I've traced back to the baptism of my great-great-great-grandmother Mary Jane Baker on October 2, 1842. Her parents were William and Harriet. I'm trying to see what I can find to help delve into Mary's past and hopefully get back further on both William's and Harriet's sides, but so far that's not the case. I know Mary married James Morley in June 1866. However, even though I've found the record of their marriage I haven't found the certificate that could tell me whether William was still around/his occupation. And although I've found Mary in 1861 working as a servant and correctly listed as being born in Cranbrook, the only close result in 1851 is a Mary Jane Baker who is living with her great-aunt and uncle, and was born in Yeovil. These missing puzzle pieces are collectively a real head-scratcher that's driving me barmy!
Mary J BAKER and James MORLEY married in the June quarter of 1866, not necessarily in June (Ref: Tunbridge registration district, volume 2a, page 784). If you order the certificate, that should provide the details of Mary's father and his occupation.
As Jan says, you really do need to purchase the marriage certificate to give you more information about William BAKER. However, in the meantime you might like to consider the burial record for a Harriet BAKER at Cranbrook on 13 December 1785, aged 80. GRO Death Registration shows her as Harriett BAKER. If this is the Harriet BAKER who is the mother of your Mary Jane, then she is in the 1851 census of Cranbrook (HO107/1619, folio 77, page 26) shown as a widowed Charwoman living at The Hill with unmarried daughter Hannah, aged 21 born Cranbrook. The 1861 census of Cranbrook (RG9/507, folio 16, page 31) shows her still living at The Hill, this time with unmarried son David, aged 38 born Benenden. 1871 census of Cranbrook (RG10/949, folio 71, page 30) shows her as a Lodger in the household of widow Hanna HOPSON, Harriet herself always shows her place of birth as Rolvenden. Then it becomes slightly more tricky tracing Harriet backwards. I can find a David BAKER born c1826 in Kent in the 1841 census at either Cranbrook or Rolvenden, but in neither case is he living with his family. I can find a 10 year old Hannah BAKER living at Benenden, Cranbrook in the 1841 census but she is living as a separate household in the house of Alexander BUTLER, his wife Harriet & son George aged 1. The only trouble with all these above records is that they seem more likely to refer to the children of a John & Harriet BAKER who are living in the 1841 census of Benenden, Cranbrook, and I can find no likely William BAKER in the 1841 census of the Cranbrook area married to or living with a Harriet. As to the Mary Jane BAKER you have found in the 1851 census of Evesham, there is a Mary Jane BAKER whose birth is registered in the March qtr 1844 at Yeovil, Somerset which might just be she. Ah, now I wonder if this could be relevant. 1841 census of Goudhurst, Cranbrook (HO107/473/3, folio 18, page 27) shows a Harriett BAKER aged 25 living at Chapel Lane with a James BAKER aged 3. FMP Kent baptisms gives the transcription of a James BAKER born 19 October 1838, baptised 9 June 1839 at Goudhurst, son of William & Harriet BAKER, William being shown as a Shoemaker. 1841 census of Cranbrook (HO107/472/7, folio 9, page 8) shows a William BAKER, aged 30, a Shoemaker, living by himself. But then I come to a full stop once more as I cannot find any of this family in the 1851 census! I think the only way you are going to progress backwards is to purchase the marriage certificate as hopefully it will give you Mary Jane's father, his profession, and where she was living at the time of her marriage. Otherwise, it is a bit like looking for a needle in a haystack. Janet
Kent marriage transcriptons has the following marriage at Goudhurst 1/2/1838 William Baker batchelor - shoemaker s/o John Baker lab. married Harriet Vinall spinster d/o Thomas Vinall lab. both otp There is a female birth on the GRO index registered Sept qtr 1844 Cranbrook Union 5 -72 mmn Vinall There is also a Jane Baker registered on the GRO index March qtr 1842 Cranbrook Union 5-78 mmn Knall (this could perhaps be a mistranscription of Vinall) Also William Baker Sept qtr 1845 Cranbrook Union 5-77 mmn Vinale
There is a Thomas Venall age 59 (1782) with Sophia (1783) and John (1819) address - In The Town, Goudhurst, Cranbrook HO107 piece 473 book 3 folio 5 page 8
I am struggling to find a birth reg for James. There are 2 Sept qtr 1838 one in Tunbridge 5-422 mmn Batcheler, the other in Cranbrook 5-72 mmn Sanders
In 1851 there is a married William Baker, born 1810 Cranbrook, shoemaker (master) as head of the household, married, but alone in High Street,Tunbridge HO107 1615 117 2 In 1861 at the same address, now a widower, with John Baker b1850 Tonbridge RG09 494 114 73 Birth reg (GRO) John Baker Sept qtr 1849 Tonbridge 5-516 mmn Vinall
The information MollyMay has given you fits in very well with the 1841 census record for Harriet & James BAKER as they look to be living in the same house as a James & Phebe VENALL and their daughter Hester, so perhaps they were visiting Harriet's brother?? Harriet VINALL daughter of Thomas & Ann VINALL, Labourer, was baptised on 14 May 1815 at Goudhurst. James VENNELL son of Thomas & Ann VENNELL was baptised on 28 February 1808 at Horsmonden. Janet
And two households down on the same page of the 1861 census of Tonbridge it looks as if son William BAKER is working as a Waggoner's Mate. But so far I have not managed to find Harriet, John or William BAKER in the 1851 census. According to the 1861 census, William was born in Cranbrook and John in Tonbridge, so they should be in Tonbridge. Janet Snap MollyMay - glad it is not just me. There is a William BAKER born c1844 Maidstone who is a visitor in the household of widow Jane SMITH at Maidstone and a John BAKER born c1848 at Cranbrook who is a Lodger in the household of the MATTHEWS family at Staplehurst, but …...
William Baker can be found in 1871 still in High Street Tonbridge RG10 931 5 2 - still a shoemaker He has a new wife Eliza b1844 in Essex There is a marriage March qtr 1869 in Tonbridge (2a 646) William Baker and Eliza Sparrow appear on the same page It would appear William dies before the 1881 census as Eliza Baker widow can be found in Lambeth with her son William (March qtr 1877 Lewisham 1d 1053 mmn Sparrow) RG11 609 87 33 - East Street, 4 Rose Cottages, Lambeth - she is a visitor the head of the household is Joseph Arnold (b1853 Fordham Essex) bootmaker.
