Playdon family tree

Origins of the name

The name Playdon dates back to the early 1800s in Worcestershire. A Mary Playdon is recorded in the area in 1821. The name can be found all over the Birmingham, in area such as Aston and Yardley. These Playdons were originally from Burlingham, Worcestershire. They went to Birmingham as Dress makers and Tailors. The name is found in many other areas of England: to the North, Coventry and Derby; to the South Tewkesbury, where the present Labour candidate is David Edwin Playdon; further South in Cheltenham and down as far as Bristol; and London at the turn of the Century.

Place names

There are no places today named Playdon in the British Isles, France or Germany. There is, however, a village called Playden, near Rye in East Sussex. It was documented in 1611 as being called Playdon. It is an old settlement within a few miles from Hastings. It may have a Norman influence, as Don in French means present, and Den means cabinet or room, possibly work room. Play appears to be an English word. Combined it could mean play-present or play-room.

Famous family

In the Worcestershire Roll Of Honour for WW1, a private George Playdon died in 1916. He fought in Flanders and France in the 3rd Battalion, which was disbanded in Worcester in 1923.

In America, Canada, Australia and Hawaii, there are families of Playdons. A noted one in America is TV producer Paul Playdon. In the kingdom of Hawaii in 1876, whilst it was still a Polynesian island, a George Playdon, founder of a company of lawyers, still around today, was made the 'Kings Chief of Justice to the Supreme Court of Hawaii'.

The name today

The link to the Wellham family is through the descendants of Thomas Playdon b 1834 of Drakes Broughton, Worcester. He married Maria Anne Clarke b 1840 from Drakes Broughton, Worcester. They had four children by 1881. Leonard Playdon b 1873. Jane Clarke Playdon b 1875. Albert Theodore Playdon b 1877. Willoughby Thomas Playdon b 1879.

Albert Theodore Playdon of Pershore wed (TBA) and they had three sons. Reginald born 1909, married Florence May (Maisie) Rollings born 1917. They had six children. Tom (a police constable), married Violet. There children were Betty and Elizabeth. Kenneth, who married Joan Betts his housekeeper. Her daughter was Jaqueline.

Reginald and Maisie Playdon's six children were: Thelma, Pat, Tony, Maureen, Mary and Carol. Thelma Playdon married George Brian Wellham of Yorkshire, they had four children, they were: Sarah, Simon, Nicholas and Nigel. Pat married Jim Nolan and had two sons, Paul and John. Tony married Sue Jones and had two sons Mark and Alan. Maureen married Ron Cook and had Paul and Jason. Re-married to Fred Stock their daughter was Maxine. She later married Vernon Williams. Mary married Dave Taylor, they had Stephen. She later married Jim Croighton of Scotland. Carol married Dennis Stock, they had two sons, Richard and Andrew. She later married Steve of Worcester.

Simon Wellham, son of Thelma and George Brian Wellham, married Diane Bullock, they had two sons, Jamie George William Wellham and Luke George Brian Wellham.