Lewes Lookup Pls? - John Delves

[sillgen]

Just as a matter of interest the name Delves appears to be predominately in East Sussex rather than West.   Looking at the Sussex Marriage Index I could not see a Worthing entry.  It would be easy to mishear/mistranscribe Wartling for Worthing which was presumably better known as a larger place.
John Delves married Mary Thorpe 31st March 1802 in Wartling and there is another marriage for John Delves to Jane Brook 12th Oct 1826.   
I would think it would be a good idea to search the film of the parish registers at your nearest LDS centre just to check that your possible John did not die young.  Also looking at the witnesses on marriages for his siblings.  If he signs after 1838 it is obviously not him!
Andrea

[Deb D]

Many thanks, Andrea - the marriage to Mary Thorpe looks promising.  As for the second marriage you mentioned, I don't think that's our John, the son of John and Mary, as he was only born in 1819.  It's possible it might have been the father remarrying ... although if he did, I suspect it was short-lived as I think he died in 1828 (found in the OPC listings online - agreed, however, that this isn't definite until I find some sort of solid documentation).

 

[sillgen]

Looking at 1841 there is a Maria Delves widow living with Henry and Elizabeth and their children.   They are at Comphurst Farm House, Wartling
ref HO107 1105 13/36 18
Henry and family are still at the same address in Wartling in 1851 though he is called Harry and his age fits with the baptism you have for one of John's siblings.
ref HO107 1638 138
There is a death for a Maria on freebmd in 1842. 
There is also a death for a John Delves in 1838 and another in 1842.  There appears to be one John Delves widower age 65 in the workhouse in 1841 so the latter death could be his.
I wonder if there are any wills for any of the family?   Sometimes looking at the wider picture helps.
Andrea

[Deb D]

Have just had a look at the Documents Online site of TNA, ... nothing blindingly obvious jumps out at me, though.  Might take another look at the library's Ancestry link, in a day or so.

Thanks again.

[sillgen]

Over 200 results for "Delves" on the A2A site for East Sussex record office.  May be worth ploughing through them.
For example
"On 4 May 1761 Samuel Harrison and his wife Elizabeth mortgaged to John Pain of Hastings servant for £30, who died a bachelor intestate 28 May 1803 leaving sisters Sarah Hide and Martha Lidwell; administration was granted to the former 18 July 1803 and on her death regranted to her son Thomas Hide 25 July 1817
By lease and release of 29 & 30 Sep 1817 and fine, Nicholas Harrison Wimble of Hastings carpenter, his sisters Ann wife of John Luxford of Reigate labourer, Maria wife of Thomas Delves of Wartling husbandman and Elizabeth West of Welford Northants widow (nephew and neices and devisees of Nicholas Harrison deceased) joined with Elizabeth Bevan widow, administratrix with will annexed of the goods of Edward Lintott left on the death of her father William Lintott) and Thomas Hide carpenter (the representatives of the two mortgagees) to convey the property to William Gill of Hastings banker in trust for NHW and to assign the two mortgage terms to William Thorpe and William Scrivens of Hastings gents as trustees"

That may put paid to my theory about Maria and Henry in my earlier post!
Andrea

[Deb D]

Ohhhh rats!

[Deb D]

Hmmm ... been having a think about this ...

When John Jr came out to Australia in 1840 ... the ship's purser or someone in authority had to fill out forms ...  and on John's form, they noted that he was the son of "Jno Delves & May (or Mary), his wife", ... but whereas other passengers had notations to the effect that one or another parent was deceased ... John's form seems to indicate both his parents were still alive (which puts paid to the death I found in 1827).  It doesn't seem to me, from this, that his father had remarried, either; - although my logic may be warped by now.

Any thoughts on this idea would be appreciated (erm ... the dead or alive, married or remarried thing, - not whether my logic's gone haywire!)

And did you notice that the 1841 Census entry for Henry had him as 25, and Elizabeth his wife as 40?  With an 8-year-old son!  Was Elizabeth a cradle-snatcher?   

Yes, it's possible the lad was Elizabeth's son from an earlier marriage - but then, would there have been a different notation for his surname? 

**Edit - added: - The John Delves who was in the workhouse in 1841 seems to have had a 70-year-old brother William with him.  **