[See major update in January 2008, which extends the family back into the 18th century, and over the boundary into Essex]

Audrey Tinling (gen @t tinling.co.uk) of Aldershot, Hampshire is trying to trace the family of her gt grandmother, Susan MOULE (b.5 August 1848 in Barkway, Herts; died 4 May 1882 in Littlebury, Essex). She married Benjamin DUKE in Littlebury, Essex, on 26 January 1871. Her father was George MOULE, a Baker, by occupation (according to her marriage certificate). She also had a sister Elizabeth Mary MOULE (b. abt 1844 in Barkway), a brother, Joseph MOULE (b. 1851 in Barkway), and possibly a brother, Thomas MOULE (a witness on her marriage certificate). Audrey is still trying to find out who her mother was????

The surname Moule not only occurs in Barkway, but also in nearby villages and a check of the Barkway entry in the 1850 Post Office Directory for Hertfordshire shows that Frederick Moule was publican of the 'Cross Keys' and also a boot & shoe maker. In addition George Moule was a baker.

A check of the marriages on the British Vital Records Index CD for Moule at Barkway (for period 1837-1895) shows that a George Moule (not necessarily the same person) was father of Ann Moule, who married James Parker (son of Job Parker) at Barkway on 24 April 1852 and of Susan Moule (aged 19) who married William Howlett (son of Samuel Howlett) at Barkway on 8 April 1855. Frederick Moule had two sons marry at Barkway - Frederick junior married Elizabeth Ann Burr (daughter of William Burr) on 3 May 1860 while Walter Moule married Betsy Drury (daughter of Daniel Dury) on 2nd March 1865.

A check on the Barkway Moule Marriages prior to 1837 on the IGI index at familysearch shows quite clearly that there were at least two George Moule in the area. One George married Jane Roblett at Barkway on 3 November 1827 and had six children baptised [batch number C072111] between 1828 and 1837 (and possible more after that date). The other George married Ester Hayden at Barkway on 28 September 1831 and there is no record of any children in the baptismal index (which might mean no more than that they were non-conformists who did not use the Church of England except to marry - where there was no option.). Great care and checking of sources (not just indexes) is clearly needed and you should look at Right Name, Wrong Body to understand why.

Your top priority should be to buy Susan Moule's birth certificate - possibly from HALS as you have enough information to order it. This will give you the place of birth (possibly an actual address), her father's occupation at the time, and her mother's name and maiden name. You should also check the 1851 census returns and I suggest the 1861 one for any children that may have been born after 1851. You can do this at the Family History Centre, St Georges Road, Aldershot (01251 231460) if you order the appropriate microfilms in advance - and also check their opening hours. (I do not do such lookups as they would involve me in a 60 mile round trip to Hertford!)

Audrey Tinling (gen @t tinling.co.uk)  reported that I have now received a copy of Susan Moule's Birth Certificate.  What it tells me is that she was born on 5th August 1848; her father was George Moule, a Baker, resident in Barkway; her mother's name was Esther Hayton (please note the difference in the spelling from what you had given me); the Registration District was Hitchin, Sub-district of Royston and the registrar's signature was Josias Johnson.
So I am one step forward!
You gave me the date of their marriage as being 28 September 1831 in Barkway. (IGI)  I would now like to find out what the names of the other children in the family were.  I have that Susan had a sister Elizabeth Mary, and a brother Joseph + also possibly a Thomas. I would be grateful for any more ideas you may have on this.

As neither familysearch or the VRI include Susan Moule's baptism they probably do not include her siblings although I haven't checked them to confirm this. Your best bet is to look for the family in the 1841 and 1851 census for Barkway - which should give you the children alive and living at home, with their ages, on census day. These can be seen in the Family Records Centre in London, at HALS (in Hertford) and (if ordered in advance) in your nearest LDS Family History Centre (try your phone book under Family History Centre or look for the address on familysearch.

Bob Meads (meads @t prodigy.net) has the 1851 census for Barkway, Barley and Reed and sent the following information on the Moule families in Barkway in 1851:

June 2001

Audrey Tinling (gen @t tinling.co.uk) responded: Thank you so much for sending the 1851 census details (from Bob Meads). Isn't it quite extraordinary that there were two George Moules with large families living in the same village!

