Examinations, 1750-1766: nos 355-374

Examinations, 1750-1766: nos 355-374

355. [p. 140] Middlesex. The examination of Elizabeth Rowlett, who on her oath says that she is about 47 years of age, the widow of Jonathan Rowlett, a native of Ireland, and when she first knew him he was an in pensioner in Chelsea College. She hath heard her said husband declare that on or about the present King's coming to the crown, that he was discharged from General Hervey's horse. And after he was discharged he married a widow in Old Brentford and then he took a house of £10 or £12 per annum . . . and kept a distiller shop there, but does not know whether he paid any parochial taxes. And [he] lived there above 20 years and left the said Old Brentford about twelve years past, and then come and was an in pensioner in the said college, where he married this examinant, 31 Aug. 1750, at the Fleet, as appears by a piece of parchment to me produced. And she is now come chargeable to the parish of Chelsea. The mark of Elizabeth Rowlett. Sworn before me, 27 Feb. 1758, Samuel Bever. [The whole of the preceding paragraph is crossed out in the original.] Upon further inquiry it is found that the said Jonathan Rowlett gained no settlement at Old Brentford. [See 357].

356. [p. 141] Middlesex. The examination of Gilbert Termillin, brought before me in a cart by George Francis from Chelsea, who on his oath says that he was born in the parish of St Ervan in the county of Cornwall, that he was apprentice Thomas Bluy, a barber there, and never was a hired servant out of the said parish to live a whole year. [That he] is now about 40 years of age and is now a pensioner in Chelsea College, and hath lately received his pension from the said college. And is now in a sick and weak condition and hath spent all his money and is now chargeable to the parish of Chelsea and acting as a vagrant in the said parish, having neither house or home, but [is forced] to lay where he can and begging relief. The mark of Gilbert Termillin. Sworn before me, 27 Jan. 1758, Samuel Bever.

357. [p. 142] Middlesex. The examination of Elizabeth Rowlett, who on her oath says that she is about 47 years of age, that she is the widow of Jonathan Rowlett, who was a native of Ireland and hath been dead near two years. That she doth not know anything of his settlement. . . . That she, this examinant, before she married the said Jonathan, she was the widow of Thomas Tucker who died and left her with no child or children. That she after his death was a hired servant to the Lady Howell in the parish of Aldermaston in the county of Berkshire at the wages of £6 per annum. With whom she lived one whole year and ten months, and received her full wages and did never hire her self afterwards by the year, but used to work by the day or week for her living. The mark of Elizabeth Rowlett. Sworn before me, 27 Feb. 1758, Samuel Bever. Passed per order. [See 355].

358. [n.p.] Middlesex. The examination of Elizabeth Hender touching the settlement of Thomas her son, a bastard about 7 years of age. Who on her oath says that she is the widow of Abraham Hender, a soldier in the 3rd Regiment of Guards. And says that he was born and his friends and relations lived somewhere in Wiltshire, and that she was married to him, but knows nothing of his settlement, about two years past near Cricklade in the said county. And that he died the latter end of Aug. 1757, and that she is now with child by him. Says that she is now about 33 years of age, that she lived with Mr Harriss at the Prince Eugene Head in Jews Row when she was a single woman, once twelve month or better, and left the said service about twelve years. And then she kept company with one Joseph Evans, an out pensioner of Chelsea College, about ten or twelve years, and hath now two children by him; vizt, Mary, about 10 years of age, born in the parish of Little Wenlock in the county of Shropshire, now with Mary Hender in London, but does not know the place where she lives. The other child is named Thomas, born in the parish of Battersea in the county of Surrey and is about 7 years. Both bastards born of her body, for that she says that she never was married to the said Evans who is the father of both the said bastards. And says that the bastard Thomas was baptised in the said parish of Battersea, and that she hath applied herself to the parish of Battersea for relief, but they would not take the said child until he was passed from parish of Chelsea where it is now chargeable. The mark of Elizabeth Hender. [Sworn] before me, Mar. 1758. Passed the child to Battersea per order. N.B. It does not appear that she is the widow of Hender or ever married. Says that he was in Colonel Burges Company. . . Not foresworn, sent to Bridewell, 11 Mar. 1758.

359. [p. 144] Middlesex. The examination of William Carr, 56 years old, who on his oath says that he is an out pensioner to Chelsea College [and] that he is now obliged to ask relief. Says that he has a wife named Mary and two children, Sarah, about 6 years, and Ann about 4 years. Says that he was born in the town of Liverpool in the county of Lancashire and he hath been in the army in North America about 34 years and never did any thing to gain any other settlement. [He] is now found wandering and begging in the said parish of Chelsea. The mark of William Carr. Sworn before me, 11 Mar. 1758, Samuel Bever. Vagrant pass.

