THE MUDDLE FAMILIES

 

THE SUSSEX MUDDLE FAMILIES THE BUXTED MUDDLES

 

Chart of John & Sarah Muddle's Family

 

John and Sarah’s eldest child was Mary Muddle who was born at Rotherfield in Sussex, and baptised at the Parish Church of St Denys in Rotherfield on 10 April 1640. Mary's father died in 1648, when she was eight years old, leaving Mary as the eldest of the four children living in Rotherfield with her widowed mother. It's not known if Mary continued to live with her mother at Rotherfield and help look after her younger siblings or if she was possibly sent out to work in service at neighbouring Withyham, but it seems that in late 1652 when she was twelve years old Mary probably contracted an illness, such as polio, that left her disabled and bedridden but enabled her to live on into old age. It was probably this illness that caused Mary's mother and others to accuse widow Clement Shoebridge and spinster Jane Shoebridge of Withyham of using witchcraft on Mary. See the above section on Mary's parents for fuller details of the witchcraft and trial.

Since her crippling illness in 1652 Mary had probably been looked after by her widowed mother and she became a charge on the parish of Rotherfield. The Overseers of the Poor of Rotherfield tried to get Mary's grandfather Thomas Muddle to pay for her maintenance, but he must have refused because in 1663 they started legal proceeding to make him pay and this was finally ordered in 1665. See the section on Mary's grandfather Thomas Muddle for more details. Mary's mother died in 1699, and it was probably then that Mary went to live at Chiddingly in Sussex. In 1705 Mary received a bequest of £3 from the will dated 5 March 1705 of her sister-in-law Mary Muddle, widow of her brother Thomas.

Mary died when she was about 78 years old, while living at Chiddingly, and she was buried in the Churchyard at neighbouring East Hoathly on 22 March 1718. Mary's burial record describes her as residing at Chiddingly, being single, approximately 80 years old, and to have been bedridden for 70 years. (If it was at the end of 1652 that Mary first became bedridden, it would actually have lasted for 65 years.) The above facts suggest that in December 1652 Mary probably contracted a viral infection, possibly polio, which because it came on suddenly resulted in the charge of witchcraft, and though it left her crippled for life and unable to earn her own living, did not actually shorten her life.

 

 

John and Sarah’s second child was Thomas Muddle who was born at Rotherfield in Sussex, and baptised at the Parish Church of St Denys in Rotherfield on 5 September 1641. In 1648, when he was 7 years old, his father died, then when he was 23 years old Thomas married Mary Baker at St Michael's Church in Lewes, Sussex on 25 August 1664. (Mary's surname was spelt Backer in the marriage register and is assumed to be a misspelling of Baker rather than Barker as Mary makes bequests to Henry and Edward Baker in her will.) Thomas and Mary lived at Jarvis Brook in Rotherfield Parish where they had six children born between 1664 and 1677, the eldest dying while still a young baby.

At the Court of the Manor of Rotherfield held on 7 December 1671 Thomas, described as 'Thomas Muddle junior' was presented as the heir to 'Thomas Muddle senior' his grandfather, as Thomas junior's father John Muddle, who was Thomas senior's only son, had predeceased Thomas senior. Therefore Thomas was admitted as tenant of his grandfather's property described as two cottages, a barn and 8 acres of assert laying at Maynard's Gate, held by a yearly rent of 2s.[3] When Thomas died in 1688 the description of this property had reverted to its earlier description of a cottage, a barn and 6 acres of assert laying at Maynard's Gate, held by a yearly rent of 2s.

At the Courts of the Manor of Rotherfield held on 9 March 1679, 13 April 1680, and 12 January 1681 Thomas Muddle was sworn in as one of the homage (jury of tenants).[4]

Also at the Court of the Manor of Rotherfield held on 12 January 1681 it was recorded that out of court on 10 September 1680 Edward Dadswell, only son and heir of Robert Dadswell, sold to Thomas Muddle several pieces of assert in Rotherfield containing 5 acres with a messuage and barn built on them, and also a messuage and garden upon Townhill in Rotherfield that was formally the northeast end of Philip Alchorne's house and held by a yearly rent of 3d. Thomas was admitted to the 5 acres with messuage and barn on payment of a fine of £3 and to the messuage and garden on Townhill on payment of a fine of 20s to the Lord of the Manor.[5]

At the Courts of the Manor of Rotherfield held on 6 June 1681 and 15 July 1681 Thomas Muddle was sworn in as one of the homage (jury of tenants).[6]

Thomas was a churchwarden at Rotherfield in 1684; he was one of the two churchwardens that signed the Bishop's Transcripts for that year.

At the Courts of the Manor of Rotherfield held on 12 March 1685 and 28 April 1686 Thomas Muddle was sworn in as one of the homage (jury of tenants).[7]

Thomas was almost certainly a blacksmith, because at the Court of the Manor of Rotherfield held on 28 April 1686 he was described as being the occupant of a messuage, smith's forge, garden and backside enclosure upon Townhill in Rotherfield, when out of court on 27 April 1685 Abraham Alchorne sold this property to John Heaseman and his heirs.[8]

There exists a lantern clock finely inscribed on the dial 'Tho Muddle Rotherfield' and rather crudely inscribed '1685 W H' above the dial, that is thought to have been made by Thomas for fellow Rotherfield blacksmith Thomas Hoadley, who had his forge in the Boarshead area of Rotherfield Parish, and that it was Thomas Hoadley who added the crude '1685 W H' inscription to commemorate the birth of his youngest son, William Hoadley. This is the only evidence that Thomas made clocks, but it was fairly common for blacksmiths of this period to become clockmakers. This William Hoadley was later to become a Rotherfield clockmaker, possibly after being an apprentice to Thomas' son, another Thomas Muddle, who was himself a Rotherfield clockmaker.

 

 

At the Courts of the Manor of Rotherfield held on 25 May 1687 and 3 August 1687 Thomas Muddle was sworn in as one of the homage (jury of tenants).[9]

Five months after Thomas last served as one of the homage at the Court of the Manor of Rotherfield he died at the age of 46, and was buried in the Churchyard of St Denys at Rotherfield on 26 January 1688.

At the Court of the Manor of Rotherfield held on 1 March 1688 the death was recorded of Thomas Muddle, who held a cottage, garden and two pieces of assert of Smallgrove containing 6 acres lying near Maynard's Gate held by rent of 2s and other services, also a separate piece of customary land in Rotherfield containing 5 acres with a messuage and barn built on them held by rent of 15d and other services, and also a messuage and garden upon Townhill in Rotherfield that was formally the northeast end of Philip Alchorne's house and afterwards Dadswell's and held by a yearly rent of 3d and other services. For a Heriot a cow valued at 40s was seized for the Lord of the Manor. The heir to these properties was Thomas Muddle junior, who was admitted as tenant of these properties on paying reliefs to the Lord of the Manor of 2s, 15d and 3d respectively for the three properties. As he was under age, being only 16 years old, guardianship of Thomas and his properties until he attained the age of 21, was granted to his grandfather's cousin Thomas Muddle, a yeoman of Mayfield, and the closest living male relative of Thomas junior.[10]

When Thomas died he owned the three properties detailed above but not the smith's forge where he worked. Thomas died intestate, and administration of his estate, the personal estate part of which was valued at £428 9s 2d, then a considerable sum, was granted to his widow Mary, by the Archdeaconry of Lewes on 27 April 1688.[11]

Eight months after her husband's death Mary used some of the money that he had left her to give a 100 year mortgage of £200 at 4½% to John Elliott, yeoman of Rotherfield, on his properties called Westlands, Grigges and Robins in Chiltington and Westmeston in Sussex. The mortgage was dated 13 September 1688 and interest of £4 10s was to be paid every six months on 14 March and 14 September. The mortgage continued for eleven years until John Elliott sold this property to John Vinall, yeoman of Chailey in Sussex, on 27 September 1699 when William Vinall, yeoman of Chailey, paid Mary £215, being the principal money and outstanding interest.[12]

Seventeen years after her husband's death Mary died and was buried in the Churchyard of St Denys at Rotherfield on 16 April 1705. Mary's will, dated the 5 March 1705 and proved at the Archdeaconry of Lewes on 21 April 1705, made the following bequests: £10 to be spent on her funeral and £3 to go to the poor of Rotherfield parish; to her daughter Elizabeth Banks £10; to her grandchildren Sarah, Mary and Elizabeth Bunyer [Bunyard?], from the first marriage of her daughter Elizabeth Banks, £10 each; to grandchild Rebecca Banks, from the second marriage of her daughter Elizabeth Banks, £5; to son Thomas Muddle £40 and half of the residue of her personal estate; to daughter Mary Muddle £40, all household goods, and half of the residue of her personal estate; to daughter Sarah Muddle £50; to sister [actually sister-in-law] Mary Muddle £3; to Henry and Edward Baker of Rotherfield £1 each. She made her son Thomas and daughter Mary joint executors.[13]

 

Their children were:

Thomas 1664-1664  Elizabeth 1665-?  Ann 1668-?

Thomas 1671-1756  Mary 1674-?  Sarah 1677-?

 

Thomas and Mary’s eldest child was Thomas Muddle who was born at Rotherfield in Sussex, and baptised at the Parish Church of St Denys in Rotherfield on 14 October 1664. Thomas died while still a young baby, and he was buried in the Churchyard of St Denys at Rotherfield on 18 November 1664.

 

Thomas and Mary’s second child was Elizabeth Muddle who was born at Rotherfield in Sussex, and baptised at the Parish Church of St Denys in Rotherfield on 22 October 1665.

When she was 22 years old Elizabeth married William Bunyard at the Parish Church of St Peter & St Paul in Wadhurst, Sussex on 6 August 1688 by licence. They had at least three children, daughters Sarah, Mary, and Elizabeth, who were mentioned in the will of Elizabeth’s mother. The first of these children was born at Rotherfield in 1688.

William had died by 1697 because Elizabeth, at the age of 32, married Robert Banks at the Parish Church of St James the Great in East Malling, Kent on 20 September 1697. They had at three children, two sons and a daughter, born at Boughton Monchelsea in Kent in 1698, 1770 and 1704.

Elizabeth was still living at Boughton Monchelsea when her mother made her will in March 1705 and when her mother died in April 1705 Elizabeth inherited £10, her daughters from her first marriage, Sarah, Mary and Elizabeth, also inherited £10 each when they reached 21 years of age or married, and her daughter Rebecca from her second marriage inherited £5 when she reached 21 years of age or married.

 

William and Elizabeth’s eldest child was Sarah Bunyard who was born at Rotherfield in Sussex and baptised at the Parish Church of St Denys in Rotherfield on 23 October 1688. When her grandmother, Mary Muddle, died in 1705 Sarah inherited £10 that she was to receive when she reached 21 years of age or married.

 

William and Elizabeth’s second child was Mary Bunyard who was probably born in about 1690. When her grandmother, Mary Muddle, died in 1705 Mary inherited £10 that she was to receive when she reached 21 years of age or married.

 

William and Elizabeth’s third child was Elizabeth Bunyard who was probably born in about 1692. When her grandmother, Mary Muddle, died in 1705 Elizabeth inherited £10 that she was to receive when she reached 21 years of age or married.

 

Robert and Elizabeth’s eldest child (Elizabeth’s fourth) was John Banks who was born at Boughton Monchelsea in Kent and baptised at the Parish Church of St Peter in Boughton Monchelsea on 31 January 1698.

 

Robert and Elizabeth’s second child (Elizabeth’s fifth) was Thomas Banks who was born at Boughton Monchelsea in Kent and baptised at the Parish Church of St Peter in Boughton Monchelsea on 21 January 1700.

 

Robert and Elizabeth’s third child (Elizabeth’s sixth) was Rebecca Banks who was born at Boughton Monchelsea in Kent and baptised at the Parish Church of St Peter in Boughton Monchelsea on 30 January 1704. When her grandmother, Mary Muddle, died in 1705 Rebecca inherited £5 that she was to receive when she reached 21 years of age or married.

 

Thomas and Mary’s third child was Ann Muddle who was born at Rotherfield in Sussex, and baptised at the Parish Church of St Denys in Rotherfield on 11 June 1668. Ann is thought to have probably died young, as neither her nor any possible children of hers are mentioned in her mother’s will of 1705.

 

 

Thomas and Mary’s fourth child was Thomas Muddle who was born at Rotherfield in Sussex, and baptised at the Parish Church of St Denys in Rotherfield on 13 June 1671.

When Thomas was 16 years old his father died during January 1688 and as the only surviving son Thomas inherited his father's properties. So at the Court of the Manor of Rotherfield held on 1 March 1688 when the death was recorded of Thomas Muddle senior, who held a cottage, garden and two pieces of assert of Smallgrove containing 6 acres lying near Maynard's Gate held by rent of 2s and other services, also a separate piece of customary land in Rotherfield containing 5 acres with a messuage and barn built on them held by rent of 15d and other services, and also a messuage and garden upon Townhill in Rotherfield that was formally the northeast end of Philip Alchorne's house and afterwards Dadswell's and held by a yearly rent of 3d and other services. Thomas being the heir was admitted as tenant of these properties on paying reliefs to the Lord of the Manor of 2s, 15d and 3d respectively for the three properties. As he was under age guardianship of Thomas and his properties until he attained the age of 21, was granted to his grandfather's cousin Thomas Muddle, a yeoman of Mayfield, and the closest living male relative of Thomas.[14]

Then later that year on 13 September 1688 Thomas was one of the witnesses when his mother gave a mortgage to John Elliott, and this showed that he couldn't then sign his name but only make his mark of a J, but later he was able to engrave his name on the clocks he made and when he witnessed the marriage settlement of his niece Sarah Rose on 3 July 1731 he was able to sign his name Tho: Muddle, so he must have received some education after his father's death.

 

 

When his father died Thomas had probably been learning the trade of clocksmith from him, but he would have then been far from fully trained in the craft, so was he from then on self-taught or did he complete his apprenticeship with another master clockmaker though no record of this has been found? However he learnt his trade it seems likely that by about 1692 Thomas had set himself up in business at Rotherfield as a master clockmaker.

At the Court of the Manor of Rotherfield held on 28 July 1691 Thomas Muddle was one of many on a list of customary tenants of the manor that were in default and each one in mercy (fined) 6d. One of the obligations of customary tenants was to attend court and if they didn't they were liable to an amercement, effectively a fine, and put on a list for the beadle to go round and collect the amercement.[15]

At the Courts of the Manor of Rotherfield held on 16 June 1698 and 6 November 1699 Thomas Muddle was sworn in as one of the homage (jury of tenants).[16]

When he was 31 years old Thomas married 36-year-old Elizabeth Maynard, who was from Brenchley in Kent, at the Parish Church of St Peter & St Paul in Tonbridge, Kent on 9 September 1702 by licence. Elizabeth was the daughter of Richard Maynard and Anne Parker and she had been baptised at the Parish Church of All Saints in Brenchley on 28 December 1665. Thomas and Elizabeth didn't have any children. Elizabeth died just on a year after their marriage, at the age of 37, and was buried in the Churchyard of St Denys at Rotherfield on 4 September 1703.

When his mother died in April 1705 Thomas inherited £40 and half of the residue of her estate, and he was also a joint executor with his sister Mary of his mother’s will.

Twenty-one months after the death of his first wife and two months after his inheritance from his mother, Thomas, at the age of 34, married 27-year-old Mary Dadswell at the Parish Church of St Michael & All Angels in Withyham, Sussex on 26 June 1705 by licence. The marriage record states that both Thomas and Mary were from Rotherfield. Mary was the daughter of Edward and Elizabeth Dadswell; she had been born at Rotherfield and baptised at the Parish Church of St Denys in Rotherfield on 17 April 1678. Thomas and Mary lived at Rotherfield where they had seven children born between 1707 and 1718, the third of these children, who was their eldest daughter, died in 1713 when only two years old.

 

 

Thomas was the person referred to by Britten in his standard work on former clock and watch makers, in which he gives Thomas Muddle, Rotherfield, as a maker of lantern clocks, 1700-1710. Robert Dadswell, a brother of Thomas' wife, in his will of 1710 referred to Thomas as a clocksmith of Rotherfield when he made Thomas one of the overseers of his will.[17] Catherine Pullein in her history of Rotherfield quotes a letter from Mr Herbert F Fritt of Jarvis Brook, in which he states that he has a grandfather clock by Thomas Muddle which had the inscription 'July ye 6th, 1712, this clock was set up'. Fritt also had a clock by 'Thos. Muddle, Tunbridge Wells' which he dated to about 1715, but this date is at least 20 years too early as this clock would have been made by Thomas the son of this Thomas sometime after 1739. The 15 June 1858 edition of The Sussex Advertiser reported that one of the household items of the late Miss Elizabeth Tompsett of Ticehurst to be sold by action on 22 June 1858 was an 8-day clock in wainscot case, inscribed T Muddle, Rotherfield.

At the Court of the Manor of Rotherfield held on 20 July 1709 Thomas Muddle was sworn in as one of the homage, and at this court he was also nominated to the office of Beadle for the following year. Thomas remained in the office of Beadle for eight years, attending the following courts as Beadle; 12 July 1710, 2 July 1711, 3 June 1712, 8 June 1713, 22 Apr 1715, 6 Apr 1716, 6 Nov 1716 and 9 May 1717.[18]

At the Court of the Manor of Rotherfield held on 9 May 1717 it was recorded that clocksmith Thomas Muddle had given three mortgages. The first of £105 was to John Elliott for his property consisting of messuage, barn, garden and 10 acres of assert at Crowborough with a piece of assert called the Hop Garden at The Mead containing 3 acres. The second also of £105 was to Robert Bridger for his property consisting of a cottage and two crofts of assert of Anthony's Reed with another croft called Sheep Coates and another piece called Harrises Field containing 35 acres. The third was out of court on 16 July 1716 in the presence of his Deputy Beadle, Thomas Dadswell, for £27 10s to Nicholas and William Hills for their property consisting of a parcel of land called Gamon's Croft containing 5 acres in the occupation of Nicholas Hills and held by rent of 11d.[19]

Then at the Court of the Manor of Rotherfield held on 2 April 1719 William Hills sold to whitesmith Thomas Muddle, a parcel of land called Gamon's Croft containing 4 acres abutting the land of Thomas Muddle on the north, the highroad on the south, and land of Thomas Bot on the east, and now in the tenure of Thomas Muddle. And the first proclamation was made for Thomas Muddle to come to court to be admitted.[20]

 

 

At the Court of the Manor of Rotherfield held on 22 April 1720 Thomas Muddle attended the court as Deputy to Beadle Andrew Jenkins. At this court clocksmith Thomas Muddle gave another mortgage to John Elliott on his property consisting of messuage, barn, garden and 10 acres of assert at Crowborough with a piece of assert called the Hop Garden at The Mead containing 3 acres, this time John Elliott was to repay £147 on 28 April 1721, he had presumably already repaid the earlier mortgage of £105. Also at this court on the second proclamation Thomas Muddle was admitted as tenant of the property he had earlier purchased from William Hills, on payment of a fine of 50s to the Lord of the Manor. At a Special Court of the Manor of Rotherfield also held on 22 April 1720 Thomas Muddle was sworn in as one of the homage.[21]

At the Court of the Manor of Rotherfield held on 23 April 1721 Thomas Muddle attended the court as Deputy to Beadle Andrew Jenkins. Then at the courts held on 29 March 1722 and 18 April 1723 Thomas Muddle was sworn in as one of the homage.[22]

Thomas Muddle was described in the manorial records sometimes as a clocksmith and sometimes as a whitesmith. A whitesmith is normally thought of as a worker in tin and other non-ferrous metals, so these records seem to indicate that Thomas probably made many other items in non-ferrous metals, not just clocks, though as clocks were the only items that were inscribed with the maker's name they are the only items that can be identified as being made by Thomas.

 

 

It was possibly around 1700 that Thomas started taking on apprentices as he probably trained the William Hoadley whose birth is thought to be commemorated by the clock made by his father that was inscribed 'Tho Muddle Rotherfield' and '1685 W H', this William Hoadley being 14 years old in about 1700, which was the normal age to start a 7 year apprenticeship. This William Hoadley later became a clockmaker at Rotherfield, describing himself as this in his 1755 will. Another person Thomas is thought to have taken as an apprentice was his wife's brother, Thomas Dadswell, who would have been 14 years old in 1702, and who later became a clocksmith at Burwash.

As well as these two possible apprentices Thomas also trained his three sons as clockmakers; son Thomas, the eldest, became a clockmaker at Tunbridge Wells, son Edward a clockmaker at Chatham, and son Nicholas a clockmaker at Lindfield and then Tonbridge. Nicholas the youngest of these sons would have probably completed his apprenticeship in 1737 when he would have been 21 years old and it was probably around this time that the three sons start moving away from Rotherfield and setting up their own businesses, the eldest son, Thomas, is known to have been at Tunbridge Well with his own business by 1739. All clocks inscribed 'Thomas Muddle of Tunbridge Wells' being made by this son, while clocks inscribed 'Thomas Muddle of Rotherfield' were made by Thomas, the subject of this section, except possibly the very early ones, pre-1688, that would have been made by his father Thomas.

On 3 July 1731 Thomas was one of the witnesses to the marriage settlement between his niece Sarah Rose and her intended husband Henry Hall.

 

 

Thomas died on 22 March 1756, at the age of 84, and was buried in the Churchyard of St Denys at Rotherfield on 27 March 1756; the burial record describing him as a clocksmith. Thomas had made his will on 18 March 1748, eight years before his death, when he described himself as a whitesmith of Rotherfield, and this will was proved by the Archdeaconry of Lewes on 23 March 1756. In this will Thomas made the following bequests: to wife Mary £10; to son Edward £10; to daughter Ann wife of William Foreman £10; to daughter Elizabeth £10; to son Nicholas £10; to daughter Sarah £10; to son Thomas, who was sole executor, all the residue of his personal estate.[23]

Nine months after the death of her husband Mary died on 23 December 1756, at the age of 78, and was buried with her husband in the Churchyard of St Denys at Rotherfield on 27 December 1756. Thomas and Mary's grave is marked by an inscribed headstone.

