Person Page - 3

George Taylor

George Taylor with his taxi c1950

Parents:

• Birth*: George Taylor was born on 5 March 1877 at 29 St Martin's Place, Brighton, Sussex, England.¹
• He was the son of Moses Taylor and Harriet Terry.
• Occupation*: George Taylor was working in domestic service in Portslade where he met Annie Wadey his future wife before 1895.
• Occupation: George Taylor was a groom on 3 January 1897.
• Marriage*: George Taylor married Annie Mary Wadey, daughter of Henry Wadey and Mary Packham, on 3 January 1897 at St Nicholas, Portslade, Sussex, England.²
• Occupation: Circa 1897 George Taylor started a career as a cab driver when he bought a Landau cab with horses for 75 pounds, eventually owning a fleet of 6 cabs.
• Residence*: On 6 February 1899 George Taylor and Annie Mary Wadey lived at 47 Elm Grove, Brighton, Sussex, England.
• Occupation: George Taylor was a cab proprietor with own horses and stables. on 6 February 1899.
• Residence: On 9 April 1899 George Taylor and Annie Mary Wadey lived at 47 Elm Grove, Brighton, Sussex, England.³
• Occupation: George Taylor was a hackney carriage proprietor on 31 March 1901.⁴
  
• Residence: On 31 March 1901 George Taylor and Annie Mary Wadey lived at 11 London St, Brighton, Sussex, England.⁴
• Anecdote*: On 1 January 1908 George and Annie separated, probably in 1908, but never got divorced. George is said to have walked out on Annie leaving her for a barmaid (Sarah Langridge). It appears that he may have done this while Annie was pregnant with Ernest, as he was born 1 May 1908 and George had a child to Sarah Langridge (nee Gurr) on 1 Nov 1908. A year later on 29 Oct 1909, Annie had a child Florence Amy Taylor (called Midge) and she never identified the father, even to Midge.
• Marriage*: Circa 1908 George Taylor and Sarah Jane Gurr, daughter of Alfred Gurr and Emily Turner, lived together but never married.
• Anecdote: George had met Sarah Langridge (maiden name Gurr, born Pilt Down, Sussex) at the hotel that she and her husband operated. They both left their spouses and lived together but never married. Sarah's son Jack came to live with them (she had two daughters May and Ann also). They first lived in Essex Rd near Queens Park and George had several cabs and men driving for him. They had a daughter Florence Minnie (called Minnie), born 1.11.1908 in Kemptown. They had another daughter Lillian about 1913/14 but she died soon after birth. Jack lived with them until he was 16 years old (about 1910/11) when he left to go to Canada with his father and family.⁵
• Residence*: On 2 April 1911 George Taylor and Sarah Jane Gurr lived at 18 Lavender St, Brighton, Sussex, England.
• Anecdote: George & Sarah operated a pub for 2 years called "The Flowing Stream" in Newhaven St. They sold this just before WW1.
  
• Anecdote: In 1914 the government took all George's good horses for the War although he ran his cab for another two years. He volunteered for WW1 (1916 ?) rather than wait to be called up and drove trucks in France although he hated being in the army. His mother Harriet died in 1918 while he was away and he was unable to get leave to come home. George was very close to his mother.
  
• Anecdote: When he came back from WW I George could not make a living with the horse and cab as the motor car was now popular. He bought his first car, a Star, in 1919 in partnership with a friend for 300 pounds. They had a lot of mechanical problems with it and he eventually bought out his partner. Sometime during or soon after WW I he was Secretary of the Brighton Branch of the London and Provincial Vehicular Association.
• Anecdote: George and Sarah operated another pub for about 4 years called the Rose and Crown mostly run by Sarah while George operated the taxi.
• Residence: On 29 September 1939 George Taylor and Sarah Jane Gurr lived at 51 Frederick St, Brighton, Sussex, England, living with them was Percival Vallance, retired, DOB 3 Oct 1885.⁶
• Anecdote: During WW2 Arthur's son Ron would often find George at the taxi rank outside the Brighton station when he was home on leave. George would give him a few shillings to buy a drink. The licence number of his taxi at this time was FCD 628 (from a photograph).
• Anecdote: Sarah died on 13.10.1942 and George then lived with his married daughter Minnie for 26 years until he died in 1968. According to Minnie, George began visiting Annie after Sarah died but he never talked about it.⁵
• Anecdote: George visited Arthur and Ada at 23 Hartington Rd just before they left for Australia in 1948 but only the children were home. He left them 100 pounds wrapped up in newspaper. Last contact with him was when R.L. and F.A. Barber left for Australia in 1950. He was living in Bevendean (an outer estate of Brighton) with his daughter Minnie who was running a newsagents and tobacconists shop.
• Anecdote*: At age 77 years, George was the oldest taxi driver in Brighton and a number of newspaper articles were written concerning him.
  
• Residence*: In 1957 George Taylor lived at 66 Reigate Rd, Brighton, Sussex, England.
• Retirement*: George Taylor retired in 1959. George drove his taxi until he was 82 years old when the Hackney Carriage Inspector suggested that he retire. His daughter Minnie says that he retired most reluctantly as he was the type of man who would work all the hours there were. His taxi had been part of the Streamline fleet (Streamline Supply Co., Ltd.) According to a newspaper article he never had an accident during his career but preferred the horse and cab to the modern day taxi.⁵
• Anecdote: Newspaper article on George at 83 years of age.
  
• Anecdote: Contact was lost with George, Annie and the rest of the Taylor family when Arthur and Ada moved to Australia. However, it was learnt in 1988 that the family in Brighton had seen Arthur's death notice which Freda Barber had placed in the Brighton Evening Argus in 1966.⁵
• Residence: In 1968 George Taylor lived at 122 Cuckmere Way, Brighton, Sussex, England.
• Death*: George Taylor died on 25 March 1968 at Brighton, Sussex, England^B, at age 91.⁷
• Cremation*: His body was cremated after 25 March 1968 at Extra Mural Cemetery, Bear Rd, Brighton, Sussex, England.
• Will*: George Taylor had made a will on 10 February 1957. He left his estate to his daughter Florence Minnie Topping (nee Taylor). On his death the estate was valued at 5,159 pounds.
  

Annie Mary Wadey

Annie Mary Taylor, August 1950. Photo courtesy of Rita MacLean.

Parents:

• Birth*: Annie Mary Wadey was born on 11 March 1872 at Frederick Terrace, Portslade, Sussex, England.¹
• She was the daughter of Henry Wadey and Mary Packham.
• Baptism: Annie Mary Wadey was baptized on 28 April 1872 at Portslade, Sussex, England^B, Father's name "Harry."²
• Occupation*: Annie Mary Wadey worked in domestic service in Portslade where she met George Taylor her future husband before 1895.
• Marriage*: Annie Mary Wadey married George Taylor, son of Moses Taylor and Harriet Terry, on 3 January 1897 at St Nicholas, Portslade, Sussex, England.³
• Married Name: As of 3 January 1897, her married name was Taylor.
• Residence: On 6 February 1899 Annie Mary Wadey and George Taylor lived at 47 Elm Grove, Brighton, Sussex, England.
• Residence*: On 9 April 1899 Annie Mary Wadey and George Taylor lived at 47 Elm Grove, Brighton, Sussex, England.⁴
• Residence: On 31 March 1901 Annie Mary Wadey and George Taylor lived at 11 London St, Brighton, Sussex, England.⁵
• Anecdote: On 1 January 1908 George and Annie separated, probably in 1908, but never got divorced. George is said to have walked out on Annie leaving her for a barmaid (Sarah Langridge). It appears that he may have done this while Annie was pregnant with Ernest, as he was born 1 May 1908 and George had a child to Sarah Langridge (nee Gurr) on 1 Nov 1908. A year later on 29 Oct 1909, Annie had a child Florence Amy Taylor (called Midge) and she never identified the father, even to Midge.
• Residence: On 29 October 1909 Annie Mary Wadey lived at 11 London St, Brighton, Sussex, England.⁶
• Anecdote: Midge's father was not disclosed on her birth certificate and Midge once asked her mother who her father was but she wouldn't say. Midge worked in London but it is thought she returned to Brighton at some time, although she lived in Surrey after she married Thomas Keats in 1941.
• Occupation: Annie Mary Wadey was a shopkeeper on 2 April 1911.⁷
• Residence: On 2 April 1911 Annie Mary Wadey lived at 12 London St, Brighton, Sussex, England.⁷
• Anecdote*: Annie also had two sons, Bob and Reg, both of whom worked on the railways. The father was said (by Ada Taylor) to be a man called Daniel who died about 1936/37. This date coincides with the death of Harry Finley who was living with Annie Mary Wadey when he died (and Annie purchased his gravesite in Portslade cemetery). DNA testing between Brian Taylor, son of Bob (Horace) Taylor, and Graham Finley, grandson of Harry Finley, confirms that Harry Finley is the father. Perhaps the information about "Daniel" refers to the father of Midge Taylor, as DNA testing on Midge's daughter Rita confirms that there is no relationship to the Finley family.⁸
• Occupation: Annie Mary Wadey was a housekeeper on 6 March 1915.⁹
• Residence: On 6 March 1915 Annie Mary Wadey lived at 19 Yardley Street, Preston, Brighton, Sussex, England.⁹
• (Witness) Death: Annie Mary Wadey witnessed the death of Henry Wadey on 3 January 1922 at 19 Yardley St, Preston, Brighton, Sussex, England; He died of cerebral haemorrhage (5 days) and exhaustion.¹⁰
• Residence*: In March 1936 Annie Mary Wadey and Harry Finley lived at 19 Yardley St, Brighton, Sussex, England.
• Anecdote: Harry Finley died on 23 Mar 1936 and it was Annie who paid for his grave site at Portslade Cemetery (plot 00 95). It appears that Annie knew Harry at least as early as 1911 as in the 1911 census he was a widower age 44 years living at 10 London Rd with his two children Frederick William Finley age 16 years, and Harry Finley age 6 years, while Annie Mary Taylor was living with her children at 12 London Rd (ie probably next door to each other). DNA testing has shown that while Harry Finley is not the father of Florence Amy (Midge?) he is in fact the father of Annie's two sons Horace (Bob) and Reginald, both born after Midge.
  
