Genealogy Notes for the village of Aveley, Essex
A miscellany of pictures and data arising out of research into the KIRBY's family trees (but not all linked to them). This is a work in progress so please treat the data with appropriate caution. For related information see www.the-kirbys.org.uk, Ancestor List, Place Index and Wills Index  
Graffiti dates on the church wall

Location and general description

Located in the south of Essex and not far from the Thames, Aveley is perhaps best known for the ‘Aveley Elephants’. These were to be found in 1964 (once my ancestors were long since gone but in the clay pit which has now consumed where they once lived). These were skeletons of the ‘Woolly Mammoth’, Mammuthus primigenius, and the ‘Straight Tusked Elephant’, Palaeoloxodon antiquus, from glacial deposits overlying the London Clay. The old London Clay pit has been part landfilled and part landscaped. There is a picture below of the remains of the bit alongside Romford Road. Few older buildings remain in the Romford Road area as it has been largely consumed by a later estate. One of them is the former manor of Kenningtons, now the 'Sir Henry Gurnett' public house and restaurant. This takes its current name from a former Lord of the Manor.
Reclaimed London Clay pit alongside Romford Road
When we visited the arable fields around Aveley were putting on a fine show of lovely blue Chicory around their margins.
 Field margins with Chicory Field margins with Chicory

Buildings

A selection of those that had, or might have had, connections with this family. 

St Michael's Church

Whilst some erected brasses within the church, outside a very different type of monument was in the making. Every easily accessible brick in the rear wall of St Michael's Church has graffiti carved in it. Some apparently dating back over 250 years.
Graffiti inscribed bricks Church of St Michael, Aveley 

People

A selection of those that had, or might have had, connections with this family. 

The KIRBY family

The family of John KIRBY lived in Romford Road in the 19th C. Other relatives lived locally including GURNETT and SCOTT families, some of whom are listed on the John KIRBY page. The author of this page used to collect fossils from the clay pit into which the old Kirby homestead probably disappeared, never realising how close to his family roots he was.

The GURNETT family

The GURNETT family were at one time lords of the local manor. The KIRBY family married into a GURNETT family.

Related Links

A selection of links to other sites with information about this place or nearby places

Bibliography


 
Any transcripts and images on this page are Copyright R I Kirby 2005 unless stated otherwise.