THE TONGE FAMILY, OF NOTT., &c.- The following pedigree appears in the London Visitations, 1633-4:-

ARMS: az, a bend ar, cottised or, betw. 6 martlets of the last.

CREST: An arm habited "grey" holding an anchor in bend, ar. by his wife

I am desirous of tracing the parentage of Francis Tong, of Tong, co. Pal. Lanc.  One might reasonably conclude he was of the same stock as the Tonges of Tonge Hall, par. of Prestwich, co. Lanc.; although there exists another Tonge, near Bolton in the same county.  In the Testa de Neville the following appears:- Gilbert de Tonge holds one bovate of the King in Tonge (qu. Bolton!).  Amongst the Culcheth deeds relating to land in Hindley, co. Lanc., amongst the witnesses are:- 27 Ed. I, 1298, Eliza de Tonge; 31 Ed. I., 1302 Elias de Tonge.

In the abstract of title and pedigree of Tonge, of Tonge, in the parish of Prestwich, co. Lanc. {Canon Raines MSS., Chetham Library), the first Tonge mentioned is Thomas de Tonge, living 7 Edward II., 1314; and according to P.M. Inqu. 34 Henry VIII., 1543, we find a Thomas Tonge (son of Richard Tonge, of Tonge) who married Margaret, daughter of John Newton, of Newton, co. Chester, by Elen, daughter of Thomas Hyde, of Norbury, Esq. [Marr Cort. 1483], in possession of the estates.  In the Middleton Church Registers (where most of the Tonge entries are to be found) the following entries occur:-

Marriages:- 1541, June, Thomas Tong and Isabelle Wilde.  Amno 3 and 4, of Phillipe and Marie, much of the oulde register cut out.  Middleton Guardian, 1887, in an article entitled "Middleton Old Parish Register":- "The first pages of the book containing births, marriages and deaths of the whole og the ancient parish of Middleton, from 1541 to 1599 were faithfully 'copied' from the original old register by the curate of Middleton, and master of the Grammar School - Richard Hollingworth - a well known antiquary and author, in the year 1634."  1583, Sepr., Thomas Tong and Margaret Goorell; 1594 Decr., Ffrancis Tong and Alice Clayton.

Baptisms:- 1549 Nov., Thomas Tong; 1550 registers cut out; 1576 again deficient; 1582, Nov. 25. Alice and Anne Tong, daughters Thomas Tong; 1588, Jan. 26, Antony son of Thomas Tong; 1589, May, Mary, daughter of Ffrancis Tonge; 1591, Jany., Amie, daughter of Thomas Tong; 1599, Feby. 10, Susanna, filia Thomoe Tong; 1602, Nov. 7, John son of Thomas Tong; 1605, Aug. 18, James fil Thomoe Tong; 1613, Aug., Raffe, son of Thomas Tonge; 1631, Aug 10, John sonne of Thomas Tonge; 1636, Octr., 30, Assheton, son of Thomas Tonge; 1637, March, Thomas son of John Tonge; 1640, May 26, Marie, daughter of Thomas Tonge.

Burials:- 1550-1, 4th reign of Edw. VI., Jany., Ellen, uxor Thomas Tong (then a wide gap, from 1552-1582, of Tonge entries); 1582, Nov. 28, Alice and Anne, daughters of Thomas Tong; 1588, Aug. 7, Alice Tong; 1601, Feby. 8, Thomas Tonge; 1607, Jany. 27, Thomas Toonge; 1621, Feby. 16, Alice Tonge; 1631, Aug. 10, uxor Thomas Tong; 1634, Dec. 16, uxor Thomas Tong; 1643, Nov. 28, Thomas Tonge; 1670, Jany. 27, Thomas, son of Mr. Jonathan Tong; thus showing that the Christian names of Thomas (more especially) and Francis were in use from 1541 amongst the Tonges, of Tonge, par. of Prestwich, inclining one to look for a connection of Francis Tonge with this branch.

Amongst the wills deposited at Somerset House, 1383-1700, are the following:- 1602-3, Thos. Tong; 1636, Mary Tong; 1649, German Tong, Admon, London; 1649, Francis Tong, Admon, Notts.; 1649, Augt., German Tong, London, Admon of goods unadministered; 1655, Octr., Thos. Tong, Admon; 1660, December, Thos. Tong, Lincoln; 1672, Augt., Thos. Tong, Admon; 1673, May, Thos. Tong, Admon de bonis; 1674, Thos. Tong (former. 1672-3, 1676).

Amongst the wills deposited in the Prerogative and Exchequer Courts of York - 1500-1635* no entry of a Tonge of Worsop appears, although there are the following:- 1643, Octr., Francis Tonge, Of Little Manam*, Notts.

Amongst the Lancashire wills deposited both in the Consistory and Rural Deans Court at Chester, the first will relating to the Tonges of Tonge Hall, par. of Prestwich, is the following:- 1633, Assheton Tonge, of Middleton, Husbandman (second son of Christopher Tonge, of Tonge Hall, who died Feby. 16 1601 - P.M. Inqn., 43 Eliz., 1601).

Worksop, co. Notts- Some years ago the Rev. Henry T. Sloddan, vicar of Worksop, kindly forwarded me the following information:- "Registers, 1595-1623.  1623, Aug. 17, Ffrancis Tonge married Elizabeth Hawke.  In the church wardens book of accounts I find the following:- Ffra. Tonge, assessed at ?d* for the repairs of Church, &c. [This Ffra. Tonge must have been a man of some means, as his assessment is high, and I should gather he lived in Harness Grove, in the parish.]  1630*, Ffra Tonge, for wife's grave, 4s. 0d. [This was a payment to the church wardens.  I presume this was the lady referred to above.  Doubtless these entries refer to Francis, son of Thomas Tong, of "Worsop," co. Nottingham, by his wife Judeth, daughter of . . . Heron, of Lincolne.  Referring to the above I should be extremely obliged by any data which would enable me to identify the following:- (1) Francis Tong, of Tong, co. [?] and . . . d. of . . .  Cartwright, hia wife; (2) Thomas Tong, of Worksop, co. Nottingham, and Judeth, daughter  of . . . Heron, of Lincolne. 

Perhaps some of your readers may have access to either official or privately printed pedigrees which I have no opportunity of examining, or parish entries and records* relating to Nottingham, Lincoln, or Suffolk which have been printed by Sundry antiquarian societies.

Wm. Asheton Tonge

Disley, Cheshire

Notes from the IGI:

German Tonge m. Mary ASHLEYE, Jan 6th 1628, Stoke by Nayland

Francis Tonge, bp. Aug 23rd 1635, St. Vedast, London

German Tonge, bp. Nov 18th, 1636, St. Vedast, London

John Tonge, bp. Jan 7th, 1637, St. Vedast, London

Thomas Tonge, bp. Dec 22nd, 1639, St. Vedast, London

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* Bad photocopy - may be wrong