Actually it is very common to have several people with the same name living in the same village at the same time - see Right Name, Wrong Body and The Inheritance of Single Christian Names.

She continues: From this I can identify all the siblings of my gt grandmother, Susan Moule, (viz. George 1834, Richard 1836, William 1838, Thomas 1840, Joseph 1842, Elizabeth 1845 & finally the youngest being my Susan 1848). My George Moule (the Baker) must have been born in 1804 and his wife Esther (nee Hayton) born in 1811. I would now like to find out who their respective parents were as well as when they both died. Any suggestions would be appreciated. Perhaps a lookup in the 1841 census would help.

Have you tried using familysearch for information on George and his wife? The 1841 census may help, but is not as informative as the 1851 census.

 I also wonder whether the Fred Moule (Master Shoemaker) might have been my George's brother or whether he tied up with the other George??? Very curious! I shall let you know if I find out anything more and would value your keeping this family in mind should you be able to point me in any direction which will help.

Thank you ever so much for your help. What a wonderful service your website is!!

Bob Meads (meads @t prodigy.net) emailed Audrey,

Thanks for the thanks. Two things to clarify. The numbers before "High Street' are not the number of the houses, but the census Schedule number. I assume numbers close together would be homes close to each other. With that in mind,  there are two more Moule's . At dwelling number 5 ( 5 houses away from George and the family ) is little Julia. She is probably another daughter.

Moule Julia "5" High Street, Visitor Child 3 years female  None Herts Barkway

Also living by herself at "dwelling" number 103 is :-

Moule Grace "103" High Street, Head Widow 79years  female  Ret grocer Wilts Market La

From The IGI you can find ;-

George MOULE  Sex:  M
Marriage(s):  Spouse:  Grace HOBBS  12 Oct 1801  Barkway, Herts

Our Moule connection is my wife's GGGrandmother was Elizabeth Moule ( Born Sandon 1802 ) who married James Baker and is living at "70" High Street Barkway with her family. We think she is the daughter of Edward Moule and Ann Gulbey. If you get more information on the Moule families we would be interested in what you discover.

July 2001

Barbara Baxter (barbieb @t cwcom.net) writes that Frederick Moule of the 'Cross Keys' was my  3 x gt. grandfather.  (My maiden name was Moule). I would be very interested to find out whether Frederick was related in any way to the other families in Barkway. What I can tell Audrey is that Frederick was the illegitimate son of Elizabeth Moule (parentage as yet unknown) and of Thomas Gaslin of Royston. There has been a suggestion that Frederick's mother Elizabeth is the same Elizabeth who married James Baker but I cannot confirm that. 

August 2001

Robert  Moule (robbiemoule @t yahoo.co.uk) of Royston writes: I've been tracing my family tree for a few years now and have found your webpage to be most enlightening. With the recent interest in Fredrick Moule (baptisted 18th June 1809 - Buckland), I wondered if you or anyone else knew what happened to some of Fredrick & Charlotte's Children. I know a little of Fredrick, Alfred & Walter, but wondered if you knew anything of Mary Anne, Charlotte, Martha or Julia Moule (Possibly from the last update?) I have looked up information on the IGI and have got christening dates only. Can you, or anybody else, shed some light onto this?

Possibly some of the others researching this name in the area can help. However I would not expect much more on the IGI/familysearch relating to Frederick and Charlotte Moule's daughters for the reasons given in The Limits of Familysearch. I have no first-hand knowledge of Royston's public library, but many of the larger public libraries in Hertfordshire hold microfilms of the parish registers and census returns of the area.

There is a trick that can be applied to the 1881 census CD to locate missing daughters who may have married. For instance if you search for a married woman called Martha born in Barkway shortly after 1851 you find a 28 year old Mrs Martha Glasscock living in Barkway with her family. It may not be the right Martha - but it opens up a possibility that is worth researching.

