Person Page - 33

Joy McCall

Parents:

• Birth*: Joy McCall was born circa 1930 at Perth, Western Australia, Australia.
• She was the daughter of Archibald Robert McCall and Vera Emma Brown.
• Married Name: As of circa 1955, her married name was Webb.

Archibald R C McCall

Parents:

• Birth*: Archibald R C McCall was born in 1924 at Perth, Western Australia, Australia.¹
• He was the son of Archibald Robert McCall and Vera Emma Brown.
• Marriage*: Archibald R C McCall married Vivian (?) in 1941 at Perth, Western Australia, Australia.²
• Residence*: In 1949 Archibald R C McCall and Vivian (?) lived at Glen Forrest, Western Australia, Australia.³

Archibald McCall

• Birth*: Archibald McCall was born in 1861 at Woodend, Victoria, Australia.
• Marriage*: Archibald McCall married Alice Carr in 1885 at Victoria, Australia.¹
• Anecdote*: Of Highbury. Reared the orphaned Dudley Vaughan and the author Albert Facey (wrote the book "A Fortunate Life"). Dudley married their maid Betty who had come from England under the Fairbridge Farm Scheme.

Betty (?)

• Birth*: Betty (?) was born circa 1940 at England.

Vivian Rose Standley

Parents:

• Birth*: Vivian Rose Standley was born on 29 April 1896 at Yadnarie, South Australia, Australia.
• She was the daughter of George James Standley and Ida Woodcock.
• Marriage*: Vivian Rose Standley married Leonard Percival Brown, son of Hugh Brown and Frances Margaret Ward, on 11 August 1914 at Adelaide, South Australia, Australia.¹
• Married Name: As of 11 August 1914, her married name was Brown.
• Death*: Vivian Rose Standley died on 5 January 1976 at Manly, New South Wales, Australia, at age 79. Ancestry.co.uk.

Valentine C Sparrow

• Marriage*: Valentine C Sparrow married Dorothy Olive H Brown, daughter of Hugh Brown and Frances Margaret Ward, in 1921 at Perth, Western Australia, Australia.¹
• Residence*: In 1954 Valentine C Sparrow and Dorothy Olive H Brown lived at 99 Third Avenue, Mt Lawley, Western Australia, Australia.²

Frank Sparrow

Parents:

• Birth*: Frank Sparrow was born in 1926 at Western Australia, Australia.
• He was the son of Valentine C Sparrow and Dorothy Olive H Brown.
• Anecdote*: Frankie was a well known Australian rules footballer and radio announcer. He was in Florence McKay's class at school at one time.
  He played for East Perth, Swan Districts and West Perth in the WANFL during the 1940s and 1950s. His father was fellow West Australian Football Hall of Famer Val Sparrow.
  Sparrow spent most of his career either as a centreman or across half back. He started his career at his father's club, East Perth in 1943 during the underage period (due to the war, and won the F. D. Book Medal for their 'Fairest and Best' in 1948 and 1952. He captained East Perth in 1951 and the following season finished second in the Sandover Medal count.
  Swan Districts acquired his services in 1953, as captain-coach, and he won their 'Fairest and Best' in his first season. He remained in the role for a further two years before crossing to West Perth for one final season, also as captain-coach. In 1957 he retired as a player but remained West Perth's coach, leading them to the final, before joining the media and becoming one of Western Australia's best known football commentator on both television and radio.
  A regular interstate representative, Sparrow played 17 games for Western Australia, most notably in 1951 when he was appointed captain and at the 1953 Adelaide Carnival where he achieved All-Australian selection.¹
• Death*: Frank Sparrow died on 31 December 2000.

John Dunk

• Birth*: John Dunk was born circa 1680 at Sussex, England.
• Marriage*: John Dunk married Mary Mepham on 15 April 1701 at Bodiam, Sussex, England^B.¹
• Anecdote*: Possible burial on 13 Feb 1726 at Salehurst.²

Mary Mepham

• Marriage*: Mary Mepham married John Dunk on 15 April 1701 at Bodiam, Sussex, England^B.¹
• Married Name: As of 15 April 1701, her married name was Dunk.

Edwin Ward

Parents:

• Birth*: Edwin Ward was born circa 1840.
• He was the son of John Ward.
• Marriage*: Edwin Ward married Mary (?) before 1860.
• Anecdote*: The marriage indexes for the three Indian Presidencies of Bengal, Bombay and Madras were searched 1844-1865 for the marriage of Edwin Ward but none were found. Thacker's Bengal Directory also has no entry for Edwin Ward at the time.
• Occupation*: Edwin Ward was an Engine Driver with the East India Railways (on daughter Catherine's baptism). in 1864.
• Occupation: Edwin Ward was an engine driver, East India Railways - from his first wife Mary's burial record. on 23 September 1867.
• Occupation: Edwin Ward was an Engine Driver with the East India Railways (on his marriage certificate to Margaret Jenkins). in 1868.
• Marriage*: Edwin Ward married Margaret Richards, daughter of James Richards, on 27 October 1868 at Howrah, Calcutta, India, Edwin is a widower, an Engine Driver East India Railways, of Howrah. Margaret is a widow age 17 years , surname JENKINS, of Howrah. Witnesses were John Kedge, Charlotte Kedge, Chas peters, Richard Edmonds. A.W.R Quinlan Chaplain.
• (Witness) Marriage: Edwin Ward witnessed the marriage of Hugh Brown and Frances Margaret Ward on 22 December 1879 at St John's Church, Calcutta, India; witnesses were E Ward, Catherine Ward and E Hindhaugh.¹
• Anecdote: On 22 December 1879, daughter Frances marries Hugh Brown and gives her place of residence as Asansole. This is likley to be where Edwin and Margaret are living also.¹
• (Witness) Marriage: Edwin Ward witnessed the marriage of Demetrius G Cottara and Catherine Charlotte Ward on 1 May 1882 at Asansole, Bengal, India; Demetrius 29 yrs, a Shunter, E.I. Rlwy. His Father George Cottara. Witness to Marriage – Edwin Ward & Rachael Roughridge.²
• Death*: Edwin Ward died on 14 November 1896 at Calcutta, Bengal, India.
• Probate*: His estate was probated on 20 February 1897 at Fort William, Bengal, India.
• (Witness) Marriage: Edwin Ward witnessed the marriage of Frank Muller and Florence Mabel Ward on 29 April 1899 at Islington, Middlesex, England; witnesses Percy Couch and Mary Ann Luck. Fathers Edwin Ward, engineer, and Frank Muller, stationer.³
• Anecdote: Edwin's occupation was recorded as a railway engineer on his daughter Frances' death certificate in 1934.⁴

Mary (?)

• Birth*: Mary (?) was born in 1841; Year of birth from burial information.
• Marriage*: Mary (?) married Edwin Ward, son of John Ward, before 1860.
• Married Name: As of before 1860, her married name was Ward.
• Death*: Mary (?) died on 22 September 1867 at Howrah, India.
• Burial*: Mary (?) was buried on 23 September 1867 at St Thomas Church, Howrah, India, Wife of Mr Edwin Ward, driver East India Railways, cause of death fever, the Chaplin was A.L.Mitchell. Mary age at death was 26 years & 8 months.
• Anecdote*: The Bengal Deaths Index was searched 1864 to 1868 for Mary's death but nothing found.

Catherine Charlotte Ward

Parents:

• Birth*: Catherine Charlotte Ward was born on 12 May 1864 at Howrah, Calcutta, India; The birth and the baptism was found at the India Office Library in London (Bengal Baptisms). Vol.108 f.32 Baptisms at Howrah. Catherine Charlotte Ward dau. of Edwin & Mary Ward of Howrah. Engine Driver East India Railways. William Spencer Chaplain.
• She was the daughter of Edwin Ward and Mary (?)
• Baptism: Catherine Charlotte Ward was baptized on 22 May 1864 at St Thomas, Howrah, Bengal, India.
• (Witness) Marriage: Catherine Charlotte Ward witnessed the marriage of Hugh Brown and Frances Margaret Ward on 22 December 1879 at St John's Church, Calcutta, India; witnesses were E Ward, Catherine Ward and E Hindhaugh.¹
• Marriage*: Catherine Charlotte Ward married Demetrius G Cottara, son of George Cottara, on 1 May 1882 at Asansole, Bengal, India, Demetrius 29 yrs, a Shunter, E.I. Rlwy. His Father George Cottara. Witness to Marriage – Edwin Ward & Rachael Roughridge.²
• Married Name: As of 1 May 1882, her married name was Cottara.

