler. And, Ann Brereton's sampler, could date to about 1765, when Ann Brereton of Brinton, would have been 9 years old – although early, this did indeed fit with needlework they had seen of this period.

Having been given this information, the sampler is a very important discovery, as it links it to other family pieces, Anna Margaretta Brereton's bed hangings and the Mary Dowell sampler. Now the Brereton family of Brinton have three important pieces of needlework made by members of the family!

The Norfolk darning sampler was eventually sold, and was shipped back in the UK. I understand it is now back in the Brereton family, where it is admired and belongs!

Click on the image to enlarge the family tree and see how these three ladies are connected.





Information about the tradition of Norfolk daring samplers - the finely worked sampler designs were made by young ladies, during this period. The pieces and designs they had perfected were ideal for covering the holes in their fragile dresses!

Ann Seppings nee Brereton was the cousin of John and Anna Margaretta Brereton. Ann and Thomas Seppings1 had a son Thomas, who married Mary, the daughter of John and Anna Margaretta Brereton. Mary Dowell nee Brereton was the daughter of Randle Brereton and Sarah Barwick, and granddaughter of John and Anna Margaretta Brereton. Mary Dowell's uncle and aunt were Mary Brereton and Thomas Seppings 2. Rosemary Jewers is the 3 x great granddaughter of John and Anna Margaretta Brereton.

One further snippet that came to light while I was researching; there was another sampler being sold by the same Philadelphia company. This one was made by Mary Brecknell of Kidderminster, Worcester, England, 1723. Although Mary Brecknell was not directly related to the Breretons of Norfolk, her relative, Elizabeth Hale had married Wm Brereton of Brinton. Elizabeth Brereton nee Hale's father was John Hale her mother was Penelope nee Brecknell, they married 11 Feb 1764 at Belbroughton, Worcs. The following is taken from Robert Maitland Brereton's book: 'William John Brereton, William XL, of Brinton, J. P. and D. L. of Norfolk, married Elizabeth, daughter of John Hale, of Worcester, descended from Sir Matthew Hale, Lord Chief Justice.


Mary's other relative was Maria Colwell, her mother was Jane Hale elder sister of Elizabeth. Maria married the Rev. Shovell Brereton of Briningham House, Norfolk.

If you have enjoyed reading this article you might consider donating to www.fosalm.org which will help restore St Andrew's Church Little Massingham. This church has been very important to the Brereton family.

William Copland and Ann Brereton of Norfolk and Canada

Rosemary Jewers 2016

Many Brereton family trees, mention that a William Copland married an Ann (Anne) Brereton of Brinton. Ann Brereton, (1785–1835) was the daughter of Abel Brereton and his first wife Ann (Anne) Rouse. Ann and William married in 1806 at St. Andrew’s Church, Brinton. One witness was John Brereton, Ann’s uncle.

Ann’s father Abel, was the younger twin brother of John Brereton of Brinton Hall, my 3 x great grandfather. Robert Maitland Brereton’s book, records that Abel Brereton and Ann Rouse had seven children who all died issue less. I have found that their daughter Ann, aged 21 married a William Copland and had at least four children, and grandchildren.

Children of William and Ann Copland

Ann Copland b. 1807

Baptism Date for William Copland 1808. On 30th April 1884 William Copland married his cousin Jane Margaret Brereton, (Madge) daughter of Cloudesly Shovell Brereton and Charlotte Fisher. William was 68 and she was 27. William died on 8th March 1888, Santa Barbara California. Having searched many records I am convinced that William was not truthful about his age at the time of his marriage to his cousin, Jane Margaret (Madge) Brereton. He was probably 76 at the time of this marriage.

Baptism Date for Elizabeth Copland 1810. Death 12 July, 1871: Montréal (Unitarian Messiah), Québec. Married J. J. Evans: Had issue

Baptism Date for Charles 1811 he had issue

Baptism Date for John Brereton Copland 1815

The register for the baptisms indicates they took place in a Congregational church. The baptism records of the children show that the family were living in Saxthorpe, Norfolk and later they were living at Hindringham, Norfolk.

Abel’s first wife, Ann Rouse died in 1795. In 1796 he married his cousin Elizabeth Lloyd. Elizabeth was the sister of Anna Margaretta Lloyd who had married John Brereton, elder twin of Abel. Therefore the twin brothers, John and Abel both married their Lloyd cousins. Robert Maitland mentions that a Margaret (daughter of Abel and Elizabeth married William Copland of Canada) this I have found not to be true. Information taken from Archdeacon’s Transcripts.

Abel and Elizabeth Lloyd did have a son Cloudesly Shovel Brereton, he also went to live in Canada. I will write about him in another section, he is well documented on other Brereton websites. Within the Brereton family there were many spellings of the name Cloudesley Shovell. Sometimes the name was written as Cloudesly, Cloudsley or Cloudesley and Shovel or Shovell.

It appears that William Copland (Sen) was born or baptised in Norwich (1783–1862) he died on 22 Mar, 1862 in Toronto, Ontario. William’s parents John D. Copland and Elizabeth lived at Great Witchingham, Norfolk. Photos found on Ancestry family trees, indicate that they may have lived at Great Witchingham Hall - now owned by the Bernard Matthews company. Although I found a ship’s passenger list for the Copland family who were travelling to New York on the ‘Meteor’, having departed from London, they arrived on 26th June 1834. It was obviously not William Copland Senior's first crossing of the Atlantic, because he had set up a brewery in Toronto in 1830.

William 51 (Sen) William (Jr) 24 (slight change of age), Charles 22, John 19, Ann 48, Elizabeth 23. There was no mention of Ann born 1807.

As mentioned above, William Copland (Sen) was living in Canada in 1830, he was the owner of a brewery in Yonge Street, Toranto. The link that follows gives a short insight into the life and background of William (Sen) and his son, William Copland Jn. who took over running the brewery. Scroll down the page to see the advert and short text.

In 1837, (after his wife Ann had died) William Copland and his sons were caught up in the Rebellion in Upper Canada. He had been writing detailed letters to friends about the uprising. In 1838 the letters were edited into a publication. He mentions his sons' uncle, Cloudesly who also became involved in the fighting.

Upper Canada link
https://archive.org/stream/narrativeofearly00copl#page/1/mode/1up

Ann Copland nee Brereton died 4th Jan 1835 Toronto, ON Canada. William Copland (Sen) married Caroline Sewers in 1836 (1795–1886) I found the following about Caroline Sewers. she was born about 1795, her father was Philip and her mother was Elizabeth. Caroline married William Copland on September 6, 1836, in Toronto, Ontario. She died on March 27, 1886, at the age of 91. I found no evidence that they had children.

Find the Copland grave.

http://www.findagrave.com/cgi-bin/fg.cgi?page=pv&GRid=107475434&PIpi=77361157

The Copland brewery, further reading: https://books.google.co.uk/books?id=ixp3CQAAQBAJ&pg=PT68&dq=toronto+copland&hl=en&sa=X&ved=0ahUKEwjStIGm3NjoAhUqQEEAHUyXBYgQ6AEIOTAC#v=onepage&q=toronto%20copland&f=false

Link to Abel Brereton's children.

If you have enjoyed reading this article you might consider donating to www.fosalm.org which will help restore St Andrew's Church Little Massingham. This church has been very important to the Brereton family.