Ancestors of Mandy Willard

John BRIGHTRIDGE (1596-1668)

and Susan HOLLOCK (c1605-?)

John Brightridge and Susan Hollock were my 10x Great Grandparents.  (Click here to see their place in my pedigree chart.)  They married by licence on 21 February 1625/6 in Glynde, Sussex.  Their marriage licence was issued on 13 February 1625/6 and recorded that John was of Herstmonceux and Susan the daughter of William Hollock of South Malling, Sussex.  One small coincidence is that John and Susan's probable grandson, John Wilmshurst (c1655-1730) married Elizabeth Hollick of Glyde in 1675.  The Sussex marriage index lists very few Hollock marriages and the 4 earliest took place in Herstmonceux (1571, 1572, 1575 and 1590).

John Brightridge was baptised on 25 April 1596 in Herstmonceux, Sussex.  He was the son of John Brightridge (c1570-1624) and Elizabeth Delve.  He was appointed the executor of his father's will.

John was buried on 25 August 1668 in Herstmonceux.  The burial register records his name as John Brightrich, senior.  John left a will which was dated 13 August 1668 and proved on 18 November 1668.  At that time he was a yeoman of Warbleton, Sussex.  He nominated his brother William Hollick and son in law Stephen Wilmshurst as overseers to his will, and his son John Brightridge was appointed the executor.  Also in his will he named his 6 daughters and 1 son, plus cousin Richard Brightridge and his sister Elizabeth Brightridge.

In 1642 John Brightridge of Herstmonceux contributed 5 shillings to the relief of the Irish Protestants.  John was appointed an overseer to his father-in-law's 1647 will.  In 1661 John leased Bridge Marsh (map ref TQ 639 094) in Herstmonceux for £51, from the Herstmonceux Estate.  When the 1662 Hearth Tax Assessment was made, John Brighting a yeoman of Herstmonceux had 2 hearths.  According to his will he held the property Little Horam (map ref TQ 606 157) in Herstmonceux which he left to his daughter Joan.  But a document at the ESRO implies that the property passed to John Brightridge.

Susan Hollock's date and place of birth/baptism are unknown, to me.  She was the daughter of William Hollock (c1570-1647) and Joan Jackman (c1575-1627).  Susan may have been born at Ranscombe in the parish of South Malling, although the closest parish church to the property is Glynde, which is where her parents were buried.  Susan probably died before 1668 as she was not mentioned in her husband's will.  I have not found a burial for her a transcript of the Herstmonceux parish registers, unless she was buried as Ann Brightredge wife of John on 1 January 1655/6 in Herstmonceux.  But Ann may have been the first wife of Susan's son.  Susan was named in her father's 1647 will and he then described her as Susan wife to John Brightrige.  She was left £10 and all her father's household stuff that she and her husband would want.  She and/or her 14 year old daughter may have been 1 of 2 the Susan Brightridge's of Warbleton who contributed 6 pence and 4 pence to the relief of the Irish Protestants.

John Brightridge and Susan Hollock had 9 known children:

1. Jane Brithride was baptised on 29 April 1627 in Herstmonceux and buried there on 11 May 1627.

2. Susannah Brithridg, my 9x Great Grandmother, was baptised on 3 August 1628 in Herstmonceux.  She was named in her father's will.  She married Stephen Wilmshurst in 1648.  (They have their own page.)

3. Elizabeth Brightredge was baptised on 6 March 1630/1 in Herstmonceux.  She was named in her father's will.  As Elizabeth Brightriche she married Thomas Johnson by banns on 24 May 1650 in Herstmonceux.  She was then a spinster and he a bachelor and they were both of Herstmonceux.  They had the following children:

   1. Sarah Johnson was baptised on 29 August 1652 in Warbleton.

   2. Thomas Johnson was born on 22 September 1654 and his birth was recorded in the Warbleton parish register.

4. John Brightridge was baptised on 27 October 1633 in Herstmonceux.  Another John Brightridge was baptised in Herstmonceux in 1635.  He was the son of Richard Brightridge.  One John died in 1681 and the other in 1713.  I think that 1635 John died in 1681 as at his burial Richard Brightridge stated on oath that John had been buried in woollen, and Richard was most probably a brother of 1635 John.

