I began with Jesse Messingham, my great grandfather, who came to the area from Norfolk. Jesse, for some reason was known and recorded in the censuses as 'John J.' Messingham or Missingham, probably because the enumerator misheard because of his dialect.Although he was the central figure, little was known about him or where he came from. In the 1881 census his surname was recorded as 'Missingham'and his place of birth was recorded as 'UK' (unknown). By 1891 he remembered where he was born - 'Bodam, East Yorks' which did not exist. After a lot ofsearching by my brother and me, we narrowed the search down to two possible entries for 'John Messingham' one in Lincoln and the other in Erpingham, Norfolk. It was only when we received a copy of the birth certificate that we were sure we had the right one. Jesse Massingham was born in Bodham, Norfolk in 1853.

So began the search for all our other ancestors. It is still not complete but we are progressing.

We think this is a photograph of Jesse (John) Messingham. 1853 - 1927 (Date unknown), although he looks reasonably young. The dimpled chin is a trait of the Messingham family.

Arthur Messingham, Jesse's eldest son born in 1878 in the pub at Halsham, ERY. His grandparents, William and Nancy Hunter were the licencees.