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My Most Elusive Ancestor - Genealogical Brainteasers

The following people are ancestors which SUSSEX-PLUS list members are having difficulty finding. Not all ancestors were considerate - marrying in the same parish in which they were born, always being at home on the day of the census, never straying from their home town. Not all were blessed with highly unusual names, giving us absolute certainty that we have found them (yes, you're also looking for John Smith, somewhere in London, are you?!)

If you think you can help any of us with our search, either because you know the family concerned, or because you know of a research technique or source of information which may not have been explored, then please make contact. We hope that 1998 will be the year when many of these people will finally come to light.

Henry BAILEY (1804-1859) and Jane Eleanor (Ellen) WENMAN (1805-1858) married at Portsea St. Marys, Hampshire on 7th October,1826 - but both had been born at Cobham, Surrey
and both returned to live there till death. Henry was son of Robert (buried 31 July 1814 aged 39) and Ann (buried 15th June 1808). Cannot find a marriage or birthplace for Robert BAILEY and his Ann. Henry was a cordwainer (shoemaker); perhaps so also was Robert. Pat Graham

I am searching for information on Thomas BAKER, born about 1638, we think in Kent. He arrived in Rhode Island with or shortly after Roger WILLIAMS, and was ordained a minister (Baptist) in 1653. He was the minister of the Second Baptist Church in North Kingstown RI until his death in 1710. Have tried to connect him to the Sissinghurst BAKERs, but have not been able to. Any help or new direction would be appreciated. Bonnie Weber

Edward Ernest BOWLEY was firstborn to John Edward BOWLEY and Eliza RAPLEY (b. Kirdford SSx Nov 30 1828) in Brompton Middlesex July 1 1854.I descend from his younger brother Herbert BOWLEY.The father John Edward died prematurely and his wife and children moved to Cockermouth where her brothers had moved from Sussex to serve in the household of a Lt Gen Henry Wyndham at Cockermouth Castle.The General was a son of Lord Egremont of Petworth House and grown up there until he fought with his brother George and was banished to the Castle,which is also an Egremont seat.
Edward Ernest became a double miller in Cockermouth,married an Annie WILSON and had two children Nora Mary in 1883 and Robert Edward in 1895, the Cockermouth directories show the double Mill until 1900 when it was closed and Edward and the two children disappeared..the wife Annie became a grocer and then a postmistress in Cockermouth as late as 1914. I have explored the possibility of Edward being killed in the Boer War without success and it seems that he must have moved elsewhere..I await the 1901 Cockermouth census with interest! David Bowley

Bertha Ella BRYANT was my grandmother. She states on her marriage certificate and the birth certificates of her children that her maiden name was BRYANT. However, her "father" George BRYANT, wasn't her father at all according to stories she told my mother and aunts. She was born illegitimately, and George was the man her mother married at some point in her young life. I have absolutely no idea of what her mother's maiden name was, so therefore cannot gain a copy of Bertha's birth certificate. The only actual info I have is that she was born on the 15th December, 1900, and that she was born in Robertsbridge/East Sussex/Battle (depending on which child's birth certificate you read). Terri Napier

BURTENSHAW, Luke: he was born c. 1787, but where? Suggest West Chiltington but not found in register in Chichester. Married Elizabeth ? (born c.1789 perhaps Ashurst) in Ashurst (?). They moved to Pulborough about 1815 though their first child, Anne, born 1813 Ashurst. I have details of them from Pulborough, but want info. earlier. Walter Crowe

I have a Mary CAMPARNEY as my dead end. She was born around 1800 and married to Richard CLOUT (born at Hawkhust 1796) on 15 Sep 1816 in Hawkhurst. Richard died about 1887 and Mary about 1875, both in Sandhurst. The name is so unusual I'd love to know a bit more about her. Shirley Maynard

Elizabeth CHARMAN gives Epsom as place of birth in 1851 census. Can only find a Harriett born in the right year, 1782. This Harriett had a brother Francis when it was an unusual name and George above had a brother Francis. Pat Graham

