From sam_orgill@classic.msn.com Sat Nov 8 18:07:29 1997
Date: Fri, 31 Oct 97 23:44:42 UT
From: Sam Orgill
To: Joe Orgill
Subject: You are not alone
Hi Joe,
Thanks for your email. It seems the less of you there are the greater the
interest in the family name & history. I have a latent desire to find out
more but am hindered by the curse of the working man - working for a living!
But I have some alternative view's partly researched on the family name - more
later.
I live in Ascot England but grew up near Nottingham, England. My father died
when I was 9 and his two sisters had already emigrated to Calgary, Alberta so
my knowledge of family history is fragmented to say the least.
We grew up in Kirkby-in-Ashfield,Nottingham the connection with my
grandmothers family. My father's parents lived in a mining village called
Shirebrook , close to another village called Stretton. Most of the family
were either businessmen or teachers. The Orgill's ran a general store in
Shirebrook and the adjoining road is still known locally as Orgill's hill,
although the shop has long since gone.
The tradition in our family is that the eldest son is called 'Samuel Stretton'
one generation then 'George Stretton' in the next. My grandfather was George,
my Dad Samuel . I am a Samuel Stretton as is my son. While I have 5
brothers & sisters, Sam Jnr is the only Orgill boy of the next generation.
My Grandfather George had a brother Ernie, who stayed in Shirebrook, whose
children I have lost touch with, there is a George, Janet, Judith and at least
one other. My father's cousin Douglas Orgill used to write for the Daily
Express, a national daily newspaper.
The other point of note is a very dark streak in the Orgill family colouring,
black hair, brown eyes and dark skin. My brother Joe & I along with Ernie's
family follow this trend strongly. We are white but I can't help but wonder
if Mediterranian, Indian or gypsy blood was introduced to the family line
around the turn of this century.
That's our local story, is there anyone in your web who can relate to any of
these family traits?
But of the roots of the family. The french connection runs strongly when you
reach for the reference books. But they all refer to 'Ogellvy' or similar as
the source. The only reference to Orgill I have ever found was in a
reference book published in the 1870's which ascribed the name to a local
Cumbrian (NW England, Lake District) name meaning 'house at the head of the
valley'. This would support the view that if the family come from the North
of England then the roots could well be Scandanavian.
Before the Norman invasion of England the country was divided into two main
kingdoms - the Saxons to the South and West and 'Dane Law' to the North and
West ruled from Denmark by Scandanavians. The latter is said to be the root
of the Norfolk, Yorkshire and Geordie accents, distinct from the rest of
England. In these areas also many towns and locations have nordic based names
that are distinctive in their construction. e.g. Huthwaite, Satterthwaite,
Skegby, Winthorpe, Eckington, Faldingworth, Holmfirth, Scarfell, Hackenthorpe,
Rotherham, Thirkleby, Ormskirk, Orton, Halton Gill, Ramsgill, Lowgill,
Thrushgill, Crossgill, Outhgill, Rosgill. Each part of these words has a
Nordic translation usually relating to the environment. 'Or' and 'Gill' are
two common Nordic words in use in modern English. You would be suprised how
many of the small villages named above are close together, in the Cumbrian
Fells, at the head of valleys. I'll dig out my place name book to add more
detail.
My theory is that with our name we often 'fit' a connection to the most common
similar name, when in may be more humble than that. That we may all be
decendants form a small village in Cumbria may account for our lack of numbers
now!!!
What does anyone else think?
I'll add my email address to the page over this weekend and hopefully find
some roots.
Sam Orgill
Ascot , England
sam_orgill@msn.com