'Tribal Pursuits' Kent to Devon'?

[Westoe]

Hello John,

Apologies for the late entry to this thread. I've been poorly. In reading through all this tonight, a tiny thought occurs after looking at the links that bearkat gave in reply #23. The monumental inscription for that Thomas Tillman who died December 1805 notes that he was made a Freeman of Rochester in 1781. Do records survive for the Freemen of Rochester because those should give the name and occupation of that Thomas' father, if that helps.

Cheers,
Westoe

[trish1120]

A few bits and pieces I have found, some you may already have as I have just read all of the info so far quickly.

Marriages;
St Mary Magdalene, Gillingham, Kent

23 July 1838
Elizabeth TILLMAN, Spinster, Father THOMAS Tillman, Fisherman
John BRAIN, Bachelor, Seaman, Father JOSEPH Brain, Sawyer
Witnesses, Thomas/Martha TILLMAN

3 April 1845
Edward Thomas TILLMAN, Bachelor, Mariner, abode Brompton, Father THOMAS Tillman Mariner
Julia Winborn HOBART, Spinster, Father CHARLES Hobart, Painter
Witnesses, Edward and Elizabeth Ann HARRIS

Now these took place at St. Margaret of Antioch, Rochester
2 MARIA ANN Tillmans Baptised 12 Aug 1798, Buried 17 Aug 1800 and 17 Sept 1800
To THOMAS/MARY

FreeREG has Maria Ann, Spinster, marrying same Church, 6 Feb 1870 to George TAYLOR, Widower
Her Father Thomas , Master Mariner
She is down as age 68

That leads to 1851 Census bearkat found

1841 Census
Brisley Yard
Mary Tellman, 79
Maria Tellman, 40
Elizabeth William, 50
Richard William, 11
HO107/491/4/St Margaret

1881 Maria A Taylor is born c 1801 Rochester,
There is a Sister in Law, Ann M Taylor with George/Maria

1891 it appears Ann M and Maria A are still together, both Widowed.
Maria A Taylor now born c 1809 Gillingham

Trish

[trish1120]

As noted earlier SARAH was Buried 16 March 1840 age 53, abode St Margarets Bank (1787)
WILLIAM Tillman was Buried 24 Nov 1837, age 19 same address
(FreeREG)

There is a SARAH ANN Dean Baptised 7 Dec 1787, St Mary the Virgin, Chatham to WILLIAM/SARAH
(FreeREG)

[John1935]

Hello Westoe
Nice to here from you,  and think that you might have a good lead there - see knew I needed your brains.
Am at present working away on Thomas's Grandson William Thomas Jnr the Royal Marine ( who has been on more ships than I have),at a very busy time for Royal Marines  ( Ashante  & Benin Campaigns followed by the Boer War).
If you are still around Bearkat do you know, by chance if the records Westoe refers to might still exist please ?

 "I've been poorly, In reading through all this tonight"  - Yes I still ramble on ! ( big smile)

Best

John

[John1935]

Hello Trish 1120

Thank you for all that, as you know two Thomas/Sarahs existed both giving birth to a Thomas in the same year, so yes hard to see which is which, but would still but money  on the Rochester family
( not a lot though); will work my way through and see what I can glean.

Best

John

[Westoe]

Hello John,

On the subject of Freemen, I'm going by my experience of records of Freemen of Newcastle-upon-Tyne. If that Thomas was 45 when he died in 1805, then he was 21 when he was made a Freeman, which is suggestive. The criteria for becoming one in Newcastle were "by patrimony or servitude" i.e. he was eligible if his father was also one or if he had been apprenticed to one. I think it is reasonable to assume that the criteria in Rochester would be similar.

Here's the link to a 2000 RootsWeb post on that subject with entries for the surname Snowdon copied out to give you an idea of what information could be found there.
http://archiver.rootsweb.ancestry.com/th/read/NORTHUMBRIA/2000-03/0952401918

In 1851 Mary aged 88 and born Strood is on charity (pauper) living with her daughter at Brisley's Yard near St Margaret's Bank.

Would that be Mary Redsell? Mentioned on this Genie page:
https://www.geni.com/people/Thomas-TILLMAN/6000000004539791409

You may have to follow all of these Kent Tillmans for a few generations before being able to definitively discount them.

Several early poll books online for Kent have mentions of Tillman e.g.

https://books.google.co.uk/books?id=4BsHAAAAQAAJ&pg=PT23&dq=Tillman+mariner+poll&hl=en&sa=X&ved=0ahUKEwi8prnE65jNAhVOIlIKHSt4ABsQ6AEILzAA#v=onepage&q=Tillman%20mariner%20poll&f=false

and

https://books.google.co.uk/books?id=rxMHAAAAQAAJ&pg=PP37&lpg=PP37&dq=Tillman+dredgerman+poll&source=bl&ots=m1SkG9G_KL&sig=PdDDAO3TtYNL8kH5V8vWc5x3odA&hl=en&sa=X&ved=0ahUKEwjGkJ7X6pjNAhUJw4MKHWiYDycQ6AEIHDAA#v=onepage&q=Tillman%20dredgerman%20poll&f=false

Cheers,
Westoe

[John1935]

Uhm
The one Poll I got the date of was for 1806, and according to the Grave stone he died in 1805 was the other for 1794 by chance.

Had given up the post in fact, as you were, I am, a 'bit poorly- at the moment, with age to be expected I suppose?

Best

John