John PURVEY (c1550-1605)

and Elloner SHOULDER (c1560-1584)

and unknown (c1560-1632)

John Purvey and his second wife were my 10x Great Grandparents twice over.  (Click here to see their place in my pedigree chart.)  They may have married in about 1584/5.  John had previously married Elloner Shoulder on 16 February 1578/9 at the parish church of All Saints in Lindfield, Sussex.  There were no marriages recorded in the Lindfield parish registers between 1 February 1584 and 2 August 1585.

John Purvey's date and place of birth/baptism are unknown, to me.  He was probably buried on 13 March 1604/5 in Lindfield.  John may have had a sister named Rose Purvey who married Richard Chase on 14 October 1577 in Petworth, Sussex.  Her marriage was the first Purvey marriage to be listed in the Sussex marriage index.

Eleanor Shoulder's date and place of birth/baptism are unknown, to me.  She was buried on 13 June 1584 in Linfield.  The burial register recorded that she was Elner Purveye ux Jo Purvie.  The IGI suggests that an Elnor Sholder was born about 1554 in Wivelsfield, Sussex, the daughter of Roger Sholder and Johanne.  The Wivelsfield parish registers begin in 1558.

John's second wife's name and date and place of birth/baptism are unknown, to me.  She was most probably buried as widdow Purvey on 17 January 1631/2 in Lindfield.

Only John's name was recorded against the baptism of his children.  How did his wife manage to raise their children after his death?  She was left with at least 5 children under 16 years old, the youngest less than a year old.  Was she left sufficient money and property with which to support herself and the children?  Or were they taken in by relatives?  Neither John nor his wife left a will and none of their sons remained in Lindfield, which implies to me there wasn't any property or a lease to pass on.

John Purvey and Eleanor Shoulder had 1 known child:

1. Jone Purvey was baptised on 31 December 1582 in Lindfield.  (She was the the first Purvey baptised in Lindfield since the registers began in 1558.)

John Purvey and his second wife had 10 known children:

1. Mary Purvey was baptised on 28 August 1585 in Lindfield and buried there on 29 September 1585.

2. Elizabeth Purvey was baptised on 28 August 1585 in Lindfield.  I assume Mary and Elizabeth were twins, but this was not mentioned in the baptism register.  She was buried on 25 January 1620/1 in Lindfield and it was noted in the burial register that she was the daughter of widow Purvie.

3. John Purvye was baptised on 18 February 1587/8 in Lindfield.

4. Kathryne Purvey was baptised on 8 November 1590 in Lindfield and buried there on 26 December 1590.

5. Peter Purvey was baptised on 13 December 1591 in Lindfield.  He died before November 1637.  On 20 February 1623/4, Peter Purvy provided surety to the marriage licence of John Pollington and Elizabeth Bull.  John was a tailor of Keymer and Elizabeth a widow of Hurstpierpoint.  Peter was then a husbandman of Keymer.

   As Peter Purver he married Joan Smith on 18 November 1616 in Patcham, Sussex.  Joan was then of Monscomb (should that be Moulscombe).  He may have married for a second time as Peter Purvoy to Joan Hills on 12 September 1631 in Henfield, Sussex.

   Joane Purvey was buried on 17 January 1630/1 in Keymer.

   Peter had the following children:

   1. Henrie Purvey was baptised on 29 March 1619 in Keymer.

   2. John Purvey was baptised on 25 November 1621 in Keymer.

   3. Edward Purvey was baptised on 9 January 1624/5 in Keymer.

   4. Elizabeth Purvy was buried on 22 November 1637 in Clayton, Sussex.  It was noted in the burial register that she was the daughter of Peter Purvy, deceased.  At that time her Uncle Richard Purvey was living in Clayton.  Might Elizabeth have gone to live with him after her father's death?

6. Rosse Purvey was baptised on 17 March 1593/4 in Lindfield.  She was buried on 7 April 1634 in Cuckfield and it was noted in the burial register that she was Rose wife of Henry Nutley.

   As Rose Purvey she married Henry Nutley on 29 October 1621 in Cuckfield, Sussex.

   Henery Nutley was buried on 27 May 1637 in Cuckfield.