• Anecdote: Arthur Taylor's son Ron can remember staying with some of Arthur's relatives when he was a boy. They lived at Selmeston, a small village between Lewes and Eastbourne. Their name was Finlayson (Constable Fred Finlayson and son Chubb) and they might have been cousins on Arthur's mother's side (ie Annie Mary Taylor). Ron remembers the Barley Mow pub as the centrepiece of the village and the constable having a drink with the boys and having to hide his drink from the sergeant of police who had wandered in (but who knew what was going on).
• Residence*: On 29 September 1939 Annie Mary Wadey lived at 19 Yardley St, Brighton, Sussex, England, living with her son Reginald and (a boarder?) Cyril Davies (born 16 Feb 1917, an Engine Cleaner (Heavy Worker.)¹¹)
• Anecdote: Ada never liked Arthur's mother Annie and would rarely go with Arthur when he visited his mother. She was quite bitter about Annie not liking her and that she didn't want Arthur to marry her. She also disagreed with the Annie's separation, having Midge, etc. Arthur's elder sister Winifred once said to Ada "I'll tell you her story one day" (but never did!). During WW II Ada made plans to evacuate her children to Australia while Arthur was away. This caused such an argument with Annie and her son Reg that she was asked to leave. She didn't want anything to do with them after this.
  The Taylor children enjoyed visiting her however ("she was the most hospitable of all the relations"). Freda Amy Taylor (Arthur's daughter) can remember staying with Annie when she was twelve years old.
  Freda also remembers that when she was about ten years old (c1932) she went to Portslade with her father and Annie Mary Wadey to visit one of Annie's relatives. While there they went to the cemetery and Annie showed them the plot of land that she had purchased for her grave.
  Annie lived with her daughter Winifred in Viaduct Rd before she died in 1953. She did write a letter to Ada and Arthur after they had moved to Australia but Ada burnt the letter and Arthur never found out about it.⁸
• Death*: Annie Mary Wadey died on 11 December 1953 at 14 Viaduct Rd, Brighton, Sussex, England, at age 81. She died of myocardial degeneration.^12,13
• Burial*: Annie Mary Wadey was buried after 11 December 1953 at Plot PF 19, Portslade Cemetery, Portslade, Sussex, England.
  

Winifred Annie Taylor

Parents:

• Birth*: Winifred Annie Taylor was born on 15 June 1897 at Portslade, Sussex, England^B; DOB from GRO Deaths Index.^1,2
• She was the daughter of George Taylor and Annie Mary Wadey.
• Anecdote: Winifred worked in domestic service for Lord and Lady Harmsworth in London.
• Anecdote: In about 1923 she took her step sister Midge (Florence Amy Taylor) to London and found work for her in service, probably also with Lord and Lady Harmsworth as Midge did mention working for them.
• Occupation: Winifred Annie Taylor was a parlour maid on 29 September 1939 at Chelsea, London, England.²
• Residence*: Circa 1960 Winifred Annie Taylor lived at 14 Viaduct Rd, Brighton, Sussex, England, purchased after retirement.
• Anecdote*: Winifred, the eldest child, never married. She was 18 months older than her brother Arthur and was probably named after her father's sister Winifred. She worked in domestic service for Lord and Lady Harmsworth in London and retired in the late 1940's. She bought a house at 14 Viaduct Rd, Brighton after retirement. Her mother lived with her until she died in 1953. Winifred was very bitter about the effect her parent's separation had on her life. She missed not having a father (who had previously taken an interest in her and encouraged her at school) and was forced to leave school as early as possible. In 1981 she used sleeping pills to take her own life, according to Minnie Topping (nee Taylor). She was living with a friend who had also worked in service and had become depressed at having to give her friend constant attention after she developed a whitlow (tumour) on her arm.
• Anecdote: According to one of Midge's children: "we did occasionally have contact with Winifred but I understand that when Annie Mary died there was a big falling out as Winifred had all her mother's effects and there was something specific that Mum was supposed to have (a large coloured brandy glass) and Winifred had it. When I was about 15 I contacted her and stayed with her for the weekend. She lived with a lady called "Smudge" whom she had met in service, Winifred being a housekeeper and "Smudge" a cook. They lived at 14 Viaduct Road Brighton and ran the place as a B&B at one time. It was a strange experience as I felt very much like the poor relation! (I think both of them had delusions of granduer!) Winifred died before "Smudge "and everything went to "Smudge"!".
  NOTE: Smudge might be Annie S Pread, born 3 Aug 1898, a cook who was working at the same house as Winifred in 1939.²
• Death*: Winifred Annie Taylor died in 1981 at Brighton, Sussex, England^B. Took her own life using sleeping pills.³

Edith Ethel Taylor

Edith Ethel Taylor

Parents:

• Birth*: Edith Ethel Taylor was born on 5 May 1902 at Portslade, Sussex, England^B.^1,2
• She was the daughter of George Taylor and Annie Mary Wadey.
• Marriage*: Edith Ethel Taylor married Horace Sidney Parsons in 1923 at Brighton, Sussex, England^B.³
• Married Name: As of 1923, her married name was Parsons.
• Anecdote*: Edith (Aunt Edi) married Jack Parsons and had two children Jack and Mary(?). It is thought that they lived at Patcham. She died in 1947 aged 45 years because of a thyroid problem which was apparently genetic (Harriet Taylor, Winifred Taylor and Minnie Topping (nee Langridge)). George and Annie saw each other again briefly when her body was layed out in the house. Before Minnie died in 1991 she wrote that she still occasionally met with Edith's daughter.⁴
• Residence*: On 29 September 1939 Edith Ethel Taylor and Horace Sidney Parsons lived at Loundes Convent Preston Road, Brighton, Sussex, England.²
• Death*: Edith Ethel Taylor died in 1948 at Brighton, Sussex, England^B. Thyroid problem, "age 45 years."⁵

Ernest Victor Taylor

Parents:

• Birth*: Ernest Victor Taylor was born on 1 May 1908 at Brighton, Sussex, England^B; DOB from GRO Deaths Index.¹
• He was the son of George Taylor and Annie Mary Wadey.
• Anecdote*: Ernest was a friendly, jocular type always playing tricks on the children. He was a conductor on the Southdown buses for many years. He married Amy in 1935 (when F.A. Taylor was 13 or 14 years old) and they had one child, Rodney in 1939. However, Ernest would have nothing to do with his father because "he had done nothing for us".²
• Marriage*: Ernest Victor Taylor married Amy Eileen Hoather, daughter of Frederick Hoather and Lillian Welfare, in 1935 at Brighton, Sussex, England^B.³
• Anecdote: Ernest was a conductor on the Southdown buses.
• Occupation: Ernest Victor Taylor was an omnibus conductor on 29 September 1939.⁴
• Residence*: On 29 September 1939 Ernest Victor Taylor and Amy Eileen Hoather lived at New Cottages, Chanctonbury, Sussex, England.⁴
• Anecdote: Ernest was a desert rat and served in El Alamein in WW2 and didn't meet his son Rodney until he was 6 years old. He was then a butcher and a bus conductor and they lived in Henfield, Sussex.
• Death*: Ernest Victor Taylor died in 1974 at Brighton, Sussex, England^B.⁵

James Middleton

James Middleton with Dorothy (Daw Daw)

Parents:

• Birth*: James Middleton was born on 24 April 1857 at York St, Southsea, Portsmouth, Hampshire, England^B.¹
• He was the son of Thomas Middleton and Ann Hunt.
• Anecdote*: On 5 Feb 1868, at 10 years of age, James was admitted to the Asylum for the Deaf and Dumb in Margate, Kent. The admission record states that he had 4 siblings and that his father lived at 6 Warwick St, Southsea. The reason given for him being deaf and dumb is that he had measles, cow-pox (chicken) and whooping cough all at once. The story told by the family was that James fell from the back of a horse and cart when he was 7 years old (his father was a coal merchant) and was put into a deaf and dumb school after this accident and left there. This obviously conflicts with the records from the deaf and dumb school so how much is true is uncertain. He is also said to have run away from the school when he was older.
• Anecdote: For the 1871 census, James is living in the Asylum for the Deaf and Dumb at 52 Victoria Rd, Margate, Kent. He is recorded as 11 years old, pupil, deaf and dumb, born Southsea, Hants. His father was to die later that year (1871), his mother having died five years earlier in 1865.
• Anecdote: On 19 Dec 1872 James was discharged from the Asylum for the Deaf and Dumb in Margate, Kent. He may have run away, but it may have been connected to his father's death on 11 Oct 1871, perhaps because there was no one to pay the cost of attending the school (in 1890 the Brighton deaf and dumb institution was charging £12 10s per annum - see admission procedure documented at http://www.childrenshomes.org.uk/BrightonDeaf/ ).
  In 1881 James turns up in Brighton where he married in 1885. The school at Margate probably had connections to Brighton, in particular to the Brighton and Sussex Institution for the Deaf and Dumb.
• Anecdote: For the 1881 census, James was a patient in the Sussex County Hospital in Brighton, with his occupation recorded as a plasterer's labourer. He is actually recorded as James MIDDETOR, aged 23 years, born Portsmouth, Hampshire. James's elder sister was also in Brighton in 1881, working as a servant. However, she married in 1884 and moved out of the county.
• Marriage*: James Middleton married Annie Marchant, daughter of William George Buckran Marchant and Maria Murrell, on 19 April 1885 at The Parish Church, Annunciation, Brighton, Sussex, England.²
• Residence*: On 5 April 1891 James Middleton and Annie Marchant lived at 45 Jersey St, Brighton, Sussex, England.³
• Occupation: James Middleton was a plaster's labourer in 1898.
• Residence: On 16 December 1898 James Middleton lived at 12 Southampton Rd, Brighton, Sussex, England.
• Occupation: James Middleton was a plasterer in 1901.
• Residence: On 31 March 1901 James Middleton and Annie Marchant lived at 7 Hollingbury Rd, Brighton, Sussex, England.⁴
• Occupation: James Middleton was a house porter on 2 April 1911.
• Residence: On 2 April 1911 James Middleton and Annie Marchant lived at 23 Brading Road, Brighton, Sussex, England.⁵
• Anecdote: His son Harold was once working as a waiter in a restaurant and reported having seen a violinist named Harriet Middleton playing at the restaurant, and that she looked exactly like his sister Alice Beatrice. James then said that he had a sister Harriet who played the violin. Although James did have a sister Sophia Harriet Middleton who was known as Harriet, this can hardly be her as she married in 1880 and lived in London, while Harold was born 1903 so he would have seen Harriet around 1920 when she would have been about 60 years old.
• Residence: On 24 October 1919 James Middleton and Annie Marchant lived at 13 Elm Grove, Brighton, Sussex, England, This is different to the address given on Harold's enlistment papers a few weeks later which was 30 Elm Grove, Brighton. However, the electoral register confirms 13 Elm Grove.⁶
• Occupation*: James Middleton was a printer's labourer on 24 October 1919.⁶
• Anecdote: It is said that just after his wife died in 1919 James was left a sum of money from a member of his family but he wouldn't accept it on the grounds that his family had disowned him previously. His son Henry Frank tried to get it but it went to another cousin. At this stage no evidence has been found for this, although different branches of the family have told the same story, all referring to a person arriving in a black car to advise James of it and that James wouldn't accept it. The only death in the family that fits this story is that of Jemima Middleton [James's step-mother] in 1924. Although there is no will or probate for her, she had no children of her own and her possessions may have fallen to James and others in the family. Jemima was poor and lived at the Portsea Island Union workhouse for much of the time between between 1879 and 1907 (and later?). In the 1921 census, Jemima is living at the Parish of Portsmouth Infirmary (imbecile wards) which implies that she was under official care. This probably adds credence to the family story, as her death would have been an official matter requiring formal disposal of her effects, even if she had no will. This could explain why an "official" looking car arrived at James Middleton's house with details of an "inheritance" even if she did not have much. I suspect that the family of James Middleton (who were very poor) have made this into something bigger than it was.
• Occupation: James Middleton was a machinist in 1921.
• Anecdote: After his wife's death James lived with his daughter Dolly (Mary Josephine) in Seaford but stayed with the Taylors every so often.
• Anecdote: James was a religious man and always had faith that he would get his speech back one day, but he never did. He was always well dressed and looked after himself. He used sign language and was always keen to communicate to others who also knew it. Freda Taylor (his granddaughter) reported that he often sought her out as she knew sign language.
• Anecdote: Towards the end of his life (about 1930) James worked at Moon's in Queens Rd near North Rd (verbal information from Freda Barber). It was a society for the blind founded by Dr William Moon (1818-1894), born in East Sussex and himself blind by the age of 21 years due to scarlet fever, who became a teacher to the blind and invented the first reading system to be widely adopted across the world (later overtaken by Braille).
• Anecdote: About 1935, Henry Frank (Frank) Middleton and wife Bertha returned to England from Australia and lived for a few years with James and Frank's sister Dolly and her husband Will. They returned to Australia on 30 July 1938, a few months before James died, on the ship "Jervis Bay" (the ship became famous in WW II).
• Death*: James Middleton died on 13 November 1938 at 98 Vale Rd, Seaford, Sussex, England, at age 81. He died of cerebral thrombosis and cerebral atheroma.⁷
• Burial*: James Middleton was buried on 18 November 1938 at Grave Q343, Brighton Cemetery, Brighton, Sussex, England.
  