My maternal 2xgreat grandmother was born Caroline CONNELL. In 1881 and 1891 census she gave her birth place as Lambeth. In 1873 she married a John TAYLOR in Orpington, Kent. No further address given; no occupation; age 20. Her father was name as James Dennis CONNELL, a labourer. According to my grandmother, who remembers Caroline, they were an Irish Catholic family. Caroline's first couple of children were born in Orpington, Kent, the next in 1880 in Battersea, where the family appears in the 1881 census. By the fourth child, they had returned to Orpington/St Paul's Cray where they remained. I have not been able to find a birth registration for Caroline (under any spelling of her surname incl O'C), a death for her father over a period of 50 odd years from Caroline's supposed birth. I cannot find him in the 1881 census or anyone that might be his wife. I cannot find any of them in 1871 Orpington (or towns around). Looking in Lambeth is
a needle in a haystack job. I've also looked for Catholic baptisms in Lambeth (although not, I suspect, of all churches). I have wondered if she moved back to Battersea (which is adjacent to
Lambeth) to be with ailling parents, but this is just a guess. Any suggestions what I should try next? Carol Hill
Alfred William CURTIS, Husband of Emma LEWIS, Emma was born 6 Jan 1873 at 4 Locks Sq. Walworth Surrey, Can't find a Marraige for them, Son Charles CURTIS BORN 1900. Can't find a B.C. for him. Daughter Maud Louise Born Sep 1910 in Islington, Father Alfred William CURTIS, Occ. CARMAN. I have her B.C. The Family Moved back to Walworth soon after the birth of Maud. Emma's family consisted of Parents and Sibling all born in the Walworth if one can believe the 1881 Census. Story: As I understand it is He left to find work but never contacted the family again, Maude did hear gossip as she got older that her Dad had run off to Canada with a Bar Maid. Big brother Charles would never talk about their Dad so Maude did wonder as a child if she was born out of wed-lock until she got her B.C. just before she married. In 1920 (we think) someone contacted The Salvation Army in an attempt to trace A.W.Curtis (not sure if it was Mother or brother) and all that was found of him was that he was last heard of At Point St. Charles, Montreal.
Working on the Railway. I have since discovered that this would have been Point Saint Charles Montreal NOT STREET so from there the trail is COLD. It is thought that A.W. CURTIS did come back to London after 1918. But no proof other than Emma's D.C. said she was the Widow of A.W. CURTIS. Anyone know anything about this CURTIS or LEWIS family. Sue Curtis

My grandfather, Percy Edmund DORRELL, was born 28 Oct 1888, 3 The Pavement, Lower Woolwich Road, Kent. The birth was registered in the District of Greenwich, Sub-District of Greenwich East, on 6 Dec 1888. On the Registration: Father - "Frederick DORRELL", Mother - "Fanny DORRELL, formerly WARNER", Informant - "Emma REYNOLDS, grandmother, 1 Glenmohr Row, Charlton". I'm assuming that Emma was Fanny's mother since I know who Percy's mother was. Was this a second marriage for Fanny, the first being to a WARNER, or had Emma remarried to a REYNOLDS after having been married to a WARNER? Other suggestions? Ann MacGillivray

The FACHEN / FAICHEN family in the Alton area of Hampshire. This family were involved in Paper-Making in Hampshire and Oxfordshire, and may well have been Hugeunots.
STEPHEN FAICHEN IV (my numbers) was born in Hampshire (?) around 1771, son of STEPHEN FAICHEN III and unknown mother.
STEPHEN FAICHEN III was probably born in Froyle around 1742, son of
STEPHEN FAICHEN II and HANNAH WINSLADE.
STEPHEN FAICHEN II was probably born in Alton or Binsted, son of
STEPHEN FACHEN I and unknown mother, about 1710 - 1720.
Can anyone fill in any details ? Colin Robinson

George GRAHAM, baptised with brother John 1819 St. Nicholas', Brighton, son of William and
Elizabeth nee CHARMAN, brother of William, Charles, Henry, Elizabeth, Francis, John, Edward, Maria and James. Absolutely nothing found after that date, unlike his siblings. Pat Graham

Herbert Albert GRAHAM was born at Saint Mary in the Castle, Hastings in 1877. His birth certificate gives his parent's names as William GRAHAM and Esthers BRABON. I am having a hard time finding their marriage details. A check through the 1881 census for Hastings has Herbert ,4, living with various siblings including Albert, 16, listed as the head of the household. At another address in Hastings I found an Esther GRAHAM with her son named George, 20. In the Parish Register for St. Mary in the Castle I found the baptism record of Albert Edward and George McHarry GRAHAM on Feb 12, 1865. The parents are listed as William & Esther GRAHAM but there was no entry for their marriage. A check in the National Marriage Indexes for 1855-1877
left me with similar results. I'm not sure where to look next. Eric Walker

