THE MUDDLE FAMILIES

 

THE KENT MUDDLE FAMILIES THE HARRIETSHAM MUDDLES

 

Chart of Nicholas & Susannah Muddle's Family

 

Nicholas and Susannah’s eldest child was Walter Muddle who was born at Boxley in Kent and baptised at the Church of All Saints at Boxley on 28 January 1621. When he was 25 years old Walter married Mary Brisbeech, also known as Maria, at the Church of St Nicholas in Rocester, Kent on 25 October 1646. This was the same day that Walter’s father remarried there. Walter and Mary are thought to have had at least four sons; one son, Nicholas, was named in the will of Walter’s brother William, but as no baptisms were recorded at Boxley during the Civil War and Commonwealth periods when Walter and Mary would have been having children, the other three sons are only assumed to be theirs because this is where they seem most likely to fit.

When his father died in 1660 Walter was the executor of his will and inherited the residue of his father’s personal estate. In the Kent Hearth Tax of 1664 Walter Muddle was recorded in the Parish of Boxley in the Hundred of Maidstone as having two hearths that were chargeable.[2] The following year Mary died and she was buried in the Churchyard of All Saints at Boxley on 23 November 1665.

Seven months after Mary’s death Walter married Grizsella Burgess at the Church of All Saints in Boxley on 29 June 1666. About two months before their marriage they had twins who both died within a month of birth and must have been conceived while Walter’s first wife was still alive. It was nine years later that Walter and Grizsella start to have more children; three born at Boxley between 1675 and 1678.

When his brother William died in January 1676 Walter inherited £15 that was to be taken out of the money Walter owed William in a bond that had become payable last Michaelmas, this was probably all or part of the £50 that their father had bequeathed William and was to be held by Walter as executor until William was 24 years old. William had also bequeathed Grizsella two pair of sheets and half a dozen napkins still held by John Austen that were therefore also part of William’s inheritance from his father.

Nineteen years after the birth of her last child Grizsella died at Boxley and she was buried in the Churchyard of All Saints at Boxley on 14 March 1687. The following year Walter died at Boxley, at the age of 77, and he was buried in the Churchyard of All Saints at Boxley on 1 July 1698.

 

Their children were:

Nicholas 1648-1686  Stephen 1652-1716  Walter 1656-1726

James 1660-1693  John 1666-1666  Elizabeth 1666-1666

John 1675-1759  Katherine 1677-?  Benjamin 1678-1678

 

Walter and Mary’s assumed eldest child was Nicholas Muddle who was probably born at Boxley in Kent in about 1648. Nicholas is known to be Walter and Mary's child from being named in the will of Walter's brother William Muddle. When this William Muddle died in January 1676 Nicholas inherited 20 shillings and his wife inherited one pair of sheets. In about 1669 when he was about 21 years old Nicholas married Mary and they had six children born at Maidstone between 1670 and 1686, the last three of whom died in infancy between 1684 and 1688. Nicholas died just three months after the birth of their last child and he was buried in the Churchyard of All Saint at Maidstone on 15 December 1686, when he was about 38 years old.

 

Nicholas and Mary’s eldest child was Elizabeth Muddle who was born at Maidstone in Kent and baptised at the Church of All Saints in Maidstone on 28 October 1670.

 

Nicholas and Mary’s second child was Mary Muddle who was born at Maidstone in Kent and baptised at the Church of All Saints in Maidstone during September 1672.

 

Nicholas and Mary’s third child was James Muddle who was born at Maidstone in Kent and baptised at the Church of All Saints in Maidstone during February 1676.

 

Nicholas and Mary’s fourth child was Ursella Muddle who was born at Maidstone in Kent and baptised at the Church of All Saints in Maidstone on 28 December 1679. Ursella died when she was only 4 years old and she was buried in the Churchyard of All Saint at Maidstone on 7 September 1684.

 

Nicholas and Mary’s fifth child was Nicholas Muddle who was born at Maidstone in Kent and baptised at the Church of All Saints in Maidstone on 11 September 1683. Nicholas died when he was only 1 year old and he was buried in the Churchyard of All Saint at Maidstone on 27 May 1685.

 

Nicholas and Mary’s sixth child was Nicholas Muddle who was born at Maidstone in Kent and baptised at the Church of All Saints in Maidstone during September 1686. Nicholas died when he was only 1 year old and he was buried in the Churchyard of All Saint at Maidstone on 7 August 1688.

 

Walter and Mary’s assumed second child was Stephen Muddle who was probably born at Boxley in Kent in about 1652. When William Muddle, the brother of Stephen’s father, died in January 1676 Stephen is thought to be the cousin Stephen Muddle who was bequeathed 20 shillings in the will of William Muddle. When he was about 25 years old Stephen married Elizabeth Austen at the Church of All Saints in Boxley on 27 February 1677. See the section headed ‘Stephen & Elizabeth/Eleanor Muddle’s Family’ for the rest of their lives and details of their family.

 

Walter and Mary’s assumed third child was Walter Muddle who was probably born at Boxley in Kent in about 1656. When he was about 27 years old Walter married Margaret Ledger at the Church of St Peter & St Paul in East Sutton, Kent on 30 September 1683. They lived at Charing in Kent where they had nine children born between 1684 and 1700; seven of these children died soon after birth, and another one died at age 11, leaving only one, daughter Rebecca, to survive to adulthood.

Normally the parishioners of a parish would at Easter choose from the men of the parish the two churchwardens that were to serve the parish for the next twelve months. If they couldn’t agree on their choice then one churchwarden would be appointed by the parish priest and the other chosen by the parishioners. It seems that at Easter 1703 the vicar of Charing, Edward Dering, appointed Walter Muddle to be one of the churchwardens, possibly against the wishes of some of the parishioners, and the parishioners choose John Hart to be the other churchwarden.

It also seems that these two churchwardens found it difficult or impossible to work together and according to the testimony of Charles Wheeler, who was present at a vestry meeting on the 10 May, there was then a debate about which of the churchwardens should have custody of the churchwardens’ account book that had until then been held by Walter Muddle. Some of the parishioner wanted John Hart to have it and other parishioners wanted Walter Muddle to keep it, and as a compromise Charles Wheeler proposed that it be kept locked up in the Parish Chest but this could not be agreed on so Walter Muddle retained it.

As a result it seems that John Hart then made a complaint to the Canterbury Archdeacon’s Court that resulted in the court ruling on 10 June that Walter Muddle should hand over the book to be placed in the Parish Chest. But at a vestry meeting on 13 June, according to the testimony of Charles Wheeler, when Walter Muddle offered the book to John Hart for placement in the Parish Chest both Walter Muddle and the vicar, Edward Dering, opened two of the locks on the chest with their keys but John Hart left the church with his key for the other lock with the result that the book couldn’t be placed in the chest.

John Hart then had Upton, an ecclesiastical court solicitor, produce a presentment to the Canterbury Archdeacon’s Court complaining of the actions of both Walter Muddle and Edward Dering and stating, contrary to Charles Wheeler’s testimony, that Walter Muddle had not offered the book to him. He also stating that Walter Muddle had called him a blockhead and was: ‘a person of a stained reputation and one who hath committed several misdemeanours and is of such ill behaviour that he hath several times for numerous crimes and offences by him committed been complained of to the justices of the peace and had before them or one of them for such crimes and misdemeanours and hath then acknowledged and confessed such his crimes and ill behaviour and hath begged pardon of the person or persons whom he had offended’. In this presentment John Hart further accused Walter Muddle of taking and selling lead, to the value of ten shillings, from the parish church and keeping the money for his own use. Stating that: ‘Walter Muddle hath declared several times or at least once to some person or persons that he could not live by honest dealing’.

On 8 July Walter answered the charge of stealing the lead, stating that he and the parish clerk, Henry Spillett, had found several small pieces of lead about two feet underground while digging a grave, and that he was not keeping the money for which he sold it, but would account for this money in the churchwardens’ accounts at the correct time of next Easter.

It seems that John Hart had also made a presentment against the vicar, Edward Dering, accusing him of enclosing part of the churchyard for his own use as part of the grounds of the vicarage house. Because also on the 8 July Edward Dering answered this by saying that he had only enclosed a rough unused bit of the churchyard to improve the vicarage for his successors and there was plenty of land left in the churchyard for the interment of corpses.

