I've traced my Mead family back to the mid 17th century when they were living in Sawbridgeworth, Hertfordshire. This farming family subsequently took root at Great Burstead in Essex and eventually, while an eldest son continued to farm in the locality, his youngest brother moved on to Southwark on the south bank of the Thames in London where he was apprenticed to a brushmaker, a trade followed by the next four generations.
Other lines have been traced and have originated from as far afield as Lancashire, Dorset, Hampshire, Somerset and Wiltshire, some reaching back to the 16th century. Mostly very ordinary folk, they include a sprinkling of engine drivers, stonemasons and even a smuggler.
It will take a long time to add all this information so if it is of interest to you, please return to review progress. If you see something that you believe is wrong, or if you can add any further information, then don't hesitate to contact me.
Alan Mead, October 2019