 

Their children were:

Thomas 1707-1785  Edward 1709-1788  Mary 1711-1713  Anne 1713-?

Elizabeth 1714-1779  Nicholas 1716-1807  Sarah 1718-?

 

Thomas and Mary’s eldest child was Thomas Muddle who was born at Rotherfield in Sussex, and baptised at the Parish Church of St Denys in Rotherfield on 1 September 1707. Thomas would have been trained as a clockmaker by his father, who was a master clocksmith and whitesmith at Rotherfield, and though he probably completed his apprenticeship in 1728 at the normal age of 21, it seems likely he continued working with his father at Rotherfield for about the next ten years while his two younger brothers were being trained as clockmakers.

It was in early 1739, when he was 31 years old, that Thomas was first recorded as being a master clockmaker at Tunbridge Wells in Kent. He was recorded in a Private Act of Parliament of 21 November 1739 that confirmed an agreement between Maurice Conyers, Lord of the Manor of Rusthall, and the freehold tenants of that manor, which released the Lord of the Manor from any responsibility in relation to these freehold tenements. All these freehold tenements were described in detail and the one relating to Thomas was as follows:[24]

And also all that Messuage or Shop near adjoining the other Side of the fore-mentioned Road [to the Chapel Bridge], being the most Eastern of the Tenements on the North Side of the said Passage [leading from the Walks to the Chapel], now in the Tenure or Occupation of Thomas Muddle, containing in Front next the said Passage to the Chapel Thirteen Feet, and in Depth on the West Side next the Road Eight Feet, and in Breath at the North End Four Feet Six Inches, and in Length from North to South on the East Side Eleven Feet, as the same is now particularly described in the Plan hereunto annexed, and which said Messuage is described in the said Lot marked (C), by the Name or Description of Muddle.

This is a description of Thomas' shop in a prime corner site in Tunbridge Wells, the Walks being the old name for the Pantiles and Chapel Bridge Road being the modern Nevill Road with the Passage being the walkway joining the two. There is an error in the description in that the Chapel Bridge Road would have been on the east side of the tenement not the west, but allowing for this means that Thomas' shop was where the main entrance to Barclays Bank now stands, and it would have been passed by all the gentry visiting the spa town of Tunbridge Wells to take the waters at the height of its popularity. Unfortunately the map that would have confirmed the location of Thomas' shop and shown its surrounding buildings has not survived.

The above was the location of Thomas' shop but it was not where he lived, other records show that he lived at Southborough in Tonbridge Parish, about 2½ miles to the north of his shop. The Tonbridge Overseers' Accounts and Poor Law Assessments record Thomas Muddle being assessed from 1739 to 1775 on what was initially called a 'new house' in the East Division of Southborough that had a rental value of £1 10s on which he was assessed for yearly payments for the Poor Law that varied between 2s and 10s 6d. Then in 1776 Thomas Cranwell was assessed for the same house described as late Muddles.[25] This was almost certainly a freehold property that Thomas owned from 1739 to 1775 as there are no records in the Court Books of Southborough Manor of Thomas buying or selling copyhold property, but he is on the 13 October 1740 list of all inhabitants, not just copyhold tenants, of Southborough Manor.[26]

 

 

While living at Southborough Thomas was recorded in the Vestry Accounts of King Charles the Martyr Chapel in Tunbridge Wells, which was just across the road from his shop, as Mr Muddle receiving payments for work done. The first entry was in 1743 when he was paid £11 9s 7d that is thought to be for a major repair of the clock, which had been made for the church in about 1685 by Edmund Massey of London. Then for the next 16 years, from 1744 to 1759, Thomas was paid 10s each year for looking after the clock, with an extra 5s in 1752 and 1759 for extra work. In 1760 a new clock made by John Davis was given to the church by the Her Grace the Duchess Dowager of Bolton and the next and last mention of Mr Muddle in the accounts was for a payment of £1 10s in 1764 for cleaning the church clock etc.[27]

It was in 1750 while he was living at Southborough that Thomas, at the age of 42, was stated to be the father of the illegitimate daughter of Elizabeth Fry, who was then about 24 years old, that was baptised at Speldhurst, which is the village and parish immediately to the west of Southborough. Then when his father died in 1756, Thomas, who was sole executor of his father's will, inherited the residue of his father's personal estate.

It was probably in about 1763, two years before he sold his house in Southborough, that Thomas moved back to Rotherfield because Thomas was one of the Overseers of the Poor of Rotherfield and described as a clocksmith of Rotherfield in an agreement for the maintenance of the poor dated 5 March 1764. In this agreement the Churchwardens and Overseers of the Poor of Rotherfield agreed to pay John Dulake, a yeoman of Waldron, £245 to look after up to 50 poor people in Rotherfield Workhouse for a year starting on 5 April 1764, providing them with food, clothing, nursing etc. He was to also have the benefit from the work they were set to do. If the number in the Workhouse went above 50 he was to receive an additional two shillings per person per week for them.[28]

When he was 62 years old Thomas married 44-year-old Elizabeth Fry, the mother of his illegitimate daughter, at the Parish Church of St Denys in Rotherfield on 12 February 1770. Elizabeth had been born at Speldhurst in 1726, but it has not been possible to tell which of the two Elizabeth Frys baptised at Speldhurst that year was the one who married Thomas Muddle. Thomas and Elizabeth lived at Rotherfield where they had two children born in 1770 and 1772.

 

 

Thomas was a clocksmith but he also owned farms that were occupied by tenants. The Rotherfield Rate Books record that in 1764 John Betts paid 9 shillings on land of Thomas Muddle at Maynard's Gate valued at £4 10s. Then in 1771 an entry records Mr Muddle's Maynard's Gate Farm. In September 1772 William Towner paid 6 shillings for Mr Muddle's Gardeners and Gamon Croft Farms valued at £4 10s. Then in 1775, 1776 & 1777 Thomas is named as the owner of Loose Farm.

Thomas died at the age of 77, and he was buried in the Churchyard of St Denys at Rotherfield on 16 February 1785; his burial record described him as a clocksmith. Thomas had made his will on 30 June 1781, four years before his death, when he described himself as a clockmaker of Rotherfield, and this will was proved by the Archdeaconry of Lewes on 12 May 1785. In this will Thomas made the following bequests: to wife Elizabeth all that messuage or cottage and garden and two pieces of assart land of Small Grove laying near Maynards Gate for her natural life, also the use of two thirds of my household goods and furniture for her natural life so long as she remain unmarried, and then to be equally divided between my son Thomas Muddle and daughter Mary Muddle; to Elizabeth Fry (my wife's eldest daughter), who was also sole executrix of the will, all that one messuage or tenement and garden in Rotherfield upon Town Hill, also one third of my household goods and furniture; to daughter Mary Muddle all that messuage or tenement and several pieces of customary land in Rotherfield with all that one piece of assart land (now divided into two) called Gammons Croft: all the rest and residue of my personal estate, which was valued at less than £100 at probate, to my son Thomas Muddle.[29]

Thirty-three years after her husband's death Elizabeth was living in the adjacent parish of Mayfield in Sussex when she died at the grand age of 92, and was buried in the Churchyard of St Dunstan in Mayfield on 1 March 1818.

 

Their children were:

Elizabeth 1750-?  Mary 1770-1821  Thomas 1772-1822

 

Thomas and Elizabeth’s illegitimate child was Elizabeth Fry who was born at Speldhurst in Kent, and baptised at the Parish Church of St Mary the Virgin in Speldhurst on 20 May 1750. When her father died in 1785, Elizabeth was the sole executrix of his will, and inherited all that one messuage or tenement and garden in Rotherfield upon Town Hill and also one third of his household goods and furniture.

 

 

Thomas and Elizabeth’s eldest legitimate child was Mary Muddle who was born at Rotherfield in Sussex, and baptised at the Parish Church of St Denys in Rotherfield on 25 July 1770. When her father died in 1785 Mary inherited all that messuage or tenement and several pieces of customary land in Rotherfield with all that one piece of assart land (now divided into two) called Gammons Croft. Her father's will also stated that Mary would receive one third of her father's household goods after the death of her mother, which happened in 1818.

In 1793 when she was 23 years old Mary had an illegitimate son born at Rotherfield. Then 18 months later, at the age of 24, Mary married John Diggins at the Parish Church of St Denys in Rotherfield on 20 January 1795 by licence. The licence described John as being a bachelor and linen weaver of Rotherfield. They had at least four children born at Rotherfield between 1798 and 1813, but as these are only known from a late group baptism in 1822, when John and Mary were living at Dengate in Rotherfield and John was working as a labourer, it's probable that there were others that were not then available to be baptised.

Three years after her eldest son had died in Rotherfield Poorhouse Mary herself died in the Poorhouse, at the age of 50, and she was buried in the Churchyard of St Denys at Rotherfield on 25 January 1821. John must have died after Mary as Mary was described as the wife of John Diggins on her burial record.

 

Mary’s illegitimate son was James Muddle/Diggins who was born at Rotherfield in Sussex, and baptised at the Parish Church of St Denys in Rotherfield on 28 July 1793. James never married and he was using the surname Diggins when he died in Rotherfield Poorhouse, at the age of 24, and was buried in the Churchyard of St Denys at Rotherfield on 18 April 1818.

 

John and Mary’s eldest known child (Mary’s second known) was John Diggins who was born at Rotherfield in Sussex on 22 June 1798, and baptised at the Parish Church of St Denys in Rotherfield on 19 May 1822 at the same time as three of his siblings and his daughter Mary Ann.

When he was 21 years old John married 18-year-old Mary Dallaway at the Parish Church of St Denys in Rotherfield on 1 November 1819. Mary was the illegitimate daughter of Elizabeth Dallaway; she had been born at Heathfield in Sussex and baptised at the Parish Church of All Saints in Heathfield on 27 December 1801.

John and Mary had at least eight children, probably more. Their first known child was born in 1822 while they were living at Dengate in Rotherfield, and their next three in 1824, 1829 and 1832 while living at places unknown. Their next two known children were born in 1835 and 1837 while they were living at Mark Cross; the second of these died at Mark Cross in 1838, at the age of 15 months. Their next child was born at the beginning of 1840 while they were living at Marlings in Rotherfield. John was described as being a labourer on all these Rotherfield baptisms.

They then moved to Frant in Sussex where in the census of 6 June 1841 they were living in Mayfield Road with their five youngest surviving children, and John was working as a farm labourer. Their last known child was born at Frant in 1842 and died there in 1843, at the age of 19 months. In the census of 30 March 1851 they were living in Mayfield Road with their two youngest surviving children, and John was continuing to work as a farm labourer. Then in the census of 7 April 1861 John and Mary were living at Browgate Cottages in Mayfield Road; John was still a farm labourer, and they had their granddaughter, 11-year-old Ellen Diggins, living with them.

John died at Frant on 4 January 1871, at the age of 72, and he was buried in the Churchyard of St Alban at Frant on 8 January 1871. In the census of 2 April 1871 Mary was living with the family of her now married granddaughter, Ellen Hogben, at 11 Mayfield Road in Frant. Later that year Mary died at Frant on 12 November 1874, at the age of 73 (not 76 as given on her death certificate, burial record and headstone), and she was buried in the Churchyard of St Alban at Frant on 19 November 1874.

 

John and Mary’s eldest known child was Mary Ann Diggins who was born at Dengate in Rotherfield Parish, Sussex on 9 April 1822, and baptised at the Parish Church of St Denys in Rotherfield on 19 May 1822 at the same time as her father and three of his siblings.

 

John and Mary’s second known child was John Diggins who was born in about 1824. In the census of 6 June 1841 John, at the age of 16, was living with his parents in Mayfield Road at Frant in Sussex. John died on 25 May 1858, at the age of 34, and was buried in the Churchyard of St Alban at Frant on 28 May 1858. His gravestone records that he '… was snatched out of life in an instant by a fatal accident on the railway.'

 

John and Mary’s third known child was William Diggins who was born in about 1829. In the census of 6 June 1841 William, at the age of 11, was living with his parents in Mayfield Road at Frant in Sussex. William died at Frant on 23 September 1856, at the age of 27, and was buried in the Churchyard of St Alban at Frant on 28 September 1856. His gravestone records that he was a 'Corporal of HM 20th Regt of Foot, son of John and Mary. He served in the trenches before Sebastopol 1854, was present at the battles of the Alma & Balaclava and at Inkerman, where he was seriously wounded. For these services he received the Crimean medal with 4 clasps. He died at Frant from the effects of his wounds & hard service.'

 

John and Mary’s fourth known child was Thomas Diggins who was born in about 1832. In the census of 6 June 1841 Thomas, at the age of 8, was living with his parents in Mayfield Road at Frant in Sussex. Thomas died on 30 November 1859, at the age 27, and was buried in the Churchyard of St Alban at Frant on 4 December 1859. His grave is marked by an inscribed headstone.

 

John and Mary’s fifth known child was Charity Diggins who was born at Mark Cross in Rotherfield Parish, Sussex, and baptised at the Parish Church of St Denys in Rotherfield on 14 April 1835. In the census of 6 June 1841 Charity, at the age of 6, was living with her parents in Mayfield Road at Frant in Sussex. Then in the census of 30 March 1851 Charity, now aged 16, was working as a dressmaker's apprentice and continuing to live with her parents in Mayfield Road.

 

John and Mary’s sixth known child was Carey Diggins who was born at Mark Cross in Rotherfield Parish, Sussex, and baptised at the Parish Church of St Denys in Rotherfield on 18 June 1837. Carey died at Mark Cross when she was only 15 months old, and she was buried in the Churchyard of St Denys at Rotherfield on 7 August 1838.

 

John and Mary’s seventh known child was Elizabeth Diggins who was born at Marlings in Rotherfield Parish, Sussex on 17 January 1840. She was privately baptised on 30 January 1840 and then received into the Parish Church of St Denys at Rotherfield on 1 March 1840. In the census of 6 June 1841 Elizabeth, at the age 1, was living with her parents in Mayfield Road at Frant in Sussex. Then in the census of 30 March 1851 Elizabeth, now aged 11, was living with her parents in Mayfield Road, and she was going to school. Elizabeth died at Frant on 7 March 1856, when she was 16 years old, and she was buried in the Churchyard of St Alban at Frant on 12 March 1856.

 

John and Mary’s eighth known child was Edith Diggins who was born at Frant, Sussex, and baptised at the Parish Church of St Alban in Frant on 3 July 1842. Edith died at Frant when she was only 19 months old, and she was buried in the Churchyard of St Alban at Frant on 1 October 1843.

 

John and Mary’s second known child (Mary’s third known) was William Diggins who was born at Rotherfield in Sussex on 6 March 1804, and baptised at the Parish Church of St Denys in Rotherfield on 19 May 1822 at the same time as three of his siblings.

 

John and Mary’s third known child (Mary’s fourth known) was Sophia Diggins who was born at Rotherfield in Sussex on 21 September 1806, and baptised at the Parish Church of St Denys in Rotherfield on 19 May 1822 at the same time as three of her siblings.

 

John and Mary’s fourth known child (Mary’s fifth known) was Esther Diggins who was born at Rotherfield in Sussex on 4 November 1813, and baptised at the Parish Church of St Denys in Rotherfield on 19 May 1822 at the same time as three of her siblings.

 

Thomas and Elizabeth’s second legitimate child was Thomas Muddle who was born at Rotherfield in Sussex, and baptised at the Parish Church of St Denys in Rotherfield on 27 April 1772. When his father died in 1785 Thomas inherited the residue of his father's personal estate. His father's will also stated that Thomas would receive one third of his father's household goods after the death of his mother, which happened in 1818. When Thomas was 15 years old £24 was paid, probably by his sister Elizabeth Fry, who was the executrix of his father's will, to have him apprenticed to Anthony Barber, a currier (one whose trade was the dressing and colouring of leather after it was tanned) at Battle in Sussex, for 7 years from 16 April 1787 by an indenture of the same date.[30]

When he was 23 years old Thomas married 20-year-old Lydia Reed at the Parish Church of St Nicholas in Brighton, Sussex on 21 September 1795 by licence. The marriage record showed Thomas to be from Cliffe Parish in Lewes, Sussex, and Lydia to be from Brighton. Lydia was the daughter of Thomas and Elizabeth Reeds and she had been baptised at the Parish Church of St Michael the Archangel in Litlington, Sussex on 6 January 1775.

Thomas and Lydia had two children; the first born at Rotherfield in 1797 and the second at Lewes 1798. Lydia died about 10 weeks after the birth of her second child, when she was 23 years old, and was buried in the Churchyard of St Thomas à Becket at Cliffe in Lewes on 22 October 1798.

Thomas was about 31 years old when he was recorded on the Sussex Militia List of 1803 as being a currier of Cliffe in Lewes. Then a few years later he seems to have become involved with widow Fanny Geer of Brighton, who had an illegitimate daughter in 1810 that was almost certainly fathered by Thomas as it was given the middle name of Muddle. Fanny's maiden name was Fennell; she had been baptised at the Parish Church of St Peter in West Firle, Sussex on 28 May 1778 as the daughter of William and Sukey Fennal. Her parents were probably the William Fennall and Susan Young who had married at West Firle in 1767. When she was 17 years old Fanny had married Richard Geer at the Parish Church of St John the Baptist in Southover, Lewes on 7 July 1795, and they had four children, James, Richard, Hannah and Harriet, all born in Lewes.

Three years after the birth of their illegitimate daughter, Thomas, at the age of 41, married 35-year-old Fanny at the Parish Church of St Nicholas in Brighton on 28 September 1813. Thomas and Fanny then had two more children born in All Saints Parish at Lewes in 1814 and 1816 while Thomas continued to work as a currier. Thomas' son from his first marriage was also a currier and probably worked with his father until he enlisted in the army of the East India Company in 1819. Thomas' daughter from his first marriage married in 1820, so Thomas and Fanny would have then probably had just their three children, aged 10, 6 and 4, living with them in Lewes, though it's not certain if the eldest was living with them.

They were living in St John sub Castro Parish in Lewes when Thomas died at the age of 50 (not 48 as given on his burial record), and was buried in the Churchyard of St John sub Castro on 15 December 1822. The burial record gives Thomas' name as Frances Muddle, but this is thought to be some mix-up with his wife's name of Fanny, which is the pet form of the name Frances. That Thomas must have been mortally ill and then died or had gone missing and was later found dead seems to be inferred by the fact that three weeks before his burial the officials of St John sub Castro Parish obtained a removal order from Justices of the Peace, Thomas Partington and Henry Campion, on 22 November 1822, for Fanny, wife of Thomas Muddle, and her two children, Caroline aged about 8 and Frederick aged about 7, to be removed to Rotherfield Parish.[31] Thomas had been born at Rotherfield and if he had not since obtained legal settlement elsewhere this would have been his and his family's place of legal settlement. Presumably Fanny and her children would have had no means of supporting themselves after the death of Thomas and would have become a charge on the parish. This removal order was recorded and confirmed at the Sussex Quarter Sessions held at Lewes on 17 January 1823 as no objection to it had been made by the inhabitants of Rotherfield.[32]

That they were actually removed to Rotherfield is shown by the fact that on 21 February 1823 William Marten overseer of St John sub Castro wrote a letter to the overseers of Rotherfield requesting payment by the 3 March of the costs of the removal that had been ordered by the magistrates and confirmed at the last Quarter Sessions and also 10s that he had paid as an advance to Fanny Muddle at the request of Rotherfield overseers, or he would have to resort to legal measures to obtain payment.[33]

It seems that Fanny and her two children didn't stay at Rotherfield long and moved to Brighton where Fanny had been living before marrying Thomas Muddle; because eighteen months after Thomas' death Fanny married William Andrews at St Peter’s Church in Preston near Brighton on 6 July 1824.

 

Thomas and Lydia’s eldest child was Thomas Muddle who was born at Rotherfield in Sussex, and baptised at the Parish Church of St Denys in Rotherfield on 8 January 1797. From soon after his birth Thomas lived with his parents at Lewes in Sussex where his father worked as a currier. Then when he was not yet two years old his mother died, leaving Thomas to presumably live with his father at Lewes, and to take up his father's trade when he was old enough. His father remarried when Thomas was 16 years old and Thomas then presumably lived with his father and stepmother in Lewes.

Thomas had been working as a currier, presumably with his father, who was a currier, and probably living with his father and stepmother in Lewes, when, at the age of 22, he enlisted on 3 March 1819 in the Madras Artillery of the East India Company. Then just 12 days later, on 15 March 1819, Thomas and a large number of other recruits embarked on the East India Company’s 955 ton merchant ship Rose for the voyage to India.[34] Thomas had served for 18 years when as Bombardier 1180 in the 1st Battalion of the Madras Artillery he was invalided out to pension on 30 November 1837.[35]

When he was 35 years old Thomas married widow Margaret Fanell, who was a European, at Nagpore (Nagpur) on 12 November 1832, while still serving as a Gunner in the 1st Battalion of the Madras Artillery.[36] They had two children, sons born at Kamptee near Nagpore in mid-1834 while Thomas was a Gunner in the 1st Battalion of the Madras Artillery and at Secunderabad near Hyderabad in late 1837 while Thomas was a Bombardier in the Carnatic European Veteran Battalion.

Thomas was still a Bombardier in the Carnatic European Veteran Battalion when he died on 9 April 1840, at the age of 43, and was buried the same day at Vizagapatam (now Visakhapatnam), which is on the east coast of India about 500 miles north of Madras.[37] His estate of 41 rupees and 10 annas was paid to his widow Margaret on 24 July 1840.[38] Margaret was probably living at St Thomas Mount in Madras when her son Edwin enlisted in the army there in 1857 and she was definitely living there when Edwin died in 1861 while serving in the army and she inherited his estate of 69 rupees 13 annas 6 pies.

