FILL/FIELD - Westwell & AUSTEN - Kingsnorth or Great Chart

[Alex Walker]

Some help would be appreciated if possible.

I've finally nailed the surname of my G3 grandmother and as a result found her marriage  .  She was Harriet(t) Austen and she married James Fill in 1857 in Westwell.  He must have changed the name to Field and accordingly my G2 grandmother was registered as Caroline Frances Field (I have her birth cert) in 1860.  Now can anyone help get me back further ie can anyone do a lookup for the Westwell 1857 marriage to get the father's names.  This is one I've been trying to nail for ages and have just got the birth cert so before I order the marriage cert I wondered if SKS could help!!  James was born c. 1826 in Westwell according to the Census' from 1861 onwards and Harriet(t) was about 1839 in either Great Chart or Kingsnorth.  I have their census refs from 1861 onwards and think I have found James on the '41 & '51 and possibly Harriett on the '51.

I wonder why the name was changed from Fill to Field (although its possible it wasn't intentional I suppose!) and whether anyone else has any connections to the Fill/Field or Austen families from that part of Kent.

Cheers

Alex

[rosijayne]

Hi Alex

Been directed to your post by casalguidi regarding above family.

I dont know if you have got any further with this family, but I have managed to find the baptism for James in Westwell 1823, naming his mother as Frances, a singlewoman from Westwell.

I too am researching this family, and am really confused as to the origins of Frances.  I have her baptism in Westwell for 1803, daughter of William and Mary, but am unable to trace Frances's movements forward as there appear to be two Frances Fill, one born in Canterbury and working as a dressmaker in Cottons Hospital Canterbury, and the other who married Henry Divers ( most likely ) in 1825, but died in 1847 so further census are of no use!

Just wondering if you had managed to progress further with your query _ I have marriage information for James and Harriett if that helps.

regards

rosiejayne

[Alex Walker]

Hi Rosiejayne

I haven't any more info on this one at the moment but your post prompts me to have another look.  As far as I can see Harriett Austen and James Fill/Field had three children, my G3 Grandmother and two others.  I have made contact with descendants from her brother Albert.

If I have anything further I will let you know

Happy Hunting

Alex

[kat86]

Hi I am currently researching my husbands family tree and James field is his 3x great grandfather on his maternal side. I'm looking for any information that helps to go back any further. He is descended through Henry James Field

Kind Regards

Katherine

[rosijayne]

Hi Katherine, welcome to Rootschat.
Henry James Field, son of James Fill and Harriett Austin was my great grandfather, also on the maternal side.
Henry James was born in Great Chart in 1863, one of three children.
I believe the name alternated further back from Fill to Field due to the fact that they could neither read or write, and it was therefore written as it was heard.
How far have you got with your research?

Gill

[kat86]

Hi gill

Harriet and James are the furthest back I have got at the moment. I didn't realise about the fill name, I may have another look into it. Do you know if they stayed in the great chart area? I'm not sure where to look next and had thought about seeing if there are any clues in the church there?

Kind regards
Katherine

[rosijayne]

Hi Katherine
Although Henry James and his brother and sister were born in Great Chart, their father James came from Westwell originally, where he appears under the name of James Fill.  I spent many hours pondering over that one, wondering if he was the correct James I was looking for, but  everything pointed to this being correct.
As I have done a great deal of research into the descendants of Henry James, much of the information came from my mum originally, I would like to private message you, as I would be interested where your Husband fits into my family tree, and I would also be able to give you more information on the family.

regards
Gill