marriage

[blakey235]

I am trying to confirm the marriage of James Black (Blaik or Blake) to Charlotte Gee in Eeastbourne Sussex 7th June 1809 (SFHG marriage index) parents of Frances Blake christened 16th may 1819 died 21st october 1821 Pevensey Sussex and Charles Blake Christened 6th July 1823 Pevensey IGI record Father James Blake mother Charlotte,
Charles Blake later married Elizabeth Parham on 27th December 1845 Brighthelmston Sussex
James Blake is shown as the Tower Keeper at the Circular Redoubt Seaside, Eastbourne with his wife Charlotte in
the 1841 census. James may have been in The Sappers and Miners or Royal Artillery, his occupation on his Son Charles
wedding certificate is shown as Master Gunner, his wherabouts from the time of his marriage to his entry in 1841 census are unknown, he may have had his wife and children with him in the army or they may have lived with his wife
Charlotte somewhere in Sussex, Frances, Charles, James and Charlotte are all buried pevensey St Nicholas
none of the events appear in Ancestry, Findmypast James was born in Scotland approx 1774 there are entries in
Scotlands people but none of them can be proven by me so far.  any help appreciated Blakey235

[sillgen]

Hi and welcome to rootschat
I see that according to the SMI James was a widower when he married Charlotte.  She is shown as of the parish of Westham and the witnesses were J M Bean and Ann Gee.  It would seem odd if they did not have earlier children - a ten year gap before the first one is a bit too long, unless he was away a lot.  Have you tried to trace his army record?
Can we assume that you have searched the Pevensey church register to see if there are any extra snippets on any of the entries?  That would be worth doing if not.   With luck someone might have access to the original marriage entry too.
Regards
Andrea

PS I will move this to Sussex as you might get more help there.

[cocksie]

Pevensey St Nicholas Baptisms
Frances Blake baptised 16 May 1819.  Daughter. Father James Blake.  Mother Charlotte Blake.  Occupation:  Pensioner
Charles Blake baptised 6 Jul 1823.  Son. Father James Blake.  Mother Charlotte Blake.  Occupation:  Labourer
Francis Blake baptised 12 Nov 1827.  Son.  Father James Blake.  Mother Charlotte Blake.  Occupation:  Pensioner

Children also (possibly) of this family given the marriage location (and current listed gap between marriage and first child):
St Mary Eastbourne baptisms
Sarah Blake baptised 4 May 1817. Daughter.  Father Jas Blake.  Mother Charlotte Blake.  Occupation:  Gent
Jos Black baptised 23 Feb 1813.  Son.  Father Jas Black.  Mother Charlotte Black.  Occupation:  Corporal

And an interesting baptism (possibly red herring) in Bexhill (no other Blakes/Blacks baptised that I can find so a one off)
St Peter Bexhill baptism
James Blake baptised 20 May 1810.  Son. Father James Blake.  Mother Charlotte Blake.

[blakey235]

Thank you for your reply, I am sure the first group of Blakes buried Pevensey are the correct family as Charles Blake
is a must in any connection, Francis Blake is a bonus, I have the complete family history from Charles marriage to Sarah Parham with his father James Blake on the certificate, rank Master Gunner after four years searching I cannot find his marriage to Charlotte (provable) or his military record or pension details despite three visits to National Archives.
            I am pretty sure he was born in Forgue Aberdeenshire and may have married Ann Pope also from Forgue, with a son Alexandra in born 1803, in the 1841 census James (entered Jane) Blake and his wife Charlotte are listed as
Tower Keeper at Seaside Eastbourne in the Circular Redoubt, have seen pay muster documents for soldiers stationed at the Redoubt in 1841 as entered in census, they are all on the register except James Blake he was aged 65 and may have been employed and paid by Martello Tower managers, the marriage in 1809 Sussex marriage index is for Black not Blake although the surname Gee is carried through to his grandson Walter Gee Blakeand this gives me great hope that Black was a transcription error, the frustration of not being able to prove anything is slowly driving me round the bend,
there are rumours he was in the Royal Sappers and Miners, but this does not tie in with Master Gunner as shown on
marriage cert, unless he was making himself look more important than he actually was. James Blake consistantly fails to show up every where I have searched, no results at all since 1803 to 1841 is hard to take in.
                                           Blakey

[omega 1]

Hello blakey

Welcome to Rootschat from me too

I have looked on Eastbourne Men at War.A census of the men of Eastbourne 1803,ages 17 to 55

I could`nt see a James Black/Blake mentioned on there.

Kind Regards

omega

[blakey235]

Thanks for your interest, do any of your friends know who was responsible for employing the Tower Keeper
for the Circular Redoubt at Eastbourne, the job description is open to interpretation was the Tower keeper providing food for the soldiers and cleaning the place, or as a Master Gunner age 65 discharged from active service was he responsible for gunnery training and supervision, the Redoubt provided accommodation for the soldiers and their families as well as James Blake and his wife Charlotte as shown in 1841 census, there must be some army department responsible for employing ex service men and pensioners, the entry in 1841 census is the only concrete evidence I can find for James Blake and his wife Charlotte (?) ever existing, with 3 children baptised in Pevensey, St Nicholas and James and Charlotte buried there as well, I can find no record of their marriage, and no service or pension record Army or Navy for a Master Gunner, there is an entry Sussex Marriage Index for James Black and Charlotte Gee 1809 but no way of proving it was a transcription error or not, any guidance or advice appreciated.        Blakey