It’s a New one on Me

Becoming involved with a new set of clients and one comes into contact with new names. Occasionally one finds something new and this last week I was lucky enough to meet Joanne ISSOTT. This is not a surname that I have ever come across in Lincolnshire and a search of the 1901 census shows why it is so rare. While the various family members seem to have been born in a number of places they were all to be found in St Peter at Gowts or St Swithins. Could these be the start of the Lincolnshire family of today? Hardy ISSOTT is born at Hitchin and putting Hitchen as place of birth into the search of the 1901 census a number of other family members turn up. This time there seems to be several links among the people. Some are tailors and includes another that is living in Kent is a tailoress. Most interesting is the fact that the eldest person in the list is that of Joseph the tailor and he was born in Normanby. Another unusual occupation is that of Louise in Lincoln who is a manageress of a penny bazaar. I wonder where that was. The name ISSOTT is one of a great many variations of a name that dates back to the Domesday Book. Generally the first vowel is always the letter I but the SS can also be Z while the O might be E, A or I and finally the TT might be RD or LT. Permutate any of these and you will find a spelling for the surname ISSOTT. The name comes from the Old French Isalt, Isaut or Ysole
My local history programme has arrived from the Nottingham University. Some of the Day Schools will be held in Lincoln at Edward King House. Did you know that 2007 marks the 850th anniversary of Henry II wearing his crown at Wigford? The event was commemorated by a banquet at St Mary’s Guildhall. To follow on from this a Day School which starts at 9.15am has been set up to take a closer look at the 12th century and its effect on Lincolnshire’s history. The civil war coming to an end and St Hugh of Avalon will take up the morning then after a buffet lunch the Day School will focus on architecture and a detailed examination of (it says here) the ‘Crazy Vault’ in the cathedral and a look at Bishop Hugh’s master mason. The final part of the day which finishes at 5pm is a reconsideration of the role of Lincoln Castle in the years after the Norman Conquest. To book a place or check out the lectures at Jubilee Campus in Nottingham contact the office at 01159514390.

Bits and Bobs

LRSM - 10th November 1809 - On Wednesday the 1st instant JOHN CODD, groundkeeper to Mr Ald GIBBESON of Lincoln, having been at Newark Fair, left the White Swan Inn in that town about three o’clock in the afternoon on his return home: his horse was found about a mile from Newark with one stirrup gone and the bridle broken: the rider has not been heard of since.
Lincolnshire Family History Society Extracts