   I think it was 1633 John who left a will dated 11 October 1709 which was proved on 25 August 1713 at Lewes (ref A48 318).  (I understand the Sussex Family History Group hold a transcript of this will, which at some point I will try and obtain.)

   In 1669 John inherited Wargraves in Herstmonceux (map ref TQ 635 110) from his cousin Thomas Brightridge.  This would seem to imply that John and Thomas's fathers were brothers, but their fathers both seem to have been named John, unless there were other John and Thomas's about at that same time.  John sold Wargraves sometime before 1683 to George Hood.  From at least 1692 until sometime between 1702 and 1707 he was the tenant of Courtlands in Herstmonceux (map ref TQ 617 160).  Courtlands then passed to John Wilmshurst who in turn passed the property onto William Wilmshurst who relinquished the tenancy in about 1742/3.  In 1702 John was the tenant of Gingers Green in Herstmonceux (map ref TQ 622 126).  Gingers Green was owned by Thomas Delve from 1646-1659 and then by Joseph Delve, senior from 1659-1667 and then by his son Joseph Delve from 1667-1686 and then by Mary Delve, widow from 1686 until sometime before 1706.  The Delves may in some way have been related to John's possible grandmother.

   In 1680 he held Durrants (also called Collins) in Warbleton (map ref TQ 6216) and he was the owner occupier from 1692 until 1713.  He also held Beech (called Morgans) in Warbleton (map ref TQ 6216) in the 1670's.  In 1711 he and his wife Mary sold a 2 acre strip of land called Burnt Crofts (map ref TQ 632 113), to Joseph Smith.  He was appointed the executor of his father's will and from his father he inherited Little Horam (map ref TQ 606 157), which in turn passed on to his daughters Elizabeth and Sarah.

   As a widower John married Mary Bridgland on 7 February 1670/1 in Staplehurst, Kent.  John was then a yeoman of Warbleton.  Mary was aged 24 years and upwards and was spinster of Staplehurst.  She was the daughter of Richard Bridgland.

   John and Mary had the following children:

   1. Elizabeth Brightridg was baptised on 11 April 1672 in Warbleton.  She married John Durrant by licence on 24 December 1689 in Warbleton.  Their marriage licence was issued on the same day by the Archdeaconry of Lewes and recorded she was of Warbleton and he of Waldron.  Elizabeth and her sister Sarah inherited Durrants in Warbleton from their father.  John Durrant was listed as the owner occupier of Durrants from 1720 to 1740 and the property then changed hands sometime before 1750.

   2. Anne Brightridg was baptised on 27 July 1674 in Warbleton.

   3. Sarah Brightridge was baptised on 11 August 1676 in Warbleton.  She was Sarah Wood, widow by 1713.  Sarah married Thomas Wood on 22 June 1708 in Westham, Sussex.  At that time they were both of Warbleton.

5. Joan Brithrege was baptised on 18 April 1636 in Herstmonceux.  She was named in her father's will.  As Joan Brightriche she married Nicholas Classon on 17 February 1663/4 in Herstmonceux.  She was then a spinster of Herstmonceux and he was a bachelor of Sutton Vallance in Kent.

6. Mary Brightridge was baptised on 6 January 1638/9 in Herstmonceux.  She was named in her father's will.  She married John Bolde on 31 May 1666 in Warbleton.  He may have been the son of Isaac Baldy and Elizabeth Hollock, if so then John and Mary were cousins.

7. Ann Brightrige was baptised on 9 June 1641 in Herstmonceux.  She was named in her father's will.  She married George Baker on 2 June 1663 in Staplehurst, Kent.  She was then of Herstmonceux.

8. An unbaptised daughter of John Brightrige was buried on 25 July 1643 in Herstmonceux.

9. Hester Brightrige was baptised on 24 August 1645 in Herstmonceux.  She was named in her father's will, at which time she was unmarried.  As Hester Brightrich she married John Brasier by banns on 29 April 1669 in Herstmonceux.  She was then a spinster and they were both of Herstmonceux.

George Hood (mentioned above) probably married Mary Cruttenden by licence on 10 July 1682 in Burwash, Sussex.  Their marriage licence recorded that George was of Herstmonceux and Mary of Burwash.

BRIGHTRIDGE          HOLLOCK