Connop (or Connup) is, and always has, been a very rare name. In 1851 there were only 65 males with the name, all (with the exception of four in London) lived in the counties of Herefordshire (24), Worcestershire (23), Warwickshire (7), Shropshire (5) and Radnorshire (2). The name is probably derived from the place name Conhope, which relates to a township in the parish of Ayemstrey, northwest of Leominster. All the late sixteenth century records of the surname come from Pembridge and Brimfield, both parishes near to Ayemstrey.
Places of birth of male Connops alive in 1851 (n=65)
The first first record in Worcestershire is of William Connop who was married in Halesowen in 1623. It is likely that William was the founder of the Connop family associated with Halesowen and Northfield in north Worcestershire. The Connops left there mark, or at least their name, on the Black Country landscape. In the mid-nineteenth century they gave their name to Connops Mill at Bartley Green. In 1865 a draper named Joseph Connop built a large house and shop on the corner of Halesowen Street and High Street in Rowley Regis, on the site of a saw mill on the edge of the heath. The area is known today as Connops Corner. Connops Lane was once found off the High Street at Lye, but has been replaced by nearby Connops Way.
Our earliest known Connop is Thomas who was probably born about 1695. He had at least five children with his wife Sarah. Thomas and Sarah lived at The Hill, Halesowen. All the children were baptised in Halesowen parish church between 1720 and 1729. The first and last died within weeks of their births. The third, Job, married Amy (or Ame) Hall on 24 July 1745; again in Halesowen. The couple had ten children in that parish, all whilst they lived at The Hill. The first of these was born at least four months before Job and Amy married. Two of the children, Job (jun.) and Isaac, moved to nearby Northfield. Isaac moved first, in the mid 1780's, followed by Job between 1787 and 1790. Perhaps the brothers were canal 'navvies' as the moves correspond with the building of Dudley No. 2 Canal which provided as direct as possible, a connection between the Dudley No. 1; already in use around the local Black-Country coal measures, and the major Southern waterways. The canal opened in 1798. The Lapal Canal is the eastern half of the Dudley No. 2 Canal and includes the Lapal Tunnel, which is the fourth longest in the UK. It cuts through a geological fault and suffered a series of roof-falls which occasionally blocked it. The last of these, in 1917, was too costly to repair so the tunnel was abandoned and full navigation ceased. Inevitably, the approach waterways, either side of the tunnel, also fell into gradual disuse and were finally decommissioned in 1953.
Job (jun.) married Sarah Hall in 1777. Their first child was born less than six weeks after their marriage. Their daughter Lucy was the first of the family to be born in Northfield. She went on to marry Oliver Hancocks. Sarah died at Bartley Green and was buried in Northfield grave yard on 1 July. Her brother-in-law Isaac lived in the same area as her as was buried in the same place two years later. Isaac had been married to Mary Culley, possibly sister to Sarah.
