Ancestors of Mandy Willard

Henry BACK (1752-1830)

and Hannah BROWN (1752-1849)

Henry Back and Hannah Brown married by banns on 6 July 1777 in Framfield, Sussex.  Henry was then a bachelor of Laughton, Sussex and Hannah a spinster of Framfield.  Henry signed his name and Hannah made her mark.  The witnesses to the marriage wer Joseph Back, signed, and William Gower who made his mark.  They were married by Henry Courthope, the vicar of Brenchley.  The banns were published at Laughton, Sussex on 9, 16 and 23 June 1777.  (They were not my direct ancestors.  Henry was the half brother of my 6x great grandfather, John Back.)

Henry Back was baptised on 26 March 1752 in Piddinghoe, Sussex.  He was the son of Daniel Beck (1696-?) and Ann.  He died on 8 December 1830, aged 78 years and was buried in Ewhurst, Sussex on 13 December 1830.  His name was recorded as Henry Beck in the burial register.

Hannah Browne was baptised on 13 June 1752 in Mayfield, Sussex.  She was the daughter of John Browne and possibly Ann Bassett, but Hannah's mother's name was omitted from the baptism register.  She died on 19 October 1849, aged 98 years and was buried in Ewhurst on 23 October 1849.  Her name was recorded as Hannah Beck in the burial register.

Before her marriage to Henry, Hannah had an illegitimate son:

1. John Elmsly was baptised on 7 November 1773 in Waldron, Sussex.  (I have checked the original Waldron baptism register, which has not been filmed and is only available at the East Sussex Record Office.  The entry only records that John Elmsly son of Hannah Browne was baptised.)  He went by the name of John Back/Beck.  John died on 21 April 1859 in Brighton, Sussex.  He was of the Sussex Militia when he married Dinah Spice on 9 April 1799 in Salehurst, Sussex.  She was about 1780 in Robertsbridge, Sussex and was the daughter of John Spice and Mary Collyer.  Diana died on 8 July 1858 in Lewes, Sussex.  The couple had 7 known children, one of whom was Joseph Back who married Sarah Mosson in 1824.  (John and Dinah will eventually have their own page.)

   John's father may have been John Hemsley who was baptised on 4 January 1751/2 in Mayfield and was the son of John Hemsley and Mary Radford.  John probably married Elizabeth Pankhurst by banns on 1 April 1775 in Framfield.  They were both then of Framfield and were married by the vicar Joseph Milward.  John and Elizabeth both made their marks.  The witnesses to their marriage were Joseph Seamer and David Brooker who both signed their names.

Henry Beck and Hannah Brown had 8 known children:

1. Joseph Back was baptised on 28 December 1776 in Rotherfield, Sussex.  As Joseph Beck, might he have married Lucy Stevens by banns on 6 May 1796 in Little Horsted, Sussex?  They were both then of Little Horsted.  A Joseph Back of Sussex was convicted of having forged bank notes in 1815 and transported for 14 years (ref. HO27/11).  I don't know if the 2 Josephs were one and the same, as there was also a Joseph Back born in 1775 and another Joseph Back was born in 1789.

   Joseph may have married Ann Wilbar, a widow of Lewes, Sussex on 28 August 1806 in Brighton, Sussex.

   Joseph and Ann had 2 known children: 

   1. William Back (1806-?)

   2. Daniel Back (1806-1854)

2. Jane Beck was baptised on 30 May 1779 in Laughton, Sussex.

3. Henry Back was baptised on 26 August 1781 in Laughton and buried there on 9 July 1783.

4. Henry Back was privately baptised on 7 September 1783 in Laughton and then received into the church on 1 October 1783.  He married Sarah Savage in 1803.  (They have their own page.)

5. Hannah Beck was baptised on 17 September 1786 in Laughton.

6. Daniel Back was baptised on 18 January 1789 in Laughton.

   Daniel may have married Lucy Colegate by banns on 11 March 1811 in Rye, Sussex.  He was then a bachelor and she a spinster and they were both of Rye.  The witnesses to the marriage were John Foster, Ann Jarrett, Mary Tyrrell, Jane Bray and clerek John Waters.  When the 1851 census was recorded, 62 year old Daniel Beck was a widower living in the High Street in Carshalton, Surrey.  He was then a master miller and also the secretary to the ? savings bank.

