Bures Message Board

My great-aunt Elsie took me to Mount Bures church a few years ago to show me gravestones inscribed with the name Pettitt, I also note that there are a number of Pettitt's in the 1841-1871 census. I would appreciate any memories anyone has of the Pettitt family and also hearing about whether any Pettitt's still live in Mount Bures.
Thank you
Best wishes
Fiona

ps Mount Bures is a lovely village and your website is extremely informative - thank you!

Fiona,
There are no longer any Pettits living in the area.
However there is a great deal of historical information on that family in the book:-
"Mount Bures its Land and its People" by Ida Mcmaster
isbn 0 9527541 0 x

If you live in the Suffolk/Essex counties its available from their libraries.
I have passed on your details to the Mount Bures Historian who will reply shortly.
Could you give me your location ?

Dear Alan

Thanks again for your email relating to Pettitts in Mount Bures. Although I live in London, Ilford isn't too far away so maybe I will find a copy of Ida's book there. Will look forward to being in contact with the local historian.

Very best wishes
Fiona

Fiona
We had many of your ancestors living in our village, In fact almost all of the farms and small holdings were tenanted by "Pettits" in the 1800`s.
You will have to put in a request to your local library to have our book transferred to you to read;
it is called "Mount Bures its Lands and its People" by Ida McMaster and Kathleen Evans. There are many Pettits mentioned inside dating back to the 1700`s.
There were many Pettit-Harveys and Pettit-Clarkes here when I first moved to the area in 1950. One a clergyman came from Norfolk to see me some years ago by that name.
I still see the name mentioned in newspapers etc so I imagine you will find lots if you search various web sites.
There is a "Rosemary Gibbons" of Oxford who has researched the Pettit family, but unfortunately at present I cannot locate her address.
Research into family history is always a lengthy business

Ida McMaster
Village Historian.

Dear Ida

Many thanks for your email. I will look forward to reading the book by yourself and Kathleen and finding out more about Mount Bures Pettits/Pettit-Harvey/Pettit-Clarkes. My father's family comes from Colchester and at this stage I'm assuming there are links between them and the Mount Bures Pettits but this will need researching further. Thanks also for your reference to the clergyman from Norfolk.

Very best wishes
Fiona

I have just come across some Diaries of Robert (Bob) Harvey of Seargents Farm, Mount Bures
It lists these facts:-

Bob was born in Bow, but his mother Ellen Pettitt was born in Mount Bures.

- Arthur William Pettitt - Bob's uncle
- Stanley Alfred Pettitt Clark (Stan), Bob's cousin
- Bob's aunt Ethel Meeking, nee Pettitt

Hi o what year was Ellen Pettitt born as my great-grandmother Clara Pettitt had a sister called Ellen. Have not found a brother called Stanley yet but Clara had 8 siblings including emma ( may be more i have not found yet). This branch of the pettitts moved to london in the 1890s. My great granmother married her husband in London in 1899.

Hi My Grand dad was Jack Pettitt Smith late of Brick kiln farm Gt Tey near Chalkney Wood and the Pettitt name has been handed down over 4 generations- My Son is Jack Pettitt Miller
I am trying to fond a Connexion to Mary Ann Balls born about 1869 Mary married John Alfred Walter Smith and lived at Great Tey (Goodwins Farm)
I know not of Marys mother who was called Old Ma Balls in the family .

It seems that Old Ma Balls had Mary by a local farmers son , a Mr Pettitt, out of marriage. In an attempt to maintain some recognition of her daughter Mary was always called Mary Ann Pettitt Balls.
I have spoken to Mr Pettitt in Tawney Ride in Bures some years ago but he could not assist much.
So if there is anyone out there with any knowledge of these families (Balls and Pettitts) I would appreciate contact
O I have a photo of Jack and mate Edgar Warden of Bures if anyone interested.

Thanks

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