Robb. Gorr (gorr9900 @t yahoo.com) of Petawawa, Ontario, Canada writes The 1851 census of Berkhamsted parish shows my ancestor James Holliday and family living at "Ashlyns Hall" where James is the "bailiff". Was Ashlyns Hall an estate? Who owned it? What exactly was a bailiff in the first half of the 19th century? My James Holliday was born illegitimately in 1787 in Northchurch to a reasonably comfortable family. The birth was treated differently than others in the community during the same period. In his baptism record James was not called "baseborn" or "bastard" as were other illegitimate children. He was the only child where no bastardy bond papers were filed and so, the father is unidentified. His mother Frances (Fanny) Holliday was later married (1794) to the paid militia man Thomas Saunders, a native of Stoke Newington, Middlesex by whom she had four more children. James Holliday went on to become a bailiff which I had been told was a position of some authority and responsibility. Members of our family speculate that James' father may have been one of the local gentry and that is why his birth was treated differently and he was given such opportunity.

Illegitimate births can present real problems, even if the mother knew for certain who the father was - which may not always have been the case. Where there was no dispute as to who was to pay for the child's upkeep it is very easy to look for years without luck. I had a similar problem with one of my ancestors and it may help if I give details:

William Speed Locke was born on 15th February 1796, apparently in Aylesbury, Bucks. No baptism, or other legal record has ever been found of his birth or parentage. However a one line entry in the Overseer's of the Poor Accounts book revealed the truth. On 26th March 1796 the Overseer wrote "Wm Speed for Widow Lock's lying in month, £2/0/0" Another record - of the death of Widow Lock's husband, was a short entry in a late 18th century private diary, which had been reprinted in a 19th century newspaper - which had survived as an undated cutting in a private scrap book (now in the Bucks Records Office). Both these references were found because I had a lot of relatives in Aylesbury (which is only about 6 miles from where I live) and I was ploughing through the documents for any reference to any possible relative.

I am not sure what Berkhamsted related records exist which might be helpful - for instance if James Holliday has an influential "patron" he may have been sent to school - but further research could be tedious with no guarantee of success. One possible clue might come from the witnesses at his marriage - but that is a long shot.

Ashlyns Hall - Published by Loosley, Berkhamsted - posted 1907
It was built towards the end of the 18th century

As James Holliday was Bailiff at Ashlyns Hall in 1851 he would have been employed by Augustus John Smith (1804-1872), "King" of the Scilly Islands (off Cornwall). He was presumably responsible for general upkeep of the house and grounds, and William Gough, described as his lodger, may well have been the head gardener. Augustus Smith was born at Ashlyns Hall, his father, James Smith, having brought the house in 1801. I don't know how much time Augustus Smith spent in Berkhamsted, once he had acquired the Scilly Islands, but the house was occupied by William Longman in 1859. However Augustus Smith's action over Berkhamsted Common was in 1866 - so he clearly kept close contacts with the town.

See also: Augustus Smith and Berkhamsted Common

There is a web page for Berkhamsted

If you can add to the information given above tell me.