Forty years after her husband's death Margaret died from General Debility on 7 April 1880, at the age of 86, and she was buried at St Thomas Mount in Madras on 8 April 1880.[39] Margaret died intestate and her estate, which consisted of 1000 rupees in Government Securities, 453 rupees 13 annas 4 pies at the Savings Bank of Madras and 19 rupees 15 annas 2 pies at the Bank of Madras, was administered by the Administrator General of Madras. After administrative and other costs the remaining estate was inherited by her surviving son Thomas.[40]

 

Thomas and Margaret’s eldest child was Thomas Muddle who was born at Kamptee near Nagpore (Nagpur) in India on 20 June 1834 and baptised at Nagpore on 15 September 1834.[41] Thomas had been working as a gardener when, at the age of 18, he enlisted as Gunner 1053 in the 1st Battalion of the Madras Artillery at Secunderabad on 16 January 1852. He was granted 1d Good Conduct pay on 16 January 1857 that was increased to 2d Good Conduct pay on 1 March 1860. Then after having served 9 years and 126 days he was promoted to Bombardier on 22 May 1861.

After the Indian Mutiny the British Government took over the government of India from the East India Company and the armies of the East India Company where disbanded, with the soldiers given the option of transferring to the British Army if they wished to. This resulted in Thomas being discharged from the Madras Artillery on 1 July 1861 and immediately joining the British Army as a Bombardier in the 17 Brigade of the Royal Artillery. On 8 June 1864 he was promoted to Sergeant and transferred to the Ordinance Depot. Then on 1 December 1865 he was transferred to the 20th Brigade. Had he not been promoted his Good Conduct pay would have been increased to 3d on 16 January 1865, to 4d on 16 December 1868 and 5d on 16 January 1873, so he was the holder of five Good Conduct Badges when, as Sergeant 1053 in the 20th Brigade of the Royal Artillery, he was discharged at Secunderabad on 1 May 1873 at his own request after having served with the Madras Artillery and the Royal Artillery for a total of 21 years and 101 days. On discharge Thomas was described as 5ft 8ins tall with a fair complexion, hazel eyes, light brown hair and to have two ½ins long scars under his left nipple. His intended place of residence on discharge was Madras.[42]

On 29 April 1873 the Royal Hospital, Chelsea considered an application by Thomas to be an Out-Pensioner of the Hospital, which they approved, and as a Sergeant with his length of service they granted him a pension of 24d per day; his Chelsea Pensioner's Number was 18326.[43]

When his mother died in 1880 Thomas, who had probably been living with his mother at St Thomas Mount in Madras since his discharge from the army, inherited her estate of approximately 1500 rupees. The following year Thomas, at the age of 46, married spinster Mary Ann daughter of Maliappau at the Wesleyan Methodist Chapel in Royapettah on 5 May 1881. They were both then living at Royapettah, which is a central suburb of Madras (now Chennai) and Thomas was a pensioned Sergeant.[44] They had one child, a daughter born in 1882 while they were living at St Thomas Mount in Madras and Thomas was a Pensioned Store Sergeant.

Thomas was a Pensioned Soldier when he died from Diarrhoea on 2 February 1895, at the age of 60 (not 63 as given on his burial record) and was buried in Pursewalkum Cemetery in Madras on 3 February 1895.[45] There seems to be no record of what happened to his widow Mary Ann.

 

Thomas and Mary Ann’s only child was Margaret Muddle who was born at St Thomas Mount in Madras (now Chennai), Tamil Nadu, India on 17 June 1882 and baptised at St Thomas Mount on 10 September 1882.[46]

When she was 22 years old Margaret married 26-year-old mechanic Allan McDonald Falconer at Trinity Chapel in John Pereira’s Park Town, Madras on 21 December 1904.[47] Allan was the son of Price James and Ann Rachel Falconer; he had been born in John Pereira’s Park Town on 8 September 1878 and baptised at Trinity Chapel in John Pereira’s Park Town on 11 December 1878.[48]

Allan and Margaret had three children born in 1905, 1907 and 1910 while they were living in Park Town and Allan continued to work as a mechanic. The first two of these children died from teething in 1906 at the age of 6 months and from Diphtheria in 1909 at the age of 1 year and 8 months. Allan died from Fever on 30 May 1928, at the age of 49 and was buried in Kilpauk New Cemetery the burial ground of St Matthias Church, Madras on 31 May 1928.[49]

 

Allan and Margaret’s eldest child was Allan McDonald Falconer who was born at John Pereira’s Park Town in Madras on 20 December 1905 and privately baptised on 14 January 1906 before being admitted into Trinity Chapel in John Pereira’s Park Town on 28 January 1906.[50] Allan died from the effects of teething on 7 July 1906 when he was only 6 months old and he was buried in the Churchyard of St Mark’s in Madras the same day.[51]

 

Allan and Margaret’s second child was Dorothy May Falconer who was born at John Pereira’s Park Town in Madras on 3 May 1907 and baptised at Trinity Chapel in John Pereira’s Park Town on 12 June 1907.[52] Dorothy died from Diphtheria on 6 January 1909 when she was only 1 year and 8 months old and she was buried in the Churchyard of St Mark’s in Madras on the 7 January 1909.[53]

 

Allan and Margaret’s third child was Daisy Lillian Falconer who was born at John Pereira’s Park Town in Madras on 20 October 1910 and baptised at Trinity Chapel in John Pereira’s Park Town on 20 November 1910.[54]

 

Thomas’ second known child was Edwin Muddle who was born at Secunderabad near Hyderabad in India on 21 December 1837 and baptised at Secunderabad on 13 February 1838.[55] On 4 June 1857, when he was 19 years old, Edwin enlisted at St Thomas Mount near Madras for 12 years as Gunner 4685 in the 1st Battalion of the Madras Artillery. His army records describe him as being 5ft 9ins tall. Four years after enlisting Edwin was Corporal 4685 in the 1st Battalion of the Madras Artillery attached to the Malabar Mountain Train at Malappuram in south-west India when he died from apoplexy (stroke, brain haemorrhage) at Angadipuram on 4 August 1861, at the age of 23 years and 8 months. He had just started on the 400 mile journey home to St Thomas Mount in Madras where his mother was living.[56] His body was conveyed the 11 miles back to Malappuram where he was buried by an army Captain on 5 August 1861. His burial record recorded his name as Edward Muddle.[57] Edwin died intestate and the balance of his estate of 69 rupees 13 annas 6 pies was paid to his mother, who was his next-of-kin.[58]

 

Thomas and Lydia’s second child was Elizabeth Muddle who was born at Lewes in Sussex on 9 August 1798, and baptised at the Parish Church of St Thomas à Becket at Cliffe in Lewes on 23 October 1798. When Elizabeth was only two months old her mother died and was buried in the Churchyard of St Thomas à Becket Church at Cliffe the day before Elizabeth's baptism. Elizabeth presumably then lived in Lewes with her widowed father and then when he remarried, when Elizabeth was 15, with her father and stepmother.

When she was 22 years old Elizabeth married 25-year-old Thomas Weller, who was from West Firle in Sussex, at the Parish Church of St Michael & All Angels in Berwick, Sussex on 13 August 1820. Thomas was the son of William and Philadelphia Weller; he had been born at West Firle and baptised at the Parish Church of St Peter in West Firle on 3 January 1795.

Thomas and Elizabeth lived at West Firle where Thomas worked as a labourer until in 1824 he became a bricklayer. They had four children, three daughters and a son, born between 1821 and 1826. The last of these children was born about 6 months after Thomas' death at the age of 31. He was buried in the Churchyard of St Peter at West Firle on 9 April 1826. Six years later, in 1832, widow Elizabeth gave birth to an illegitimate son at West Firle. In the census of 6 June 1841 Elizabeth and her two sons were living in Firle Street at West Firle.

When she was 45 years old Elizabeth married 52-year-old widower John Fuller at the Parish Church of St Peter in West Firle on 13 July 1844. They were both then living in West Firle where John was a labourer and Elizabeth a pauper. John was the son of John and Mary Fuller; he had been born at West Firle and baptised at the Parish Church of St Peter in West Firle on 4 September 1791.

In the census of 30 March 1851 John and Elizabeth were living in Wick Street at West Firle with John's son Henry Fuller and Elizabeth's son Charles Weller, and John was working as a farm labourer. John died at West Firle, at the age of 63 (not 62 as given on his burial record), and he was buried in the Churchyard of St Peter at West Firle on 25 February 1855.

In the census of 7 April 1861 Elizabeth, at the age of 62, was the live-in housekeeper to widower and farm labourer Henry Cornford at 21 Firle Street in West Firle. It was probably Henry's late wife, Elizabeth Cornford, who was one of the witnesses at Elizabeth's marriage in 1844; they had probably been friends. Henry Cornford died in early 1870 and in the census of 2 April 1871 Elizabeth, at the age of 72, was living alone in Firle Street, but at the time of the census she had widow Hannah Braban visiting her. In the census of 3 April 1881 Elizabeth, at the age of 82, was continuing to live alone in Firle Street. Elizabeth died at West Firle, at the age of 87, and she was buried in the Churchyard of St Peter at West Firle on 15 June 1886.

 

Thomas and Elizabeth’s eldest child was Lydia Lucinda Weller who was born at West Firle in Sussex, and baptised at the Parish Church of St Peter in West Firle on 4 March 1821.

 

Thomas and Elizabeth’s second child was Elizabeth Weller who was born at West Firle in Sussex, and baptised at the Parish Church of St Peter in West Firle on 22 June 1823.

 

Thomas and Elizabeth’s third child was Ann Weller who was born at West Firle in Sussex, and baptised at the Parish Church of St Peter in West Firle on 12 December 1824.

 

Thomas and Elizabeth’s fourth child was Thomas Weller who was born at West Firle in Sussex, and baptised at the Parish Church of St Peter in West Firle on 1 October 1826. In the census of 6 June 1841 Thomas, at the age of 14, was living with his mother in Firle Street, West Firle.

 

Elizabeth’s fifth child, born illegitimately while she was a widow, was Charles Weller who was born at West Firle in Sussex, and baptised at the Parish Church of St Peter in West Firle on 23 September 1832. In the census of 6 June 1841 Charles, at the age of 8, was living with his mother in Firle Street, West Firle. Then in the census of 30 March 1851 Charles, now aged 18, was working as a sawyer and living with his mother and stepfather in Wick Street, West Firle.

 

Thomas and Fanny’s eldest child (Thomas’ third) was Ann Muddle Geer who was born at Brighton in Sussex, and baptised at the Parish Church of St Nicholas in Brighton on 20 May 1810 as the illegitimate daughter of Fanny Geer. Ann's father died in late 1822 and Ann was no longer living with her widowed mother in early 1823 when her mother and her two younger siblings were removed to Rotherfield; possibly Ann had gone into service when she was about 12 years old or she had been living with some of her mothers relatives in Brighton or Hove.

When she was 17 years old Ann married 31-year-old Reed Ockenden at the Parish Church of St Andrew in Hove on 7 August 1827. They were both then resident in Hove. Reed was the son of James and Mary Ockenden; he had been born at Bexhill in Sussex and baptised at the Parish Church of St Peter in Bexhill on 20 March 1796. Reed and Ann lived in Brighton where they had eleven children born between 1829 and 1853.

In the census of the 6 June 1841 they were living in Upper Bedford Street, Brighton with their then six children and Reed was a grocer. Then at the beginning of 1843 three of their children died, their eldest and their then two youngest, at the ages of about 13, 4 and 2. In the census of 30 March 1851 they were living at 48 Eastern Road in Brighton with their now seven surviving children; Reed was described as a grocer etc. and they had 22-year-old Rhoda Haffenden as a live-in house servant. Then in the census of 7 April 1861 they were living at 148 Eastern Road in Brighton with their four youngest children and Reed was a grocer and beer retailer.

Reed died at Brighton when he was 70 years old, his death being registered during the 2nd quarter of 1866. Then in the census of 2 April 1871 Ann and her daughter Fanny were living at 167 Eastern Road in Brighton and Ann was described as a retired grocer. In the census of 3 April 1881 Ann was visiting her now married daughter Fanny and her son-in-law William Hill at 36 Morton Road in Islington, London. Ann died in Steyning registration in Sussex at the age of 79, her death being registered during the 4th quarter of 1889.

 

Reed and Ann’s eldest child was Harriet Ockenden who was born at Brighton in Sussex in about 1829. In the census of the 6 June 1841 Harriet, at the age of 11, was living with her parents in Upper Bedford Street, Brighton. Harriet died at Brighton when she was about 13 years old, her death being registered during the 1st quarter of 1843.

 

Reed and Ann’s second child was Ann Ockenden who was born at Brighton in Sussex in about 1833. In the census of the 6 June 1841 Ann, at the age of 7, was living with her parents in Upper Bedford Street, Brighton. Then in the census of 30 March 1851 Ann, now aged 17, was living with her parents at 48 Eastern Road in Brighton.

 

Reed and Ann’s third child was Reed Ockenden who was born at Brighton in Sussex in about 1834. In the census of the 6 June 1841 Reed, at the age of 6, was living with his parents in Upper Bedford Street, Brighton. Then in the census of 30 March 1851 Reed, now aged 16, was living with his parents at 48 Eastern Road in Brighton.

 

Reed and Ann’s fourth child was George Ockenden who was born at Brighton in Sussex in about 1836. In the census of the 6 June 1841 George, at the age of 4, was living with his parents in Upper Bedford Street, Brighton. Then in the census of 30 March 1851 George, now aged 13, was living with his parents at 48 Eastern Road in Brighton.

 

Reed and Ann’s fifth child was James Ockenden who was born at Brighton in Sussex and whose birth was registered during the 2nd quarter of 1839. In the census of the 6 June 1841 James, at the age of 2, was living with his parents in Upper Bedford Street, Brighton. James died at Brighton when he was about 4 years old, his death being registered during the 1st quarter of 1843.

 

Reed and Ann’s sixth child was Edgar Ockenden who was born at Brighton in Sussex and whose birth was registered during the 1st quarter of 1841. In the census of the 6 June 1841 Edgar, at the age of 5 months, was living with his parents in Upper Bedford Street, Brighton. Edgar died at Brighton when he was about 2 years old, his death being registered during the 1st quarter of 1843.

 

Reed and Ann’s seventh child was Mary Harriet Ockenden who was born at Brighton in Sussex and whose birth was registered during the 2nd quarter of 1844. In the census of 30 March 1851 Mary, at the age of 7, was living with her parents at 48 Eastern Road in Brighton.

 

Reed and Ann’s eighth child was Clara Ockenden who was born at Brighton in Sussex and whose birth was registered during the 1st quarter of 1846. In the census of 30 March 1851 Clara, at the age of 5, was living with her parents at 48 Eastern Road in Brighton. Then in the census of 7 April 1861 Clara, now aged 15, was living with her parents at 148 Eastern Road in Brighton.

 

Reed and Ann’s ninth child was Crawford Ockenden who was born at Brighton in Sussex and whose birth was registered during the 1st quarter of 1848. In the census of 30 March 1851 Crawford, at the age of 3, was living with his parents at 48 Eastern Road in Brighton. Then in the census of 7 April 1861 Crawford, now aged 13, was living with his parents at 148 Eastern Road in Brighton and he was going to school.

 

Reed and Ann’s tenth child was Fanny Ockenden who was born at Brighton in Sussex and whose birth was registered during the 4th quarter of 1849. In the census of 30 March 1851 Fanny, at the age of 1, was living with her parents at 48 Eastern Road in Brighton. Then in the census of 7 April 1861 Fanny, now aged 11, was living with her parents at 148 Eastern Road in Brighton and she was going to school. In the census of 2 April 1871 Fanny, at the age of 21, was living with her widowed mother at 167 Eastern Road in Brighton.

When she was 28 years old Fanny married 29-year-old William Hill in Steyning registration district in Sussex during the 3rd quarter of 1878. William’s birth had been registered in Brighton during the 2nd quarter of 1849. In the census of 3 April 1881 William and Fanny were living at 36 Morton Road in Islington, London, William was a warehouseman and they had 24-year-old Emily Hunt as a live-in domestic servant. At the time of the census Fanny’s mother was visiting them.

 

Reed and Ann’s eleventh child was Frederick Ockenden who was born at Brighton in Sussex and whose birth was registered during the 4th quarter of 1853. In the census of 7 April 1861 Frederick, at the age of 7, was living with his parents at 148 Eastern Road in Brighton and he was going to school.

 

Thomas and Fanny’s second child (Thomas’ fourth) was Caroline Muddle who was born at Lewes in Sussex, and baptised at the Parish Church of All Saints in Lewes on 5 June 1814. Caroline's father died in late 1822 and as a result Caroline, with her mother and younger brother, were removed to Rotherfield, Sussex, their parish of legal settlement. They didn't stay at Rotherfield long as Caroline's mother married at Brighton, Sussex in mid-1824, which was where she had been living before marrying Caroline's father. Caroline probably then remained in Brighton and never married.

Caroline was living at Grafton Street in Brighton when she died at the age of 22 (not 21 as given on her burial record), and she was buried in the Churchyard of St Nicholas in Brighton on 18 June 1836. Caroline died intestate and administration of her estate was granted to her half-brother James Geer, labourer of 10 Grosvenor Street in Brighton, by the Archdeaconry of Lewes on 26 July 1836. The value of Caroline's estate was recorded as being £24 10s 4d deposited in the Brighton Savings Bank, with the remainder being under £5.[59]

 

Thomas and Fanny’s third child (Thomas’ fifth) was Frederick Muddle who was born at Lewes in Sussex, and baptised at the Parish Church of All Saints in Lewes on 16 June 1816. Frederick's father died in late 1822 and as a result Frederick, with his mother and sister Caroline, were removed to Rotherfield, Sussex, their parish of legal settlement. They didn't stay at Rotherfield long as Frederick's mother married at Brighton, Sussex in mid-1824, which was where she had been living before marrying Frederick's father. Frederick must have later moved back to Rotherfield, possibly when he started work, and possibly to live with his paternal cousins, the Diggins family.

In the census of 6 June 1841 Frederick, at the age of 25, was a live-in farm labourer for farmer John Stapley at Hamsell Farm in the Eridge area of Rotherfield Parish, Sussex. Then in the census of 30 March 1851 Frederick, now aged 34, was still a live-in farm labourer for John Stapley at Hamsell Farm.

Frederick was still working for John Stapley when he gave evidence at the County Court in Tunbridge Wells on 14 February 1856, in the case of Mr Evans suing the Tunbridge Wells to Uckfield Turnpike Road Trust for a defect in the road at Eridge that caused his horse and cart to have an accident on 25 November 1855. This case was reported in the 19 February 1856 edition of The Sussex Advertiser and Frederick's evidence was as follows:

Frederick Muddle - I am in the employ of Mr. Stapley. On the morning of Sunday, the 25th of November, I was waiting in the road for some parcels I expected to come by the postman. I saw the plaintiff and his wife go past between 8 and 9 o'clock in the morning. I did not see the accident, but plaintiff's wife called and asked me to go to their assistance. The horse was lying on the road, and plaintiff was holding him down by the head. I noticed the hole in the road; it was from 9 to 10 inches in diameter. The hole appeared as if a horse's foot had been in it. The horse bled very much when he got up. The spot where the accident occurred is about half-a-mile from the Gun public-house, Eridge Green. It was between Mr. Stapley's and Mr. Killick's gates.

Cross-examined - I frequently pass over the spot where the accident happened. I was about 70 yards from it when the accident took place; I had not been nearer that morning. Most likely I was over the spot the day before. I did not observe the hole previously; neither had I observed any sinking in of the road at that spot. I should not have noticed it unless it had been a particular sinking. The road was in very good repair at that time, as far as I had noticed it.

The 19 December 1854 edition of The Sussex Advertiser published a list of those persons who had obtained a Game Certificate for the year 1854; on the list was Frederick Muddle of Rotherfield, who had obtained a General Certificate from the Inland Revenue at £4 0s 10d. The penalty for not having a certificate if you were pursuing game, or refusing to produce it when required, was £20. Similarly the 25 September 1855, 23 September 1856 and 27 September 1859 editions of The Sussex Advertiser recorded that Frederick Muddle of Rotherfield had the same Game Certificate for the years 1855, 1856 and 1859.

In the census of 7 April 1861 Frederick, at the age of 44, was a farmer of 22 acres at Ivy Cottage near Hamsell Bridge in Rotherfield Parish. He had the Fenner family lodging with him; consisting of 23-year-old carter Thomas Fenner and his wife and young son. In the census of 2 April 1871 Frederick, at the age of 54, was a farm bailiff living at Kennonds Farm House in East Hoathly, Sussex, and he had widow Elizabeth Chidwick living with him as his housekeeper.

On 2 March 1878 Frederick had an axe stolen while he was a farm bailiff employed by Mr J G Talbot MP at Pile Gate Farm in Cowden, Kent. The unsuccessful prosecution of William Bryant for sealing the axe was heard at Tonbridge Petty Sessions on 12 March 1878 and reported in the 19 March 1878 edition of The Sussex Advertiser:

STEALING AN AXE.

WM. BRYANT, waggoner, was charged with stealing an axe, value 5s, the property of Fredk. Muddle, at Cowden, on the 2nd inst.

Mr. Muddle, bailiff in the employ of Mr. J. G. Talbot, M.P., said prisoner had also been in Mr. Talbot's employ as waggoner for about 11 months. He lost the axe produced from a block at the back of his premises, and not being able to find it, gave information to the police.

P.C. Millen said that from information he received he went to the prisoner's lodgings at Hever and asked to be shown what axe they had. Prisoner was not in. The father produced an axe which did not answer the description of the stolen one, and when asked for another one the father said he had not got another except his own, which he could not find. Witness searched a cupboard, and under some matting he found the axe produced, which on being taken to Pile Gate farm and shown to the prisoner, he asked where the axe had been found. He and prisoner then went to Mr. Muddle, who identified the axe.

Muddle, recalled, said that defendant left on the 2nd, and he left without giving a month's notice.

Prisoner said he had not left Mr. Talbot's employ, and he could not at all account for the axe being in his father's house.

