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This page has listings for data and information that is available for viewing and downloading. If you have any problems downloading or have any contributions to make to this information please contact me via email - Tom Jerrard

Sandford Orcas Jerrards

The Jerrards resided in Sandford Orcas where, it is claimed, the ancesters of the Jerrards of Chideock and of those Jerrards in London in the 1600s and later in the 1800s. At present the direct links have yet to be proven for the Chideock and London 1800s branches. There were other J/Gerrard families around the Dorset and Somerset areas most notably the Trent Gerrards (these Gerrards may be related, which I show in my ancestry file through William "the younger" son of William "the elder". (They considered themselves, in the 1500s and later, a different family than those of Sandford Orcas). Before I go further it is held that the Jerards of Sandford are from an ancient race who resided in the part of the County of Wilts known as the Hundreds Of Chalk and Mere.

Since the writing of my book in 2000 I have come across more material that shines a different light on the early beginnings of the family. I am now compelled to revise the history starting at William J(G)erard of Wilts "the elder".

The impetus for these changes comes from legal documents that show a Richard Jerard conveying Crichel Lucy estates to Sir John de Roches in the year 1371 and in 1392 Richard Gerrard the son and heir of William Gerrard release all of his lands in Trow to John Gowan. Yet in a 1388 legal document John Jerard is named as an heir of Agnes wife of John Babbecary with regard to estates in Sandford Oreskoys. Later documents show this John as becoming the owner of the Sandford Orcas estates with the help of Agnes. We know that Richard Jerard's wife was Agnes de Homere. Obviously this Agnes is John's mother and widow of Richard Jerard. She becoming a widow at some time prior to 1388. [Richard1371(transcribed).pdf, Richard1392(transcribed).pdf, WilliamRichardGerrard.pdf]

I am reasonable content with the conclusion that two Richard Jerards existed at the same time. Also documents from that time indicate that there was a William Gerrard "the elder" and a William Gerrard the Younger. The conclusion I draw is that William Gerrard "the elder" had two sons, Richard and William “the younger”. Richard obtains Sandford Orcas. William inherits lands in Trow and has a son Richard who obtains lands in Crichel and, as mentioned later in my ancestry file, is more properly attributed as the MP for Dorchestre. This family, of Richard of Crichel, I believe to be the forefathers of the families residing in Wareham, Purbeck, Freer Mayne and Hyde and then of Trente through the next several centuries. They are also the families that had "sons' represent as MPs for Dorcester and Wareham in the 1330 and 1400s.

I have provided the following links to the documents mentioned above as well as many other links to information concerning this family.


Trent Gerrards

There was another Gerrard family in the same area of The Sandford Orcas family. They resided in Trent, not far from Sandford Orcas. They were a long established family spelling their name with a "G". I am of the reasonable opinion that this family is of the Jerards of Wareham/Purbeck/Freer Mayne/Hyde descent which I beleive are descent from the family of Chalk as are the Sandford Orcas family.