Mussett Family 1640 - 1946
My search for the Mussett family began with my great grandmother, Emma Jane Mussett, who was born illegitimately in Gt Snoring workhouse. Her mother, Ann Eliza Mussett, was previously of Wells next the Sea, Norfolk.
The Mussett family were present in the Norfolk sea port of Wells next the Sea from the beginning of the 17th century with the first mention in the Wells parish records of a "Mussit" marriage in 1614 and a "Musset" birth in 1574 in the nearby Little Walsingham. With these dates in mind, they were possibly descended from a “Musse” family of Huguenots refugees who settled in north Norfolk in the mid-1500s to evade persecution in France. Prior to this the Musset name was not found in Britain and was almost entirely confined to France (notably the Bordeaux area of northern France and the village of Musset).
The Mussett family were master mariners, plying coasters between Wells and the north, however as result at least six of the family died through drowning between 1802 and 1868. A further two died on board British warships during WW1. Death by drowning was a common occupational hazard for male in the family ... read on!
The Mussett family were present in the Norfolk sea port of Wells next the Sea from the beginning of the 17th century with the first mention in the Wells parish records of a "Mussit" marriage in 1614 and a "Musset" birth in 1574 in the nearby Little Walsingham. With these dates in mind, they were possibly descended from a “Musse” family of Huguenots refugees who settled in north Norfolk in the mid-1500s to evade persecution in France. Prior to this the Musset name was not found in Britain and was almost entirely confined to France (notably the Bordeaux area of northern France and the village of Musset).
The Mussett family were master mariners, plying coasters between Wells and the north, however as result at least six of the family died through drowning between 1802 and 1868. A further two died on board British warships during WW1. Death by drowning was a common occupational hazard for male in the family ... read on!
James Mussitt abt 1646 – after 1679 (my 8ggf)
James’s parents are not recorded but based on contemporary parish record entries he may have had three siblings; Henry and John and Susan. James married 20 year old Katherine Kendall on 20 December 1666 (LDS, PR). She was the daughter of Robert and Katherine Kendall, born in nearby Holkham in 1644. They had at least three children, the first three all baptised in 1672:
1672 James (my 7ggf). He married Susan Taylor
1672 Joseph
1672 Thomas
1674 Rose. Named after her maternal grandmother Rosa Taylor but died in 1687 at the age of 13
1679 Catherine. She died within days of birth
1672 James (my 7ggf). He married Susan Taylor
1672 Joseph
1672 Thomas
1674 Rose. Named after her maternal grandmother Rosa Taylor but died in 1687 at the age of 13
1679 Catherine. She died within days of birth
James Mussitt 1672 – after 1705 (my 7ggf)
James Mussitt was born in 1672 (LDS), Wells-next-the-Sea, and married Susan Taylor of Gunthorpe (10 miles southeast of Wells) in February 1701. They had two children:
1701 Katherine, named after her paternal grandmother (LDS)
1705 Taylor (my 6ggf), named after his mother’s family name.
1701 Katherine, named after her paternal grandmother (LDS)
1705 Taylor (my 6ggf), named after his mother’s family name.
Taylor Mussitt 1705 – 1773 (my 6ggf)
Taylor was born in 1705 in Wells next the Sea. Taylor’s wife was named Mary and based on her burial date she was born in 1711 but her maiden name is unknown. Taylor and Mary had thirteen children born between 1731 and 1758; including Henry (my 5ggf).
Parish records for Taylor’s burial in March 1773 indicate he was a butcher (LDS PR). Taylor died intestate and to allow Mary access to his estate she had drawn up an administration bond for the sum of £40 (equivalent to about £4500 today). Knowing little about the butchery trade she jointly administered the estate with her son-in-law John Russell who was also a butcher and possibly worked with Taylor.
Based on a court record dated 20 July 1779, relating to the will of William Mann, Henry Mussett (my 5ggf) confirmed that the late Taylor Mussitt owned a house with a stable, outbuildings and yard in The Buttlands. The shop was previously the western part of the Edinburgh public house and the butchery yard was where the pub’s yard now stands[1]. Buttlands was the most affluent part of the town and is perhaps indicative of his standing in the community as a sole proprietor.
