The family JOYES on this site is being researched by an enthusiastic group of descendants. We welcome enquiries and further links. Our early research has been focused mainly on rural WEST SUSSEX, ENGLAND, though we know that descendants of this particular family, during the 19th and 20th centuries, settled in other areas of Britain and some, even more adventurous, emigrated much further afield. If you have an interest in this line of JOYES please contact us via the email links. Our first known ancestral couple were Thomas JOYES of Billingshurst and Leah GUMBRELL. They married in 1794 at Slinfold, a parish bordering Billingshurst. Long hours put into extensive research has, so far, failed to reveal the parents or siblings of Thomas [whom we refer to as Thomas 1], although the name JOYES was established in the district of Billingshurst well before his birth date [which we estimate as c1760]
Between 1796 and 1813 Thomas and Leah produced 10 children whose baptisms can be found in the Billingshurst parish register. Thomas was an agricultural worker who moved about the district in search of work, often on a yearly basis. Although his children moved further afield as they matured, a later generation then settled in Billingshurst village as prosperous corn merchants. Several of our JOYES family have graves in St Mary's churchyard at Billingshurst.
Other Sussex villages in the area which have been home to the early Joyes family are Itchingfield, Pulborough, Shipley and Wisborough Green.