Robert Ashhurst

Parents:

• Baptism*: Robert Ashhurst was baptized on 8 February 1832 at Brighton, Sussex, England^B.
• He was the son of Robert Lewis Ashhurst and Rebecca Barber.
• Occupation*: Robert Ashhurst was a blind maker on 30 March 1851.¹
• Death*: Robert Ashhurst died in December 1851 at Brighton, Sussex, England^B, at age 19.²
• Burial*: Robert Ashhurst was buried on 3 January 1852 at St Nicholas, Brighton, Sussex, England^B.

Rebecca Ashhurst

Parents:

• Baptism*: Rebecca Ashhurst was baptized on 27 June 1834 at Brighton, Sussex, England^B.
• She was the daughter of Robert Lewis Ashhurst and Rebecca Barber.
• Death*: Rebecca Ashhurst died in 1858 at Cuckfield, Sussex, England^B. (needs to be checked.)¹

Thomas Ashhurst

Parents:

• Baptism*: Thomas Ashhurst was baptized on 18 June 1837 at Brighton, Sussex, England^B.
• He was the son of Robert Lewis Ashhurst and Rebecca Barber.
• Occupation*: Thomas Ashhurst was a coffin maker on 30 March 1851.¹
• Marriage*: Thomas Ashhurst married Sarah Annie Funnell, daughter of Thomas Funnell and Sarah Ann Hall, in 1859 at Brighton, Sussex, England^B.²
• Residence*: On 7 April 1861 Thomas Ashhurst and Sarah Annie Funnell lived at 20 German Place, Brighton, Sussex, England.³
• Occupation: Thomas Ashhurst was an undertaker on 7 April 1861.⁴
• Death*: Thomas Ashhurst died in 1870 at Uckfield, Sussex, England^B. Age 34 years, name spelt ASHHURST.⁵

Thomas Barber

Thomas & Mary Barber signatures, 1801.

Parents:

• Birth: Thomas Barber was born in 1752 at Tonbridge, Kent, England^B.
• Baptism*: Thomas Barber was baptized on 20 October 1752 at Tonbridge, Kent, England^B. His father died two years later in 1754.
• He was the son of Thomas Barber and Elizabeth Waite.
• Anecdote*: On 19 October 1758 the Datchurst manorial court posthumously confirmed the succession of Thomas's father to the property held by his uncle who had died in 1749, and that the infant Thomas would be his heir. The delay of a number of years between one tenant dying and his successor being admitted to the property was not uncommon, and probably due to the courts not being held every year.¹
  
• Anecdote*: At the manorial court held on 23 October 1764, the infant Thomas Barber (that is, aged under 21 years) came to the court with his mother Elizabeth and prayed to be admitted to that messuage or tenement, garden and two orchards, previously held by his father Thomas Barber who had died. This is their property in Hildenborough which was part of the manor of Datchurst.¹
  
• Marriage*: Thomas Barber married Mary Lipscomb, daughter of Robert Lipscomb and Elizabeth Webb, on 24 May 1774 at Tonbridge, Kent, England^B.
• Anecdote*: After her husband Thomas's death in 1754 Elizabeth had received her right under common law to one third of her husband's freehold property (or its money equivalent) and this was known as dower. Some twenty years later on 29th January 1776 Elizabeth released her dower to her 23 year old son Thomas for the nominal sum of 2 shillings. With Thomas's marriage in 1774 and Elizabeth approaching her 60th birthday she must have thought it was an appropriate time to do this. The release document survives and has Elizabeth's signature, showing that she could write. It clearly mentions the Draper's property in Sussex, the property Finches in Tonbridge and Widow Mary Barber's house in Hildenborough then divided into two dwellings. The document reads:
  Indenture 29 January 1776 between Elizabeth Barber of Tonbridge, kent, widow, and relict of Thomas Barber late of the same place, malster, deceased, of the one part and Thomas Barber of Tonbridge aforesaid, son and heir of the said Thomas Barber deceased of the other part. Whereas the said Thomas Barber deceased was in his lifetime and at the time of his death seised in his demesne as of fee of and in all that messuage or tenement with the malthouse, barn, stable, yard, backside, garden and ground thereunto belonging or appertaining therewith now or late demised, letten, used, held, occupied or enjoyed containng by estimation one acre more or less, with appurtenances, lying at or near the lower end of the town of Tonbridge in Tonbridge aforesaid and heretofore in the tenure or occupation of the said Thomas Barber deceased, since of the said Elizabeth Barber and now or late of the said Elizabeth Barber and Thomas Barber, party hereto, or their or one of their assigns or undertenants, and those two pieces or parcels of land commonly called or known by the name of the Finches or howsoever called or known by containing by estimation four acres more or less, with its appurtenances, situated and being at or near Lodge end in the parish of Tonbridge heretofore in the tenure oroccupation of the said Thomas Barber deceased, since of the said Elizabeth Barber and now or late of the said Elizabeth Barber and Thomas Barber, party hereto, or their or one of their assigns or undertenants, and also of and in all that messuage or tenement now divided into two several habitations or dewellings with the yards, backsides, gardens and orchards thereunto respectively apportioned and belonging or therewith now or late severally demised, letten, used, held, occupied or enjoyed containing by estimation one [?] acre of ground more or less, with appurtenances, situated, lying and being in Hildenborough in Tonbridge aforesaid and now in the tenure or occupation of Widow Kemp and John Wells or one of them, their or one of their assigns or undertenants. The said Thomas Barber deceased dying intestate the said messuages, lands, tenements and hereditaments being of the nature and tenure of gavelkind in the County of Kent descended and came by and upon his decease, according to the tenure of gavelkind for Gavelkind Lands in the County of Kent, to the said Thomas Barber, party hereto, the only son and heir of the said Thomas Barber deceased, subject to the dower of the said Elizabeth Barber, his widow and relict, therein, being an interest in one moiety thereof during her widowhood according to the said custom. And whereas also the said Thomas Barber deceased was in his lifetime and at the time of his death seised in his demesne as fee of and in those several pieces or parcels of land arable, meadow, pasture and woodland commonly called or known by the name of Drapers, or howsoever otherwise called or known by, containing by estimation 24 acres more or less, with appurtenances, situated in the parish of Rotherfield in Sussex now in the tenure or occupation of William Peerless, his assigns or undertenants, and the said last mentioned lands and premises by and upon the decease of the said Thomas Barber descended and came to the said Thomas Barber, party hereto, as his only son and heir subject to the dower of the said Elizabeth Barber, being an interest in one third part thereof during her natural life according to the Common Law of England. Now this indenture witnesses that the said Elizabeth Barber in consideration of the natural love and affection which she hath and beareth to and towards the said Thomas Barber, party hereto, her son, and of the sum of 2s of lawful money of Great Britan to the said Elizabeth Barber in hand before the sealing and delivery of these presents paid to her by the said Thomas Barber, party hereto, and for divers other good causes and considerations her the said Elizabeth Barber thereunto especially moving, hath remised, released and for ever quitclaimed to the said Thomas Barber, party hereto, in his actual possession and to his heirs all the estate, right, title, interest, dower, right and title of dower either by the Common Law or cusom of gavelkind, claim and demand whatsoever of her the said Elizabeth Barber of and in the said several messuages, tenements, pieces or parcels of land, hereditaments and premises herein before mentioned and described, with their appurtenances, so the said Elizabeth Barber or any person claiming under her shall not nor will at any time hereafter have claim, challenge, or demand any right, title or interest of, in or to the said several messuages etc. or any part thereof or the rents, issues and profits thereof in respect of her dower either at the Common Law or by the custom of gavelkind but of and from the same and every part thereof she shall be absolutely excluded and debarred for ever by these presents.
  [signed] Eliz Barber.
  (Transcribed by Gillian Rickard, March 2013, for Geoffrey Barber.)²
  