Mary died at the age of 80 in 1791.
Parish records for Taylor’s burial in March 1773 indicate he was a butcher (LDS PR). Taylor died intestate and to allow Mary access to his estate she had drawn up an administration bond for the sum of £40 (equivalent to about £4500 today). Knowing little about the butchery trade she jointly administered the estate with her son-in-law John Russell who was also a butcher and possibly worked with Taylor.
Based on a court record dated 20 July 1779, relating to the will of William Mann, Henry Mussett (my 5ggf) confirmed that the late Taylor Mussitt owned a house with a stable, outbuildings and yard in The Buttlands. The shop was previously the western part of the Edinburgh public house and the butchery yard was where the pub’s yard now stands[1]. Buttlands was the most affluent part of the town and is perhaps indicative of his standing in the community as a sole proprietor.
Mary died at the age of 80 in 1791.
"To all that Messuage or Tenement late in the occupation of Taylor Mussitt
situate in Wells aforesaid with the Stable Outhouses yards and appurtenances to
the same belonging or appurtaining next the Buttland Lane on the South part and
the House of Thomas Wordingham on the North part and abutt upon the Butland
towards the West And the House of Blyford Cooper towards the East And also to
all that Tenement now or late in the occupation of John Whitaker situate in
Wells aforesaid next the House of the said Thomas Wordingham on the North part
and upon the aforesaid yard on the South part and abutt upon the Buttlands
towards the West and the said yard towards the East".
Henry Musset 1746 – 1805 (my 5ggf)
Henry Musset was born in 1746 in Wells next the Sea, the son of Taylor and Mary Musset. Henry was twelfth born but by the time of his birth four of his siblings had already died. He also had a brother named John, younger by three years, but he died in 1758 from smallpox when Henry was just 12. That same year the disease claimed the lives of 163 of Wells’ inhabitants, and as a result only Henry and his older sister Mary survived of the original thirteen.
Henry married Mary Watson (my 5ggm) in September 1786 at St. Nicholas in Church Street, Wells. Mary was born in 1769 in Wells, the daughter of John Watson and Alice Houghton. They had thirteen children born between 1788 and 1803.
1788 Catherine Mary
1789 Elizabeth
1790 John
1791 Twins Henry (my 4ggf) and Robert - Robert died as an infant.
1792 Sarah who died the same year
1793 Sarah. She married a man named Adams
1794 Robert who died as an infant
1797 Ann
1798 Mary
1800 Susannah
1801 Robert
1803 Hannah
A court record in 1783 indicates that Henry inherited the house of his late father Taylor Musset:
Henry married Mary Watson (my 5ggm) in September 1786 at St. Nicholas in Church Street, Wells. Mary was born in 1769 in Wells, the daughter of John Watson and Alice Houghton. They had thirteen children born between 1788 and 1803.
1788 Catherine Mary
1789 Elizabeth
1790 John
1791 Twins Henry (my 4ggf) and Robert - Robert died as an infant.
1792 Sarah who died the same year
1793 Sarah. She married a man named Adams
1794 Robert who died as an infant
1797 Ann
1798 Mary
1800 Susannah
1801 Robert
1803 Hannah
A court record in 1783 indicates that Henry inherited the house of his late father Taylor Musset:
“To a Messuage or Tenement late in the Tenure of Bridget Swan with a little piece of
Land holden of this Manor by copy of Court Roll lying in Wells next the Sea aforesaid
And also to a Cottage lying in Wells aforesaid next the said Messuage or Tenement
formerly in the Tenure of the said Bridget Swann as the said premises are now in the
occupation of Thomas Potts and John Webber and abutt upon the Buttlands towards
the West the house and grounds of Thomas Hall and Elizabeth Wilson towards the
East the house and grounds of John Clamp [& now of the Widow Clamp] towards the North
and the house and ground of Henry Musset towards the South (Which premises the
said Thomas Wordingham late had and took up to him and his heirs at a Court held
for this Manor on the twenty first day of November in the year of our Lord one
thousand seven hundred and forty eight on the Surrender of Edward Bird”.