The case of Hart against Muddle came before the ecclesiastical court on 16 September and 7 October 1703 when admission was granted to Upton's allegations against Walter Muddle, and Tylden, another ecclesiastical court solicitor, was assigned to represent Walter. The case was heard on 30 October 1703 when Upton produced witnesses Humphrey Hughes, Thomas Andrews, William Millen and John Creed, who gave oral evidence in support of the allegations, and Tylden produced Edward Dering, who gave oral evidence against the allegations. The court's judgement was that the allegations were frivolous and had been frivolously made, and dismissed the charges against Walter. This case shows that in 1703 the parish of Charing was divided into the supporters of John Hart and the supporters of Walter Muddle and Edward Dering, and there was certainly 'bad blood' between the leaders of these two factions.[3]

It is thought that it must be Walter, who was the Walter Muddle, wheelwright, who was made a Freeman of the City of Rocester on 21 April 1705 without payment, because he had served a seven year apprenticeship with William Simons who was himself a freeman on the city.[4]

The disagreement over who held the churchwardens’ account book indicates that Walter Muddle and the vicar, Edward Dering, must have been friendly and able to get on together in 1703, but by mid-1719 this was no longer the case and Edward Dering made a complaint to the Canterbury Archdeacon’s Court that Walter Muddle had not been paying his tithes since 1714 and also the Easter Offering for himself and his wife from the same date.

The Easter Offering was an annual payment of six pence to the incumbent of a parish by each inhabitant of that parish who was aged sixteen years or more and was capable of receiving the Sacrament of the Lord’s Supper. The presentment stated that Walter had paid this for himself and his wife up until 1713 but had made no payments for the years 1714 to 1719 and as a result six shillings was owed to Edward Dering.

The presentment further stated that Walter Muddle did occupy and hold in the parish of Charing a messuage or tenement with a garden adjoining, and for the tithes of one tenth of the herbs, roots and plants grown in the garden had made an agreement with Edward Dering to pay six pence yearly at Michaelmas in lieu of the tithes, which were yearly worth at least this amount. That Walter Muddle had paid this six pence annually until 1713 but had made no payments for the years 1714 to 1718 and as a result two shillings and six pence was owed to Edward Dering.

It seems that Walter also kept pigs and in 1715 he had a litter of three piglets that he breed up and weaned, and than sold. Then in 1717 or 1718 he had a litter of fourteen pigs that he sold. The three pigs were valued at five shillings each and the fourteen pigs at two shillings and six pence each. Walter had not paid the tithes that were due on these pigs and as a result five shillings was owed to Edward Dering.

So in total Walter owed Edward Dering thirteen shillings and six pence in outstanding tithes and Easter Offerings, and had been refusing to pay. The case came before the ecclesiastical court on 21 May 1719 with Norris, an ecclesiastical court solicitor, appearing for Edward Dering. He introduced Hope, the Apparitor (court official), who stated that he had personally informed Walter on 6 May at Ashford that he was summoned to appear at the court on 21 May. As Walter didn't appear his contumacy (wilful refusal to appear before the court) was pronounced, and the case was adjourned for judgement at the next court, which was held on 4 June 1719, when the judgement was concordatur (it is agreed), which is taken to mean that the complaint against Walter was upheld, but no penalty was given.[5]

That Walter Muddle and Edward Dering's relationship, which had seemed originally to have been so close and harmonious, had became acrimonious in about 1714, at least resulted in leaving us an insight into a part of Walter's life. It's hoped that Walter and Edward Dering settled their grievances as Edward continued as Vicar at Charing until his death in 1742, and it seems that Walter also continued to live at Charing for the rest of his life.

Walter died when he was about 73 years old, and he was buried in the Churchyard of St Peter & St Paul at Charing on 2 October 1726. Three months later Margaret died and was buried in the Churchyard of St Peter & St Paul at Charing on 4 January 1727.

 

Walter and Margaret’s eldest child was James Muddle who was born at Charing in Kent and baptised at the Church of St Peter & St Paul in Charing on 18 December 1684. James died when only about 5 weeks old and he was buried in the Churchyard of St Peter & St Paul at Charing on 20 January 1685.

 

Walter and Margaret’s second child was Mary Muddle who was born at Charing in Kent, probably in early 1686 (the Charing baptism records are missing for March 1685 to March 1686). Mary died in infancy and she was buried in the Churchyard of St Peter & St Paul at Charing on 17 April 1686.

 

Walter and Margaret’s third child was Margaret Muddle who was born at Charing in Kent and baptised at the Church of St Peter & St Paul in Charing on 4 March 1688. Margaret died when only about 4 weeks old and she was buried in the Churchyard of St Peter & St Paul at Charing on 30 March 1688.

 

Walter and Margaret’s fourth child was John Muddle who was born at Charing in Kent and baptised at the Church of St Peter & St Paul in Charing on 4 April 1689. John died when only a few days old and he was buried in the Churchyard of St Peter & St Paul at Charing on 9 April 1689.

 

Walter and Margaret’s fifth child was Alice Muddle who was born at Charing in Kent, probably in mid-1690. Alice died in infancy and she was buried in the Churchyard of St Peter & St Paul at Charing on 25 October 1690.

 

Walter and Margaret’s sixth child was Susan Muddle who was born at Charing in Kent and baptised at the Church of St Peter & St Paul in Charing on 1 December 1695. Susan died when only few days old and she was buried in the Churchyard of St Peter & St Paul at Charing on 8 December 1695.

 

Walter and Margaret’s seventh child was Rebecca Muddle who was born at Charing in Kent and baptised at the Church of St Peter & St Paul in Charing on 14 February 1697. When she was 32 years old Rebecca married John Brisley at the Church of St Peter & St Paul in Charing on 7 May 1729. They had four children born at Charing between 1729 and 1737.

 

John and Rebecca’s eldest child was Mary Brisley who was born at Charing in Kent on 27 July 1729, and baptised at the Church of St Peter & St Paul in Charing on 13 August 1729.

 

John and Rebecca’s second child was John Brisley who was born at Charing in Kent on 10 January 1731, and baptised at the Church of St Peter & St Paul in Charing on 3 February 1731.

 

John and Rebecca’s third child was Edward Brisley who was born at Charing in Kent on 13 August 1734, and baptised at the Church of St Peter & St Paul in Charing on 25 August 1734.

 

John and Rebecca’s fourth child was Elizabeth Brisley who was born at Charing in Kent on 10 April 1737, and baptised at the Church of St Peter & St Paul in Charing on 16 April 1737.

 

Walter and Margaret’s eighth child was Mary Muddle who was born at Charing in Kent on 12 April 1699, and baptised at the Church of St Peter & St Paul in Charing on 14 April 1699. Mary died when only a few days old and she was buried in the Churchyard of St Peter & St Paul at Charing on 18 April1699.

 

Walter and Margaret’s ninth child was Elizabeth Muddle who was born at Charing in Kent on 16 August 1700, and baptised at the Church of St Peter & St Paul in Charing on the same day. Elizabeth died when she was 11 years old and she was buried in the Churchyard of St Peter & St Paul at Charing on 1 July 1712.

 

Walter and Mary’s assumed fourth child was James Muddle who was probably born at Boxley in Kent in about 1660. When he was about 25 years old James married Sarah Lucas at the Church of All Saints in Maidstone during May 1685. They had two children born at Maidstone in 1687 and 1688; the second of whom died in 1690 at the age of 2. Three years later James died when he was about 33 years old and he was buried in the Churchyard of All Saints in Boxley on 2 May 1693. On his burial record James was described as being a householder.

It’s thought that after the death of her husband Sarah possibly need to seek work away from Maidstone and had her 6-year-old son ‘adopted’ possibly by a family named Strong. Then five years later Sarah Muddle, a widow of Smarden, which is about 10 miles south-east of Maidstone, married Francis Woollett, a widower of High Halden, at the Church of St Margaret in Canterbury on 29 June 1698 by licence. The licence was issued by the Archdeaconry of Canterbury on the same day.

 

James and Sarah’s eldest child was John Muddle who was born at Maidstone in Kent, and baptised at the Church of All Saints in Maidstone during April 1687. After his father died in 1693 it’s thought that John may have been ‘adopted’ by a family named Strong as this was an alias used on his marriage licence.

When he was 37 years old John married 21-year-old Elizabeth Down at the Church of All Saints in Maidstone on 1 November 1724 by licence. The licence issued by the Archdeaconry of Canterbury on the same day described John Muddle, alias Strong, as a bachelor of Harrietsham and Elizabeth Down as a spinster of Lenham. Elizabeth was the daughter of Thomas and Elizabeth Down; she had been born at Lenham in Kent and baptised at the Church of St Mary in Lenham on 11 July 1703. John and Elizabeth lived at Harrietsham and had seven children that included two sets of twins, the second set of twins dying soon after birth. The first of these children was born at Lenham in 1724 a few weeks after their marriage, and the rest at Harrietsham between 1728 and 1735.

It was from about 1728 that John and the rest of his family tended to spell their surname Muddell, but the change was not consistent and the spelling Muddle was still used at times for many years, so that is the spelling normally used in this history except in quotes.

