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Have you traced your ancestors to Brandon? Do you have a family tree you would like to share? Perhaps you have hit a brick wall and would like to post a request for help? If you have something you would like to add to this page or think you might be able help someone else, please contact me using the
From Eric Dodman, Ottawa, Canada I am a descendant of the DODMAN chimney sweep family who lived in Town Street, Brandon from before 1881 through to 1901 and would like any further information on the Dodman Sweeps.
From Darlene Mulvihill, Ottawa, Canada I live in Ottawa, Ontario, Canada, and have just started researching my family tree but one line has lead me to Brandon. My great-grandfather, Walter Robert SNELL married Sarah Eliza FIELD in Montreal, Quebec (1893). I found their marriage record and it showed her parents were Charles FIELD and Mary Ann SHEARING. I have now received a copy of their marriage certificate (1858 in Santon Downham) showing that Charles lived in Brandon and his father was Robert FIELD, flint maker. On the "familysearch.org" website I found a Charles FIELD, father Robert (mother Phoebe) christened on Nov 7, 1834 in Brandon so I think I have a match.
Paul Aston has sent in the following query...
Louis was christened in Brandon on the 26 December 1813 to Louis Alexander
RISSBROOK and Frances SPENDLOVE who were married in Brandon on the
30 January 1813. I believe Louis Alexander was working in Brandon as a flint
maker. I can find no further information regarding Louis Alexander but Frances SPENDLOVE was christened in Brandon on the 19 June 1793 to
James SPENDLOVE and Susannah HYETT. James and Susannah were married in Thetford on the 16th July 1775. James died in Brandon on the 27th November 1831 but I have no information regarding his birth except that is was circa 1753. Susannah I am therefore really looking for the birth of Louis Alexander around about 1790 and James SPENDLOVE circa 1753. Whilst the RISSBROOK name appears to be reasonably common in East Anglia anybody with the name RISSBROOK in this area is almost certainly descended from Louis Alexander.
From Paula Musgrove I am tracing my family history, and have connections with Brandon through my paternal great grandmother. She was born Ella Maud SPENDLOVE, on 20 April 1881. The birth location given on the birth certificate is Cold Stone [Coulson] Lane, Brandon. Ella Maud's parents were James Simpson SPENDLOVE (Stationary Engine Driver in 1881 census) and Eliza nee BOWERS, who for reasons unknown were married in Hitchin, Herts in July 1880. I wonder if they might both have been in service there - but it seems strange that they did not get married in the parish that was home to both of them. James was born to William SPENDLOVE and Sally RUDLAND on 12 December 1851 in Lode Street. Eliza was born on 4 July 1857 in London Street, Brandon to William BOWERS and Martha nee KNOWLES.
From Ian Royal My ancestors were from Brandon and moved to the North East of England around 1900. The names that I am intersested in are ....... ROYAL, GATHERCOLE and NORTON. I am also intersested in the town of Weeting.
From Alice Wilke (nee WILLETT) I have a Will showing my WILLETT family living at Brandon Ferry in 1629. My family lived there till 1847. Are there any Willetts living in Brandon now? Four of one family came to Australia. Sarah Ann had married John MAIZEY in Yorkshire and came to Victoria in the 1840's. My great grandfather Robert WILLETT married Rebecca CRANE (from Crimplesham) and settled in South Australia at Kapunda in 1849. Alice WILLETT arrived in South Australia in the 1860's and married Alfred DELISSER in 1864 and eventually moved to Brisbane Queensland and passed away in the early 1900's. James WILLETT arrived in Victoria in 1870's and married Agnes DOWLING at Hamilton Victoria. It is said their sister Mary married name was BESTON or BEASTON and went to America, which we have not been able to trace. I have wills dating from 1586 of the WILLETT in Little Saxham and then in Brandon Ferry from 1629.
From Shirley Smith (nee Judd) I was looking for information on the early JUDD family of Brandon in Suffolk. In the Alumni Cantabrigienses it shows a Robert JUDD son of Robert JUDD graduated 1705/6 from Cambridge Robert JUDD Jnr born Brandon approx 1688 and Robert Senior his father may also have been born there? Access to archives on line show Robert as a merchant and gentleman. He was said in the record to be a trustee of the will of the late Humphrey Hall of Brandon 1675 gent.