James HOCKHAM appears on the 1841 Census for Bromley, Kent being not born in the County of Kent and aged 45. At the same place in 1851 his wife Ann (nee COLLINS) is described as a widow, born Icklesham, Sussex. Her baptism is not found at Icklesham nor is James HOCKHAM, but there were HOCKHAM births and marriages in the late 1700s. James and Ann's marriage is not found at Icklesham nor at Eltham where their elder children were born. Where was James born, where did he die (not in GRO) and where was he married, probably around 1820? Pat Straughan

I have been looking in vain for the maiden name of Susanna HOGBIN, born in 1790 at Tyler Hill, Kent. She is in the 1881 census, listed as the grandmother of George HARVEY, living in his household. I found George's parents names, John and Martha HARVEY, but nothing more about them. If anyone has any connections to this family, I would really appreciate hearing from them. Ev. Sternig

My GGrandfather Matthew James JENNINGS (junior), was enumerated staying with his uncle Matthew James Jennings and his younger cousins at The York Hotel, Hastings, St Mary in the Castle on census day 1881. Attempts to find out what happened to the family that ran the hotel or his sister Mary (who was helping uncle Matthew manage the hotel), have since fallen on barren soil. Any info that might give me another angle to explore would be much appreciated! Desmond R Jennings

English JOYES relatives and I have searched a wide circle of West SSX and SRY church records, without luck, to find the birth of our ancestor Thomas JOYES. He died in Shipley 1837 aged 77, making his birth c1760. He had married Leah GUMBRELL in Slinfold in 1794 and their 10 children were recorded in the Billingshurst parish register. Although Thomas was a farm labourer he was literate - or at least was able write his name JOYES clearly though the name was sometimes recorded by others as JAY JAYS JAYES even JOICE etc. Margaret Major

Jane LOW(E) born in Battle1825, I have been looking for her for approx 3 years. Christine Good

Who was my grandfather's father? My grandfather was born 28 Feb 1895 in Upper Lancing RSD, registration district - Steyning, sub-district - Shoreham to Emily MITCHELL, domestic servant of Upper Lancing. There is no father listed on his birth certificate and in column 10, "Name entered after registration" the name William STANLEY is entered. Why was this done? His birth appears under the name William MITCHELL in the index, but he was known as William STANLEY while growing up in Lancing. As far as I can tell, he was raised by Emily's parents, Frederick & Sarah MITCHELL of North Road, Lancing. He emigrated to the U.S. in 1918 and continued to use the surname STANLEY for the rest of his life. Dorothy E. Stanley-Ricks

Albert MUGRIDGE was only 12 when his mother Mary Ann (MANT) died at Littlehampton in 1876. Father William, Master Mariner, was already dead, having died at sea in 1864, the year of Albert's birth. (another mystery!). I have just found on the 1881 Census for Chichester St. Bartholomew that Sarah CLARK, his mother's sister, probably cared for him, as he appears in her household age 17, described as an Upholsterer. Family lore says, that he married and had two sons, Percy & George both of whom were said to have played Cricket for their County (which one?) until they fell out with their father Albert and took off for Canada. Have been told that Albert was a 'misery of a man' who drove his sons away! 1) Where, when and who did Albert marry? 2) To which part of Canada did the two boys go? 3) Are there Cricket records I can access from here in Icy Ontario? Elizabeth Mugridge

My most elusive ancestor is Caroline Elizabeth OLIEF, who had a child in Stockwell, SRY in 1886. After checking the marriage record index twice, going back 25 years I can find a Caroline Olief, but not married to the right man, Arthur AUSTIN. Caroline Underwood

I know from the 1841 census that a George William OVERY was born 1788 or 1786, but the only location given is Kent. His occupation at that time was a Mariner, althought in later census it's a
Tide Waiter. I've tried everywhere to find out where in Kent he was born - but to no avail. Any suggestions? Richard Overy