John was the occupier of the Little House at Harrietsham, which in later documents was described as a freehold dwelling house, shop, stable, outbuildings and garden in West Street, when the owner and previous occupant of this house, William Williamson, a cordwainer of Bearsted, made his will on 1 February 1728; one of the witness to the will being John. In this will William ordered that his executor, William Farrance, sell this house to raise money to pay the testator’s debts and legacies, and in this will William Williamson bequeathed his silver buckles to William Muddle, who is assumed to be the son and then only child of John Muddle. It seems that the executor, William Farrance, purchased the house himself in 1730. Then in a document written by John in 1751 he states that he was the occupier of the Little House at Harrietsham when in about 1740 William Farrance of Bearsted sold it to his brother Thomas Farrance, then when Thomas died in 1750 the house was inherited by William and Thomas Farrance, sons of the above William Farrance. Then by indentures dated 18 & 19 October 1751 William Farrance, collar-maker of Bearsted, and Thomas Farrance, farmer of Bethersden sold the Little House to John Muddell, who was still the occupier, for £30.[6]

John was a collar-maker, this is a person who makes horse collars that are warn by horses when pulling loads such as coaches and wagons. These craftsmen would have also made the other items of horse harness but the collar was by far the most complicated item to make. John had presumably served an apprenticeship and then set himself up in business at Harrietsham, presumably at the Little House, as a master collar-maker. He taught both his sons the trade and if they completed their apprenticeships at the normal age of 21 then son William would have completed his apprenticeship in 1745 and son John in 1756. John then took a non-family member as an apprentice and was described as being a collar-maker of Harrietsham when, by an indenture dated 1 November 1757, he was paid £10 10s to take John Law as an apprentice for a term of 7 years from 8 August 1757, out of which John paid 5s 3d in stamp duty on 8 December 1757.[7] John’s son William started his own business in Lenham but John’s son John stayed at Harrietsham, presumably working in his father’s business until he took it over on the death of his father.

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 John Muddell of Harrietsham who held freehold property, consisting of a house, at Harrietsham that he occupied himself.

John died at the age of 84 and he was buried in the Churchyard of St John the Baptist in Harrietsham on 10 November 1771. Twenty-six years later Elizabeth died at the age of 94 and was buried in the Churchyard of St John the Baptist in Harrietsham on 7 December 1797.

 

John and Elizabeth’s eldest child was William Muddle who was born at Lenham in Kent, and baptised at the Church of St Mary in Lenham on 11 December 1724. When William Williamson died in 1728 he bequeathed William his silver buckles. While he was a child and a young man William would have lived with his parents at Harrietsham in Kent and served an apprenticeship under his father as a collar-maker for horses, which he would have completed in 1745, at age 21. He would then probably have continued working for his father for a time before moving to Lenham in Kent and setting up in business there as a master collar-maker.

When he was 31 years old William married 24-year-old Mercy Bottle at the Church of St John the Baptist in Harrietsham in Kent on 4 May 1756. Mercy was the daughter of Alexander and Elizabeth Bottle; she had been born at Harrietsham and baptised at the Church of St John the Baptist in Harrietsham on 18 March 1732. William and Mercy never had any children.

It was just three years after his marriage that William took his first apprentice; this was by an indenture dated 4 May 1759, in which he was described as being a collar-maker of Lenham, when he was paid £10 10s to take Samuel Trigg as an apprentice for a term of 7 years from the date of the indenture, out of which William paid 5s 3d in stamp duty on 16 May 1759.[8] Then in an indenture dated 19 September 1764 William was described as a collar-maker when he was paid £16 16s to take Richard Barnard as an apprentice for a term of 7 years, out of which William paid 16s 10d in stamp duty on 28 November 1764.[9] Then in an indenture dated 12 July 1768 William was described as a saddler etc. when he was paid £21 to take Charles Barnard as an apprentice for a term of 7 years, out of which William paid 10s 6d in stamp duty on 21 July 1768.[10] Then in an indenture dated 17 January 1769 William was described as a collar-maker when he was paid £40 to take Samuel Young as an apprentice for a term of 7 years, out of which William paid £1 in stamp duty on 3 February 1769.[11] Then in an indenture dated 15 June 1776 William was described as a collar-maker when he was paid £30 to take Edward Bredon as an apprentice for a term of 5 years from 12 April 1776, out of which William paid 15s in stamp duty on 27 June 1776.[12] Then in an indenture dated 7 March 1791 William was described as a saddler of Lenham when he was paid £16 16s to take John Cheesman as an apprentice for a term of 7 years from 7 September 1791, out of which William paid 8s 5d in stamp duty on 10 March 1791.[13] So over a period of 32 years William had taken on six apprentices.

The 1790 Kent Poll Book recorded that William Muddle of Lenham, a freeholder of a house at Lenham that he occupied himself, voted on the 1st day of the poll held on Penenden Heath, Maidstone between 28 & 30 June 1790 for Knights of the Shire (Members of Parliament) for Kent, and that he voted for Sir Edward Knatchbull Bart.

Mercy’s father Alexander Bottle died in 1797 and in his will he left William and Mercy an annuity of £6 which was to be paid to them half yearly during their natural lives out of the property Alexander had bequeathed to his grandson Benjamin Bottle.[14]

The 1802 Kent Poll Book recorded that William Muddle of Lenham, a freeholder of a house at Lenham that he occupied himself, voted on the 1st day of the poll held on Penenden Heath, Maidstone between 13 & 22 July 1802 for Knights of the Shire (Members of Parliament) for Kent, and that he voted for Sir Edward Knatchbull Bart. and Sir William Geary Bart.

William died at Lenham during the evening of Tuesday 10 October 1815, at the age of 90, and he was buried in the Churchyard of St Mary at Lenham on 16 October 1815. William’s death was reported in the 1 November 1815 edition of The New Monthly Magazine and Universal Register as ‘Died at Lenham, Mr. W. Muddle, 91’.

William had made his will on 8 October 1815, two days before his death, in which he described himself as a collar-maker of Lenham, and this will was proved by the Prerogative Court of Canterbury on 16 March 1818. In an affidavit attached to the proved will schoolmaster Robert Paige of Lenham made oath that between 9 & 10 o’clock in the evening of Sunday 8 October 1815 he received a message from William Muddle, whom he had known for many years, requesting that he go to William Muddle’s house for the purpose of making William’s will. He found William confined to his bed and very ill but of sound mind and attended by his wife. William dictated his wishes, from which Robert Paige wrote the will that he then read to William, who approved and signed it together with witnesses. Robert Paige then further stated that William died on the evening of Tuesday 10 October 1815 and the next day when the will was produce he realized that he had not correctly expressed the wishes of William and added the words ‘and his heirs’ in four places to correct this, but the court ruled that these addition couldn’t be allowed and proved the will without these additions. In his will William made his wife sole executrix and left all he possessed to her for her use during her life. After Mercy’s death his properties at Lenham and Harrietsham were to go to his wife’s great-nephews, William & Edward Bottle, with an annuity of £10 to Thomas Huggett of Hartlip.

Six years later Mercy died at Lenham, at the age of 90, and she was buried in the Churchyard of St Mary at Lenham on 22 October 1821. Though Mercy had been granted administration of her late husband’s will, at her death she had not done the administration and as she died intestate she had no executor who could complete this administration. In law the administrators of William’s will now became those persons who would have been entitled to inherit if William had died intestate; these were his wife Mercy and his brother John. Mercy had died intestate but his brother John, who had died 3 years after William. did leave a will, and it was an executor of this will, John’s grandson John Muddell Willett, who now became the rightful administrator of William’s will, and was granted administration by the Prerogative Court of Canterbury on 30 July 1822, 18 days after he had been granted administration of John’s will. If the inheritors named in William’s will were still alive they would inherit, but if dead, as the words ‘and their heirs’ had not been allowed, their inheritance would have become part of John’s estate and administered as such by John Muddell Willett.[15]

 

John and Elizabeth’s second child, one of twins, was Martha Muddle who was born at Harrietsham in Kent, and baptised at the Church of St John the Baptist in Harrietsham on 22 September 1728. When she was 26 years old Martha married John Trowell at the Church of St John the Baptist in Harrietsham on 4 August 1755. They lived at Harrietsham where they had four children born between 1757 and 1766.

 

John and Martha’s eldest child was Hannah Trowell who was born at Harrietsham in Kent, and baptised at the Church of St John the Baptist in Harrietsham on 10 April 1757.

 

John and Martha’s second child was Elizabeth Trowell who was born at Harrietsham in Kent, and baptised at the Church of St John the Baptist in Harrietsham on 14 May 1758.

 

John and Martha’s third child was Martha Trowell who was born at Harrietsham in Kent, and baptised at the Church of St John the Baptist in Harrietsham on 18 July 1762.

 

John and Martha’s fourth child was Mary Trowell who was born at Harrietsham in Kent, and baptised at the Church of St John the Baptist in Harrietsham on 28 September 1766.

