Ancestors of Mandy Willard

Richard FAIRS (1736-1813)

and Ann PECKHAM (c1740-?)

Richard Fairs and Ann Peckham married by banns on 28 December 1761 in Ashurst, Sussex.  Richard was then a bachelor of West Grinstead and Ann a spinster of Ashurst.  (They were not my direct ancestors.)

Richard Fairs was baptised on 30 April 1736 in Nuthurst, Sussex.  He was the son of Thomas Fairs  (c1700-1771) and Mary Taylor (c1710-1757) (a widow when she married Thomas).  He died aged 77 years in Shipley and was buried on 5 December 1813 in West Grinstead, therefore, born about 1736.  In May 1745, Richard's 3 younger siblings were all buried within 3 weeks of one another, leaving him as an only child.  Presumably there was a sickness in the family.

Ann Peckham's date and place of birth/baptism are unknown, to me.  She may have died aged 82 years and have been buried on 17 May 1822 in West Grinstead, however, the burial register only notes that The Widow Fairs was buried.  Although she was of Ashurst when she married, she does not seem to have been baptised there.  Nor was her baptism recorded in the West Grinstead registers.  (I have only checked a transcript of each register, therefore, the original registers need to be checked.)

Richard Fairs and Ann Peckham had 7 known children and maybe more:

1. Richard Fairs may have been part of this family.  He married Elizabeth Woolvin in 1788.  (They have their own page.)

2. Mary Fairs was baptised on 12 August 1764 in West Grinstead.

   Mary may have married William Bowley from Wiston, by banns on 24 October 1793 in West Grinstead.  The witnesses to the marriage were Elliz Bowley and Mary Johnson.

3. Ann Fairs was baptised on 1 February 1766 in West Grinstead.

4. Sarah Fairs was baptised on 17 April 1768 in West Grinstead.  (Mother Sarah in the transcript?)

   Sarah may have had an illegitimate daughter:

   1. Catherine Fairs was baptised on 24 December 1798 in West Grinstead.

      As Kitty Fairs she married Henry Gumbrell by banns on 25 October 1818 in West Grinstead.  The witnesses to their marriage were Thomas Dale and William Freeman.

5. Thomas Fairs was baptised on 16 September 1770 in West Grinstead.  He married Elizabeth Linfield in 1795.  (They have their own page.)

6. Frances Fairs was baptised on 5 February 1775 in West Grinstead.  (Mother Sarah in the transcript?)

   Frances may have married John Trigg on 8 January 1804 at St. Peter the Great in Chichester, Sussex.  They were both then of that parish.

7. John Fairs was baptised on 22 June 1777 in West Grinstead.

   Another John Fayers was born in Nuthurst in 1778 and yet another John Fairs was born in West Grinstead in 1779.  One of the John Fairs was named as the putative father of a daughter, Rebecca Stoner who was born on 3 February 1801 in the Cowfold poorhouse to Sarah Stoner and baptised on 15 March 1801 in Cowfold.

8. James Fairs was baptised on 6 April 1781 in West Grinstead.

   James may have married Mary Hillman by banns on 22 May 1809 in Ashurst.  He was then a bachelor and she a spinster and they were both of Ashurst.

   Mary may have died aged 82 years and have been buried on 4 September 1862 in West Grinstead.

   James and Mary had the following child:

   1. William Fairs was baptised on 1 October 1809 in West Grinstead.

FAIRS          PECKHAM