There have not been a lot of updates on the website recently, but there have been a number of developments in my research efforts.
I recently found a National Probate Calendar entry for Charles Hyne on Ancestry and from there was able to order a copy of his will from the UK’s Probate Search service, despite the fact Charles does not appear in that website’s search feature. I’m still working at deciphering the will, but have already noted a couple of interesting things. For one, Charles named James Thomas Bell as one of his executors. Secondly, the other person named as an executor was Frederick Hyne, from Saint Helier, Jersey, Channel Islands. That’s a name I had not yet encountered in my research, which has opened a new avenue of investigation that I look forward to tackling in the near future.
Also on Ancestry I found Charles’ Certificate of Competency as Master. On the back of the certificate, above his signature, he gave his date and place of birth as “1805. Portlemouth, Devon”. From this information, I believe that I found a record of Charles’ baptism in the Bishop’s Transcripts for the Parish of Portlemouth. The record suggests Charles was baptized on January 14, 1806 alongside his sister Louisa, who I think might be the Louisa Hyne already featured on this website who I previously believed was either his cousin or his sister. The record also points to Charles’ mother being Grace, and his father being John Hyne, which fits the information I had gleaned from the wills of Mary and Susan Hyne which both referred to their nephew Charles, son of their late brother John Hyne.
Flipping further through the Bishops Transcripts for the Parish of Portlemouth, I also found baptism records for two other children of “John Hyne and Grace his wife”, potential siblings of Charles and Louisa: Harry Hyne baptized July 6, 1808 and William Elias Hyne baptized September 12, 1811. Interestingly I found a marriage record for William Elias Hyne and Emma Mary Pope which includes a witness signature which to me looks like S.H. Petherbridge which I believe may be Susan Hyne Petherbridge who – assuming these people are who I believe they are – would be his niece, daughter of his sister Louisa. Preliminary research also suggests that Harry Hyne died relatively young, which might explain why so many of Charles’ children’s names include “Harry”. It may have been an homage to his late younger brother. Individual bits of information appear to be combining to tell a fuller story.
Lots of new story threads to follow!