   Henry and Rose had the following children:

   1. Thomas Nuttly was baptised on 14 July 1622 in Cuckfield.

   2. Henry Nutley was baptised on 19 December 1624 in Cuckfield.

   3. William Nutly was baptised on 16 September 1627 in Cuckfield.

   4. Elizabeth Nutley was baptised on 28 November 1630 in Cuckfield.

7. Richard Purvey, my 9x Great Grandfather, was baptised on 22 August 1596 in Lindfield.  He married Margaret Newname in 1624.  (They have their own page.)

8. Jeames Purvye was baptised on 19 August 1599 in Lindfield.

9. Frauncis Purvey was baptised on 17 January 1601/2 in Lindfield.  He was buried on 2 April 1635 in Findon and his name was then recorded as Francis Purvye.

   As Francis Purbey he may have married Mary Fielder on 18 October 1633 in Broadwater, Sussex.  Mary may then have married Robert Smythe on 4 September 1637 in Findon, Sussex.

   Francis and Mary had the following son:

   1. William Purvie baptised on 13 July 1634 in Findon.  He was buried on 26 October 1703 in Broadwater and the burial register noted that he was William Purvy, senior.  He or his son may have left a will, proved in 1709 at Chichester (ref. 30 647), in the name of William Purvy of Angmering, Sussex.  When the 1662 hearth tax assessment was taken, there was a William Purvis with 1 fireplace, living in Broadwater.  Might his surname have been incorrectly recorded or transcribed?

      As William Purvee he may have married Elizabeth Hoad.  Banns of marriage were published between the couple in October 1657 at St. Michael's in Lewes, Sussex.  William was then a husbandman of Portslade and Elizabeth a spinster of Coombe.

      Elizabeth was buried on 24 January 1678 in Broadwater.

      William and Elizabeth may have had the following children:

      1. Elizabeth Purvey was baptised on 12 September 1658 in Broadwater.  As Elizabeth Purvy she married John Astinn on 26 October 1680 in Broadwater.

      2. William Purvy was baptised on 24 January 1664/5 in Broadwater.

10. Margerye Purvey was baptised on 23 September 1604 in Lindfield.  She may have been buried as Margery Purvey on 4 January 1640/1 in Lindfield.

The pictures are of Old Place in Lindfield, built in 1590 by the Chaloner family.  The one of the left is circa 1905, whilst the one on the right is circa 1946.  I have copied both from postcards sold on ebay.  I wonder if the house was known to the Purvey family?  Perhaps they worked in the house or grounds or perhaps John was one of the labourers who built the house?

Another view of Lindfield, this time the pond.  Again I have pinched the picture from a postcard sold on ebay.  As yet I don't know if the pond was in existence when the Purvey family lived in Lindfield.  It is spring fed, so I assume there was something there circa 1600.

In August 1603 seven members of the same family were buried in Lindfield and it was noted in the burial register "supposed to be of the plague".  An eighth member died in September 1603 and it was then noted "all those were buried at Santhill".  They were Richard Payne and his wife Ann, along with their children:  Gregorie, Tomyson, Elsabeth, Mary, Thomas and Ann.  No other members of the community seem to have been infected.

Might Philip Henslowe (c1550-1616) have been known to the Purvey family?  Philip was born in Lindfield and in 1587/8 built The Rose theatre.

QUESTIONS:  Have any manorial records survived for Lindfield from about 1575-1640?  I would like to know if there is anything that might record where the Purvey family lived, and how John came to have settled in Lindfield.  Of the pre 1650 Lindfield wills, did any mention a Purvey?  I am hoping that John's second wife may have been mentioned in a will as sister or some other sort of kinswoman.  Have any apprenticeship or employment records survived that might record how the sons came to leave Lindfield?  Are there any overseers accounts for Lindfield, pre 1650?

A Peter Purvie was buried on 28 September 1616 in Twineham, Sussex.  Might he have been a brother of John?

I put together the above family group on 13 and 14 April 2008 and had not found the details published elsewhere.  I have taken all the data from transcripts and indexes that I have at home on CD and microfiche.  At some point I will check the original registers.

PURVEY