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James Phillips (1789-1845)

Page history last edited by Jon 15 years, 3 months ago

1789

James Phillips was born around 1789[1]. A discussion of the possible parentage of James can be found in the article Looking for James Phillips

 

1818

James Phillips (a bachelor) married Susannah Lucas (a spinster) at Crayford[2] on 1st August 1818. Susannah Lucas was born around 1796-97[3] at Tenbury in Worcestershire. Her father was Richard Lucas, a labourer[4] (although on her death certificate her father’s occupation was given as farmer). The register shows that neither party required the consent of parents to marry, which indicates they were both over the age of 21 at the time[5].

 

1841

James (40) & Susannah (45) are shown living with their family in an area of Dartford referred to as ‘The Banks’ by the census enumerator[6].

James is listed as a labourer (later records give more detail about his profession, recording this variously as ‘Trimmer at Iron Foundry’[7],  ‘Moulder’[8] and either Watchman or Matchman depending on your reading of a later marriage certificate[9]). All the family are born in Kent with the exception of Susannah, who is listed as being born outside the county. It appears that one other person lived in the same house, a 60 year old woman, Johanna Webb, who was born in Kent[10].

 

1845

James Phillips was buried at Holy Trinity, Dartford on November 16th 1845[11]. The register records his age at death as 56, indicating that he was born around 1789[12]. 

 

Children:

 

Footnotes

  1. Based on the age given at the time of his death. ▲
  2. Source: Register of Marriages, Crayford. Both parties were shown as being 'of this parish' on the entry in the parish registers. Neither James or Susannah was able to write (they both left a mark in the register). The witnesses to the marriage were Thomas Baxter and William C. Fry. ▲
  3. Susannah is shown as 45 in both the 1841 and 1851 census, giving an approximate range of 1796-1806 for her year of birth. As we know that Susannah would have been 21 or over in 1818 (in order to marry without parental consent) this gives us a date range of 1796-1797 for her year of birth. ▲
  4. Susannah's father is named on the marriage certificate for her second marriage in 1848. ▲
  5. From the introduction of Hardwicke's Marriage Act in 1753 until 1823 anyone under age the age of twenty-one had to obtain the consent of their parents to marry. The Parish Registers of Crayford show where marriages required consent, but this marriage did not. ▲
  6. A couple of doors away, there is a labourer called Simon Phillips (20) who is shown living amongst another household. Simeon was baptised in Dartford on 9th October 1815, the son of Richard and Ann Phillips - a line that originates from Sutton at Hone. He was buried on October 16th 1843. There is no evidence that he is an immediate relation. ▲
  7. This occupation is recorded on the marriage certificate of his son, James Phillips, in July 1881. ▲
  8. This occupation is recorded on the marriage certificate of his son, John Phillips, in December 1859. ▲
  9. This occupation is recorded on the marriage certificate of his son, Charles Phillips in July 1853. Although we have looked at both the entry in the GRO records and the original Parish Register entry we have been unable to read this occupation clearly enough to make a definite reading. ▲
  10. The 1841 census uses marks to indicate inhabited houses and this shows that Johanna Webb was living in the same 'inhabited house' as the Phillips family. Hannah Webb of West Hill appears as the informant for the birth of John Phillips on 22nd August 1840 (when the birth was registered on 29th August 1840) and as a witness to the marriage of Susannah Phillips and Thomas Tebay at Plumstead on July 23rd 1848. The appearance of Hannah in relation to the family in 1840, 1841 and 1848 at different locations (Dartford and Plumstead) suggests that she is a close family friend or a relation. It is possible that Hannah (born around 1781) could be the sister of James Phillips (1789-1845). James and Susannah Phillips named their first child Hannah in 1821, which gives further weight to the theory that Hannah Webb is James' sister. ▲
  11. We know that James Phillips died between 6th June 1841 (the date of the census) and July 23rd 1848 (the date Susannah remarries). There are two James Phillips who are recorded as dying in Dartford in this period. One of these, James Phillips, 65, who died on 7th December 1846 at Union Workhouse Dartford (witnessed by William Phillips) can't be our ancestor as this James appears in the 1841 census at Dartford Union Workhouse (aged 65, born outside Kent). This suggests that the remaining James, who was buried at Holy Trinity, Dartford on November 16th 1845 at the age of 56 is our ancestor. ▲
  12. This differs from the 1841 census, which stated that James was 40, indicating that he would have been born around 1801. As the 1841 census is often less than reliable for ages (for example, with ages rounded down) the burial record could be a more accurate indicator of his age. ▲

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