 

John and Elizabeth’s third child, one of twins, was Mary Muddle who was born at Harrietsham in Kent, and baptised at the Church of St John the Baptist in Harrietsham on 22 September 1728. Mary died at nearby Lenham in Kent, at the age of 14, and she was buried in the Churchyard of St Mary at Lenham on 5 May 1743.

 

John and Elizabeth’s fourth child, one of twins, was John Muddle who was born at Harrietsham in Kent, and baptised at the Church of St John the Baptist in Harrietsham on 2 February 1731. Both John and his twin died a few days after birth and were buried together in the Churchyard of St John the Baptist in Harrietsham on 7 February 1731.

 

John and Elizabeth’s fifth child, one of twins, was Elizabeth Muddle who was born at Harrietsham in Kent, and baptised at the Church of St John the Baptist in Harrietsham on 2 February 1731. Both Elizabeth and her twin died a few days after birth and were buried together in the Churchyard of St John the Baptist in Harrietsham on 7 February 1731.

 

John and Elizabeth’s sixth child was Elizabeth Muddle who was born at Harrietsham in Kent, and baptised at the Church of St John the Baptist in Harrietsham on 4 June 1732. When she was 30 years old Elizabeth married bachelor Thomas Roper at the Church of the Holy Cross in Bearsted near Maidstone in Kent on 15 February 1763. Both Thomas and Elizabeth were then living at Bearsted, which is about 5 miles north-west of Harrietsham.

 

John and Elizabeth’s seventh child was John Muddle who was born at Harrietsham in Kent, and baptised at the Church of St John the Baptist in Harrietsham on 23 February 1735. John would have served an apprenticeship under his father as a collar-maker for horses, which he would have completed in 1756, at age 21, and would then probably have continued working for his father in his business at Harrietsham.

When he was 25 years old John married 22-year-old Elizabeth Hope at the Church of St John the Baptist in Harrietsham on 20 January 1761. Elizabeth was the daughter of Thomas and Elizabeth Hope; she had been born at Harrietsham and baptised at the Church of St John the Baptist in Harrietsham on 10 June 1738. John and Elizabeth lived at Harrietsham where they had two children born in 1764 and 1767.

John’s father died in 1771 and it’s thought that by then John had taken over his father’s business in Harrietsham and became a master collar-maker, because Bryan Martin Fairfax on behalf of Lord Fairfax in Virginia had sent a letter to Denny Martin Fairfax at Leeds Castle:

My Lord desired you will send him a neat plain Harness with Chains for Six Horses, to go Single, the Collars for Horses fourteen hands and a half high. Spare Thongs & Buckles to be made by Muddle …

The accounts at Leeds Castle then show that on 10 April 1770 John Muddle, obviously well known as a skilled craftsman, was paid £25 12s 1d for the harness which was forwarded to Virginia, and on 18 August 1770 Denny received a letter from his brother Bryan, who wrote from Greenway Court in Virginia, thanking him for a wagon harness.[16]

In an indenture dated 7 December 1775 John was described as a collar-maker of Harrietsham when he was paid £20 to take William Hope as an apprentice until he was 21 years old, out of which John paid 10s in stamp duty on 13 December 1775.[17] A modified version of this indenture dated 24 June 1776 was registered on 17 August 1776 when the difference was that the term of the apprenticeship was 7 years from 7 December 1775.[18]

It seems that John must have got into financial trouble because by 1780 he was in prison for debt in either Newgate Prison in London or The Clink in Southwark; two prisons that held debtors and were attacked by rioters during the Gordon Riots of that year and the prisoners, which must have included John, were released. There was then an Act of Parliament that enabled these prisoners to surrender themselves into the custody of the Marshall of the King’s Bench Prison, and a list of these prisoners that included J Muddell of Harrietsham was published by T Brewman as An Authentic List of Persons who have Surrendered themselves, in consequence of the late Act, into the Custody of the Marshal of the King’s Bench Prison between the Seventh of June 1780 and the Thirty-first of January 1781.

John was probably still a debtor and possibly still in prison when Elizabeth, who was living in the Almshouses at Harrietsham, died at the age of 47 and was buried in the Churchyard of St John the Baptist in Harrietsham on 26 July 1785.

It was probably when his father died in 1771 that John inherited the Little House at Harrietsham and it was this freehold property that enabled the 1790 Kent Poll Book to record that John Muddle of Harrietsham, a freeholder of a house at Harrietsham that he occupied himself, 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, and that he voted for Filmer Honywood Esq. Then the 1802 Kent Poll Book recorded that John Muddle of Harrietsham, a freeholder of a house and land at Harrietsham that he occupied himself, voted on the 2nd day of the poll held on Penenden Heath, Maidstone between 13 & 22 July 1802 for Knights of the Shire (Members of Parliament) for Kent, and that he again voted for Filmer Honywood Esq.

John died when he was 83 years old and he was buried in the Churchyard of St John the Baptist at Harrietsham on 6 November 1818. John had made his will on 31 July 1816 when he described himself as a collar-maker of Harrietsham, who together with grocer Edward Mercer was occupying the Little House in West Street at Harrietsham. This will was proved by the Prerogative Court of Canterbury on 12 July 1822 when administration was granted to John’s grandson John Muddell Willett with power reserved to also grant it to the other named executor, grandson Thomas Willett. In his will John left an annuity of £3 to his daughter Caroline to be paid to her half yearly during her natural life, with all his real estate being charged with making this payment. John left £10 to his grandson Thomas Willett, and all the rest of his real and personal estate to his grandson John Muddell Willett with the provision that if John Muddell Willett died without issue, which he did in 1837, the real estate was than to be divided equally between his other four grandsons, Thomas, William, Robert and James Willett.[19]

 

John and Elizabeth’s eldest child was Elizabeth Muddle who was born at Harrietsham in Kent, and baptised at the Church of St John the Baptist in Harrietsham on 24 December 1764. Elizabeth died when she was 16 years old, and she was buried in the Churchyard of St John the Baptist at Harrietsham on 17 September 1781.

 

John and Elizabeth’s second child was Caroline Muddle who was born at Harrietsham in Kent, and baptised at the Church of St John the Baptist in Harrietsham on 22 December 1767. When she was 21 years old Caroline married 27-year-old Thomas Willett at the Church of St John the Baptist in Harrietsham on 22 July 1789. Thomas was then from Ulcombe in Kent and Caroline from Harrietsham. Thomas was the son of Thomas and Caroline Willett; he had been born at Ulcombe and baptised at the Church of All Saints in Ulcombe on 29 January 1762.

Thomas and Caroline had eight children born between 1790 and 1808, the last dying when only a few weeks old. The first and last of these children were born at Harrietsham and the middle four at Ulcombe where Thomas worked as a miller. When her father died in 1818 he left Caroline an annuity of £3 to be paid to her half yearly for her natural life out of his property called the Little House in Harrietsham that had been bequeathed to her son John Muddell Willett. In this will made in 1816 Caroline was described as the wife of Thomas Willett a miller of Wrotham in Kent, which is between Sevenoaks and Maidstone. Thomas died at Wrotham, at the age of 63, and he was buried in the Churchyard of St John the Baptist in Harrietsham on 23 April 1826.

When Caroline’s eldest son, John Muddell Willett, died in early 1837 he left Caroline the rent, except for £3, from his house at Harrietsham during her life. This house is assumed to be the Little House at Harrietsham that had been charged by her father with paying Caroline an annuity of £3. Later that year when Caroline made a sworn statement at Maidstone on 8 August 1837 about details of the Muddle and Willett families that had bearing on the inheritance of property, she described herself as a widow of Cobham in Kent, which is about 4 miles west of Rochester.[20]

 

Thomas and Caroline’s eldest child was John Muddell Willett who was born at Harrietsham in Kent and baptised at the Church of St John the Baptist in Harrietsham on 13 April 1790. When his grandfather John Muddle made his will in mid-1816 John was described as a bricklayer of Harrietsham. His grandfather died in 1818 and John as one of the executors of the will was granted administration of his grandfather’s estate on 12 July 1822. In this will John inherited his all his grandfather’s real estate, which was the Little House at Harrietsham that consisted of a dwelling house, shop, stable, outbuildings and garden in West Street at Harrietsham, which when the will was made was in the occupation of his grandfather and grocer Edward Mercer. This property was charged with paying a £3 annuity to John’s mother, Caroline Willett, during her natural life, which was to extend past John’s own death. John also inherited all his grandfather’s personal estate, with the condition that either the personal or real estate paid a legacy of £10 to John’s brother Thomas Willett.

