Searching for the FREE family in Appleby

[erniesue]

My G-Grandfather HENRY FREE married MARY PROUD at St Lawrence's Church, Appleby on December 27 1873.  Henry's father is shown as ISAAC FREE.  Bride and groom were shown as 'Full Age' and both resided in Appleby.  However I can't find any record of the FREE family in the 1871 census or any earlier records.  Both Henry and Isaac are shown as labourers.  Has anyone any idea where they came from as they appear to have 'dropped from the sky' into Appleby from .....?

[KGarrad]

What about this from 1851?

Reference: Class: HO107; Piece: 2096; Folio: 720; Page: 13
Fengate, Moulton, Lincolnshire

Free, Isaac  Head  M  44  Farmer of 12 Acres  b Gransden, Cambridgeshire
Free, Catherine  Wife  F  35  b Lorton, Lincolnshire
Free, Febey  Daughter  F  14  b Whaplode
Free, Robert  Son  M  10  b Noulton
Free, William  Son  M  8  b Moulton
Free, Isaac  Son  M  7  b Moulton
Free, Elizabeth  Daughter  F  6  b Moulton
Free, John  Son  M  4  b Moulton
Free, Henry  Son  M  3  b Moulton
Free, Resiah  Daughter  F  7 months  b Moulton

[erniesue]

Henry Free died in 1899 in Barnsley.  On his death certificate he was shown as being 43 years of age giving a date of birth about 1856.  I had hoped that as in 1873 he was living in Appleby, he might have come from that area.  Unfortunately there is nothing on the marriage certificate to show where the family originated.  Neither Isaac nor Mary Proud's father are shown as witnesses so it's possible that they had died before the marriage.  There's a distinct lack of detail on the certificate.

[fairlane]

From the age given on death it would seem that Henry was only 17 when he married as "full age". I know the vicar would probably accept what he was told but it seems that possibly the informant at death gave the wrong age. Who was the informant? Were there any "Free" witnesses on the marriage certificate? Do any of the names of the children crop up in future generations?

From KGarrad's 1851 census info what follows is supposition but an avenue for further research.

1861   RG09 piece 2325 folio 67 page 11
Isaac Free 57 Farmer 12 ac b. Gransden, Cambs
Catherine Free 45
Henry Free son 13 Ag lab b. Moulton
Keziah  dau 11; John son 9; Susannah  dau 4; George son 2 - all born Moulton

1891 Piece 3773  Folio 23  Page 39     
Thomas Free b.1838 in Moulton, Lincs in 7 Sykes Street Barnsley with his family.

www.familysearch.org shows a Thomas baptised in Moulton to Isaac & Catherine Free on 20 Jan 1839.

This seems a coincidence which bears further research.

[jacquelineve]

Birth Reg-Thomas Proud Free - Sept qtr 1874 - East Ward Westmorland

Jackie

[erniesue]

Many thanks for your suggestions.  I have struggled with this particular line of the family for a long time but you may have set me off on a new track. 
There were no FREEs on the witness list at their marriage.  The informant on his death was my G-Grandmother, Annie Booth WATSON.  She is shown as his 'wife' but I don't believe they ever married.  She had only married a John Henry PYE a few years earlier and seems to have then become Henry's common law wife shortly afterwards.  His probate records show that his money went to his son ( with Mary), Thomas Proud FREE who was born in East Ward suggesting that he never married Annie.  Mary had died in 1886.  Annie then went through financial hardship before marrying again to a Barnsley coalminer, JOHNSON.
Thomas ended up in Wales whilst Henry moved to Chesterfield, Nottinghamshire and eventually South Yorkshire.  He was a railway labourer so it is quite conceivable that he started off in Lincolnshire.
On a last point, he had two children with Annie, one of whom was named KEZIAH, my maternal Grandmother.  There's plenty of circumstantial evidence there to warrant further investigation of the Lincolnshire connection.  Many thanks.

[trish1120]

Isaac FREE, Bachelor, married Catherine DURANT, Spinster, 08 Aug 1836, St Mary, Whaplode, Lincolnshire
Witnesses, Robert DURANT, Lavinia CAVE
(Source FreeREG)

Burial;
ISAAC Free, age 79, 09 June 1888, All Saints, Moulton, Lincs
CATHERINE Free, age 75, 28 March 1791, same Church
(Source FreeREG)

Trish

[rosie99]

What about this from 1851?

Reference: Class: HO107; Piece: 2096; Folio: 720; Page: 13
Fengate, Moulton, Lincolnshire

Free, Isaac  Head  M  44  Farmer of 12 Acres  b Gransden, Cambridgeshire
Free, Catherine  Wife  F  35  b Lorton, Lincolnshire
Free, Febey  Daughter  F  14  b Whaplode
Free, Robert  Son  M  10  b Noulton
Free, William  Son  M  8  b Moulton
Free, Isaac  Son  M  7  b Moulton
Free, Elizabeth  Daughter  F  6  b Moulton
Free, John  Son  M  4  b Moulton
Free, Henry  Son  M  3  b Moulton
Free, Resiah  Daughter  F  7 months  b Moulton

This Free family are in Moulton in 1841
H0107/609 5/42 Pg10     with children Phoebe 4  Thomas 2 and Robert 1.

Thomas is in Barnsley in 1891 ( RG12/3773 f23 p39  )
and 1901 (RG13/4313 f183 p41 )

//////
Sorry just noticed this previous entry but at least we are in agreement 

1891 Piece 3773  Folio 23  Page 39     
Thomas Free b.1838 in Moulton, Lincs in 7 Sykes Street Barnsley with his family.

www.familysearch.org shows a Thomas baptised in Moulton to Isaac & Catherine Free on 20 Jan 1839.

This seems a coincidence which bears further research.

[jacquelineve]

 Just out of interest, have you found Henry in 1881 census.

Jackie