Welcome to a new corner of my family research activities.  Having been born a Nicholson, I thought it was about time I found out a bit more about that part of the family!

The family so far seems to be based entirely in London and Essex (like the majority of my ancestry).  However, by way of a change, we seem to have some variations on the usual Agricultural Labourers... and a little more money than usual, although I hasten to add that none of it has reached my generation!  From Thomas Nicholson's marriage in 1761, the location is Spitalfields in London; the family then seems to have residences both in London and in Buckhurst Hill (Chigwell) in Essex. The next generation takes in Greenwich, Clerkenwell and Islington; then we move on to East Ham and Canning Town.

This site is still very much "under construction", as is the research, but I hope you enjoy progress so far.  It became necessary to set up the site as a result of a family gathering on Saturday 9th November 2002!  By following the links above, you'll find photographs of that gathering; and the story of our researches back to Thomas Nicholson (1732-1806).  It's a great story of greed and intermeddling...

If you recognise any of the names in the story in your own history - especially the appearance of the name Wilkin(s) alongside Nicholson - do please get in touch, as we'd love to hear from you.

Cassie Tillett

For notes on downloading the photographs in this site, click here.

Web links we use in our research:

How much is that a wonderful site making it easy to translate money into modern equivalents

Charles Booth OnLine the famous study of poverty in Victorian London

The Nicholson Library Revd Nigel Nicholson's extensive research on the Nicholson family name

The story of workhouses fascinating if grim reading about the Victorian workhouses

The Public Record Office including the 1901 census (yes, it's finally available!)

Essex Churches a large selection (presently 440) of photographs of Essex Churches