It seems that after John started administering his grandfather’s estate he found out that the administration of the will of his grandfather’s brother William Muddle had not been completed by William’s widow when she died intestate in 1821 and had no executor who could complete this administration. In law the administrators of William’s will then became those persons who would have been entitled to inherit if William had died intestate, these were his wife Mercy and his brother John. Mercy had died intestate but his brother John, who had died 3 years after William. did leave a will, and it was an executor of this will, John Muddell Willett, who now became the rightful administrator of William’s will, so he applied for and was granted administration of William Muddle’s will by the Prerogative Court of Canterbury on 30 July 1822, just 18 days after being granted administration of his grandfather’s will. If any of the people left legacies in William Muddle’s will had died by the time John started the administration these legacies would have gone to John’s grandfather’s estate and thence to John, but whether they were living or dead is not known.

John died at Harrietsham, at the age of about 47, and he was buried in the Churchyard of St John the Baptist at Harrietsham on 2 February 1837. John had made his will on 25 January 1837, shortly before his death, and this will was proved by the Prerogative Court of Canterbury on 3 April 1837. John made his brothers Thomas and James Willett his executors. He left £200 to Mary Ann Willett together with his house and land at Trottiscliffe, which is a small village about 8 miles north-west of Maidstone. It’s not known who Mary Ann Willett was, unless it was his sister, though he refers to her by her married name of Mary Ann Styles elsewhere in his will. To his brother William Willett he left his house at Liverton Street, which is a small village about 2 miles south of Harrietsham. To his mother Caroline Willett he left the rents of his house in Harrietsham, except for £3 of the rent from the part occupied by Samuel Parking, for her life. After her death these rents, except the £3, to go to his sister Mary Ann Styles until her death and then to Thomas Willett the son of his brother Robert Willett. If, as is assumed, this house was the Little House in West Street at Harrietsham, then it was specified in will of John’s grandfather that if John died without legitimate issue, which he did, then it was to be inherited jointly by John’s four brothers, Thomas, William, Robert and James. The £3 of rent from Samuel Parking’s part of this house together with the rent from the house at Liverton Street was to go to widow Sarah Bentley during her life, and she was also to inherit his chest, bed, bedstead and furniture.[21]

It seems likely that Sarah Bentley was John's housekeeper, and a bit more, because a month or so after John's death, Sarah gave birth to a son that she named John Muddle Willett Bentley. Sarah had been born at Ulcombe in Kent in about 1792. In the census of 6 June 1841 Sarah and her son were living at the Ponds in Harrietsham. Then in the census of 30 March 1851 Sarah and her son were living at Brick House in Harrietsham, which was the same place as at the Ponds as both were listed next to Court Lodge; Sarah was the widow of a farm labourer and working as a charwoman. Sarah's son married in 1860 and in the census of 7 April 1861 Sarah was living alone at the Ponds in Harrietsham. Sarah died in the Union Workhouse at Hollingbourne at the age of 78, and she was buried in the Churchyard of St John the Baptist in Harrietsham on 31 May 1870.

 

John and Sarah’s only child was John Muddle Willett Bentley who was born illegitimately to widow Sarah Bentley at Harrietsham in Kent a month or so after his father's death in April 1837, and he was baptised at the Parish Church of St John the Baptist in Harrietsham on 11 June 1837 as the son of Sarah Bentley. In the census of 6 June 1841 John, at the age of 4, was living with his mother at the Ponds in Harrietsham. Then in the census of 30 March 1851 John, now aged 13, was going to school and living with his mother at Brick House in Harrietsham, which was the same place as at the Ponds as both were listed next to Court Lodge.

When he was about 22 years old John married Harriet Tompsett in Hollingbourne registration district in Kent during the 2nd quarter of 1860. Harriet was the daughter of Richard and Sarah Tompsett and she had been born at Goudhurst in Kent in about 1835. In the census of 7 April 1861 John and Harriet were living in West Street at Harrietsham and John was working as a farm labourer. They had two children, both sons, born at Harrietsham in 1863 and 1865. In the census of 2 April 1871 they were living in West Street at Harrietsham with their youngest son and John was working as a sawyer. Their other son was staying with his uncle and aunt, Thomas and Ann Latten, in Staplehurst. Then their youngest son died the following year, at the age of 7.

In the census of 3 April 1881 they were living at 6 East Street in the Parish of Snodland & Paddlesworth in Kent with their surviving son; John was continuing to work as a sawyer and they had 20-year-old general labourer Richard Relf as a boarder. Then in the census of 5 April 1891 they were living at 3 Temperance Cottages in Strood, Kent; John was still working as a sawyer and they had the family of their now married son living with them. In the census of 31 March 1901 John and Harriet were living at 68 Temple Street in Strood and John was now a dealer in furniture on his own account at home.

Harriet died at the age of 69, her death being registered in Faversham registration district in Kent during the 4th quarter of 1908. Then in the census of 2 April 1911 John was working on his own account as a bundle wood maker and boarding with the family of William and Maria Ellard at 94 King Street in Rochester, Kent. Then twenty years after Harriet’s death John died at the age of 91, his death being registered in Medway registration district in Kent during the 1st quarter of 1929.

 

John and Harriet’s eldest child was Harry Bentley who was born at Harrietsham in Kent and baptised at the Parish Church of St John the Baptist in Harrietsham on 27 September 1863. In the census of 2 April 1871 Harry, at the age of 7, was going to school and staying with his uncle and aunt, Thomas and Ann Latten, at Hill Cottage in Staplehurst, Kent. Then in the census of 3 April 1881 Harry, now aged 17, was working as a general labourer and living with his parents at 6 East Street in the Parish of Snodland & Paddlesworth in Kent. Harry married and in the census of 5 April 1891 he, together with his wife and four children, was living with his parents at 3 Temperance Cottages in Strood, Kent.

 

John and Harriet’s second child was Jim Bentley who was born at Harrietsham in Kent and baptised at the Parish Church of St John the Baptist in Harrietsham on 12 February 1865. In the census of 2 April 1871 Jim, at the age of 6, was going to school and living with his parents in West Street at Harrietsham. The following year Jim died at Harrietsham, at the age of 7 (not 8 as given on his burial record), and he was buried in the Churchyard of St John the Baptist in Harrietsham on 12 May 1872.

 

Thomas and Caroline’s second child was Elizabeth Willett who was born in 1791 or 1792, probably at Ulcombe in Kent.

 

Thomas and Caroline’s third child was Thomas Willett who was born at Ulcombe in Kent and baptised at the Church of All Saints in Ulcombe on 19 April 1793. When his grandfather John Muddle made his will in mid-1816 Thomas was described as a brewer of Maidstone. Then when his grandfather died in 1818 Thomas inherited £10. He was also one of the executors of his grandfather’s will but seems to have left the administration to his elder brother, John Muddell Willett, who was the other executor.

When his brother John Muddell Willett died in 1837 Thomas and his brother James were the two executors of his will and were granted administration at London by the Prerogative Court of Canterbury on 3 April 1837. If John Muddell Willett died without legitimate issue, which he did, then the Little House in West Street at Harrietsham that he had inherited from their grandfather John Muddle was to pass, as specified in their grandfather’s will, jointly to his four brothers, Thomas, William, Robert and James Willett. This resulted in a conveyance dated 26 August 1837 in which the four brothers sold this property to shopkeeper Edward Mercer of Harrietsham, and in this conveyance Thomas was described as being a coachman of Gravesend in Kent.[22]

 

Thomas and Caroline’s fourth child was William Willett who was born at Ulcombe in Kent and baptised at the Church of All Saints in Ulcombe on 13 April 1795. When his grandfather John Muddle made his will in mid-1816 William was described as being a servant in Maidstone.

When his brother John Muddell Willett died in 1837 William inherited his brother’s house at Liverton Street, which is a small village about 2 miles south of Harrietsham, though the rents from this house were to go to widow Sarah Bentley during her life, which ended in 1870. If John Muddell Willett died without legitimate issue, which he did, then the Little House in West Street at Harrietsham that he had inherited from their grandfather John Muddle was to pass, as specified in their grandfather’s will, jointly to his four brothers, Thomas, William, Robert and James Willett. This resulted in a conveyance dated 26 August 1837 in which the four brothers sold this property to shopkeeper Edward Mercer of Harrietsham, and in this conveyance William was described as being a butler of Lincoln’s Inn in London.

When he was 40 years old William married Elizabeth Little Bloxham at the Parish Church of St Ann Blackfriars in the City of London on 9 April 1835 and they were living at Hougham near Dover where William was a victualler when their two children were born in 1838 and 1840; both of whom died soon after birth.

 

William and Elizabeth’s eldest child was John Muddle Willett who was born at Hougham near Dover in Kent and baptised at the Church of St Mary the Virgin in Dover on 16 November 1838. John died soon after birth, his death being registered in Dover registration district during the 4th quarter of 1838.

