Stocall family
This article by the Rev J A Messervy was first published in the Annual Bulletin of La Société Jersiaise in 1899, and has been translated from French by Mike Bisson
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One searches in vain in the Extentes of the 13th and 14th centuries and in other contemporary documents for this name, which is also found as Stockart, Setocquard, Stocquall, Stockdalle etc and seems to be of English origin.
The family was established in St Helier in the 16th century and owned, among other properties, a house on the Market Place and a farm at Mont Cochon. The property in the town was known as La Grande Maison de Stocall and was situated on the Fief de la Rondiole. Les Chroniques report that the Bailiff, Hélier de Carteret held Court in front of the door of Jean Stocall in the town. THis house belonged in 1744 to Cyrus Brohier, "having right of the late Jean Dumaresq, son of Jean, son of Abraham".
Jean Stocall, Jurat in 1557, was also the owner of Moulin de Vicart, which he bought from Thomas Le Hardy, Constable of St Martin.
In St Helier the Stocall family died out in the 17th century, but an important branch was founded at Longueville, St Saviour, by Aaron Stocall, younger son of the Judge of this name. He inherited from the Bertrams a considerable property, which in turn passed through sale to the Anthonies, to whom it still belongs today.
During the time of the Civil Wars the family embraced, after some hesitation, the Parliamentary cause, and on 5 November 1644 the inheritance of Aaron Stocall was granted to the Crown, his having failed to pay the taxes due from him, which means, perhaps, for refusing to be held to ransom by the Royalists. Shortly after the triumph of the Parliamentarians in 1655, Aaron Stocall was appointed Solicitor-General and held this office until the Restoration. His brother Jacques contributed to the reorganisation of the Militia, of which he was one of the senior officers.
An Act of the Cour d'Heritage of 1742 mentions Mielle de Stocall, at Grouville, on the Fief du Roi. A field situated on the same fief in St Saviour is called Clos de Stocall, and belonged in 1671 to Jean Pelgué.
This family, whose arms are described in the Armorial, was represented for several years by the Nicolles of Ruel, St Martin, who descended from the Stocalls through the Messervys of Maison d'Anneville.
Finally we cite, as characteristic of the era, the following Act relating to Aaron Stocall snr:
- "1584, 20 Octobre. Michiel Bisson, having charged Aaron Stocall with having injured and scandalised him by saying that he was going to mass in St Malo and present when Jean Giffard confessed to the priest: today the said Stocall recognises that the said Michiel did not do so and was pious and Christian.