The Bench said they did not think there was sufficient evidence, and dismissed the case.

In the census of 3 April 1881 Frederick, at the age of 64, was a retired farmer living at Fairfield in Withyham, Sussex, and he still had widow Elizabeth Chidwick living with him as his housekeeper. Frederick never married; he died at Withyham on 10 July 1884, at the age of 68, and was buried in the Churchyard of St Michael & All Angels at Withyham on 14 July 1884. His grave is marked by an inscribed headstone. Probate of Frederick's will, which valued his personal estate at £258, was granted to Henry Hale of Hale Farm in Withyham by Lewes Probate Registry on 27 September 1884.

 

Thomas and Mary’s second child was Edward Muddle who was born at Rotherfield in Sussex, and baptised at the Parish Church of St Denys in Rotherfield on 16 May 1709. Edward, like his two brothers, would have been trained as a clockmaker by his father, who was a master clocksmith and whitesmith at Rotherfield, and though he probably completed his apprenticeship in 1730 at the normal age of 21, it seems likely he continued working with his father at Rotherfield for about the next ten years while his younger brother was being trained as a clockmaker. When his maternal grandfather, Edward Dadswell, died in 1736 Edward, at the age of 27, inherited £5.[60]

It was probably in about 1740 that Edward moved to Chatham in Kent where he set himself up in business as a master clockmaker. Then when he was 34 years old Edward married Elizabeth Hack at the Parish Church of St Mary the Virgin in Chatham on 18 September 1743. They lived at Chatham where they had eight children born between 1744 and 1758, four of whom died young.

The Poll Book for the election held at Maidstone on 1 & 2 May 1754 for two Members of Parliament to represent Kent, records that one of the voters was Edward Muddle (spelt Micddle) of Chatham who held freehold property, consisting of a house and land, at Biddenden that was occupied by Thomas Borman.

 

 

When his father died in March 1756 Edward inherited £10. An indenture dated the 16 November 1756 records the purchase for £70 by Edward Muddle, clockmaker of Chatham, of property at Slicketts Hill in Chatham, abutting the highway leading to Upbury on the north, land of Robert Hills on the west, land called Pound Field belonging to the Dean and Chapter of Rochester on the south and John Holden's land on the east, formerly occupied by John Taylor and William Musgrave and now by Olliff and Little, consisting of two messuages or tenements with washhouse, house of office, backsides, gardens and ground thereto belonging, from Kendrick Rogers labourer of Woolwich and his wife Elizabeth, and Thomas Judd husbandman of Shorne and his wife Mary. Another document, a bond for quiet enjoyment, also dated the 16 November 1756 bound Kendrick Rogers and Thomas Judd for the sum of £140 to be paid to Edward Muddle if their wives should later claim right of dower on these two properties.[61]

A Gentleman’s spindle watch made by Edward Muddle, dated to about 1755, was sold in Germany in 2001, and Edward was described as being a watchmaker of Chatham when, by an indenture dated 29 September 1761, he was paid £16 to take William Roberts as an apprentice for a term of 7 years from 17 August 1761, out of which Edward paid 8s in stamp duty on 27 October 1761.[62] The Strood Churchwarden's Account Book records that in 1764 they paid Mr Muddle 10 shillings for repairing their church clock.[63] Edward was described as being a coachmaker (which is assumed to be an error for clockmaker) of Chatham, when, by an indenture dated 30 December 1766, he was paid £20 to take Thomas Robins as an apprentice for a term of 7 years, out of which Edward paid 10s in stamp duty on 16 February 1767.[64] This Thomas Robins later became a master watchmaker at Chatham.

 

 

Elizabeth died in 1770 and she was buried in the Churchyard of St Mary the Virgin at Chatham on 17 May 1770. In 1771 Edward was given the job of replacing the old square faced clock on the Rochester Butcher's Market Building (later the Corn Exchange) with a round faced one. Then two years after Elizabeth's death Edward, at the age of 63, married 64-year-old spinster Margaret Toke at the Parish Church of St Bartholomew in Burwash, Sussex on 27 October 1772 by licence. Margaret was the daughter of George and Elizabeth Toke; she had been born at Ashford in Kent and baptised at the Parish Church of St Mary the Virgin in Ashford on 18 March 1708. She later moved to Burwash with her mother and some of her siblings. Her mother, brothers George and John, and sister Elizabeth are all buried in the Churchyard of St Bartholomew in Burwash. After her marriage Margaret would have lived with Edward at Chatham for five years until she died at the age of 69 and was buried with other members of her family in the Churchyard of St Bartholomew in Burwash on 10 February 1778.

In a 1772 act of parliament entitled An Act for the better Paving, Cleansing, Lighting and Watching, the Streets and Lanes in the Town and Parish of Chatham, in the County of Kent, and for removing and preventing Nuisances and Annoyances therein, appointed 36 men, including Edward Muddle, who were proprietors and owners of houses or inhabitants of Chatham, to be Commissioners for putting this Act into Execution.

The Daily Advertiser of 14 July 1775 reported that one of a number of valuable articles stolen from Dr Yonker's at Great Saffron Hill in London was a double cased silver watch numbered 208 made at Chatham by Muddle. This theft was also reported in the Gazetteer and New Daily Advertiser of 14 July 1775 and The Public Advertiser of 18 July 1775 with the additional information that William Clarke, servant of Dr Yonker's, was suspected of the theft and a reward of Twenty Guineas was being offered for his capture upon conviction. Then the 19 February 1777 edition of The New-York Gazette and the Weekly Mercury reported that three silver watches had been stolen from Isaac Heron's shop, one being a silver watch of poor sort made by Edward Muddle of Chatham numbered 497, for the return of which a reward of $4 was offered with another $8 for discovery of the thief.

 

 

On 4 January 1774 Edward took out a fire insurance policy with Sun Fire Office of London. This policy described Edward as a clock and watchmaker of the High Street in Chatham and the policy was for £300 to cover his dwelling house and adjoining washhouse constructed of brick with a tiled roof, and also £100 for two private tenements under one roof at the upper end of Nags Head Lane, St Margaret's, Rochester then in the tenure of Tist and Shaw and constructed of timber with a tiled roof.[65] Then on 9 December 1777 Edward took out another a fire insurance policy with Sun Fire Office of London. This policy described Edward as a watchmaker of Chatham and the policy was for six things: First for £100 to cover Edward's household goods in his dwelling house; Second for £150 to cover four private houses adjoining Slickolds Hill (probably Slicketts Hill) in Chatham in the tenure of Plummer and others, constructed of timber with a tile roof; Third for £100 to cover two private houses adjoining Gads Hill in Gillingham in the tenure of Coote and others, constructed of timber with a tile roof; Fourth for £250 to cover two private houses in King Street, Chatham in the tenure of Mears and others, constructed of brick with a tiled roof; Fifth for £100 to cover one house on Smithfield Bank in Chatham in the tenure of Stubbs, constructed of brick with a tiled roof; Sixth for £100 to cover three private houses behind the last in the tenure of Whitfield and others, constructed of timber with a tiled roof. This policy was for a total of £800 for which Edward initially paid £1 and then £1 0s 5d at Christmas 1778.[66] These insurance policies indicate that Edward must have prospered as a clockmaker and invested his profits in a number of properties in the Chatham area.

In the Court of the Manor of Rotherfield held on 18 December 1779 Edward was described as being a watchmaker of Chatham in Kent. A number of longcase clocks inscribed ‘Edward Muddle, Chatham’ have been offered for sale at auction, confirming that Edward was a maker of both clocks and watches.

 

 

When his spinster sister Elizabeth Muddle died, Edward, who was her sole executor, was described, in her will dated 18 December 1779 and proved 19 January 1780, as being a watchmaker of Chatham, and he inherited her copyhold property at Rotherfield together with any other real estate and the residue of her personal estate that consisted of money or securities for money.

Edward had moved back to Rotherfield by the time he made his own will at the beginning of 1783, when he described himself as a gentleman. Presumably he had sold his clock making business at Chatham, and retired to Rotherfield to live as a gentleman.

Edward died at Rotherfield when just on 79 years old, and he was buried in the Churchyard of St Denys at Rotherfield on 10 April 1788. Edward's will dated 20 January 1783 and proved at London by the Prerogative Court of Canterbury on 16 September 1790, made the following bequests: to his daughter Hannah the wife of John Walker, sugar refiner of Hackney, £300; to Sarah Landen the youngest daughter of Noble and Mary Landen, £300, to be paid when she reached the age of 24, or if she died before that it was to go to his sole executor who was his son Edward Muddle, gentleman of London, who inherited all the remainder of his real and personal estate.[67]

 

Their children were:

Mary 1774-1778  Elizabeth 1746-1749  Edward 1749-1831/32

John 1750-1779  Hannah 1752-?  Thomas 1754-1755

William 1755-1755  Elizabeth 1758-1763

 

Edward and Elizabeth’s eldest child was Mary Muddle who was born at Chatham in Kent, and baptised at the Parish Church of St Mary the Virgin in Chatham on 12 August 1744. When she was 20 years old Mary married 28-year-old Noble Landen at the Parish Church of St Mary the Virgin in Chatham on 19 February 1765, by licence. Noble was the son of Robert and Mary Landen, and he had been baptised at the Parish Church of St Mary the Virgin in Chatham on 12 December 1736.

Noble and Mary lived at Chatham where they had nine children born between 1766 and 1776, two of whom died soon after birth. Just over a year after the birth of her last child Mary died at the age of 33, and she was buried in the Churchyard of St Mary the Virgin at Chatham on 19 January 1778. As Mary was dead when her father made his will in 1783 he left a bequest of the same value as that left to Mary's sister Hannah to Mary's youngest daughter. Thirty-five years after Mary's death Noble was still living at Chatham when he died at the age of 77, and was buried in the Churchyard of St Mary the Virgin at Chatham on 18 June 1813.

 

Noble and Mary’s eldest child was Hannah Noble Landen who was born at Chatham in Kent, and baptised at the Parish Church of St Mary the Virgin in Chatham on 22 January 1766. When she was 19 years old Hannah married Thomas Boys, who was about 24, at the Parish Church of All Saints in Whitstable, Kent on 21 March 1785. They are not thought to have had any children.

Hannah died on 13 April 1821 at the age of 55, and she was buried in the Churchyard of St Mary the Virgin at Chatham on 20 April 1821. In the census of 6 June 1841 Thomas was living with George and Mary Baker in Best Street at Chatham and he was described as being of independent means. Also living there was George Landen; George and Mary were probably relatives of Thomas, possibly the children of his brother-in-law William Landen.

Twenty-four years after Hannah's death Thomas died on 17 February 1845, at the age of 83, and he was buried in the Churchyard of St Mary the Virgin at Chatham on 23 February 1845. The inscribed headstone that marks Thomas' grave states that he had been a wheelwright and that Hannah's remains lay nearby.

 

Noble and Mary’s second child was Edward Landen who was born at Chatham in Kent, and baptised at the Parish Church of St Mary the Virgin in Chatham on 25 February 1767. When he was 22 years old Edward married 20-year-old Elizabeth Townsend at the Parish Church of St Mary the Virgin in Chatham on 5 February 1789, by licence. Edward was then living at Gillingham and Elizabeth at Chatham. Elizabeth was the daughter of Joseph and Judith Townsend, and she had been baptised at the Parish Church of St Mary the Virgin in Chatham on 25 August 1768.

Edward and Elizabeth lived at Chatham where they had nine children born between 1792 and 1811, three of whom died in childhood. They later moved across the River Medway to Rochester in Kent and in the census of 6 June 1841 Edward and Elizabeth were living in Maidstone Road at Rochester; Edward was a farm labourer and they had 6-year-old Lucy Connix, who was possibly a grandchild, living with them.

Elizabeth was living in Maidstone Road at Rochester when she died at the age of 73, and was buried in the Churchyard of St Margaret of Antioch at Rochester on 20 March 1842. Three years later Edward was living in Maidstone Road at Rochester when he died at the age of 78 (not 79 as given on his burial record), and was buried in the Churchyard of St Margaret of Antioch at Rochester on 23 March 1845.

 

Edward and Elizabeth’s eldest child was Thomas Noble Landen who was born at Chatham in Kent, and baptised at the Parish Church of St Mary the Virgin in Chatham on 29 January 1792.

 

Edward and Elizabeth’s second child was Mary Landen who was born at Chatham in Kent, and baptised at the Parish Church of St Mary the Virgin in Chatham on 25 November 1792. Mary died when she was about a month old, and she was buried in the Churchyard of St Mary the Virgin at Chatham on 27 December 1792.

 

Edward and Elizabeth’s third child was Elizabeth Landen who was born at Chatham in Kent, and baptised at the Parish Church of St Mary the Virgin in Chatham on 13 December 1793. Elizabeth died when she was only 4 years old, and she was buried in the Churchyard of St Mary the Virgin at Chatham on 22 November 1797.

 

Edward and Elizabeth’s fourth child was Sarah Landen who was born at Chatham in Kent, and baptised at the Parish Church of St Mary the Virgin in Chatham on 3 July 1796.

 

Edward and Elizabeth’s fifth child was Edward Landen who was born at Chatham in Kent, and baptised at the Parish Church of St Mary the Virgin in Chatham on 11 January 1799. Edward died when he was only 9 years old, and he was buried in the Churchyard of St Mary the Virgin at Chatham on 3 April 1808.

 

Edward and Elizabeth’s sixth child was John Landen who was born at Chatham in Kent, and baptised at the Parish Church of St Mary the Virgin in Chatham on 24 March 1802.

 

Edward and Elizabeth’s seventh child was William Landen who was born at Chatham in Kent, and baptised at the Parish Church of St Mary the Virgin in Chatham on 7 November 1804.

 

Edward and Elizabeth’s eighth child was Hannah Landen who was born at Chatham in Kent, and baptised at the Parish Church of St Mary the Virgin in Chatham on 13 September 1807.

 

Edward and Elizabeth’s ninth child was Harriett Landen who was born at Chatham in Kent, and baptised at the Parish Church of St Mary the Virgin in Chatham on 22 May 1811.

 

Noble and Mary’s third child was Mary Landen who was born at Chatham in Kent, and baptised at the Parish Church of St Mary the Virgin in Chatham on 31 March 1768. When she was 22 years old Mary married Thomas Wall at the Parish Church of St Mary the Virgin in Chatham on 6 April 1790, by licence. Thomas was then living at Chatham and Mary at Gillingham. They lived at Chatham where they had one child, a son, born in 1794.

 

Thomas and Mary’s only child was Thomas Boys Wall who was born at Chatham in Kent on 6 November 1794, and baptised at the Parish Church of St Mary the Virgin in Chatham on 30 November 1794.

 

Noble and Mary’s fourth child was John Landenwho was born at Chatham in Kent, and baptised at the Parish Church of St Mary the Virgin in Chatham on 15 November 1769. When he was 23 years old John married 21-year-old Mary Munn at the Parish Church of St Peter in Bredhurst, Kent on 25 July 1793, by licence. Mary was the daughter of William and Elizabeth Munn, and she had been baptised at the Parish Church of St Peter in Bredhurst on 4 December 1771.

Mary already had an illegitimate son born at Bredhurst in 1792, who was probably fathered by John. After their marriage John and Mary had five children; the first born at Bredhurst in 1794 and the other four at Chatham between 1803 and 1815. When their last child was baptised in 1815 John was described as being a farmer. In the census of 6 June 1841 John and Mary were living at Waterloo Place in Chatham with their son William and his wife and three children, and John was described as being a yeoman.

John died at Chatham, at the age of 78, and he was buried in the Churchyard of St Peter at Bredhurst on 13 November 1847. In the census of 30 March 1851 Mary was living with the family of her daughter Mary Nobel Wall near the Gibraltar Inn in Old Maidstone Road at Chatham. Then five years after her husband's death Mary died at Gillingham, at the age of 80, and she was buried in the Churchyard of St Peter at Bredhurst on 17 October 1852.

 

Mary’s illegitimate child was John Munn who was baptised as Mary's illegitimate son at the Parish Church of St Peter in Bredhurst, Kent on 24 February 1794. As John seems to have later used the name John Landen, and as his Christian name was John, it seems likely that he was fathered by his mother's future husband John Landen.

 

John and Mary’s eldest legitimate child was Mary Noble Landen who was baptised at the Parish Church of St Peter in Bredhurst, Kent on 24 February 1794. Mary married Nathaniel Wall and had at least two children. In the census of 30 March 1851 they were all living near the Gibraltar Inn in Old Maidstone Road at Chatham; Nathaniel was a wheelwright and they had Mary's widowed mother living with them.

 

John and Mary’s second legitimate child was Robert William Landen who was born at Chatham in Kent, and baptised at the Parish Church of St Mary the Virgin in Chatham on 15 June 1803.

 

John and Mary’s third legitimate child was Hannah Landen who was born at Chatham in Kent, and baptised at the Parish Church of St Mary the Virgin in Chatham on 29 June 1806.

 

John and Mary’s fourth legitimate child was William Walker Landen who was born at Chatham in Kent on 15 August 1811, and baptised at the Parish Church of St Mary the Virgin in Chatham on 15 September 1811. William married Margaret and had at least three children. In the census of 6 June 1841 they were all living with William's parents at Waterloo Place in Chatham and William was working as a wheelwright.

 

John and Mary’s fifth legitimate child was Sarah Landen who was born at Chatham in Kent, and baptised at the Parish Church of St Mary the Virgin in Chatham on 25 October 1815.

 

Noble and Mary’s fifth child was Elizabeth Landen who was born at Chatham in Kent, and baptised at the Parish Church of St Mary the Virgin in Chatham on 25 March 1771. Elizabeth died soon after birth and was buried in the Churchyard of St Mary the Virgin at Chatham on 30 March 1771.

 

Noble and Mary’s sixth child was William Landen who was born at Chatham in Kent, and baptised at the Parish Church of St Mary the Virgin in Chatham on 18 March 1772. When he was 28 years old William married 26-year-old Mary Tiesdell at the Parish Church of St Mary the Virgin in Chatham on 4 March 1800, by licence. They were both then living in Chatham. Mary was the daughter of Samuel and Ann Tiesdell, and she had been baptised at the Parish Church of St Peter in Bredhurst, Kent on 1 August 1773.

William and Mary had eight children born at Chatham between 1800 and 1815. When their eighth child was baptised in 1815 William was described as being a farmer. William died at the age of 77 and he was buried in the Churchyard of St Mary the Virgin at Chatham on 30 December 1849.

 

William and Mary’s eldest child was William Landen who was born at Chatham in Kent, and baptised at the Parish Church of St Mary the Virgin in Chatham on 28 December 1800.

 

William and Mary’s second child was Mary Landen who was born at Chatham in Kent, and baptised at the Parish Church of St Mary the Virgin in Chatham on 19 March 1802. Mary died when she was about 7 months old, and she was buried in the Churchyard of St Mary the Virgin at Chatham on 14 October 1802.

 

William and Mary’s third child was Noble Landen who was born at Chatham in Kent, and baptised at the Parish Church of St Mary the Virgin in Chatham on 16 March 1803.

 

William and Mary’s fourth child was Mary Ann Landen who was born at Chatham in Kent, and baptised at the Parish Church of St Mary the Virgin in Chatham on 14 September 1806.

 

William and Mary’s fifth child was George Robert Landen who was born at Chatham in Kent, and baptised at the Parish Church of St Mary the Virgin in Chatham on 27 March 1808.

 

William and Mary’s sixth child was Sarah Landen who was born at Chatham in Kent, and baptised at the Parish Church of St Mary the Virgin in Chatham on 8 October 1809.

 

William and Mary’s seventh child was Samuel Tiesdell Landen who was born at Chatham in Kent, and baptised at the Parish Church of St Mary the Virgin in Chatham on 10 March 1811.

 

William and Mary’s eighth child was John Landen who was born at Chatham in Kent, and baptised at the Parish Church of St Mary the Virgin in Chatham on 25 October 1815.

 

Noble and Mary’s seventh child was Noble Landen who was born at Chatham in Kent, and baptised at the Parish Church of St Mary the Virgin in Chatham on 26 November 1773. When he was 26 years old Noble married 24-year-old Martha Lippingwell at the Parish Church of St Mary the Virgin in Chatham on 25 February 1800. They were both then living in Chatham. Mary was the daughter of Benjamin and Mary Lippingwell, and she had been baptised at the Parish Church of All Saints in Boxley, Kent on 24 March 1776.

Noble and Martha had two children born at Chatham, the first in late 1800. The second child was probably born in January 1802 and it was soon after this birth that Martha, at the age of 25, and both of her children died; they were all buried in the Churchyard of St Mary the Virgin at Chatham on 12 January 1802.

Nine years later Noble, at the age of 37, married 33-year-old Elizabeth Willmott at the Parish Church of St Mary Magdalene in Gillingham, Kent on 27 September 1811. Elizabeth was the daughter of John and Ann Willmott and she had been baptised at the Parish Church of St Mary the Virgin in Chatham on 1 March 1778. Noble and Elizabeth had four children born at Chatham between 1811 (two months after their marriage) and 1823, the first of whom died in 1819 when 7 years old. Noble was described as being a labourer at the baptisms of his children from 1813 to 1823.

Noble died at Chatham at the age of 66 and he was buried in the Churchyard of St Mary the Virgin at Chatham on 19 January 1840. In the census of 6 June 1841 Elizabeth was living at Brook in Chatham with her son Mark and 5-year-old John Landon, who was probably a grandson. Ten years after her husband's death Elizabeth died at the age of 71 (not 73 as given on her burial record), and she was buried in the Churchyard of St Mary the Virgin at Chatham on 20 January 1850.

 

Noble and Martha’s eldest child was Hannah Sarah Noble Landen who was born at Chatham in Kent, and baptised at the Parish Church of St Mary the Virgin in Chatham on 28 December 1800. Hannah died when she was only 1 year old, and she was buried in the Churchyard of St Mary the Virgin at Chatham on 12 January 1802 at the same time as her younger sister and her mother.