Henry continued to run the butcher’s shop in Buttlands after his father’s death and is listed in both the 1793 census and 1795 trade directory for the town. Henry died at the age of 56 in March 1805 and is buried at St. Nicholas on Church Street. His burial record indicates that he “drowned in The Pool” - this is the part of the channel opposite the Wells lifeboat station where vessels would wait for the falling tide before making a run for open water.
What happened to the house after Henry drowned is not known but it is almost certain that after the death of his wife (Mary nee Watson) the house was sold and the proceeds distributed between his son Henry and his three daughters (Catherine, Sarah and Susanna), the other nine having died previously. The fate of the butchery is also unknown and was perhaps passed to Henry’s sister Mary (and run by her husband John Russell who was previously in the family business) while Henry (my 4ggf) inherited the house.
Henry Mussett 1787 – 1864 (my 4ggf)
Henry and Mary’s third son Henry Musset (my 4ggf) was born in 1787 in Wells. In August 1806, five months after the drowning of his father, he married Mary Dunn from the neighbouring village of Stiffkey at the parish church of St. John the Baptist in Church Street, Stiffkey. The church records the spelling of the family name as Mussett and remained so in all subsequent records of Henry and his descendents.
Henry was a mariner but in a 1818 baptism record for his daughter Sarah indicates he spent some of his early working life as a porter on the quay. At that time there was considerable trade with the port of Newcastle to where East Anglian grain would be exported and coal brought in on the return journey. Part of Henry’s job would have been the loading and unloading of cargo.
Henry and Mary had twelve children born between 1807 and 1835.
1807 Susanna
1810 John. He died aged 6.
1812 Maria. She died aged 16.
1814 Henry. He died aged 4.
1816 Elizabeth
1818 Sarah.
1820 Ann.
1822 Henry (my 3ggf).
1829 James. He married Elizabeth and had three children.
1829 Robert (twin?). He married Susan Ellis and had eight children. Robert was a mariner and is buried in Polka Road cemetery with his wife and daughter.
1835 Maria
Between 1835 and 1838, merchant navy records indicate Henry was sailing on several different boats; the Martha in 1835-1843 and the Albion in 1837.
At the time of the 1841 census of Wells, Henry now 50, Mary and family, including the fifteen year old Henry junior (my 3ggf), were living in East End.
Henry was a mariner but in a 1818 baptism record for his daughter Sarah indicates he spent some of his early working life as a porter on the quay. At that time there was considerable trade with the port of Newcastle to where East Anglian grain would be exported and coal brought in on the return journey. Part of Henry’s job would have been the loading and unloading of cargo.
Henry and Mary had twelve children born between 1807 and 1835.
1807 Susanna
1810 John. He died aged 6.
1812 Maria. She died aged 16.
1814 Henry. He died aged 4.
1816 Elizabeth
1818 Sarah.
1820 Ann.
1822 Henry (my 3ggf).
1829 James. He married Elizabeth and had three children.
1829 Robert (twin?). He married Susan Ellis and had eight children. Robert was a mariner and is buried in Polka Road cemetery with his wife and daughter.
1835 Maria
Between 1835 and 1838, merchant navy records indicate Henry was sailing on several different boats; the Martha in 1835-1843 and the Albion in 1837.
At the time of the 1841 census of Wells, Henry now 50, Mary and family, including the fifteen year old Henry junior (my 3ggf), were living in East End.
After the death of his wife, Henry was living in Standard Yard for the 1851 census of Wells together with his daughters Ann and Maria (Standard Yard was opened up at both ends and is now known as Standard Road).
For the 1861 census of Wells, 74 year old Henry was retired and living back in East End. He is recorded as having variously related children living with him that included a daughter aged 5, a son aged 3 by a different surname and a grandson aged 15 from Thursford. This is a very confusing record but looking at his death certificate it suggests that he was already showing signs of the senility recorded on his death certificate four years later.