7. William Back was born on 4 May 1791 and baptised on 5 June 1791 in Laughton.

   William married Mary Harryott on 9 April 1812 in Alfriston, Sussex..

   Mary was baptised on 4 September 1791 in Alfriston and was the daughter of Samuel Harryott and Elizabeth Allen.

   William and Mary had 8 known children:

   1. Mary Ann Beck was born on 13 June and baptised on 20 September 1812 at the Ebenezer Independent Chapel in Alfriston.

   2. William Henry Beck was born about 1815 in Ewhurst.  He died aged 76 years in the second quarter of 1891 in the Hailsham district, possibly in the home of or near his brother George.  He married Betsey Longley on 9 September 1839 in East Guldford, Sussex.  She was born about 1816 in Lydd, Kent.  When the 1881 census was recorded the couple were living at 62 Preston Street, Brighton and William was then a fruiterer.  With them at that time was their unmarried 21 year old daughter, Annie Beck who was a housekeeper, 2 year old grandson, Charles J Thompson and 5 lodgers, 4 of whom were unmarried female drapers assistants aged between 26 and 33.

   3. Joseph Beck was baptised on 4 May 1817 in Ewhurst, Sussex.

   4. Charles Goodwin Beck was baptised on 2 July 1820 in Ewhurst.  He married Elizabeth.  When the 1881 census was recorded the couple were living at 14 New Road in Spalding, Lincolnshire.  Charles was then an unemployed brewer and Elizabeth was a confectioner.  She was born about 1831 in Branstone, Lincolnshire.  The couple had 2 known children:

      1. Olive Elizabeth Beck was born on 15 March 1870 in Lambeth and baptised on 29 May 1870 at St. Stephen Walworth in Southwark, London.  She was an 11 year old scholar living with her parents when the 1881 census was recorded.

      2. George Beck was born about 1873 in Uxbridge, Middlesex.  He was living with his parents in 1881 and was then an 8 year old scholar.

   5. Elisabeth Beck was baptised on 5 May 1822 in Ewhurst.

   6. George Washington Beck was baptised on 25 July 1824 in Ewhurst.  He died aged 67 years in the second quarter of 1891.  George married twice, firstly in 1848, possibly to Mary J. who died aged 36 years in the second quarter of 1866.  He then married Sarah Venner, widow sometime before 1869.  Sarah was born about 1837 in Ewhurst.  As Sarah Watson she married John Venner on 5 February 1862 in Herstmonceux, Sussex.  When the 1881 census was recorded the family were living at Tilly Farm in Wartling, Sussex, and George was then a farmer of 320 acres employing 8 labourers.  Also with the family was 18 year old John F Venner, who was described as George's stepson, and 16 year old Servant Bertha Dann.  George fathered the following children:

      1. Emily Sarah Beck was born about 1861 in Wartling.  She was living in the parental home at the time of the 1881 census.  She married in 1886.

      2. George H. Beck was born about 1869 in Wartling.  He was a 12 year old scholar in 1881.

      3. Frederick Beck was born about 1870 in Wartling.  He was an 11 year old scholar in 1881.

      4. Charles William Beck was born in the second quarter of 1871 in Wartling.  He was a 9 year old scholar in 1881.

      5. Arthur Beck was born in the third quarter of 1872 in Wartling.  He was an 8 year old scholar in 1881.

      6. Walter Wilfred Beck was born in the second quarter of 1876 in Wartling.  He was a 5 year old scholar in 1881.

      7. Perceval S. Beck was born about 1879 in Wartling.

      8. Amelia Beck was born in 1880 in Wartling.  She was 10 months when the 1881 census was recorded.  She married in 1903, possibly to Henry Augustus Marshall.

   7. James Beck was baptised on 1 July 1827 in Ewhurst.

   8. Jane Miriam Beck was baptised on 3 July 1831 in Ewhurst.  As Jane Maria Beck she married Alexander Peers Cawley on 4 May 1859 in Ewhurst.  He was the son of William Cawley.  They had 1 known son:

      1. William C. Cawley was born about 1861 in Ewhurst.

      Alexander married for a second time to Jane Danby at Saint John the Evangelist, Whitwell on the Hill, Yorkshire.  She was born in 1841 in Whitell and her father was George Danby.

8. James Back was born about 1793 and died in about 1794.  (His baptism and burial have not been found in the Laughton parish registers.)

BACK          BROWN