Maiden name of Mary Ann ALLEN/BEARFOOT, born 1794 Sheerness, Kent?

[sugarfizzle]

Banns read at St Mary's, Gillingham, 4, 11, 18 Oct 1812
William Thomas Allen Batchelor and Mary Whitehead spinster, both of this Parish

Was hoping Mary's parish would have been on Sheppey!

Marriage St Mary's, Gillingham 14 Dec 1812
William Thomas Allen, signed William Allen
Mary Whitehead, signed Mary Ann Whitehead
Witnesses Rose Tyler, Danl Bensted

Margaret

[trish1120]

Sorry Margaret I posted a Marriage but as I did realised it was too late and deleted it!

Looks like you have cracked it with Tonys help

[Zep1]

Hello Margaret, Tony and Trish
Thank you for your efforts in extending what I thought was a dead end in my search. I have gone back through my notes and reminded myself of the events involved, and can add;

• at some stage I thought the first three children might be from a former wife and WTA snr, possibly because of the Mary/Mary Ann issue, so was looking for a second marriage for WTA snr between the births of Henry and Richard Allen
• also the gap between children seemed a bit larger than average at the time, but with WTA being at sea, it makes sense
• having looked at Tony's suggestion of WTA and Mary Ann marrying in 1812, I am very hopeful that this is the union that produced all five of WTA snr's children - and most importantly it has given a family name for Mary Ann 
• the bases I have for Mary Ann being the mother for all seven children (with WTA snr. and John Edwin Bearfoot snr.) are;

  - Richard is WTA jnr's executor as brother
  - Mary Ann jnr lived with various family members in 1851, 1871 and 1881
  - Eliza married in the presence of her step-father John Edwin Bearfoot snr.
  - additionally the 1871 census lists a Susannah Ann Allen living with WTA jnr. as his aunt - linking in WTA snr's brother Benjamin, who was her husband.

I'm looking forward to finding out about the Whitehead family - of which I've so far got;

• William Jeremiah b.1791
• Mary Ann b.1793
• Elizabeth b.1795
• Richard b.1798
• James b.1800

all born to Richard Whitehead and Susanna Loaden on the Isle of Sheppey.

Regards
Zep

[trish1120]

There is a submitted Tree on Familysearch;

William Jeremiah died 1859, 2 Marriages to Rosanna Boughton 1814 and Ann Burrows 1853
Other Children of Richard/Susanna;
Harriott 1793-1863
John 1788-1843
Elizabeth 1795
Richard 1798
James 1800
Sarah Ann 1805
George Jeremiah 1807
Amy Elizabeth 1809
Thomas Edward 1803
(has exact dates I just put year)
They dont name Mary Ann though.
Most of these can be confirmed on F/S


Possible Burial;
England Deaths and Burials, 1538-1991
RICHARD Whitehead
age; 72
birth: 1757   
burial: 3 February 1829, Chatham, Kent, England

[redtonyt]

These are the baptisms for the Whitehead Family (at Minster on Sheppey) that I have found on a transcription, please note the naming of Sarah as the mother of Mary Ann, in 1793,

1788 Feb 25 John s/o Richard Susannah WHITEHEAD the Red House
1791 Mar 19 William Jeramiah s/o Richard Susanna WHITEHEAD half bapt:
1793 Nov 03 Mary Ann d/o Richard Sarah WHITEHEAD ******
1795 Dec 14 Elizabeth d/o Richard Susannah WHITEHEAD
1798 Apr 03 Richard s/o Richard Susannah WHITEHEAD
1800 Dec 10 James s/o Richard Susanna WHITEHEAD
1803 Jan 24 Thomas Edward s/o Richard Susannah WHITEHEAD
1805 Jul 05 Sarah Ann d/o Richard Susanna WHITEHEAD
1807 Dec 23 George Jeremiah s/o Richard Susannah WHITEHEAD
1809 Aug 30 Amy Eliza d/o Richard Susannah WHITEHEAD

There is a more likely burial at Minster, for Richard Whitehead as,

1835 Jun 19 Richd. WHITEHEAD 78 - Sheerness

However, there is no burial for Susannah on the transcription!

Tony 

[sugarfizzle]

Quote from Zep - "Richard is WTA jnr's executor as brother"

Have you got a copy of this Will, Zep, or are you taking it from Probate records?
William Thomas Allen of 67, Beresford Street, Woolwich died 22 Nov 1880, probate 20 Dec 1880 to Richard Allen of 3, Crescent Road, Plumstead, gentleman, brother and sole executor.

I had looked at this record before and discarded it as unlikely.  WTA jnr lived and worked in Cursitor Street as a law stationer.  He had several sons, all of whom alive in 1880, the eldest about 35, the youngest son about 20/21. Until a few days ago, I was unaware of the existence of Richard, a retired Coffee Shop Manager  who lived in Plumstead.  Also I knew of no connections to Beresford Street, Woolwich, but now I know that the Bearfoot family were living there in 1841, 1851, 1861 and 1871 census (but not at no. 67).

There was another William Thomas Allen who died 1882 in Camberwell, which I thought was probably more likely, though I could find neither of them in 1881 census.

If you haven't got the Will or death certificate for WTA jnr I may send off for them after a bit more research.  If you have, I hope you will share details with me.  I wonder why none of the sons were named as even joint executors.

As you say, Zep, the connections look quite strong, especially where other family members were staying with each other in census, but looking at it from WTA jnr perspective, there are no such clues, apart from 1871 census with Susannah Ann Allen, nee Atkins, staying with the family as aunt and housekeeper.  I had Henry Allen as a potential brother because of the name and occupation of the father as mariner when he married in 1842, but no definitive proof.

I am very grateful for all the information provided by all of you, Zep, Tony and Trish - a brick wall broken down and possible parentage for Mary Whitehead/Allen/Bearfoot.  Without seeing the original registers it will not be possible to assign her parents as Richard and Susannah Whitehead, but I can see a poorly written Susannah as being transcribed as Sarah, especially if it was abbreviated.

Anyone know if Sheppey records are available online anywhere?

Thanks
Margaret

[sugarfizzle]

Tony, Thanks for the extra information from baptism records.

What is a 'half bapt.'?

Margaret

Edited to answer my own question. ''A short private baptism, formerly used where an infant was at risk of imminent death''.

Margaret

[redtonyt]

For information, when looking for the baptism record of Susanna Loaden, there is this at Lynsted (Linstead) as follows,

1773 Sept 4 Susanna d/o Edward & Mildred LOADER aged 7 years

This is my transcription from the original record; online transcriptions do not have the age as given at baptism.

Hope this may be of use.

Tony

[sugarfizzle]

Tony, You are certainly coming up with ideas.  According to FindMyPast, Susannah's parish at marriage was Bobbing, about 6 miles from Lynsted, so certainly a possibility. And Bobbing just over 3 miles from Lower Halstow, where Richard and Susannah married.

Some of these place names in this thread are taking me back 40 odd years.  I was born in Chatham, Kent, spent many days out on the Isle of Sheppey, including Sheerness and Minster where we spent many holidays.  My father moved to Upchurch (close to Lower Halstow), a brother moved to Sittingbourne (Bobbing close by), whilst I made the move up North.

Margaret