• Anecdote: The next day, in a deed dated 30 Jan 1776, Thomas Barber agreed to pay his mother Elizabeth Barber, widow, a £20 annuity for life out of the properties he had inherited, and on which Elizabeth had agreed to a release of dower. Although this deed has not been sighted, it is mentioned in a mortgage taken out on these properties in 1788.³
• Anecdote: Between 1786 and 1793, Thomas and Mary appear to have lived in the nearby village of Ightham as they had children who were baptised there. The move to Ightham must have been associated with a business opportunity, as it resulted in some major financial transactions described below.
• Anecdote: In 1787 Thomas sold the Drapers property in Rotherfield, Sussex to William Peerless. The property had been held in the family for nearly two hundred years. Although a contract of sale has not been found, the change of ownership is recorded in the Rotherfield land tax records. These records show that the Drapers property in Sussex had been leased to a John Parsons during the period 1750-1764 (the records start at 1750 so it may have been earlier) and then to William Peerless 1765-1787 which is the last year that "Mr Barber" is recorded as the owner.⁴
• Occupation*: Thomas Barber was recorded as a maltster of Ightham, Kent in 1788.³
• Anecdote: On 10 Oct 1788, Thomas and Mary Barber mortgaged their three properties - one acre of land at the lower end of Tonbridge, Finches and two dwellings, and an acre of land in Hildenborough - to George Children of Tonbridge for the sum of 500 pounds. Thomas agrees to free the properties from claims for dower by his wife Mary and any entails on the property and he and Mary will record this at the Court of Common Pleas in London, the court which dealt with property disputes. Thomas also says that he is lawfully seized [possessed] of the property in fee simple - so there are no entails or claims on it by anyone else - and he has the right and power to mortgage the properties. The 500 pounds plus interest at 4.5% per annum is to be repaid to George Children at his house in Tonbridge on 10 April next and until this is done Thomas has the right to occupy the properties and to take the rents, profits etc.. If he does not repay these sums on the day fixed then George Children can occupy the properties and receive the rents etc. However, the right of Elizabeth Barber, widow, to take a 20 pound annuity for life out of the properties, conferred on her by a deed dated 30 January 1776, is preserved. Thomas Barber is to keep the premises insured for at least 400 pounds and if the properties are damaged by fire then the insurance money is to go towards paying off the mortgage money. (Gillian Rickard, Oct 2013.)³
• Anecdote: The sale of the property Drapers and the mortgage of their remaining properties (Finches, the Tonbridge town site malthouse and land, and the Hildenborough House) to raise £500 soon after the family moved to Ightham suggests that Thomas may have needed the funds to purchase or build a malt house in Ightham or for some other related activity, as his occupation is stated as a "malster of Ightham" on the 1788 indenture. There is not much information available about the history of Ightham, but discussions with David Williams, a local historian who is co-writing a book on the history of Ightham, indicated that the 1780-1800 period was one of relative prosperity as it was a time of peace when the country houses were doing well. People from London were buying property in the area and the opening of turnpike (toll) roads was increasing the amount of travel.⁵
• Residence*: In 1790 Thomas Barber lived at Ightham, Kent, England^B.⁶
• Anecdote: In 1790 Thomas is listed in the Poll for Knights of the Shire for Ightham as owning freehold house and land in Tunbridge occupied by William Jewhurst. William Jewhurst is mentioned on the 1788 indenture as the occupier of Finches. Perhaps he was also a malster who ran the Barber's malt house and hops field (Finches) after Thomas's father died unexpectedly in 1754?⁶
• Anecdote: After 1793 the children's baptisms return to Tonbridge suggesting that they moved from Ightham back to Tonbridge.
• Anecdote: Thomas is recorded in the 1798 national land tax assessments as owning and occupying a property in Tonbridge Town which was assessed for 2/- tax. He also owned and occupied a property in Hildenborough assessed at 4/- and another property in Barden at 8/-. Both Hildenborough and Barden are just outside Tonbridge. Thomas's father-in-law, Robert Lipscombe, also occupied a property in Barden owned by Geo. Children Esq. which was rated at £1. He also owned a property in Tonbridge Town which was occupied by John Latter and rated at 1/-.⁷
• Anecdote: By 1801 the mortgage that Thomas and Mary had arranged in 1788 for £500 had not been repaid and interest had accrued. On 13 October 1801 the Hildenborough property was sold to George Children for £150. The property that the Widow Mary Barber acquired in 1691 finally passed out of the Barber family. It was not registered with the Datchurst manorial court until 12 November 1813 where it was still described as a "messuage or tenement, garden and two orchards".^8,1
• Anecdote: It is worth noting that the Tonbridge Bank collapsed on 7 December 1812 having a devastating effect on George Children and the other partners, with George declared bankrupt by 1817 and losing all his property. The late registration of the transfer with the Datchurst manor in 1813 was probably a case of George getting his affairs in order. Apparently he was a much loved figure in the town and there is a memorial to him in the Tonbridge parish church where he was buried in 1818. Six months after the collapse creditors were paid a quarter of what they were owed and possibly received more later. Many other single-branch country banks collapsed at this time caused by a monetary crisis brought about by Britain's foreign wars. Thomas and Mary appear to have had a long term relationship with George Children and it is possible that there was a link between the Hildenborough property transfer and the bank collapse, given George Children's involvement in both. This is an area for future research.
• Anecdote: An indenture dated 26 December 1801 states that Thomas Barber had recently sold part of the mortgaged properties - it does not say which part - to William Wingate of Tonbridge, yeoman, for the sum of £425, leaving at the date of this indenture £360 4s 6d still owing on the mortgage to George Children. This indenture is a deed of sale to John Cheesman of the Finches property for the sum of £590, of which £360 4s 6d will be paid by John direct to George Children to completely discharge the mortgage and the balance of £229 15s 6d will be paid to Thomas Barber. Thomas and Mary state that they have full power and authority to sell Finches and neither they nor anyone connected to them or to Thomas Barber, the great-uncle of the present Thomas, or Thomas Barber, father of the present Thomas can have any further claim on the property being sold. (Gillian Rickard, Oct 2013.)⁹
• Anecdote: The William Wingate mentioned in this document is likely a family relative, as the Wingates are mentioned in great uncle Thomas Barber's will of 1749. He is probably the son of William Wingate and Ann Jeffery, with Ann Jeffery being the daughter of William Jeffery and Elizabeth Barber (daughter of Thomas Barber and Mary Rootes).¹⁰
• Anecdote: The property sold earlier to William Wingate can only be the town site lands, including the malt-house, as the other properties are accounted for. However, it also appears that part of this property may have been retained by the Barbers as the 1838 tithe map shows Mary Barber owing town site property (although they could have been purchased separately).The original property was said to have about 1 acre of land (as stated on the 1788 mortgage) and the 1838 tithe map shows clearly that Mary Barber has 37 perches which is just under a ¼ acre and which appears to be a row of four shops on the High Street.
• Anecdote: Thomas Barber was appointed a temporary excise officer (known as a hop-assistant) in 1803 and 1804 at Tonbridge, under the Commissioner of Excise. (Source: Kent Archives and Local History, U1015/O77/27 and U1015/O77/29 - Letters from George Children to David Papillon jnr, Commissioner of Excise (1766-1804.)
• Anecdote: Thomas' mother, Elizabeth Barber (nee Waite), was buried on 13 Oct 1798.
• (Witness) Admon: Thomas Barber witnessed the admon of Elizabeth Waite dated 11 May 1808 at Consistory Court of Rochester, Kent, England.¹¹
• Anecdote: We do not know how the funds raised from the sale of Drapers and the 1788 mortgage were used, but it would appear that it involved a business venture in Ightham which was not particularly successful. The family moved back to Tonbridge c1793, and the repayment of the mortgage in 1801 resulted in the loss of the Finches property and some of the Tonbridge townsite land in addition to Drapers which had been sold in 1787. The only gain in assets appears to be some land in Barden near Tonbridge. The later sale of the house at Hildenborough in 1813 less than a year after the Tonbridge bank collapse raises further questions. Overall, one is left with the impression that a significant part of the family assets were lost during their life time. On the positive side, we do know from the will of Mary Barber (made in 1838) that they had helped their two eldest sons financially to get established (although Mary's will indicates that this came from the estate of her father who died in 1798 - an estate valued at £1000), and that Mary was left with some properties in High St, Tonbridge (possibly the remnants of the original malthouse complex) as well as some trust funds held under her late father's will, both of which which would have provided her with an income in old age.¹²
• Anecdote: In considering the sale of these properties one must also be aware of the decline of the independent malster which occurred towards the end of their lives. Transport improvements removed the protection afforded by poor roads to the small inland breweries who used locally produced malt. The early 19th century also saw the decline of the publican brewer who was reliant on local malt-houses (or who had their own malt-houses) as commercially brewed beer became competitively priced and reliable. The smaller brewers began to disappear and ultimately, through amalgamation, larger and more centralised brewers with their own large scale malt-houses supplied the alehouses by rail or the improving roads. By the later 19th century the independent malster had all but disappeared.¹³
• Death*: Thomas Barber died in August 1821 at Tonbridge, Kent, England^B, at age 68.
• Burial*: Thomas Barber was buried on 10 August 1821 at St Peter & St Paul, Tonbridge, Kent, England^B, aged 68 years.
• Anecdote: Mary was to remain a widow for another 20 years.
• Anecdote: Postscript: I recently purchased a copy of Wadmore's "Some Details of the History of the Parish of Tonbridge" which he published in 1906 and which contains the transcript of the last Court Baron for the manor of Tonbridge held on 5 November 1849. It mentions a parcel of land called "Wordsland" which had once been owned by Thomas Barber and now in the possession of James Alexander Esq. ("formerly Barber's, since John Jewhurst's; formerly in the occupation of William and John Jewhurst"). James Alexander is also mentioned as having possession of "Fenches" [Finches], late Snellings, before Cheeseman's, formerly Barber's in the occupation of John Snelling. The Wordsland property is mentioned in John Jewhurst's will made 1839 and proved 1840. It describes the property as five acres more or less, in his own occupation, and at or near Lodge Oak in the parish of Tonbridge. This information allows the property to be located using the 1838 Tonbridge Tithe map and schedule, where it is identified as Plot 1747.^14,15
  