 

William and Elizabeth’s second child was William Muddle Willett who was born at Hougham near Dover in Kent and baptised at the Church of St Mary the Virgin in Dover on 20 May 1840. William died at Hougham when he was only 5 months old, and he was buried in the Churchyard of St Lawrence at Hougham on 6 October 1840.

 

Thomas and Caroline’s fifth child was Robert Willett who was born at Ulcombe in Kent and privately baptised by the Church of All Saints in Ulcombe on 12 April 1797. When his grandfather John Muddle made his will in mid-1816 Robert was described as being a servant at Farleigh in Kent. When he was 24 years old Robert married 18-year-old Ann Saxby at the Parish Church of St Peter in Aylesford, Kent on 11 April 1821. Ann was the daughter of John and Sarah Saxby; she had been born at Aylesford on 23 November 1802, and baptised at the Parish Church of St Peter in Aylesford on 26 December 1802. Robert and Ann had one child born at Sundridge in Kent less than three months after their marriage, and at the baptism of this child Robert gave his occupation as servant.

Robert’s brother John Muddell Willett died in early 1837 without legitimate issue with the effect that the Little House in West Street at Harrietsham that he had inherited from their grandfather John Muddle was to pass, as specified in their grandfather’s will, jointly to his four brothers, Thomas, William, Robert and James Willett. This resulted in a conveyance dated 26 August 1837 in which the four brothers sold this property to shopkeeper Edward Mercer of Harrietsham, and in this conveyance Robert was described as living at Upton near Stratford in Essex.

 In the census of 30 March 1851 Robert, at the age of 53, was one of the house servants to James Basil Danby at Affington House in Broadwater near Worthing in Sussex.

 

Robert and Ann’s only child was Thomas Willett who was born at Sundridge near Sevenoaks in Kent and baptised at the Parish Church of St Peter & St Paul in Sundridge on 8 July 1821. When Thomas’ uncle John Muddell Willett died in early 1837 he left Thomas the rent, except for £3, from his house at Harrietsham that he was to start to receive after the deaths of both his grandmother Caroline Willett and his aunt Mary Ann Styles.

 

Thomas and Caroline’s sixth child was James Willett who was born at Ulcombe in Kent and baptised at the Church of All Saints in Ulcombe on 22 March 1801. When his grandfather John Muddle made his will in mid-1816 James was described as living at Wrotham in Kent where his parents were then living.

When he was 30 years old James married Maria King at the Church of All Saints & St John in Hertford, Hertfordshire on 4 September 1831. Maria had been born at Hertford in about 1808.

When his brother John Muddell Willett died in 1837 James and his brother Thomas were the two executors of his will and were granted administration at London by the Prerogative Court of Canterbury on 3 April 1837. If John Muddell Willett died without legitimate issue, which he did, then the Little House in West Street at Harrietsham that he had inherited from their grandfather John Muddle was to pass, as specified in their grandfather’s will, jointly to his four brothers, Thomas, William, Robert and James Willett. This resulted in a conveyance dated 26 August 1837 in which the four brothers sold this property to shopkeeper Edward Mercer of Harrietsham, and in this conveyance James was described as being a miller of Croydon in Surrey.

James and Maria had three children born at Hornsey in Middlesex in 1838, 1840 and 1846. In the census of 6 June 1841 they were living at Hornsey with their then two children and James was working as a male servant. Then in the census of 30 March 1851 they were living at Denny Bottom in Tunbridge Wells, Kent with their three children; James was a retired publican and they had 25-year-old Harriet Bran as a live-in house servant.

 

James and Maria’s eldest child was James Willett who was born at Hornsey in Middlesex and whose birth was registered during the 3rd quarter of 1838. In the census of 6 June 1841 James, at the age of 2, was living with his parents at Hornsey. Then in the census of 30 March 1851 James, now aged 12, was living with his parents at Denny Bottom in Tunbridge Wells, Kent, and he was going to school.

 

James and Maria’s second child was Caroline Maria Willett who was born at Hornsey in Middlesex and whose birth was registered during the 2nd quarter of 1840. In the census of 6 June 1841 Caroline, at the age of 1, was living with her parents at Hornsey. Then in the census of 30 March 1851 Caroline, now aged 11, was living with her parents at Denny Bottom in Tunbridge Wells, Kent, and she was going to school.

 

James and Maria’s third child was Mary Elizabeth Willett who was born at Hornsey in Middlesex and whose birth was registered during the 2nd quarter of 1846. In the census of 30 March 1851 Mary, at the age of 5, was living with her parents at Denny Bottom in Tunbridge Wells, Kent, and she was going to school.

 

Thomas and Caroline’s seventh child was Mary Ann Willett who was born at Ulcombe in Kent in about 1803. When she was about 21 years old Mary Ann married James Styles at the Parish Church of St Peter in Aylesford, Kent on 10 March 1825. They had three children; the first two born in 1826 and 1828 at Wrotham in Kent where James was a farmer at Wrotham Heath, and the third in 1830 at Ightham in Kent where James was a publican. Mary Ann was living at Eltham in Kent when her brother John died in early 1837 and left her the rent, except for £3, from his house at Harrietsham that she was to start to receive after the death of their mother and then to continue to receive until her own death.

In the census of 6 June 1841 James and Mary Ann were living in the High Street at Eltham in Kent with their two daughters; James was a publican and they had two live-in servants and also 15 agricultural labourers as lodgers. Then in the census of 30 March 1851 James and his youngest daughter were living in the High Street at Eltham; James was a victualler and had 22-year-old Jane Best as a living in servant and also three labourers as lodgers. Mary Ann was away staying at 6 Silver Street in Clerkenwell with the family of her married daughter Emma Bridges, who had recently had her first child. Then in the census of 7 April 1861 Mary Ann was still married but the head of the household and a victualler living at the Chequers Inn in the High Street at Eltham with her son and youngest daughter, who were assisting her, and also a live-in servant John Truman, who was a waiter, and lodger Ambrose Mercer.

 

James and Mary Ann’s eldest child was Emma Styles who was born at Wrotham in Kent, and baptised at the Parish Church of St George in Wrotham on 1 January 1826. In the census of 6 June 1841 Emma, at the age of 15, was living with her parents in the High Street at Eltham, Kent. When she was about 22 years old Emma married William Ebbetts Bridges, who was a corn dealer, in Lewisham registration district during the 2nd quarter of 1848. Then in the census of 30 March 1851 they were living at 6 Silver Street in Clerkenwell, Emma had recently given birth to their first child and Emma’s mother was staying with them.

 

James and Mary Ann’s second child was James Styles who was born at Wrotham in Kent on 29 March 1828, and baptised at the Parish Church of St Peter in Ightham, Kent on 30 October 1830. In the census of 7 April 1861 James, still a bachelor at the age of 32, was a victualler living with his mother at the Chequers Inn in the High Street at Eltham, Kent.

 

James and Mary Ann’s third child was Caroline Styles who was born at Ightham in Kent and baptised at the Parish Church of St Peter in Ightham on 30 October 1830. In the census of 6 June 1841 Caroline, at the age of 11, was living with her parents in the High Street at Eltham, Kent. Then in the census of 30 March 1851 Caroline, now aged 20, was still living with her parents in the High Street at Eltham. In the census of 7 April 1861 Caroline, still a spinster at the age of 30, was living with her mother and brother, who were victuallers, at the Chequers Inn in the High Street at Eltham and assisting them in their business.

 

Thomas and Caroline’s eighth child was George Willett who was born at Harrietsham in Kent and baptised at the Church of St John the Baptist in Harrietsham on 27 February 1808. George died when he was only a few weeks old and he was buried in the Churchyard of St John the Baptist at Harrietsham on 3 March 1808.

 

James and Sarah’s second child was Sarah Muddle who was born at Maidstone in Kent and baptised at the Church of All Saints in Maidstone on 25 September 1688. Sarah died when she was only 2 years old and she was buried in the Churchyard of All Saints in Boxley on 24 September 1690.

 

Walter and Grizsella’s eldest child, one of twins, (Walter’s fifth) was John Muddle who was born at Boxley in Kent and baptised at the Church of All Saints in Boxley on 3 May 1666. John died when he was about 4 weeks old, and he was buried in the Churchyard of All Saints at Boxley on 29 May 1666.

 

Walter and Grizsella’s second child, one of twins, (Walter’s sixth) was Elizabeth Muddle who was born at Boxley in Kent and baptised at the Church of All Saints in Boxley on 3 May 1666. Elizabeth died when she was about 2 weeks old, and she was buried in the Churchyard of All Saints at Boxley on 17 May 1666.

 

Walter and Grizsella’s third child (Walter’s seventh) was John Muddle who was born at Boxley in Kent and baptised at the Church of All Saints in Boxley on 31 July 1675. When he was 38 years old John married 21-year-old Mary Burford at the Church of All Saints in Boxley on 1 October 1713. Mary was the daughter of John and Mary Burford, and she had been baptised at the Church of St Martin in Detling, Kent on 9 September 1692. John and Mary lived at Maidstone where they had four children born between 1714 and 1721; the first two of whom died during May 1721. Three years after the birth of her last child Mary died at Maidstone, at the age of 31, and she was buried in the Churchyard of All Saints at Boxley on 7 February 1724.

