Godels of St Lawrence

The Godels of St Lawrence

This article by Henry Coutanche was first published in the journal of the Channel Island Family History Society

Coin Hatain, from Les Cotils to Mont Gavey

The majority of local families whose pedigrees have been recorded have made substantial or notable contributions to island or parochial life.

Godel is recorded, in different forms, as early as the 13th Century, but apart from giving the family name to two fiefs, the contribution by members of the family to local affairs has remained minimal.

The first member to hold a prominent position is the present Constable of St Mary, Edwin Le Gresley Godel.

In 1331 Raoul Godel, of St Helier, son of Guillaume, was a joint owner of 20 vergees of land and Guillaume Godel, of St Peter, also son of a Guillaume, held the fief es Godeaus.

The name has also been given to Fief de La Godeliere in the north-western part of the Parish of St Helier. These factors, together with their connection with the Hamptonne family in the late 17th Century suggest a family of some substance.

The first property which can be definitely associated with the Godels in St Lawrence is Les Cotils, which overlooks Waterworks Valley. The Extentes reveal that this ancient property passed through the Le Cacheur, de Ste Croix and Hamptonne families.

Hamptonnes

The Hamptonnes were substantial landowners and contributed greatly to island affairs. Abraham Hamptonne, who married Laurence Le Gros, had at least three sons, Nicolas, Elie and Abraham, all born before 1650.

Nicolas was the ancestor of the Capt Nicolas Hamptonne who married his cousin, Rachel Elizabeth Ahier of Hamptonne, St Lawrence.

Elie was the ancestor of the family who lived at the property now known as Eastfield, St Mary. Abraham married Precille de Ste Croix, of St Lawrence, on 11 December 1667. As a result of this marriage the short-lived de Ste Croix ownership ended and Susanne Hamptonne, the eldest surviving daughter, sold the house she had inherited to her eldest son Abraham Godel, in 1725.

Possibly because he already owned a property inherited from his father, he sold it to his younger brother Josue in 1726. It remained in the possession of his descendants until 1826 when Elie Godel Jnr sold it to George Badier.

Although some of the land is on other fiefs, the house and outbuildings lie on the small Fief de St Clair, which was originally a most useful extra clue in pinpointing the property.

Les Arches

As hard-working and successful farmers the various branches of the family extended their property holding.

For many years the family flourished at one of the farms in the Mont Gavey area. A younger son of this line, Francois Godel, settled at the Nicolle property which was then known as Les Charrieres Nicolle, but whose name has been altered to Les Arches.

Other farms owned by the family in Coin Hatain Vingtaine include Le Coin, Valley Farm and Les Ormes, the latter still farmed by a family member.

The family was industrious, reasonably successful, but until this century not very adventurous.