French Family Association

Mara French, P.O. Box 1109, Sutter Creek, CA 95685-1109. 209-267-0649 marafrench@mindspring.com

Chart #1, Thomas French of Assington

This chart updated by Mara French on 2/21/08. Return to FFA Home Page.

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Assington is a village and civil parish in the Babergh district of Suffolk, England, near Sudbury. According to the 2001 census it had a population of 371. Assington’s boundary also included Bures St. Mary and came within 3 miles of Halstead when the Gurton family owned most of Assington [12] [13]. I’ve been to Assington 3 times up until 1994.

Thomas French crossed the ocean with John Winthrop Jr. to start a new colony. He sailed on the ship "Lion" and came to Boston. His family was from Assington of the Hundredth Babergh in Suffolk County, England, where they had resided since approximately 1274. John Winthrop called Thomas "his scholar" in a letter dated on March 3, 1632 or 1633. Thomas was a land owner and tailor by trade.

Photos of Assington by Mara French, 1994

1. Row houses in Assington. Very few houses remained in 1994 when I took these photos.

2-3. Entering Assington from different directions.

4-5. Shoulder of Mutton Restaurant serving Greene King and Fine Ales, and other small stores such as the Post Office with red sign above door. Not many stores existed in 1994.

Photos from the Francis Frith Collection of Assington

Photo taken in 1907.

Cootes Corner ca. 1960

The Old Forge, ca. 1965

Partridge End Cottage

Partridge End cottage is a pretty part thatched part tiled grade II listed building set in approximately a quarter acre of its own grounds and surrounded by open fields to the front and orchards to the rear. The orchards have country walks going through them around a lake and you can walk through them to the main village of Assington, which has an excellent farm shop, which sells fresh vegetables, dairy produce, frozen food, etc.; it’s also the Post Office. There is also a pub which serve good 'pub grub'. Sleeps 8 in 4 bedrooms. 3 reception rooms. Call 01634 250251. Website

Assington Mill

Assington Mill lies in one of Suffolk’s secret valleys. This is the most likely site for the mill mentioned in the Domesday Book, and again in historic records for 1588. The former watermill stopped working in 1868 when the squire “took the water for his own purposes”, and the miller was forced to acquire a second-hand windmill, which came from Sudbury. The farm now consists of 10 semi-derelict buildings, and 86 acres of farmland. The buildings are being restored one by one at the moment. Website

Alfred Dupont, founder of Dupont Bros. was from Assington.