 

Noble and Martha’s second child was Mary Landen who was probably born at Chatham in Kent during January 1802 and died soon after birth, before she could be baptised. She was buried in the Churchyard of St Mary the Virgin at Chatham on 12 January 1802 at the same time as her elder sister and her mother.

 

Noble and Elizabeth’s eldest child (Noble’s third) was Mary Noble Landen who was born at Chatham in Kent on 8 December 1811, and baptised at the Parish Church of St Mary the Virgin in Chatham on 5 January 1812. Mary died when she was only 7 years old, and she was buried in the Churchyard of St Mary the Virgin at Chatham on 3 June 1819.

 

Noble and Elizabeth’s second child (Noble’s fourth) was Hannah Walker Landen who was born at Chatham in Kent, and baptised at the Parish Church of St Mary the Virgin in Chatham on 21 March 1813.

 

Noble and Elizabeth’s third child (Noble’s fifth) was Sarah Landen who was born at Chatham in Kent, and baptised at the Parish Church of St Mary the Virgin in Chatham on 28 June 1818.

 

Noble and Elizabeth’s fourth child (Noble’s sixth) was Mark William Landen who was born at Chatham in Kent on 20 January 1823, and baptised at the Parish Church of St Mary the Virgin in Chatham on 16 February 1823. In the census of 6 June 1841 Mark was working as a labourer and living with his widowed mother at Brook in Chatham.

 

Noble and Mary’s eighth child was Robert Landen who was probably born at Chatham in Kent during November 1775 and died soon after birth, before he could be baptised. He was buried in the Churchyard of St Mary the Virgin at Chatham on 11 November 1775.

 

Noble and Mary’s ninth child was Sarah Landen who was born at Chatham in Kent, and baptised at the Parish Church of St Mary the Virgin in Chatham on 20 November 1776. When her grandfather Edward Muddle died in 1788 Sarah inherited £300, which was to be paid to her when she attained the age of 24.

When she was 23 years old Sarah married John Morris at the Parish Church of St Mary the Virgin in Chatham on 21 December 1799. They had eleven children, the first born at Chatham in 1800 and the other ten at Strood in Kent between 1802 and 1818, two of whom were twins. John was described as being a carpenter at the baptisms of his children from 1814 to 1818.

 

John and Sarah’s eldest child was Sarah Morris who was born at Chatham in Kent, and baptised at the Parish Church of St Mary the Virgin in Chatham on 5 November 1800.

 

John and Sarah’s second child was Mary Morris who was born at Strood in Kent on 15 January 1802, and baptised at the Parish Church of St Nicholas in Strood on 7 February 1802.

 

John and Sarah’s third child, one of twins, was John Morris who was born at Strood in Kent on 28 June 1803, and baptised at the Parish Church of St Nicholas in Strood on 24 July 1803.

 

John and Sarah’s fourth child, one of twins, was Hannah Morris who was born at Strood in Kent on 28 June 1803, and baptised at the Parish Church of St Nicholas in Strood on 24 July 1803.

 

John and Sarah’s fifth child was Ann Morris who was born at Strood in Kent on 4 March 1805, and baptised at the Parish Church of St Nicholas in Strood on 24 March 1805.

 

John and Sarah’s sixth child was Mary Ann Morris who was born in St Nicholas Parish in Rochester, Kent on 27 May 1806, and baptised at the Parish Church of St Nicholas in Strood on 15 June 1806.

 

John and Sarah’s seventh child was Elizabeth Morris who was born at Strood in Kent on 16 February 1808, and baptised at the Parish Church of St Nicholas in Strood on 6 March 1808.

 

John and Sarah’s eighth child was Hannah Morris who was born at Strood in Kent on 28 April 1812, and baptised at the Parish Church of St Nicholas in Strood on 15 May 1814.

 

John and Sarah’s ninth child was Benjamin Morris who was at Strood in Kent baptised at the Parish Church of St Nicholas in Strood on 15 May 1814.

 

John and Sarah’s tenth child was Thomas Boys Morris who was at Strood in Kent baptised at the Parish Church of St Nicholas in Strood on 14 July 1816.

 

John and Sarah’s eleventh child was Gideon Morris who was at Strood in Kent baptised at the Parish Church of St Nicholas in Strood on 8 November 1818.

 

Edward and Elizabeth’s second child was Elizabeth Muddle who was born at Chatham in Kent, and baptised at the Parish Church of St Mary the Virgin in Chatham on 30 November 1746. Elizabeth died when only a year old and was buried in the Churchyard of St Mary the Virgin at Chatham on 11 March 1748.

 

Edward and Elizabeth’s third child was Edward Muddle who was born at Chatham in Kent, and baptised at the Parish Church of St Mary the Virgin in Chatham on 12 June 1749. Edward had moved to London and was living in the parish of St Mary in Whitechapel when, at the age of 23, he married Nanny Kitson, who was about 23, at the Church of St Katherine by the Tower on 2 May 1773 by licence. They lived in London where they had five children, one son and four daughters; one of the daughters died in 1782 when only 3 months old. When their first child was baptised in 1777 Edward was described as being a sugar refiner, and then at the baptisms of their next two children in 1778 and 1780 Edward was described as being a clerk. These three baptisms were at St Luke's Church, Old Street, Finsbury, so they were probably then living near there. The baptism of their fourth child in May 1782 was at St Leonard's Church in Shoreditch when they were living at Hoxton Fields, and when this child was buried 3 months later in July 1782 their address was given as Contentment Row, which was in Hoxton Fields. Their fifth child was born the following year while they were still living at Hoxton Fields.

Edward was described as being a gentleman of London when his father made his will in 1783. Then in the Kent's Directories of 1785 to 1791, and other directories of this period, Edward was listed as a sugar refiner of 8 Little Alie Street, Goodman's Fields, London, (this was to the north of the Tower of London). Was Edward in business with his brother-in-law John Walker who was also a sugar refiner? Edward and Nanny were living at Rose & Crown Court in Shoreditch when Nanny died at the age of 38 and was buried in the Churchyard of St Leonard in Shoreditch on 24 November 1788. This left Edward to look after four children aged between 5 and 11.

 

 

Edward's father died in 1788 and Edward was the sole executor of his father's will, which was proved at London by the Prerogative Court of Canterbury on 16 September 1790. In this will Edward inherited all the remainder of his father's real and personal estate after two bequests of £300 and expenses had been paid. It seems that Edward inherited at least one freehold property at Chatham from his father as the 1790 Kent Poll Book recorded that Edward Muddle of Hoxton, which is in Shoreditch Parish, was the freeholder of a house at Chatham that was occupied by Abbot, and that he voted on the 2nd day of the poll held on Penenden Heath, Maidstone between 28 & 30 June 1790 for Knights of the Shire (Members of Parliament) for Kent, when he voted for Filmer Honywood Esq. It was probably this property that was badly damaged by a large fire at Chatham on 30 June 1800, because in An Account of the Fire which happened at Chatham, on the 30th of June 1800. The Money collected for the Relief of the Sufferers, the Distribution of the Same &c. By William Jefferys, Treasurer to the Committee it was recorded that Edward Muddle owned a dwelling house, number 80 on the plan, that was much damaged, the occupiers then being John Robins and Mary Bacon, Inmate.

Edward was also granted administration by the Prerogative Court of Canterbury on 14 June 1816 of the residual part of his brother John's personal estate, valued at under £20, which had not been administered by their father before he died.

Edward was a gentleman living at Greenfield Street off Commercial Road in Whitechapel, Stepney when he made his will on 20 June 1831. Eight months later he died, at the age of 82 (not 88 as given on his burial record), and was buried in the Churchyard of Christ Church in Spitalfields, Stepney on 19 February 1832. His burial record states that he had been resident in the Parish of St Dunstan, Stepney, which was where his daughter Anne Luiders was living when she had died 10 months earlier. His will, dated 20 June 1831 and proved in London by the Prerogative Court of Canterbury on 23 March 1832, left £10 to Mrs Mary Ann Jackson, and the rest of his estate, which consisted of:

…all that Brick building wharf and other appurtenances being No 48 situated at Chatham in the County of Kent now or formerly occupied by Mr Martin likewise all them two houses situated in King Street with their outhousing gardens thereunto belonging also all those four houses situated and being in a place called Slycote Hill at Chatham aforesaid likewise those two houses situated and being at Gadshill near Gillingham in the County of Kent likewise all the rents issues and profits of the said messuage or tenements which shall be due and owing at the time of my decease Also…all my housing goods and furniture money plate linen china wearing apparel and books upon that…

in trust to be divided equally between his five grandchildren, Mary Ann Elizabeth Doscher, Elizabeth Brinnjes, Thomas Noakes, Mary Noakes and Joseph Noakes.[68]

 

Edward and Nanny’s eldest child was John Muddle who was born at Finsbury in London on 30 January 1777 and baptised at St Luke's Church, Old Street, Finsbury on 26 February 1777. It was just 2 days before his 14th birthday that John's father paid £52 10s to have John apprenticed to Robert Beckwith, a currier (one whose trade was the dressing and colouring of leather after it was tanned) in the parish of St Andrews, Holborn, London for 7 years from 28 January 1791 by an indenture dated 1 July 1791.[69]

 

Edward and Nanny’s second child was Elizabeth Muddle who was born at Finsbury in London on 14 October 1778 and baptised at St Luke's Church, Old Street, Finsbury on the 11 November 1778. Thomas Noakes at St George Hanover Square Church in Westminster on 21 October 1804, by a licence issued by the Faculty Office in London on 19 October 1804. Thomas was the son of Thomas and Ann Noke; he had been born at Shoe Lane in Holborn, London and baptised at St Andrew's Church in Holborn on 1 December 1771.

Thomas and Elizabeth had five children; the first four born in Westminster, London between 1805 and 1811, and the fifth at Hackney Road in Shoreditch, London during 1813 when Thomas was working as a pastry cook. They were still living in Hackney Road when Elizabeth died at the age of 45 and was buried in the Churchyard of St Leonard's in Shoreditch, London on 27 November 1823.

Thomas was living at Little Moorfields in the City of London when he acted, in 1832, as one of the three executors of the will of his father-in-law, Edward Muddle. Then four years later Thomas was living in Lombard Street in the City of London when he died, at the age of 64, and was buried in the Churchyard of St George the Martyr in Southwark on 26 February 1836.

 

Thomas and Elizabeth’s eldest child was Thomas Noakes who was born at Westminster in London on 24 August 1805, and baptised at St Clement Danes Church in Westminster on 22 September 1805. When his grandfather, Edward Muddle, died in 1831/2 his will bequeathed Thomas a fifth share of his estate.

 

Thomas and Elizabeth’s second child was Mary Noakes who was born at Westminster in London on 26 May 1807 and named (privately baptised) by St Clement Danes Church in Westminster on 24 June 1807. Mary was received into St Clement Danes Church on 22 October 1807. When her grandfather, Edward Muddle, died in 1831/2 his will bequeathed Mary a fifth share of his estate.

 

Thomas and Elizabeth’s third child was Elizabeth Noakes who was born at Westminster in London on 26 March 1809, and baptised at St Anne's Church in Soho, Westminster, on 26 April 1809.

 

Thomas and Elizabeth’s fourth child was Ann Hack Noakes who was born at Westminster in London on 21 February 1811, and baptised at St Clement Danes Church in Westminster on 15 March 1811.

 

Thomas and Elizabeth’s fifth child was William Joseph Noakes, known as Joseph, who was born at Hackney Road in Shoreditch, London on 21 November 1813, and baptised at St Leonard's Church in Shoreditch on 12 December 1813. When his grandfather, Edward Muddle, died in 1831/2 his will bequeathed Joseph a fifth share of his estate.

 

Edward and Nanny’s third child was Mary Muddle who was born at Finsbury in London on 18 June 1780 and baptised at St Luke's Church, Old Street, Finsbury on 14 July 1780. When she was 24 years old Mary married Charles Luiders at St Botolph without Aldgate Church in London on 19 October 1804 by licence. (Charles' name was Luiders rather than Leaders as recorded in the marriage register.) At the time of their marriage Charles was living in the parish of St Botolph without Aldgate, and Mary was living in the parish of Christ Church in Spitalfields, London. Charles and Mary are not thought to have had any children, and Mary died at Brick Lane, Spitalfields four years after their marriage, at the age of 28, and she was buried in the Churchyard of Christ Church in Spitalfields on 22 January 1809. Then almost four years later Charles married Mary's younger sister Anne.

 

Edward and Nanny’s fourth child was Sarah Muddle who was born at Hoxton Fields, Shoreditch, London on 13 April 1782, and baptised at St Leonard's Church in Shoreditch on 14 May 1782. Sarah died at Contentment Row, Hoxton Fields, Shoreditch when she was only 3 months old and she was buried in the Churchyard of St Leonard in Shoreditch on 9 July 1782.

 

Edward and Nanny’s fifth child was Hannah Muddle. known as Anne who was born at Hoxton Fields, Shoreditch, London on 27 April 1783, and baptised at St Leonard's Church in Shoreditch on 23 May 1783. When she was 29 years old Anne married widower Charles Luiders at St George in the East Church in Stepney, London on 6 December 1812. They were both then living in the parish of St George in the East in Stepney and Charles had previously been married to Anne's sister Mary. They had at least one child.

The 4 July 1818 edition of the London Gazette carried a notice that the partnership between Charles Luiders and Johann Hinnrick Wolters, who were carrying on the trade of sugar refiners at Finch Street, Whitechapel, was dissolved on 29 June 1818. On 2 July 1820 Charles and Anne Luiders were witnesses to the marriage of fellow sugar refiner Cordt Schroder to Mary Ann Knox at Christ Church in Spitalfields.

Anne died in the Parish of St Dunstan, Stepney at the age of nearly 48 (not 58 as given on her burial record), and was buried in the Churchyard of Christ Church in Spitalfields on 19 April 1831.

 

Charles and Anne’s only known child was Mary Ann Elizabeth Luiders who had married Frederick Doscher by the time Mary’s grandfather, Edward Muddle, made his will in June 1831. When her grandfather, Edward Muddle, died in 1831/2 his will bequeathed Mary a fifth share of his estate.

 

Edward and Elizabeth’s fourth child was John Muddle who was born at Chatham in Kent, and baptised at the Parish Church of St Mary the Virgin in Chatham on 25 December 1750. John died at Chatham, at the age of 28, and he was buried in the Churchyard of St Mary the Virgin at Chatham on 11 June 1779 in a grave that already contained John Hack junior, who had died in 1747, aged 22, and was possibly a brother of John's mother. The grave is marked by an inscribed headstone and was also used for Mary Munn Landen, who died in 1851, and her infant son.

John died intestate and administration of his estate was granted to his father by the Prerogative Court of Canterbury on 21 June 1779.[70] But he didn't complete the administration before he died in 1788, so John's brother Edward, who was the sole executor of their father's will, was granted administration on 14 June 1816 by the Prerogative Court of Canterbury of this remaining part of John's estate, valued at under £20.[71]

 

Edward and Elizabeth’s fifth child was Hannah Muddle who was born at Chatham in Kent, and baptised at the Parish Church of St Mary the Virgin in Chatham on 21 June 1752. When she was 18 years old Hannah married 29-year-old John Walker at St George's Church in Botolph Lane, London on 27 November 1770. They were both then living in the parish of St Botolph, Billingsgate. John was the son of solicitor John Walker and his wife Ann (née Buswell); he had been born at Bicester in Oxfordshire and baptised at the Parish Church of St Edburg in Bicester on 11 June 1741.

John and Hannah first lived at Wellclose Square in Whitechapel, Stepney, London where the first five of their ten children were born between 1771 and 1777, three of whom died in infancy. In 1777 sugar refiner J Walker took out a policy with the Sun Fire Office for his premises in Alie Street, Stepney. They then moved to Hackney in London where their next three children were born in 1778, 1780 and 1782, one dying in infancy from smallpox. The 1778 to 1783 editions of Kent’s Directory list John Walker as a sugar refiner at 8 Little Alie Street and 211 Brick Lane, Spitalfields. John was described as a sugar refiner of Hackney in the will of Hannah's father made in 1783. Then sometime during the next five years they moved to Bethnal Green, London where their last two children, twins, were born in 1788, one dying in infancy from smallpox. When her father died in 1788 Hannah inherited £300. Then less than two years later Hannah died at Bicester on 2 January 1790, at the age of 37, and she was buried in the Churchyard of St Edburg at Bicester on 9 January 1790.

The 1789 to 1799 editions of Lowndes Directory and other directories of the period list John Walker as a sugar refiner at 211 Brick Lane. John and his brother-in-law the Rev Francis Annesley took out a Sun Fire Office policy on the Brick Lane premises in 1794, and John himself took out other Sun Fire Office policies on the Brick Lane premises between 1793 and 1802.

The 1805-7 edition of Holden’s Triennial Directory listed John Walker as a sugar refiner at 211 Brick Lane. John was living at Bethnal Green when his son John matriculated in 1807. Then when he made his will on 17 March 1810 John described himself as a gentleman late of Bethnal Green and now of Well Street, Hackney. John died on 2 September 1810, at the age of 69, at Eydon in Northamptonshire whilst visiting his brother-in-law the Rev Francis Annesley, and he was buried in the Churchyard of St Edburg at Bicester on 8 September 1810. There is a memorial to John and his father in St Edburg's Church.

John’s will was proved at London by the Prerogative Court of Canterbury on 31 October 1810, the three executors and trustees (except the trustees of son John’s inheritance) being the Rev Francis Annesley, Edward Clarke gentleman of Grays Inn, Holborn, and his son William Walker. John bequeathed his leasehold premises in Well Street, Hackney, where he was living together with his leasehold premises in Brick Lane and Wentworth Street that were his sugar refining business and also his freehold and copyhold estates in the Parish of Granborough in Buckinghamshire to his son William. To his daughters Ann and Hester he bequeathed equal shares in £60,000 of 3% Consolidated Bank Annuities, and he also left another £60,000 of 3% Consolidated Bank Annuities in trust that they were to receive half the interest from until they were 40 years old when they would equally inherit this additional £60,000 of 3% Consolidated Bank Annuities with the accumulated other half interest. These two daughters also received equal shares of his household goods and furniture and also his carriages and horses. John left his freehold estates in the parishes of Staunton, Pendock and Redmarley D'Abitot in Worcestershire and in the parish of Corse in Gloucestershire, in trust for his son Francis to occupy and have the income from during his lifetime and also £10,000 of 3% Consolidated Bank Annuities were left in trust for his son Francis to have the income from during his lifetime, and after his death these estates and annuities were to go to the children of Francis.

It seems that John was less than happy with the conduct of his son John and made provisions in his will for his son John to only receive part of his inheritance unless his conduct was to the satisfaction of the trustees of his inheritance, who were his brother William and his sisters Ann and Hester. John’s freehold estate in the parish of Middle Barton in Oxfordshire was left in trust for his son John to receive the income during his life and if his conduct for seven years was to the satisfaction of the trustees he was to inherit title to this estate, otherwise the title would pass to his children after his death and they had attained the age of 24 years. John also left £30,000 of 3% Consolidated Bank Annuities in trust for his son John to receive one third of the interest during his lifetime which could be increased to one half if his conduct was to the satisfaction of the trustees; the other two thirds or one half of the interest to be used by the trustees for the maintenance education etc. of the children of son John until they attained the age of 24 years. This £30,000 of 3% Consolidated Bank Annuities were to finally be inherited by the children of son John. As son John would not receive any immediate benefit from these bequests he was to receive £500 immediately after his father’s death, and further £1000 was left in trust for him to inherit if he actually resided at the estate in Oxfordshire or married, so that he could stock the estate and setup home.

Two of the witness to John’s will, Claus Hadaff and Charles Althans, gave their address as 211 Brick Lane, Spitalfields so they were probably senior employees in John’s sugar refining business, probably managers. Also John’s son William had presumably been in the business with his father as he was described in the will as a sugar refiner and inherited the business.[72]

 

John and Hannah’s eldest child was Ann Hack Walker who was born at Wellclose Square in Whitechapel, Stepney, London and baptised at St Mary's Church in Whitechapel on 17 October 1771. When her father died in 1810 Ann and her sister Hester inherited equal shares in £60,000 of 3% Consolidated Bank Annuities, together with half the interest in another £60,000 of 3% Consolidated Bank Annuities that were left in trust until they were 40 years old when they would equally inherit this additional £60,000 of 3% Consolidated Bank Annuities with the accumulated other half of interest. They would also share equally all their father's household goods and furniture and also his carriages and horses. Ann was one of the trustees, with her brother William and sister Hester, for the property and annuities their father left in trust for their brother John.

In the census of 30 March 1851 Ann and her sister Hester were two spinster fund holders living together at Weybridge in Surrey. They had four live-in servants, a cook, a footman and two house servants. Ann never married; she died at Weybridge, at the age of 83, her death being registered during the 1st quarter of 1855. Ann in her will left everything to her sister Hester.

 

John and Hannah’s second child was John Walker who was born at Wellclose Square in Whitechapel, Stepney, London and baptised at St Mary's Church in Whitechapel on 23 June 1773. John died from convulsions at Wellclose Square when only 5 months old and he was buried in the Churchyard of St Mary in Whitechapel on 14 October 1773.

 

John and Hannah’s third child was John Francis Walker who was born at Wellclose Square in Whitechapel, Stepney, London and baptised at St Mary's Church in Whitechapel on 16 September 1774. John had presumably died by 1778 when his parents name another son Francis.

 

John and Hannah’s fourth child was Edward Walker who was born at Wellclose Square in Whitechapel, Stepney, London and baptised at St Mary's Church in Whitechapel on 31 January 1776. Edward died from convulsions at Wellclose Square when only 2 months old and he was buried in the Churchyard of St Mary in Whitechapel on 7 February 1776.

