John HALLETT, clockmaker of Lyme Regis, born c.1783, died c.1842

[Richard Knott]

Daniel and Martha started having children in 1788 and they married in 1785 in Bridport (he is indexed under Hodell but it's clearly Hallett), she being Martha Hayward.

Unfortunately the entry doesn't say whether she is a widow, but there is a baptismal entry for:

4 Nov 1781   John Hayward    s Robert and Martha Hayward   Bridport

They appear to have married in Dorchester in 1780 so, if we can find Robert's death in 1781-5, it might be that John started calling himself after his stepfather.

Richard

[LizzieL]

There's also a baptism of a John Hayward in Allington on 6 Jul 1783 to Robert and Martha. Allington is next parish to Bridport.

[Richard Knott]

Yes, I saw that; and they appear to have had children until 1792, so bang goes that theory. Perhaps John was Martha's son before she and Daniel married, although there's no evidene for that (and I've always thought it unlikely that he didn't name any child after Daniel or Martha).

R

[LizzieL]

The newspaper report of the theft of the watch does refer to John as John jnr (as was pointed out earlier) so I still think this indicates his father was also John.

May be connected

In the Dorset County Chronicle 27 Nov 1828, report of death in London of Mrs Hayward Hallett of Lyme.

I think this was a misprint (or Mrs print ) and should refer to the son John. He died in Nov 1828 and it was reported again in a couple of papers early in 1829. I can only find burial fo John hayward Hallett in London burials.

[LizzieL]

Got the marriage
I noticed several Halletts of about John's age in Lyme were not born in county. Found one of them in 1851 and he was born in nearby Uplyme which is in Devon. So I checked Devon marriages

John Hallett married Susan Hayward 6 Dec 1808 in Uplyme. It says John was a watchmaker of Lyme Regis, Susan was of the parish of Uplyme. marriage by licence. Witnesses Mary Drake and W D Patterson.

[Captain2]

Well done Lizzie! great research