Twenty months after Mary’s death John, now aged 50, married Alicia Pine at the Church of All Saints in Maidstone on 4 October 1725 by license. The license had been issued by the Archdeaconry of Canterbury on 3 October 1725 and described John as a widower of Maidstone and Alicia as a spinster of Maidstone. They lived at Maidstone where they had four children born between 1726 and 1736, the third of whom died soon after birth.

The Poll Book for the election held at Maidstone on 15 & 16 May 1734 for two Members of Parliament to represent Kent, records that one of the voters was John Muddle who lived at Maidstone and held freehold property at Thurnham. On the 11 October 1748 John was made a Freeman of the Borough of Maidstone.[23] 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 John Muddle who lived at Maidstone and held freehold property, consisting of a house and land, at Thurnham, which was occupied by Thomas Hall. John died at the age of 84 and he was buried in the Churchyard of All Saints at Boxley on 19 November 1759.

 

Their children were:

Sarah 1714-1721  John 1717-1721  James 1720-1774  Mary 1721-1741

Sarah 1726-?  Arthur 1730-1766  John 1733-1733  Alicia 1736-?

 

John and Mary’s eldest child was Sarah Muddle who was born at Maidstone in Kent and baptised at the Church of All Saints in Maidstone on 18 September 1714. Sarah died at the age of 6, and she was buried in the Churchyard of All Saints at Boxley on 24 May 1721, just three weeks after her brother John.

 

John and Mary’s second child was John Muddle who was born at Maidstone in Kent and baptised at the Church of All Saints in Maidstone on 2 March 1717. John died at Maidstone, at the age of 4, and he was buried in the Churchyard of All Saints at Boxley on 3 May 1721.

 

John and Mary’s third child was James Muddle who was born at Maidstone in Kent and baptised at the Church of All Saints in Maidstone on 1 January 1720.

On 23 June 1739, when he was 19 years old, James started working at Chatham Naval Dockyard as a Labourer being paid 13d per day. During the 1st quarter of 1740 James worked 74 days, 2 nights and 32 tides as a Labourer for which he was paid £4 13s 0d.[24] It's not known how long the standard working day was, but it was probably 10 hours, a night was a period of 5 hours overtime for which a day's pay was received, and a tide was a period of 1½ hours overtime for which a labourer received 4d.[25] It was during this same quarter, on the 24 March 1740, that James started working as a Watchman at the dockyard, in addition to working as a Labourer, this being just 9 months after he had started as a labourer. A Watchman's pay was 12d per day but they only worked what were called nights, which were 5 hours of overtime for which they were paid a day's wages, and the Watchman seemed to fairly consistently work 45 or 46 nights per quarter, so it was effectively steady overtime that was not available to them as labourers, and added about 50% to James' pay.[26]

When he was 22 years old James married Elizabeth Batchelor at the Church of St Peter in Aylesford, Kent on 7 October 1742. See the section headed ‘James & Elizabeth Muddle’s Family’ for the rest of their lives and details of their family.

 

John and Mary’s fourth child was Mary Muddle who was born at Maidstone in Kent and baptised at the Church of All Saints in Maidstone on 7 May 1721. Mary probably moved the 2½ miles south to Loose to work and died there at the age of 20. She was described as being a spinster when she was buried in the Churchyard of All Saints at Loose on 19 October 1741.

 

John and Alicia’s eldest child (John’s fifth) was Sarah Muddle who was born at Maidstone in Kent and baptised at the Church of All Saints in Maidstone on 15 January 1726. When she was 27 years old Sarah married Robert Stevenson at the Church of All Saints in Maidstone on 16 June 1753. They had three children born at Maidstone between 1753 and 1756.

 

Robert and Sarah’s eldest child was John Stevenson who was born at Maidstone in Kent and baptised at the Church of All Saints in Maidstone on 25 July 1753.

 

Robert and Sarah’s second child was Ann Stevenson who was born at Maidstone in Kent and baptised at the Church of All Saints in Maidstone on 13 September 1754.

 

Robert and Sarah’s third child was Alicia Stevenson who was born at Maidstone in Kent and baptised at the Church of All Saints in Maidstone on 29 February 1756.

 

John and Alicia’s second child (John’s sixth) was Arthur Muddle who was born at Maidstone in Kent and baptised at the Church of All Saints in Maidstone on 24 January 1730. When he was 29 years old Arthur married 22-year-old Sarah Fryman at the Church of All Saints in Maidstone on 30 September 1759 by license. The license issued by the Archdeaconry of Canterbury on 29 September 1759 described Arthur as a 29 year old bachelor and labourer of Maidstone and Sarah as a 22 year old spinster of Maidstone. Sarah was the daughter of Richard and Mary Fryman, and she had been baptised at the Church of All Saints in Biddenden, Kent on 3 July 1737. Arthur and Sarah lived at Maidstone where their first child was born in early 1760 and died in late 1761, when just under two years old. Their second child was born at Maidstone in mid-1762, but both Mary, at the age of 25, and this child died about three months later and were buried together in the Churchyard of All Saints at Biddenden on 30 September 1762.

Six months after Sarah’s death Arthur, at the age of 33, married Martha Cutbush at the Church of All Saints in Maidstone on 27 March 1763. They lived at Boxley in Kent where they had two children born in 1764 and 1766. Arthur died at the age of 36, only a few days after their second child was baptised, and he was buried in the Churchyard of All Saints in Boxley on 28 November 1766. Six months later Martha married widower John Saltmarsh at the Church of All Saints in Boxley on 5 June 1767 by license. The license issued by the Archdeaconry of Canterbury on 4 June 1767 described John as a labourer and widower of Boxley and Martha as a widow of Boxley. The following year Martha’s second child by Arthur Muddle died when about 16 months old.

 

Arthur and Sarah’s eldest child was Mary Muddle who was born at Maidstone in Kent and baptised at the Church of All Saints in Maidstone on 20 January 1760. Mary died when she was just under two years old and she was buried in the Churchyard of All Saints at Maidstone on 3 December 1761.

 

Arthur and Sarah’s second child was John Muddle who was born at Maidstone in Kent and baptised at the Church of All Saints in Maidstone on 27 June 1762. John died when he was about three months old, at the same time as his mother, and they were buried together in the Churchyard of All Saints at Biddenden, Kent on 30 September 1762.

 

Arthur and Martha’s eldest child (Arthur’s third) was James Muddle who was born at Boxley in Kent and baptised at the Church of All Saints in Boxley on 21 July 1764. When James was 14 years old £15 was paid, probably by his stepfather, John Saltmarsh, to have him apprenticed to tailor Robert Paige at Lenham in Kent for 7 years from 1 June 1778 by an indenture dated 13 December 1779.[27]

When he was 20 years old James married 20-year-old Susannah Gooding at the Church of St Mary in Lenham on 13 April 1785. Susannah was the daughter of William and Hannah Gooding and she had been baptised at the Church of St Mary in Lenham on 1 January 1765. As James had not quite finished his 7 year apprenticeship when he married it would have had to have been with the permission of his master. See the section headed ‘James & Susannah Muddle’s Family’ for the rest of their lives and details of their family.

 

Arthur and Martha’s second child (Arthur’s fourth) was Arthur Muddle who was born at Boxley in Kent and baptised at the Church of All Saints in Boxley on 16 November 1766. Arthur died when he was about 16 months old and he was buried in the Churchyard of All Saints at Boxley on 1 April 1768.

 

John and Alicia’s third child (John’s seventh) was John Muddle who was born at Maidstone in Kent and baptised at the Church of All Saints in Maidstone on 23 June 1733. John died at Maidstone when he was only few days old and he was buried in the Churchyard of All Saints at Maidstone on 8 July 1733.

 

John and Alicia’s fourth child (John’s eighth) was Alicia Muddle who was born at Maidstone in Kent and baptised at the Church of All Saints in Maidstone on 20 November 1736.

 

Walter and Grizsella’s fourth child (Walter’s eighth) was Katherine Muddle who was born at Boxley in Kent and baptised at the Church of All Saints in Boxley on 3 June 1677. When she was 22 years old Katherine married William Wollis at the Church of St Mary the Virgin in Chatham, Kent on 12 December 1699.

 

Walter and Grizsella’s fifth child (Walter’s ninth) was Benjamin Muddle who was born at Boxley in Kent and baptised at the Church of All Saints in Boxley on 3 June 1678. Benjamin died when he was only a few days old, and he was buried in the Churchyard of All Saints at Boxley on 8 June 1678.