 

John and Hannah’s fifth child was William Walker who was born at Wellclose Square in Whitechapel, Stepney, London and baptised at St Mary's Church in Whitechapel on 18 March 1777. In his father's will of 1810 William was described as a sugar refiner of Great Garden Street in the Parish of St Mary Whitechapel, he was presumably in business with his father, and he was one of the executors and trustees of his father's will. William inherited his father's leasehold home at Well Street, Hackney; all his father's freehold and copyhold estates in the Parish of Granborough in Buckinghamshire, and also his father's leasehold premises in Brick Lane and Wentworth Street in the Parish of Christ Church that consisted of sugar houses with their fixtures and utensils of the sugar refining business and also dwelling houses.

The 1811 edition of Holden’s Directory listed William Walker as a sugar refiner living at 8 Great Garden Street with his business in Brick Lane. The 1815 edition of the London Post Office Directory and the 1817 edition of Kent’s London Directory list William Walker as a sugar refiner with his business at 211 Brick Lane and 66 Wentworth Street. The 1815 edition of the London Post Office Directory also lists William Walker as a trustee of the Pelican Life Insurance Office. The 1823-4 edition of Pigot’s London Commercial Directory listed William Walker as a sugar refiner of 211 Brick Lane.

William would have been Mr Walker the owner referred to when the Examiner reported in 1829 that a fire in the sugar refinery in Brick Lane had resulted in a loss of £3000. William had his business insured with the Phoenix Fire Office which had been established in 1782 by sugar refiners for sugar refiners because of the excessive rates they were charged by other insurance companies. The Phoenix Fire Office’s losses for 1829 include £56 for the buildings and £851 for the stock and utensils of William Walker.

William was living at Stamford Hill, London when he acted as executor of the will of his brother Francis in 1830. The 1834 edition of Robson’s Directory listed William Walker as a sugar refiner of 211 Brick Lane.

 

John and Hannah’s sixth child was Francis Walker who was born at Hackney in London and baptised at St John's Church in Hackney on 25 July 1778. Francis married Mary. When his father died in 1810 Francis was occupying his father's freehold estates in the parishes of Staunton, Pendock and Redmarley D'Abitot in Worcestershire and in the parish of Corse in Gloucestershire; these were now left in trust so that Francis could continue to occupy them and have the income from during his lifetime. £10,000 of 3% Consolidated Bank Annuities were left in trust for Francis to have the income from during his lifetime. After his death these estates and annuities were to go to his children. Francis died at New Hall in Chaceley, Gloucestershire on 1 September 1820, at the age of 51, when he was seized with an apoplectic attack while engaged in the sports of the field. He was buried at Staunton, Worcestershire on 8 September 1829.

 

John and Hannah’s seventh child was Mary Elizabeth Walker who was born at Hackney in London and baptised at St John's Church in Hackney on 26 January 1780. Mary died from smallpox at Alie Street in Stepney when she was only 19 months old and she was buried in the Churchyard of St Mary at Whitechapel on 24 August 1781.

 

John and Hannah’s eighth child was Hester Walker who was born at Hackney in London and baptised at St John's Church in Hackney on 29 August 1782. When her father died in 1810 Hester and her sister Ann inherited equal shares in £60,000 of 3% Consolidated Bank Annuities, together with half the interest in another £60,000 of 3% Consolidated Bank Annuities that were left in trust until they were 40 years old when they would equally inherit this additional £60,000 of 3% Consolidated Bank Annuities with the accumulated other half of interest. They would also share equally all their father's household goods and furniture and also his carriages and horses. Hester was one of the trustees, with her brother William and sister Ann, for the property and annuities their father left in trust for their brother John.

In the census of 30 March 1851 Hester and her sister Ann were two spinster fund holders living together at Weybridge in Surrey. They had four live-in servants, a cook, a footman and two house servants. Hester's sister Ann died in early 1855 and her will bequeathed everything to Hester. In the census of 7 April 1861 Hester was living in Weybridge on the road leading to the South Western Railway Station. She had four live-in servants, two were the same as in 1851, footman William Andrews and housemaid Elizabeth Sharp, and the other two were a cook and a domestic servant.

Hester never married; she died at her home in Weybridge Park on 18 February 1863, at the age of 80. Her will was proved at the Principal Probate Registry on 19 March 1863, when the value of her effects was given as under £90,000, and administration was granted to her brother John Walker and his son Francis Walker as the surviving executors.

 

John and Hannah’s ninth child, one of twins, was John Walker who was born at Bethnal Green in London on 1 August 1788 and baptised at St Matthew's Church in Bethnal Green on 31 October 1788. John is recorded in Alumni Oxonienses as having matriculated at Christ Church College on the 22 October 1807, aged 19, and to be the son of John Walker of Bethnal Green. John never completed his studies at Oxford University.

It seems that John was probably a bit of the ‘Black Sheep’ of the family because when his father died in 1810 part of John’s inheritance was made conditional on John’s conduct being satisfactory to the trustees of his inheritance, these trustees being his brother William and his sisters Ann and Hester. His father’s freehold estate in the parish of Middle Barton in Oxfordshire was left in trust for John to receive the income during his lifetime and if his conduct for seven years was to the satisfaction of the trustees he was to inherit title to this estate, otherwise the title would pass to his children after his death and they had attained the age of 24 years. His father also left £30,000 of 3% Consolidated Bank Annuities in trust for John to receive one third of the interest during his lifetime which could be increased to one half if his conduct was to the satisfaction of the trustees; the other two thirds or one half of the interest to be used by the trustees for the maintenance education etc. of the children of John until they attained the age of 24 years. This £30,000 of 3% Consolidated Bank Annuities were to finally be inherited by the children of John. As John would not receive any immediate benefit from these bequests he was to receive £500 immediately after his father’s death, and a further £1000 was left in trust for him to inherit if he actually resided at the estate in Oxfordshire or married, so that he could stock the estate and setup home.

When he was 25 years old John married 22-year-old Jane Caroline Carwardine, known as Caroline, in Essex, probably at Earls Colne, on 12 October 1813, by a licence issued by the Faculty Office on 23 September 1813. Caroline was the daughter of the Rev Thomas Carwardine and his wife Anne (née Holgate); she had been born at Earls Colne, Essex on 22 June 1791 and baptised at the Parish Church of St Andrew in Earls Colne on 2 February 1794. John and Caroline first lived at Stamford Hill in Hackney, London where they had two children, Ann born in 1814 and Caroline Hester born in 1817. They later lived at Earls Colne where their other four known children, Henrietta Jane, John, George Alfred, and Francis, were born, the last in about 1830.

They then moved to London and in the census of 30 March 1851 John and Caroline with two of their youngest children, Henrietta and Francis, were living at 13 Westbourne Street, Hyde Park, Paddington, London. John described himself as a landed proprietor and they had four live-in servants. Then in the census of 7 April 1861 they were continuing to live at 13 Westbourne Street and had just their daughter Henrietta living with them. John now described himself as a gentleman and they had three live-in servants. John was living at 13 Westbourne Street when he acted as one of the executors of the will of his sister Hester in 1863.

John died at his home in Westbourne Street on 1 January 1868, at the age of 79 (not 80 as given on his death certificate). His will was proved at the Principal Probate Registry on 23 January 1868, when the value of his effects was given as under £12,000, and administration was granted to his wife as the sole executrix.

In the census of 2 April 1871 Caroline was still living at 13 Westbourne Street and her spinster daughter Henrietta was still living with her; both stated that they were living on the interest from money in the Bank of England. They had four live-in servants, a lady’s maid, a housemaid, a cook and a butler.

Caroline was still living in Westbourne Street when she died there on 28 September 1878, at the age of 87. Her will was proved at the Principal Probate Registry on 23 October 1878, when the value of her effects was given as under £60,000. Administration was granted to the Caroline's son-in-law, the Venerable Henry Goldney Randall of the Rectory, Christian Malford, Wiltshire, the Archdeacon of Bristol, and Caroline's son, the Reverend George Alfred Walker of the Vicarage, Chidham near Emsworth, Sussex.

 

John and Hannah’s tenth child, one of twins, was Hannah Anne Walker who was born at Bethnal Green in London on 1 August 1788 and baptised at St Matthew's Church in Bethnal Green on 31 October 1788. Hannah died from smallpox at Bethnal Green when she was only 9 months old and she was buried in the Churchyard of St Mary at Whitechapel on 18 May 1789.

 

Edward and Elizabeth’s sixth child was Thomas Muddle who was born at Chatham in Kent, and baptised at the Parish Church of St Mary the Virgin in Chatham on 16 June 1754. Thomas died when only about 6 months old and he was buried in the Churchyard of St Mary the Virgin at Chatham on 24 January 1755.

 

Edward and Elizabeth’s seventh child was William Muddle who was probably born at Chatham in Kent during late 1755. William was buried in the Churchyard of St Mary the Virgin at Chatham on 15 November 1755, probably before he could be baptised, as no baptism has been found for him.

 

Edward and Elizabeth’s eighth child was Elizabeth Muddle who was born at Chatham in Kent, and baptised at the Parish Church of St Mary the Virgin in Chatham on 31 May 1758. Elizabeth died when only four years old and she was buried in the Churchyard of St Mary the Virgin at Chatham on 20 February 1763.

 

Thomas and Mary’s third child was Mary Muddle who was born at Rotherfield in Sussex, and baptised at the Parish Church of St Denys in Rotherfield on 9 April 1711. Mary died when only two years old, and she was buried in the Churchyard of St Denys at Rotherfield on 11 May 1713.

 

Thomas and Mary’s fourth child was Anne Muddle who was born at Rotherfield in Sussex, and baptised at the Parish Church of St Denys in Rotherfield on 24 February 1713. When she was 34 years old Anne married William Foreman at the Parish Church of St Peter in Pembury, Kent on 28 April 1747 by licence. The marriage record states that Anne was from Rotherfield and William was from Wadhurst. When her father died in 1756 Anne inherited £10.

 

 

Thomas and Mary’s fifth child was Elizabeth Muddle who was born at Rotherfield in Sussex, and baptised at the Parish Church of St Denys in Rotherfield on 3 October 1714. When her father died in early 1756 Elizabeth, at the age of 41, inherited £10. Then when her sister Sarah Downard died in 1775 Elizabeth was the sole executrix of her will and inherited all Sarah's real and personal estate that included two copyhold properties in Rotherfield Town. Elizabeth never married and probably always lived in Rotherfield. She died on 19 December 1779, at the age of 65, and was buried in the Churchyard of St Denys at Rotherfield where her grave is marked by an inscribed headstone.[73]

Elizabeth had made her will on 18 December 1779, the day before she died, when she described herself as a spinster of Rotherfield, and this will was proved at London by the Prerogative Court of Canterbury on 19 January 1780. In this will Elizabeth made the following bequests: to her six nieces, Mary, Frances, Ann, Sophia, Sarah and Elizabeth, the daughters of her brother Nicholas Muddle, £20 each, and also equal shares of all her wearing apparel, household furniture, beds, bedding, plate and moveable effects whatsoever; to her brother Edward Muddle, watchmaker of Chatham in Kent, her copyhold property in Rotherfield Town, now in the occupation of Samuel Damper, herself and Joseph Chittenden that she had inherited from her sister Sarah Downard, together with any other real estate and the residue of her personal estate that consisted of money or securities for money. She also made her brother Edward the sole executor of her will.[74]

 

Thomas and Mary’s sixth child was Nicholas Muddle who was born at Rotherfield in Sussex, and baptised at the Parish Church of St Denys in Rotherfield on 21 June 1716. Nicholas, like his two brothers, would have been trained as a clockmaker by his father, who was a master clocksmith and whitesmith at Rotherfield, and though he probably completed his apprenticeship in 1737 at the normal age of 21, it seems likely he continued working with his father at Rotherfield for a few years before moving to Lindfield in Sussex, which is about 14 miles west of Rotherfield, where he set up in business as a master clockmaker. Several longcase clocks have survived from the time Nicholas was at Lindfield; they are inscribed 'Nich. Muddle Lindfield' and have been offered for sale at auctions.

When he was 27 years old Nicholas married Mary Durrant, who was about 21, at the Parish Church of All Saints in Lindfield on 25 January 1744. They initially lived at Lindfield where they had three daughters born in 1746, 1747 and 1749, the second of whom died when only eleven months old. During March 1746 Nicholas Muddle was paid 6 shillings by the Overseers of the Poor of Lindfield for a bill he had submitted; it's not known what the bill was for, but possibly the Workhouse had a clock that Nicholas had repaired.[75] In the Window and House Tax assessment for Lindfield of 1747 Nicholas was record as having 9 lights in his house, and as this was below the 10 lights at which payment for individual windows was required he paid just the basic 2 shillings House Tax.[76]

 

 

It was probably in 1752 that Nicholas and Mary moved to Tonbridge in Kent where they had four more daughters born between 1753 and 1762. The Tonbridge Overseers' Accounts record Nicholas Muddle being assessed each year from 1753 to 1762 on a property in Church Lane with a yearly rental value of £3, and the yearly Poor Rate that Nicholas had to pay the Overseers on this property varied between 7s 6d and 13s 6d. The assessment for this property in 1763 was recorded as being for the occupier of late Muddles in the Church Lane with a yearly rental value of £3.[77]

Church Lane, where Nicholas lived and presumably had his clock making business, is a short road running from Tonbridge High Street to the entrance of the Parish Church of St Peter & St Paul, whose Churchwardens paid Nicholas Muddle 1s 6d in 1758 as per his bill, but what this was for was not specified. When his father died in 1756 Nicholas inherited £10.

While he was living in Tonbridge Nicholas made watches because the 14 July 1775 edition of The Public Advertiser carried a notice from the Public Office, Bow Street, London requesting that the office be contacted by the owners of a number of items, including an old silver watch inscribed 'Nich. Muddle, Tunbridge, No. 4861', found in the possession of some suspicious persons then in custody and thought to have been stolen.

From 1763 to 1797 Nicholas was not recorded as being assessed for the Poor Rate in the Tonbridge Overseers' Accounts so was he now living outside the parish but still had his business in the parish because the Churchwardens' Accounts of Tonbridge Parish Church record that they made 24 payments to Nicholas Muddle between the years 1766 and 1786; these payments being mostly for cleaning the church clock but also included repairing the clock and chimes, repairing the lock on the church door and repairing candlesticks, the sums involved being anything between 1s and 15s.[78] When the payments stop in 1786 Nicholas would have been 70 years old, so this was possibly when he retired.

In 1797 Nicholas Muddle, at the age of 81, was recorded as an inhabitant of Tonbridge Town who was liable to serve on juries.[79] Then from 1798 to 1807 the Tonbridge Overseers' Accounts again record Nicholas Muddle as being assessed for the Poor Rate, now on a property with a yearly rental value of £5 5s on which the yearly assessment Nicholas had to pay varied between 15s 9d and £1 11s 6d.[80]

Mary died at Tonbridge at the age of 82, and she was buried in the Churchyard of St Peter & St Paul at Tonbridge on 3 May 1805. Two years later Nicholas died at Tonbridge, at the age of 91 (not 92 as given on his burial record), and he was buried in the Churchyard of St Peter & St Paul at Tonbridge on 27 December 1807.

 

Their children were:

Mary 1746-1815  Phoeby 1747-1748  Frances 1749-?  Ann 1753-1826

Sophia 1756-1835  Sarah 1759-1840  Elizabeth 1762-1838

 

Nicholas and Mary’s eldest child was Mary Muddle who was born at Lindfield in Sussex, and baptised at the Parish Church of All Saints in Lindfield on 8 January 1746. When her father's spinster sister, Elizabeth Muddle, died in late 1779, Mary, at the age of 33, inherited £20 and a sixth share of her clothes and household effects. Mary never married; she died in Lambeth Workhouse in London at the age of 69 (nearly 70), and she was buried in the Churchyard of St Mary at Lambeth on 28 December 1815.

 

Nicholas and Mary’s second child was Phoeby Muddle who was born at Lindfield in Sussex, and baptised at the Parish Church of All Saints in Lindfield on 28 October 1747. Phoeby died when about eleven months old and she was buried in the Churchyard of All Saints at Lindfield on 17 September 1748.

 

Nicholas and Mary’s third child was Frances Muddle who was born at Lindfield in Sussex, and baptised at the Parish Church of All Saints Church in Lindfield on 27 October 1749. When her father's spinster sister, Elizabeth Muddle, died in late 1779, Frances, at the age of 30, inherited £20 and a sixth share of her clothes and household effects. Then when she was 35 years old Frances married James Pope at the Parish Church of St Nicholas in Strood, Kent on 19 July 1785. James was then living at Chatham and Frances at Strood.

 

Nicholas and Mary’s fourth child was Ann Muddle who was born at Tonbridge in Kent, and baptised at the Parish Church of St Peter & St Paul Church in Tonbridge on 1 August 1753.

When she was 23 years old Ann married John Whyman, who was about 26, at the Parish Church of All Saints in Brenchley, Kent on 21 October 1776. They were both then living at Brenchley. When her father's spinster sister, Elizabeth Muddle, died in late 1779, Ann, at the age of 26, inherited £20 and a sixth share of her clothes and household effects.

John died at Marden in Kent, at the age of 72, and he was buried in the Churchyard of St Michael & All Angels in Marden on 29 June 1822. Three years later Ann died at Marden, at the age of 72, and she was buried in the Churchyard of St Michael & All Angels in Marden on 26 January 1826.

 

Nicholas and Mary’s fifth child was Sophia Muddle who was born at Tonbridge in Kent, and baptised at the Parish Church of St Peter & St Paul in Tonbridge on 10 October 1756. When her father's spinster sister, Elizabeth Muddle, died in late 1779, Sophia, at the age of 23, inherited £20 and a sixth share of her clothes and household effects.

When she was 24 years old Sophia married 24-year-old Richard Mungeam at the Parish Church of St Peter & St Paul in Tonbridge on 16 September 1781. Richard was the son of William and Eleanor Mungeam, and he had been baptised at the Parish Church of St John the Baptist in Meopham, Kent on 26 December 1756. He had been apprenticed to Stephen Glover of Rochester as a carpenter/joiner, and had been made a Freeman of Rochester in 1790.

Richard and Sophia had six children born between 1782 and 1797, one of whom died in infancy. Their first child was born at Rochester in Kent during 1782, the second at Strood in Kent during 1784, and the next two at Chatham in Kent in 1787 and 1790. When Richard's brother, Glover Mungeam, who had been a shipwright in Chatham Dockyard, died in March 1791, he left Richard one guinea and all his working tools. Richard and Sophia's last two children were born at Deptford in Kent in 1794 and 1797; they were then living in Church Street at Deptford, and Richard was working as a carpenter.

They later moved to Chartham near Canterbury, where from 1814 their son Richard and his family had been living, and there fell on hard times and become a burden on the parish, resulting in the Churchwardens and Overseers of the Poor of the Parish of Chartham applying to the Justices of the Peace for their removal to the Parish of St Margaret in the City of Rochester, which was their legal place of settlement. The Justices of the Peace duly issued a removal order on 2 October 1824 for Richard and Sophia to be removed from the Parish of Chartham to the Parish of St Margaret in Rochester.[81] Sophia died in St Margaret's Poor House in Rochester at the age of 78, and she was buried in the Churchyard of St Margaret at Rochester on 30 January 1835.

 

Richard and Sophia’s eldest child was Edward Mungeam who was born at Rochester in Kent and baptised at the Parish Church of St Margaret in Rochester on 28 July 1782. When he was 32 years old Edward married Jane Dragon at the Parish Church of St Nicholas in Rochester on 26 March 1815. Edward died at Chatham in Kent at the age of 47, and he was buried in the Churchyard of St Mary the Virgin in Chatham on 30 December 1829.

 

Richard and Sophia’s second child was Eleanor Mungeam who was born at Strood in Kent on 12 July 1784, and baptised at the Parish Church of St Nicholas in Strood on 1 August 1784. When she was 23 years old Eleanor married John Holyoak at the Parish Church of St Nicholas in Rochester on 4 August 1807. They lived at Chatham where they had at least six children born between 1811 and 1826.

One of their children, described simply as 'Mr Holyoak's child' was buried in the burial ground at the Clover Street Ebenezer Chapel in Chatham on 24 April 1824, it's not known if this was one of the known children or possibly another child who died before being named or baptised. When their second child was baptised in 1815 John's occupation, which is very difficult to read, was either painter or printer.

John died and was buried in the burial ground at the Clover Street Ebenezer Chapel in Chatham on 24 May 1834. Eleanor, at the age of 51, then married 67-year-old widower Thomas Goff at the Parish Church of St Mary Magdalene in Gillingham, Kent on 2 February 1836. Thomas was the son of Thomas and Mary Goff and he had been baptised at the Parish Church of St James the Great in East Malling, Kent on 23 October 1768.

When her aunt Elizabeth Muddle died in early 1838 Eleanor inherited £100, which was stipulated to be for her own use and independent of her husband's control. In the census of 6 June 1841 Thomas and Eleanor were living at Claremont Place in Chatham, Thomas was a smith and they had Eleanor's daughter Sarah Holyoak living with them.

Thomas died at Chatham, at the age of 74, and he was buried in the Churchyard of St Mary the Virgin at Chatham on 2 June 1843. Eight years later Eleanor died at Chatham, at the age of 66, her death being registered during the 1st quarter of 1851.

 

John and Eleanor’s eldest known child was Esther Holyoak who was born at Chatham in Kent on 25 January 1811, and baptised at the Parish Church of St Mary the Virgin in Chatham on 12 April 1811. Esther died at the age of 18 and she was buried in the burial ground at the Clover Street Ebenezer Chapel in Chatham on 12 December 1829.

 

John and Eleanor’s second known child was John Holyoak who was born at Chatham in Kant, and baptised at the Parish Church of St Mary the Virgin in Chatham on 10 September 1815.

 

John and Eleanor’s third known child was Sarah Jane Holyoak who was born at Chatham in Kent on 18 January 1817, and baptised at the Clover Street Ebenezer Chapel in Chatham on 9 March 1817. In the census of 6 June 1841 Sarah, at the age of 24, was working as a servant and living with her mother and stepfather at Claremont Place in Chatham.

