Eastwell and Westwell

[redtonyt]

Hi Matt,

Apologies for not answering your query about the Licence for Thomas Brett's first marriage.  All I have is Cowper's Transcription; this was taken from the General Register of Licences as held in Canterbury Cathedral.  When next in Canterbury I will see what still exists of the Allegation and Bond.  1673 is quite early for both to have survived, if anything still exists it will probably be in Latin so will be difficult to find.  I will do my best.

As we have just moved, a trip to the Archives is fairly low down in the list of priorities.  Hopefully mid to end of June is on the cards but, that will be the earliest!

Tony

[MattD30]

Hi Tony

I think I may have solved the puzzle here. It looks like both Thomas and Ann were both widowed when they married. I've looked at the marriage licence entry in Cowper's Marriage Licences 1677-1700 (page 47). The entry reads as follows:

"Brett, Thomas of Westwell, husb, widr, and Ann Gravett, [of] same parish, wid. At St George, Canterbury. Dec 10, 1679."

We already know of Thomas Brett's first marriage but I now think I have also found Ann's first marriage.

There is a marriage licence entry in Cowper's Marriage Licences 1661-1676 which gives the following info:

"Gravet (Gravitts), William, of Westwell, husb, widr, and Ann Jerman, [of] same parish, v, 24, whose mother consents, as is testified by her husband, Richard Parsons of Great Chart, husb. At St Mildred, Canterbury. Oct 24, 1664"

This would make Ann born about 1640, which would make her around about the same age as Thomas (he was described as 28 when he married Martha Jones in 1673, so he was probably born c1645).

I haven't found William's death yet but that's my next step. If I can also find Ann's christening and the death of her father then that will help as well.

More details to follow.

Matt

[redtonyt]

Hi Matt,

What about this one at Molash,

1641 Apr 4 Ann d/o Isaac & Hester Jarman

Tony

[MattD30]

Hi Matt,

What about this one at Molash,

1641 Apr 4 Ann d/o Isaac & Hester Jarman

Tony

Hi Tony

Could be a possibility. Molash doesn't look far from Westwell or Great Chart either. I'll see if I can find any more children for Isaac and Hester and then find a burial for Issac. If I can find a marriage between Richard Pasons and Hester than it might solve the puzzle.

Many thanks

Matt

[MattD30]

I've not been able to find this christening or records of any children for Isaac and Hester on Familysearch.

Did Ann have any siblings?

Matt

[redtonyt]

Hi Matt

1658 Nov 7 Richard Parsons (Husbandman) of Challock and Hester German (Widow) of Molash

Apparently this marriage is also shown at Ashford (same date?) according to the East Kent Marriage Index.  The name at Ashford reads Farman according to the EKMI.

Tony

[MattD30]

Hi Matt

1658 Nov 7 Richard Parsons (Husbandman) of Challock and Hester German (Widow) of Molash

Apparently this marriage is also shown at Ashford (same date?) according to the East Kent Marriage Index.  The name at Ashford reads Farman according to the EKMI.

Tony

Hi Tony

I think we must be looking into this at the same time lol!. I don't have access to the EKMI myself but I have tracked down Isaac and Hester's marriage in the Canterbury Marriage Licences for 1619-1660. The entry reads as follows:

"Isaac, Jerman, of Molash, tailor, ba. about 48 "at his own government", and Hester Wood of St Margaret's Canterbury, v, about 21, whose parents are dead. At St Margaret's Cant. Thomas Solley, of All Saints, Cant, tailor, bondsman. Dec 30, 1639"

That would certainly tie in with the christening for Ann that you found in Molash. Makes sense to me, what do you think?

Bit of an age gap though isn't it? It's interesting that Isaac isn't described as widower.

Matt

[MattD30]

Hi Tony

I think I've found the evidence which ties all these people together.

I have a copy of the Will of Ann Brett (formerly Gravett, nee Jarman) and after a second reading last week I've found a line which links these people together.

One of the people Ann mentions is her "daughter in law Mary the wife of Thomas Parsons of Westwell"

I wonder if by "daughter in law" she might actually be referring to a cousin or their child. We already know Ann's mother Hester married Richard Parsons after the death of Ann's father Isaac, so could Thomas Parsons be their son? That would make him Ann's half brother though.

It's just a thought and I haven't found any children for Richard and Ann Parsons yet, nor any other children born to Isaac Jarman. However it does show that these families are linked. The fact that Ann mentions Thomas Parsons in her will, as well as her own daughter Ann "the wife of Thomas Baldock",  shows there's a connection.

Matt

[redtonyt]

Hi Matt,

The explanation may be more simple.  My tuppenceworth, Mary Brett was a daughter of Thomas Brett by his first marriage,

Westwell baptism,

1673 Dec 23 Mary d/o Thomas & Martha Brett

Westwell marriage,

1699 Feb 1 Thomas Parsons and Mary Brett

Thus Mary Parsons is a daughter-in-law to Ann Brett!

Daughter-in-Law is commonly used to describe what we know today as a step-daughter.

What thinkest thou,
Tony