Two Withell family groups living in a small town in Australia had no idea if they were related although one family knew of their Cornish origin. It was the result of research into the ancestry of both these families which uncovered a spelling change which had occurred about 1851 and was the beginning of a small Withell family group in no way related to either the Cornwall or Yorkshire families. It was found that this family was descended from GEORGE WITHELL who had lived in Sunderland, Durham from about 1857 and used the spelling WITHELL. A record of the surname in Durham prior to 1857 has not been found.
From information given on George's marriage certificate and UK census documents, the origin of this family has been further traced to a WITHALL family from the area near Heyshott in Sussex. I have prepared a small booklet featuring this family.
The most common spelling in Sussex was WITHALL. However there are records of WITHELL and WITHALL in Sussex back to at least 1600's.
1642 Protestation Returns for West Sussex list:
1717 Settlement Certificate to William WITHELL, his wife Mary and child, William Withell
1734 Sussex Electoral Roll lists:
Other early parish register entries
GEORGE WITHELL was born in Heyshott Sussex and was baptized on 20 March 1831 as GEORGE WITHALL, the seventh of the twelve children born to William and Jane Withall. His parents, William Withall and Jane Pollard were married on 2 April 1823 in Heyshott, Sussex. WITHALL was the spelling used for this marriage and also for the baptism of the children.
The 1841 census for Heyshott indicates that there were three family groups living in Heyshott at that time, each with the surname entered as Withall. William and Jane were living on a property named Haylestone. They had 10 living children with them, including son George who was then 9 years old. Also living at Heyshott Green were the families of Richard and Charlotte Withall and Charles and Maria Withall. William was the eldest of the three men.
When the census was taken on 30 March 1851, young George had left home and was working as a farm labourer in West Wittering Sussex. The enumerator recorded his name as WITHELL.
GEORGE WITHELL and JANE WALKER HILL were married at the Bethesda Chapel in Sunderland, Durham on 26th February 1857. George was a mariner and gave his father's name as William Withell a farmer. His occupation as a mariner is consistent with his appearance in the port of Sunderland where there was a very large shipbuilding industry. By 1851 the port was home to more than 1,000 vessels.
Following their marriage George and Jane Withell settled at Monkwearmouth where they had eight children, all registered as Withell. Two of the sons were named for the maiden names of grandmothers.
1881 George and Jane were living in Monkwearmouth, Sunderland with six of their children, William 22 plater, John G. 21 blacksmith, Harriet 15, George 13, Watson 11, and Septimus 8.
1891 There had been a number of changes in the family. George had moved a few doors and opened a grocer shop at 54 Victor Street and only John G. a miller and Harriet, were living at home.
1901 All the children had left home but George 70 and Jane 67 continued to live at the grocer shop at 54 Victor Street.
George Withell died at Monkwearmouth in the 1st Qr.1904 age 73 and Jane Withell died in the 4th Qr. 1912 age 79.
There are descendants of George and Jane Withell still living in England. Some of the family emigrated to America and have settled in New Jersey. As far as is known, James Thomas Withell and Watson Withell were the only family members to emigrate to Australia. Watson married there in 1900 and settled on a farm at Dereel in Victoria.
The known descendants of George and Jane Withell continue to use the spelling WITHELL, whereas the families who remained in Sussex appear to have retained the spelling WITHALL.