 

John and Eleanor’s fourth known child was Elizabeth Mary Holyoak who was born at Chatham in Kent on 19 January 1820, and baptised at the Clover Street Ebenezer Chapel in Chatham on 12 March 1820.

 

John and Eleanor’s fifth known child was Phoebe Holyoak who was born at Chatham in Kent on 9 August 1822, and baptised at the Clover Street Ebenezer Chapel in Chatham on 22 September 1822.

 

John and Eleanor’s sixth known child was Frances Holyoak who was born at Chatham in Kent on 22 July 1825, and baptised at the Clover Street Ebenezer Chapel in Chatham on 26 February 1826. When her great aunt Elizabeth Muddle died in early 1838 Frances and her cousin Sarah Elizabeth Mungeam inherited all of Elizabeth's clothes, linen and wearing apparel, which the executor had to share out between them.

 

Richard and Sophia’s third child was Sophia Mungeam who was born at Chatham in Kent, and baptised at the Parish Church of St Mary the Virgin in Chatham on 4 February 1787. Sophia died when she was only 2 years old and she was buried in the Churchyard of St Mary the Virgin in Chatham on 12 June 1789.

 

Richard and Sophia’s fourth child was Richard Mungeam who was born at Chatham in Kent, and baptised at the Parish Church of St Mary the Virgin in Chatham on 28 February 1790. When he was 22 years old Richard married 22-year-old Mary Terry at the Parish Church of St Mary the Virgin in Chatham on 23 December 1812. Mary was the daughter of Thomas and June Terry; she had been born at Chartham in Kent and baptised at the Parish Church of St Mary the Virgin in Chartham on 27 June 1790.

Richard and Mary had eight children. Their first child was born at Chatham in 1813, they then moved to Mary's home parish of Chartham near Canterbury where they had seven children born between 1814 and 1833. At the baptisms of all eight of his children Richard was described as being a labourer.

When his aunt Elizabeth Muddle died in early 1838, Richard was her sole executor, and he inherited the rest and residue of her estate, which consisted of money, securities for money, stocks, savings bank deposits, goods, chattels and any other personal estate whatsoever.

In the census of 6 June 1841 Richard and Mary with three of their children were living at Chartham Hatch in Chartham and Richard was working as a farm labourer. Then in the census of 30 March 1851 Richard and Mary were living near Bolts Hole in Shalmsford Street, Chartham and Richard was continuing to work as a farm labourer. Richard died at Bolts Hole in Chartham, at the age of 67, and he was buried in the Churchyard of St Mary the Virgin in Chartham on 24 September 1857.

In the census of 7 April 1861 Mary, at the age of 70, was living with her daughter Sarah and her husband George Gilham in Shalmsford Street at Chartham and she had the occupation of farm labourer. Then in the census of 2 April 1871 Mary was continuing to live with her daughter Sarah and her husband George Gilham, but now at 2 Mill Street in East Malling, Kent. Mary was living at New Hythe Lane in East Malling, presumably still with her daughter Sarah Gilham, when she died at the age of 86 and was buried in the Churchyard of St James the Great in East Malling on 24 July 1876.

 

Richard and Mary’s eldest child was Edward Mungeam who was born at Chatham in Kent, and baptised at the Parish Church of St Mary the Virgin in Chatham on 3 December 1813. Soon after his birth Edward would have moved with his parents to Chartham near Canterbury in Kent.

 

Richard and Mary’s second child was Thomas Mungeam who was born at Chartham near Canterbury in Kent and baptised at the Parish Church of St Mary the Virgin in Chartham on 20 November 1814.

 

Richard and Mary’s third child was Richard Mungeam who was born at Chartham near Canterbury in Kent and baptised at the Parish Church of St Mary the Virgin in Chartham on 24 August 1817. Richard died at the age of 18 and he was buried in the Churchyard of St Mary the Virgin in Chartham on 16 August 1835. The burial record records that the burial was 'by coroner's warrant' so it seems likely that Richard had died suddenly, possibly as the result of an accident.

 

Richard and Mary’s fourth child was John Mungeam who was born at Chartham near Canterbury in Kent and baptised at the Parish Church of St Mary the Virgin in Chartham on 5 March 1820.

 

Richard and Mary’s fifth child was Joseph Mungeam who was born at Chartham near Canterbury in Kent and baptised at the Parish Church of St Mary the Virgin in Chartham on 9 December 1821.

 

Richard and Mary’s sixth child was William Mungeam who was born at Chartham near Canterbury in Kent and baptised at the Parish Church of St Mary the Virgin in Chartham on 9 May 1824. In the census of 6 June 1841 William, at the age of 17, was living with his parents near Bolts Hole in Shalmsford Street, Chartham.

 

Richard and Mary’s seventh child was George Mungeam who was born at Chartham near Canterbury in Kent and baptised at the Parish Church of St Mary the Virgin in Chartham on 20 May 1827. In the census of 6 June 1841 George, at the age of 14, was living with his parents near Bolts Hole in Shalmsford Street, Chartham.

 

Richard and Mary’s eighth child was Sarah Elizabeth Mungeam who was born at Chartham near Canterbury in Kent and baptised at the Parish Church of St Mary the Virgin in Chartham on 31 March 1833. When her great aunt Elizabeth Muddle died in early 1838 Sarah and her cousin Frances Holyoak inherited all of Elizabeth's clothes, linen and wearing apparel, which the executor had to share out between them. In the census of 6 June 1841 Sarah, at the age of 8, was living with her parents near Bolts Hole in Shalmsford Street, Chartham.

When she was 26 years old Sarah married 24-year-old George Henry Gilham in Blean registration district in Kent during the 4th quarter of 1859. George was the son of James and Sarah Gilham; he had been born at High Halden in Kent and baptised at the Parish Church of St Mary the Virgin in High Halden on 7 June 1835.

In the census of 7 April 1861 George and Sarah were living in Shalmsford Street in Chartham; they had Sarah widowed mother living with them and George was working as a journeyman carpenter and Sarah as a dressmaker. Then in the census of 2 April 1871 they were living at 2 Mill Street in East Malling, Kent; they still had Sarah's widowed mother living with them and George was continuing to work as a carpenter. Sarah's mother died in mid-1876 while living at New Hythe Lane in East Malling, presumably while still living with George and Sarah.

 

Richard and Sophia’s fifth child was Ann Mungeam who was born at Deptford in Kent, and baptised at St Paul's Church in the High Street at Deptford on 17 November 1794.

 

Richard and Sophia’s sixth child was Phoebe Mungeam who was born at Deptford in Kent, and baptised at St Paul's Church in the High Street at Deptford on 2 August 1797. Phoebe had probably moved to Chartham near Canterbury in Kent with her parents and had stayed in Chartham when her parents were removed to Rochester in 1824. Phoebe never married. She was living in Chartham when she died, at the age of 33, and she was buried in the Churchyard of St Mary the Virgin in Chartham on 21 July 1830.

 

Nicholas and Mary’s sixth child was Sarah Muddle who was born at Tonbridge in Kent, and baptised at the Parish Church of St Peter & St Paul in Tonbridge on 26 September 1759. When her father's spinster sister, Elizabeth Muddle, died in late 1779, Sarah, at the age of 20, inherited £20 and a sixth share of her clothes and household effects. Sarah married a Patrick who had died by the time Sarah's sister Elizabeth made her will on 19 September 1837. When Elizabeth died in early 1838 Sarah inherited £10. Sarah died at Chatham, at the age of 80, and she was buried in the Churchyard of St Mary the Virgin at Chatham on 6 May 1840.

 

 

Nicholas and Mary’s seventh child was Elizabeth Muddlewho was born at Tonbridge in Kent, and baptised at the Parish Church of St Peter & St Paul in Tonbridge on 10 December 1762. When her father's spinster sister, Elizabeth Muddle, died in late 1779, Elizabeth, at the age of 17, inherited £20 and a sixth share of her clothes and household effects. The 1824 edition of Pigot & Co.'s Directory of Kent listed Elizabeth Muddle as a tea dealer in Chatham High Street. Elizabeth never married. She died at Chatham, at the age of 75, her death being registered during the 1st quarter of 1838.

Elizabeth had made her will on 19 September 1837, in which she described herself as a spinster of Chatham, and this will was proved in London by the Prerogative Court of Canterbury on 11 April 1838. In this will Elizabeth made the following bequests: to her widowed sister Sarah Patrick £10; to Winifred Titus the wife of John Titus a rigger in Her Majesty's Dock Yard at Chatham £5; to her niece Eleanor Goff the wife of Thomas Goff £100 for her own use independent of her husband's control; to her great nieces Frances Holyoak and Sarah Elizabeth Mungeam, all her clothes, linen and wearing apparel, to be shared out between them by her executor; to her nephew Richard Mungeam, whom she made sole executor, all the rest and residue of her estate. In her will Elizabeth also requested that her body was to be interred in the burial ground of the Zion Chapel in Clover Lane in Chatham.[82]

 

Thomas and Mary’s seventh child was Sarah Muddle who was born at Rotherfield in Sussex, and baptised at the Parish Church of St Denys in Rotherfield on 10 August 1718. When her father died in 1756 Sarah inherited £10. A few months after her father's death and just before her mother's death Sarah, at the age of 38, married 35-year-old Thomas Downard at the Parish Church of St Denys in Rotherfield on 17 November 1756. Thomas was the son of Thomas and Elizabeth Downard; he had been born at Rotherfield and baptised at the Parish Church of St Denys in Rotherfield on 5 March 1721.

Thomas was described as being a butcher of Rotherfield when, by an indenture dated 1 November 1757, he was paid £10 to take William Moon as an apprentice for a term of 7 years from the date of the indenture, out of which Thomas paid 5s in stamp duty on 22 December 1757.[83] Thomas was again described as being a butcher of Rotherfield when, by an indenture dated 31 December 1760, he was paid £10 to take George Paige as an apprentice for a term of 7 years from the date of the indenture, out of which Thomas paid 5s in stamp duty on 12 January 1761.[84]

Thomas and Sarah didn't have any children. Thomas died at Rotherfield, at the age of 45, and he was buried in the Churchyard of St Denys at Rotherfield on 28 June 1766. Thomas, describing himself as a butcher of Rotherfield who was ill and weak of body, had made his will on 2 June 1766 and probate was granted to his wife by the Archdeaconry of Lewes on 17 July 1766. In his will Thomas made his wife sole executrix and left her all his estate, including all live and dead stock.[85] Nine years later Sarah died at Rotherfield, at the age of 56, and was buried in the Churchyard of St Denys at Rotherfield on 18 June 1775. Sarah, describing herself as a widow of Rotherfield, had made her will on 11 June 1775 and probate was granted to her sister Elizabeth Muddle by the Archdeaconry of Lewes on 22 June 1775. In her will Sarah made her spinster sister Elizabeth Muddle her sole executrix and left her all her real and personal estate that included two copyhold properties in Rotherfield.[86]

 

Thomas and Mary’s fifth child was Mary Muddle who was born at Rotherfield in Sussex, and baptised at the Parish Church of St Denys in Rotherfield on 12 April 1674. When her mother died in April 1705 Mary inherited from her £40, all household goods and half of the residue of her estate, and she was also a joint executor with her brother Thomas of her mother's will.

When she was 35 years old Mary married 38-year-old William Page at the Parish Church of St Denys in Rotherfield on 16 February 1710. William was the son of Edward and Ann Page; he had been born at Buxted in Sussex and baptised at the Parish Church of St Margaret the Queen in Buxted on 9 July 1671. William and Mary had one child, a son, born at Rotherfield in 1712. Ten years later Mary died at Rotherfield, at the age of 48, and she was buried in the Churchyard of St Denys at Rotherfield on 25 January 1723.

William was described as a yeoman of Rotherfield when he was trustee of the property in the marriage settlement on 3 July 1731 between his niece Sarah Rose and her intended husband, Henry Hall of Buxted. Then twenty-five years after Mary's death William died at Rotherfield, at the age of 76, and he was buried in the Churchyard of St Denys at Rotherfield on 5 February 1748.

 

William and Mary’s only child was Edward Page who was born at Rotherfield in Sussex, and baptised at the Parish Church of St Denys in Rotherfield on 9 June 1712.

 

Thomas and Mary’s sixth child was Sarah Muddle who was born at Rotherfield in Sussex, and baptised at the Parish Church of St Denys in Rotherfield on 24 June 1677. When her mother died in April 1705 Sarah inherited £50 from her.

The following year, when she was 28 years old, Sarah married 28-year-old George Rose at the Parish Church of St Thomas à Becket in Framfield, Sussex on 31 January 1706, by licence. The marriage record states that George was from Buxted and Sarah was from Rotherfield. George was the son of George Rose and he had been baptised at the Parish Church of St Margaret the Queen in Buxted on 27 April 1677.

George and Sarah lived at Buxted where they had two children, a son born in 1707 and a daughter 1708. Then about five months after the birth of their daughter George died at the age of 32, and was buried in the Churchyard of St Margaret the Queen at Buxted on 19 April 1709. George had made his will on 2 April 1709, when he described himself as a yeoman of Buxted, who was then sick and weak in body. Probate of his will was granted to his wife Sarah, the sole executrix, by the Deanery of South Malling on 14 May 1709. In this will George bequeathed his real estate, which consisted of the house in Buxted that he lived in together with the 20 acres of land that went with it, to his daughter Sarah. He bequeathed some of his wearing apparel to his two brothers and all the rest of his personal estate to his wife to whom he gave guardianship of his two children.[87]

Ten years later Sarah, at the age of 42, married Daniel Wicker at the Parish Church of St Margaret the Queen in Buxted on 18 June 1719 by licence. The licence issued by the Deanery of South Malling the same day described Daniel as a yeoman of Buxted and Sarah as a widow of Buxted.

Sarah's son from her first marriage died in 1722 at the age of 15. Then five years later Sarah herself died at Buxted, when she was just on 50 years old, and she was buried in the Churchyard of St Margaret the Queen at Buxted on 8 June 1727. After Sarah's death a copy of the court roll of the Manor of Laughton records that on 30 October 1727 land of 35 acres called Goslings, otherwise Tompsetts, in East Hoathly with a quitrent of 5s 4d, and other lands in East Hoathly, were surrendered on the death of Sarah Wicker, wife of Daniel Wicker and formerly wife of George Rose, and that her daughter Sarah Rose was then admitted to the property with guardianship granted to Thomas Muddle.[88]

Five years after Sarah's death Daniel married spinster Mary Barden at the Parish Church of St Michael & All Angels in Little Horsted, Sussex on 29 September 1732 by licence. The licence issued by the Deanery of South Malling on 18 September 1732 stated that they were both from Buxted and that Mary was a spinster. Mary's surname was Barden on the licence but Barton in the marriage register. As there were three suitable Mary Bardens baptised at Buxted but no Mary Bartons it has been assumed that Barden is the correct name.

George and Sarah’s eldest child was George Rose who was born at Buxted in Sussex, and baptised at the Parish Church of St Margaret the Queen in Buxted on 17 January 1707. George died at Buxted, at the age of 15, and he was buried in the Churchyard of St Margaret the Queen at Buxted on 16 May 1722.

 

George and Sarah’s second child was Sarah Rose who was born at Buxted in Sussex, and baptised at the Parish Church of St Margaret the Queen in Buxted on 7 November 1708. When her father died in 1709 Sarah inherited his house in Buxted and the 20 acres of land that went with it. Then after her mother died in 1727 Sarah inherited lands at East Hoathly from her, and her mother's brother Thomas Muddle, clockmaker of Rotherfield in Sussex, was made her guardian.

Sarah was living at Rotherfield, probably with her uncle and guardian Thomas Muddle, when, at the age of 22, she married 29-year-old Henry Hall, who was from Buxted, at the Parish Church of St Denys in Rotherfield on 13 July 1731. Ten days earlier in a marriage settlement of 3 July 1731 carpenter Henry Hall put in trust with Sarah's uncle, William Page of Rotherfield, his property in Buxted consisting of a messuage with brewhouse, shop and ¼ acre of land near Tothease Oak that he occupied, for the use of Sarah and then the heirs of Sarah by Henry.[89]

Henry was the son of Henry and Elizabeth Hall, he had been born at Rotherfield and baptised at the Parish Church of St Denys in Rotherfield on 17 October 1701. Henry's father died at Rotherfield in 1706 and then on 9 December 1714, when he was 13 years old, Henry was apprenticed for 7 years to carpenters John and Thomas Beard of Buxted.[90]

 

John and Sarah’s third child was John Muddle who was born at Rotherfield in Sussex, and baptised at the Parish Church of St Denys in Rotherfield on 30 July 1643. When he was 32 years old John married 23-year-old Elizabeth Vincent at the Parish Church of St Peter & St Paul in Wadhurst, Sussex on 20 April 1676. Elizabeth was the daughter of William Vincent; she had been born at Rotherfield, and baptised at the Parish Church of St Denys in Rotherfield on 2 November 1652.

Two bonds dated 1 May 1676, with a penalty of £300 (equivalent to about £35,500 in 2006), for the performance of covenants detailed in a pair of indentures of the same date, named John and Elizabeth as one of the parties, and described John as a collier of Rotherfield. In this instance collier would mean a charcoal burner, not a coal miner, and in John’s case it would almost certainly mean that he was the owner of a business producing charcoal, which he was probably supplying as fuel for the blast furnaces of the local iron industry. The indentures have not been found, but they were probably to do with a marriage settlement for Elizabeth as all the other parties in the bonds were members of her family, namely her sisters, Mary and husband John Parsons, Margaret and husband Edmund Homesby, and spinster Susan Vincent. The bonds show that John couldn’t sign his name, making his mark of a cross instead, but Elizabeth’s sister Susan did sign her bond so it’s probable that Elizabeth was also able to, and, unlike John, was literate.[91]

 

 

John and Elizabeth first lived in Rotherfield Parish where they had four children born between 1677 and 1681, the first three dying young. They then moved to nearby High Hurstwood in Buxted Parish, Sussex where they purchased two lots of property.

At the Court of the Manor of Framfield held on 19 October 1681 it was recorded, that William Durrent of Speldhurst in Kent surrendered to John Muddle of Rotherfield, a tenement, barn, garden, orchard and new assart land of about one acre at Hayerst Wood in the parish of Buxted that was owned by the late Thomas Durrent and occupied by Henry Goldsmith. This property was to be for the use of John Muddle during his lifetime, then to pass to his wife Elizabeth, and then their heirs. This means that sometime, possibly up to a few months, before this date John had purchased the house and land that was later shown as plots 1294 to 1297 on the Buxted Parish tithe map of 1840. By 1840 this property was known to be called Browns Nest and may well have been given that name by John after the farmland he purchased the following year that was partly called Browns Croft. In the late 19th & early 20th centuries this property was called The Nest, and is today known as Firstead Bank.

Then at the Court of the Manor of Framfield held on 13 December 1682 it was recorded, that Thomas Matthew of East Grinstead surrendered to John Muddle, six pieces of bondland of the Yard of Turk containing about 17 acres and called Greystones and Browns Croft at Hayerst Wood in the parish of Buxted. This means that about a year after his first purchase of property in High Hurstwood John purchased land that was later shown as plots 1300 to 1308 on the Buxted Parish tithe map of 1840 when it was recorded as containing nearly 20 acres. That this land was described as being part of the Yard of Turk indicates that it was probably land cleared for farming in very early times and owed by a man called Turk; a yard of land being a virgate, which is about 30 acres. This land now forms the properties of Greystones Farm and Lane End Cottages, though when John purchased it there were no houses on it, just six fields with possibly a barn and yard. This land together with the house and land called Browns Nest was the copyhold property that the Muddle family was to own in High Hurstwood for the next 170 years.

After they moved to High Hurstwood John and Elizabeth had three more children, born in 1684, 1686 and 1688. When his brother Thomas died intestate in 1688, John was described as being a yeoman of Buxted on the administration granted to Thomas’ widow Mary, for which John was bondsman. An undated list in the back of the first parish register (1568-1726) of St Margaret the Queen Church in Buxted lists those people and places that contributed to the parish clerk’s wages; one of those listed was John Muddle paying 4d per year. Presumably this was a payment that John and his heirs had to make every year while they owned their property in High Hurstwood.

Elizabeth died at High Hurstwood, at the age of 40, and she was buried in the Churchyard of St Denys at Rotherfield on 6 December 1692. At the Court of the Manor of Framfield held on 18 March 1712 it was recorded, that John Muddle surrendered his lands to the uses of his will. It was 23 years after Elizabeth’s death that John died, at the age of 72, while living at High Hurstwood, and he was buried in the Churchyard of St Denys at Rotherfield on 29 June 1716.

John had made his will on 6 May 1716 when he described himself as a yeoman of Buxted Parish, and this will was proved at South Malling Peculiar Court on 24 July 1716 when an inventory valued his personal estate at £34 17s 0d. This will left to his daughter Anne Muddle an income of 50 shillings per year to be paid quarterly by his executor, together with the feather bed she slept on and a selection of other household goods with which to keep house that were to be approved by his executor. All his lands and the rest of his goods went to his son John Muddle, who was made sole executor. John and Ann being the only children still alive.[92]

 

Their children were:

John 1677-1677  Thomas 1678-1679  Elizabeth 1680-1680  Mary 1681-1714

John 1684-1764  Thomas 1686-1688  Anne 1688-?

 

John and Elizabeth’s eldest child was John Muddle who was born at Rotherfield in Sussex, and baptised at the Parish Church of St Denys in Rotherfield on 11 March 1677. John died when only a few weeks old, and he was buried in the Churchyard of St Denys at Rotherfield on 25 April 1677.

 

John and Elizabeth’s second child was Thomas Muddle who was born at Rotherfield in Sussex, and baptised at the Parish Church of St Denys in Rotherfield on 14 July 1678. Thomas died when only just over a year old, and he was buried in the Churchyard of St Denys at Rotherfield on 21 October 1679.