Annie Marchant

Annie Middleton (nee Marchant)

Parents:

• Birth*: Annie Marchant was born on 25 August 1866 at Slindon, Sussex, England^B.¹
• She was the daughter of William George Buckran Marchant and Maria Murrell.
• Residence*: On 3 April 1881 Annie Marchant lived at 106 Ellen St, Hove, Sussex, England.
• Occupation: Annie Marchant was a domestic servant but living with her parents on 3 April 1881.
• Marriage*: Annie Marchant married James Middleton, son of Thomas Middleton and Ann Hunt, on 19 April 1885 at The Parish Church, Annunciation, Brighton, Sussex, England.²
• Married Name: As of 19 April 1885, her married name was Middleton.
• Residence*: On 5 April 1891 Annie Marchant and James Middleton lived at 45 Jersey St, Brighton, Sussex, England.³
• Anecdote: Annie's mother died in 1893 and being the eldest daughter, Annie (and James) took in her mother's family and finished raising them. Annie's blind sister, Theresa (Aunt Trot) lived with them from 1893 until 1919 when Annie died.
• (Witness) Marriage: Annie Marchant witnessed the marriage of Rhoda Rose Marchant and Francis Burford on 7 July 1896 at Brighton, Sussex, England^B.⁴
• Residence: On 31 March 1901 Annie Marchant and James Middleton lived at 7 Hollingbury Rd, Brighton, Sussex, England.⁵
• Occupation*: Annie Marchant was a charwoman on 31 March 1901.
• (Witness) Death: Annie Marchant witnessed the death of William George Buckran Marchant on 2 May 1901 at 7 Hollingbury Rd, Preston, Brighton, Sussex, England; He died of phthisis pulmonalis (2 years) and exhaustion.⁶
• Residence: On 2 April 1911 Annie Marchant and James Middleton lived at 23 Brading Road, Brighton, Sussex, England.⁷
• Anecdote: It is reported by daughter Ada that Annie had often helped a Dr Shadlow with his confinements (childbirths).
• Anecdote*: Annie was a big woman weighing 18 stone.
• Residence: On 24 October 1919 Annie Marchant and James Middleton lived at 13 Elm Grove, Brighton, Sussex, England, This is different to the address given on Harold's enlistment papers a few weeks later which was 30 Elm Grove, Brighton. However, the electoral register confirms 13 Elm Grove.⁸
• Death*: Annie Marchant died on 24 October 1919 at 4 Ditchling Rd, Brighton, Sussex, England, at age 53. She died of fatty degeneration of the heart.⁸
• Burial*: Annie Marchant was buried on 28 October 1919 at Grave Q343, Brighton Cemetery, Brighton, Sussex, England.
  
• Anecdote: Annie died a few months after the death of her granddaughter Dorothy ("it broke her heart"). Both Annie and James Middleton are buried in Brighton cemetery. "Go through the main gate at the top of Hartington Rd, down the main pathway for not too long and it is on the right hand side. An old church is a bit further down the main pathway. The headstone was heart shaped with the word 'Mother' written across it." I visited the grave on 6.9.1988 but there was no headstone (GGB).
  Annie's granddaughter Joyce Treen (nee Taylor) remembers the girls going up to Annie’s grave every week with flowers to tend to the grave. She came home one day and asked her mother (Ada) if she had removed the heart from the grave. No one knew what had happened but it was gone before the family came to Australia. Ada was very upset and she advised Joyce that she had bought the headstone herself.^9,10

Walter Percy Middleton

Walter Percy Middleton and Mabel Stevens - Wedding Day 1913

Parents:

• Name Variation: Walter Percy Middleton was also known as Percy.
• Birth*: Walter Percy Middleton was born on 6 September 1885 at 30 Lincoln St, Brighton, Sussex, England.
• He was the son of James Middleton and Annie Marchant.
• Baptism: Walter Percy Middleton was baptized on 12 October 1885 at Brighton, Sussex, England^B.
• Anecdote*: Percy had one side of his face badly scarred and had only one eye. This resulted from him tipping a boiling kettle over himself when he was a child.
• Occupation*: Walter Percy Middleton was a house painter on 2 April 1911.
• Marriage*: Walter Percy Middleton married Mabel Stevens, daughter of George Stevens and Ellen Redman, on 6 December 1913 at Brighton, Sussex, England^B.
• Occupation: Walter Percy Middleton was a house decorator on 29 September 1939.¹
• Residence*: On 29 September 1939 Walter Percy Middleton and Mabel Stevens lived at 30 Firle Road, Brighton, Sussex, England.¹
• Anecdote: Percy was a keen gardener who had a greenhouse and grew grapes (unusual for Brighton).
• Occupation: Walter Percy Middleton was a retired master house painter in 1953.²
• Death*: Walter Percy Middleton died on 25 September 1953 at Brighton General Hospital, Brighton, Sussex, England, at age 68.²

Henry Frank Middleton

Parents:

• Birth*: Henry Frank Middleton was born in 1887 at Brighton, Sussex, England^B.¹
• Name Variation: Henry Frank Middleton was also known as Frank.
• He was the son of James Middleton and Annie Marchant.
• Baptism: Henry Frank Middleton was baptized on 4 September 1887 at 37 Washington St, Brighton, Sussex, England.
• Marriage*: Henry Frank Middleton married Bertha Green, daughter of Thomas Green and Annie Jane Marner, in 1910 at Brighton, Sussex, England^B.²
• Occupation: Henry Frank Middleton was a labourer/carpenter on 2 April 1911.³
• Residence: On 2 April 1911 Henry Frank Middleton and Bertha Green lived at 23 Brading Road, Brighton, Sussex, England.³
• Anecdote: According to Frank's descendant, Gary Middleton, Frank was highly commended in WW1 for saving an artillery gun against the Germans. He is also said to have lied about his age and gone to the Boer War (1899-1902). Needs further work as no evidence has been found so far.
• (Witness) Death: Henry Frank Middleton witnessed the death of Annie Marchant on 24 October 1919 at 4 Ditchling Rd, Brighton, Sussex, England; She died of fatty degeneration of the heart.⁴
• Residence*: On 25 October 1919 Henry Frank Middleton lived at 18 Islingword Road, Brighton, Sussex, England.⁴
• Residence*: In November 1927 Henry Frank Middleton and Bertha Green lived at Windemere, Shoreham by Sea, Sussex, England.
• Occupation: Henry Frank Middleton was a painter on 19 November 1927.
• Emigration*: Henry Frank Middleton and Bertha Green emigrated on 19 November 1927 to Perth, Western Australia, Australia, on the ship "Mamilius" departing from London with their three children Frederick, Leslie and Reginald.
• Anecdote: Frank lost his leg near Pinjarra while felling trees with his sons Les and Reg. They carried him to hospital on an old mattress.
• Anecdote: Frank and Bertha went back to England when Freda Amy Taylor was 11 years old (Frank had lost his leg by then). They stayed for a few years with Frank's sister Dolly and husband Will, and his father James Middleton in Seaford. According to Frank's descendant, Gary Middleton, he returned to chase up a supposed inheritance which turned out to be non-existent. Frank's father James died just a few months after they returned to Australia.
• Residence: In July 1938 Henry Frank Middleton and Bertha Green lived at Vale Rd, Seaford, Sussex, England.
• Psgr List*: Henry Frank Middleton and Bertha Green were found on a passenger list on 30 July 1938 departing London on the ship "Jervis Bay" to return to Australia.
• Residence: In September 1960 Henry Frank Middleton and Bertha Green lived at 98 Swansea St, East Victoria Park, Perth, Western Australia, Australia. The house had a shop on the corner which was never used as a shop but the boys played pool in it.
• Occupation*: Henry Frank Middleton was a retired painter in 1976.
• Anecdote*: All their children married and lived in Western Australia.
• Death*: Henry Frank Middleton died on 4 October 1976 at Leighton Nursing Home, Florence St, West Perth, Western Australia, Australia. Died of congestive cardiac failure and chronic bronchitis.⁵
  
• Burial*: Henry Frank Middleton was buried after 4 October 1976 at ZR 175, Anglican section, Karrakatta Cemetery, Perth, Western Australia, Australia.⁵
  
• Anecdote*: A funeral notice was placed in the West Australian newspaper:
  MIDDLETON: Passed away peacefully on October 4, at Leighton Nursing Home, Frank late of War Veteran's Home, Mt Lawley formerly of East Victoria Park dearly loved husband of Bertha (dec.) loving father of Reg, Fred & Les. To be privately interred in the Karrakatta Cemetery. Bowra & O'Dea - Undertakers.