Mary Lipscomb

Thomas and Mary Barber signatures, 1801

Parents:

• Birth: Mary Lipscomb was born in 1756 at Tonbridge, Kent, England^B.
• Baptism*: Mary Lipscomb was baptized on 8 December 1756 at Tonbridge, Kent, England^B.¹
• She was the daughter of Robert Lipscomb and Elizabeth Webb.
• Anecdote: It appears that Mary was the only (surviving?) child of Robert and Mary Lipscomb. No other baptisms of brothers or sisters have been found, and her father's will made in 1789 makes her the beneficiary of a trust which comprised the residual real and personal estates of her father. This would imply at least that there was no male heir, and likely that Mary was the only surviving child. Her parents were originally from the nearby village of Hadlow and they moved to Tonbridge possibly around the time Mary was born (the 1754 Poll for the Knights of the Shire records them as being the owner occupier of a freehold house in Hadlow yet Mary was baptised in Tonbridge in 1756).
  Her father Robert Lipscomb is recorded in the 1798 national land tax assessments as occupying a property in Barden (Tonbridge) owned by Geo. Children Esq. which was rated at £1. He was also rated 1/- for a property in Tonbridge Town which was occupied by John Latter. He was a Tonbridge churchwarden in 1797 and died in 1798 leaving an estate valued at £1,000. Although his will has not survived the record of probate indicates that his Executors were Robert Lipscomb (thought to be his great-nephew) and George Children Esq. Mary's own will of 1838 states that she was a beneficiary of this will.^2,3
• Marriage: Mary Lipscomb married Thomas Barber, son of Thomas Barber and Elizabeth Waite, on 24 May 1774 at Tonbridge, Kent, England^B.
• Married Name: As of 24 May 1774, her married name was Barber.
• Anecdote: In 1832 many tenants of the manor of Tonbridge were summoned to pay quit rent arrears. The long list of people summoned would indicate that the quit-rents had simply not been collected, with Mary Barber being 45 years in arrears @ 2d per year!^4,5
• Anecdote*: In 1838 (i.e. after her husband Thomas' death) the Tithe Award for Tonbridge parish identifies a property in High Street belonging to Mary Barber: Plot number 1411; 4 houses and yards; Area: 37 perches; Occupiers - Battey and others (a perch was 5.5 yards long and a square perch was 30.25 square yards). The Tithe Award measured land in area, so the four houses and yards covered 1119.25 square yards, just under a quarter of an acre (an acre being 4840 square yards). The 1841 census records a Charles and Ann Battey as fishmongers in High St, Tonbridge and they are likely the occupiers mentioned above. A section from the Tithe Map containing plot 1411 is shown here.^6,7
  
• Anecdote: Anthony Wilson from the Tonbridge Historical Society provided this pre-1894 photo and writes "it’s also possible that the building on the left of the gaslamp or the nearer one with the chap in the bowler hat were part of the Barber holding. Later everything on the left (west) side of the High Street was demolished in order to widen the road, so there’s nothing left to see, I’m afraid. Some of the replacement buildings are in the ‘goats’ picture on your website, which still stand. If you come to Tonbridge, look for Peacock’s shop on the East side of the High Street. That’s where the Bull was, so you can work out the rest from there."^8,9
  
