Ancestors of Mandy Willard

The STILLAWAY Family of Sussex

My Stillaway Ancestors

My Grandmother Annie Elsie Stillaway (1898-1985) was born in Henfield, Sussex as were her parents William Stillaway (1866-1939) and Lily Dowlen (1869-1949).  She married Thomas William Tullett (1891-1956) in 1920 and they settled in Southwick, Sussex.

William Stillaway was a twin and there have been many sets of twins in the family since he was born.  He was the illegitimate son of Eliza Stillaway (1846-1908).  (I am currently speculating that his father was William Silverson (1842-?), the elder brother of Henry Silverson (1850-1935), whom Eliza married in 1874.  But I have absolutely no proof or evidence.)  As a young child William lived with his mother, Grandfather Samuel Stillaway (c1814-1887 and Great Grandfather William Woolgar (1780-1874).  At his marriage to Lily Dowlen in 1892 he named his father as Samuel Stillaway.

Samuel Stillaway was born in about 1814/5 and according to his marriage certificate he was the son of  William Stillaway.  On the census for 1851 through to 1881 he gave his place of birth as Henfield, but he doesn't appear to have been baptised there.  He married Ruth Woolgar (1821-1858) and thanks to Marion Woolgar my/our Woolgar ancestry goes back to the 1500's.

William Stillaway or Stilve, who may have been Samuel's father, was born in 1774 in Henfield and was the son of William Stilve and Mary Ward (1746-?).  He married twice.  Firstly to Elizabeth Woodley and then to my possible 4x Great Grandmother Elizabeth Knight who was a widow when she married William.

William senior, would seem to have been baptised as William Cobby in Northchapel, Sussex in 1737, the son of William Cobby and Elizabeth Nowel.  He died aged 84 years and was buried in Northchapel in 1819, as William Stillwell alias Cobb.  In 1814 a Removal Order was issued to remove William Stillaway otherwise Cobby from Henfield, Sussex to Northchapel, Sussex.

I have no idea how or why the surname came to be recorded as Stilve in the Henfield parish registers and then changed to Stillaway.  I have not found any other Stilve families, but there are some earlier Stillaway families in Sussex, Hampshire and Surrey.  It is also the possible that Stillaway is a corruption of the more popular Stillwell.  But why the change from Cobby to Stillaway?

In 1800 Joseph Stillaway, son of William Stilve/Stillaway and Mary Ward, married by licence, which stated that he was "Joseph Stilloway, alias Cobby, alias Ward of Wivelsfield".

On 2 August 1827 a George Stilway married Harriet Baker by banns in Up Marden, Sussex.  He was a bachelor and she a spinster and they were both of Up Marden.  The witnesses were John Bettesworth and Charles Cobbe, senior.

Family Group Pages

Alan Stillaway (1850-1922) and Hannah Matilda Harding (c1853-1921)

George Stillaway (1789-1871) and Sarah Barnett (1791-1839)

Henry Stillaway (1775-1837) and Elizabeth Peters (c1783-1862)

Henry Stillaway (1803-1877) and Ann Hannell (c1803-1868)

Henry Stillaway (1834-1886) and Sarah Ann Courtney (1834-1913)

James Stillaway (1792-1877) and Frances Chatfield (?-?)

James Stillaway (1817-1885) and Hetty Elliott (1820-1899)

John Stilway (c1700-1763) and Elizabeth Till (c1705-?)

Richard Stillaway (1837-1915) and Jane Batchelor (1840-1902)

Samuel Stillaway (c1814-1887) and Ruth Woolgar (1821-1858)

William Stilve alias Cobby (1737-1819) and Mary Ward (1746-?)

William Stillaway (1774-1818) and Elizabeth Woodley (c1775-1811) and Elizabeth (c1770-1846)

William Stillaway (c1830-1901) and Elizabeth Green (1830-1895)

William Stillaway (1848-1925) and Ellen Foice (1849-1937)

William Stillaway (1849-1892) and Sarah Buckman (1849-1889)

William Stillaway (1866-1939) and Lily Dowlen (1869-1949)

Thomas William Tullett (1891-1956) and Annie Elsie Stillaway (1898-1985)

Henry Silverson (1850-1935) and Eliza Stillaway (1846-1908)

An Interesting Story

The following has been passed on to me by Susan Brignall, nee Stillaway:

"A story I had been told by my father, and a couple of other cousins were told similar tales, was that the name Stillaway was taken by a Nobleman who was the blacksheep of the family and had run away from home.  His correct name was Warner Cobbett (although if I remember rightly the names my cousins had were slight variations of this) there again this is not miles away from Ward and Cobby!  Like the 'Chinese Whispers' game it could well have changed.  I had dismissed this story as a bit of a yarn passed down by my grandfather.   As now all my aunts and uncles have died there is no one to verify this tale."

The Surname STILVE

I have been told that in the 19th and 20th Centuries there were Stilve families in Latvia and doing a search of the web I see the name occurs in many Russian web sites.  I have also been told by a current day descendant (as at 2002) of the Latvian Stilves, that they understood the surname to have had French origins.

You may like to try entering Stilve into the Surname Navigator to see just how few Stilves are mentioned on the web.

It has been pointed out to me that in French the "e" with an accent would be pronounced "ay".  could that be how the name changed from Stilve to Stillaway?

Other Stillaway Families

The surname Stillaway is fairly scarce, therefore, I am curious about how other Stillaway families may connect.

A William Stillaway was born about 1830 in Ash, Surrey, the son of James Stillaway.  But when and where was James born?

William Leg and Jone Stilaway married by banns on 23 September 1656 in Compton.  The banns were published on 6, 13 and 20 July 1656.