Henry died at the age of 78 in July 1864 and is buried at St Nicholas in Church Street - he is recorded as being interred (from the southwest corner) in Row 8, grave 10 and at a depth of 6 foot. Unfortunately, this section of the graveyard is mostly devoid of headstones (including all previous and subsequent Mussett burials) due to the destruction of the church by fire in 1879. The story goes that the church was struck by lightning and the subsequent fire could not be put out because the fire engine had been locked up for so long that the key could not be found and the fire engine had rusted beyond use.
For the 1861 census of Wells, 74 year old Henry was retired and living back in East End. He is recorded as having variously related children living with him that included a daughter aged 5, a son aged 3 by a different surname and a grandson aged 15 from Thursford. This is a very confusing record but looking at his death certificate it suggests that he was already showing signs of the senility recorded on his death certificate four years later.
Henry died at the age of 78 in July 1864 and is buried at St Nicholas in Church Street - he is recorded as being interred (from the southwest corner) in Row 8, grave 10 and at a depth of 6 foot. Unfortunately, this section of the graveyard is mostly devoid of headstones (including all previous and subsequent Mussett burials) due to the destruction of the church by fire in 1879. The story goes that the church was struck by lightning and the subsequent fire could not be put out because the fire engine had been locked up for so long that the key could not be found and the fire engine had rusted beyond use.
Henry Mussett 1822 - 1868 (my 3ggf)
Henry Mussett (my 3ggf) was born in August 1822. He married a servant girl named Ann Spinks on 24 February 1848. They had seven children and were beset with bad fortune:
1848 William
1849 Ann Eliza (my 2ggm)
1852 Henry James. He married Annie Amelia and had four children including John who was killed on board HMS Aboukir in 1914. He is buried in the Netherlands and commemorated on the town war memorial.
1854 Mary Catherine. She married Fred Barrett.
1856 Robert. He married Frances Ellen Rix.
1860 John. He married Frances.
1862 James Spinks. He died in April 1866.
1864 Edward Albert. According to a family bible he died within two days of his brother James in the morning of 21 April 1866 at quarter past 8.
1868 Agnes Sarah. According to a family bible held by her descendant, she was born three months after the death of her father and brother William.
For the 1851 Wells census Henry and Ann lived in what is now Glebe Road off Freeman Street with William and the infant Ann Eliza (my 2ggm).
Like his father, Henry was a sailor and started out as an apprentice in 1837 on board the "Lord Byron" - he was just 15 years old. By 1849, at the age of 24, he had progressed to become a Ship’s Master of the "Faith". Reference to Clayton’s Register of Shipping of 1865, Henry’s shipping certificate of 1859 (above right) and various merchant navy records, indicates his maritime career was generally as follows:
1848 William
1849 Ann Eliza (my 2ggm)
1852 Henry James. He married Annie Amelia and had four children including John who was killed on board HMS Aboukir in 1914. He is buried in the Netherlands and commemorated on the town war memorial.
1854 Mary Catherine. She married Fred Barrett.
1856 Robert. He married Frances Ellen Rix.
1860 John. He married Frances.
1862 James Spinks. He died in April 1866.
1864 Edward Albert. According to a family bible he died within two days of his brother James in the morning of 21 April 1866 at quarter past 8.
1868 Agnes Sarah. According to a family bible held by her descendant, she was born three months after the death of her father and brother William.
For the 1851 Wells census Henry and Ann lived in what is now Glebe Road off Freeman Street with William and the infant Ann Eliza (my 2ggm).
Like his father, Henry was a sailor and started out as an apprentice in 1837 on board the "Lord Byron" - he was just 15 years old. By 1849, at the age of 24, he had progressed to become a Ship’s Master of the "Faith". Reference to Clayton’s Register of Shipping of 1865, Henry’s shipping certificate of 1859 (above right) and various merchant navy records, indicates his maritime career was generally as follows:
Henry's merchant navy record of 1845 (right) is particularly revealing as it gives his physical description: being 5 feet 7, of ruddy complexion with brown hair and brown eyes.