• Will*: Mary Lipscomb left a will made on 17 April 1838 at Tonbridge, Kent, England^B.²
• Will/Adm Transcript*: "This is the last Will and Testament of me Mary Barber of Tonbridge in the County of Kent Widow Whereas under and by virtue of the last Will and Testament of my late Father Robert Lipscomb of Tonbridge aforesaid yeoman deceased bearing date the sixteenth of May one thousand seven hundred and eighty nine certain trust estates monies and premises therein particularly mentioned (comprising the residual real and personal estates of the said Testator or the produce thereof respectively) were limited and assured and were directed to be paid assigned transferred and made over from and after my decease unto and amongst all and every my child and children who should be living at my decease (except my two sons Thomas and Robert who were therein otherwise provided for) and the issue of such child or children who should be then dead leaving issue at such time or times and in such parts or proportions manner and form as I the said Mary Barber should by any deed or writing executed as therein mentioned or by my last Will and Testament in writing or any Codicil or Codicils thereto or any other writing purporting to be or in the nature of my last Will and testament or a Codicil to be [by] me signed and published in the presence of two or more credible witnesses direct nominate or appoint and in default of such direction nomination or appointment then unto and amongst all and every my said child and children (except as aforesaid) and issued respectively in equal shares and proportions as in the said recited Will is mentioned Now therefore pursuant to and by force and virtue and in exercise and execution of the power and authority to me for this purpose given by the said hereinbefore recited Will and of every other power and authority in anywise enabling me in the behalf I the said Mary Barber do by this my last Will and Testament in writing by me signed and published in the presence of two credible witnesses whose names are hereunder written as Witnesses hereto direct nominate and appoint that the said trust estate monies and premises so comprised in and limited and assured by the said recited Will of my said father Robert Lipscomb deceased as aforesaid and also all other monies goods chattels and Effects which under or by virtue of the said recited Will or otherwise I have power to dispose of by this my Will shall from and immediately after my decease remain and be and I hereby give devise and bequeath the same accordingly unto and to the use of my children Elizabeth Gibbs Widow Sarah Ann the Wife of Thomas Smith Jane Barber Margaret the Wife of William Humphrey William Barber George Barber Phoebe Burton Widow Samuel Barber and Eliza Love Widow in equal shares and proportions as tenants in common except nevertheless as to the share of my said daughter Elizabeth Gibbs which I direct and declare shall exceed by the sum of thirty pounds the respective shares of my said other children and I hereby bequeath such additional share to my said daughter Elizabeth Gibbs accordingly And I nominate and appoint Robert Lipscombe of Penshurst in the said County of Kent Yeoman Executor of this my last Will and Testament hereby revoking all former wills and codicils by me at anytime heretofore made In Witness whereof I the said Mary Barber the Testatrix have to this my last Will and Testament contained in one sheet of paper set my hand and seal the seventeenth day of April one thousand eight hundred and thirty eight Mary Barber Signed by the said Mary Barber the Testatrix in the presence of us who in her presence and in the presence of each other have subscribed our names as Witnesses this seventeenth day of April in the year one thousand eight hundred and thirty eight the same having been first read over to her Sydney Alleyne Solr Tonbridge H J F Lusignan his clerk
  Proved at London the 17^th January 1842 before the Worshipful John Daubeny Doctor of Laws and Surrogate by the oath of Robert Lipscomb the sole Executor to whom Admon was granted having been first sworn duly to administer."
  (Transcribed by Rosie Ansell November 2012 from a downloaded copy supplied by Geoffrey Barber).
• Anecdote: In the 1841 census, Mary lived in High St, Tonbridge, aged 80 years of independent means, living with Elizabeth Gibbs age 55 years. Mary's will indicates that Elizabeth Gibbs is her widowed daughter. In the 1841 census the family listed immediately after Mary Barber and Elizabetrh Gibbs are living in Botany Way, a street that survives today and which gives an indication of the location of their residence.^10,2
• Anecdote: Although some of the family had remained around Tonbridge (notably daughter Margaret who married William Humphrey in 1822 and lived in nearby Hadlow), most of the family had dispersed by the time of Mary's death. While most remained in Kent, her eldest son Thomas and her unmarried daughter Jane had moved to Brighton in Sussex.
  Their daughter Phoebe married Edward Burton, a waterman on the Thames, in 1819. She died in the St Pancras Union Workhouse in November 1874 just after her daughter Sarah Ann Jupp (nee Burton) emigrated to Canada in April 1874 as a widow. Sarah's husband had died after being kicked by a horse in 1863 and her situation was such that she had placed her three children in the care of the Barnardo's organisation and arranged for them to be sent to Canada to be placed with farming families. She had then emigrated herself so she could keep in touch with them. The history of this family has been well written by descendant Alex Jupp in a book titled "Pluck and Perseverance - A Family History of George James Burton Jupp and Anne Jane Fallis", privately published in 1996. I had the pleasure of meeting Alex when he visited Australia and he kindly gave me a copy of the book.¹¹
• Anecdote: Their son Samuel Nicholas Barber married Esther Walter Corbett on 29 October 1820 at St Nicholas Church, Plumstead, Kent. According to the 1841 census he was a baker. Their daughter Mary Esther Barber had five children, one of whom was Herbert Wells Barber, born 1847 in Deptford, Kent, and another was James Wells Barber born c1854 also in Deptford. Both emigrated to the USA and established a very successful ship brokers business. Herbert's obituary tells their story:
  OBITUARY: The New York Times, Published 17 Nov, 1915
  Herbert Barber, President of Barber & Co., Inc. late of 17 Battery Place, Englewood died at the Presbyterian Hospital, New York of 'pneumonia' following surgery performed on 7 Nov 1915. He was 68 years old. He was born in London, England in 1847 and emigrated to New York, arriving in Dec 1880 with his wife Sarah Postlewaite [Postlethwaite] and four children. He was employed as Shipping Agent representing Patton, Vickers & Co. who operated The Monarch Steamship Line between New York and London. He remained in this employ until 1887 when the company failed. He and his brother James Barber soon established a Ship Brokers business which proved to be and was acknowledged as being 'the finest of its type'. The business was so successful that the firm was incorporated in 1902 as Barber & Co., Inc. and by 1914 was responsible for operating lines to Bordeaux, South Africa, South America, India, China, Japan and Philippines whilst also representing the Union-Castle and Clan Lines. In 1914 the firm chartered extra steamers and entered the New York and Australia business. He and his family were constantly aboard the company's ships travelling extensively between the United States, Ireland, Great Britain and Europe in his capacity as company President. Herbert and his wife and family made their home in Englewood, New Jersey where he resided for over 30 years. He is survived by his wife of 40 years Sarah Barber (Postlewaite) and 12 children, eight of whom were born in New Jersey.
  Adeline Sterling's book "The Book of Englewood" adds that he was a devoted churchman and for many years was vestryman and superintendent of the Sunday school of St Paul's [Episcopal] church. In his memory the large west window of St Paul's was later erected by his brother James.¹²
• Death*: Mary Lipscomb died on 5 December 1841 at Tonbridge, Kent, England^B, at age 84. She died of natural decay of nature.¹³
• Burial*: She was buried on 11 December 1841 at St Peter & St Paul, Tonbridge, Kent, England^B.
• Probate: Her estate was probated on 17 January 1842 at Prerogative Court of Canterbury, London, England.²
• Anecdote: The executor of Mary's will, Robert Lipscombe of Penshurst, is likely to be the Robert Lipscombe of Pond Farm, East Peckham in the 1851 census. He is Mary's first cousin once removed and in the 1851 census is a farmer of 130 acres employing 8 labourers, born Tonbridge c1797 and has a daughter Martha born c1832 in Penshurst. His name survives in modern law due to the legal proceedings called "Abington v. Lipscomb" (1 Q.B. 776) which was heard in 1841. It concerned the lord of the manor demanding seven beasts from Robert Lipscombe as heriot (death tax) for several customary freeholds (parcels of land) held by his father who died in 1838. The lord was only entitled to five beasts and the court found that Lipscombe was entitled to a general refusal of all beasts. The outcome of the case has become important in tort law regarding demand and refusal of goods. This court case was probably just a short term victory for Robert and may be the reason he moved from Penshurst to East Peckham sometime later. Robert died 27 July 1864 and his probate is dated 27 September 1864 with effects under £3,000.

Robert Barber

Parents:

• Birth: Robert Barber was born in 1777 at Tonbridge, Kent, England^B.
• Baptism*: Robert Barber was baptized on 7 February 1777 at Tonbridge, Kent, England^B.
• He was the son of Thomas Barber and Mary Lipscomb.
• Anecdote: Robert received an inheritance from his grandfather, Robert Lipscombe, in 1799/1800 according to his mother's will made in 1838. Her will refers to the will of her father Robert Lipscombe (probated in December 1799) and states that it made special provision for her two eldest sons, Thomas and Robert (and as a result were excluded from the future distribution of the monies and property held in trust for Mary from her father's will).
• Marriage*: Robert Barber married Sarah Snashall on 11 November 1814 at Tonbridge, Kent, England^B.
• Occupation*: Robert Barber was a labourer on 16 July 1820.
• Residence*: On 16 July 1820 Robert Barber and Sarah Snashall lived at Tonbridge, Kent, England^B, as stated on Frances's baptism.
• Anecdote: The original register of baptisms for Tonbridge was searched from 1814 up to 1826 and found only the baptism of one child, Frances, in 1820.¹
• (Witness) Will: Robert Barber is mentioned in the will of Mary Lipscomb dated 17 April 1838 at Tonbridge, Kent, England^B.²
• Death*: Robert Barber died on 21 November 1839 at Tonbridge, Kent, England^B, at age 62. Labourer, age 63 years, died of decay. Informant was John Inge, present at the death, Tunbridge.³
• Burial*: Robert Barber was buried on 29 November 1839 at Tonbridge, Kent, England^B, age 62 years.⁴
• Anecdote*: There was no gravestone inscription found for Robert or Sarah. There was also no locally-proved will for Robert or one by him in the superior court, the Prerogative Court of Canterbury.¹

Elizabeth Barber

Parents:

• Birth: Elizabeth Barber was born in 1781 at Tonbridge, Kent, England^B.
• Baptism*: Elizabeth Barber was baptized on 28 March 1781 at Tonbridge, Kent, England^B.
• She was the daughter of Thomas Barber and Mary Lipscomb.
• Marriage*: Elizabeth Barber married George Gibbs on 14 October 1804 at Hadlow, Kent, England^B.¹
• Married Name: As of 14 October 1804, her married name was Gibbs.
• (Witness) Will: Elizabeth Barber is mentioned in the will of Mary Lipscomb dated 17 April 1838 at Tonbridge, Kent, England^B.²
• Residence*: On 30 March 1851 Elizabeth Barber lived at High Street, Tonbridge, Kent, England, widow, receiving parish relief. Note that "High Street" has been crossed out and James House written.³
• Death*: Elizabeth Barber died in 1859 at Tonbridge, Kent, England^B.⁴

Sarah Ann Barber

Parents:

• Birth: Sarah Ann Barber was born in 1783 at Tonbridge, Kent, England^B.
• Baptism*: Sarah Ann Barber was baptized on 7 May 1783 at Tonbridge, Kent, England^B.
• She was the daughter of Thomas Barber and Mary Lipscomb.
• Anecdote: Referred to as "Sarah Ann the wife of Thomas Smith" in her mother's will made on 17 Apr 1838.¹
• Marriage*: Sarah Ann Barber married Thomas Smith, son of Stephen Smith and Esther Chadwick, on 19 August 1800 at Hadlow, Kent, England^B, surname spelt SMYTH.²
• Married Name: As of 19 August 1800, her married name was Smith.
• (Witness) Will: Sarah Ann Barber is mentioned in the will of Mary Lipscomb dated 17 April 1838 at Tonbridge, Kent, England^B.¹
• Residence*: On 30 March 1851 Sarah Ann Barber and Thomas Smith lived at Dawneys, Pirbright, Surrey, England.³
• Death*: Sarah Ann Barber died in 1864 at Guildford, Surrey, England.⁴
• Burial*: Sarah Ann Barber was buried on 24 November 1864 at St Michael and All Angels, Pirbright, Surrey, England, "82 years."⁵