December 2003

Audrey Tinling (gen @t tinling.co.uk) has written: I am having another go at trying to solve the mystery of the two George Moule families living in Barkway in the mid 19th Centuries. (I rather gave up and concentrated on other family ancestors after coming to a 'dead end' so to speak on the Moules!) I would like to think that my GGGrandfather, George Moule (1804-1860),who was married to Esther Hayton (1811-1857), was the son of a George Moule married to Grace (nee Hobbs). However, it is probably just as likely that the other George was their son (i.e. the George Moule who was married to Jane Roblett). 

It is important to remember that other records, in addition to those directly related to births, marriages and deaths, can help. Your George was a baker - so perhaps his father was as well. Maybe your George lived in the same house as his parents. Perhaps there were wills. There are a whole range of records that could help if they have survived - but what is available will vary from place to place - and I cannot be familiar with what has survived for individual parishes. However I know that there is an enclosure map for Barkway and Reed for 1808, and this may well provide information about one or more George Moules and might even identify the bakery.

For a general guide to the kinds of information available through HALS you should get a copy of the book Tracing Your Family History in Hertfordshire, if you have not already done so. At least some of the relevant records have been microfilmed (see the library catalogue on familysearch) and should be available via you local Family History Centre. 

January 2004

David Guiver (DavidGuiver @t aol.com) has helpfully provided the following information:

You may be aware that the Rev Thomas Bargus carried out his own census of Barkway and Reed in 1799. I believe the original is in HALS but I have an incomplete copy which includes the following:

In Barkway

Moule - Thomas, shopkeeper; Elizabeth his wife; Ann Moule - mother; 3 in family
Moule - George, shopkeeper; Sarah his wife; Thomas 18; William 15 children; 4 in family
Moule - Joseph, labourer; Judith his mother; William 13 son; Thomas Ayres widower; 4 in family

In Reed

Moule - Thomas, labourer; Elizabeth his wife; Mary 16; 3 in family

There are also several Moule entries in the Militia Lists for Barkway and in Barkway Burials 1800 to 1852. I shall be happy to pass on details if requested.

February 2004

Clif Knight (clif.jade @t ntlworld.com) has offered some help. He writes: I was doing a 1841/51/61 Census look-up for a Maxine Jones on her 'Moule' family in Sandon, Therfield and Kershal, I had to really work at deciphering the Census's but feel pretty sure that I saw at least one family as Born 'Barkway' and possibly another Born Baldock ( Baldock 'sticks' as it a name in my mums family tree ). I also done a Moule look-up , 1841/51 for White Colne in Essex ( plus the other two Colne villages in the area ) but saw no references in these 3 areas of relevance. If of any use let me know.

March 2004 & February 2005

Clif Knight (clif.jade @t ntlworld.com) writes saying that he has extracted the Moule baptisims from the Kershal register between 1813 and 1920. He has also searched the Sandon, Therfield and Kershall??  1851, 1861, 1871,  Census's for Moules and can make copies available. 

January 2008

Audrey Tinling (gen @t tinling.co.uk) of Ash Vale, Surrey provides a significant update: I have a lot of information to add to the MOULEs of Barkway since I last corresponded with you. I have obtained several Wills which have made it possible to identify the two George Moules living in Barkway in the early 19th Century.  (If you remember, I had got stuck on this issue and rather gave up for a while.) I have got photocopies of these wills and have made transcripts from them as a Word File.  I am very happy to forward you these transcripts if you are interested to read them.

I  have also heard from another researcher, Peter Green, whose step great grandfather, Thomas Moule (b. 1840) is the brother of my Gt Grandmother, Susan Moule (b.5 Aug 1848).  Peter's Gt Grandmother, Jane Ryder married 1) Thomas Green & married 2) Thomas Moule on 1 Apr 1867 in Saffron Walden.  Thomas and Jane moved to Radwinter, Essex and later Ashdon, Essex and were landlords of the Rose and Crown, Ashdon, Essex from 1870 to the early 1890s. Thomas also farmed at Spriggs Farm, Water End Ashdon, Essex, through the 80s and they retired to the farm in the early nineties. Thomas died, age 54, in the Mar qu. of 1895.

