William Martin - found at last?

Button-Fly Genes: A Cautionary Tale

Right: I think that I've found my William Martin, with his father John (the Labourer, not the Mariner), mother Sarah and brothers George and Thomas.

They appear in the 1841 Census in Bosham, all the men are Agricultural Labourers.

• John Martin c1784
• Sarah Martin c1788
• George Martin c1824
• Thomas Martin c1826
• William Martin c1828

As I now know that the family are from Old Fishbourne and being a little more cautious (isn't hindsight great!), I'm going to obtain the Fishbourne Parish records before tracing anything through.

William Martin - Help!

After getting stuck trying to find William Martin, I called upon the help of the Parish Record Transcription Society, as follows: -

I'd be most grateful if you could locate the baptism record and parents of William Martin. I have the following references:

Bosham Marriage register (PRTSOC) married Mary Anne Bunday 12/12/1857 aged 30, Labourer from Fishbourne.
His father is listed as John Martin, also a Labourer.
1861 Census: Born Sidlesham, Sussex 1829
1871 Census: Born Lyminster, Sussex, 1829
1881 Census: Born Birdham, Sussex, 1830
1891 Census: Born Chichester, Sussex 1828
1901 Census: Born Burdham, Sussex 1829

I have the transcribed Fishbourne Parish records and couldn't find William in there. I hope you can help.

Thanks in anticipation


Mark Tillison

A Cautionary Tale

So here I've been, merrily researching away, tracking Savages and Whites, Philips and others.

Many, many, others. Many.

And it's all a sham. A waste of time. And why? Because there's one small detail incorrect. One small detail like; John Martin born in Bosham in 1802 is not the father of William Martin, born 1829 in Lyminster, or Birdham, or Sidlesham (depending on which Census you look at).

And nor is his mother, therefore, Patience Savage, born 1809 in Westbourne.

All the hours I've spent going through Parish records and back in to the Census records, tracing through all the descendants to 1901. Wasted.

How bloody annoying. And how did this happen?

Well: early in my research, when I was just dabbling, I didn't make reference to the sources of information as I do now. And I was contacted by some relatives on Genesreunited who had already traced some of the ancestors of the people in my tree so, fascinated, I copied them.

So now I have based my research on someone else's findings. Which now turn out to be inaccurate. It appears that I've cut off the branch I'm sitting on, to use a tree analogy.

Damn it! I've got some unpicking to do now!

The moral: NEVER trust anyone else's research. Seriously. Just don't.


:c

William Martin b.c1768 in Bosham

....another of those instances where a central database of parish registers would really help.

I have William in the Bosham Baptism register, born to Edmund Martin and Mercy Bennet (1743 Bosham). William was born c1768, but there is no marriage record.

On 18.5.1848, I have a burial record for an 80-year-old William Martin, from Boxgrove.

Assuming this is the same guy, he appears in the 1841 Census, listed as birth in 1768 in Sussex, living in Chidham, just across the channel from Bosham. In the same household is Elizabeth Rossell (Russell?) b1803 in Sussex.

Unfortunately, the relationship to the head of household was not recorded in 1841, so I can't tell if they are related.

I guess the only way to find out what happened in William's life is to find the Parish records for Chidham.

George Martin

I've yet to trace them all fully, but this Obituary, kindly supplied by a fellow descendent, conveniently names a whole group of the family of George Martin b1841 in Bosham.

Glyn Martin mentioned was first an articled clerk and became and Auctioneer / Estate Agent in Bosham. His wife, mentioned is Christina Tennant Gourlay b1894 in London.

Grandchildren Vivian, Doreen and Phyllis are the children of Claude Martin.

Mrs Walter Durling is Ellen Catt, the daughter of George's sister, Eliza Martin (1847) and William Catt (1844), married in Medway in 1865.

My best guess right now would be that Mrs L B Skerrin is Ella Gertrude Martin, although I've been unable to locate a marriage record for any Skerrin in the BMD Index. Perhaps it is misspelled on this obit?

There is a baptism record for George William Baldwin in Bosham 07 November 1920; parents George Arthur Baldwin and Mary Ann Aldous Baldwin. George's sister, Mary Ann Martin (1833) married Harry Aldous (1828), although I've yet to establish any children. It's quite possible that Mary Ann Aldous Baldwin is descended from this union, I guess.

Bygone Bosham: George Martin

Bygone Bosham: George Martin

For anyone who's interested in Bosham genealogy, I'd recommend Bygone Bosham by Angela Bromley-Martin (thanks for the tip, Helen). It features many photographs of the families of Bosham from yesteryear.

Of particular interest is one George Martin, pictured with his daughter and his son's daughter. According to the author, George eloped with the vicar's daughter in the 1870's or 1880's and whose brothers ran the Anchor and Shipp pubs in Bosham.

