MUDWAY Surname Dictionaries Are Silent on the Meaning of The
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MUDWAY Surname dictionaries are silent on the meaning of the surname Mudway.1 The ending ‘way’ suggests a locative surname, possibly dweller by the muddy way. It is a very unusual surname with only thirty four individuals of that spelling being found in the 1881 census for England, Scotland and Wales, twenty eight of whom were living in Gloucestershire or Monmouthshire.2 Spellings in earlier generations include Muthway, Mouthway, Motherway and Mothway. There is a Manor of Mouthway in Merionethshire, which is another possible origin. The earliest confirmed ancestor in this line is 5x great grandfather William Mudway of Newland, Distribution of the Surname Gloucestershire in the Forest of Dean.3 It is almost Mudway certain that he was the son of Thomas and Alice Mudway née Worgan who have other children baptised in Newland at this time but no baptism has been found so this cannot be corroborated.4 5x great grandparents William Mudway and Sarah Preddy married at St. James’, Staunton, Gloucestershire on the 30th of July 1741. William’s surname was spelt ‘Muthway’ and Sarah was of Clowerwall (Clearwell).5 Preddy is another surname for which the dictionaries offer no help.6 Preedy, is thought to be a variant of Priddy, a Somerset place name.7 Names beginning with P in and close to, Wales are often contractions of Ap-____ , meaning Distribution of the Surname ‘son of’ in Welsh. So, in this case, son of Reddy. It is Preddy a name that predominates in Gloucestershire.8 1 Cottle, Basil, The Penguin Dictionary of Surnames Penguin 2nd edition 1978. Lower, Mark Anthony, A Dictionary of Surnames Wordsworth Editions Ltd. 1860. Reaney, P.H., A Dictionary of Surnames Routledge and Kegan Paul 1958. 2 The Surname Atlas Archer Software 2003. 3 See Court paper for details about the Forest of Dean. 4 Marriage Register for All Saints, Newland, Gloucestershire via www.ancestry.co.uk. 5 Bishops’ Transcripts for St. James’, Staunton, Gloucestershire, via www.ancestry.co.uk. 6 Cottle, Basil, The Penguin Dictionary of Surnames Penguin 2nd edition 1978. Lower, Mark Anthony, A Dictionary of Surnames Wordsworth Editions Ltd. 1860. Reaney, P.H., A Dictionary of Surnames Routledge and Kegan Paul 1958. 7 Lower, Mark Anthony, A Dictionary of Surnames Wordsworth Editions Ltd. 1860. 8 The Surname Atlas Archer Software 2003. Sarah Preddy was baptised on the 23rd of January 1714/5 at Newland.9 She was the daughter of John and Mary Preddy née Reynolds who married at Newland on the 4th of June 1704.10 They have not been traced back any further. Four other Preddy children were baptised in Newland. John was baptised on the 29th of June 1705.11 The register is damaged at this point but it seems that this John died, as another John was baptised on the 2rd of December 1706.12 He was followed by Mary, baptised on the 2nd of May 1708 and Elizabeth, baptised on the 9th of April 1711.13 The 1705 and 1711 baptisms show that the 14 family were living in ‘Clowerwall’. No more Distribution of the Surname Reynolds records have been found for the Preddys. Five children have been confirmed for William and Sarah Mudway née Preddy, all of whom were baptised in Newland. The eldest was Mary who was baptised as Mary ‘Motherway’ on the 17th of February 1742/3.15 She married William Jones at Newland on the 27th of December 1768.16 William and Sarah Mudway’s first son was William, who was baptised on the 17th of February 1744.17 He was buried in Newland on the 23rd of March 1765.18 Ann was baptised on the 20th of April 1747.19 On the 6th of July 1777 she married John Wicks of Frampton on Severn at Newland.20 A John Wicks was the Rector of St. Briavels in 1769 but it is not known if this was the same person, or how he was related.21 On the 16th of December 1783 Ann Bullock, the daughter of Ann Mudway, was buried at Newland.22 There is no likely baptism in the area, under Bullock or Mudway and no other Ann who was likely to be the mother of this child, who was presumably born before Ann married John Wicks. 