Ancestors of Mandy Willard

Thomas WHITEMAN (1729-1810)

and Mary GODFREY (1735-1761)

and Sarah FULLER (1738-1809)

Thomas Whiteman and Sarah Fuller were my 5x Great Grandparents.  (Click here to see their place in my pedigree chart.)  They married by banns on 29 October 1765 at the parish church of St. Mary in Udimore, Sussex.  They were both then of Udimore.  The witnesses to their marriage were John Woodhams, junior and Sarah Bourn (or it could be Brown).  This was Thomas's second marriage.  He had first married Mary Godfrey on 24 April 1753 in Northiam, Sussex.

Thomas Whiteman was baptised on 16 November 1729 in Udimore, Sussex.  He was the son of John Whiteman  (c1700-1765) and Susanna Dunster (c1700-1776).  He died aged 80 years on 26 June 1810 and was buried on 30 June 1810 in Udimore.  His will was dated 2 April 1805 and proved on 10 February 1813.  It mentioned that he was a farmer of Udimore.  He also named his wife Sarah and her brother John Fuller (1751-?), and his 4 children John, William, Alice wife of John Larkin and Mary wife of John Bourne.  He does not mention his daughter Sarah or whether she had any children.  The witnesses to the will were Richard Chester, Christopher Collins and William Morfey.  His estate was divided equally between his 4 children and did not amount in value to more than £800.  (Click here to read a transcript of his will.)

Mary Godfrey may have been baptised on 16 March 1734/5 in Iden, Sussex and have been the daughter of Thomas Godfrey and Mary Fisher.  Mary was buried on 10 December 1761 in Udimore.

Sarah Fuller was baptised on 29 October 1738 at St. George in Brede, Sussex.  She was the eldest daughter and second child of John Fuller (1715-1795) and Elizabeth Longley (1712-1767).  Her youngest sibling was baptised in Brede in 1755 so it would seem likely she grew up in the parish.  Sarah was buried on 22 March 1809 in Udimore.

The parishes of Udimore and Brede adjoin one another and their churches are about 4km apart as the crow flies, or about 5km by road.  Udimore is to the east of Brede, and the Udimore parish church is about 1km from the Brede parish boundary.

From about 1750, Thomas farmed Tibbs Farm in Udimore, which is still in existence and situated on the B2089 Udimore Road.  The farm is about 1km east of the Udimore church.  From about 1757 Thomas also farmed Stocks Farm in Udimore.  On today's map there is a Stocks Wood located a short distance from Tibbs Farm.  Also from about 1757, Thomas farmed part of Mr. Waters farm at Sowdens.  Sowdens Farm in Brede is also situated on the B2089 and about 3km west of Tibbs Farm.  From about 1788 Thomas farmed Hounster which was part of the Rye school lands and also Stocks Farm.  By 1793 he was farming Pound, Hounster, Stocks and Crofts Farms.  (Many thanks to Andrew Geering for dates and place where Thomas farmed.)

Thomas Whiteman and Mary Godfrey had 2 known children:

1. An unbaptised infant of Thomas Whiteman was buried on 29 October 1753 in Udimore.

2. Sarah Whiteman was baptised on 3 August 1756 in Udimore.  She may have died before 1805 as she was not mentioned in her father's will.  Sarah married John Weeks, junior by licence on 2 February 1776 in Udimore.  He was then of Peasmarsh and she of Udimore.

Thomas Whiteman and Sarah Fuller had 5 known children:

1. John Whiteman was baptised on 24 March 1769 in Udimore.  He married twice.  Firstly to Sarah Mepham in 1797 and then to Elizabeth Price, widow in 1825.  (They have their own page.)

2. Alice Whiteman was baptised on 2 June 1771 in Udimore.

   As Ellis Whiteman she married John Larkin by banns on 14 October 1789 in Udimore.  John was then a carpenter of Beckley, Sussex.

   John was baptised on 7 April 1766 in Beckley and was the son of George Larkin and Mary Stoneham.