Ernest Cecil Middleton

Parents:

• Birth*: Ernest Cecil Middleton was born on 8 February 1893 at Brighton, Sussex, England^B; DOB from GRO Deaths Index.
• He was the son of James Middleton and Annie Marchant.
• Baptism: Ernest Cecil Middleton was baptized on 20 February 1893 at 3 Southampton St, Brighton, Sussex, England.
• Anecdote*: In hospital for 1901 census.
• Occupation: Ernest Cecil Middleton was a plumber's mate on 2 April 1911.
• Marriage*: Ernest Cecil Middleton married Daisy M Baker in 1915 at Brighton, Sussex, England^B.¹
• Anecdote*: Adopted a daughter called Sybil.
• Anecdote*: Arthur used to tell the story of how Ernie Middleton once got him a job: Ernie came home telling Arthur that the site where he worked was looking for 30 painters and to get there straight away. However, when Arthur got there they had just hired the last painter. When told about this Ernie said just to come along with him and join in. At the end of the day the boss came up to Ernie and said "I thought I hired 30 painters this morning and now I've got 31". Ernie is said to have replied "Anyone can make a mistake". Although he had a cleft palate, Ernie was an outgoing person and during the war he used to arrange Christmas parties for children whose fathers were away. After the war there was a shortage of housing and he became involved in a vigilante movement which commandeered vacant houses for those who needed accommodation.
• Occupation*: Ernest Cecil Middleton was painter in 1945.
• Death*: Ernest Cecil Middleton died in 1971 at Brighton, Sussex, England^B. Middle name recorded as Cyril, not Cecil.²

Lillian Cecilia Agnes Middleton

Parents:

• Birth: Lillian Cecilia Agnes Middleton was born in 1889 at Brighton, Sussex, England^B.
• Baptism*: Lillian Cecilia Agnes Middleton was baptized on 2 August 1889 at 61 Lincoln St, Brighton, Sussex, England.
• She was the daughter of James Middleton and Annie Marchant.
• Death*: Lillian Cecilia Agnes Middleton died in 1890 at Brighton, Sussex, England^B. Infant, age 0.

Herbert James Middleton

James Herbert Middleton, c1917. (Photo: Gemma Jarvis)

Parents:

• Birth*: Herbert James Middleton was born on 30 December 1890 at 45 Jersey St, Brighton, Sussex, England.¹
• He was the son of James Middleton and Annie Marchant.
• Name Variation: Herbert James Middleton was also known as Bert.
• Baptism: Herbert James Middleton was baptized on 25 January 1891 at Brighton, Sussex, England^B.
• Occupation*: Herbert James Middleton was a plumber's mate on 2 April 1911.
• Marriage*: Herbert James Middleton married Fortune Emma Coates in 1913 at Brighton, Sussex, England^B.
• (Witness) Marriage: Herbert James Middleton witnessed the marriage of Walter Percy Middleton and Mabel Stevens on 6 December 1913 at Brighton, Sussex, England^B.
• Anecdote*: Their daughter Dorothy (nicknamed Daw Daw) died aged 4 of menengitis about 4 months before Bert's mother Annie Marchant died in 1919. Annie was very upset by this ("it broke her heart").
• Residence*: In 1930 Herbert James Middleton and Fortune Emma Coates lived at 29 Francis St, Brighton, Sussex, England, (Electoral Register.)
• Anecdote: Bert was a quiet person who never spoke very often.
• Occupation: Herbert James Middleton was a painter and paper hanger, and also an ARP warden, on 29 September 1939 at Brighton, Sussex, England^B.²
• Death*: Herbert James Middleton died on 18 November 1952 at Brighton, Sussex, England^B, at age 61.³

Alice Beatrice Middleton

Parents:

• Name Variation: Alice Beatrice Middleton was also known as Beatrice.
• Birth*: Alice Beatrice Middleton was born on 9 June 1896 at 5 Ivy Place, Brighton, Sussex, England.
• She was the daughter of James Middleton and Annie Marchant.
• Baptism: Alice Beatrice Middleton was baptized on 28 June 1896 at Brighton, Sussex, England^B.
• Marriage*: Alice Beatrice Middleton married William Ernest Victor Bateman, son of Charles Thomas Bateman and Mary Jane Stone, in 1925 at Bournemouth, Dorset, England.¹
• Married Name: As of 1925, her married name was Bateman.
• Residence: In October 1929 Alice Beatrice Middleton and William Ernest Victor Bateman lived at 5 Pelham Place, Seaford, Sussex, England.
• Emigration*: Alice Beatrice Middleton and William Ernest Victor Bateman emigrated on 19 October 1929 to Fremantle, Western Australia, Australia, from the port of Liverpool on the ship "Vedic" with son Francis Bateman.²
  
• Anecdote*: They emmigrated to Australia a few years after her brother Frank Middleton, who emmigrated in 1927. In Australia they had a second son, Athol, and became Seventh Day Adventists. Francis married and moved to Eastern States (?) and Athol went to London.
  When Arthur and Ada Taylor came to Australia in 1948 they stayed with Beatrice before building their own house. Arthur and Ada's daughter Joyce recalls that on Saturday nights, Beatrice and Victor used to go into a room and close off the doors so they could pray and no one was to disturb them.
• Residence*: In 1948 Alice Beatrice Middleton and William Ernest Victor Bateman lived at Beatty Avenue, Carlisle, Western Australia, Australia.
• Residence: In 1970 Alice Beatrice Middleton and William Ernest Victor Bateman lived at 2 Basler Court, Kangaroo Flat, Bendigo, Victoria, Australia.³
• Anecdote*: After Beatrice's husband Victor died in 1970 she is said to have gone back to England to live with Athol. Athol was a pianist and he may have changed his name.
• Death*: Alice Beatrice Middleton died in September 1986 at Surrey Northern, Surrey, England, at age 90. (to be checked.)⁴

Mary Josephine Middleton

Parents:

• Nickname: Mary Josephine Middleton also went by the name of Dolly.
• Baptism*: Mary Josephine Middleton was baptized on 28 January 1894 at 30 Jersey St, Brighton, Sussex, England.
• Birth: Mary Josephine Middleton was born on 28 January 1894 at Brighton, Sussex, England^B.^1,2
• She was the daughter of James Middleton and Annie Marchant.
• Marriage*: Mary Josephine Middleton married William J Hatchard in 1914 at Brighton, Sussex, England^B, Marrie J Middleton.³
• Married Name: As of 1914, her married name was Hatchard.
• Anecdote*: Dolly and Will never had children.
• Anecdote*: Mary Josephine Middleton (Dolly) wanted to adopt Ada Taylor's daughter Joyce (aged 2 or 3 years) after having looked after her for a month while Ada was in hospital. Ada and Dolly didn't get on so well after this!
• Anecdote: Dolly's brother Frank and his wife Bertha returned from Australia c1933 and stayed with them for a few years before returning to Australia on 30 July 1938, just a few months before their father James Middleton died.
• Residence*: On 13 November 1938 Mary Josephine Middleton and William J Hatchard lived at 98 Vale Rd, Seaford, Sussex, England.
• Residence: On 29 September 1939 Mary Josephine Middleton and William J Hatchard lived at 98 Vale Road, Seaford, Sussex, England.²
• Anecdote*: Will died in May/June 1942 aged about 60 years.
• Marriage*: Mary Josephine Middleton married Henry E Mitchell on 30 December 1949 at Brighton, Sussex, England^B.^4,2
• Married Name: As of 30 December 1949, her married name was Mitchell.

Harold Edwin Middleton

Parents:

• Birth*: Harold Edwin Middleton was born on 5 December 1903 at 83 Bernard Rd, Brighton, Sussex, England.¹
• He was the son of James Middleton and Annie Marchant.
• Baptism: Harold Edwin Middleton was baptized on 6 April 1904 at Brighton, Sussex, England^B, baptised Edwin Harold Middleton but known as Harold in his lifetime.
• Name Variation: Harold Edwin Middleton was also known as Edwin Harold.
• Milit-Beg*: Harold Edwin Middleton began military service on 27 November 1919 enlisting in the RAMC giving a false birthdate of 7 Nov 1901. He appears to have been discahrged on 3 Dec 1919 so perhaps they found out.
• Marriage*: Harold Edwin Middleton married Rose Violet Martin, daughter of Arthur William Martin and Esther Hannah Rickson, in 1926 at Brighton, Sussex, England^B.²
• Anecdote*: Rose died in childbirth. Harold then married Rose's sister Ruth.
• Marriage*: Harold Edwin Middleton married Dorothy Ruth Martin, daughter of Arthur William Martin and Esther Hannah Rickson, in 1927 at Newhaven, Sussex, England^B.³
• Residence*: In 1939 Harold Edwin Middleton and Dorothy Ruth Martin lived at 15 Fletching Rd, Brighton, Sussex, England.⁴
• Death*: Harold Edwin Middleton died in 1977 at Wolverhampton, Staffordshire, England.⁵

Henry Wadey

Parents:

• Birth*: Henry Wadey was born on 5 February 1842 at Portslade, Sussex, England^B.¹
• He was the son of Luke Wadey and Mary Mitchell.
• Baptism: Henry Wadey was baptized on 13 March 1842 at Portslade, Sussex, England^B.
• Nickname: Henry Wadey also went by the name of Harry.
• Residence: On 30 March 1851 Henry Wadey lived at Cobdon, Sullington, Sussex, England, with his parents Luke and Mary Wadey and family.²
• Anecdote*: In his early years Henry Wadey was a merchant seaman who is reported to have done the trip to Australia in sailing ships (wool clippers). Henry was said to have described some occasions where they would be becalmed ("lying in irons") for periods of up to six weeks. Ron Taylor remembers Henry's daughter Annie giving her son Arthur Taylor a box containing some of her father's sailing gear. It included a marlin spike, a fid, needles, a last (a giant thimble which fitted into the palm of the hand, used for sewing sails  Ron Taylor still has this).
  There is an interesting story about Henry as a young sailor visiting a South American port. He went ashore with another sailor, got drunk and was thrown into jail. The captain of the ship went to bail him out stating that he would punish them but the authorities insisted that they stand trial. Their ship then sailed without them and signaled a British warship that the two sailors were being held. The warship went in and demanded their release but again they said no. They were only released when the captain of the warship threatened to shell the town.
• Anecdote: Henry Wadey was on board the ship "Four Sisters" for the 1861 census. He is listed as 19 years old, single, ordinary seaman, born Portslade, Sussex. The ship was a brig weighing 213 tons. It's home port was Shoreham and it was employed in the coastal trade. At the date of the census (7th April 1861) they were at West Bute Dock, Cardiff.³
• Residence: On 12 December 1868 Henry Wadey lived at 3 Claremont Place, Brighton, Sussex, England.
• Occupation: Henry Wadey was a mariner on 12 December 1868.⁴
• Marriage*: Henry Wadey married Mary Packham, daughter of William Packham and Mary Stoner, on 12 December 1868 at St Nicholas, Brighton, Sussex, England^B.⁴
• Occupation: Henry Wadey was a mariner on 2 April 1871.⁵
• Residence: On 2 April 1871 Henry Wadey and Mary Packham lived at The Village, Portslade, Sussex, England, with son Frederick (8 mths).⁵
• Residence: On 11 March 1872 Henry Wadey and Mary Packham lived at Frederick Terrace, Portslade, Sussex, England.⁶
• Occupation: Henry Wadey was a seaman, merchant service on 11 March 1872.⁶
• (Witness) Death: Henry Wadey witnessed the death of Luke Wadey on 22 August 1878 at Sussex County Hospital, Brighton, Sussex, England; He died of strangulated temporal hernia (2 days) P.M.⁷
• Occupation: Henry Wadey was a brewer's labourer on 3 April 1881.⁸
• Residence: On 3 April 1881 Henry Wadey and Mary Packham lived at The Village, Portslade, Sussex, England.⁸
• Occupation: Henry Wadey was a cellerman on 5 April 1891.⁹
• Residence*: On 5 April 1891 Henry Wadey and Mary Packham lived at High Street, Portslade, Sussex, England.⁹
• (Witness) Marriage: Henry Wadey witnessed the marriage of George Taylor and Annie Mary Wadey on 3 January 1897 at St Nicholas, Portslade, Sussex, England.¹⁰
• Anecdote: Henry's sister Mary May would often visit Henry and Mary according to a letter she wrote in the early 1900's to her grand daughter Daisy Downer.¹¹
• Occupation*: Henry Wadey was a bricklayer's labourer on 31 March 1901.¹²
• Residence*: On 31 March 1901 Henry Wadey and Mary Packham lived at 37 High St, Portslade by Sea, Sussex, England.¹²
• (Witness) Marriage: Henry Wadey witnessed the marriage of Frederick George Wadey and May Brazier on 13 November 1909 at St Nicholas, Portslade, Sussex, England^B.^13,14
• Anecdote: Arthur Taylor (Henry and Mary's grandson) remembered staying with them as a child and in particular, having to get up at 6:00am to stoke the furnace in the church so that the central heating would be working when the church service began.¹⁵
• Occupation: Henry Wadey was a general labourer on 2 April 1911.¹⁶
• Residence: On 2 April 1911 Henry Wadey and Mary Packham lived at 37 High St, Portslade, Sussex, England.¹⁶
• (Witness) Death: Henry Wadey witnessed the death of Mary Packham on 10 January 1913 at 37 High Street, Portslade by Sea, Sussex, England; She died of carcinoma of the right breast, secondary deposits, and exhaustion.¹⁷
• Occupation: Henry Wadey was a road labourer on 13 January 1913.¹⁷
• Anecdote: Henry was dying while Ada Taylor was expecting Freda (Freda born 6.9.1922). He had trouble with his prostate and his grandson Arthur Taylor was the only one who could assist him. He was living with his daughter Annie Mary Taylor in Brighton at this time. Ada liked Henry.
• Death*: Henry Wadey died on 3 January 1922 at 19 Yardley St, Preston, Brighton, Sussex, England, at age 79. He died of cerebral haemorrhage (5 days) and exhaustion.¹⁸
• Burial*: Henry Wadey was buried after 3 January 1922 at Grave PD 18 or 19, Portslade Cemetery, Portslade, Sussex, England.
  

Mary Packham

Parents:

• Birth*: Mary Packham was born on 15 October 1842 at Portslade, Sussex, England^B; surname spelt PECKHAM.¹
• She was the daughter of William Packham and Mary Stoner.
• Baptism: Mary Packham was baptized on 4 December 1842 at St Nicholas, Portslade, Sussex, England, surname spelt PACKAM.²
• Occupation*: Mary Packham was an infant school teacher on 7 April 1861.
• Marriage*: Mary Packham married Henry Wadey, son of Luke Wadey and Mary Mitchell, on 12 December 1868 at St Nicholas, Brighton, Sussex, England^B.³
• Residence*: On 12 December 1868 Mary Packham lived at 45 Hampden Rd, Brighton, Sussex, England.³
• Married Name: As of 12 December 1868, her married name was Wadey.
• Residence: On 2 April 1871 Mary Packham and Henry Wadey lived at The Village, Portslade, Sussex, England, with son Frederick (8 mths).⁴
• (Witness) Birth: Mary Packham witnessed the birth of Annie Mary Wadey on 11 March 1872 at Frederick Terrace, Portslade, Sussex, England.⁵
• Residence: On 11 March 1872 Mary Packham and Henry Wadey lived at Frederick Terrace, Portslade, Sussex, England.⁵
• (Witness) Death: Mary Packham witnessed the death of Mary Stoner on 16 July 1875 at 39 Lisburn Cottages, Portslade, Sussex, England; She died of heart disease.⁶
• Residence: On 3 April 1881 Mary Packham and Henry Wadey lived at The Village, Portslade, Sussex, England.⁷
• Residence: On 5 April 1891 Mary Packham and Henry Wadey lived at High Street, Portslade, Sussex, England.⁸
• Anecdote*: Henry's sister Mary May would often visit Henry and Mary according to a letter she wrote in the early 1900's to her grand daughter Daisy Downer.⁹
• Residence: On 31 March 1901 Mary Packham and Henry Wadey lived at 37 High St, Portslade by Sea, Sussex, England.¹⁰
• Residence*: On 2 April 1911 Mary Packham and Henry Wadey lived at 37 High St, Portslade, Sussex, England.¹¹
• Death*: Mary Packham died on 10 January 1913 at 37 High Street, Portslade by Sea, Sussex, England, at age 70. She died of carcinoma of the right breast, secondary deposits, and exhaustion.¹²
• Burial*: Mary Packham was buried on 11 January 1913 at Grave PD 18 or 19, Portslade Cemetery, Portslade, Sussex, England.
  

Moses Taylor

Moses and Harriet Taylor (nee Terry)

Parents:

• Birth*: Moses Taylor was born on 15 April 1846 at West Firle, Sussex, England^B.¹
• He was the son of Thomas Taylor and Elizabeth Burt.
• Anecdote: Moses' mother Elizabeth died on 5 Oct 1848.
• Residence: On 30 March 1851 Moses Taylor lived at Stamford Pound, West Firle, Sussex, England, living with grandparents Abraham & Sarah Taylor.²
• Residence: On 7 April 1861 Moses Taylor lived at Bushy Lodge, West Firle, Sussex, England, living with his widower father and grandmother, Sarah Taylor.³
• Occupation: Moses Taylor was an agricultural labourer on 7 April 1861.³
• Anecdote: The census records suggest that Moses was raised by his grandparents, as his father never remarried.
• Marriage*: Moses Taylor married Harriet Terry, daughter of Peter Terry and Jane Smart, on 23 October 1871 at St Nicholas, Brighton, Sussex, England^B, Witnesses: Charles Terry and Louisa Terry.⁴
• (Witness) Birth: Moses Taylor witnessed the birth of George Taylor on 5 March 1877 at 29 St Martin's Place, Brighton, Sussex, England.⁵
• Occupation*: Moses Taylor was a railway goods guard on 5 March 1877.⁵
• Occupation: Moses Taylor was a railway guard on 3 April 1881.⁶
• Residence: On 3 April 1881 Moses Taylor and Harriet Terry lived at 29 St Martin's Place, Brighton, Sussex, England.⁶
• Anecdote: In the 1881 census the family is recorded as Moses and Harriet, George, (4 years), Edwin (2 months) and a niece Florence Terry, 7 years old, born Brighton. Research by Chris Kesteven has found that Florence Terry was the illegitimate daughter of Harriet's cousin, Louisa Ann Terry and that she was raised by Moses and Harriet as Florence Edith Taylor.⁷
• Occupation: Moses Taylor was a goods guard on 5 April 1891.⁸
• Residence*: On 5 April 1891 Moses Taylor and Harriet Terry lived at 29 St Martins Place, Brighton, Sussex, England.⁸
• (Witness) Marriage: Moses Taylor witnessed the marriage of George Taylor and Annie Mary Wadey on 3 January 1897 at St Nicholas, Portslade, Sussex, England.⁹
• Occupation: Moses Taylor was a goods train guard on 31 March 1901.¹⁰
• Residence: On 31 March 1901 Moses Taylor and Harriet Terry lived at 29 St Martin's Place, Brighton, Sussex, England.¹⁰
• Anecdote: Harriet ran a tea shop in Hollingdean Rd when her grandson Arthur Taylor was a boy. Arthur could recall helping with a machine that made ice cream which used salt for the freezing process.
• Residence: On 2 April 1911 Moses Taylor and Harriet Terry lived at 52 Hollingdean Rd, Preston, Brighton, Sussex, England.¹¹
• Occupation: Moses Taylor was a railway pensioner on 2 April 1911.¹¹
• Anecdote: Their son George Taylor recalled holidaying with people (grandparents?) at Magham Down in Hailsham. George thought a lot of his mother and every week used to send her fruit and flowers which Minnie had to take to her at Gladstone Place.¹²
• Anecdote*: Moses had a railway accident, according to his grandaughter Minnie Topping, which resulted in him losing a leg. He had a wooden (cork) leg after this and retired on a pension and bought a large house at 56 Gladstone Place, Brighton.¹²
• Residence*: Before 1918 Moses Taylor lived at 56 Gladstone Place, Brighton, Sussex, England.
• Anecdote: Harriet died in 1918 while their son George was away in WW1 and he was unable to get leave to come home. George was very close to his mother.¹²
• Death*: Moses Taylor died on 18 April 1928 at 56 Gladstone Place, Brighton, Sussex, England, at age 82. Died of myocardial degeneration, chronic bronchitis and hypostatic pneumonia.¹³
• Burial*: Moses Taylor was buried after 18 April 1928 at Grave BN28, Woodvale Cemetery, Lewes Rd, Brighton, Sussex, England.
• Mon-Inscr*: A gravestone inscriptionfor Moses Taylor and Harriet Terry was recorded as
  "In Loving Memory of Harriet the beloved wife of Moses Taylor died March 2nd 1918 age 67 years. Rest on, Dear Mother, thy labours o'er. Thy willing hands will toil no more. A faithful mother, true and kind. No friend on earth like thee we find.
  Also the above named Moses Taylor died April 18th 1928 aged 82 years. Reunited. At Rest. Also of William, son of the above died July 8th 1888. Aged 11 months".
• Anecdote: After Moses' death in 1928 the house went to the daughter Ethel and money was left to George, Edwin and Winifred.¹²

Thomas Middleton

Parents:

• Birth: Thomas Middleton was born in 1815 at Yaxley, Huntingdonshire, England^B; Place of birth from 1851 census.
• Baptism*: Thomas Middleton was baptized on 30 April 1815 at Yaxley, Huntingdonshire, England^B.¹
• He was the son of William Middleton and Sarah Bichnell.
• Marriage*: Thomas Middleton married Ann Hunt, daughter of James Hunt and Sarah Coles, on 6 November 1843 at Water Newton, Cambridgeshire, England^B.²
• Occupation: Thomas Middleton was a labourer on 6 November 1843.
• Anecdote: Thomas Middleton was born and married in Huntingdonshire before settling in Portsmouth, Hampshire. The towns of Yaxley, Water Newton, Glatton and Stilton all figure in the Middleton family history in Huntingdonshire, and are in the north west corner of the county, as shown on the map here.
  
