Ancestors of Mandy Willard

Thomas COMBER (1810-1877)

and Sarah IZARD (1815-?)

Thomas Comber and Sarah Izard married by banns on 25 December 1833 in Slaugham, Sussex.  The witnesses to the marriage were James Tullett and Ann Moone.  (They were not my direct ancestors.)

Thomas Comber was baptised on 22 April 1810 in Slaugham.  He was the son of Stephen Comber (1758-1835) and Ann Bartley.  He died aged 67 years in the Cuckfield Union Workhouse and was buried on 27 December 1877 in Slaugham.  Thomas was described as broom maker on the 1858 marriage certificate of his daughter Sarah and a gardener on the 1872 marriage certificate of his son Thomas.

Sarah Izard was baptised on 12 November 1815 in Slaugham.  She was the daughter of William Izard and Elizabeth Hills.  Her mother was a widow when Sarah was baptised.  Sarah may have died in 1861.

Thomas Comber and Sarah Izard had 6 known children:

1. Elizabeth Ann Comber was baptised on 22 June 1834 in Slaugham.

2. Cicely Comber was born on 20 March 1837 and baptised on 23 June 1837 in Slaugham.  She married Samuel William Hall on 25 March 1865 at St. Thomas in Winchester, Hampshire.  He died before the recording of the 1871 census and she was then living with her sister Sarah.

3. Sarah Comber was born on 11 October 1839 and baptised on 9 February 1840 in Slaugham.  She married William Webster on 3 November 1858 at the Congregational Church, Jewry Street, Winchester, Hampshire.  Sarah then gave her age as 22 years and stated that her father was deceased.  She was unable to sign her name.  The witnesses to the marriage were John Hurst and Amelia Hurst. 

   William Webster was born on 23 May 1833 and baptised on 9 June 1833 at the parish church of St. Clements in Norwich, Norfolk and was the son of Susannah Webster.  When he married he was a Private in the 2nd Battalion of the 13th Light Infantry and named his father as John Webster a deceased painter.  Prior to joining the army on 31 May 1858 he was a carver and gilder.  He died before the recording of the 1871 census. 

   William and Sarah had 3 known children:

   1. Joseph J. H. Webster was born in about 1865/6 in the Cape of Good Hope, South Africa.  He was a 5 year old scholar in 1871.  In the 1881 census he was recorded as 15 year old Henry Webster, a labourer.

   2. Arthur Webster was born in about 1867/8 in the Cape of Good Hope, South Africa.  He was 3 years old when the 1871 census was recorded.  He was a 13 year old errand boy in 1881.

   3. William Edwin Webster was born on 1 March 1870 in Winchester.  His birth certificate records that his father was  gilder.  In 1881 he was an 11 year old scholar.  By 1891 he was a 21 year old printer.

   When the 1871 census was recorded Sarah was living at 8 Eagle Terrace in Aldershot, Hampshire, along with her 3 sons, widowed sister Cecelia, and 2 year old Annie Comber and 11 year old Sarah Anthony who were both said to be nieces daughters.  Sarah aged 30 and Cecelia aged 33 were both needlewomen in 1871 and gave their place of birth as Handcross, Sussex.

   At the time the 1881 census was recorded the family were still living in Aldershot and Sarah was a 40 year old laundress and gave her place of birth as Brighton, Sussex.  She was then said to be the wife of Samuel Webster a 40 year old groom who was born in Farnborough, Hampshire.

   Sarah was a widow by 1891 and living in the parish of St. Nicholas in Guildford, Surrey, along with her son William.  She was then a 51 year old laundress and again said she was born in Brighton.

4. James Woolgar Comber was born on 27 November 1843 and baptised on 31 December 1843 in Slaugham.  He died in Redhill, Surrey on 14 March 1930.  As a 30 year old Widower, James married Harriet Crockford on 24 July 1872 at the Alresford Independent Chapel in Southampton district.  He was then a groom of Sussex Street, in the parish of St. Thomas in Winchester.  She was a 29 year old Spinster of New Alresford, Hampshire and was the daughter of John Crockford a Coal Merchant.  The witnesses to the marriage were John Crockford (who made his mark) and Jane Crockford.

5. Edwin Comber was born on 15 November 1845.  He was baptised as Edmund Comber on 10 December 1846 in Lower Beeding.

6. Jane Coomber was born on 2 June and baptised on 12 August 1849 in Lower Beeding.

COMBER          IZZARD