 

John and Elizabeth’s third child was Elizabeth Muddle who was born at Rotherfield in Sussex, and baptised at the Parish Church of St Denys in Rotherfield on 15 August 1680. Elizabeth died when only a few months old, and she was buried in the Churchyard of St Denys at Rotherfield on 2 December 1680.

 

John and Elizabeth’s fourth child was Mary Muddle who was born at Rotherfield in Sussex, and baptised at the Parish Church of St Denys in Rotherfield on 23 October 1681. Mary never married. She died at the age of 32, and was buried in the Churchyard of St Denys at Rotherfield on 2 January 1714.

 

John and Elizabeth’s fifth child was a second John Muddle, the first John having died, who was born at High Hurstwood in Buxted Parish, Sussex, and baptised at the Parish Church of St Margaret the Queen in Buxted on 2 March 1684. When his father died in 1716 John, at the age of 32, was sole executor of his will; he inherited all his father's lands and all his goods except those left to his sister Anne. The will also specified that John had to pay his sister Anne an income of 50 shillings per year. At the Court of the Manor of Framfield held on 16 April 1717, John was granted admission to his late father's copyhold properties at High Hurstwood, which he had inherited on his father's death.

Three years after his father's death John, at the age of 35, married Susanna Gilbert at the Parish Church of St Michael & All Angels in Withyham, Sussex on 9 June 1719, by a licence issued at Lewes Archdeaconry Court on 6 June 1719. The licence described John as being a yeoman of Buxted, and Susanna to be a spinster of Withyham. They lived High Hurstwood in Buxted Parish where they had seven children born between 1720 and 1734, and as John had already inherited his father’s properties at High Hurstwood, this means that John and Susanna would have lived at Browns Nest and farmed that and Greystones.

The Poll Book for the election held at Chichester, Sussex on 9 & 10 May 1734 for two Members of Parliament to represent Sussex, records that one of the voters was John Muddle who held freehold property at Buxted and also resided there. It’s about 50 miles from Buxted to Chichester, so would John have ridden his horse there, or possibly gone by carriage or coach with other voters from the Buxted area, staying over at Chichester and making the election an excuse for an outing with friends? Also the fact that John was a voter means that he owned freehold land in Buxted Parish to at least the value of 40 shillings annual rental as well as the copyhold land that was recorded in the manorial records, as the qualification to be a voter was to be a male aged between 21 and 70 and to own freehold land with a minimum value of 40 shillings annual rental.

At the Court of the Manor of Framfield held on 11 October 1744 it was recorded, that on 6 September 1744 John Muddle had surrendered his properties to the uses of his will. Also at this court John was admitted to a cottage and one rood of land at High Hurstwood that he had inherited from his sister Anne Frasier. At the Court of the Manor of Framfield held on 14 October 1746 it was recorded that John Muddle had encroached on the waste of the manor by two plots containing one rood at High Hurstwood and was fined three pence, the location of this land is unknown.

Then at the Court of the Manor of Framfield held on 27 September 1756 it was recorded that John Muddle had encroached on the waste of the manor by one plot of land containing 12 perches for which he was fined two pence, and also a hop garden of 12 perches for which he was fined another two pence. The following year at the Court of the Manor of Framfield held on 5 October 1757 John Muddle, on payment of 15 shillings, was admitted to these two plots of land described as, one plot of land of 12 perches abutting his existing land on the north and Hayerst Wood on the east, west and south, and also a hop garden of 12 perches laying opposite the aforesaid land, which were formerly part of the waste of the manor. These two plots of land are thought to be respectively, a small part on the southern edge of plot 1295 on the Buxted Parish tithe map of 1840, and about half of plot 1298 on the same map. See the maps on the chart of ‘The history of the Muddle family’s copyhold land in High Hurstwood’ for more details.

Susanna died when in her 60s and she was buried in the Churchyard of St Margaret the Queen at Buxted on 15 June 1757, her grave is by the south door of the church and is marked by an inscribed headstone. Seven years later John died on 2 July 1764, at the age of 80, and he was buried in the Churchyard of St Margaret the Queen at Buxted on 5 July 1764; his grave is next to his wife's and is marked by an inscribed headstone.

John had made his will on 6 September 1744, 20 years before his death, when he described himself as a yeoman of Buxted Parish, and this will was proved by South Malling Peculiar Court on 2 October 1764. In this will John had left his copyhold estate to be for the use of his wife Susanna until her death and then to be inherited by his son John, and this had been confirmed at the Court of the Manor of Framfield held on 20 October 1747. Susanna was also to have one third of his household goods, but as Susanna had died before her husband none of this was now relevant. With his wife dead the terms of the will left all John's real and personal estate to his son John but subject to him paying the following legacies to his brothers and sisters within six months: to his brother Isaac £15; to his brother David £16; to his sisters Hannah, Susan & Elizabeth £8 each. John also appointed his son John as executor of his will.[93]

 

John and Susanna’s eldest child was Hannah Muddle who was born at High Hurstwood in Buxted Parish, Sussex, and baptised at the Parish Church of St Margaret the Queen in Buxted on 6 June 1720. Hannah’s father left her £8 when he died in 1764, and her brother John left her £7 when he died in 1777. Hannah never married; she died at the age of 60, and was buried in the Churchyard of St Michael & All Angels at South Malling near Lewes in Sussex on 10 February 1781.

 

John and Susanna’s second child was John Muddle who was born at High Hurstwood in Buxted Parish, Sussex, and baptised at the Parish Church of St Margaret the Queen in Buxted on 19 October 1721. When he was 25 years old John married 33-year-old Ann Olive at the Parish Church of St Margaret the Queen in Buxted on 18 June 1747. Ann was the daughter of William and Dorothy Olive; she had been born at Buxted and baptised at the Parish Church of St Margaret the Queen in Buxted on 1 March 1714. John and Ann didn't have any children and they probably lived with John's parents at Browns Nest in High Hurstwood with John helping his father on the family farm.

When his father died on 2 July 1764 John was sole executor of his father's will and inherited all his father's real and personal estate subject to paying bequests totalling £55 to his brothers and sisters within six months. At the Court of the Manor of Framfield held on 24 September 1764 John, on payment of 17 shillings to the lord of the manor, was granted admission to all his late father's copyhold properties at High Hurstwood, which he had inherited on his father's death; also at this court John surrendered his properties to the uses of his will. John and Ann would have certainly now lived at Browns Nest and farmed that and Greystones.

When a Settlement Certificate was generated on 23 March 1765 by the Churchwardens and Overseers of the Poor of Buxted for John's brother David and his wife and daughter, who were living at Winchelsea, John was one of the witnesses who signed the certificate, in a neat hand that showed that he had received some education.[94]

At the Court of the Manor of Framfield held on 6 December 1769 it was recorded that John had sold the copyhold property consisting of one cottage and one rood of land that he had inherited from his father, to John Booker a cordwainer (shoemaker) of Buxted. This John Booker was the father of the Richard Booker that was to marry Dorothy Muddle the granddaughter of John’s brother Isaac.

John Muddle was one of the Homage (members of the manorial court) at the Special Court of the Manor of Framfield held at Crowborough Gate public house (now the Crow & Gate public house) on the 16 April 1773 that was instigated by John Alchorne of Puxty in Heron's Ghyll, so that his sale of Broom Farm and part of Chillies that were copyhold of the Manor of Framfield could be recorded and approved.[95]

The Poll Book for the election held at Chichester, Sussex in 1774 for two Members of Parliament to represent Sussex, records that one of the voters was John Muddle who held freehold property at Buxted and also resided there. John would have been eligible to vote as his father had been because he now owned by inheritance the freehold land that had made his father eligible.

John died at the age of 55, and he was buried in the Churchyard of St Margaret the Queen at Buxted on 11 February 1777. John’s will, dated 13 April 1772 and granted probate at South Malling Peculiar Court on 28 May 1777, described John as a yeoman of Buxted Parish. This will makes the following bequests: all his real estates to go to his wife Ann, and then on her death to pass to his brother Isaac, and then on Isaac’s death to pass to Isaac’s son John and his heirs; to his sisters Hannah, Susannah & Elizabeth £7 each; and to his niece Mary Muddle, the daughter of his late brother David Muddle, £5. The residue of his personal estate was to be shared equally by his wife Ann and his brother Isaac, and he made them joint executors of his will.[96]

At the Court of the Manor of Framfield held on 21 June 1777 it was recorded that Ann Muddle, on payment of 17 shillings to the lord of the manor, was given admission to her late husband's copyhold properties. These properties were recorded as consisting of the following: a plot of land of 12 perches; a hop garden of 12 perches; one tenement, barn, garden and land of one acre, at Hayerst Wood; also six pieces of bondland of the Yard of Turk called Greystones and Browns Croft of 17 acres. Ann died at Loose in Kent, at the age of 64, and was buried in the Churchyard of All Saints at Loose on 28 September 1778: her burial record describes her as being a widow of Buxted, but what she was doing in Loose is a mystery. On her death the property that Ann had inherited from her husband passed to her husband's brother Isaac, as per the terms of her husband's will.

 

 

John and Susanna’s third child was Susanna Muddle who was born at High Hurstwood in Buxted Parish, Sussex, and baptised at the Parish Church of St Margaret the Queen in Buxted on 29 June 1723. Susanna’s father left her £8 when he died in 1764, and her brother John left her £7 when he died in 1777. Susanna never married. She died at the age of 60 and was buried in the Churchyard of St Margaret the Queen at Buxted on 21 April 1784.

 

John and Susanna’s fourth child was Elizabeth Muddle who was born at High Hurstwood in Buxted Parish, Sussex, and baptised at the Parish Church of St Margaret the Queen in Buxted on 4 October 1724. In 1744, when she was 19 years old, Elizabeth had an illegitimate daughter who only lived for 20 months, the father was recorded as being 'a stranger'. Elizabeth's father left her £8 when he died in 1764, and her brother John left her £7 when he died in 1777. Elizabeth never married. She died at the age of 60, and was buried in the Churchyard of St Margaret the Queen at Buxted on 20 May 1785.

 

Elizabeth’s illegitimate daughter was Anne Muddle who was probably born at High Hurstwood in Buxted Parish, Sussex, and baptised at the Parish Church of St Margaret the Queen in Buxted on 20 May 1744; the father was recorded as being 'a stranger'. Anne died when only 20 months old, and she was buried in the Churchyard of St Margaret the Queen at Buxted on 23 January 1746.

 

John and Susanna’s fifth child was Mary Muddle who was born at High Hurstwood in Buxted Parish, Sussex, and baptised at the Parish Church of St Margaret the Queen in Buxted on 5 December 1726. Mary was not in her father’s will of 1744, so it’s assumed that she had died by then, though no burial record has been found.

 

John and Susanna’s sixth child was Isaac Muddle who was born at High Hurstwood in Buxted Parish, Sussex, and baptised at the Parish Church of St Margaret the Queen in Buxted on 25 June 1731. When he was 32 years old Isaac married Elizabeth Weeks at the Parish Church of St Thomas à Becket in Framfield, Sussex on 27 October 1763. See the page headed ‘Isaac & Elizabeth Muddle’s Family’ for the rest of their lives and details of their family.

 

John and Susanna’s seventh child was David Muddle who was born at High Hurstwood in Buxted Parish, Sussex, and baptised at the Parish Church of St Margaret the Queen in Buxted on 13 March 1734.

When he was 30 years old David married 24-year-old Mary Catt at the Parish Church of St Thomas the Martyr in Winchelsea, Sussex on 9 May 1764 by a licence issued at Lewes Archdeaconry Court on 20 April 1764. The licence describes David as a bricklayer of Winchelsea, aged 26 and upwards, and Mary as a spinster of Winchelsea aged 24 and upwards. On the marriage record David was described as being a sojourner of Winchelsea, indicating that he had probably only been living there for a short time, possibly his work had taken him there, and he was considered to be a temporary resident. Mary was the daughter of Edward and Elizabeth Catt, and she had been baptised at the Parish Church of St Thomas the Martyr in Winchelsea on 21 October 1739. It was only two months after David married that his father died and David inherited £16.

David and Mary lived at Winchelsea where they had one child, a daughter, born in early 1765, and it was possibly the birth of this child that made the Churchwardens and Overseers of the Poor of Winchelsea require David to supply them with a Settlement Certificate. As David's place of legal settlement was Buxted he had the Churchwardens and Overseers of the Poor there produce a Settlement Certificate on 23 March 1765 that acknowledged that David Muddle, his wife Mary and his daughter Mary, all had legal settlement in Buxted, and this certificate was confirmed by Justices of the Peace George Courthop and Richard Rideout on 25 March 1765.[97]

It's possible that David was already ill and his family looked likely to become a charge on the parish when the Settlement Certificate was requested because eleven months later David died, when he was just on 32 years old, and he was buried in the Churchyard of St Thomas the Martyr in Winchelsea on 25 February 1766. The burial record described David as having been a bricklayer.

Two years after David's death Mary, at the age of 28, married 25-year-old George Stace at the Parish Church of All Saints in Mountfield, Sussex on 31 July 1768, which was very much a move up in society for Mary. George was the son of Samuel and Martha Stace; he had been born at Berwick in Sussex and baptised at the Parish Church of St Michael & All Angels in Berwick on 3 September 1742. He was baptised again as an adult at the Parish Church of St Thomas in Winchelsea on 28 April 1765.

George and Mary lived at Winchelsea where they had one child, a son, born in early 1776. When John Alce of the Bear Inn was granted an alehouse licence from 1775 to 1781 one of the sureties was George Stace, grocer and gentleman.[98] George Stace was also recorded as being Sergeant at Mace of Winchester Corporation in 1769, 1773, 1775 and 1776 to 1778 and then Mayor in 1794. He was recorded as George Stace the elder when a jurate in 1803 and 1810, and it may have been him who was recorded as simply George Stace in other references to being a jurate between 1892 and 1816, though these may refer to his son. Likewise it may either be George or his son who were recorded as Deputy Mayor in 1802, 1807, 1808 and 1814.

George died at Winchelsea, at the age of 73, and was buried in the Churchyard of St Thomas at Winchelsea on 15 August 1816. He had made his will on 13 December 1806 and it was proved by the Prerogative Court of Canterbury on 11 February 1817. In this will George left his house in Winchelsea for the use of his wife during her lifetime and he also left £2000 in trust for his wife to receive the interest during her lifetime. The residue of his estate was to go to his son George, who was also to inherit the house and the £2000 on the death of his mother. He made his wife, his son George, and his friend John Woollett joint executors and trustees. But only his son took up these duties and was granted administration. When his son died intestate in 1826, with his wife Mary and his friend John Woollett also having died, the administration of the unsettled part of the estate was granted to his son's widow, Susanna Stace, by the Prerogative Court of Canterbury on 2 February 1830.[99]

 

David and Mary’s only child was Mary Muddle who was born at Winchelsea in Sussex, and baptised at the Parish Church of St Thomas the Martyr in Winchelsea on 10 February 1765. Mary's father died in 1766 and her mother remarried two years later. When her father's brother, John Muddle, died in 1777 Mary inherited £5. Then when she was just on 20 years old Mary died and was buried in the Churchyard of St Thomas at Winchelsea on 28 January 1785.

 

George and Mary’s only child (Mary’s second) was George Stace who was born at Winchelsea in Sussex, and baptised at the Parish Church of St Thomas the Martyr in Winchelsea on 7 January 1776. There are records of George being a Justice of the Peace in 1808 and 1820.

When he was 40 years old George married 27-year-old Susanna Austen at the Parish Church of St Thomas the Martyr in Winchelsea on 30 January 1816 by licence. Susanna was the daughter of Edmund and Ann Austen; she had been born at Rye in Sussex on 5 January 1789 and her birth registered at the Particular Baptist Meeting in Rye on 25 June 1795 at the same time as her brothers John and Edmund.[100] George and Susanna lived at Winchelsea where they had two children, both daughters, born in late 1815 just before their marriage, and in 1824.

When his father died George was granted administration of his estate on 11 February 1817, the other two executors and trustees did not take up their duties leaving George as sole trustee of the £2000 his father had left in trust. George received the residue of his father’s estate and was due to inherit his father’s house in Winchelsea and the £2000 in the trust fund when his mother died.

George died on Tuesday 1 August 1826, at the age of 50; the Rye Corporation Coroners Court found that he had committed suicide before he was due before a hearing for electoral malpractice.[101] His death was reported in the 13 August 1826 edition of The Examiner:

On Tuesday week, the body of George Stace, Esq. was found on the road between Rye and Winchelsea, quite dead. Mr Stace was a Magistrate of the town of Winchelsea, and it is supposed he shot himself in a fit of temporary derangement. The deceased was fifty years of age.

His death was also reported in more macabre detail in the 7 August 1826 edition of the Sussex Advertiser:

A melancholy catastrophe occurred on Tuesday morning last, soon after ten o’clock, on the public road between Winchelsea and Rye, to a gentleman names Stace (many years mayor of Winchelsea, and formerly a revenue-officer at that place) who in a paroxysm if insanity put a period to his existence by shooting himself with a large brass pistol through the roof of his mouth; the ball, in its progress carried completely away the upper part of his head, the lower jaw remaining in a fixed state, with considerable laceration of the muscles; his nose was found with his hat several yards away from the spot. In this dreadful situation he was discovered by a carrier named Nabbs, who passed from Hastings probably about an hour after the fatal moment. – Wm. Lamb, Esq. the Coroner for Rye, caused an inquest to be immediately held on the body, and the Jury returned a verdict of Insanity. – The deceased has left a widow and two daughters.

George was buried in the Churchyard of St Thomas at Winchelsea on 8 August 1826. He had died intestate and Susanna was granted administration of his estate and the unsettled part of her father-in-law's estate by the Prerogative Court of Canterbury on 2 February 1830.

In the census of 6 June 1841 Susanna was a widow living at Adilade Place in Winchelsea with her daughter Mary and she was of independent means. She had 35-year-old Mary Cornwall as a live-in servant and tailor William Foster was a visitor. Then in the census of 30 March 1851 Susanna was still living at Adilade Place. She continued to have Mary Cornwall as a live-in servant and William Foster was still there as a visitor. Susanna’s daughter Mary had married in 1847 and she was staying with Susanna as a visitor in this census. In the census of 7 April 1861 Susanna was living at 10 High Street in Winchelsea and described as a fundholder. Mary Cornwall was still her live-in house servant and her daughter Mary was still there as a visitor. Susanna died at Winchelsea on 17 May 1864, at the age of 75, and she was buried in the Churchyard of St Thomas at Winchelsea on 23 May 1864. Her death was reported in the 1 June 1864 edition of the Sussex Advertiser.

 

George and Susanna’s eldest child was Sarah Stace who was born at Winchelsea in Sussex on 25 December 1815, just before her parents' marriage, and only baptised at the Parish Church of St Thomas the Martyr in Winchelsea on 27 March 1833 when she was 17 years old.

 

George and Susanna’s second child was Mary Stace who was born at Winchelsea in Sussex on 30 April 1824, and only baptised at the Parish Church of St Thomas the Martyr in Winchelsea on 31 March 1833 when she was 8 years old. In the census of 6 June 1841 Mary, at the age of 17, was living with her mother at Adilade Place in Winchelsea.

When she was 22-years-old Mary married 35-year-old John Sladen Marsh Banks at the Parish Church of St Mary the Virgin in Dover, Kent on 22 January 1847. John was then living at Rye in Sussex and Mary at Snargate Street in Dover. John was the son of Lawrence and Sarah Banks; he had been born at Bridge in Kent during May 1811 and baptised at the Parish Church of St Peter in Bridge on 20 June 1811. In the census of 30 March 1851 Mary was living with her mother at Adilade Place in Winchelsea as a visitor. Then in the census of 7 April 1861 Mary was living with her mother at 10 High Street in Winchelsea as a visitor, she continued to record herself as being married. Mary's mother died in 1864 and in the census of 2 April 1871 Mary and her husband John Banks were living at Alkham Rectory in Alkham, Kent; John was a landed proprietor and they had two live-in domestic servants. Five years later John was living at Bushy Rough House in Alkham when he died at the age of 65 and was buried in the Churchyard of St Anthony the Martyr in Alkham on 27 December 1876.

 

John and Elizabeth’s sixth child was a second Thomas Muddle, the first having died, who was born at High Hurstwood in Buxted Parish, Sussex, and baptised at the Parish Church of St Margaret the Queen in Buxted on 5 June 1686. Thomas died when he only two years old, and he was buried in the Churchyard of St Denys at Rotherfield on 1 July 1688.

 

John and Elizabeth’s seventh child was Anne Muddle who was born at High Hurstwood in Buxted Parish, Sussex, and baptised at the Parish Church of St Margaret the Queen in Buxted on 22 July 1688. When her father died in 1716 Anne inherited the feather bed she slept on and a selection of household goods with which to keep house that were to be approved by the executor, who was her brother John. Her father's will also specified that the executor was to pay Anne an income of 50 shillings per year that was to be paid quarterly.

At the Court of the Manor of Framfield held on 27 October 1720 it was recorded, that Nicholas Carrett sold to Anne Muddle, spinster, a cottage and one rood of land at High Hurstwood, and at the same court Anne surrendered this property to the uses of her will. So four years after her brother John had inherited the family house and lands and a year after he married, Anne, who was still single, purchased her own house and land, this being plot 152 on the Buxted Parish tithe map of 1840, and adjoined the western boundary of Browns Nest; it was called Ivyhole and is now called Woodpeckers.

Some time later Anne married Daniel Frasier. Then at the Court of the Manor of Framfield held on 11 October 1744 it was recorded that Anne, the wife of Daniel Frasier yeoman of Tunbridge Wells, the late Anne Muddle, has died, and that John Muddle her only surviving brother and heir was admitted to her copyhold property of a cottage and one rood of land at High Hurstwood.

 

John and Sarah’s fourth child was Elizabeth Muddle who was born at Rotherfield in Sussex, and baptised at the Parish Church of St Denys in Rotherfield on 30 December 1646.

Copyright © Derek Miller 2008-2016

Last updated 4 June 2016