Research reveals this to be an accurate rumour.

He eloped to Southampton with Charlotte Sophie Mitchell, who appears with her father, Rev Henry Mitchell in 1871 in the Vicarage, along with whole heap of siblings.

George was a Mariner, like almost all of the Martins of Bosham, certainly in that era anyway. They eloped to Southampton and were married in South Stoneham in Jul-Sep 1873. Before returning shame-faced to Bosham, it appears that they had two children in Southampton, Ella Gertrude (1873) and Claude (1874). They then appear to settle back in Bosham and continue having children, starting with Nora Beatrice in 1878.

There doesn't seem to be a Baptism record for Nora in Bosham - I wonder why that might be ;)

George is my great, great, great, great uncle.

Allen Mark Martin

Allen's birth was registered between Oct-Dec 1874 in Westbourne, Sussex, England and he appears with his parents in 1881, 1891 and 1901 in the Ship Inn, Bosham.

The next record I can find is his Burial in the Bosham Parish records: 12 Feb 1953. His residence at the time is recorded as Rochallions, School Lane, Bosham.

Later in the Parish register, a Louisa Martin is Buried on 31 December 1953, also having resided at Rochallions. She's aged 80 upon her death.

I have located a marriage record for an Allen Mark Martin and Louisa Ann Hill, Jul-Sep 1903 in Downham, Norfolk.

Researching whilst I'm blogging: Louisa Hill appears in the 1901 Census. Born c1875 in Stow, Norfolk, she's a Domestic Servant at Old Park - in Bosham!

This would support the marriage record find. Allen took her back to Norfolk to marry her and then returned to Bosham. In the absence of any stronger evidence, I'll have to assume (dangerous!) that this is the correct Louisa Martin who died in Bosham. The age at death / birth year is almost perfect too.

Who is Annie R?

Here's what I currently know to be true about Annie R:

• In the 1901 Census, she is listed as the wife of Harry Martin (b. about Dec 1850 in Bosham)
• In 1901, her birth is recorded as 1853 in Bosham, Sussex.
• Before 'marrying' Annie R, Harry was married to Frances Marsh, the last child was born in 1890
• In the 1891 Census, Frances Marsh is listed as the wife of Harry Martin.
• I have been unable to identify a marriage record for Annie R and Harry.

In the Bosham Parish Register, there is a marriage listed for a widowed Annie Rosina Martin and George Brown, also widowed. Annie's father is shown as George Purver, a baker.

Could this be Annie R?

Nora Beatrice Martin

FreeBMD Birth Entry:

Nora Beatrice Martin
Birth Registered Jul-Aug-Sep 1878
Westbourne, Sussex England

Nora appears in the 1881 Census in The Hermitage, Bosham with her family

Father: George Martin born c1844 in Bosham, a Master Mariner
Mother: Charlotte Sophie Martin born c1849 in Bosham
Brother: Claude Martin born c1875 in Southampton, Hampshire
Sister: Ella Gertrude born c1874 in Southampton, Hampshire

Unable to locate a marriage record for George and Charlotte either.
None of these records appear in my tree, although there must be some connection.

George Martin (1852)

Another record in the FreeBMD

George Martin
born between Oct-Dec 1852
Westbourne, Sussex, England

A record for a George Martin (b1854 in Westbourne) exists in the 1881 Census where he appears as a lodger in Chichester with Sarah Martin, born c1853 in Hetfordshire. Assuming they are married, I located a marriage record in the FreeBMD for George Martin with an adjacent record for a Sarah Dewey in Chichester, 1878.
Unfortunately, I can't locate a birth record for Sarah Dewey in Hertfordshire in c1853; but I can locate a Sarah Martin.

Coincidence? Unlikely.

Bennett William J Martin: Possible Match

Bennett William J Martin

I found a member on Genesreunited that has a Bennett recorded in their tree. Following a little correspondence, we've established the following:

Bennet bn 1897 as the son of Allan Hearty Martin and Mary Louisa Frogbrook who married Mar quarter 1896, Westbourne district.

I have an Allan H Martin married to unknown spouse with a son, Allan Martin.

I have a sister Sybil Fern bn 1899.
I believe Allan Hearty to be the son of John Martin bn C1837 Bosham and Emma.

John Martin is also present in my tree with a spouse, Emma.

Mary Louisa is with her 2 children in 1901 at Mariner's Terrace Bosham.
I think Allan must be the Allen Martin on the ship Hilda in Newhaven Harbour in 1901 as married Master.
I found him in 1891 as a mariner son.
I have searched the register indexes from 1864 to 1868 and it appears Allan Hearty was not registered at birth.

Awaiting visibility of the tree....