THE MUDDLE FAMILIES

 

THE KENT MUDDLE FAMILIES THE HARRIETSHAM MUDDLES

 

Chart of Andrew & Isabella Muddle's Family

 

Andrew and Isabella’s first child was Richard Muddle who was probably born at Harrietsham in Kent in about 1527. Richard’s father died in 1546 and in his will he left his house and associated land at Harrietsham to Richard’s mother for her life and then on her death this property was to pass to Richard. When he was probably about 35 years old Richard married Elizabeth Wood at the Church of All Saints in Hollingbourne, Kent on 19 April 1562. See the section headed ‘Richard & Elizabeth Muddle’s Family’ for the rest of their lives and details of their family.

 

Andrew and Isabella’s second child was Robert Muddle who was probably born at Harrietsham in Kent in about 1529. Richard’s father died in 1546 and in his will he mentioned Robert but didn’t leave him anything. When he was probably about 20 years old Robert married Jane Franklyn at the Church of St John the Baptist in Harrietsham on 27 July 1549. It seems that they were probably childless and that sometime during their nearly 44-year marriage they moved the 2 miles to Lenham where Jane died and was buried in Churchyard of St Mary at Lenham on 1 March 1593.

Less than four months after Jane’s death Robert, now about 64 years old, married Joan Wyman, who must have been much younger than Robert, at the Church of St Mary in Lenham on 23 July 1593. Robert and Joan lived at Lenham where they had three children born between 1594 and 1600. The baptism of their first child 6 months after their marriage was recorded in Latin as ‘Robertus filius suppositus Roberti Mudle’ meaning ‘spurious son of Robert Muddle’. On 18 December 1594 at Maidstone Quarter Sessions Robert was bound by £10 to keep the peace with all men and especially his brother Richard.[2] Robert died at Lenham about 3 months before the birth of his third child, when he was probably about 70 years old, and he was buried in Churchyard of St Mary at Lenham on 3 May 1600.

Three years after Robert’s death Joan married Andrew Pupler at the Church of St Mary in Lenham on 18 January 1603.

 

Robert and Joan’s eldest child was Robert Muddle who was born at Lenham in Kent and baptised at the Church of St Mary in Lenham on 27 January 1594.

 

Robert and Joan’s second child was Nicholas Muddle who was born at Lenham in Kent and baptised at the Church of St Mary in Lenham on 7 March 1596. When he was 24 years old Nicholas married Susannah, whose surname was not recorded in the register, at the Church St Mary the Virgin in Thurnham, Kent on 2 July 1620. See the section headed ‘Nicholas and Susannah Muddle’s Family’ for the rest of their lives and details of their family.

 

Robert and Joan’s third child was daughter Mabyne Muddle who was born at Lenham in Kent and baptised at the Church of St Mary in Lenham on 10 August 1600.

 

Andrew and Isabella’s third child was William Muddle who was probably born at Harrietsham in Kent in about 1531. William’s father died in 1546 and in his will he mentioned William but didn’t leave him anything. On 1 January 1595 at Maidstone Quarter Sessions William was bound by £10 to keep the peace with all men and especially his brother Richard.[3]

 

Andrew and Isabella’s fourth child was Joane Muddle who was probably born at Harrietsham in Kent in about 1533. Joane’s father died in 1546 and in his will he left Joane 20 shillings.

 

Andrew and Isabella’s fifth child was daughter Clemenie Muddle who was probably born at Harrietsham in Kent in about 1535. Clemenie’s father died in 1546 and in his will he left Clemenie 20 shillings.

 

Andrew and Isabella’s sixth child was daughter Josia Muddle who was probably born at Harrietsham in Kent in about 1537. Josia died at Harrietsham and she was buried in the Churchyard of St John the Baptist at Harrietsham on 31 October 1541.

 

Andrew and Isabella’s seventh child was Henry Muddle who was born at Harrietsham in Kent and baptised at the Church of St John the Baptist in Harrietsham on 12 April 1539. Henry’s father died in 1546 and in his will he mentioned Henry but didn’t leave him anything.

When he was about 30 years old Henry married Elizabeth and they lived at Wouldham in Kent, which is about 12 miles north-west of Harrietsham on the River Medway, where they had seven children born between 1569 and 1585. On 29 December 1594 at Maidstone Quarter Sessions Henry, who was described as a husbandman of Wouldham, was bound by £10 to keep the peace with all men and especially his brother Richard.[4]

Elizabeth died at Wouldham 15 years after the birth of her last child and she was buried in All Saints Churchyard at Wouldham on 11 May 1600. Seventeen years later Henry died at Wouldham, at the age of 78, and he was buried in the Churchyard of All Saints at Wouldham on 4 October 1617.

