Peter Hunnisett

David & Mary Elphick of Westham

David Elphick, the third son of Richard and Sarah, was born in 1794 and baptised in Wartling on 1 February.

Mary Barnes, probably a daughter of Willam and Mary, appears to have been born in Arlington around 1802.

David and Mary were married in Arlington on 14 February 1825 and they are known to have had the following children:

All the Lewes christenings were at Saint Mary's Lane Wesleyan although, according to the 1851 census details, all the children were born in Westham.

In 1841 the family were living in Westham as they were in 1851 when they were living at Red Dyke House with 8 of their children; David, Caleb, George, Sarah, Harriett, Henry, Esther and Alfred. David and his sons David and Caleb were listed as agricultural labourers.

David died in early 1861 and his death was registered in Eastbourne. At the 1861 census Mary appears to have been staying with her son David in Friston. In 1871 Mary was working as a housekeeper to Joseph Coleman at Lime Wood Lodge in Herstmonceux. She was buried in Westham on 3 June 1880 aged 78.

Of their children:

• David married Eunice Errey in Westham on 29 October 1856 and they had three children:

  Mary Ann

  1858

  Sarah J

  1859

  David

  1861

  All the children were born in Friston where, in 1861, David was living at Friston Place house and in 1871 he was a farm bailiff living at Friston Place Cottage No. 1. By 1881 they had moved to Farm House, Littlington and in 1891 David was a farmer at East Dean with his wife and Mary, who was a dressmaker.

  Eunice died in 1897 and in 1901 David was a retired farm bailiff living at Gore Farm Cottages, East Dean, with his two un-married children, Mary and David. David died in 1904, aged 79.

• Caleb married Naomi Douch in 1854 and lived in Westham (see page for Caleb and Naomi).

• Walter married Sarah Ann Marchant in Westham on 14 June 1852 and their known children were:

  George

  1852

  died 1863

  Walter

  1854

  Westham

  Caleb

  1857

  Westham

  David

  1859

  Westham

  Sarah

  1863

  Wartling

  John

  1865

  Wartling

  Samuel

  19 Jul 1868

  Herstmonceux

  William

  12 Jun 1870

  Herstmonceux

  Alfred

  18 Aug 1872

  Herstmonceux

  Their first son George was born in Hailsham, but he died on 3 May 1863 and was buried in Westham.

  At the time of the 1861 census Walter was an agricultural labourer and they were living in a house at Red Dyke, possibly that previously occupied by his parents as David had just died.

  By 1871 they had moved via Wartling to Herstmonceux and were living at Hog Beam Cottage. The baptisms in Herstmonceux show Walter as a labourer living in Church Road. In 1881 they were at Cherry Croft Cottage and in 1891 at Black Gate, Herstmonceux. Walter died in 1898, aged 67.

  • Walter married Mary Jane and had a son, Alfred George, baptised in Herstmonceux on 11 November 1879 at which time Walter was a shepherd living at Park Gate. The 1881 census shows them at Herstmonceux Park.

• George married Philadelphia Foord (born 1830 in Westham) in Westham on 25 March 1857. The marriage was witnessed by George's brother Caleb and his wife Naomi. George and Philadelphia appear to have had six children:

  William

  1857

  Charles

  1861

  George

  1863

  Esther

  1 Jan 1866

  bap Westham 25 Mar

  Frederick

  1867

  John

  1873

  In 1861 George was a carter living in Handcomb and in 1871 he was an agricultural labourer living in Lusteds Cottage, Westham. In 1881 he was at Hornes Cottage, Westham, with Philadelphia and Frederick. George died in 1888 and in 1891 Philadelphia was living at Lusted's Cottage, Westham, with sons Frederick and John (17)!

  • William married Dorcas Terry in 1879. He died on 21 August 1927 aged 69 and was buried in Westham alongside his wife, Dorcus, who had died on 16 July 1907 aged 54.

  • Charles was a bricklayer's labourer lodging in Lewes in 1881 and married Ellen Brook in Westham on 3 December 1887. Charles died on 1 August 1939 aged 77 and Ellen on 2 April 1940 aged 76. Both were buried in Westham. The Blue Book Directories for Eastbourne show a Charles Elphick living at Hankham Cross during the 1920's and 30's.

  • Esther was staying with her brother William in 1881. She married Herbert Colbran (1872 - 1918), a gas stoker, in Westham on 26 December 1893 and they had seven children. Esther died at 13 Vine Square, Eastbourne on 23 February 1940 and was buried in Langney cemetery.

• Sarah was a housemaid working in London in 1861, where she married John Bryan in 1867. John was a gardener from Stonehouse in Gloucestershire and all their children were born in Littlebury, Essex, where they were living at Nursery Lodge in 1871 with the first of their children:

  John Charles

  1868

  Littlebury

  Sarah Ann

  1870

  Littlebury

  Esther Emma

  1874

  Littlebury

  By 1881 they had moved to Albury in Surrey and in 1901 they were in Frimley, Surrey. Sarah's death at the age of 90 was registered in Eastbourne in 1926.

• Harriet was a cook in London in 1861, in the same house as her sister Sarah.

• Henry worked for a coal retailer and married Esther Lambert in 1864. They lived at 4 Railway Terrace, Eastbourne, with their children:

  Charles

  Q4 1865

  John

  Q3 1867

  Ruth

  Q4 1870

  Esther

  Q1 1873

  Herbert Henry

  Q2 1876

  Sarah

  Q1 1878

  Edward

  Q4 1881

  By 1891 Henry had become foreman at the coal wharf. Esther died in the 1890's and in 1901 Henry was still at Railway Terrace with his four youngest children and a niece, Esther Bryant, daughter of his sister Sarah. Henry died in 1904, aged 64.

• Esther was a dressmaker and in 1861 she was staying with her uncle, Edward Elphick, in Paddington, London. She married Joseph Webster in 1880, had a son Arthur in 1887 and was living in Berkshire in 1891.

• Alfred was a shepherd living with his brother George in Handcomb in 1861. He married Mary Ann Styles, from Shipley, in 1870 and in 1871 they were at Great Beech Farm in Battle with the first of their children. In 1881 they were living in Shepherd's Cottage, Westham, with their first three children, all born in Battle:

  Mary

  ca. Jan 1871

  Battle

  George

  Q1 1873

  Battle

  Alfred Ranger

  Q1 1875

  Battle

  Edward

  Q1 1892

  Westham

  In 1891 they were all at Montague Cottage, Westham, and Alfred, Mary and Edward were still there in 1901. Alfred died in 1906.

  • Mary married Samuel Middleton in Westham on 24 Dec 1892.

  • Alfred married Frances Ida Stephens in Westham on 29 August 1896. During the 1920's and 30's he lived at 8 Rattle Road, Westham.