Harris family of Tunbridge Wells

[Smokey807]

Im looking for some help in getting information about the siblings of John Harris of Tunbridge Wells. John was born Dec. 18,1813 and christened Jan 14,1814 at the Weslayan Church in Tunbridge Wells. His parents were given as William and Dedemiah Harris. John died in T.Wells Aoril 16,1870 and in his probate records one of his executor given as "George Harris of Southborough,gentleman, brother". I don't need any information about John as I have his wife and children and census records etc but I have noting much about Johns siblings.

For George Harris I have a christening record giving his birth September 25,1810 in Tunbridge Wells and baptised at the Weslayan Church Feb 1,1811 with same parents as John

Also found for the same parents Elizabeth Harris born or baptised March 11,1809.

I would like any information you can find for George and his sister Elizabeth.I assume they had no other siblings but if you find any let me know.  I have a 1858 directory which gives "G & H. Harris, general carrier, Grosvenor Road,Tunbridge Wells. The "G" will be George Harris given above but I have no idea who the "H" Harris is-did he have a son Henry,Herbert,or Harold ? . In a 1851 directory was "George and John Harris, railway and general carriers, Grosvenor Rd,Tunbridge Wells"-this will pertain to George Harris and his brother John Harris so if "H" Harris was George Harris's son then he must have reached adulthood after 1851 and joined his father in the business. The possibility does exist however the "H" was a brother of George but I feel strongly that it was his son.

I haven't been able to find any census ,marriage or death records for George Harris so need some help with this please. Note that the family was both in Tunbridge Wells and in Southborough (near Tunbridge Wells) and so records might be under either one of those locations.

Any assistance would be greatly appreciated.

[miriamkinga]

There's a George Harris on the 1851 census - ref H0107/ 1614/419/40

George Harris, 40, carrier b Southborough
Susanah Harris, wife 34 b Tunbridge Wells
Sophia Harris, mother widow 76 b Bidborough
Elizabeth Saunders niece 16 b Southborough
Harriet Ashley 16 servant b Lamberhurst

[miriamkinga]

Marriage in 1841 in Tunbridge Wells - two of the possible candidates are George Harris and Susannah Mullet   

1891 census has George & Susannah together with sister-in-law Elizabeth Mullett - ref RG12/ 680/104/40.

[Smokey807]

Thank you for that information. The 1851 census record poses some questions. Georges occupation and location in Southborough are a good match. What I wonder about is the reference to his mother as Sophia harris, age 76, born 1775 Bidborough for as I mentioned and as you can see George was baptised Feb 1,1811 with mother given as Dedemiah. So was Sophia a 1st or 2nd wife of Geroge's father William? Also from this census is a niece Elizabeth Saunders born 1835 Southborough. She obviously is the daughter of one of George's siblings but which one. I have a daughter of George's brother John called Elizabeth but she is given as born 1843 Tunbridge Wells.Could Elizabeth Saunders born 1835 be the daughter of George's sister Elizabeth Harris (christened March 11,1809)  who might have married a Mr Saunders ?

The 1891 census for George has me wondering. George was born 1810 so if its the same fella he would be age 81. Can you give me the full details of the 1891 census you found please.

For the marriage record of George & Susannah can you give me more details please, names of parents, occupations,ages, etc. if available. You mention two possible marriage records-what was the second one?

[Christine53]

Dedemiah Harris b 1775 buried 10 Oct 1823 Bidborough.

1841 census in Southborough

William Harris 70 carrier
Sophia Harris 65
Geoe 30 assistant
Ann Brown 15 servant

Note : for some reason Ancestry has missed William Harris off the transcript of this household.

[Smokey807]

Thank you for the 1841 census. Whats clear to me now is Dedemiah was the mother of George, John and Elizabeth Harris and when she died in 1823 her husband married Sophia, born 1776. making her George's step mother and not his natural mother.And so the 1851 census giving Sophia Harris age 76 as "mother" should have read "step mother" to George Harris.

Can anyone find any marriage records for William Harris, firstly to Dedemiah (it would be no later than 1809 when daughter Elizabeth was born) and William Harris to his second wife Sophia sometime between death of Dedemiah in 1823 and the 1841 census. Im wondering if any children were born between William and Sophia-it doesn't look like it but I could be wrong.