Hyman
A potted history
Mells; Stanwell
My sister and I both have a memory of a story of our great grandfather, Albert Edward Hyman being a 'foundling' brought up by a jewish family. However, it would appear that this is totally erroneous. Whilst Hyman obviously sound jewish, it is most likely that, for this lot of Hyman's, the name is a derivation of Hayman - well, they were ag. labs. from the west-country.
Since there are no famous (or infamous) individuals in this particular line, I have stopped seeking this line (for the time being anyway) with my 3x gt. grandmother, Mary 'Hyman'. Mary was born c.1807 in Trowbridge, Wiltshire. There was a suggestion from a contact at RootsChat that she was born Mary Young and married a John Hyman in Trowbridge - however, I haven't as yet had the chance to research this for myself. If this is the case, then she's not with him on the '51 census. Mary had a son, William Hyman.
My 2x gt. grandfather, William Hyman was born c.1828/9 in Mells, Somerset. The 1841 census returns for the parish of Mells are 'missing' from the PRO which makes it difficult to confirm when he was born, but there is a baptism record from 24 January 1829, so he may have been born late 1828. In the 1851 census, William is to be found, with his mother, in the workhouse in Frome. By 1859, William has made his way east to Stanwell, Middlesex where he marries Elizabeth Wooderson who is 12 years younger than him . William was either very unlucky or perhaps, 'not the brightest spark' as on the 1881 census he is in Staines Union Workhouse and he dies in the same workhouse in 1902. Anyway, William & Elizabeth had eight children. Their youngest was my gt. grandfather, Albert Edward Hyman.
Well, you've already been introduced to Albert. He was born 17 Dec 1873 in Stanwell. (You may want to read my 'Middlesex' page). Albert married Phoebe Knight and they had 19 children! Three died in infancy, one was killed in WWI and another in WWII. Their first born fought in both wars. Albert & Phoebe's 7th child was my grandmother, Mary Elizabeth “Polly” Hyman.
Mary Elizabeth “Polly” Hyman was born 22 June 1903. Rumour has it that in her 'teens, Polly was a maid at 'the big house' (Stanwell Place). While there, she became pregnant and had an illegitimate child in 1924 - I'll not give the name as the person in question is still living. The child was brought-up as one of Albert & Phoebe's. In 1928, Polly married Richard Joseph Cecil Andrews and they had 4 children, the 1st being my mother, Nancy Andrews. However, this poses a question; Richard & Polly's marriage certificate is dated 29 September 1928, Nancy's birth was not registered until 1941 (by her father) - Mar 1941 Andrews, Nancy; Hyman; Brentford vol 3a p370 - and the date of birth given is 02 October 1926. So, what to make of all this! Why did it take almost 2 years (after the birth of my mother) for Richard & Polly to get married? Why the delay in registering the birth? Why was Nancy born in Isleworth? I guess we'll never know!
ENTYMOLOGY:
Hyman
Topographic name for a man who lived by an enclosure, from Middle English hay + man. The term was in many cases effectively a synonym for Hayward.
English: nickname for a tall man.
English: occupational name for the servant of someone called Hai, with man in the sense 'servant'.
English: occupational name for someone who sold hay.
