Robert CARTER marriage to Elizabeth on Boyd's/ Pallot's early 1820's? COMPLETED

[Keith Sherwood]

Well, (It came in a white envelope)
I have to admit that some parts of this 1863-1871 Robert CARTER will are still a bit impenetrable even after much scrutiny.  However, written firstly in 1863 it refers just once to his wife..." I also give for the maintenance of  my poor wife Elizabeth the sum of sixty pounds p. annum..."
There's also a very interesting mention in a third codicil written later in 1863..."I also give to my son Robert the silver waiter given to his grandfather by the parishioners of Chigwell in Essex..."
So, I'm wondering why the parishioners of Chigwell should have been showing their appreciation of Robert CARTER senior (b. circa 1757 d. 1844) in this way, and what exactly a silver waiter is.
Apparently Chigwell appears in Charles Dickens' "Barnaby Rudge" and features an anti-Catholic riot in the 1780's; apart from that my knowledge of the place is at present a gaping void.  I'm perhaps going to have a bit of a poke about in this Essex town and see whether Robert CARTER became a churchwarden or a local dignitary of some kind.  Certainly two of his daughters were married here in 1820 and 1821, and he left a house or a piece of land to his children in his will of 1844.
But this 1871 will of his son (effects under £10,000 for tax purposes) is nevertheless quite interesting without providing anything very startling...
keith

[janan]

Hi Keith
Glad the will arrived at last.
At least the reference to maintenance for his poor wife Elizabeth seems to confirm that she was the lady found in the asylums.
Jan

[Keith Sherwood]

Hi again, Jan,
Yes it does - nice when strong theories get the Q.E.D. on them.  Looking back at those entries for Elizabeth at the Hawkhurst Asylum it very plainly states her place of birth as Aylesford in the 1871 Census (though there is some variation on this in other Censuses); so I'm going to concentrate hard now on trying to get a look at those particular parish records, hoping to find that elusive c.1799 birth and perhaps an early 1820's marriage to Robert CARTER, both in the name of VANE. Hopefully it won't all be in VAIN.  Sorry, still even now feeling the effects of the North Sea...
keith

[janan]

Keith
Have you visited the Kent Look-up exchange? There are 2 ladies there who have the Aylesford PR's
http://members.tripod.com/~jo42/knt.html

Jan

[Keith Sherwood]

Jan,
I have actually...One response that didn't reveal anything new, still waiting to hear from the second lady.  But on Genesconnected I've contacted another lady who has VANE's born in Aylesford at about the right time (no Elizabeth, though), and who has said she'll have a good look for me in the Kent Record Office next time she goes...
I'm also intending to go to the SOG in the New Year, looking at Aylesford baptisms, though they don't seem to hold records of Aylesford marriages for the time span I'd be interested in...
keith

[janan]

She's bit of a problem as her birthplace varies. One of mine gives a different birthplace on every census - all within a few miles of each other - I've still not found a baptism for him. Infuriating
Anyway fingers crossed something will turn up on Elizabeth
Jan

[Barbara F]

Hello Keith
Pity that the will did not help you a lot.  On the other hand it has confirmed the connection with Chigwell.  It is always so difficult to get much evidence for families prior to the censuses.
A couple of my Larkin family members married in Alresford.  They were not in the IGI but someone found them on the BVRI.  May be a source to try before you visit SoG?
Barbara

[Barbara F]

Keith

A silver waiter is I think a silver salver/plate.
There is a picture here
http://www.mplevene.co.uk/searchresults.aspx?categoryid=1023

Barbara

[Keith Sherwood]

Barbara and Jan,
Even though one always expects/hopes for amazing revelations in documents such as wills, the reality is often not quite that exciting.  However, at least there were some good details, especially underlining the Chigwell connection and the fact that for whatever reason Robert CARTER had been appreciated by his fellow parishioners there.
I've had a look on the excellent Essex County Record Office holdings on-line, SEAX, and there is a reference to a Robert CARTER in 1829 - "report about obstruction of highway by Robert CARTER, Chigwell..."
Could be someone else with the same name, but I'm tempted to send away for a copy of this as they're a very reasonable service, I've used them several times before.  Perhaps too much celebrating after being presented with his silver waiter, flat out on the main coaching road between Chigwell and Aldgate.  (Regular daily coach service started between the two places in 1790, I've read, and I don't mean National Express!)
keith