• Residence: On 14 October 1846 Thomas Middleton and Ann Hunt lived at 2 Baileys Row, Landport, Portsmouth, Hampshire, England.³
• Occupation: Thomas Middleton was a labourer on 20 April 1850.⁴
• Occupation: Thomas Middleton was a beer retailer on 30 March 1851.
• Residence*: On 30 March 1851 Thomas Middleton and Ann Hunt lived at 7 Telegraph St, Portsea St Paul's, Portsmouth, Hampshire, England, living with Ann's sister and brother in law, Sophia and George Payne and their 2 month old daughter Emily.⁵
• Anecdote: Thomas's place of birth is given as "Camb., Yaxley" on the 1851 census.
• Residence: On 16 September 1852 Thomas Middleton and Ann Hunt lived at York Street, Allens Fields, Southsea, Portsmouth, Hampshire, England.
• Occupation: Thomas Middleton was a coal dealer on 24 April 1857.⁶
• Residence: On 24 April 1857 Thomas Middleton and Ann Hunt lived at York St, Southsea, Hampshire, England^B.
• Anecdote*: Note that Ann Hunt's brother Samuel Hunt was also a coal dealer.
• Anecdote*: It is reported that when their son James Middleton was age 7 years that he fell off the back of a horse and cart (his father was a coal merchant), knocked his head, and became deaf and dumb. On 5 Feb 1868, at 10 years of age, James was put into a home for the deaf and dumb which the 1871 census reveals was in Margate, Kent. The admission records for the Asylum for the Deaf and Dumb in Margate, Kent state that that he had 4 siblings and that his father lived at 6 Warwick St, Southsea, and that the reason for being deaf and dumb was that he had measles, cow-pox (chicken) and whooping cough all at once. This obviously conflicts with the story passed down the family, so how much of that is true is uncertain. James was discharged in December 1872 (one year after the death of his father) and he turns up in Brighton for the 1881 census, where he married in 1885. The school at Margate probably had connections to Brighton, in particular the Brighton and Sussex Institution for the Deaf and Dumb. (http://www.childrenshomes.org.uk/BrightonDeaf/.)
• (Witness) Death: Thomas Middleton witnessed the death of Ann Hunt on 15 December 1865 at 62 York Row, Southsea, Portsmouth, Hampshire, England^B; age 43 years of phthisis (tuberculosis.)⁷
• Marriage*: Thomas Middleton married Jemima Coombes, daughter of William John Coombes and Jane Le Grove, on 29 March 1866 at Register Office, Portsmouth, Hampshire, England.⁸
• Anecdote: Three months after the death of his wife Ann, Thomas married 32 year old Jemima Coombes. She was the informant on Ann's death certificate, suggesting that she had been her carer.
• Residence*: On 29 March 1866 Thomas Middleton lived at 62 York Row, Southsea, Portsmouth, Hampshire, England^B.
• Anecdote: On 5 Feb 1868 Thomas's son James was admitted to the Asylum for the Deaf and Dumb in Margate, Kent.
• Residence: On 5 February 1868 Thomas Middleton and Jemima Coombes lived at 6 Warwick St, Southsea, Portsmouth, Hampshire, England, as stated on James Middleton's admission record to the Asylum for the Deaf and Dumb in Margate, Kent.
• Anecdote: A newspaper article dated 22 Feb 1868 reports that Samuel Hughes, who had supplied a horse to Thomas Middleton for carting coal, was fined for cruelty to a horse for supplying Thomas with a weak and wounded horse. Thomas said he was unaware of the injury as it was covered up by the harness. Samuel Hughes was fined 25 shillings (which he paid) or 7 days imprisonment.
• Anecdote: In 1869, Thomas's eldest surviving daughter, Sarah Ann Middleton, died aged 17 years.
• Occupation*: Thomas Middleton was a coal dealer on 2 April 1871.⁹
• Residence*: On 2 April 1871 Thomas Middleton and Jemima Coombes lived at 22 York Row, Portsea, Hampshire, England, with daughters Harriet [Sophia Harriet] age 10 years and Elizabeth age 8 years.⁹
• Death*: Thomas Middleton died on 11 October 1871 at 22 York Row, Southsea, Portsmouth, Hampshire, England^B, age 62 years, of phthisis (tuberculosis.)¹⁰
• Anecdote: Thomas is buried in Kingston cemetery (also known as Portsea or St Mary's cemetery). There is no grave stone or marker. Jemima lived another 53 years and died in 1924. She lived much of her remaining life in the Portsea workhouse, and finally in the Parish of Portsmouth Infirmary (imbecile wards).

William George Buckran Marchant

Parents:

• Birth*: William George Buckran Marchant was born on 8 July 1847 at 16 Suffolk Place, Brighton, Sussex, England; his name is simply recorded as William Marchant.¹
• He was the son of George William Marchant and Elizabeth Redman.
• Baptism: William George Buckran Marchant was baptized on 10 October 1847 at St Nicholas, Brighton, Sussex, England^B, as William Buckrell Marchant.
• Anecdote*: William's name on wife Maria's death certificate, and his own death certificate, was William George Buckran Marchant. However, there seems to be a lot of confusion as to how the middle name was spelt. One wonders whether it should be Buckrill/Buckrell/Buckerell, an old Brighton surname (eg. Stephen Buckrell - 1625 Brighton Fishermen List - Sussex Genealogist and Local Historian June 1985 (Vol. 7, No. 1, pp4-6) - who also left a will (as Stephen Buckrill) dated 1691 and proved 9 Oct 1691 - his wife Anne Buckerell also left a will made in 1702 and proved 24 Nov 1703 - no mention of any Marchants in either will though.)
• Occupation*: William George Buckran Marchant was a plasterer on 26 September 1865.²
• Marriage*: William George Buckran Marchant married Maria Murrell, daughter of Philip Murrell and Charlotte Evans, on 26 September 1865 at Slindon Chapel, Slindon House, Slindon, Sussex, England, in the Roman Catholic Church.²
• Occupation: William George Buckran Marchant was a plasterer journeyman on 25 August 1866.³
• Residence: On 2 April 1871 William George Buckran Marchant and Maria Murrell lived at 19 Vine St, Brighton, Sussex, England.⁴
• Residence*: On 3 April 1881 William George Buckran Marchant and Maria Murrell lived at 106 Ellen St, Hove, Sussex, England.⁵
• (Witness) Marriage: William George Buckran Marchant witnessed the marriage of James Middleton and Annie Marchant on 19 April 1885 at The Parish Church, Annunciation, Brighton, Sussex, England.⁶
• Residence: On 5 April 1891 William George Buckran Marchant and Maria Murrell lived at 45 Jersey St, Brighton, Sussex, England.⁷
• (Witness) Marriage: William George Buckran Marchant witnessed the marriage of Ernest Albert Marchant and Elizabeth Charlotte Hughes on 17 October 1891 at Register Office, Brighton, Sussex, England; Name on certificate is Lottie Elizabeth Hughes.⁸
• (Witness) Marriage: William George Buckran Marchant witnessed the marriage of George William Marchant and Alice Denyer on 17 December 1892 at Brighton, Sussex, England^B.⁹
• Occupation: William George Buckran Marchant was a plasterer journeyman in 1893.¹⁰
• Anecdote: Maria died of cancer of the cervix in 1893. It is reported that her death was rather painful and that the cast iron rails of her bed were deformed as she gripped them to ease the pain. The family had to put straw on the road outside the house to deaden the noise from passing carts so she could get some sleep. Her married daughter Annie was left in charge of the family as she was the eldest child and the youngest, Violet, was only 2 years old.¹¹
• (Witness) Death: William George Buckran Marchant witnessed the death of Maria Murrell on 14 July 1893 at 45 Jersey St, Brighton, Sussex, England; She died of cancer of the uteri (1 year.)¹⁰
• (Witness) Marriage: William George Buckran Marchant witnessed the marriage of Rhoda Rose Marchant and Francis Burford on 7 July 1896 at Brighton, Sussex, England^B.¹²
• Residence: On 31 March 1901 William George Buckran Marchant lived at 7 Hollingbury Rd, Brighton, Sussex, England, with daughter Annie and her husband James Middleton and family, including four of William's children.¹³
• Death*: William George Buckran Marchant died on 2 May 1901 at 7 Hollingbury Rd, Preston, Brighton, Sussex, England, at age 53. He died of phthisis pulmonalis (2 years) and exhaustion.¹⁴

William Langridge

Parents:

