The Shotbolt Name

The unusual and distinctive name Shotbolt probably means "the dwelling at the boundary", derived from the old English scead, boundary, and bold, dwelling house, although the alternative connection with crossbows cannot be ruled out.

The first recorded occurrence I can find is in a will dated 1509 for my namesake Richard Shotbolt of Yerdeley. This is probably Ardeley in Hertfordshire, where a Shotbolt family owned an estate called Cowards (or Cowherds), and later became lords of the manor at Cromer Hall prior to falling on hard times before 1700.

There is a memorial brass in Ardeley church of Thomas Shotbolt (d. 1599) and his wife, with four sons and two daughters, and an inscription. The man is clothed in a long plain gown, and the woman wears a figured petticoat, peaked stomacher, and ruff. The inscription says:

"Here lyeth the body of Thomas Shotbolt, late of this Towne of Yardley, Esqr., and Mary, his wife, the seconde Daughter of Sir John Boteler, of Watton Woodhall, Knight, who had issue fowre sonnes and two daughters. He died the sixth day of June in the yeare of our Lord God 1599, and in the yeare of his age 72."

Family Tree

My branch of the Shotbolt family lived in and around the village of Maulden in Bedfordshire from about 1700 to 1900, moving to Bedford then to Peterborough and finally Ramsey. We are probably descended from the Shotbolts at Ardeley, but there is a period of uncertainty from 1560 to 1665.

I am using the excellent and free Personal Ancestral File program to build a Shotbolt family tree. I welcome additions and corrections to this, ideally in GEDCOM format.

Shotbolt Family Tree (HTML)
Shotbolt Family Tree (GEDCOM)

Latest Addition to the Shotbolt family!

Cousin Keith has become a grandad for the fourth time. His son Paul is holding new addition Finlay Shotbolt who was born in October 2008.

On the left are Keith's daughter Anne's three boys, Ed, Will and James.

Joan Shotbolt 1921-2007

My dear Mum, Joan (nee Maud Joan Bason) died suddenly on 1st November 2007 following a fall in the conservatory while I was away on holiday in Wales. Mum was 86, but looked and acted much younger despite considerable pain due to arthritis. We had just come back from our first holiday together in over 30 years. We spent a glorious week in Jersey, and Mum was already planning the next one in Guernsey. Mum was always looking forward to the next challenge - her little saying "What can I do next?" would be a fitting epitaph. The picture on the right is the last one of Mum, taken outside our hotel in Jersey in September 2007.

Here are a couple of very short movies of Mum in 2007: Clip1 Clip2
You will probably need to download them before you can watch them.

I'm a Senior!

I celebrated my 50th birthday in May 2008 by converting the Koi Carp pond into a heated outdoor swimming pool.

I was never keen on the fish swimming round and round in a concrete pond, and would rather do that myself! After sharing half the fish with my brother and putting the rest back into the lake, I drained the Koi pond, pressure-washed it then gave it two coats of blue rubberised paint. I installed a heat pump, brominator, ioniser and filter, total cost £2300. The heat pump maintains a water temperature of 27°C throughout the summer, so I can enjoy a swim while the fish relish their new-found freedom.

Family Mystery Solved

I recently received this message from Andy Wells, a great-grandson of Maud Kate Shotbolt (centre), who was my first cousin once removed.

"Maud Kate Shotbolt married George Owen McGuire (b 10th July 1897, Portsmouth) on 19th December 1921 in Ramsey. George was an upholsterer (journeyman). They had three sons, Sidney George McGuire (b 8th November 1922), John Philip McGuire (b 15th February 1926), Peter McGuire (b 8th May 1930). Sadly, Maud died in quite tragic circumstances on 19th April 1966. She was very low having lost her husband. My grandmother has Maud's death certificate, which reads:"

"Combination of barbiturate and carbon monoxide poisoning. Overdose of Tuinal capsules and inhalation of coal gas from domestic supply (self-administered) while suffering from mental depression. Suicide whilst the balance of her mind was disturbed"

I clearly remember an Aunt Maud gassing herself when I was a young boy, but neither Mum nor Dad could recall it, so Andy's message has cleared up the mystery.