TILLEY
with roots in Somerset, England
family
the
For more information on individuals, click on those names that are underlined
WATCHORN
family tree
The gravestone of Thomas (1840-1909) and Sarah Watchorn (1840-1917).
Thomas Watchorn
b. 1802
d. 1870
married
Sarah Manchester
b. 1821
d.
Thomas Watchorn
b. Sept 1840
d. 28 Oct 1909
married
Sarah Freer
b. 1840
d. 8 Jan 1917
Elizabeth Ann
Emma
Jack (John)
Fred
William
Thomas
Benjamin Watchorn
b. 10 Aug 1880
d. 24 May 1954
married
6 Mar 1905
Edith Kate Bust
b. 7 May 1883
d. 28 Feb 1951
Benjamin and Edith Watchorn.
May
b. 25 May 1910
d. 10 Feb 1989
married
11 June 1930
William
Frederick Anyan
b. 28 May 1908
d. 13 July 1977
Isobel Letty
b. 29 Sept 1940
married
Robert James
Tilley
b. 12 June 1938
d. 5 Mar 2015
Thomas
William Stuart
b. 17 Jan 1924
d. 20 Mar 2013
married
3 Nov 1945
Irene (Rene) Hague
b. 1 Feb 1923
d. 20 May 2011
Katie Mary
b. 5 Mar 1913
d.
Isobel Sarah
b. 14 Feb 1922
d. 11 Feb 2003
married
29 Nov 1941
John Nathaniel (Jack) Kettle
b. 1919
d. 15 Jun 2010
Stuart
b. 13 Sept 1947
Paul
b. 30 Mar 1952
Ben Norman
b. 19 Aug 1914
d. 17 Feb 1983
married
23 Jan 1947
June Ralph
b. 23 Jan 1922
d. 4 Nov 1972
Roland
b. 29 Jan 1919
d. 22 Jan 1979
Raymond
b. 27 Oct 1920
d. 18 Nov 1920
Graham
b. 24 Sept 1949
d. 18 May 2018
Watchorn
Family Name History
The horn part is derived from an old English name for a house – arne or oen, so that just as the name Whitehorn means 'white house' so Watchorn means 'watch house'. This kind of building was familiar in the middle ages when surnames began to stick.
Most towns had gates, and by each gate was a watch house, where an eye was kept on comings and goings, and any local dues or taxes were collected. Other surnames also derive from structures, including Church, Castle and Walls.
The original Watchorn probably lived in or near a watch house. Other suggestions are a little more imaginative and concern real horn blowers on battlements keeping watch. What is certain is that the name is found in England as early as 1506 in the reign of Henry VII.
![Irene (Rene) [Hague] Watchorn, Robert Watchorn, Graham Watchorn, Isobel Anyan, Andrew Watchorn and June [Ralph] Watchorn](https://static.wixstatic.com/media/ffca98_c0f1e0e96e8e4911b728c98c8b1c6bb8~mv2.jpg/v1/crop/x_13,y_0,w_494,h_340/fill/w_277,h_183,al_c,q_80,usm_0.66_1.00_0.01,enc_avif,quality_auto/Irene%20%5BRene%5D%20(Hague)%20Watchorn%2C%20Robert%20Watchorn%2C%20Graham%20Watchorn%2C%20Isobel%20Anyan%2C%20Andrew%20Watc.jpg)
Irene (Rene) [Hague] Watchorn, Robert Watchorn, Graham Watchorn, Isobel Anyan, Andrew Watchorn and June [Ralph] Watchorn.
![Isobel [Watchorn] Kettle and her mother Edith Watchorn at Mablethorpe beach, Lincolnshire, in 1946](https://static.wixstatic.com/media/ffca98_db52c085a3454bed8cdefd471451bb60~mv2.jpg/v1/crop/x_124,y_0,w_261,h_283/fill/w_277,h_302,al_c,lg_1,q_80,enc_avif,quality_auto/Isobel%20Kettle%20(nee%20Watchorn)%2C%20centre%2C%20and%20Edith%20Watchorn%2C%20right%2C%20at%20Mablethorpe%20in%201946%20-%20.jpg)
Isobel [Watchorn] Kettle and her mother Edith Watchorn at Mablethorpe beach, Lincolnshire, in 1946.
From left: Andrew, Robert and Brian, sons of Stuart and Irene Watchorn.
![Jack and Isobel [Watchorn] Kettle with Imogen, Luke and Simon Tilley while visiting her sister and brother-in-law, May and Frank Anyan, at their home Lois Farm, Horsington](https://static.wixstatic.com/media/ffca98_9dc6b377283e416bb7906bbce14e690d~mv2.jpg/v1/crop/x_0,y_0,w_326,h_340/fill/w_289,h_302,al_c,q_80,usm_0.66_1.00_0.01,enc_avif,quality_auto/Jack%20%2B%20Isobel%20%5BWatchorn%5D%20Kettle%20with%20Simon%2C%20Luke%20%2B%20Imogen%20Tilley%20at%20Lois%20Farm%2C%20Horsington%20.jpg)
Jack and Isobel [Watchorn] Kettle with Imogen, Luke and Simon Tilley while visiting her sister and brother-in-law, May and Frank Anyan, at their home Lois Farm, Horsington.
Roland and Norman Watchorn with their girlfriends Maud and Margery.
![Rene [Hague] Watchorn with her sister-in-law Isobel [Watchorn] Kettle by the River Smite in May 1963](https://static.wixstatic.com/media/ffca98_b6a41402141f41c0953f71e821692471~mv2.jpg/v1/crop/x_6,y_0,w_244,h_308/fill/w_226,h_292,al_c,q_80,usm_0.66_1.00_0.01,enc_avif,quality_auto/Rene%20Watchorn%20n%C3%A9e%20Hague%20%26%20Isobel%20Kettle%20n%C3%A9e%20Watchorn%20by%20the%20River%20Smite%20in%20May%201963%20-%20web_.jpg)
Rene [Hague] Watchorn with her sister-in-law Isobel [Watchorn] Kettle by the River Smite in May 1963.
![Stuart Watchorn (left) outside the last of his childhood family homes at Aslockton (later occupied by his sister Isobel [Watchorn] Kettle's family), with his nephew Stuart Kettle](https://static.wixstatic.com/media/ffca98_bc4a7c9caf0746c680628559191037dc~mv2.jpg/v1/fill/w_345,h_232,al_c,q_80,usm_0.66_1.00_0.01,enc_avif,quality_auto/ST5F5E~1_JPG.jpg)
Stuart Watchorn (left) outside the last of his childhood family homes at Aslockton (later occupied by his sister Isobel [Watchorn] Kettle's family), with his nephew Stuart Kettle.
Norman Watchorn and June Ralph who were married on 23 January 1947.
Brothers Stuart (left) and Norman Watchorn in the army at a place called Issum in Germany.