 From Chris Newell (Please visit Chris's site which has his excellent OLBY family tree) I am descended from the OLBY family, several generations of whom lived in Brandon in the 19th century. The earliest member of the family traced so far, Robert OLBY [1769-1820], appears to have arrived in Brandon around 1800; he and his sons Robert [1790-1834], John [1796-1746] and William [1803-?] were all flint makers. Robert OLBY junior later became a furrier and in 1829 purchased [and mortgaged] a parcel of land on which he built a Primitive Methodist Chapel. The deeds and indentures relating to the land do not identify its location specifically, but it appears originally to have been owned by William and Caroline SMITH, Harriet CURREY and Harriet Sarah CURREY. We believe that the land was in George Street, this being the address of the Brandon Primitive Methodist Chapel given in Kelly's Directory, 1883. Robert OLBY junior died in 1834; in 1838 his executors conveyed the chapel to James MOSS, Primitive Methodist Preacher, for the sum of £100. The land itself remained in the OLBY family until Alfred OLBY, Robert junior's grandson, sold it to Amos WARREN in 1870. Robert junior's widow, Dinah OLBY [later Dinah MOORE] appears to have been the landlady of the Five Bells [Pigot's Directory of Suffolk, 1839] and/or the Bell Inn [1851 census]. William OLBY appears to have been one of the 14 Brandon gunflint makers who bought shares Brandon Gunflint Company, formed in December 1837. If you have any information about the Brandon Primitive Methodist Chapel or about the Olby family please let me know. I am undertaking a One-Name study of the Olby family. This occupies a sub-section of my website, the URL for the Olby study being http://www.rebus.demon.co.uk/ons/olby.htm
From Janice Hart (nee Snare) I am interested in the names SPENDLOVE and WILLETT as I have found both names in my family tree. I was born Janice Ruth SNARE at 13 Lode Street, Brandon and my parents were Gerald and Gladys SNARE. In the records so far found I have discovered Susan SPENDLOVE was the 1st wife of my great-great-grandfather John SNARE, married 1804; she died 1822 when they already had 6 children. He remarried and I am descended fom his second marriage to Anne MALT, so his son Alfred and his wife were my great-grandparents. His son Alfred was the son of Anne MALT nee KENT and he married Sarah EDWARDS, daughter of George and Rebecca CARTER,so my family tree consists largely of flint makers, although Alfred became a nurseryman on Thetford Rd. I am also descended from the LINGWOOD family on my mother's side. I found the name WILLETT..(Alice), also as she married Francis Snare in the 1700s. I believe her husband was grandson of Francis SNARE mentioned in your Hearth Tax list, 1674, but have only found provable evidence going back to Thomas who was probably his son born abt 1700. I have discovered that my family had connections with the MUTUMs, as my grandfather William SNARE's cousin Matilda married one of them. Her forebear Harriet SNARE also married a MUTUM, William in 1855. I did not mention that my cousin Mary WEBB who lives in Brandon is descended from the MARCHANT family. Her grandfather married Emma LINGWOOD, sister of my maternal grandmother Susan LINGWOOD. There are so many names on the family tree, all linked to Brandon families of various occupations, that the genealogical report now covers 25 sides of A4. We are currently researching other branches of this rapidly growing tree and can hardly keep up with it. If any members of the 1953/4 class of 11 yr olds at Brandon school read this I would love to hear from them; the 11 plus successes that year were Rosemary JOHNSTON, gdaur of infant teacher Mrs. RIDGDALE, Bury Rd.; Jean WRIGHT, High St.; Ann and Margaret LENNON, High St. jewellers' daurs; Angela GENTRY I believe went to America; Lawrence GATHERCOLE. I also remember Janice FIELD who I was sad to hear died at about 21 yrs of age. My teacher was Mr. T. FROUD and he married Miss KILLINGREY. He has recently written to me and told me he has visited our headteacher at the time, Mr. WINTLE. I have recently been in touch with very old friends of my father, who left Brandon in 1954. He went around the area on a horse and cart with greengrocery mainly. I have heard from one of the wartime evacuees who is sister of two chidlren my parents took in during those turbulent times. I am getting mail from all over the place from SNARE contacts and other members on our tree, and would love to hear from anyone who remembers the opening of the new bridge over the Ouse, and the reopening of the refurbished Brandon Baptist chapel at its centenary 1954, when I presented a bouquet to its then oldest member Mrs. Lilian BREARLEY, whose daur Mrs. Rita COOK now lives in Norwich and tells me her mum lived to 101. Miss BREARLEY was my Sunday School teacher. If Adrian and Dick ASHLEY are still in Brandon they may or may not know that their mother Lil, Mrs Tom ASHLEY was my godmother, looking after my mum at 13 Lode St. when I was born in 1943, and she chose my name. Any more info will be gladly supplied to anyone who is interested.
From John Prince My grandparents were both born in Brandon and I would like to be able to trace their forebears if possible. Harry TALBOT was born about 1880 and married Ethel CARTER born about 1885 (there is some doubt as to whether she was born in Wisbech or Brandon). Harry served in the Army in India and family history suggests they were married in Bombay. Harry at one time lived at 'Star Cottages'? Harry's parents were shown as William and Anna. Both subsequently moved to Southampton. I can recall visiting Brandon in 1953 and meeting several relatives, but nothing was passed down to me by my relatives, and I lost all contact. I know also that relatives ended up in Beccles, Stiffkey and Wells-next-the-Sea. I believe that Harry TALBOT's parents were William TALBOT and Anna LOCKWOOD. If anyone needs further information, I shall be happy to assist.
From Richard Green, Powys There are three of my branches which refer to Brandon; the WATSON, WHITTA and ENEFER branches. My personal connection with Brandon apart from ancestors is that my mother's cousin, Rose PLUMPTON used to run a cafe in Brandon. 
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My interest with Brandon lies with my great - great - great grandfather,
Louis Richard RISSBROOK, who along with his brother, Richard, moved to
Willenhall and Wednesfield in Staffordshire during the 1830's. Louis set up
a successful lock making business in Willenhall which continued until his
death in 1886. There is still a business in Willenhall called Knowles &
Rissbrook, however, there is no longer a family interest in the business. 
also died in Brandon on the 3rd September 1817, she had been christened in Chelsea in 1755 to William HYETT and Ann. 