Bradford Observer, 30 August 1849
In those days, it was usual for local newspapers of port towns to report Shipping News. Henry and his father were the recorded masters on various trips between 1813 and 1873; plying between Goole on the River Humber down to Wells, Lynn and Brancaster. On one occasion, according to the Caledonian Mercury, Henry arrived in Leith in Scotland on 8th October 1844 with a cargo of wheat and barley on board the "Betsey" - a voyage of over 400 miles.
Ten years later the 1861 census shows Henry and Ann had moved and were living on the Quay with six children: William, Ann Eliza (my 2ggm), Henry, Mary, Robert and the infant John. This was before the present granary was built in 1905.
Henry died in 1868 at the relatively young age of 46. His death is reported to have been caused by drowning at sea[2], possibly during a family outing [2a]. From a family bible entry [2b] it is inferred that his son William died in the same incident.
In the subsequent census of 1871 Henry’s widow Ann was living in Kittin’s Yard[3]. By the 1881 census Ann had moved to the High Street with her youngest child Agnes (13) and was employed as a "Nurse to SMS". SMS referred to the Subsidiary Medical Services, which signified she had no medical qualification but was experienced and employed to look after someone who was probably elderly or disabled. Ann remarried 22 years later in 1890 at the age of 63 to the Holkham born Basham Hunt Langley and was his second of three wives. The marriage lasted only 11 months as Ann died in February 1891 of cancer and had been living in Brigg Yard (now Brigg Square) off Freeman Street.
Ten years later the 1861 census shows Henry and Ann had moved and were living on the Quay with six children: William, Ann Eliza (my 2ggm), Henry, Mary, Robert and the infant John. This was before the present granary was built in 1905.
Henry died in 1868 at the relatively young age of 46. His death is reported to have been caused by drowning at sea[2], possibly during a family outing [2a]. From a family bible entry [2b] it is inferred that his son William died in the same incident.
In the subsequent census of 1871 Henry’s widow Ann was living in Kittin’s Yard[3]. By the 1881 census Ann had moved to the High Street with her youngest child Agnes (13) and was employed as a "Nurse to SMS". SMS referred to the Subsidiary Medical Services, which signified she had no medical qualification but was experienced and employed to look after someone who was probably elderly or disabled. Ann remarried 22 years later in 1890 at the age of 63 to the Holkham born Basham Hunt Langley and was his second of three wives. The marriage lasted only 11 months as Ann died in February 1891 of cancer and had been living in Brigg Yard (now Brigg Square) off Freeman Street.
Ann Eliza Mussett 1849 – after 1911 (my 2ggm)
Ann Eliza was born in 1849 the daughter of Henry Mussett and Ann (nee Spinks). To avoid embarrassment to her parents Ann Eliza was sent to the union workhouse in Gt Snoring in 1869 where, on 12 November, she gave birth to Emma Jane Mussett (my great grandmother).
The unfortunate Ann had an earlier illegitimate child in 1867 she named Julia, but who died as an infant. Julia’s given middle name was Isaac which suggests the father as being one of the Isaac’s who lived in Wells at the time and ran a chimney sweep business.
On Christmas Day 1871, Ann Eliza married the 27-year old agricultural labourer James Riseborough (also spelled Raisborough and Riseberry) of Little Walsingham - it had been his birthday three days prior. AncestryDNA evidence proves that James was the biological father of Emma Jane, who had just turned two when they married. Ann had a son with James whom they named William born in July 1872.
Ann Eliza was the first Mussett in over two hundred years to move out of Wells and by the 1881 census the family was living in Swan Entry in Little Walsingham, a narrow cobbled yard just off the High Street. By the 1891 census, Ann Eliza and husband James had moved around the corner into one of the small flint cottages on Coker’s Hill. By the 1901 census Ann and James had moved back to Swan Entry, this time to a house next door to the Methodist chapel. The 1911 census saw them living in one of the almshouses on Wells Road.
The unfortunate Ann had an earlier illegitimate child in 1867 she named Julia, but who died as an infant. Julia’s given middle name was Isaac which suggests the father as being one of the Isaac’s who lived in Wells at the time and ran a chimney sweep business.