• Baptism*: William Langridge was baptized on 13 April 1783 at Newick, Sussex, England^B.¹
• He was the son of John Langridge and Elizabeth Chandler.
• Anecdote*: Discussion: The 1851 census gives William's place of birth as Fletching. There are therefore two candidates who could be our William Langridge(who married Martha Thorpe):
  1. William Langridge baptised 1785 at Fletching son of William and Anne Langridge (nee Standfield/Stanford).
  2. William Langridge baptised 1783 at Newick son of John and Elizabeth Langridge (nee Chandler). Although this William (their first child) was baptised at Newick the family moved to Fletching soon after and lived there for the rest of their lives (the rest of their children were baptised there and Elizabeth was buried there).
  I believe that the circumstatial evidence supports the second William as being correct for the following reasons:
  1. None of the names for the children of William Langridge and Anne Standfield/Stanford (Ann, Elizabeth, Philadelphia) appear in the family of William and wife Martha. On the other hand, there are many children's names in common (including a George and a Sophia) between John and Elizabeth Langridge and William and Martha Langridge.
  2. A John Langridge witnessed William and Martha's marriage. If John and Elizabeth are the correct parents then the witness could be the father or his brother (baptised 1788 at Fletching). There are no John Langridge's in the family of William and Anne Langridge.
  3. Elizabeth Langridge was buried at Fletching in 1823. The burial record notes that she is of Piltdown (very close to Fletching). This ties in nicely with William and Martha who were recorded as living at Piltdown for baptisms in 1815 and 1817, and later in 1839-41.^2,1,3
• Marriage*: William Langridge married Martha Thorpe, daughter of William Thorpe and Jane Baker, on 6 September 1807 at Fletching, Sussex, England^B, witnesses John Langridge and Charles Wood. William is of Little Horsted, Martha is of Fletching.⁴
• Anecdote: Although the marriage record states that William is "of Little Horsted", the 1851 census states his place of birth as Fletching. There are no William Langridge baptisms in Little Horsted from 1783.
• Anecdote: William's wife, Martha Thorpe had an illegitimate daughter, Martha, who was baptised on 16 June 1804, the reputed father being William Stapely.
• Anecdote: An infant William Langridge is recorded as being buried on 24 October 1809 at Fletching. This may or may not be one of William and Martha's children, but the date fits. There is no baptism record for the child.¹
• Anecdote: The family is recorded as living at Fletching (1813), Pilt Down (1815, 1817) and Fletching (1821, 1837) and Pilt Down (1839/40, 1841). William Langridge's occupation is recorded as labourer 1813, 1815, 1817 and 1821.
• Residence: On 7 June 1841 William Langridge and Martha Thorpe lived at Caton's (part of), Fletching, Sussex, England, William is 60 years of age, and Martha 65 years (Ages over 15 were rounded down to the nearest 5 years, over 70 to the nearest 10).⁵
• Residence*: On 30 March 1851 William Langridge and Martha Thorpe lived at Uckfield Union Workhouse, Uckfield, Sussex, England, Both paupers and both 74 years of age.⁶
• Anecdote: The Union Workhouse was located at Ridgewood, just over one mile south of Uckfield and only a short distance from Horsted Green where their daughter Harriet Jeffery lived. It was opened in 1839 and prior to this the workhouse was located close to the centre of Uckfield. William died at the Union Workhouse and was buried in Fletching (his age is given as 72 years). However, there is no burial for Martha in the Fletching registers. According to the workhouse admissions register both William and Martha were in the workhouse for all of the half year ending 25.3.1851. William was present up to and including the 2nd day in the 21st week of the half year ending 29.9.1851, and Martha the 3rd day in the 24th week of the same. William would have been discharged dead and Martha would have gone to live with family.
• Burial*: William Langridge was buried on 20 August 1851 at St Andrew & St Mary the Virgin, Fletching, Sussex, England^B, age 72 years, "Union."⁷
• Death*: William Langridge died on 20 August 1851 at Fletching, Sussex, England^B, at age 68. Age given as 72 years on the workhouse discharge.⁸
• Anecdote*: Gwen Street of Queensland, Australia writes that "the daughter Jane Langridge was tried and convicted at the Sussex Quarter Sessions Court on 11th April 1834 for the offence of 'stealing a shirt'. She was sentenced to seven years and transported to Sydney, NSW on the ship "Mary", arriving 6th September 1835, aged 27 years, Protestant. The ship carried 177 female prisoners and 26 children. She married Charles BONNELL (Gwen's G-G-Grandfather) at Glendon, NSW on 22 May 1837 and had one son, James Charles BONNELL on 10.12.1837. Jane was widowed the following year when Charles died on 9.12.1838 and it is believed that she later married a Mr. ASTON but no record of this has been found yet. Jane's convict number was 157-158 and she recorded as having a sallow complexion, 5ft 4ins in height, brown/grey hair and brown eyes. She had lost a front upper tooth, had a scar on the back of her left hand and a mole on her left shoulder. Her occupation was "housemaid, 8 months at a public house".
  Jane had a daughter Sophia Henrietta Langridge, born 15.12.1834 (possibly born at sea, or just before she left England) and baptised in Australia on 8.10.1835. She would have been pregnant when convicted at the Sussex Quarter Sessions on 11.4.1834. Sophia died in Newcastle Goal aged 13 months and was buried 6.2.1836 at Christ Church in the NSW County of Northumberland. From Newcastle Goal, Jane must have been assigned to Glendon Estate where she would have met Charles. Charles was with Heneage Finch, the surveyor, until 1837. The surveyor's home, 'Laguna House' at Luskintyre on the River Hunter (127 miles from Sydney), is an historic site and visitors pay to go through it. Jane and her son James Charles Bonnell must have lived in Bonnell's Bay area after Charles’s death. Charles BONNELL was also a convict, having been sentenced to life for stealing a horse in 1824. At the time of their marriage he had a ticket of leave and she was a bonded convict. Their application to marry was found in the Church of England parish register for Newcastle, NSW at Newcastle University". All this information has come from Gwen Street.
• Anecdote: William and Martha's child William Langridge (b. 1817) married Mary Burgess of Buxted in 1852 and had seven sons. They lived all their lives in Fletching. Neil Langridge of Dartford, Kent is a descendent of William and Mary.

Joseph Morris

Parents:

• Birth: Joseph Morris was born in 1781 at Framfield, Sussex, England^B.¹
• Baptism*: Joseph Morris was baptized on 3 June 1781 at Framfield, Sussex, England^B.^2,1
• He was the son of Joseph Morris and Hannah Turner.
• Marriage*: Joseph Morris married Sarah Breach, daughter of John Breach and Ann Gorringe, on 8 September 1801 at Little Horsted, Sussex, England^B.³
• Anecdote*: Joseph MORRIS, labourer, is listed in the 1803 Militia List for Little Horsted.
• Anecdote: In the poor tax assessment for 1830, the entry reads "Morris & Novis, Bird in Eye, rental £1, assessment 3/s."⁴
• Anecdote: Joseph Morris is recorded on the tithe survey of 31 Mar 1841 as living in Framfield on plot 1482 which contained four houses and gardens. The owner was John HOLMAN and the occupiers were Joseph MORRIS, [blank] REEVES, [blank] TURNER, William STEVENS and Richard THOMAS. The location of plot 1482 is shown on these maps.⁵
  
• Residence: On 7 June 1841 Joseph Morris and Sarah Breach lived at Bird in Eye, Framfield, Sussex, England.⁶
• (Witness) Marriage: Joseph Morris witnessed the marriage of William Morris and Eleanor Funnell on 4 October 1846 at The Parish Church, Uckfield, Sussex, England.⁷
• Residence*: On 30 March 1851 Joseph Morris and Sarah Breach lived at 34 Bird in Eye, Framfield, Sussex, England, living with son Nelson who is noted as deaf in the later 1861 census. She gives her age as 69 years born Hamsey. Living close by at 38 Bird in Eye was their son William and family.¹
• Occupation*: Joseph Morris was a pauper, formerly agricultural labourer on 30 March 1851.
• Death*: Joseph Morris died in April 1855 at Uckfield, Sussex, England^B, at age 73.⁸
• Burial*: Joseph Morris was buried on 11 April 1855 at Framfield, Sussex, England^B, 74 years old.⁹

Richard Funnell

Parents:

• Birth*: Richard Funnell was born on 14 August 1794 at Chiddingly, Sussex, England^B.^1,2
• He was the son of Richard Funnell and Elizabeth Inkpen.
• Baptism: Richard Funnell was baptized on 4 October 1794 at Chiddingly, Sussex, England^B.¹
• Marriage Bann: Marriage banns for Richard Funnell and Jane Burgess were published on 21 April 1816 at Hellingly, Sussex, England^B; The banns for their marriage were read April 21,28 and May 5, 1816 at Hellingly and read:
  "Richard Funnell of parish of St John Under The Castle in Lewes, bachelor and Jane Akehurst Burgess of this parish, spinster."
• Anecdote: The banns for Jane's marriage refer to her as Jane Akehurst Burgess. Although she was born illegitimate as a Burgess, she was known as Akehurst. Birth certificates for her children have her maiden name as Akehurst.
• Marriage*: Richard Funnell married Jane Burgess, daughter of John Akehurst and Maria Burgess, on 9 May 1816 at St John sub Castro, Lewes, Sussex, England^B, Richard is of this parish; Jane is of Hellingly.³
• Anecdote: Richard and Jane's first child was baptised at Hellingly (Jane's place of birth) and subsequently at Chiddingly. However, they do not appear in the 28 May 1821 census for Chiddingly. The baptisms of their children Jane (1822) and John (1824) at East Hoathly suggest they may have been living there at the time. From 1826 the baptisms resume at Chiddingly though.⁴
• Occupation*: Richard Funnell was a labourer on 26 October 1828.
• Anecdote*: The 1839 tithe map survey identifies the location of Richard and Jane's cottage and garden at Holmes Hill as plot 810 near the intersection of the Lewes Road (now the B2124) and the road running between Whitesmith and Golden Cross (now the A22). The owner of the property was the parish, indicating that this was probably subsidised by the parish and part of their overall poor relief programme. The tithe map shows that the Bat & Ball pub is located at that intersection (on Lewes Rd) but the pub no longer exists.
  
