James and Sarah have led me a merry dance! They first appeared as the most likely parents of my GG grandfather William Burge, born in Frome (as he said he was on the 1851 census) in 1805. They had another son, John, Baptised in Frome in 1811. Then they disappeared. It took me a long time to find their marriage in Whatley - the elusive marriage between a Burge and a Gulley that I had tried to find for many years. A number of their descendants are named "John Gulley Burge", so there was a high probability of this marriage happening at some time. I am still looking for the original "John Gulley" - if indeed that was his name, Sarah's family are still eluding me (see below for some possible clues... if you happen to be attached to this family I'd LOVE to hear from you!!!)

James and Sarah Burge married by licence in Whatley on the 5 November 1804. Sarah's name was listed in the register as 'Sally', but she signed her name 'Sarah Gulley'. The witnesses to the wedding were Elizabeth Burge (who may have been James' sister) and John Broom. Sally/Sarah was listed as 'born this parish'. They had two children Baptised in Frome - William James 1805, and John 1811. I was also to find Henry 1815, and Thomas 1817 much later.

It took quite a few years again for me to get beyond that point, until my cousin Tami found them in Corsley, Wiltshire - only three miles from Frome, but a long way as far as searching all the tiny villages in the area! 
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James was the son of Henry and Frances (nee Lacey) Burge of Whatley.   He was a carpenter, as was his father and many of his descendants. It is possible he was in Corsley working on either Corsley House, completed in 1814, or Sturford Mead, home of the Fussels, and later the Thynne families. He died at 42, and Sarah at 37, so it's likely both were as a result of accidental death, or of Sarah in childbirth. 

Of Sarah/Sally, I can confirm absolutely nothing other than her marriage and burial dates. 

There was a marriage in Whatley of William Gulley and Ann Guning 8 Feb 1762. I like this marriage for the most likely to have been Sarah's parents purely because there weren't any William's in James' family, but that's what they named their first born son. I have no proof of that though!

The only other clues I have as to her family are as follows: 

*   The marriage in Cloford of James Gulley and Elizabeth Hurford of Whatley 3 April 1727 - who are possibly Sarah's grandparents. (Many Whatley residents chose to marry in Cloford - it may not have any family significance).

*    Other marriages in Whatley 
Betty Gulley married Thomas Walter 20 Apr 1755
James Gulley married ?.......... Milliar 9 Feb 1762 

*   Elizabeth Gully of Nunney, married William Helier 10 Oct 1791. 

*   The births of Thomas Gully, son of James & Elizabeth Gully baptised 16 Jan 1796 in Frome, and Elizabeth Gully daughter of James & Elizabeth Gully baptised 12 Jan 1798 in Frome. James may be either Sally's father or brother.

Any of the above could be Sarah's direct family... maybe time will tell.

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William James was my gg grandfather, and went on to marry Mary Greenway in Lyncombe and Widcombe, Bath, in 1830, and spent his life in Batheaston, Somerset. His family may be found here.

James married Esther Hopkins 28 April 1833 in Batheaston and had a daughter Elizabeth Ann, baptised in Batheaston on 4 June 1837. By the 1841 census, they still had only the one child, and were living at Potts Garden, Post House Hill, Batheaston.

John next appeared in Hilcott, near North Newnton, Wiltshire in 1841 and 1851, as a master tailor. Unfortunately there is absolutely no indication that he was ever a tailor for royalty, as some other family historians have him. He married Eliza Springbett before 1841, and had children Meshach about 1844 and Henry about 1846. The family immigrated to South Australia in 1855, where  Meshach went on to be the patriarch of the line that now operates Grant Burge Wines. Thank you to my distant cousin Marianne for the 'nudge' that led to my discovery of this line of the family.

Henry (listed as a carpenter, son of James Burge, carpenter) married Ann Morton (dressmaker, daughter of Joseph Morton, Tinsman) on the 14 Jul 1839 in Batheaston. Witnessed by James Burge and Esther Burge. Their children were:  Joseph Morton Burge, baptised 6 Dec 1842 who died at 3 months and was buried 13 Dec 1842 in Batheaston. Their daughter Anne was baptised on 6 Feb 1844 in Batheaston. FreeBMD has a Henry Burge died age 63 in the Bath area in 1878 - if this is our Henry he'd have been born circa 1815, which fits.

There was a Thomas Burge died age 1 and buried Feb 21, 1818 in Corsley, highly likely Thomas from above, but his parents names were not listed on the death register.

I don't have any definite records for Elisabeth, but am still looking. If anyone knows where she is I'd appreciate hearing from you!

I think it likely that William, James, John and Henry at least went to Batheaston (13 miles from Corsley) as children after their mother or both parents died, to live with their uncle Meshack, a wheelright, son of Henry and Frances Burge. Meshack and his wife Charlotte are recorded as having children in Batheaston from 1822 onwards.

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