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« on: Monday 23 April 07 20:56 BST (UK) »
Hi,
Thanks JohninAus for that likely marriage.
Suzanne,
Sorry I've never heard of any connection with Aintree.
The main thing I have to add about Robert (the one who died in 1860) is that he did leave a will which is of some interest. I haven't got a copy, but I took notes from it some years ago - I really should go back to Lincoln Archives and get a copy, as I looked at it when I was first starting out researching family history and wouldn't now be too confident of the accuracy of my note taking.
The will was made 11 September 1855 and he was living in the parish of St Lawrence Island, Jersey. By the time he made a codicil on 29 August 1859 however he was back living at London Rd., Spalding. The beneficiaries were his wife Mary, son John, daughter Bridget and the children of Bridget and his, by now deceased son Robert. Samuel isn't mentioned (perhaps he died without children by this time?). The curious thing is that the legacies suggest a reasonably wealthy man and seem to amount to much more than the £100 the estate was assessed at when proved at Lincoln on 11 September 1860. There is mention of £300 placed "without bond or acknowledgement in the hands of James Grant of Baston for the purpose of investment in my name" and also title deeds and documents in the care of this James Grant.
I don't know if there is a connection, but in a letter of 1867 written to Robert W K Topham (one of the potential beneficiaries) there is mention of a case in chancery, with the prospect of a payout.
Do you (or anyone) know whether or not an estate could end up in chancery even after probate had been granted?
Moving on to Robert (1805-44) the relevant dates for the family are -
Robert Topham - I think you have these earlier in the thread - he is described in his will and a directory as a farmer. Note the family appear twice on the 1841 census - in Deeping Fen with Robert's father, as noted earlier, but in Algarkirk as well!
married Elizabeth Burbidge (spinster of Deeping Fen)
Children
John Robert bp 10/7/1838 Spalding
William King bp 6/12/1840 Algarkirk bu 1/5/1843 Algarkirk
Charles bp 26/2/1843 Algarkirk bu 17/3/1843 Algarkirk
Robert William King bp 22/9/1844 Algarkirk
More about the two children who lived:
John Robert Topham
married 25/10/1864 Market Deeping to Louisa Perkins spinster of Market Deeping
They had 3 children Elizabeth Ann b.11/8/1865, John Robert b.29/10/1867 and James Topham b. circa 1869. I think that by the time James was born the surname had been changed from Topham to Haynes in accordance with the will of James Haynes.
Both parents died young.
Louisa died in an accident 19/2/1870, and John Robert was buried 24/8/1871 (Market Deeping). They lived at Wensor Castle Farm in Deeping Fen.
Robert William King Topham
married 25/9/1865 at the Congregational Chapel, Peterborough to Isabella West (according to oral family history - he married the cook and ran away to America).
They had the following children - William James (b.11/6/1866 Sugartown, New York State), Albert (b 3/1/1869 Market Deeping), Lizzie (b.28/12/1870 bp29/1/1871), John Robert (b.4/12/1872 bp. 25/12/1872) George Henry (b.11/10/1874 bp.6/11/1874)(this is the child blind from birth refered to in John Cragg Topham's will), Arthur Edward (b.25/10/1876), Sarah Ann (b.29/5/1878), Amy (b.6/9/1879). Robert (b.2/7/1881), Matthew (b.11/3/1883), Isabella(b.6/6/1884), Herbert (b.13/11/1885), Annie (b.27/9/1887). The preceding birthdates were taken from a family bible. All the children except the first two were born at Deeping St James. Isabella died 28/10/1889 at Deeping St James. Robert then remarried to Susanna Elizabeth Toynton 26/12/1890 at Deeping St James. They had 3 children - Harold, Lily and Percy Toynton (b.2/4/1893). Susanna died 16/5/1895 at Deeping St James. Robert died 17/5/1910 at Helpston buried 21/5/1910 at Deeping St James.
OK so this post seems to have dragged on a bit - is there a length limit on these things? Maybe I should have done these dates as an attachment.
Anyway - hope this is of some interest.
By the way, going back to Bridget - her son Charles emigrated to the USA in 1850 and had family there. I have a little more on this if you want.
Peter