Richard Bodle Holmes

[TheSleepySheep]

Hello 

I’m new here but I was wondering if anyone could help with my research into an ancestor of mine, Richard Bodle Holmes. He supposedly lived to the grand age of 107 in Heathfield and I’m aware he has been mentioned before on this site.

Although there is debate to his age he was born 1779 and died 1886. He was mentioned in a book about the area too. On my tree I also have 10 siblings for him, those being found through family search.

But anyway, a deceased relative of mine left a note with the route from my grandmothers father to Bodle, but I haven’t been able to find a partner, or his child, also a Richard. But I do know Bodles brother John 1788 who married a Sophia, had a child who was a Richard.

Records I have seen on Family search describe Bodle as a widower and in the book he was in he is described as a bachelor. In what I have seen on there, he is also been a lodger at many points in his life, at one point with one of his brothers, Thomas, and his family.

If anyone has information about Bodle, or is also researching/related to him, I would most appreciate it if they would reach out, because I would especially like to clear up the family debate around how we are related to him. By the picture I have he looks like such a man of character, and unfortunately the people who are more likely to know the information I need in my family aren’t around anymore.

Thank you!

[KGarrad]

Welcome to RootsChat!

Where did Richard die?
Can't see a death on GRO web site?

[mckha489]

There is this Heathfield marriage to Mary Oliver

16 Dec 1804


1841 Richard 60 is with a presumed wife Sarah plus Caroline age 25 and 9 mth old Arthur

[KGarrad]

Found the death

June qtr 1886
Hailsham Registration District      vol 2b, page 54

Holmes, Richard     age 107

[mckha489]

In 1851 he is lodging with the Bean family.
Louisa Bean is not apparently his daughter. She is née Breaden/Breeding and variants,

1871 with the Offen family
Jane Offen is née Vine.  So also not a daughter.

[jonw65]

The Mid Sussex Times questions his age and says that he was 102 when he died.
Richard son of Richard and Grace Holmes was baptized 30 May 1784 at Heathfield
Poor images on FamilySearch
PR
https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:S3HT-6RQ3-WWC?i=609

BT
https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:S3HT-6FM3-8T?i=435&cat=1021977

Richard and Grace had a son John baptized and buried in January 1783 in Heathfield.

[jonw65]

Richard Holmes married Grace Parsons in Heathfield, 5 July 1778
https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:S3HT-6RQ3-CKW?i=678

According to FamilySearch, daughter Elizabeth baptized 1779, Sarah 1781, John 1783, Richard 1784, etc.

[TheSleepySheep]

Thank you all! I wasn’t expecting replies so quick!

The marriages to Mary Oliver and Sarah sound viable. No children called Richard yet though?

Yes, his parents Richard Holmes and Grace Parsons had a son 1783, with his burial a matter of days later. Their next son born around 1788 was also a John, who had eight children himself, one being a Richard. There really is too many Richards in my ancestry!!

I also understand the dispute to his age was due to him being baptised at around 5 - I saw a source that said he claimed to remember the day clearly. So people looking at that are likely to presume he was 102 at his death. Got to say I am a believer he was 107 though.

The written information we got left from a deceased ancestor was a chain of men-

Richard Bodle Holmes 1755
Richard Bodle Holmes 1779-1886
His son being another Richard Holmes
Who had a son, William
William had 3 sons that we know of, George, William and Fred 1887 who married a Rose Stapley, who had my great grandfather and his sister.

Hope that makes sense, we are really lacking dates and their partners though. I’m really uncertain if that chain is correct though, especially the upper half, hence why I suggested that Richard 1779 might not have had a child called Richard and instead my line is from his brother John 1788?

Thanks again.

[mckha489]

The written information we got left from a deceased ancestor was a chain of men-

Richard Bodle Holmes 1755
Richard Bodle Holmes 1779-1886
His son being another Richard Holmes
Who had a son, William
William had 3 sons that we know of, George, William and Fred 1887 who married a Rose Stapley, who had my great grandfather and his sister.

Hope that makes sense, we are really lacking dates and their partners though. I’m really uncertain if that chain is correct though, especially the upper half, hence why I suggested that Richard 1779 might not have had a child called Richard and instead my line is from his brother John 1788?

Thanks again.

Working back.

What are Fred’s and his Father’s occupations on the marriage cert to Rose?
Do you  have Fred in 1891, 1901 & 1911?