Genealogy

Its amazing how the internet is making it so easy for relations, no matter how distant, to track each other down. You can use one of the search engines to do a search, a few links appear and next thing you know, you're in contact. That's not an easy thing to do without the internet!

I was originally contacted by someone in Canada on the internet, who then gave me the email address of another 'Wassell' who lived in Redhill, ironically, the town in which I live. Maureen Frost who has been tracing her 'Wassell' ancestors for twenty years has created quite a database of information and was kind enough to help me trace my relatives.

The Family Tree

Samuel Wassall VC

Private Samuel Wassall VC is the brave soldier who won his Victoria Cross for saving the life of Private Westwood at the battle of Islandhlwana during the Zulu Wars.

Maureen and Alan Frost, have provided me with a wealth of information relating to his life and brave act.

Click here to see this amazing information

Dr Corydon M Wassell

Corydon Wassell was born on the July 4 1884, at Little Rock, Arkansas. His line of the the wassell family originally came from Kidderminster, England.

It is through his bravery that he saved the life of 12 men, from Java, in the earlier stages of World War II.

Click here to see more information

From where does the name Wassell originate?

There is no exact information as to where the name Wassell originates. It is believed that the name WASSELL is of Scandinavian origin, and was derived from 'wassailing' (as in, 'here we come a wassailing') or Was-Sails (not sure of correct spelling) the names of the sails on the viking ships. They landed in the north of England and have over time moved southwards.

How am I related to Samuel Wassall?

To trace Samuel Wassall's line you need to go back eight generations to John Wassell (baptised 1711 at Old Swinford) who married Elizabeth Colerake. (see Tree). My line descends from their son Thomas who married Elizabeth Pardon, whereas Samuel's line descends from their son Richard who married Hannah Pardon.

How am I related to Dr Corydon M Wassell?

John Wassell (born 1681) who married Elizabeth Russen in 1704 had a younger brother, Joseph Wassell (born 1683) who married Eleanor Scriven in 1710. It is from this line that Dr Wassell is descended.

(Click here to see the family tree)

• Wassell Motor Cycles were made in Birmingham.  Click here for information
   
• A Wassell was a coalman in Great Bridge
   
• A Wassell owned a plastics business in Brierly Hill which my Dad visited when he was very young. He was given an egg cup in the shape of a teddy bear as a present.
   
• A Wassell road exists in Halesowen.
   
• Private Samuel Wassall won the Victoria Cross at the battle of Isandlwana during the Zulu wars when he saved another man's life. Click here for information
   
• Dr Corydon Wassell served as a Naval physician during the second World War based in Java and rescued the lives of twelve wounded men. Click here for information
   
• On the Stott side of the family, the Rushton's moved to Canada and my Dad remembers getting a letter/postcard informing them that while shooting one day one of their children was accidentally shot when mistaken for a rabbit.
• George Thomas Wassell owned a radio/electrical shop in Dudley Road, West Bromwich.
• There was a man known as Uncle Bob who served in the Navy during the First World War, his ship/submarine was torpedoed or attacked resulting in the sinking of the ship. The weird coincidence was that he was personally rescued by his own brother who was in service on another ship. He gave the greeting 'Hello our kid' (or something similar). This story got into the newspapers with the headline, 'Brother rescues brother'. (Uncle Bob doesn't appear to be a relation, although he features as a friend of the family I believe.)