360. [p. 145] Middlesex. The examination of John Waite of the hamlet of Hammersmith touching the settlement of Katherine and John Ward, two children found in the parish of Chelsea, wandering there without father or mother, she being lately deceased. Who on his oath says that he, this examinant, is uncle by their mother['s] side to the aforesaid children. Who says that he was well acquainted with John Ward, who is the father of the aforesaid children, and further says that the said John Ward was born in parish of Great Torrington in the county of Devon, and that he hath heard by his sister, the mother of the said two children, that the said John Ward was apprentice to a saddler in the said parish of Great Torrington, and kept a house in the said parish several years, and never did any thing to gain any subsequent settlement that he knows. The children; vizt, John is about 8 years old, and Katherine about 2 years old. John Waite. Sworn before me, 11 Mar. 1758, Samuel Bever. By a letter that appears before me under the hand of the said John Ward, that he is now resident at Mr Richard Martins, saddler in Tavistock. Vagrant pass.

361. [p. 146] Middlesex. The examination of Thomas Dixon, overseer of the poor of the parish of Chelsea in the said county, who on his oath says that George Babb, a child of about 13 years of age, is now come chargeable to the said parish of Chelsea, he, the said George, having lately intruded himself into the said parish. And as it appears unto us as well upon the oath of the said Thomas Dixon, that it also appears that the said George Babb is now an apprentice to James Bryerley, a weaver in the parish of St Matthew Bethnal Green in the said county of Middlesex, by an indenture dated 19 Jan. 1756. Thomas Dixon. Sworn before us, 16 Mar. 1758, Samuel Bever, Benjamin Cox. [See 376].

362. [p. 147] Middlesex. Examination of Thomas Cox, who on his oath says that he is a single man about 40 years of age, that the last place he lived as a hired servant was with Sir Peter Deline in Grosvenor Square. With whom he lived three years at the wages of £3 10s. and left the said service about six years past, and hath not been a servant by the year ever since. And [he] is now likely to come chargeable to the parish of Chelsea. The mark of Thomas Cox. Sworn before us, 10 Apr. 1758, Samuel Bever, Charles Wale. Passed To St George Hanover Square.

363. [p. 148] Middlesex. The examination of Jane Rumbell, single woman, in the workhouse of and belonging to the parish of St Luke Chelsea in the county of Middlesex, taken upon oath 25 Apr. 1758. This examinant upon her oath saith that she is 22 years of age and never was married, and that she was on 20 Apr. 1757 delivered of a hale bastard child (since christened John) yet living, and become chargeable to the said parish of St Luke Chelsea. And that John Phillips heretofore of Lawrence Street in Chelsea aforesaid, had carnal knowledge of her body in the year 1754 upon a bed in a house near Charring Cross in London, and several times afterwards during the space of three years at different times and places. At which, or one of which, times he, the said John Phillips, did beget on her body the said male bastard child, and that he, the said John Phillips, is the true and only father thereof and no man else. Jane Rumbell. Taken and sworn the day and year above said, before me, Benjamin Cox.

364. [p. 149] Middlesex. The examination of Elizabeth Steward, aged about 43 years, wife of Charles Steward, who on her oath saith she was married to her said husband at the Fleet in the year 1729, but hath been since informed that his real surname was De Champs, that he then was valet or servant hired by the year to one General Mackcaul who lodged in St Martins Lane in the parish of St Martin in the Fields in the county of Middlesex aforesaid. That this examinant's said husband informed her he was allowed by his said master after the rate of £18 per annum wages besides his lodging, which was in his master's in St Martins Lane aforesaid. And that he had resided there for the space of seven years before such his marriage with [this] examinant. That she hath two children now living, the one named James, aged about 26 years, and the other named Anna Maria, aged about 8 years. She believes her husband was born somewhere in the kingdom of Ireland, but where she knows not. That he left her many years ago in the parish of Chelsea, and where he now is she knows not. But as she was never informed of his death is rather induced to think him living than dead. She doth not know that her said husband ever rented [p. 150] a house of £10 per annum or hath ever done any other act, except his service with General Mackcaul, to gain a legal settlement. And this examinant further saith she is informed by her mother and believes it to be true, that she was born in the parish of St Mary . . . Whitechapel in the county of Middlesex in the house of her grandfather. But never was in any service for a year together, or hath done any other act to gain a legal settlement except by her marriage as aforesaid. That she and her youngest child, Anna Maria, are now both become burdensome to the parish of Chelsea. The mark of Elizabeth Steward. Sworn, 18 May 1758, before me, Benjamin Cox, John Goodchild. Passed to St Martin in the Fields.

