Sometime in the middle of the 16th century Roger Laslett, a native of Nantwich, Cheshire, made his way to the village of Harbledown in Kent. This village was close to the City of Canterbury and every Laslett who has traced his or her ancestry back to the 1500's ended up here, with Roger and his wife Joane. Most of the descendants of this first family became yeoman farmers, or at least they were sons of the soil in one shape or form, but there were some notable exceptions. One of whom was the above William Laslett of Worcester who at one time was said to be the richest commoner in Hereford and Worcester, although unlike some, he didn't mind giving it away! He founded The Laslett Charities which still exist to this day. Another was Thomas Laslett, born in 1811, who became Timber Inspector for the Admiralty, charged with travelling the world purchasing timber to build the 'Wooden Walls' of the Fleet, later shipwrecked in Australia.

And then there were my lot!!!

In the middle of the 18th century, as far as I can tell around 1750-ish, some of these East Kent Lasletts decided that they had had enough of farming and decided to become builders! Moving first to Dartford and then to Orpington they became West Kent Lasletts and from that day to this the family trade was building. Descendents I have traced were builders, even ones born elsewhere than in Kent. My own father and grandfather were in the building trade. Third generation American cousins have been, and still are, connected to the trade. I wasn't! I worked in telecomms and my son is a Computer Systems Analyst! Welcome to the new Millenium.

I have been working on our West Kent Laslett family tree for some time, although I am by no means an expert at it. However, I know a man who is,on the Laslett Family as a whole and if you cannot link into this tree then you may be able to link into his. He is Gordon Lasslett of Australia, who I call the Wizard of Oz. He knows more about the Laslett Family than anyone!

To download this tree in industry standard GEDCOM format please click on this portrait of my Great-Grandfather William, who did more than anyone to ensure that the West Kent Lasletts survived into the 21st Century. Born in 1826, his eighteenth and last child saw the light of day on the7th of October, 1890!

If you can link into this tree or need more info mail me

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