 

Henry and Elizabeth’s eldest child was Faith Muddle who was born at Wouldham in Kent and baptised at All Saints Church in Wouldham on 3 November 1569. When she was 29 years old Faith married George Pinden at the Church of St Peter & St Paul in Ash cum Ridley (Ash by Wrotham) on 27 June 1599.

 

 

Henry and Elizabeth’s second child was William Muddle who was born at Wouldham in Kent and baptised at the Church of All Saints in Wouldham on 3 August 1572. When he was about 47 years old William married Maria, who was probably much younger, and they lived at Wouldham where they had six children born between 1620 and 1637, the first two being twin daughters, and their other two daughters died in childhood. William died at Wouldham when he was 74 years old and he was buried in the Churchyard of All Saints at Wouldham on 23 April 1647. Two years later Maria married Thomas Rolfe at the Church of All Saints in Wouldham on 28 August 1649.

 

William and Maria’s eldest child, one of twins, was Maria Muddle who was born at Wouldham in Kent and baptised at All Saints Church in Wouldham on 15 October 1620.

 

William and Maria’s second child, one of twins, was Avice Muddle who was born at Wouldham in Kent and baptised at the Church of All Saints in Wouldham on 15 October 1620.

 

William and Maria’s third child was Margaret Muddle who was born at Wouldham in Kent and baptised at the Church of All Saints in Wouldham on 16 February 1623. Margaret died at Wouldham when she was only 5 years old and she was buried in the Churchyard of All Saints at Wouldham on 2 May 1628.

 

 

William and Maria’s fourth child was Edward Muddle who was born at Wouldham in Kent and baptised at the Church of All Saints in Wouldham on 26 March 1627. Edward married Joan (her name is only known from her burial when it was recorded as Jone) and they probably lived at the Banck in Rochester where they had at least two children. As no baptisms, only burials, have been found for these children, and when their mother Joan was buried it was recorded that there was no minister it seems almost certain that this was a non-conformist family and they may well have had more children. The order used for these children is that of burial which it not necessarily their order of birth.

Joan died at Rochester and was buried in the Churchyard of St Margaret of Antioch in Rochester on 7 October 1658. The burial record describes her as ‘Jone Muddle the Wife of Edward’ and also records that there was no minister, which normally means that she was a non-conformist and didn’t have a burial service.

In the Kent Hearth Tax of 1664 Edward Muddell of the Eastgate Borough of the City of Rochester was recorded as having two hearths that were not chargeable.[5]

After Joan’s death Edward married Elizabeth and they had one child known only from his burial in 1685, presumably he had a non-conformist baptism. Edward died at Rochester at the age of 45 and he was buried in the Churchyard of St Margaret of Antioch in Rochester on 14 December 1672. The burial record describes him as ‘From the Banck’, which was an area of Rochester. Elizabeth died just two months after her son William and she was buried in the Churchyard of St Margaret of Antioch in Rochester on 23 August 1685.

Elizabeth’s will dated 17 August 1685, which describes her as a widow of Rochester, was proved by the Consistory Court of Rochester on 26 August 1685. Elizabeth made her late husband’s brother William Muddle executor of her will and bequeathed to him one half of her personal estate, which consisted mostly of household goods and chattels, and this half was to include her late husband’s bed and bedding. The other half of her personal estate was to be divided equally between four of her cousins, Ann Whetstone, Joan Richardson, Elizabeth Hammond and Frances Goddin. Her friend Robert Chappell, the boatswain on HMS Sandwich was to oversee the distribution of her estate and rule on any disagreements.[6]

 

Edward and Joan’s first known child was an unnamed and unbaptised child who was buried in the Churchyard of St Margaret of Antioch in Rochester on 21 August 1657. The burial record states ‘A Cresum of Muddle’ so there is no definite proof that this is Edward and Joan’s child, but they seem to be the only Muddle couple in Rochester at this time.

 

Edward and Joan’s second known child was Dorothy Muddle who was buried in the Churchyard of St Margaret of Antioch in Rochester on 8 June 1658. The burial record describes her as ‘Daughter of Edward Muddle’ and also records that one shilling was paid to the minister and two shillings to the clerk for the great bell.

 

Edward and Elizabeth’s only known child (Edward’s third) was William Muddle. It’s not know when he was born as a baptism has not been found. William died at Rochester and was buried in the Churchyard of St Margaret of Antioch in Rochester on 28 June 1685.

 

William and Maria’s fifth child was William Muddle who was born at Wouldham in Kent and baptised at the Church of All Saints in Wouldham on 28 September 1634. When he was 27 years old William married Hannah Best at the Church of St Margaret of Antioch in Rochester, Kent on 12 January 1662. They lived in Rochester where they had four children born between 1663 and 1674, and at the baptisms of two of these children in 1667 and 1672 they were described as ‘Of the Banck’, which was an area of Rochester.