365. [p. 151] Middlesex, to wit. Catherine Weaver, aged about 30 years, lodging with Mrs Little near Paradise Row in the parish of St Luke Chelsea, upon her oath saith she is the wife of Joseph Weaver (gone from her) to whom she was married at Loughborough in the county of Leicester about fifteen months ago. That her said husband was born at Newcastle, but the particular part this examinant cannot tell. That he never kept house, rented a tenement of £10 by the year, paid any parish taxes, or was a yearly hired servant in any one place for twelve months together as she ever heard. That she, this examinant was a yearly hired servant before her intermarriage to Mr Keeling, who lodged at Mr Macklin's, a grocer in Pall Mall in the parish of St James within the liberty of Westminster, for the space of three years at the yearly wages of £6, diet and lodging, quitted the same about eighteen months before her intermarriage. That she never kept house, rented a tenement of £10 by the year, paid any parish taxes, nor hath been a yearly hired servant in any one place for twelve months together since. The mark of Catherine Weaver. Sworn, 3 June 1758, before Benjamin Cox. Passed to St James Westminster.

366. [p. 152] Middlesex, to wit. Examination of Sarah Stubbington, alias Cook, who on her oath says that she was born at Croydon in the county of Surrey, her father and mother then residing there, and hath heard, by virtue of a certificate to the said parish of Croydon from the parish of Chelsea. That when she was about 3 years of age her father and mother died, and this examinant was brought to Chelsea to her grandmother, Prudent Stubbington, who kept a farm in the parish of Chelsea, with whom this examinant lived with until her grandmother died. Then about 12 or 13 years of age [she]. then went to service, but says that she never lived a year in any place. And when she was about 19 years of age she was married at the Fleet to Jonathan Cook, a soldier in the 2nd Regiment of Foot Guards, by whom she hath one child, named Elizabeth, aged about 4 years. And soon after she was married to him, this examinant heard that he had a wife and one child when he married her. And [she] lived with him about three years and hath not cohabited with him for four years past. Says that her husband, Jonathan Cook, declared upon his knees to this examinant that he was not married at that time he married this examinant, but acknowledged that he had a child by a woman, and knows nothing of the settlement of the said Jonathan Cook. The mark of Sarah Stubbington, alias Cook. Sworn before me, 11 July 1758, Samuel Bever.

367. [p. 153] Middlesex, to wit. The examination of Anne Maynard, a single woman, who on her oath saith she is about 29 years of age, and that she was born in the parish of Hurst in the county of Berkshire, and came from thence with her father and mother when she was but 6 months old to the parish of St Luke Chelsea in the county of Middlesex, where (as she says) her father rented a house of £3 a year and lived there about nine years and a half and then died. After which this examinant went and hired her self as a yearly servant to Mrs Hall, who kept Salters Coffee House in the said parish of Chelsea, with whom she lived four years and a half at the wages of 50s., and after, wages at £4 a year. After which her mother gave a sum of money to Mrs Elizabeth Collins, a mantua maker in Watermans Court in the aforesaid parish of Chelsea, to teach her the art of mantua making. From thence she went to Deptford in the county of Kent, where she has followed her business as a mantua . . . maker ever since, but has gained no subsequent settlement since her servitude with Mrs Hall. Ann Maynard. Sworn before us, 13 July 1758, Samuel Bever, Charles Wale.

368. [p. 154] Middlesex. The examination of Mary Sowell, who on her oath says that she is the wife of Alexander Sowell, who is now an invalid in garrison at Bristol, who was born in the parish of Ingatestone in Essex, and was in the army ever since he was 17 years of age. And she further says that she hath now a child named Thomas, about a year and 8 months old. That her husband's father's settlement was in the said parish of Ingatestone. The mark of Mary Sowell. Sworn before me, 27 July, 1758, Samuel Bever.

369. [p. 155] Middlesex, to wit. Copy of the information of Mary Bingham, single woman, lodging at Mr Grace's near the Six Bells in the Kings Road in the parish of St Luke Chelsea in the county of Middlesex, taken upon oath this 7 Aug. 1758. This examinant upon her Oath saith that she is 19 years of age and never was married, bound an apprentice, kept house rented £10 by the year, paid any parish taxes, or been a yearly hired servant in any one place for twelve months together. That she was born in the said parish of Chelsea where her father Richard Bingham served his apprenticeship. And this examinant further saith that she is now great with child or children which is or are likely to be born a bastard or bastards and to become chargeable to the said parish of Chelsea. And Thomas Yerby, a ploughman to Mr John Hutchins, a farmer at Chelsea aforesaid, had carnal knowledge of her body in the month of January last upon a bed in a room up two pair of stairs forwards in the house of Mr Grace aforesaid, and several times afterwards at the same place. At which, or one of which times he, the said Thomas Yerby did beget her with . . . the child or children she now goeth with and is pregnant of. And that he, the said [p. 156] Thomas Yerby, is the true and only father thereof and no man else. The mark of Mary Bingham. Taken and sworn the day and year above said, before me, Benjamin Cox.

