Peter Hunnisett

Samuel & Mary Elphick of Pevensey

Samuel Elphick was probably born around 1725 but no baptism has been found.

Mary Wenham, daughter of William and Mary, was baptised in Pevensey on 6^th October 1737.

Mary had an illegitimate daughter baptised in Pevensey. No father was named but it could well have been Samuel Elphick as they married the following year:

On 20^th May 1760 Samuel Elphick married Mary Wenham in Pevensey where they had the following children baptised:

Samuel was buried in Pevensey on 1^st August 1784, aged 59.

Mary was buried in Pevensey on 24^th December 1803, aged 65.

Of their children:

• John married Benedicta Gearing, a minor, in Westham on 30^th June 1781 and they had the following children:

  Benedicta

  2 Jun 1782

  Willingdon

  George

  8 Feb 1784

  Willingdon

  Barbara

  2 Mar 1786

  Willingdon

  Cassandra

  1 Jan 1788

  Hailsham

  Elizabeth

  25 Oct 1789

  Hailsham

  James

  26 Feb 1792

  Willingdon

  Jemima

  4 Aug 1793

  Willingdon

  John

  26 July 1795

  Willingdon

  Ruth

  11 Jun 1797

  Willingdon

  John was buried in Willingdon on 23^rd January 1811 and Benedicta re-married, to Richard Mewett, in 1818. In 1841 she was in Westham and William Elphick and Hannah Wood were in the same house. William was the husband of Benedicta’s daughter Jemima, and Hannah was Benedicta’s grand-daughter, the daughter of Elizabeth. Benedicta was buried in Willingdon on 27^th November 1845.

• Richard married Sarah Wratten and lived in Wartling.

• Samuel married Elizabeth Ticehurst in Wartling on 7 June 1796 and the ceremony was witnessed by a William Elphick, probably his brother. Samuel and Elizabeth had two children baptised in Wartling:

  Jane Eliza

  8 July 1798

  Herstmonceux

  Samuel

  15 Jun 1799

  Wartling

  Edward

  8 Jul 1803

  Wartling

  It is possible that they moved to Herstmonceux, although no further children appear there, as a Samuel of Herstmonceux aged 68 was buried in Wartling on 28 November 1832. Elizabeth, aged 67, was buried in Wartling on 30 October 1833.

• William married Elizabeth Walters in Wartling on 10 December 1792 and the marriage was witnessed by William's brother Richard. William and Elizabeth had a number of children baptised in Wartling, where he worked as a farmer:

  Samuel

  17 Mar 1793

  Mary

  16 Aug 1795

  Elizabeth

  21 Jan 1798

  Sarah

  8 May 1803

  Edward

  1 Dec 1805

  Walter

  15 May 1814

  The Sussex Poll Book for 1837 shows William at Marsh Foot and Tindal's Marsh. In 1841 William and Elizabeth were at Marsh Foot with their son Edward. Also there were George Elphick who was Elizabeth’s illegitimate son baptised in Wartling on 26^th November 1820, and James Elphick. James was baptised in Wartling on 19^th March 1826, the son of William and Mary Elphick but how they were related to William and Elizabeth is not known. Marsh Foot Farm still exists.

  Elizabeth was buried in Wartling on 8^th November 1846 and William on 11^th December 1849.

• Edward and his wife, Sarah, had 5 children baptised in East Grinstead:

  Jane Austin

  2 May 1819

  Louisa Maria

  6 May 1821

  Walter

  8 Dec 1822

  Charlotte

  5 Dec 1824

  Edward Henry

  8 Jul 1827

  Three of their children; Jane Charlotte and Edward were recorded in East Grinstead in 1841 but their parents were not present and have not been found.

  In 1851 Edward was a butcher living in High Street, East Grinstead, with Sarah, daughter Louisa Simes, son Edward and 2-year-old grandson Austin Channing.

  Edward was buried in Ditchling, aged 81, on 27^th January 1860.

  In 1861 Sarah was a ‘fancy shop keeper’ in Ditchling. She was buried in Hurstpierpoint, where her daughter Jane Channing lived, on 30^th August 1870 aged 76.