Ancestors of Mandy Willard

John KITCHENHAM (1779-1851)

and Hannah (c1787-1873)

John Kitchenham and Hannah may have married sometime before or about 1815 and maybe as early as 1805, or there abouts.  (They were not my direct ancestors.)

John Kitchenham was baptised on 19 August 1779 in Wadhurst, Sussex.  He was the eldest son of William Kitchenham (1750-1829) and Mary Tester (1747-1825).  John was buried on 19 July 1851 in Wadhurst, aged 74 years, according to the burial register.  The National Archives web site records that a John Kitchingham born in Wadhurst, service with the 50th Foot Regiment from 1799 until 1815 when he was discharged at the age of 38 (document ref. WO 97/640/35 can be viewed at the PRO, Kew).

Hannah was born about 1787/8 in Cork, Ireland.  In 1861 she was a widow and a nurse living alone in Durgates Road, Wadhurst.  The Wadhurst burial register records that Harriett Kitchenham aged 86 years and of the Ticehurst Union Workhouse, was buried on 11 January 1873.

At the time of the 1841 census the family were living in Sparrows Green, Wadhurst and John was a labourer.  When the 1851 census was recorded, John, Hannah and their 4 unmarried sons were living in Sparrows Green.  At the time the family of Henry Kitchenham, who had been born in 1806-9, was living 3 doors away from John and Hannah.

John Kitchenham and Hannah possibly had at least 8 children:

1. John Kitchenham was born about 1815.  He died aged 1 year and was buried on 15 March 1816 in Wadhurst.

2. John Kitchenham was born about 1817/8 in Wadhurst.  In 1851 he was unmarried and living with his parents in Sparrows Green, Wadhurst, although he had not been with them when the 1841 census was recorded.  He died aged 36 years and was buried on 25 March 1853 in Wadhurst.

3. James Kitchenham was born about 1820 in Wadhurst.  In 1851 he was unmarried and living with his parents, although he had not been with them when the 1841 census was recorded.

4. Frances Kitchenham may have been born about 1821 in Wadhurst.  When the 1841 census was recorded she was living with her parents and she was a 20 year old dressmaker.  She had an illegitimate daughter:

   1. Frances Kitchenham was born about November 1839.  She died aged 4 months and was buried on 26 February 1840 in Wadhurst.

   Frances married Henry Towner on 8 November 1846 in Wadhurst.  He was then a bachelor and labourer of full age and made his marked.  She was a spinster of full age and signed her name.  They were both of Wadhurst.  Her father was named as John Kitchenham a labourer.  The witnesses to the marriage were James Kitchenham and Philadelphia Wallis who both made their marks.  Henry or James Henry Towner was born about 1817 Wadhurst and was the son of John Towner a labourer.  When the 1851 census was recorded the couple were living in Little Durgates Cottage in Wadhurst and Henry was then a Carter.

5. George Kitchenham may have been born about 1822.  He was living with his parents when the 1841 census was recorded.  He married Ann Freeman by banns on 12 November 1842 in Wadhurst.  He was then a bachelor, minor and labourer and able to sign his name.  His father was named as John Kitchenham, a labourer.  Ann was a spinster of full age and a dressmaker who was unable to sign her name.  She was the daughter of Samuel Freeman a shoemaker.  The witnesses to the marriage were Henry Gibbs and Thomas Cooper who both signed their names.  (Henry Gibbs had married George's cousin Anne Kitchenham on 12 November 1839.)  George and Ann may have left Wadhurst before the 1851 census was recorded.

6. David Kitchenham was born about 1824 in Wadhurst.  When the 1841 census was recorded he was living with his parents.  He was also unmarried in 1851 and living with his parents.

   John, James and David do not seem to have been recorded in the 1861 Wadhurst census, and I have been unable to find them in the 1881 UK on-line census.

7. Robert Kitchenham was born on 18 May and baptised on 17 June 1826 in Wadhurst.  He died aged 44 years in 1872.  He was living with his parents when both the 1841 and 1851 census were recorded.  Robert married Mary Ann Spicer a widow on 23 February 1864 at St. Mary Magdalen's, Bermondsey, Surrey.  At the time of their marriage Robert was a railway plate layer.  She was previously Mary Ann Dunk and had first married Edward Spicer.  Mary Ann was baptised on 12 March 1826 in Brenchly, Kent and was the daughter of William Dunk and Frances Russell.  Robert and Mary may have had the following children:

   1. Ellen Kitchenham was born on 10 September 1864 (her birth was registered in the Camberwell district).  She had an illegitimate daughter:

      1. Ethel Kitchenham was 2 months old when the 1881 census was recorded.  Ethel was adopted by John McAmond and his wife Harriet Spicer.  Harriet was the sister of Edward Spicer, the first husband of Ellen's mother.

      Ellen married Charles Sawyer on 26 June 1888 in Accrington, Haslingden in Lancashire.  He was born about 1868 in Waltham Abbey, Essex.  When the 1901 census was recorded the family were living in Waltham Holy Cross in Essex where Charles was a labourer at the Royal Gun Powder Factory.  Also with the couple were their 3 children:

      2. John Sawyer was born about 1889 in Accrington.

      3. Robert Sawyer was born about 1894 in Waltham Abbey.

      4. Maud Sawyer was born about 1899 in Waltham Abbey.

   2. George Kitchenham may have been born about 1864 in London.  His birth was not registered at the same time as Ellen's nor does he seem to appear in the GRO birth registrations of 1864.  He was a 17 year old man servant when the 1881 census was recorded, living in the same household as Mary Kitchenham a widow of 54 years who was the cook at 7 Park Lane, London.

   3. Alice Kitchenham was born about 1866-1871 in London or Wadhurst.  When the 1881 census was recorded she was living at Lady's Meads in Wadhurst, the home of her Uncle and Aunt, Henry Francis and his wife Fanny.  (Fanny may have been Francis Hobbs and married Henry in the fourth quarter of 1842 in the Hackney registration district.)  In the 1881 census Alice was 15 years old and had been born in London.  In the 1901 census her age seems to have been recorded as 30 years and that she was born in Wadhurst.  As in 1881, she was probably living with her sister in 1901.

   4. Emily Kitchenham was born about 1868-1873 in London or Wadhurst.  In 1881 she was also living in the home of her Uncle Henry Francis.  In that census her age was recorded as 13 years and born in London, whereas by 1901 she was 28 and had been born in Wadhurst.

      (Please note I don't for certain that George, Alice and Emily were children of Robert and Mary Ann.  Nor am I all that sure of the details for Ellen and her daughter Ethel.)

8. Ellen Kitchenham was born on 24 January 1828 and baptised on 4 March 1828 in Wadhurst.  She died aged 16 years and was buried on 11 June 1844 in Wadhurst.

KITCHENHAM