Peter Stellaway and Ann Knight married on 28 October 1690 in Compton.

Peter may have been buried as Goodman Stillaway on 3 January 1729/30 in Compton.

Ann may have been buried as Goody Stillaway on 28 January 1724/5 in Compton.

Peter and Ann had the following children:

1. A daughter was baptised on 7 January 1691/2 in Compton.  An Anne Stellaway daughter of Peter was buried on 26 June 1700 in Compton.  Plus, there was a Sarah Stillaway daughter of Peter who was buried on 20 March 1700/1 in Compton.

2. John Stellaway was baptised on 8 July 1694 in Compton.  He may have been buried on 18 April 1759 in Compton, by the name of John Stillaway.

3. Joane Stillaway was baptised on 3 December 1695 in Compton.

4. William Stillaway was buried in June 1706 in Compton.  The burial register noted that he was the son of Peter and Anne.

Joane Stillaway was buried on 10 December 1710 in Compton.

An unnamed daughter of Ann Stillaway was buried on 16 October 1740 in Compton.

A marriage licence was issued by the Archdeaconry of Chichester on 3 October 1693 to Richard Stillaway and Frances Albery.  She was from Petworth.

William Stillway and Elizabeth Hammond married by banns on 8 October 1693 in Oving.  They were both then of Oving.

William Dawkins and Jane Stillard married on 16 October 1694 in Funtington.

William Stelloway and Elizabeth Chessell married by licence on 14 November 1697 at St. Olave, Chichester.  He was then a husbandman of Funtington and was a spinster of the same place.  Their marriage licence was issued by the Archdeaconry of Chichester on 13 November 1697.  Surety for the licence was given by William himself and Benjamin Starr a cordwainer of Chichester.

A Pagham and Tarring Peculiar marriage licence was issued on 18 October 1709 to William Stillaway and Joan Stillaway.  He was a bachelor and she a spinster.

William Holder and Jane Stillaway married on 8 May 1716 in Boxgrove.

Henry Stilloway and Jane Rayse married on 6 January 1716/7 in Pagham.

A marriage licence was issued to Henry Stillaway and Elizabeth Smith on 27 April 1720 by the Archdeaconry of Chichester.  He was then a bachelor and yeoman of Pagham and she was a spinster of Clapham.  Surety for the licence was provided by Henry himself and William Pitman a husbandman of Pagham.

William Avery and Katherine Stillaway married on 25 May 1725 in North Mundham.

Thomas Parker and Ann Stillaway married by licence on 1 June 1725 at All Saints, Chichester.  He was a bachelor and she a spinster and they were both of Sidlesham.  Their marriage licence was issued on the same day by the Archdeaconry of Chichester which also noted that he was a yeoman.

Richard Bennet and Selis Stilway married on 18 October 1734 at St. Peter the Great, Chichester.

Philip Peter and Joan Stillaway married on 9 March 1735/6 in Stedham.

Henry Stillway and Mary Howard married on 6 July 1737 in Selsey.  They were both from Pagham.  They were issued a Pagham and Tarring Peculiar marriage licence on 25 June 1737.  It noted that he was a yeoman and she a spinster.  Surety for the licence was provided by Henry himself and William Lilliott a yeoman of Merston.

Edward Stride and Sarah Stillaway married by banns on 16 October 1740 at All Saints, Chichester.  They were both of Bersted.

James Stillaway and Elizabeth Pink married on 20 September 1747 at All Saints, Chichester.  She was then from Easebourne.

Thomas Feay and Elizabeth Stilaway married on 10 October 1751 in Up Marden.

William Tribe and Mary Stilway married by licence on 26 September 1767 in Trotton.  He was then of Fernhurst.  Their marriage licence was issued by the Archdeaconry of Chichester on 24 September 1767 and also noted that he was a 26 year old bachelor and she was aged 25 and from Trotton.

William Atkins and Mary Stillaway married by banns on 23 November 1772 in Bosham.  He was a bachelor and she a spinster and they were both of Bosham.

James Stilloway and Ann Stocker married by licence on 3 January 1774 in South Bersted.  They were both aged 21 years and upwards.  He was a bachelor and husbandman and she a spinster.  The witnesses to their marriage were John Gibbs and John Stocker.  A Pagham and Tarring Peculiar marriage licence was issued to them on 1 January 1774.  It noted that he was aged 25 years and a bachelor and husbandman of South Bersted (4 months).  He signed his name as Stillway.  She was a 22 year old spinster of South Bersted (8 years).  Surety for their licence was provided by James himself and John Stocker a farmer of Bersted.

John Coats and Sarah Stillaway married by licence on 30 May 1775 in Westbourne.  Their marriage licence was issued by the Archdeaconry of Chichester on 26 May 1775 and noted that he was a 29 year old bachelor and gardener of Westbourne (2 years).  She was a 28 year old spinster of Westbourne (2 years).

John Stillaway and Ann Devenish married by licence on 14 May 1795 in Lurgashall.  He was a bachelor of Lurgashall and she was a spinster.  The witnesses to their marriage were William Chadwell and Mary Cadwen.  Their licence was issued on 13 May 1795 by the Archdeaconry of Chichester.  It noted that he was a 31 year old bachelor and farmer of Lurgashall (19 years) and she was a 47 year old spinster of the same place (4 years).  Surety for their licence was provided by John himself and John Newman a brewer of Chichester.

Richard Stilaway and Hannah Mesh married by banns on 25 December 1795 in Stoughton.  He was a bachelor and she a spinster and they were both of Stoughton.  The witnesses to their marriage were Ann Budd and Robert Read.

Other Web Sites

None for the moment.