 

Nicholas and Susannah’s second child was Joanne Muddle who was born at Boxley in Kent and baptised at the Church of All Saints at Boxley on 1 September 1622. Joanne died when she was about 10 months old, and she was buried in the Churchyard of All Saints at Boxley on 5 July 1623.

 

Nicholas and Susannah’s third child was John Muddle who was born at Boxley in Kent and baptised at the Church of All Saints at Boxley on 21 May 1623. At his baptism John’s father was named as John; this is thought to be a mistake as Nicholas Muddle stated in his will that he had a son John and there is no John Muddle known of who could have been John’s father.

John Muddle was one of the three people who endorsed the indictment of John Christian, a labourer of Boxley, for grand larceny, in that at Boxley on 7 July 1658 he stole 9s in money from Frances Acres. He was tried at the Maidstone Assizes held on 21 July 1658 when he was found guilty but allowed benefit of clergy.[28]

When his father died in 1660 John inherited 40 shillings and the high bedstead in the back chamber with all the things belonging to it. In the Kent Hearth Tax of 1664 John Muddle was recorded in the Parish of Boxley in the Hundred of Maidstone as having one hearth that was not chargeable.[29]

 

Nicholas and Susannah’s fourth child was Joanna Muddle who was born at Boxley in Kent and baptised at the Church of All Saints at Boxley on 2 April 1626. Joanna died when she was 13 years old, and she was buried in the Churchyard of All Saints at Boxley on 19 October 1639.

 

Nicholas and Susannah’s fifth child was Elizabeth Muddle who was born at Boxley in Kent and baptised at the Church of All Saints at Boxley on 15 December 1627. Elizabeth married James Peckinham and they had at least two children born at Gillingham, Kent in 1652 and 1659. When her brother Stephen Muddle died in 1657, his wife having died earlier that year, Elizabeth was granted administration of his estate by the Prerogative Court of Canterbury on 29 December 1657. This administration stated that Elizabeth had become the guardian of Stephen’s only child, Susanna Muddle, and that Elizabeth was to administer the estate for Susanna’s benefit during her minority. When her father made his will in March 1660 he described Elizabeth as the wife of James Peckingham of Gillingham. Then when her father died later in 1660 Elizabeth inherited £5, and £10 went to the estate of her ward Susanna Muddle.

 

James and Elizabeth’s eldest child was Joan Peckinham who was born at Gillingham in Kent and baptised at the Church of St Mary Magdalene in Gillingham on 23 September 1652.

 

James and Elizabeth’s second child was Elizabeth Peckinham who was born at Gillingham in Kent and baptised at the Church of St Mary Magdalene in Gillingham on 12 May 1659. When her grandfather, Nicholas Muddle, died in 1660 Elizabeth inherited 5 shillings.

 

Nicholas and Susannah’s sixth child, one of twins, was William Muddle who was born at Boxley in Kent and baptised at the Church of All Saints at Boxley on 8 February 1629. William must have died by about 1650 when his father named another son William.

 

Nicholas and Susannah’s seventh child, one of twins, was Nicholas Muddle who was born at Boxley in Kent and baptised at the Church of All Saints at Boxley on 8 February 1629. Nicholas must have died by 1634 as his parents named another son Nicholas that year.

 

Nicholas and Susannah’s eighth child was Stephen Muddle who was born at Boxley in Kent and baptised at the Church of All Saints at Boxley on 19 December 1629. When he was 25 years old Stephen married Bennett Allen, also known as Susan, at the Church of St Mary Magdalene in Gillingham, Kent on 11 June 1655. They were both then living at Milton next Sittingbourne (Milton Regis) in Kent and Stephen was a shipwright. This marriage was also recorded in the register of Holy Trinity Church at Milton near Sittingbourne on 18 June 1655 where the banns had been read on 15 and 22 April and 11 May. They had one child before Susan died in March 1657 and was buried in the Churchyard of Holy Trinity at Milton near Sittingbourne on 26 March 1657. It seems that Stephen then died later in 1657, when he was about 28 years old, as administration of his estate was granted to his sister Elizabeth Peckinham by the Prerogative Court of Canterbury on 29 December 1657.[30] This administration described Elizabeth as the next of kin and guardian of Susan Muddle, a minor and only child of Stephen Muddle late of Milton near Sittingbourne, and that she was to administer the estate for the use of Susan during her minority. There is a gap in the burial register at Milton near Sittingbourne from October 1657 to 1694, but Stephen was probably buried there in late 1657.

 

Stephen and Susan’s only child was Susanna Muddle who was probably born at Milton near Sittingbourne in Kent in 1656, but there were no baptisms recorded in the parish register between 1655 and 1657. Susanna became an orphan when both her parents died in 1657 and she became a ward of her father’s sister Elizabeth Peckinham of Gillingham. When her grandfather, Nicholas Muddle, died in 1660 Susanna inherited £10.

 

Nicholas and Susannah’s ninth child was Maria Muddle who was born at Boxley in Kent and baptised at the Church of All Saints at Boxley on 17 June 1632. Maria must have died by 1636 as her parents named another daughter Maria at the beginning of that year.

 

Nicholas and Susannah’s tenth child, one of twins, was Nicholas Muddle who was born at Boxley in Kent and baptised at the Church of All Saints at Boxley on 7 August 1634, at the same time as his twin sister was buried there. Nicholas died when only a few days old and he was buried in the Churchyard of All Saints at Boxley on 25 August 1634.

 

Nicholas and Susannah’s eleventh child, one of twins, was an unnamed and unbaptised daughter who was buried in the Churchyard of All Saints at Boxley in Kent on 7 August 1634, at the same time as her twin brother was baptised there.

 

Nicholas and Susannah’s twelfth child, one of twins, was Maria Muddle who was born at Boxley in Kent and baptised at the Church of All Saints at Boxley on 16 January 1636. The following day, 17 January 1636, Maria and her twin sister were both buried in the Churchyard of All Saints at Boxley.

 

Nicholas and Susannah’s thirteenth child, one of twins, was Susanna Muddle who was born at Boxley in Kent and baptised at the Church of All Saints at Boxley on 16 January 1636. The following day, 17 January 1636, Susanna and her twin sister were both buried in the Churchyard of All Saints at Boxley.

 

Nicholas and Ann’s assumed eldest child (Nicholas’ fourteenth) was Anne Muddle who was born at Boxley in Kent in about 1648. Anne is only known from being named in her brother William’s will, which also stated that she had married Christian Arres. When her brother William died in January 1676 Elizabeth inherited a house at Thurnham together with two pair of sheets and half a dozen napkins that had all been bequeathed to William by their father.

 

Nicholas and Ann’s assumed second child (Nicholas’ fifteenth) was William Muddle who was born at Boxley in Kent in about 1651. William is only known to be Nicholas and Ann’s child from being named as the youngest son in his father’s will of 1660 when he was under 24 years of age. When his father died in 1660 William inherited £50 and his father’s messuage at Thurnham together with the following household items: a bedstead and the things belonging to it, together with sheets, tablecloth, napkins, chest, brass pot and brass saucepans. These items to be held by the overseers of the will, Thomas King and John Austen, until William was 24 years old, and in the meantime the income from the £50 and the messuage together with another £10 was to be used to maintain and educate William and then put him out to an apprenticeship.

William is not thought to have married. He died at Leysdown on the Isle of Sheppey, Kent when he was about 24 years old, and he was buried in the Churchyard of St Clement at Leysdown on 29 January 1676. Just before his death William described himself as a labourer of Leysdown when he made his will on 26 January 1676. This will was proved by the Archdeaconry of Canterbury on 1 February 1676 and made the following bequests: To his sister Anne the wife of Christian Arres my house at Thurnham (this was presumably the house he had inherited from his father) and two pair of sheets and half a dozen napkins still held by John Austen (overseer of his father’s will). To his brother Walter Muddle £15 to be taken out of the money Walter owes him on a bond that was payable last Michaelmas (if this was the £50 bequeathed to William by his father and held by Walter as executor it indicates that William would have been 24 years old on Michaelmas 1675). To the wife of his brother Walter two pair of sheets and half a dozen napkins still held by John Austen. To his cousin Nicholas Muddle, the son of his brother Walter (so actually William’s nephew), 20 shillings, this also to be paid out of the bond owed by Walter. To the wife of Nicholas Muddle one pair of sheets still held by John Austen. To his cousin Stephen Muddle (possibly another son of William’s brother Walter) 20 shillings. To Elizabeth Hope daughter of Daniel Hope 20 shillings and a sheet and a tablecloth. To cousins Thomas Kingsmeal and Mary Kingsmeal £4 each. To cousin Clare wife of William Clare 40 shillings. John Higgins of Leysdown was made executor of the will.[31]

Copyright © Derek Miller 2009-2016

Last updated 17 February 2016