Durrant Family

Some notes on Durrants:

Gravestone B55 Reads: James Durrant. Died Dec 27th 1812 aged 88 years. Sarah his wife died Dec 4th 1812 aged 76 years

Nov 1st 1663: A Durrant wife was buried. No other information.

John Durrant was buried May 1st 1738.

25th March 1798. Private baptism of John, son of James and Judith Balls (nee Durrant). Birth March 22nd 1798.

1800. Enclosure claims No 13. A James Durrant lived in a cottage owned by William Clopton Johnson. Farmer, Ludham Hall. Also, No 16 Richard Durrant lived in a cottage owned by James Deeker.

We have now been given a more comprehensive family tree. Here is an extract from it:

1^st Generation

1.  Robert Riches Durrant was born 1813 in Sutton, Norfolk and died May 19, 1891 in Great Yarmouth, Norfolk.

Father:       2.   Jeremiah Durrant was born March 22, 1767 in Tunstead, Norfolk.

Mother:      3.   Mary Riches was born December 4, 1774 in Ludham, Norfolk.

 2^nd Generation (Parents)

2.  Jeremiah Durrant was born March 22, 1767 in Tunstead, Norfolk.

Father:; 4.   James Durrant was born July 16, 1737 in Tunstead, Norfolk and died December 27, 1812 in Ludham, Norfolk.

Mother: Sarah (Ann) Cullen / Collen was born 1763 in Tunstead, Norfolk and died December 4, 1812 in Ludham, Norfolk.

3.  Mary Riches was born December 4, 1774 in Ludham, Norfolk.

Father: 5.   Robert Riches.

Mother: 6.   Sarah Neve (nee Bullock) was born January 7, 1746 in Ludham, Norfolk.

We now have the tree available as a Gedcom file. Click here to download it.

Richard Durrant was a clock maker who lived in Ludham in the early 19th century. We think he was born in Sutton (near Ludham) and later moved to Beccles A Richard Durrant was born in Sutton on 16th June 1804. His parents were Jeremiah and Mary Durrant. We cannot be sure that this is the clock maker although it seems likely. The photographs show a Richard Durrant clock. We think there is a connection with the Riches family so it might be worth looking at our Riches page. We have been made aware that the following surnames are also connected to the family: Pratt, Adams, Crane, Balls,  Postel, Remmonds. Here is some information relating to these surnames kindly provided by Pamela Campbell who has done a huge amount of research into this family tree. You can see Pamela's work relating to the Abbots and Durrants on her website by following this link:  Pam's Pages There is also information about the Balls Family

Pamela has also provided a .pdf file entitled Descendants of Elizabeth Pratt showing information regarding Ludham ancestors of her husband, Roger Campbell.  You can download it by clicking on this link: Descendants of Elizabeth Pratt.

On the chart is Judith Durrant/Abbott who married James Balls. (See above)

Judith was baptised at Potter Heigham, along with her twin brother William, on 12 October 1775. She was the illegitimate daughter of Mary Durrant nee Crane. Mary Crane had married William Durrant at Edingthorpe in 1743 and borne him 2 sons and 4 daughters before he died in 1743. They were all baptised at Potter Heigham and so were 4 more children born to her through a relationship with John Abbott. 

Judith married James Balls at Potter Heighham11 October 1789. James had been baptised at Ludham on 6th January 1775. He was the son of James Balls (probably from Irnham) and Elizabeth Remmonds who was from Ludham.

Elizabeth Remmonds baptised at Ludham  6 December 1741, was the daughter of John Remmonds and Elizabeth Pratt .
Elizabeth Pratt born 24 January 1703 and baptised Ludham 31 January 1703 daughter Henry Pratt and Sarah Postel. Both Henry and Sarah were buried at Ludham.