   John and Alice had 12 known children:

   1. Alice Larkin Whiteman was baptised on 29 June 1788 in Udimore.

      Did she marry John Newsham on 12 November 1807 in Udimore, or John Cogger on 29 October 1816 in Winchelsea, Sussex?

   2. Mary Larkin was baptised on 4 July 1790 in Udimore.

      Did she marry Thomas Stoneham by licence on 24 June 1819 in Beckley, or George Larkin on 14 July 1819 in Rye, Sussex?

   3. Sarah Larkin was baptised on 5 October 1792 in Brightling, Sussex.

      Did she marry John Burt on 9 April 1816 in Northiam, Sussex, or Thomas Catt on 31 May 1819 in Ewhurst, Sussex, or James Eldridge on 1 September 1821 in Brede?

   4. James Larkin was baptised on 10 January 1795 in Rye, Sussex.

      Did he marry Jane Skinner on 3 July 1815 in Peasmarsh, Sussex, or Mary Edwards on 7 November 1819 in Rye?

      A James Larkins married Winifred Turner on 16 December 1820 in Brede.  He was born on 3 July 1799 and baptised on 25 August 1799 in Brede, the son of Joseph Larkins and Elizabeth Coleman.  Winney Turner was baptised on 1 March 1801 in Brede and was the daughter of Thomas Turner and Whinea Morphey.  James and Winifred emigrated to Australia on board the 'Lady Nugent', arriving at Sydney on 27 November 1838.

   5. William Larkin was baptised on 12 May 1797 in Bodiam, Sussex.  He may have died as an infant.

   6. John Larkin was baptised on 11 January 1799 in Bodiam and buried there on 17 January 1799.

   7. Elizer Larkin would seem to have been baptised twice.  Firstly on 27 May 1800 and then on 16 August 1800, both in Bodiam.  As Eliza Larkin she married William Ranger on 21 October 1818 in Beckley.

   8. John Larkin was baptised on 25 July 1802 in Bodiam.

      John married Sarah Ranger on 21 April 1824 in Beckley.

      In 1841, the couple and 5 children were living at Newmans in Brede.  John was then said to be a 35 year old agricultural labourer and Sarah was 40.

      When the 1851 census was recorded the couple and their daughter Jane were living in Brede.  John was a 48 year old gardener and said he was born in Beckley.  Sarah was 50 years old and also said she was born in Beckley.

      John and Sarah had the following known children:

      1. John Larkin was born about 1827.  He was 14 years old in 1841.

      2. Ann Larkin was born about 1829.  She was 12 years old in 1841.

      3. Harriet Larkin was born about 1831.  In 1841 she was 10 years old.

      4. Caroline Larkin was born about 1834.  She was 7 years old in 1841.

      5. Jane Larkin was baptised on Saturday 16 July 1836 in Udimore, at which time her parents were of Brede.  In 1841 she was said to be 3 years old.  The 1851 census records that she was 13 years old.

         Jane married Spencer Masters in the second quarter of 1857 in the Rye registration district.

         Spencer was baptised on 1 February 1835 in Udimore and was the son of Benjamin Masters (1808-1886) and Maria Durrant (1810-1882).

   9. Louisa Larkin was baptised on 8 June 1806 in Beckley, Sussex.

   10. Spencer Larkin was baptised on 20 November 1808 in Beckley.  He was a school master.

       Did he first marry Winifred Byrant on 28 February 1829 in Beckley? 

       Spencer married Pheobe Judge on 14 September 1830 in Ticehurst, Sussex.

       When the 1841 census was recorded the couple and their 4 children were living at the Vicarage in Udimore.  Their next door neighbour at the time was the family of John Noakes.  In 1881 Spencer was the Parish Clerk living in Glebe House, Udimore along with daughter Roasanne Larkin and housekeeper Sophia Paine who was a 67 year old widow.

