The 1861 Census for North Mundham
North Mundham is a small village south east of Chichester.
The 1861 census for the part of North Mundham shows just 25 males and 14
females living in 9 homes.
One family in
the census is a family of 5 with the head of the family Charles French.
Charles was born in East Wittering the eldest child of James
French and Anna Wells in 1834 and baptised St. Anne’s, East Wittering on 2nd
March 1834. At the age of 7 he is living
with his family at nearby Sidlesham. At
the age of 17 in 1851 he is still living with his family at Johnsons Cottage in
Sidlesham, along with another family who I can find no family link to, which
consisted of a widow, her son and a lodger, both men working as farm labourers
as is Charles, his father and brother George.
By the age of 22 Charles is living in Birdham, where he marries Fanny
Kewell on 18th October 1856. Living in North Mundham the 1861 and
1871 census shows him working as an Ag Lab (agricultural labourer). By the age of 49 the 1881 census is showing
him as a cowman living in Faygate Road, Rusper.
Ten years later he has moved his family again this time to Jevington
where he is working as an Ag Lab. At the
age of 69 he is living with his wife at Diplocks Farm, Langley, Eastbourne and
working as a farm worker, 10 years later at the age of 79 he is still at
Diplocks Farm with Fanny and is working as a stockman. Charles died the autumn of 1919 in Eastbourne
Fanny Kewell was born in Sidlesham the 5th child of
John Kewell and Jane Witt and she was baptised at St Mary our Lady, Sidlesham
15th July 1835. Fanny lived
in Sidlesham but at the age of 16 is living in Pagham as a servant. In May 1856 (5 months before she marries) she
has a child William James Kewell, who is baptised in Westhampnet on 22nd May and is shown as
illegitimate in the parish records, there is no record as to who the child’s
father is. Fanny is living in Birdham by
the time of her marriage in 1856. Fanny followed
her husband, living in Rusper 1881 Jevington 1891 and then Eastbourne from 1901
until her death in 1927 at the age of 92. NB. The 1891 census shows her father
living in Jevington with them “on parish relief” for a while.
William James Kewell was born in Westhampnet and was
baptised 22nd May 1856, 5 months before his mother’s marriage to
Charles French. The 1861 census shows
him as the son in law of Charles, think there is a little confusion there as
William is only 4! By the 1871 census
William is shown as son of Charles the head of house, so maybe he is his
illegitimate son, but we have no way of knowing for sure. William is also showing at Ag Lab, so most
probably was working with Charles (his father?) By 1881 William has changed his
occupation as is working as an engine cleaner on the railway in Brighton. The census shows him visiting Station Street,
Brighton, maybe he is lodging with a co-worker as the census shows the head of
the home as a railway guard. By 1891
William has married Hilda Austin in Brighton (1883) and they have moved to
Feering, Essex were William is showing on the census as an Engine Driver.
William and Hilda had 4 children 3 sons and 1 daughter. William only outlived his mother by 10 years,
his death being registered in Braintree in 1937.
Henry John French was born in Sidlesham and baptised on 5th
September 1858. In 1871 while living with his parents in North Mundham 12 year
old Henry is recorded as an Ag Lab the same as his father and 14 year old
brother William. By 1881 he is lodging in Lancing and working on Monks Farm as
a farm labourer. By 1891 Henry is back
living with his parents and working in Jevington with his father. At the age of 43 in 1901 Henry is lodging in Jevington
and working as a labourer in the local chalk pit. At the age of 45 Henry
marries Mary Seymour Pettit who tragically dies at the age of 33 just 18 months
after they marry. In 1911 he is boarding
at Hillside Collage, Jevington working as a Roadman. Henry’s death at the age of 76 was
registered in Eastbourne in 1934.
Harriet Jane French was born in Sidlesham and baptised on 7th
October 1860. On the 1881 census Harriet
is shown as working on Park Crescent, Brighton as a servant. She marries Edward Symes a Boot and Shoe
maker from Dorset in 1887 in Brighton.
Their first two sons are registered in Pimlico, London, but they are
back in Brighton for the 1891 census, living in Upper Lewes Road where 3 more
children are born. Before the 1901
census Harriet has moved with her family to Burgess Hill, where her husband is
continuing as a Shoemaker. Ten years later she has moved down the road to
Keymer, Clifden Mews. Harriet’s death at
the age of 69 is registered in Cuckfield in 1929
This is where the story ends as far as the 1861 census goes,
but Charles and Fanny go on to have another 7 children. Mary
Jane, Emily, Charles, James John, Elizabeth Anna, George and Arthur.
Mary Jane being the next link of my family tree as my Great
Grandmother. Born 1863 in North Mundham
she was baptised 19th April 1863.
At the age of 18 shown on the 1881 census she is working in Hove in York
Road as a servant. The next record found
of Mary Jane is the registration of her first child with William Moore, Minnie
in 1883 and shown living in Ellen Street, Hove. At present cannot find the marriage record,
but may be mis-transcribed. By 1891 Mary has moved to Ivory Place, Brighton
with William and their children, Minnie, Mary & Arthur, they had one more
child William Henry but he died in infancy.
A year later in 1892 her husband William dies at the age of just 36
leaving Mary Jane with 3 children. On 26th
May 1895 in Brighton she marries Walter James Worsfold a Carter to a coal merchant,
their addresses on the marriage certificate are shown as Walter living at 40
Ivory Place, Brighton and Mary Jane at number 25. Mary Jane continues to live
at 25 Ivory Place after her marriage to Walter and they go on to have 2 daughters
of their own, Harriett Frances Worsfold in 1895 and Clara Emily Worsfold in
1899. 1901 the family are still living in Ivory Place but by the 1911 census Mary
Jane, Walter and their youngest daughter Clara are living at 35 New England
Street, Brighton. Mary Jane ‘s death is
registered in Brighton in 1929
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