On Christmas Day 1871, Ann Eliza married the 27-year old agricultural labourer James Riseborough (also spelled Raisborough and Riseberry) of Little Walsingham - it had been his birthday three days prior. AncestryDNA evidence proves that James was the biological father of Emma Jane, who had just turned two when they married. Ann had a son with James whom they named William born in July 1872.
Ann Eliza was the first Mussett in over two hundred years to move out of Wells and by the 1881 census the family was living in Swan Entry in Little Walsingham, a narrow cobbled yard just off the High Street. By the 1891 census, Ann Eliza and husband James had moved around the corner into one of the small flint cottages on Coker’s Hill. By the 1901 census Ann and James had moved back to Swan Entry, this time to a house next door to the Methodist chapel. The 1911 census saw them living in one of the almshouses on Wells Road.
Emma Jane Mussett 1869 - 1945 (my great grandmother)
Emma Jane with daughter Eva
Emma Jane was born an illegitimate child in the union workhouse of Gt Snoring and according to the Wells census of 1871 lived initially with her grandmother in Kittin’s Yard. By the time she was 2 her mother had married James Riseborough (also her biological father) and the family had moved to Swan Entry in Little Walsingham.
Emma was allegedly a carrier of Christmas Disease (a type of haemophilia), which is passed down along paternal lines.
Emma married an agricultural labourer from Ashill named James William Cooper (my great grandfather) on 19 October 1888; Emma was 20 and James was 23. The couple were wed in the Walsingham registry office and the ceremony was witnessed by Emma’s half brother William.
Emma had her first child in 1890 and by the 1891 census the couple was living on the Uphall Farm estate with 1 year old Frederick and Emma's mother-in-law Harriet. Their eldest daughter Alice was my maternal grandmother born in 1891 (see Cooper). They later lived on Ashill's Hale Road in 1901 and 1911.
When she was a young girl, my mother recalled her grandma Emma baking her cakes which she ate in the kitchen while her grandfather complained that she was spoiling her.
Emma died in 1946, aged 75, and is buried in East Bradenham churchyard.
Emma was allegedly a carrier of Christmas Disease (a type of haemophilia), which is passed down along paternal lines.
Emma married an agricultural labourer from Ashill named James William Cooper (my great grandfather) on 19 October 1888; Emma was 20 and James was 23. The couple were wed in the Walsingham registry office and the ceremony was witnessed by Emma’s half brother William.
Emma had her first child in 1890 and by the 1891 census the couple was living on the Uphall Farm estate with 1 year old Frederick and Emma's mother-in-law Harriet. Their eldest daughter Alice was my maternal grandmother born in 1891 (see Cooper). They later lived on Ashill's Hale Road in 1901 and 1911.
When she was a young girl, my mother recalled her grandma Emma baking her cakes which she ate in the kitchen while her grandfather complained that she was spoiling her.
Emma died in 1946, aged 75, and is buried in East Bradenham churchyard.
[1] Information provided by Mike Welland of Wells next the Sea local history group and based on a map of 1854 he holds that shows a butcher’s shop on the northeast corner of the Buttlands and Mill Road (previously known as Buttland Lane).
[2] Communication with Leslie Westerlund on Ancestry.com
[2a] From my aunt.
[2b] From a family bible for Sarah Agnes Mussett held by my 3rd cousin.
[3] The exact location of the former Kittin’s Yard is unknown as it does not exist today. However, the order in which the census was prepared suggests that it was located off Staithe Street between Burns Yard and Fleece Yard neither of which exist either (although the latter was almost certainly located to the rear of the current Golden Fleece pub) beside the Quay.
[2] Communication with Leslie Westerlund on Ancestry.com
[2a] From my aunt.
[2b] From a family bible for Sarah Agnes Mussett held by my 3rd cousin.
[3] The exact location of the former Kittin’s Yard is unknown as it does not exist today. However, the order in which the census was prepared suggests that it was located off Staithe Street between Burns Yard and Fleece Yard neither of which exist either (although the latter was almost certainly located to the rear of the current Golden Fleece pub) beside the Quay.