       Spencer and Pheobe had the following known children:

       1. Louisa Larkin was born about 1832.  She was 9 years old in 1841.

       2. Spencer Larkin was born about 1834.  In 1841 he was 7 years old.

       3. Ann Larkin was born about 1836.  In 1841 she was 5 years old.

       4. Augusta Larkin was born about 1840.  She was a year old when the 1841 census was recorded.

   11. Henry Larkin was baptised on 25 May 1811 in Beckley.

       Did Henry marry Mary Blunden on 30 December 1830 in Dallington, Sussex, and/or Harriet Ridley on 25 March 1831 in Beckley, and/or Mary Smith on 17 December 1834 at Northiam?

       In 1841 Henry and his wife Mary were living at Malthouse in Buck Yard in Beckley with their 4 children.  They were both said to be 30 years old and Henry was an agricultural labourer.

       When the 1851 census was recorded, Henry was a 39 year old widower and he was living in Beckley along with his 6 children.  He was then described as a parish clerk and his place of birth was given as Beckley.

       Henry had the following children:

       1. Hiram Larkin was born about 1831.  He was 10 years old in 1841.

       2. Harriet Larkin was born about 1834 in Beckley.  In 1841 she was 8 years old.  She was 17 years old in 1851.

       3. Jane Larkin was born about 1835 in Beckley.  She was 6 years old in 1841.

       4. John Larkin was born about 1839 in Beckley.  In 1841 he was 3 years old.  He was a 12 year old scholar in 1851.

       5. Mary Ann Larkin was born about 1842 in Beckley.  She was a 9 year old scholar in 1851.

       6. Sarah Larkin was born about 1844 in Beckley.  She was a 7 year old scholar in 1851.

       7. Barbara Larkin was born about 1847 in Beckley.  In 1851 she was 4 years old.

       8. James Thomas Larkin was born about 1849 in Beckley.  He was 2 years old in 1851.

   12. William Larkin was baptised on 6 December 1813 in Beckley.

3. William Whiteman was baptised on 25 June 1773 in Udimore.  He married Mary Davis in 1791.  (They have their own page.)

4. Mary Godfrey Whiteman, my 4x Great Grandmother, was baptised on 14 April 1776 in Udimore.  She married John Bourne in 1796.  (They have their own page.)

5. Stephen Whiteman was baptised on 20 June 1779 in Udimore and buried there on 13 October 1782.

From A2A:

Settlement examination of William Bennett - ref.  PAR511/32/4/35  - date: 13 Dec 1771
         [from Scope and Content] born in Winchelsea where his father was settled; Lady Day 1758 he hired himself to William Woodhams, the elder, of Udimore for a year and continued in his service for two years; then hired himself to Thomas Whiteman of Udimore for a year and continued with him for a year and a half

FILE - Settlement examination of William Bennett - ref.  PAR511/32/4/78  - date: 26 Aug 1777
         [from Scope and Content] Lady Day 1758 he hired himself as a yearly servant to William Woodhams the elder of Udimore for a year which he served; then lived another year with WW, then lived with Thomas Whiteman in Udimore as a yearly servant and continued there for a year and a half; seven years ago he was married at Winchelsea to Ann Ball, spinster, by whom he has three children: Susannah, aged four; Elizabeth, aged 3; and William, aged 1; his wife and children now live with him in Winchelsea
 

The Sussex marriage index records that William Bennett of Icklesham and Ann Ball married on 19 February 1770 in Winchelsea.

FILE - Bastardy examination - ref.  PAR511/34/1/43  - date: 20 Jun 1815
         [from Scope and Content] Alice Whiteman, singlewoman, charges William Sheader of Beckley, labourer

FILE - Warrant to arrest William Sheador of Beckley, labourer - ref.  PAR511/34/2/28  - date: 26 Jun 1815
         [from Scope and Content] father of the child expected by Alice Whiteman, singlewoman

FILE - Bastardy order - ref.  PAR511/34/4/5  - date: 17 Oct 1815
         [from Scope and Content] against William Sheather of Beckley, labourer, father of the bastard son of Alice Whiteman born at the workhouse 26 Sep 1815

FILE - Summons for failing to obey bastardy order - ref.  PAR511/34/4/26  - date: 1822
         [from Scope and Content] against William Sheather father of the bastard son of Alice Whiteman born at the workhouse

 

FULLER          WHITEMAN