Margaret Barber

Parents:

• Birth*: Margaret Barber was born on 6 March 1788 at Ightham, Kent, England^B; Original parish register gives date of birth as well as baptism.¹
• She was the daughter of Thomas Barber and Mary Lipscomb.
• Baptism: Margaret Barber was baptized on 3 November 1788 at Ightham, Kent, England^B.
• Anecdote: Note that Familysearch.org has the following baptisms to Margaret Barber (no father given):
  6 Dec 1807 William Henry Barber at Tunbridge (born 13 Oct 1807)
  3 Jun 1810 John Barber at Tunbridge (born 2 Mar 1810)
  27 Dec 1818 Jacob Barber at Leigh
  Could these belong to this Margaret before she married in 1822 or is this a different person?
• Marriage*: Margaret Barber married William Humphrey, son of William Humphrey and Philadelphia Francis, on 9 June 1822 at Hadlow, Kent, England^B, Note that Margaret Barber's mother's will confirms that William Humphrey is her husband.²
• Married Name: As of 9 June 1822, her married name was Humphrey.
• Residence: On 18 August 1822 Margaret Barber and William Humphrey lived at Tonbridge, Kent, England^B, as stated on their daughter Marianne's baptism entry.
• (Witness) Will: Margaret Barber is mentioned in the will of Mary Lipscomb dated 17 April 1838 at Tonbridge, Kent, England^B.²
• Residence: On 7 June 1841 Margaret Barber and William Humphrey lived at Moyce, Hadlow, Kent, England.³
• Residence: On 30 March 1851 Margaret Barber and William Humphrey lived at Tonbridge Road, Hadlow, Kent, England. Note that Margaret's name is spelt Markeret on the 1851 census, and the surname HUMPHRY.⁴
• Residence: On 7 April 1861 Margaret Barber and William Humphrey lived at Hartlike, Hadlow, Kent, England.⁵
• Residence*: On 2 April 1871 Margaret Barber and William Humphrey lived at Hadlow, Kent, England^B.
• Death*: Margaret Barber died in 1875 at Tunbridge Wells, Kent, England^B. Aged 88 years.⁶
• Anecdote*: Notes from Gillian Rickard: You have Margaret Humphrey’s death as in 1875 in the Tonbridge registration district. The Tonbridge burial register transcript stops in 1850. There was no gravestone inscription in the church or churchyard for her. The cemetery in Tonbridge opened in 1855 and the registers are kept locally, though there is an index to the gravestone inscriptions at the Society of Genealogists’ Library (not yet searched). I searched the online index to the Tunbridge Wells Borough Cemetery burials from 13 October 1873 onwards, but she was not there. There is an index to the burials in the Woodbury Park Cemetery, Tunbridge Wells, which started in 1849, which includes entries for Barber and Humphrey but the full records are at CKS, which is still closed at present so I have been unable to check who those people were. So there is more to do yet in tracing her burial.⁷

William Barber

Parents:

• Birth*: William Barber was born on 5 October 1789 at Ightham, Kent, England^B.¹
• He was the son of Thomas Barber and Mary Lipscomb.
• Baptism: William Barber was baptized on 3 February 1790 at Ightham, Kent, England^B.
• (Witness) Will: William Barber is mentioned in the will of Mary Lipscomb dated 17 April 1838 at Tonbridge, Kent, England^B.²
• Anecdote*: A possible William is to be found in the 1851 census at Dartford Union Workhouse, a widower who was born in Tonbridge. This William's age in 1851 was 64 years giving his birth c1787, only 2 years earlier than his actual birth.³
• Residence*: On 30 March 1851 William Barber lived at Dartford Union Workhouse, Dartford, Kent, England, a widower.³
• Occupation*: William Barber was an agricultural labourer on 30 March 1851.³
• Residence: On 7 April 1861 William Barber lived at Dartford Union Workhouse, Dartford, Kent, England.⁴
• Anecdote: A possible death is Jan-Mar 1862, Dartford, Kent, Vol 2a Page 182.
• Anecdote: Notes from Gillian Rickard: There was no marriage or burial for him at Tonbridge, Ightham or Leigh up to 1812. There was a William Barber burial at Leigh in 1790, but he seems more likely to be a local person.
  The West Kent Marriage Index stops at 1812 but I had the compiler search for William in case he married young. The only possible entry he found was:
  William Barber, widower, and Anne Sivyer - 28 May 1810 - at Pembury .
  Being a widower, this one does not look likely, as our William would have been aged only 20 at this time.
  I looked for him in the 1851 census but I could find no William Barber born Ightham. In the Dartford Poor Law Union Workhouse I found a William Barber, pauper, widower, aged 64, occupation agricultural labourer, born Tonbridge (HO 107/1607). His age suggests he was born about 1786/7. I also found him in the 1861 census, still in that Workhouse, aged 76, therefore born about 1784/5, farm servant, born Tunbridge, but this time recorded as unmarried (RG9/467, folio 152). I could not find him in the 1871 census.
  There was no baptism of a William Barber in Tonbridge in the period 1784-1788. A transcript of the baptisms at Tunbridge Wells chapel between 1729 and 1812 revealed no entries at all for the surname. I checked www.bmdregisters.co.uk, a database of country-wide non-conformist registers deposited at the National Archives, but found no entry for him there. I therefore wondered if he could be William baptised Ightham, with his age recorded incorrectly.
  In the register of admissions to and discharges from the Dartford Union Workhouse I found William’s admission on 24 March 1849, recorded as being chargeable to the parish of Fawkham (CKS: G/Da WIa/8-9). I found a possible death for him registered in the Dartford registration district in the March quarter of 1862. He could be our William, having gained a legal settlement in the parish of Fawkham, which is about 13 miles north of Tonbridge.
  There was no entry in my West Kent Settlement Index for this William. I searched the parish registers of Fawkham looking for any reference to him and found:
  Fawkham burials 1814-2002 online for Barber, only:
  1862     Mar     25     William Barber – [abode] Union Workhouse, Dartford – aged 77.
  Possibly a little too old to be the William we are looking for.
  Medway Studies Centre, Strood:
  P147/1/3-4 – Fawkham marriages 1813-1849 for male Barber: nil.
  The marriage register for 1756-1812 is missing so if he married during that period the marriage is now lost. At any rate, the burial register search suggests that William gained his legal settlement in Fawkham by working there rather than having family there as his was the only entry for the surname. He may have in fact been unmarried, as per the 1861 census, rather than a widower, as per the 1851 census. His marital status was not recorded on his admission to the Workhouse.
  I could not find this William Barber in the 1841 census but I did find one of the right age in the Newcastle area of the parish of Ospringe. He was shown as aged 55, ‘ag lab’, with probable wife Elizabeth aged 45 and likely with five children, Elizabeth aged 14, Henry aged 12, Ann aged 8, Harriott aged 6 and William aged 20, also an ‘ag lab’, all shown as born Kent (HO 107/475/6, folio 34, page 20. Next door was a Hanna Barber aged 90, born Kent, living on her own.
  I could find no entry for this William in either section of my Kent Settlement Index.
  I followed him up because he was the right sort of age and in the same parish as you had traced his brother George to. I found his marriage to Elizabeth Baldock at Ospringe, just three weeks before that of George, and then extracted all baptisms for Barber from the Ospringe parish register up to 1818, with results on the sheet enclosed.
  I then searched the burials at Ospringe from 1841-1851 and found a likely burial for him in 1848 aged 65 – please see details on the attached sheet. His age was given as 55 in 1841, in which census the ages of those over 15 years was rounded down to the nearest five years below, so this means William could have been aged between 55 and 59, which would accord with him being 65 in 1848, so born about 1782/3, again older than our William. I also found the burial of Hannah in 1845, her age suggesting she was born about 1747/8 so of an age to be his mother.
  I searched the baptisms at Ospringe looking for that of William and for Hannah as Barber in case she was in fact unmarried, but found neither. William did not necessarily come from Ospringe, however. There was no entry for him or Hannah in my East Kent Settlement Index.
  Clearly, then, this William and the one in the Dartford Union Workhouse were two different people. They were both a few years older than the William we are looking for but apart from that the odd thing is that, for different reasons, both are possible candidates to be that William. The one in the Workhouse came from Tonbridge. On the other hand, it is entirely possible that brothers William and George moved to Ospringe together.
  15 January 2012
  The following marriage was found on FamilySearch:
  21 May 1815 William Barber and Susan Treadwell at Kingsdown near Sevenoaks, Kent.⁵

