Hollingbery Family
I have always been curious about my surname, after all, it is not very common. My paternal grandparents lived in Brighton and hence I have always known of the Hollingbury estate just to the north of Brighton and the nearby hill fort from which the estate took its name. But did it have any connection to my family name?
In the early 1960's I got into the habit of visiting any public library I happened to pass and looking in the genealogy section for my name. Nothing. We were totally ignored! That is until I moved to Watford in 1964 and came across a reference to the name in "Genealogies of Kent. Pedigrees of the Families of the County of Kent" by William Berry, published by Sherwood, Gilbert & Piper in 1830. The librarian managed to trace a copy of this book which I was allowed to study in her presence. This is what I found - short genealogy -
Sarah DENNE (buried St Margarets, Canterbury 1775)
married
Thomas HOLLINGBERY of Canterbury 1764
Their son, Thomas HOLLINGBERY of Wingham, Kent (buried at Canterbury)
married
Anne, daughter of Michael WOOD of Wingham
Their son, George HOLLINGBERY of Littlebourn
married
Margaret, daughter of Richard SOLLY, died April 1801, buried Littlebourn
Their son, Denne HOLLINGBERY, now Denne DENNE Esq of Elbridge in the parish of Littlebourn, took the surname of and arms of DENNE only by royal sign manual August 1822
married
Elizabeth, daughter of Richard PEMBROKE of Littlebourn in 1824
Was this family who appear to be very well heeled anything to do with my family from the East End of London? Why did Denne Hollingbery relinquish his family name and, apparently give up title to his own family arms? Was there in fact a Hollingbery arms registered? So many questions and in those days there was no such thing as the internet to start any further research. I'd have to go to Kent!
Much later, in the mid 1980's, I found that my uncle Arthur had done some basic research and had drawn a family tree (a copy of which he gave to me) using information given him by his father. Attached to the copy was a photostat of a clipping from a book (possibly "Arms of Sussex Families" by J F Huxford, published by Phillimore & Co Ltd published in 1981) showing the family arms and claiming that they come from Sussex. A copy of this is reproduced on the left (click on the image for a larger image). I note that he gives no source for this "fact".
Armed with these documents, some print outs from the Family Records of the Church of the Latter Day Saints (Mormons) that my son obtained from Salt Lake City, I started my quest to answer the questions. Thanks to the internet and a lot of help from the many new relations I have found via the www I have constructed the family tree that is to be found on this site. I do not claim it is 100% accurate as I know there are several anomalies that need resolving, but it is a start. If any one can add to, or correct the tree, please contact me.
I send my best wishes to all you HOLLINGBERYs out there. I'm sure we are all related. So, cousin, if you have not already contacted me to say "Hello", please do so. I'd love to hear from you.
