Waters family of Rye, Sussex

[Newtons Cat]

Does anyone have any info about the surname Waters in Rye, Sussex, several of whom were gunsmiths. They seem to have connections to Hastings.

[Eyesee]

1841 census
HO107; Piece 1109; Book: 4; Civil Parish: Rye; County: Sussex; Enumeration District: 1; Folio: 5; Page: 2
High Street, Rye, Sussex
John WATERS, 55, Gun maker, born in county
John WATERS, 20, ditto, born in county
Caroline WATERS, 25, Brass ? ?, born in county

1851
HO107; Piece: 1634; Folio: 247; Page: 4
High Street, Rye, Sussex
John WATERS, head mar 66, Gunmaker employing 1 man, born Sussex, Rye
Mary WATERS, wife mar 66, born Sussex, Rye
Caroline WATERS, dau unm 35, Bonnet maker, born Sussex, Rye
John D WATERS, son unm 34, Gunmaker journeyman, born Sussex, Rye
Eliza R WATERS, grand dau unm 17, Dress maker, born Sussex, Hastings

From IGI
John WATERS, bapt 17 Dec 1806
Frederick WATERS, bapt 5 Feb 1808
Mary Jane WATERS, bapt 17 Jan 1810
Marianne WATERS, bapt 1 Jan 1812
Charlotte WATERS, bapt 9 Sep 1814
Caroline WATERS, bapt 20 Mar 1816
John Daniel WATERS, bapt 9 Apr 1817
Henry WATERS, bapt 10 Jul 1818
Ellen Jane WATERS, bapt 24 Apr 1822
all at Rye
parents John and Mary

1841
HO107; Piece 1107; Book: 8; Civil Parish: St Mary in The Castle; County: Sussex; Enumeration District: 1; Folio: 19; Page: 31
Priors Cottage, St Mary in the Castle, Hastings
Fred WATERS, 30, Gunsmith, born in county
Eliza WATERS, 30, born in county
Mary WATERS, 25, F.S., born in county
Eliza WATERS, 7, born in county
Edward WATERS, 6, born in county

From the Sussex Marriage Index
Fairlight, East Sussex
21 Mar 1831
Frederick WATERS, bach
Eliza PRIOR, sp both Holy Trinity Hastings (B)

1851
HO107; Piece: 1635; Folio: 384; Page: 56
2 Priors Cottages, St Mary in the Castle, Hastings
Fredk WATERS, head mar  43, Gunsmith, born Sussex, Rye
Eliza WATERS, wife mar 43, born Sussex, Hastings
Mary A WATERS, sister unm 39, General servant, born Sussex, Rye
Edward WATERS, son unm Gun smith, born Sussex, Hastings
Fredk WATERS, son unm 9, Scholar, born Sussex, Hastings
Sam PATES, visitor unm 10, Scholar, born Sussex, Rye

Ian C

[Eyesee]

1861
RG9; Piece: 557; Folio: 4; Page: 1
High Street No 4, Rye
John WATERS, head unm 44, Gunsmith, born Sussex, Rye
Mary WATERS, mother wid 76, born Sussex, Rye

1861
RG9; Piece: 560; Folio: 30; Page: 53
2 Priors Cottages, St Mary in the Castle, Hastings
Fred WATERS, head mar 53, Lodging house keeper, born Rye, Sussex
Eliza WATERS, wife mar 53, ditto wife, born Hastings, Sussex
Edwd W WATERS, son unm 25, Mariner, born Hastings, Sussex
Fredk J WATERS, son unm 19, Boat builder, born Hastings, Sussex
Mary A WATERS, sister unm 40, House servant, born Rye, Sussex

Ian C

[Newtons Cat]

Hi Ian, Thanks for the info.

Eliza R Waters in the Rye 1851 Census is my Great Grandmother

There is a curious piece of "family scandal" associated with her. She married in Hastings to a local Rye-born man then moved to London. My grandfather was born in 1871 - but her husband was recorded as dying in 1865! However my grandfather's birth certificate has his name as the father! The "family legend" had it that he faked his death to avoid paying his debts. The 1871 Census shows a different picture. My grandfather's Christian names were John Hamilton - Eliza just happened to have a "lodger" ... named John Hamilton! I understand that at that time there was a strict rule that children born of unmarried mothers and widows could not have the true father recorded on birth certificates, as was done earlier ... but there was no legal barrier to simply including the father's name as a Christian name.

In reality I'm probably not actually related to Eliza Waters, accept on paper. On her deathbed my grandmother claimed that none of her 9 children were fathered by her husband. My father and his other siblings were actually children of a friend of her husband - who had been fully aware of the situation!

This information caused consternation in the family - as their supposed true father was still alive - and they didn't like him! They all thought their father had died 30 years earlier. The family did, however, take him in and support him when he got too old to look after himself.