George Barber

Parents:

• Birth*: George Barber was born on 9 September 1791 at Ightham, Kent, England^B.¹
• He was the son of Thomas Barber and Mary Lipscomb.
• Baptism: George Barber was baptized on 6 November 1791 at Ightham, Kent, England^B.
• Marriage*: George Barber married Sarah Forest on 20 June 1812 at Ospringe, Kent, England, by banns. Both of this parish. Both made marks. Witnesses: John Tong and John Lot (usually signs, probably parish clerk.)²
• Occupation: George Barber was a labourer in the Royal powder mills (recorded on son Charles' baptism). There are powder mills in Leigh near Tonbridge (George's place of birth) which could explain his move to Tunstall. on 21 August 1813.³
• Anecdote*: The following minutes were found in the Upper Scray Petty Sessions Minutes for 27 Oct 1814 regarding George and Sarah Barber's settlement in Tunstall:
  ‘Ospringe. George Barber examined to his Settlement says that he bargained for a year a fortnight before Mich[aelma]s in the year 1810 with Mr. Wm. Twopeny in the Parish of Tunstall and served the same and has gained no Settlement since - says he is chargeable.
  Sarah ux [his wife], Charles 14 Months.
  George X Barber his mark.
  [fee] 2s 6d.’.⁴
• (Witness) Will: George Barber is mentioned in the will of Mary Lipscomb dated 17 April 1838 at Tonbridge, Kent, England^B.⁵
• Residence: On 7 June 1841 George Barber and Sarah Forest lived at Tunstall St, Tunstall, Kent, England.
• Occupation: George Barber was an agricultural labourer on 7 June 1841.
• Residence*: On 30 March 1851 George Barber lived at Ufton Court, Tunstall, Kent, England, a widower, agricultural labourer aged 60 years, living with son Charles and his wife Matilda.⁶
• Occupation*: George Barber was an agricultural labourer on 30 March 1851.
• Anecdote*: George gives his place of birth as Tonbridge, Kent in the 1851 census. His age is stated as 60 years which gives his birth c1791 which is an exact fit. This is the evidence used to identify him as the son of Thomas Barber and Mary Lipscomb.⁶
• Occupation: George Barber was an agricultural labourer on 7 April 1861.⁷
• Residence: On 7 April 1861 George Barber lived at Cottages, Tunstall, Kent, England, widower, age 71 yrs, living with son Charles and his wife Matilda.⁷
• Death*: George Barber died in 1869 at Tunstall, Kent, England.
• Burial*: George Barber was buried on 27 October 1869 at Tunstall, Kent, England, age 80 years.⁸
• Anecdote: Notes from Gillian Rickard: I looked further into the George Barber you found in Ospringe. There was an entry for him in my East Kent Settlement Index:
  George Barber, wife Sarah and son Charles aged 14 months.
  Settlement Examination – at Ospringe, settled Tunstall.
  27 October 1814.
  Ref: CKS: PS US7.
  I obtained a copy and enclose a transcript on a separate sheet. There was no mention of his origins, just his last employment which gained him a legal settlement in the parish of Tunstall.
  I found his marriage at Ospringe – no Barber witnesses – and looked for baptisms of children, as on the enclosed sheet. The only child I found was Charles, with his father’s occupation being ‘labourer in the Royal Powder Mills’, i.e., the gunpowder mills.
  ‘Faversham Gunpowder Personnel Register 1573-1840’, by Raymond Godfrey and Arthur Percival, published by the Faversham Society in 2003, has for George:
  ‘Barber, George – Labourer in the Royal Powder Mills, 21 Aug 1813, wife Sarah, when his son Charles was baptised at Ospringe, still a labourer in the Powder Mills, 21 Aug 1830, when another son, also Charles, was baptised (P[arish] R[egister])’.
  
  I found George in the 1851 and 1861 censuses. In the 1851 census he was in Tunstall, a widower aged 60, agricultural labourer, born Tunbridge, with son Charles aged 38, also an ag lab, born Ospringe, and Charles’ wife Matilda aged 29, born Rodmersham (HO 107/1627, page 11, schedule 32). In the 1861 census he was still in Tunstall in a ‘Cottage’, aged 71, ag lab, born Tunbridge, and still with Charles aged 49, ag lab, born Ospringe, and his wife Matilda aged 39, born Rodmersham (RG9/529, page 8, schedule 33).
  I found the baptism of Charles in 1830 at Ospringe but I do not think he was a second son of that name. I think the two Charles were one person, for some reason baptised twice or recorded in the register twice.
  I checked the baptisms and burials at Tunstall and extracted Barber entries, as on the enclosed sheet. George and Sarah had two more children baptised there, of which the second, Mary, died young. I could not find the son George in either the 1841 or 1851 census so he may also have died young. All the Barber burials were of George’s family, his wife in 1850, his son Charles in 1868, Matilda in 1863 and George in 1869. I looked for wills by Charles and George in case relatives in Tonbridge or elsewhere might have been mentioned, but drew a blank on both of them.
  Judging by his age in the censuses and on death, this George was born about 1788-1791 so fits the Ightham baptism. I checked the baptisms at Tonbridge but found no entry for a George Barber in the period 1785-1791. As mentioned above, there were no Barber baptisms at Tunbridge Wells chapel between 1729 and 1812. There was nothing for him in bmdregisters. So he could be our George, baptised Ightham but saying in the censuses that he was born at Tonbridge either because he was indeed born there or because that was the normal family home and where he grew up.⁹

James Barber

Parents:

• Birth*: James Barber was born on 3 June 1793 at Ightham, Kent, England^B.¹
• He was the son of Thomas Barber and Mary Lipscomb.
• Baptism: James Barber was baptized on 30 June 1793 at Ightham, Kent, England^B.
• Anecdote*: James Barber was apprenticed as a cordwainer to Thomas Skinner in Tonbridge on 30 Jun 1808. A cordwainer (or cordovan) is a shoemaker/cobbler who makes fine soft leather shoes and other luxury footwear articles.²
• Marriage*: James Barber married Elizabeth Kiddell on 2 November 1820 at Salehurst, Sussex, England, James age 27, Elizabeth age 26. Witness wir: BALDOCK Thos; HEATHFIELD Jn.³
• Death*: James Barber died in 1826 at Tonbridge, Kent, England^B.
• Burial*: James Barber was buried on 13 August 1826 at Tonbridge, Kent, England^B, "age 33 years, of Salehurst in Sussex."
• Anecdote: James is not mentioned in his mother's will of 17 Apr 1838 consistent with his death before this.⁴

Phoebe Barber

Parents:

• Birth: Phoebe Barber was born in 1795 at Tonbridge, Kent, England^B.
• Baptism*: Phoebe Barber was baptized on 27 December 1795 at Tonbridge, Kent, England^B.
• She was the daughter of Thomas Barber and Mary Lipscomb.
• Marriage*: Phoebe Barber married Edward Burton on 17 October 1819 at St Mary Magdalene Church, Bermondsey, Surrey, England, botp, witness William Burton and Elizabeth Jane Green.¹
• Married Name: As of 17 October 1819, her married name was Burton.
• Anecdote*: This marriage is confirmed in Mary Barber's will made in 1838 where she refers to her daughter as Phoebe Burton, widow.²
• Residence*: In June 1828 Phoebe Barber and Edward Burton lived at Fisher Lane, Greenwich, Kent, England.³
• Anecdote: Possible burial for Edward Burton is 22 Jan 1837, abode: Stable Yard St, buried at Greenwich St Alphege, Kent, age 44 years. Phoebe is described as a widow in her mother's will made in 1838, so this would fit.²
• (Witness) Will: Phoebe Barber is mentioned in the will of Mary Lipscomb dated 17 April 1838 at Tonbridge, Kent, England^B.²
• Residence*: On 30 March 1851 Phoebe Barber lived at 12 and 13 Miles Lane, St Michael Crooked Lane, London, England, widow, born Tonbridge Kent, age 47 years.⁴
• Anecdote: Note that there is another Phoebe Burton in the 1851 census who is a widow aged 60 years, and a nurse, born Portsea, Hampshire. She is living in Greenwich which may cause some confusion.⁵
• Occupation*: Phoebe Barber was a cook on 30 March 1851.⁴
• Residence: On 7 April 1861 Phoebe Barber lived at 53 West Street, St Sepulchre, London, England, widow, born Tunbridge, age 62 years. She was lodging at this address.⁶
• Occupation: Phoebe Barber was formerly a nurse domestic on 7 April 1861.⁶
• Residence: On 2 April 1871 Phoebe Barber lived at St Pancras Union Workhouse, Kings Rd, Camden Town, St Pancras, London, England, noted as being blind.⁷
• Death*: Phoebe Barber died on 27 November 1874 at St Pancras, London, England, at age 78. She died in the workhouse of "senile decay".^8,3