• Anecdote: The parish of Chiddingly is located in the Weald and was considered a poorer area for farming as the land is heavy and poorly drained compared to the South Downs where the chalk soil is lighter, well drained and easier to farm. Consequently, it was more difficult for agricultural labourers to secure permanent employment at Chiddingly. Seasonal employment also meant less opportunities for women and children. The result was a greater demand on parish relief at Chiddingly. Richard Funnell was an agricultural labourer, living in a parish house, and probably experienced these difficulties.⁵
• Residence*: On 7 June 1841 Richard Funnell and Jane Burgess lived at Holmes Hill, Chiddingly, Sussex, England.⁶
  
• Occupation: Richard Funnell was an agricultural labourer on 7 June 1841.
• (Witness) Marriage: Richard Funnell witnessed the marriage of William Morris and Eleanor Funnell on 4 October 1846 at The Parish Church, Uckfield, Sussex, England.⁷
• Residence: On 30 March 1851 Richard Funnell and Jane Burgess lived at Burnt Plot, Chiddingly, Sussex, England, living with daughters Phillis (15 years) and Mary (11 years).²
• Occupation: Richard Funnell was an agricultural labourer on 30 March 1851.
• Death*: Richard Funnell died on 12 March 1858 at Chiddingly, Sussex, England^B, at age 63. Paralysed for 3 months prior to his death.⁸
• Burial*: Richard Funnell was buried on 18 March 1858 at Chiddingly, Sussex, England^B, "Abode: Chiddingly; age 64 years."^9,10

William Griffiths

Parents:

• Birth*: William Griffiths was born on 12 April 1836 at Chipping Ongar, Essex, England^B.¹
• He was the son of Richard Green Griffiths and Eliza Cornell.
• Residence: On 7 June 1841 William Griffiths lived at Hurdle End, Hatfield Broad Oak, Essex, England, staying with his grandparents, George and Lydia Cornell.²
• Occupation*: William Griffiths was an errand boy on 30 March 1851.³
• Residence*: On 30 March 1851 William Griffiths lived at 12 Swann Yard, Islington, Middlesex, England, with his parents and family.³
• Anecdote: On 7 Dec 1854 William volunteered for 10 years service in the Royal Navy. He started as a "Boy First Class". According to his service record he was 5ft 7in tall, fair complexion, brown hair and hazel eyes. In this first 10 year term he served on the ships Excellent, Castor and Firebrand. He finished as a Leading Seaman and signed on for another 10 years in 1864.¹
• Anecdote*: On the night of the census, Sunday, April 7^th 1861, 25 year old Leading Seaman William Griffiths was on board HMS “Firebrand” at Carthagina near Granada, South America. "Firebrand" was a paddle frigate commissioned in 1842 and was the first steam ship commissioned in the Royal Navy.⁴
• Marriage*: William Griffiths married Margaret Day, daughter of Thomas Day and Mary Anne Knight, on 20 April 1863 at The Parish Church, Islington, Middlesex, England.⁵
• Anecdote: On 13 June 1864 William entered the Coastguard service.¹
• Anecdote*: William and Margaret's first daughter, Emily Amelia Griffiths, was born in Portsmouth, Hampshire in 1864, a year after their marriage in London. It would appear that William was based here, possibly for training, before being posted to Eastbourne c1865. At that time there was a policy of manning coastguard stations with men from outside the local area in order to prevent collusion between the coastguard seamen and local smugglers.
• Residence: On 13 June 1869 William Griffiths and Margaret Day lived at Holywell, Eastbourne, Sussex, England.
• Occupation: William Griffiths was a seaman, R.N. Coastguard (Eastbourne) on 13 June 1869.⁶
• Residence*: On 2 April 1871 William Griffiths and Margaret Day lived at 6 Artillery Cottages, Cannon Street, Brighton, Sussex, England.⁷
• Occupation: William Griffiths was in the coast guard service in Brighton on 2 April 1871.⁷
• Residence: On 3 April 1881 William Griffiths and Margaret Day lived at 27 Common St, Brighton, Sussex, England.⁸
• Occupation: William Griffiths was a Boatman (commissioned) on 3 April 1881.⁸
• Anecdote: William became a naval pensioner on 22 Mar 1886.¹
• (Witness) Marriage: William Griffiths witnessed the marriage of Charles Richard Griffiths and Ann Elizabeth Godden on 28 August 1890 at The Parish Church, Brighton, Sussex, England^B.⁹
• Residence: On 5 April 1891 William Griffiths and Margaret Day lived at 4a Upper Hamilton Rd, Brighton, Sussex, England.¹⁰
• Occupation: William Griffiths was a naval pensioner and a clerk to a fish salesman on 5 April 1891.¹⁰
• Residence: On 31 March 1901 William Griffiths and Margaret Day lived at 9 Hamilton Rd, Brighton, Sussex, England.¹¹
• Occupation: William Griffiths was a fish merchant on 31 March 1901.¹¹
• Residence: On 2 April 1911 William Griffiths and Margaret Day lived at 26 Port Hall Place, Brighton, Sussex, England, close to where their son Charles Richard Griffiths and family were living at 21 Exeter St, Brighton.¹²
• Occupation: William Griffiths was a retired naval pensioner on 2 April 1911.¹²
• Death*: William Griffiths died on 7 September 1918 at 129 Westbourne Street, Aldrington, Hove, Sussex, England, at age 82. He died of chronic nephritis & dropsy (2 years) and uremia (4 days), aged 84 years. He died at the house of his son William Thomas Griffiths.¹³
• Occupation: William Griffiths was a Commissioned Boatman, H.M Coastguard (Pensioner) on 7 September 1918.¹³

William Godden

Parents:

• Birth*: William Godden was born on 4 October 1844 at Eastbourne, Sussex, England^B.¹
• He was the son of Michael Godden and Ruth Dunk.
• Residence*: On 7 April 1861 William Godden lived at Mill Lane Cottage, Eastbourne, Sussex, England, with his parents.²
• Occupation: William Godden was an engine cleaner on 7 April 1861.²
• Marriage*: William Godden married Ann Elizabeth Humphries, daughter of Benjamin Humphries and Elizabeth Bull, on 5 March 1865 at Eastbourne, Sussex, England^B.³
• Occupation: William Godden was a fireman South Coast Railway Company when daughter Ann Elizabeth Godden was born on 3 June 1865.⁴
• Residence*: On 2 April 1871 William Godden and Ann Elizabeth Humphries lived at 17 Elder Place, Brighton, Sussex, England, with children Ann Elizabeth (5 years), Alfred (3 years), Emma (2 years), Infant (3 weeks), and nephew Alfred (19 years) born Eastbourne, who was also a fireman on the railway.⁵
• Occupation: William Godden was a fireman on the railway on 2 April 1871.⁵
• (Witness) Burial: William Godden witnessed the burial of Ann Elizabeth Humphries on 10 October 1872 at St Mary's, Eastbourne, Sussex, England^B.⁶
• Marriage*: William Godden married Fanny (?) circa 1873 at Brighton, Sussex, England^B.
• Anecdote*: The 1881 census indicates that William remarried a woman named Fanny born Storrington, Sussex although a marriage record has not yet been found. A possibility is the marriage Oct-Dec 1875 to Ann Mockford, Brighton Vol 2b Page 496.
• Occupation: William Godden was a goods car man on 3 April 1881.⁷
• Residence*: On 3 April 1881 William Godden and Fanny (?) lived at 51 Hanover St, Brighton, Sussex, England, with children Annie (16 years), Alfred (15 years), Emma (12 years) and William's niece Jane Baker age 5 years born Newhaven.⁷
• Death*: William Godden died on 19 January 1888 at 51 Hanover St, Brighton, Sussex, England, at age 43. He died of valvular disease (2 years) and phthisis (3 years.)⁸
• Occupation: William Godden was an omnibus driver according to his death certificate on 19 January 1888.⁸
• Occupation*: William Godden was an engine driver (deceased) on his daughter's marriage certificate in 1890.⁹

Emma Sapp

• Birth*: Emma Sapp was born circa 1837 at Kensington, Middlesex, England.
• Residence*: On 7 April 1861 Emma Sapp lived at 25 Brunswick Place, Hove, Sussex, England.¹
• Occupation*: Emma Sapp was a lady's maid on 7 April 1861.¹
• Marriage*: Emma Sapp married Charles Jeffery, son of William Jeffery and Harriet Langridge, in 1864 at Brighton, Sussex, England^B.²
• Married Name: As of 1864, her married name was Jeffery.
• Residence: On 2 April 1871 Emma Sapp and Charles Jeffery lived at Little Horsted, Sussex, England^B.³
• Residence: On 3 April 1881 Emma Sapp and Charles Jeffery lived at Church St, Uckfield, Sussex, England.⁴
• (Witness) Death: Emma Sapp witnessed the death of Harriet Langridge on 29 March 1883 at Uckfield, Sussex, England^B; She died of natural decay.⁵
• Residence*: On 31 March 1901 Emma Sapp and Charles Jeffery lived at Uckfield, Sussex, England^B.⁶
• Residence*: On 2 April 1911 Emma Sapp and Caroline Jeffery lived at 14 Hillside Cottages, Harley Lane, Heathfiled, Hailsham, Sussex, England.⁷
• Death*: Emma Sapp died in 1917 at Hailsham, Sussex, England.⁸

Edith Margaret Jeffery

Parents:

• Birth*: Edith Margaret Jeffery was born in 1865 at Brighton, Sussex, England^B.¹
• She was the daughter of Charles Jeffery and Emma Sapp.
• Baptism: Edith Margaret Jeffery was baptized on 10 December 1865 at St Nicholas, Brighton, Sussex, England^B.²
• Death*: Edith Margaret Jeffery died in 1872 at Uckfield, Sussex, England^B.³
• Burial*: Edith Margaret Jeffery was buried on 2 March 1872 at Little Horsted, Sussex, England^B, "7 years, Horsted Green."⁴

William Charles Jeffery

Parents:

• Birth*: William Charles Jeffery was born in 1867 at Rusthall, Tunbridge Wells, Kent, England.¹
• He was the son of Charles Jeffery and Emma Sapp.
• Marriage*: William Charles Jeffery married Esther Cottington Dawes, daughter of William Dawes, in 1906 at Uckfield, Sussex, England^B.²
• Occupation*: William Charles Jeffery was a market gardener on 2 April 1911.³
• Residence*: On 2 April 1911 William Charles Jeffery and Esther Cottington Dawes lived at Bramble Cottage, Heathfield, Sussex, England.³

Annie Emma Jeffery

Parents:

• Birth*: Annie Emma Jeffery was born in 1868 at Tunbridge Wells, Kent, England^B.¹
• She was the daughter of Charles Jeffery and Emma Sapp.
• Occupation*: Annie Emma Jeffery was a housekeeper (domestic) on 31 March 1901.²
• Residence*: On 31 March 1901 Annie Emma Jeffery lived at Wheatley House, Binstead, Hampshire, England.²

Caroline Jeffery

Parents:

• Birth*: Caroline Jeffery was born in 1870 at Ridgewood, Uckfield, Sussex, England.¹
• She was the daughter of Charles Jeffery and Emma Sapp.
• Baptism: Caroline Jeffery was baptized on 24 April 1870 at Little Horsted, Sussex, England^B, "carpenter, abode: Ridgewood."²
• Anecdote*: Caroline was still single at the 1911 census.
• Residence*: On 2 April 1911 Caroline Jeffery and Emma Sapp lived at 14 Hillside Cottages, Harley Lane, Heathfiled, Hailsham, Sussex, England.³