370. [p. 156] Middlesex, to wit. Richard Quelch, aged 47 years, lodging at Mr Howells, a dealer in coal near the Horse Ferry at Chelsea in the parish of St Luke Chelsea in the county of Middlesex, upon oath saith that he is a waterman and was bound apprentice by indenture for seven years to Mr Walter Nutt, a waterman who kept the ferry from Battersea to Chelsea aforesaid. And this examinant further saith that during all his apprenticeship he, this examinant, lay in his said master's house near the Twelve Acres in the parish of Battersea in the county of Surrey. And this examinant saith that his said apprenticeship expired about 27 years ago, since which time he has not kept a house rented £10 by the year, paid any parish taxes or been a yearly hired servant. That he was married to his present wife, Mary, at the Fleet about 25 years ago, by whom he hath no children living. The mark of Richard Quelch. Sworn, 19 Aug. 1758, before us, Benjamin Cox, Henry Fielding.

371. [p. 157] Middlesex, to wit. Ann Sowton, aged 31 years, lodging at Mr Clark's in Lordship Yard, Chelsea in the parish of St Luke Chelsea in the county of Middlesex, upon her oath saith that she is the wife of Henry Sowton to whom she was married at Mr Keith's New Chapel, May Fair in the parish of St George Hanover Square and liberty of Westminster. That the said Henry Sowton is a painter and glazier and served his apprenticeship to one Edmund West in East Street in the parish of St Andrew in the city of Chichester in the county of Sussex, as she, this examinant, has been informed and verily believes. And since the said Henry Sowton hath been out of his time, he never kept house rented £10 by the year, paid any parish taxes, or been a yearly hired servant to this examinant's knowledge. That she hath one child by her said husband now living; to wit, Henry, aged about 6 weeks, now with this examinant. The mark of Ann Sowton. Taken and sworn, 22 Aug. 1758, before Benjamin Cox, Henry Fielding.

372. [p. 158] Middlesex. Examination of Ann Farrant and her father, Daniel Farrant, touching their settlements. Who on her oath says that she is about 21 years of age and a single woman. Says that she was brought into the parish of Chelsea when she was about ½ year old by her father and mother and has been a hired servant in several places, but not for twelve months. The last place that she lived as a hired servant was with Mr Duffell in the parish of Chelsea, with whom she lived eleven months and ten days, and then went to her mother's sick in the said parish. She being very ill [she] told her said master that she was not able to do his work, and desired of him to let her go to her father and mother's house, and he answered her and said that she might stay there if she pleased or go, and accordingly she, this examinant, went home to her father and mother's house 21 days before her year's service was expired. And in two or three days after she was gone her said master sent her £2 11s., which money with £4 2s. 6d., which she was paid before, made £6 13s. 6d., being the money paid to her for the wages for the eleven months and ten days. And he also further made her a present of 12s. and also a further sum of 21s. for her Christmas box or vales. And then she thought herself quite discharged from her aforesaid service.

The aforesaid Daniel Farrant being present deposeth upon oath that his legal settlement is in the parish of South Weald near Brentwood in the county of Essex, from which said parish he, the [p. 159] said Daniel, had a legal certificate from the aforesaid parish of South Weald about 24 years past, direct to the parish of Barking in Essex (or elsewhere). And was then a married man. And after some time his being in the said parish of Chelsea, he was summoned to swear to his legal settlement, at which time of summons he then produced to Justice Elers and the officers of the parish of Chelsea the above certificate. Which said certificate was received into the hands of Justice Elers, who ordered the clerk of the vestry to take care of it and to give a copy of the same to the said Daniel Farrant. By virtue of which said certificate he and his family hath resided in the said parish of Chelsea ever since to this time, and hath not rented any tenement of £10 per annum, or served any parochial office. Daniel Farrant. The mark of Ann Farrant. Sworn before me, 25 Nov. 1758, Samuel Bever, Charles Wale. Pass order. [See 462].

373. [p. 158] Middlesex, to wit. Lydia Reeves, destitute of lodging, upon [her oath] saith that she is 22 years of age and never was married, bound an apprentice, kept house or rented £10 by the year. But that she was a yearly hired servant [to] Joseph Thornhill, peruke maker in that part of Fleet Lane which [is] in the parish of St Sepulchre, London, for the space [of] four years at the yearly wages of 30s. a year, diet and lodging. [She] quitted the same about twelve months [ago] and hath not been a yearly hired servant in any one place for twelve months together since. The mark of Lydia Reeves. Taken and sworn, 8 Nov. 1758, before Benjamin Cox.

374. [n.p.] Mr Knowles at Lord George Benticks. She thinks the gentleman's name that her husband lived with in Chelsea was Davison. [See 378]