James PEACHEY b. Mar 1833 in West Sussex unknown Parish. emigrated to US in 1853. Naturalized Citizen. Family history that he was a younger son of some member of the family Baron Selsey. He apparently came to the US with other brothers (names unknown). Family history says his father was Sir John PEACHEY son of Bulstrode PEACHEY MP for Petworth. Well, since Bulstrode was the MP in 1735 and had no sons that I can find, this stands to need a bit more research. Bulstrode did have several brothers one of which was a John and there are several lines of Johns and James that branch out from there but I have been unable to connect my James to this family as of yet. I have not done a great deal of research of British records, is there an index for the 1841, or 1851 Census? or do I have to get the actual census films and read them one by one? Kristin Peachey

John PETERS was married to Susannah CHEESEMAN at Portslade, Sussex, 2nd July 1778. He stated that he was "of this parish", but his christening record is not to be found there. He was buried at Portslade 11th October 1803, with no age given for him. The closest baptism I have so far found is in Henfield in 1750, though I have found nothing to link him to it. Clive Henly

My great grandfather Alfred Templer RICKMAN emigrated to New Zealnd in 1851 from Lymington HAM. His elder brother, father, grandfather and great grandfather were all called John and it is the last named John RICKMAN who is so elusive. Three separate branches of the family all have 'family knowledge' that he descended from the Quaker RICKMANs living in Arundel and Herstmonceux. There is said to be a published family tree including this family . If I am right in thinking that he was the John RICKMAN of Hythe , buried in Lymington in 1816 aged 68, his birth would have been c1748. Margaret Major

William SQUIRES ( b.c.1760) of Harting, Sussex. and Sarah LINTOTT bap. 25/1/1785 in Rogate, Sussex, married 25.1.1785 in Rogate, 4 children baptised in Rogate between 1785 and 1791. Are they the same William & Sarah SQUIRES who had 1 child baptised in Chichester in 1794 and 6 more in Aldingbourne, Sussex between 1796 and 1812? - These are my direct ancestors. All these people are on the I.G.I. I could find no baptisms for any WILLIAM SQUIRES in the Harting or Aldingbourne parish registers for the right time period. Betty Daubney

My great grandmother Sarah Ellen "Nell" TAYLOR born December 1874, Brighton, Sussex - father reputedly Henry (a dyer, deceased pre-June 1895). She married Frederick Charles POPE in Brighton 1895, giving paternal details on marriage certificate. I believe she was illegitimate (her mother may be an Ellen). She certainly wasn't registered as Sarah or Ellen Taylor in Brighton,
and I've had no luck with the 1881 census! Would love any leads ...a connection ... a baptism ... a sighting. After three years of searching, I'll take anything! Lesley Huppert


JOHN TULLEY was born in Farringdon, Hampshire about 1834. His father was also JOHN TULLEY (a cabinet maker). John junior had moved to Newcastle-upon-Tyne by 1862 and was a draper, then a van-man, then an innkeeper - I can trace him in Newcastle and South Shields.
However, I cannot find the Tulley (note the spelling) family in Hampshire - who was John junior's mother ? Where had the family come from - perhaps Ireland ? Colin Robinson

Thomas WAYMARK a professional cricketer who played for All England in 1744 in the first recorded game and the first game ever played by a county. The London Magazine called it the "greatest cricket match ever known". I know that Thomas was a groom at the stables of the Duke of Richmond and Goodow in Arundel. I do know that there is a Waymark working at the estate today. However there are no records connecting Thomas to current day Waymarks on the estate or elsewhere ?? Waymark

I am looking of the parents and family of Edward WHITTON who was born in Greenwich, Kent in either 1751 or 1758, parent unknown to me. He was sentenced at the Kent Lent Assizes which began at Maidstone on Monday, 10 March 1783 for Highway Robbery and sent to Australia on the First Fleet. He married Ann SLATER and they had 3 children before he died, date unknown, but it was before 1802. I have lots of information on his life in Australia but none of his life before he was transported. Can Any one help with any information? Raelene Treis

James WINCHESTER is recorded in the banns of St. Nicholas Brighton along with Ann MARTIN as both being of this parish. Date July 1779. On the second reading of the Banns it has along side that it was "forbid by her father". There appears to be a third reading of the Banns and I have strong reason to believe that they did eventually get married. But WHERE? WHEN? And where does James WINCHESTER come from as there is no reference to him or any other WINCHESTER family in the P.Rs.? Denise McKenzie

Last Updated 29th January 1998 - Clive Henly

visitors since 1st March 1998