The Thorpe family of Fairlight

[rogerofgoostrey]

Hi Everyone

I am a new mwmber of Rootschat.  My special interest is in the Thorpe family of Fairlight.  My mother was one of the last Thorpes to have been born there.  I have a huge amount of 'family tree' data and there is probably not much more that I can add except at the very recent (post 1900) and the early (pre 1700) ends of the timescale.  However I now want to try to put some meat on the bones particularly for the 19th century when there were about 80 members of the Thorpe family living in the area between Hastings and Rye.  Basically I am interested in any detail however small on members of this branch of the Thorpe family what they did, where they lived etc.  Any contributions will be greatfully received.

By the way I am also interested in Ades, Wenham and Willett families from the same area.  I have much less detail on these families and would love to hear from other members who have similar surname nterests.

I reallise that this first posting is rather general and will post some more specific questions in due course.

Roger

[Chris in 1066Land]

Hi there Roger

Welcome to Rootschat and especially the Sussex Boards.

I hope that whilst you are with us, we can add some more flesh on to the bones of your ancestors.

Do you have all the data from the census returns as I notice that in the 1851 there are some 85+ refences to the surname Thorpe.

In1841 there are some 12 families listed in that area accounting for some 47+ individuals.

My database of Monumental Inscriptions contains some 25 stones in that area with the Thorpe name on them.

Obviously I do not want to repeat the information that you already have, so will wait with anticipation for your next posting

Chris in 1066Land

[rogerofgoostrey]

Hi Chris

I do have the 1841 and 1851 censuses for the area but I would love to know what the 25 monumental inscriptions relate to because I certainly don't have that many.   As I live in Cheshire it is not easy to get to Sussex to explore the churchyards.  Please let me have any details that you have on Thorpe MI's especially in Ore, Fairlight, Guestling, Pett, Winchelsea and Rye.

Kind regards

Roger

[Chris in 1066Land]

Hi Roger

These are the hits from my database that match up with your villages - all except Fairlight which has not yet been entered.

Stone No, Place, Name, Age, Year of Death
024 Hastings, Ann Thorpe, 73 – 1852
024 Hastings, James, 59, 1832
002 Pett, Emily Anna Thorpe, No age given, 1928
005 Pett, Bertha Thorpe, 19, 1843
003 Pett, Charlotte Thorpe, 52, 1870
006 Pett, Charlotte Thorpe, 68, 1852
006 Pett, John Thorpe, 68, 1850
317a Guestling, John Thorpe, 64, 1814
317b Guestling, Christopher Thorpe, 60, 1783
317 Guestling, Elizabeth, 47, 1828
317 Guestling, Mary Thorpe, 60, 1859
317a Guestling, Mary Thorpe, 54, 1808
317b Guestling, Elizabeth, 81, 1810
317b Guestling, Hannah, 46, 1768
088 Ore, Christopher Thorpe, 86, 1762
089 Ore, Mary Thorpe, 71, 1761
138 Halton, Harriett Thorpe, 72, 1868
138 Halton, William Thorpe, 60, 1846
031 Hooe, John Thorpe, 20, 1768
032 Hooe, Richard Thorpe, 91, 1808
033 Hooe, Mary Thorpe, 57, 1780
034 Hooe, Mary Thorpe, 58, 1819

Chris in 1066Land

[rogerofgoostrey]

Hi Chris

Thanks for the MI's. I don't think that the Hastings, Halton and Hooe Thorpes are mine unless they are decendents of an offspring of  a very early ancestor that I have not picked up. The MI's from Pett and Guestling are definitely mine but I think that I have seen all of them except possibly Bertha's.  If you have some good photos of these I would be interested in copies.

The real interest is in the couple from Ore.  These were Christopher Thorpe and Mary Farncombe who were married in Ore in 1711. These are my 6 x great grandparents!!!!
Please please send me more details, church, photos etc so that I can visit the grave when I next get down to the Hastings area.  What a great find that has made my membership of Rootschat worthwhile after only one day!!!

Thank you so much.

On a slightly different subject I have been contacted by 'L' who has information for me on the Ades family.  This was a personal message but when I clicked the link in the email , I got a message saying 'you are not allowed to send personal messages'.  How can I get this unblocked to that I can find what information 'L' can send me. Can you help?

Kind Regards

Roger

[Chris in 1066Land]

Roger

You are going to like this

Earlier today, I posted in the Sussex boards "Why do we let this happen" and St Helens Old Church, Ore

Both of those messages refer to the church where Christopher and Mary are buried in Seperate Graves

I will post the stones and inscriptions in a moment

Be ready for a surprise - I kid you not

Chris in 1066Land

[Chris in 1066Land]

Hi Roger

St Helens Old Church, Ore - Sussex

Stone Number 088

Icon on stone - Carved Shell

In memory of/ Christopher Thorpe/ who departed this life/ Nov 6th 1762/ aged 86 years.

Sorry, but at the moment I can not locate / get to the stone to photograph it - I think it is under some brambles and thick undergrowth.

Stone No 089

Icons on Stone - Book, Shells, Hourglass, Scrolls, Flowers and Angel

In memory/ of Mary the wife of/ Christopher Thorpe/ who departed this/ life July 10 1761/ Aged 71 years

Photograph of stone is below - isnt that something special

Hope you like it

Chris in 1066Land

[rogerofgoostrey]

Hi Chris

Well done you really are a star!!

It is such a beautiful stone.  I must try to get down to Ore before this lovely grave is desicrated as it seems that the church has been.

Regards

Roger

[Chris in 1066Land]

Hi again

Stones like this are very rare, especially as it has stood out in the open for ni on 250 years.

It is an absolute shame that the church and yard are being neglected - maybe we can team up and get some kind of preservation society going or something like that - something has to be done about it.

Your ancestors must have visited that church on many occasions and i expect the font was used in all their baptisms as well

To have a stone like that must have cost a few bob - what were their occupations and do you know where they lived in Ore

Glad you liked the information

Chris in 1066Land.