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Jacob Shell
Jane Hussey Photos courtesy Jane Hussey April 2017 When I read the article on Gable Cottage, I saw my four times great grandfather’s name in print. I knew that Jacob Shell (1755 - 1837) paid highway rates of 2 shillings on a property in Box in 1793-94 but didn’t know it was this cottage, so many thanks for this information. Right: The Shell family bible |
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As a tiler and plasterer (as most of the Shells were in Box), Jacob did a lot of work for Box Church between 1793 and 1833, including repairs to the aisle, roof and vestry. In 1800 he repaired and cleaned the Poor House at Box for which he was paid £2.7s.10d. He continued working until he died and payment for his last job in 1833 was collected by his son, Isaac: For whitewashing and mend the church and Vestry room and Belfery (sic) £3.7s.0d. Jacob Shell's first wife was Ann Lent (also cited in the Gable Cottage article) probably in connection with the property, because the Lent family had prior rights in the house. I have not researched the Lent family as I descend from his second wife Elizabeth Gardner through his son Isaac Shell who lived in Bathford and on Kingsdown.
In 1803 Jacob was listed as Tyler in the records kept by the Constabulary for call-up into the military services as a Volunteer,
Class 4. The whole country was under threat of invasion by Napoleon's forces and huge numbers in the civilian population were mobilised. Service was decided by ballot but Jacob escaped as he was over thirty and had six children. There is an anomaly on the year of Jacob’s death and I am intrigued as to how it happened as both he and his wife were buried on the same day in Box, though they died at Bathford. Were they on a visit to Isaac? Did they have an accident en route there or back? Or did they both catch the same infection? I have not found any coroner’s reports to explain further.
I went to the funeral of an uncle at Semington recently and was handed the Shell family bible dated 1825. Wonderful.
With family history entries written by Eleanor Shell, younger daughter of Isaac and granddaughter of Jacob of Gable Cottage.
In 1803 Jacob was listed as Tyler in the records kept by the Constabulary for call-up into the military services as a Volunteer,
Class 4. The whole country was under threat of invasion by Napoleon's forces and huge numbers in the civilian population were mobilised. Service was decided by ballot but Jacob escaped as he was over thirty and had six children. There is an anomaly on the year of Jacob’s death and I am intrigued as to how it happened as both he and his wife were buried on the same day in Box, though they died at Bathford. Were they on a visit to Isaac? Did they have an accident en route there or back? Or did they both catch the same infection? I have not found any coroner’s reports to explain further.
I went to the funeral of an uncle at Semington recently and was handed the Shell family bible dated 1825. Wonderful.
With family history entries written by Eleanor Shell, younger daughter of Isaac and granddaughter of Jacob of Gable Cottage.
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Above Left: the Shell Family Bible and Above Right: Eleanor Shell Her Book. Below: Extracts with original spellings.
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Transcript of Shell Family Bible Extracts,
Dated 1818, 1817 and 1824 Mary Flint dide August the 8th 1826 aged 29 John Flint dide April the 6th 1828 aged 25 Ann Flint dide January the 11th 1831 aged 24 Jacob Shell born July 20th 1823 Eleanor Shell born October 25th 1825 Mary Shell born January 7th 1828 Elizabeth Ann Shell born 12th December 1835 Jacob Shell dide October 17th 1827 aged 4 yeares and 3 mounth Elizabeth Ann Shell dide November 18th 1837 aged 1 yeare, 11 mounth 1836 April 5th March 31st Elizabeth and Jacob Shell dide grandfather and [grand]mother to the above 1838 July 14th Elizabeth Flint aged 70 also grandmother to the above Isaac Shell son of Jacob and Elizabeth Shell died November 1st 1861 aged 62 Sarah Shell wife of the above died4th February 1872 aged 73 |
A page out of Eleanor Shell her book of 1834
Ellen Smith born 13th January 1847 Elizabeth Smith born November 12th 1848 Jacob Smith born 6th March 1850 Mary Jane Smith born April 12th 1852 Frederick Smith born August 13th 1853 Charlotte Smith born 30th May 1864 Children of Frederick Newman [Smith] and Mary Smith [nee Shell] |
Shell Family Tree
James Shell (christened 1731 and died before 1806) married Elizabeth Joy (christened 1724 and died before 1794).
Children included: Jacob Shell (1755 - 31 March 1837)
Jacob Shell (1755 - 1837) was a tiler and plasterer. He married twice: it is believed that his first wife was 1. Anne Lent (1757 - died before 1783) whom he married on 23 June 1777 and his second wife was 2. Elizabeth Gardner (christened 1758 - 1837)
whom he married at Corsham on 7 February 1785. Children:
1. Betty Shell (christened 1779 and died before 1779); Isaac (christened 1783 and died before 1783).
2. Eleanor (christened 1788 and died before 1819); Martha (christened 1790 - 1853); James (christened 1792 and died before 1798); Nanny (Ann?); Betty; Isaac (christened 1798 - 1861)
James Shell (christened 1731 and died before 1806) married Elizabeth Joy (christened 1724 and died before 1794).
Children included: Jacob Shell (1755 - 31 March 1837)
Jacob Shell (1755 - 1837) was a tiler and plasterer. He married twice: it is believed that his first wife was 1. Anne Lent (1757 - died before 1783) whom he married on 23 June 1777 and his second wife was 2. Elizabeth Gardner (christened 1758 - 1837)
whom he married at Corsham on 7 February 1785. Children:
1. Betty Shell (christened 1779 and died before 1779); Isaac (christened 1783 and died before 1783).
2. Eleanor (christened 1788 and died before 1819); Martha (christened 1790 - 1853); James (christened 1792 and died before 1798); Nanny (Ann?); Betty; Isaac (christened 1798 - 1861)