Hannah Fition

[moamabob]

I'm trying to trace the Fition family name in the United Kingdoom, Hannah Fition the daughter of James & Mary, married John Spilstead 1822 Kent, England, John & Hannah emigrated in 1841 on board the ship " China " John & Hannah had 4 children in Australia, happy to share information,
Looking for some assistance with John Spilstead & Hannah Fition early life's in the United Kingdoom.
any help would be appreciated

[lizdb]

Hi

What makes you think she came from Sussex? (or is this on Sussex Board in error)

[Roy G]

The following website entry from 2004 shows the Spilsteads were passengers on The China which left London 21-May-1841 arrived Sydney 7-September-1841
http://boards.ancestry.com/localities.oceania.australia.nsw.general/1568/mb.ashx?pnt=1

Spilstead John Age: 38, from Salscombe Sussex England.  Occupation: Farm Labourer
Religion: Baptist  Son of Stepn and Elizth Spilstead both dead
Husband of Hannah Age: 26 of Battle: House Servant
Hannah, an Episcopalian, was the Daughter of James and Mary Fition~.
Reel: 1322

Children
Mary Anne Age: 5M
Elizabeth Age: 3
A John Spilstead Age: 19 of Selscome Sussex is also on board, saying his parents are there too.  Could Hannah's age be wrong or was Hannah, John Spilstead senior's second wife?

The two young children's births appear on FreeBMD
Spilsted    Mary Ann        Battle    7   222
SPILSTED    Elizabeth        Battle    7   203
Both their baptisms are also listed on the IGI

You may have also noted the squiggle after Fition.....  which suggests the transcriber was unsure of Hannah's full maiden name. 
I further suspect that Salscombe/Selscombe was actually Sedlescombe near Battle
Roy G

[moamabob]

hello Roy
The very similar information on the Spilstead passenger list was sent to me some time back, all I no comes from this list as to Mary Fition I had not notices the squiggle after her surname till you point it out to me...one more unsolved mystery.
unsure of this information John Spilstead first wife Mary Reed (dec bef-1841) John Spilstead jnr mother, the town is Sedlescombe mis spelled by me. As I say any help on there early life before 1841 would be most apprecited.
Cheers Bob S

[Roy G]

The list you refer to which mentions John & Mary Reed (dead) has been taken from another ship called The Burhampooter.  They may be members of the same Spilstead family but were not travelling together.      When and where in Kent did the marriage take place?
 Roy G

[omega 1]

Hello Bob

I found this marriage

At Westfield,4 Aug 1822

John Spilstead & Mary Reed

Extra info,SO Journener,Temporarily in the Parish.

Westfield is near Sedlescombe

Hope this helps

omega

PS,will see if i can find a death for John & Mary

[moamabob]

Thank you it all helps

[Roy G]

I'm beginning to get things sorted in my mind now, for the passenger list of The China in 1841 has John's age as 38, so he was born c1803.  That would make a marriage in 1822 viable, but not to Hannah if she was 26 in 1841 and therefore born in 1815.  The earlier marriage to, and children by Mary Reed therefore seems more promising, albeit that the marriage took place in Westfield Sussex and not Kent as you have been led to believe.  Perhaps John c1803 was born in Kent for the IGI has one from Stone in Kent that might suit.

So it now looks as though Stephen Spilstead and his wife Winifred from John's first marriage were passengers on The Burnhampooter which sailed earlier on 19th April 1841 and arrived in Sydney 6th August 1841, and then John, with his second wife, their two children and John a son from John senior's first marriage sailed a month after. 

The other son who sailed on the Burnhampooter was:
Stephen Spilstead Age: 19 from Battle  (IGI baptism Sedelscombe 1823)
Listed as a Labourer and son of John Spilstead and Mary Reed (dead)
and his wife Winifred Spilstead Age: 23 of Battle
(listed as the former Daughter of Harry Priest and Winifred Wightman)
Note:  The 1841 marriage record of these two on FreeBMD has Winifred's surname as Crassingham, so perhaps she too was a recent widow or a child from her mother's first marriage. 
The dates are so close, Stephen & Winifred's journey to Australia must have been their honeymoon.

Extra children of John & Mary yet to account for
William bapt Sedlescombe 1832
Thomas bapt Sedlescombe 1834
The IGI has a short list of Seddlscombe burials on (Batch) Number:    I04472-1.
It includes the above two, plus a Mary who also died in 1834 who may have been John's first wife dying as a result of childbirth

A John bapt Sedelscombe 1824 was in all probability the John on The China who was incorrectly recorded as being 19 rather than 17 years old.

Roy G

[moamabob]

Hello Roy
A big thank you for joining all the dots together for me, it all ways seemed suspicious to me the way the two Spilstead & Spilsted family life's chris crossed one another in Newtown, Sydney, Australia.

as to the thinking on the honeymoon, Stephen & Winifred there first son William was born 30-November-1841 in Sydney, abt 8 months

as to extra children of John & Mary most interring leaf behind or died as baby's

Thanks again for the help it is amazing how that one or two email has opened up so many new doors family history is a wonderful addiction.

Cheer Bob S