1841 and or 1851 Heathfield

[DianaCanada]

I understand it is written as Potter, but in the absence of any other record, the fact that Potten is easily mistranscribed or misread, the baptismal record of a Sarah French in Mountfield of the right age, the appearance of the French family in Burwash a few years later, I am going with this one!

[M.Ann]

Potten family, cottage 'at the wheel' Burwash Common. I have the family as Potten but there could be a transcription error.
During the late 1700's to early 1800's the Pottens lived on the same lane as The Pound Farm tenanted by my great, great, great grandfather Richard Sands. There was a Neri Potten - wife was Mary. Richard Sands and his father-in-law Stephen Langridge witnessed Neri's will a copy of which I have since it is held by The National Archives. If any Potten followers would like this please message me.
The Wheel was a notorious tavern - The Catherine of (Aragon or Braganza) known as the catherine wheel. Its proximity as a near neighbour and the murder of its landlord probably was instrumental in my ancestors move to Etchingham...and the Pottens to Heathfield maybe.
I too see the surname French in my wider tree. Ann French married Jeremiah Sands at Heathfield 7/3/1735. This man was My great, great, great grandfather Richards uncle.
I found a site called Funnellswood or was it Funnellsweb a genealogical site about the Funnell family and there is interesting reading about the  Burwash area on the site if its still available. M.Ann

[DianaCanada]

How interesting, Ann!  I would like a copy of Neri's will (or at least the information that is in it), please.  I am not aware of a murder at the Burwash Wheel.  Currently I am searching Sussex newspapers online and finding interesting information about my families around Burwash, Heathfield, Warbleton, and Herstmonceux. 

[M.Ann]

Hi Diana,
I have revisited my files having put them away for a while. The info regarding 'The Wheel at Burwash' is to be found in the book Crime, protest and popular politics in Southern England by John Rule.
I used to access the Burwash chapter through a link on a single name study site Funnells Wood with missing pages. That link is gone. Its not available as an E book and the chapters Google uses to preview it now are chapters referring to the SW of England. You can buy used copies from about £25
Another good study to have is the diary of John Coker Egerton the vicar of Burwash around 1850 called the Victorian Village that is variously available from booksellers, E bay and Amazon. In is mention of the death and postmortem of my great great grandfather Stephen Sands. Described as a shammer a decision was made to open him up on his death and he was so described as a fearful sufferer and found to have been a very sick man. The same man had served 3 days in prison in 1823 for the theft of hop poles. In 1824 he went on to commit the henious crime of stealing wood! These listings in the local Criminal Registers of 1823.

I have a copy of the Potten will which i can e mail you. Please send me a private message with your e mail address. M.Ann
Neri Potten was a neighbour of his parents who farmed at the Pound Farm Burwash Wheel they rented the farm from Thomas Balcombe for £6. 10s in 1785 and had 7 lights. Land Tax return. Potten may have been a miller. Richard Sands - Stephens father and Stephen Langridge - prob. Richards father-in-law witnessed Pottens Will. Richard Sands himself made a Will proved in 1832 and also got his dying son Richard to make a Will he died in 1822

[suey]

I was just re-visiting my Potten notes and for anyone still interested - we missed the obvious with the 1841 census.  Thomas and Sarah Potten are at Fairlight with daughter Ann, also in the household is Elizabeth French aged 75.

The Sarah French baptism in Mountfield has parents Richard and Elizabeth.  Proof positive I think! 

[janan]

I was just re-visiting my Potten notes and for anyone still interested - we missed the obvious with the 1841 census.  Thomas and Sarah Potten are at Fairlight with daughter Ann, also in the household is Elizabeth French aged 75.

The Sarah French baptism in Mountfield has parents Richard and Elizabeth.  Proof positive I think! 

 

It pays to revisit from time to time, surprising what you notice that you missed first time  - glad that was the right marriage

Jan

[suey]

Thanks Jan, it does indeed.  I've been looking for his burial (death reg Hailsham 1848) and realised that it was the same year that his daughter Mary died.

I looked at the Heathfield burials for that year and found him indexed on SFHG database as Thomas POLLEN aged 76 buried at Heathfield Cade Street on the 11th August 1848, Mary   was buried on the 20th.   

Suey

[DianaCanada]

Recently found the Will for Elizabeth Peters on ancestry.  Proves beyond a doubt that she was Sarah French Potten’s mother.  This led to other family wills and I was able to take Elizabeth back another generation.

[chrislb]

That's good news