Other pieces of information that have come to light - some more useful than others...

My father has always maintained that the "HYDE" in the family originated from the First Earl of Clarenden. There is absolutely nothing to substantiate this at present. One of his uncles, before my father’s birth was also interested in the family’s history and cycled here, there, and everywhere collecting details. It is thought that it was from his research that the suggestion arises. He did have the benefit of being able to speak with his father who, with Mary Jane, christened my Grandfather. If they didn’t know where the name came from…

Just in case the claim is correct: The first Earl of Clarenden (1661-1723) was indeed Lord Hyde. There was a gap until the second earl was created in 1776 but he was a "Villiers." The 'Hyde' returned for the sixth earl. We are now on the 7^th Earl, a George Frederick Laurence Hyde Villiers. He was born 02.02.1933 as the only son of Lord Hyde (Dd: 1935) and Lady Hyde (Dd: 1970). The present (2003) Earl is Chairman of Seccombe, Marshall and Campion plc. who are ‘in the City’ as "Discount House, bankers/bill brokers."

This sort of first name tends to have come from the mother’s side. But we know Mary Jane was a Smith/Neville. Was her mother a Hyde? We have no other missing maiden names...

There are/were a great number of Hydes in the Cambridge area around the time of my grandfather's birth; including: John Hyde of the "Hoops" PH in Barton, Charles Hyde Wollaston, esquire of All Saints, George Hyde a ‘fly proprietor’ of 3 Short Street; Orlando Hyde, solicitor of Sumpter and Hyde, 8 Free School Lane, solicitors to the University; George Hyde, grocer of Mill Road; Charles Hyde, livery stables, Pembroke Street; Charles William Hyde of the "Half Moon" PH, Little St Mary Lane and later of the "Eagle Tavern", 7 Benedict Street; and so on and so forth… I actually suspect that someone with the name Hyde was a friend of the family and may even have been a Godparent. It’s also possible that a Mr Hyde was the then current Grand whoever at the whatever Lodge, John was a member of at the time.

The same sort of question exists over the name Freeth again used by My Great Grand parents to name a son.  It is a well known West country name but what was the connection.

A line of enquiry must lie with the Free masonry.  Their records seem to be very complete even to the extent of knowing that John was a member of two lodges.

In the Biographical Register of the University of Cambridge to 1500, there is a John Fynne [Fyn] (alternative spelling) who was a Bachelor of Civil law by 1480. He was the Rector of Hinton, Cambridgeshire but also vacated by 1480. He held various other incumbencies including being the Canon of Lincoln and Rector of Elsworth, Huntingdonshire (1492). He returned to be the Rector of Tydd St Giles by 31.12.1494. There is also mention of him in the Ely Diocesan Remembrancer and Wills in that surname are indexed in the "Wills of Ely".

A Mary Fynn married a Thomas Gotobed at SML on 27^th August 1795. Now that I’m related to a Gotobed I can end my research!

Page last updated 29th May 2010