From all the information acquired over many months, (mostly from the wills), plus checkups on IGI, birth, marriage and burial registers etc, and also with considerable input and help from David Guiver (member of the Royston History Society), I have managed to work out my line going back into the 18th century as follows:

On 22 Oct 1780 George Moule (bp 2 Mar 1758) married Sarah Whyman (bp 20 Dec 1761, daur of Thomas Whyman & Mary).  They had two sons, Thomas Moule bp 5 Aug 1781 and William Moule bp 25 Jul 1784. [This is the family mentioned in the Bargus Census of 1799: Moule - George, shopkeeper; Sarah his wife; Thomas 18; William 15 children; 4 in family].  Then George's wife, Sarah, nee Whyman, died at the age of 40 (bur 12 Mar 1801) and on 12 Oct 1801 George married again to Grace Hobbs (b 1773). George and Grace had one son, George Moule bp 30 May 1803.  Sadly their marriage did not last very long as George snr died the following year.  He was buried on16 Sep 1804 (age 46). So Grace, who, on her wedding day, took on a readymade family of stepsons, Thomas (20) and William (17), became a widow all too soon, having only her baby son George to remind her of her short marriage. (George was just over a year old when his father died). Grace carried on with the family grocery & bakery business on her own - possibly helped by her stepsons initially and later by George when he was old enough.  She never remarried and her son George took on the bakery side of the business. Note that in the Herts Trade Directory of 1838, mention of "George and Grace, Bakers", are therefore referring to Mother and Son!  Grace died in 1854 age 81, and her son George (husband of Esther Hayton) died in Littlebury, Essex in 1860 where he owned land and property.  These were inherited family interests, which can be traced back to 1734 through the series of related wills (see below). It seems that earlier in the century (probably soon after his father's remarriage), Grace's stepson, Thomas went to live in Littlebury, Essex taking up his inheritance. There Thomas seems to have remained a bachelor until late in life when he married Mary (possibly, nee Crow?) on 8 Oct 1830 in Saffron Walden, Essex, but they never had any children.  Thomas Moule's will of 1851, refers to his brother William and his "half brother" George.  [This is one of the most significant clues to making this connection!]

GOING BACK A GENERATION.. The father of George Moule (1758-1804), was Joseph Moule who married Anne Denniss on 13 Oct 1755.  Joseph & Anne had three sons baptised in Barkway, Thomas Moule bp 8 Jan 1756, George Moule bp 2 mar 1758, and Joseph Moule bc 1760. However, Anne Denniss was Joseph's 2nd wife.  He married first to Mercy Poudrell on 14 Jan 1733 in Melbourn, Cambridgeshire. From his 1st marriage he had 2 daughters, Mary Moule bp 29 Sep 1734 Barley, and Mercy Moule bp 15 Jan 1736 Barley.  In 1762, Joseph inherited land and the property "Gates" in Littlebury, Essex from his brother Thomas Mould (see wills below... Joseph was described in this will as Thomas's brother, Joseph Mould, carpenter of Barkway & his sons Thomas & George, his nephews, who were to be the heirs thereafter!!)

 It seems that his brother, Thomas Mould, never married but had acquired considerable wealth and owned land and property in Littlebury, Essex, Barley, Herts, and Elmdon, Essex. His wealth therefore was distributed in his will between his siblings, (Joseph, Richard, William, sister Elizabeth Kidman, sister Grace Lilly) and other friends - many, many names are mentioned - a fascinating will plus a lengthy codicil!  So with his acquired wealth, when Joseph himself died in 1782 he left a will distributing his own wealth & property  between his wife Anne, daughter Marcy Mayes, mentioning son-in-law Valentine Mayes, granddaughter, Mary White, son George, son Joseph. [Will of Joseph Moule (otherwise Mould) 1782 Of Barkway (Catalogue Ref: PROB 11/1099)]

I have also managed to go back another generation on this line, taking up the information from the will of William Moule 1734 of Audley End, Essex, but I feel I would rather discuss that with you when you have had time to absorb what I have given you so far.  The wills and sources (apart from the IGI) I have given below.