9 Marriage Register for All Saints, Newland, Gloucestershire via www.ancestry.co.uk. 10 Marriage Register for All Saints, Newland, Gloucestershire via www.ancestry.co.uk. 11 Baptism Register for All Saints, Newland, Gloucestershire via www.ancestry.co.uk. 12 Baptism Register for All Saints, Newland, Gloucestershire via www.ancestry.co.uk. 13 Baptism Register for All Saints, Newland, Gloucestershire via www.ancestry.co.uk. 14 Baptism Register for All Saints, Newland, Gloucestershire via www.ancestry.co.uk. 15 Baptism Register for All Saints, Newland, Gloucestershire via www.ancestry.co.uk. 16 Marriage Register for All Saints, Newland, Gloucestershire via www.ancestry.co.uk. 17 Baptism Register for All Saints, Newland, Gloucestershire via www.ancestry.co.uk. 18 Burial Register for All Saints, Newland, Gloucestershire via www.ancestry.co.uk. 19 Baptism Register for All Saints, Newland, Gloucestershire via www.ancestry.co.uk. 20 Marriage Register for All Saints, Newland, Gloucestershire via www.ancestry.co.uk. 21 Baptism Register for All Saints, Newland, Gloucestershire via www.ancestry.co.uk. 22 Burial Register for All Saints, Newland, Gloucestershire via www.ancestry.co.uk. The next child of William and Sarah was Richard, who was baptised in Newland on the 15th of August 1751.23 On the 14th of June 1781 Richard ‘of Newland’ married Elizabeth Wicks at St. Mary’s, Undy, Monmouthshire.24 They had at least children nine children baptised in Newland. Although her mother is listed as Ann, it is likely that the Ann Mudway baptised on the 2nd of June 1785 was Richard and Elizabeth’s daughter.25 William, baptised on the 20th of January 178426 was buried in Newland on the 6th of February 1804.27 Another Ann followed, baptised on the 28th of December 178728 and buried on the 31st of August 1787 at Newland.29 Next was Richard, who was baptised on the 5th of November 1787.30 He had six children and numerous grandchildren, becoming the owner of the Lamb Inn at Coleford.31 A third Ann was baptised on the 12th of August 1789.32 Another daughter, Christian, was baptised on the 12th of January 1792. Thomas was baptised on the 2nd of January 1794 and James on the 28th of January 1795.33 The two youngest daughters were Elizabeth, baptised on the 28th of May 1798 and Jane, baptised on the 26th of April 1801.34 It is also possible that there was a daughter, Sarah, at the beginning of this family.35 Richard senior was buried in Newland on the 30th of March 1824.36 The youngest of William and Sarah Mudway’s children was 4x great grandfather John who was baptised on the 3rd of October 1747at Newland.37 On the 20th of February 1762, William Mudway ‘of Newland’ wrote a will leaving everything to his wife, Sarah and making her the sole executrix. He particularly mentions cattle and grain, suggesting that he was a farmer.38 In 1776, by the right of owning freehold land in Newland, that he was renting to John Davis and Robert Clerk, along with most of his neighbours, William cast his vote for the Honourable G Berkeley. This was probably the twenty three year old naval officer George Cranfield Berkeley, who had stood for Cricklade in 1774 but withdrew the day before the poll. Berkeley and therefore presumably William Mudway, was a supporter of Pitt the elder, who was a Whig.39 Despite his obvious support in Newland, Berkeley lost the 1776 23 Baptism Register for All Saints, Newland, Gloucestershire via www.ancestry.co.uk. 24 Marriage Register for St. Mary’s, Undy, Monmouthshire, via www.findmypast.co.uk. 25 Baptism Register for All Saints, Newland, Gloucestershire via www.ancestry.co.uk. 26 Baptism Register for All Saints, Newland, Gloucestershire via www.ancestry.co.uk. 27 Burial Register for All Saints, Newland, Gloucestershire via www.ancestry.co.uk. 28 Baptism Register for All Saints, Newland, Gloucestershire via www.ancestry.co.uk. 29 Burial Register for All Saints, Newland, Gloucestershire via www.ancestry.co.uk. Memorial Inscriptions at All Saints, Newland, Gloucestershire. 30 Baptism Register for All Saints, Newland, Gloucestershire via www.ancestry.co.uk. 31 Deeds of the Lamb Inn, Coleford, Gloucestershire held at the Forest of Dean Heritage Centre. 32 Baptism Register for All Saints, Newland, Gloucestershire via www.ancestry.co.uk. 33 Baptism Register for All Saints, Newland, Gloucestershire via www.ancestry.co.uk. 34 Baptism Register for All Saints, Newland, Gloucestershire via www.ancestry.co.uk. 35 Marriage Register for All Saints, Newland, Gloucestershire via www.ancestry.co.uk. 36 Burial Register for All Saints, Newland, Gloucestershire via www.ancestry.co.uk. Memorial Inscriptions at All Saints, Newland, Gloucestershire. 37 Baptism Register for All Saints, Newland, Gloucestershire via www.ancestry.co.uk. 38 The will of William Mudway written 1762 proved 1792 held at Gloucestershire Archives ref. 1792/61 Mudway. 39 Whigs were the forerunner of the Liberal party. election, after a costly campaign. He was finally successful in the 1783 election, becoming Gloucester’s MP for twenty seven years.40 Berkeley was also noted for promoting Jenner’s work and encouraging government support for smallpox vaccination.41 William was buried in Newland on the 12th of March 1792.42 Sarah died on the 11 April 180443 and was buried five days later.44 Both William and Sarah were ‘of Cauldwell’ at burial.45 4 x great-grandparents, John Mudway ‘of Newland’ and Hannah Fisher, married on the 15th of June 1782 at St.