Ancestors of Mandy Willard

John BLUNDEN (1850-?)

and Sarah Jane WILLARD (1851-1905)

John Blunden and Sarah Jane Willard married on 30 September 1871 at St. Nicholas in Brighton, Sussex.  Their fathers were named as James Blunden and Clement Willard.  (They were not my direct ancestors.  Sarah was the sister of my 2x Great Grandfather, George Willard.)

John Blunden was baptised on 3 February 1850 in Pulborough, Sussex.  He was the son of James Blunden (1820-1871) and Ann Scutt (1821-1870).  The baptism register noted that his father was a labourer.  At the time of the 1851 census he was a year old and living with his parents and elder brother at Mill Farm in Pulborough.  In 1861 he was an 11 year old plough boy living with his parents and siblings in Mare Hill, Pulborough.  When the 1871 census was recorded he was an unmarried 21 year old agricultural labourer living with his father and elder brother on Mare Hill Common.  John may have died aged 73 years and his death registered in the first quarter of 1923 in Brighton, Sussex.

Sarah Jane Willard was born the third quarter of 1851 in the Thakeham registration district and baptised as Sarah Willard on 14 September 1851 in Pulborough, Sussex.  She was the daughter of Clement Willard (1813-1896) and Sophia Holder (1811-1884).  The baptism register noted that her father was a labourer.  I have not found Sarah in the 1861 census, although her parents were then said to be living alone and next door bar one to the family of James and Ann Blunden in Mare Hill.  At the time of the 1871 census Sarah J. Willard was a 21 year old cook in a school for girls at 17 Holland Road, Hove, Sussex.  She died aged 55 years and her death was registered as Sarah Jane Blunden in the fourth quarter of 1905 in the Thakeham registration district.

When the 1881 census was recorded the family were living in Whitehart Lane, Stopham Road, Pulborough and John was then a publican.  They were still in Pulborough in 1891 and in 1901, and John was then an innkeeper.  The post office directories from 1878 to 1905 record that John was the publican at the White Hart, Pulborough.

John Blunden and Sarah Jane Willard had 12 known children:

1. Henry Blunden was baptised on 22 September 1872 in Pulborough.  He was 8 years old when the 1881 census was recorded.  When the 1901 census was recorded he was a 28 year old butcher living in Bromsgrove, Worcestershire, along with his 28 year old wife Edith who had been born in Gloucester.

   Henry married Edith Veale in the fourth quarter of 1899 in the Bromsgrove registration district.

2. Ellen Blunden was baptised on 25 October 1874 in Pulborough and buried there on 6 October 1875, aged 1 year.

3. Albert Blunden was born about 1876 in Pulborough.  He was 5 in 1881.  The 1891 census index records his age as 13 years and he was the eldest child living at home.  He was a 23 year old saddler in 1901 and living in Lambeth, London.

4. John Blunden was born in the second quarter of 1879 in Pulborough.  He was 2 in 1881 and 12 in 1891.  John died aged 59 years and his death was registered in the second quarter of 1938 in the Chanctonbury registration district.

   John married Norah Wheeler Gumbrell in the fourth quarter of 1903 in the Thakeham registration district.

   Norah was baptised on 22 February 1880 in Poynings, Sussex and was the daughter of Mahala Gumbrell (1849-1886).  She died aged 83 years and her death was registered in the second quarter of 1963 in the Chanctonbury registration district.  When the 1881 census was recorded she was a year old and living with her 41 year old uncle Michael Wheeler and his 37 year old wife Fanny and their 2 children, at Tollbar Cottage in Bolney.  Norah was still with her uncle Michael and aunt Fanny when the 1891 census was recorded.  They were living at 3 Prospect Cottage in Clayton, Sussex and Norah was then an 11 year old scholar.  Michael was a blacksmith and had been born in Shermanbury, Sussex.

5. Alice Blunden was born in 1880 in Pulborough.  She was 7 months old when the 1881 census was recorded.  In 1891 she was 10 years old.  In 1901 she was a 20 year old domestic house parlour maid living in Kirdford, Sussex.

   Alice may have married in the fourth quarter of 1903 in the Thakeham registration district to either Walter Holden or Thomas Scutt.

6. Annie Blunden was born about 1883 in Pulborough.  She was 8 years old in 1891.

7. Edith Blunden was born about 1884 in Pulborough.  She was 7 years old in 1891.  In 1901 she was an 18 year old domestic housemaid living in Coldwaltham, Sussex.

8. Ada Mary Blunden was born in the third quarter of 1885 in Pulborough.  She was 5 years old in 1891.  When the 1901 census was recorded she was a 15 year old domestic housemaid living in Beddingham, Sussex.  She died aged 78 years and her death was registered in the first quarter of 1964 in the Midhurst registration district as Ada M. Ellcome.

   Ada married Horace Willie Ellcome in the fourth quarter of 1909 in the Thakeham registration district.

   Horace was born about 1880 in Heyshott, Sussex and was the son of William Ellcome and Lucy Miles.  He died aged 77 years and his death was registered in the first quarter of 1957 in the Midhurst registration district.

   Horace and Ada had 2 known children:

   1. Eva Maggie Ellcome was born on 1 March 1914 in the Petworth registration district.  She died aged 88 years and her death was registered in May 2002 in the Chichester registration district.

      Eva married Harold Rowland in the third quarter of 1939 in the Horsham registration district.

   2. William Horace Ellcome was born on 8 May 1920 in the Petworth registration district.  He died aged 84 years and his death was registered in October 2004 in the Chichester registration district.

9. Walter George Blunden was born in the third quarter of 1887 in Pulborough.  He was 3 years old in 1891.  In 1901 he was a 13 year old general labourer and the eldest of his siblings living at home.

   The supplement to the London Gazette, 15 February 1917, recorded that "19757 Sapper Walter George Blunden of the Royal Engineers" received a Silver Medal.  However, the GRO index records the birth of 2 other Walter George Blundens in 1874 and 1889.

10. Edmund James Blunden was born in the first quarter of 1889 in Pulborough.  He was 2 years old in 1891.  In 1901 he was a 12 year old scholar.

11. Elsie Blunden was born about 1892 in Pulborough.  She was 9 years old in 1901.

12. Marian Fanny Blunden was born in the third quarter of 1893 in Pulborough.  She was 7 years old in 1901.

BLUNDEN          WILLARD