Samuel Nicholas Barber

Parents:

• Birth: Samuel Nicholas Barber was born in 1798 at Tonbridge, Kent, England^B.
• Baptism*: Samuel Nicholas Barber was baptized on 4 November 1798 at Tonbridge, Kent, England^B.
• He was the son of Thomas Barber and Mary Lipscomb.
• Marriage*: Samuel Nicholas Barber married Esther Walter Corbett, daughter of Richard Corbett and Henrietta Gillbee, on 29 October 1820 at St Nicholas Church, Plumstead, Kent, England^B.¹
  
• Anecdote*: The witnesses to their wedding were James and Eliza Ann Larking. Eliza is Esther's sister as James Larking married Elizabeth Ann Corbett on 7 Dec 1811 at St Margaret, Lee, Kent.
• Anecdote*: The connection of the Samuel Nicholas Barber (who married Esther Walter Corbett) to the parents Thomas and Mary Barber has not been proven absolutely. His age at death fits perfectly, his first daughter was named Mary (after his mother?), and no other alternative Samuel Nicholas Barbers have been found, although the name was not uncommon. The connection is one that fits the facts but this does not constitute a proof. Further information would be needed for this.
• (Witness) Will: Samuel Nicholas Barber is mentioned in the will of Mary Lipscomb dated 17 April 1838 at Tonbridge, Kent, England^B.²
• Residence*: On 7 June 1841 Samuel Nicholas Barber and Esther Walter Corbett lived at Charles St, Deptford, Kent, England, with children Mary (19 years) and Samuel (18 years, a stonemason.)³
• Occupation*: Samuel Nicholas Barber was a journeyman baker on 7 June 1841.³
• Occupation: Samuel Nicholas Barber was a baker in 1845.⁴
• Death*: Samuel Nicholas Barber died on 13 December 1845 at 23 Charles Street, Deptford, Kent, England, at age 47. He died of consumption (3 months) and dropsy (2 weeks). Mary Harris of 39 Grove Lane, Deptford was in attendance and was the informant.⁴

Eliza Barber

Parents:

• Birth: Eliza Barber was born in 1800 at Tonbridge, Kent, England^B.
• Baptism*: Eliza Barber was baptized on 19 December 1800 at Tonbridge, Kent, England^B.
• She was the daughter of Thomas Barber and Mary Lipscomb.
• Marriage*: Eliza Barber married William Love, son of William Love and Elizabeth Emery, on 31 January 1820 at Plaxtol, Kent, England.¹
• Married Name: As of 31 January 1820, her married name was Love.
• Anecdote*: Referred to as "Eliza Love, widow" in her mother's will made on 17 Apr 1838.²
• (Witness) Will: Eliza Barber is mentioned in the will of Mary Lipscomb dated 17 April 1838 at Tonbridge, Kent, England^B.²
• Residence*: On 7 June 1841 Eliza Barber lived at Malling Union Workhouse, West Malling, Kent, England^B.³
• Anecdote: Possible deaths for Eliza are in 1855 at Milton, Kent (Elizabeth), or 1861 in the Medway registration district (Eliza).^4,5

Robert Lipscomb

Parents:

• Birth: Robert Lipscomb was born in 1719 at Hadlow, Kent, England^B.
• Baptism*: Robert Lipscomb was baptized on 8 November 1719 at Hadlow, Kent, England^B.¹
• He was the son of John Lipscomb and Mary Wimset.
• Marriage*: Robert Lipscomb married Elizabeth Webb, daughter of Jacob Webb and Elizabeth Maynard, on 3 November 1745 at Hadlow, Kent, England^B, by banns.²
• Anecdote: In the poll of 1754 Robert Lipscombe states he is the owner occupier of a freehold house in Hadlow, Kent.³
• Anecdote*: It appears that Robert and Elizabeth had only one (surviving?) daughter, Mary. The will of daughter Mary Barber (nee Lipscomb) was made in 1838 and refers to the will of her father, indicating that she was the beneficiary of a trust which comprised the residual real and personal estates of her father. This would imply at least that there was no male heir, and likely that Mary was the only surviving child. Mary's will also indicates that Robert's will made special provision for her two eldest sons, Thomas and Robert, and as a result were excluded from the future distribution of the monies and property held in trust for Mary.
  Note that the transcribed parish register for Hadlow (TR 1335/1) stops at 1758. The actual parish register after this is extremely difficult to read so it is possible there are other children yet to be found.
• Will*: Robert Lipscomb left a will made on 16 May 1789 at Tonbridge, Kent, England^B. Although the will has not been found it is mentioned in the will of his daughter Mary Barber made in 1838.⁴
• Residence: In 1790 Robert Lipscomb lived at Tonbridge, Kent, England^B, owning and occupying a freehold house and land.³
• Anecdote*: Robert Lipscomb is recorded in the 1798 national land tax assessments as occupying a property in Barden owned by Geo. Children Esq. which was rated at 1 pound, and owning a property in Tonbridge Town which was occupied by John Latter and rated at 1/-.⁵
• Death*: Robert Lipscomb died in September 1798 at Tonbridge, Kent, England^B, at age 78.
• Burial*: Robert Lipscomb was buried on 26 September 1798 at St Peter & St Paul, Tonbridge, Kent, England^B, age 79 years.
• Probate: His estate was probated on 26 December 1799 at Archdeaconry of Rochester, Kent, England, Executors were Robert Lipscomb and George Children Esq. The probate entry had a figure of 1000 pounds written next to it, presumably indicating the value of the estate. (National Archives, IR 26/401/40). The executor Robert Lipscomb is thought to be a cousin of Robert, and the son of his brother William Lipscomb.⁶
  
• Anecdote: Their daughter Mary's will proved in 1842 also appoints a Robert Lipscomb of Penshurst, yeoman, as executor. This is thought to be the son of Robert Lipscombe who was appointed the executor of Mary's father's will. This would be her first cousin once removed, who married Hannah Pocock on 20 Aug 1789 at Tonbridge.^4,7

Elizabeth Webb

Parents:

• Birth: Elizabeth Webb was born in 1724 at Hadlow, Kent, England^B.
• Baptism*: Elizabeth Webb was baptized on 8 July 1724 at Hadlow, Kent, England^B.¹
• She was the daughter of Jacob Webb and Elizabeth Maynard.
• Anecdote*: Another possibility is Elizabeth Webb bap. 10 Mar 1725, Tonbridge to John Webb and Mary Reader. Needs investigating.
• Marriage*: Elizabeth Webb married Robert Lipscomb, son of John Lipscomb and Mary Wimset, on 3 November 1745 at Hadlow, Kent, England^B, by banns.²
• Married Name: As of 3 November 1745, her married name was Lipscomb.
• Anecdote*: It appears that Robert and Elizabeth had only one (surviving?) daughter, Mary. The will of daughter Mary Barber (nee Lipscomb) was made in 1838 and refers to the will of her father, indicating that she was the beneficiary of a trust which comprised the residual real and personal estates of her father. This would imply at least that there was no male heir, and likely that Mary was the only surviving child. Mary's will also indicates that Robert's will made special provision for her two eldest sons, Thomas and Robert, and as a result were excluded from the future distribution of the monies and property held in trust for Mary.
  Note that the transcribed parish register for Hadlow (TR 1335/1) stops at 1758. The actual parish register after this is extremely difficult to read so it is possible there are other children yet to be found.
• Anecdote: Note that an Elizabeth Lipscombe was buried at Hadlow on 28 Oct 1769.³
• Death*: Elizabeth Webb died in 1795 at Tonbridge, Kent, England^B.
• Burial*: Elizabeth Webb was buried on 4 September 1795 at St Peter & St Paul, Tonbridge, Kent, England^B, age 77 years.