In the Kent Hearth Tax of 1664 William Muddle of the Eastgate Borough of the City of Rochester was recorded as having one hearth though it was not chargeable.[7]

When his late brother Edward’s widow died in 1685 William was executor of her will and was bequeathed half of her personal estate, which consisted mostly of household goods and chattels, and this half was to include her late husband’s bed and bedding. In this will William was described as a fisherman of St Margaret’s Parish.

 

William and Hannah’s eldest child was Johanes Muddle who was born at Rochester in Kent and baptised at the Church of St Margaret of Antioch in Rochester on 1 November 1663.

 

William and Hannah’s second child was Edward Muddle who was born at Rochester in Kent and baptised at the Church of St Margaret of Antioch in Rochester on 24 May 1667. When he was 26 years old Edward married Mary Eastwood at St Mary’s Church in Alverstoke near Gosport in Hampshire on 5 June 1693. See the section headed ‘Edward & Mary Muddle’s Family’ for the rest of their lives and details of their family.

 

William and Hannah’s third child was Richard Muddle who was born at Rochester in Kent and baptised at the Church of St Margaret of Antioch in Rochester on 26 December 1672.

 

William and Hannah’s fourth child was Henry Muddle who was born at Rochester in Kent and baptised at the Church of St Margaret of Antioch in Rochester on 27 December 1674. When he was 21 years old Henry married 21-year-old Rose Griffin at the Church of St Mary at Hill in London on 27 September 1696 by licence. The marriage license issued by the Vicar-General on 26 September 1696 described Henry as a bachelor and fisherman of St Mary, Chatham, Kent and Rose as a spinster of Strood, Kent, who married with the consent of her widowed mother Anne Griffin. Rose was the daughter of John and Anne Griffin and she had been baptised at the Church of St Nicholas in Strood on 6 March 1675. Henry and Rose had five children; the first was born at Strood in 1699 and the other four at Chatham between 1702 and 1710, the middle two of those born at Chatham, both sons called Henry, died soon after birth.

 

Henry and Rose’s eldest child was Hannah Muddle who was born at Strood in Kent and baptised at the Church of St Nicholas in Strood on 25 June 1699.

 

Henry and Rose’s second child was John Muddle who was born at Chatham in Kent and baptised at the Church of St Mary the Virgin in Chatham on 5 May 1702.

 

Henry and Rose’s third child was Henry Muddle who was born at Chatham in Kent and baptised at the Church of St Mary the Virgin in Chatham on 11 February 1705. Henry died at Chatham when he was probably only a few days old and he was buried in the Churchyard of St Mary the Virgin at Chatham on 24 February 1705.

 

Henry and Rose’s fourth child was Henry Muddle who was born at Chatham in Kent and baptised at the Church of St Mary the Virgin in Chatham on 29 March 1707. Henry died at Chatham when he was only about two months old and he was buried in the Churchyard of St Mary the Virgin at Chatham on 24 May 1707.

 

Henry and Rose’s fifth child was Ambrose Muddle who was born at Chatham in Kent and baptised at the Church of St Mary the Virgin in Chatham on 12 February 1710.

 

William and Maria’s sixth child was Elizabeth Muddle who was born at Wouldham in Kent and baptised at the Church of All Saints in Wouldham on 24 September 1637. Elizabeth died at Wouldham when she was only 3 years old and she was buried in the Churchyard of All Saints at Wouldham on 18 August 1640.

 

Henry and Elizabeth’s third child was Joan Muddle who was born at Wouldham in Kent and baptised at the Church of All Saints in Wouldham on 9 January 1575.

 

Henry and Elizabeth’s fourth child was Thomas Muddle who was born at Wouldham in Kent and baptised at the Church of All Saints in Wouldham on 24 May 1577.

 

Henry and Elizabeth’s fifth child was John Muddle who was born at Wouldham in Kent and baptised at the Church of All Saints in Wouldham on 3 May 1579.

 

Henry and Elizabeth’s sixth child was Helena Muddle who was born at Wouldham in Kent and baptised at the Church of All Saints in Wouldham on 1 August 1582.

 

Henry and Elizabeth’s seventh child was Henry Muddle who was born at Wouldham in Kent and baptised at the Church of All Saints in Wouldham on 15 April 1585. Henry died at Wouldham when he was 23 years old and he was buried in the Churchyard of All Saints at Wouldham on 9 November 1608.

 

Andrew and Isabella’s eighth child was daughter Johanna Muddle who was born at Harrietsham in Kent and baptised at the Church of St John the Baptist in Harrietsham on 10 April 1541. Johanna’s father died in 1546 and in his will he left Johanna 20 shillings.

Copyright © Derek Miller 2009-2010

Last updated 9 March 2010