Ancestors of Mandy Willard

Clement WILLARD (1813-1895)

and Sophia HOLDER (1811-1884)

Clement Willard and Sophia Older were my 3x Great Grandparents.  (Click here to see their place in my pedigree chart.)  They were married by banns on Wednesday 12 September 1832 at St. Mary's parish church in Pulborough, Sussex.  They were both then of Pulborough.  The witnesses to their marriage were William Herbert and Frances Herbert, who were Sophia's sister and brother-in-law.

Clement Willard was baptised on Sunday 14 March 1813 in Pulborough.  He was the fifth son and tenth child of John Willard (1773-1846) and Jane Godden (1774-1850).  He died aged 82 years on Thursday 11 July 1895 in the Union Workhouse in Thakeham, Sussex.  His cause of death was senile decay and his death was registered by James Parrish, Master of the Workhouse.  He was buried in Pulborough on Monday 15 July 1895.  Clement was a farm labourer.  On 12 September 1831 he was a witness to the marriage of Edward Pledge and Ruth Netley, in Pulborough.  In 1871 Clement was earning his living as a gardener and he was lodging in the home of Mary Ager, a 74 year old widow, at 46 Albert Road in Willesden, Middlesex.

Sophia Holder was born about September 1811 and baptised on Sunday 15 November 1818 in Pulborough along with 2 siblings.  She was the sixth daughter and eighth child of Allen Older (c1775-1842) and Sarah Brooks (1775-1862).  She died aged 72 years and 10 months on Monday 28 July 1884 in Pulborough and was buried there on Thursday 31 July 1884.  Her cause of death was Nephritis (chronic) Anasarca - inflammation of the kidney.  Her death was registered by Clement Willard, widower, who was present at the death.  Sophia was a witness to the marriage of William Knight and Ruth Collins on 12 May 1845 in Pulborough.  When the 1871 census was recorded she was lodging with the family of her daughter Harriet in Greatham, Sussex.

Clement and Sophia were witnesses to the marriage of her nephew John Older to Harriet Whittington on 6 June 1844 in Pulborough. 

When the 1851 census was recorded the couple and 5 children were living in part of Kings Cottage in Pulborough.  Clement was then a 41 year old agricultural labourer and Sophia was 40.

It would seem from the census that Clement and Sophia parted sometime between 1861 and 1871, although as has been noted, Clement was the informant on Sophia's death certificate.

Clement Willard and Sophia Holder had 8 known children:

1. Gainey Older Willard was baptised on 24 February 1833 in Pulborough.  She married Clement Smith in 1854.  (They have their own page.)

2. George Willard, my 2x Great Grandfather, was baptised on 20 July 1835 in Pulborough.  He married Mary Wedge (1840-?) in 1857.  (They have their own page.)

3. Clement Willard was baptised on 1 April 1838 in Pulborough and buried there on 1 December 1863, aged 26½ years.  This would mean he was born about June 1837.  The birth of a Clement Willard was registered in the first quarter of 1838 in the Thakeham registration district, which includes Pulborough.  I think it probable that his age was wrongly recorded in the burial register.  In 1851 he was a 13 year old agricultural labourer living at home.

4. Ellen Willard was baptised on 18 April 1841 in Pulborough.  She was 2 months old when the 1841 census was recorded.  In 1851 she was an 11 year old scholar.

   Ellen had 2 illegitimate daughters:

   1. Eliza Willard was baptised on 24 June 1866 in Pulborough.  In 1871 she was 4 years old and living with the family of her aunt Harriet.  When the 1881 census was recorded she was a 14 year old domestic nurse at 16 and 18 Montague Street, Broadwater, in the household of Alfred Crouch.

   2. Ann Turner Willard was baptised on 24 May 1868 in Pulborough.  In 1871 she was 3 years old and living with family of her aunt Gainey.  At the time of the 1881 census she was a 12 year old domestic servant in the household of James Hart at Redfold in Pulborough.

5. Allen Willard was baptised on 24 September 1843 in Pulborough and buried there on 11 September 1845, aged 2 years.

6. Harriet Willard was baptised on 31 May 1846 in Pulborough.  She married George Greenfield in 1865.  (They have their own page.)

7. John Willard was baptised on 4 March 1849 in Pulborough and buried there on 31 July 1857, aged 8 years.  He was 2 years old when the 1851 census was recorded.

8. Sarah Willard was baptised on 14 September 1851 in Pulborough.  She married John Blunden in 1871.  (They have their own page.)

NOTES

Census Details for the above family:

1841  Upper Street, Martins Lane, Pulborough, Clement and Sophia with children George, Gainey, Clement and Ellen.

1851  Part of Kings Cottage, Pulborough, Clement and Sophia with children George, Clement, Ellen, Harriott and John.

1861  Mare Hill, Pulborough, Clement and Sophia alone.

1871  Willesden, Middlesex, Clement.  Greatham, Sussex, Sophia.

1881  Clement was at 46 Albert Road, Middlesex, where his occupation was given as Mangling (Wash & Serv) to the head of the household 70 year old widow Ann Wood born in Pulborough.  Sophia was in Mare Hill Common and she was a Nurse with a 78 year old lodger James Ayling who was a widower and an Ag Lab.

1891 Workhouse, Thakeham, Clement, a widower.

 

Edward Pledge and Ruth Netley married by banns on 12 September 1831 in Pulborough.  They were both of Pulborough.  The witnesses were Clement Willard and James Overington. 

Edward Pledge was baptised on 30 July 1809 in Pulborough and was the son of Peter Pledge and Elizabeth Mercer, who had married on 25 January 1806 in Pulborough.

Ruth Netley was baptised on 13 March 1814 in Pulborough and was the daughter of Luke Netley and Elizabeth Gouldsmith, who had married on 18 March 1805 in Pulborough.

1851 census - Part of Kings Cottage, Pulborough, Sussex (HO107/1650, folio 47, page 11)

Clement Willard, Head, Mar, 41, Ag Lab, born Sussex, Pulborough

Sophia Willard, Wife, Mar, 40, born Sussex, Pulborough

George Willard, Son, U, 15, Ag Lab, born Sussex, Pulborough

Clement Willard, Son, U, 13, Ag Lab, born Sussex, Pulborough

Ellen Willard, Daur, U, 11, Scholar, born Sussex, Pulborough

Harriett Willard, Daur, U, 5, Scholar, born Sussex, Pulborough

John Willard, Son, U, 2, born Sussex, Pulborough

1871 census - 46 Albert Road, Willesden, Middlesex (RG10/1329, folio 100, page 48)

Mary Ager, Head, W, 74, Laundress, born Ireland

Clement Willard, Lodger, Mar, 58, Gardener, born Sussex Polboro

1871 census - Old Farm House, Greatham, Sussex (RG10/1104, folio 122, page 11)

George Greenfield, Head, Mar, 28, Ag Lab, born Billingshurst, Sussex

Harriet Greenfield, Wife, Mar, born Pulborough, Sussex

Walter Greenfield, Son, 4, born Pulborough, Sussex

Edith J. Greenfield, Daur, 2, born Greatham, Sussex

Eliza William, Niece, 4, born Pulborough, Sussex

Sophia Willard, Lodger, Mar, 60, born Pulborough, Sussex

next property on the census enumerators route...

Ham Cottage No. 1

Clement Smith, Head, Mar, 41, Ag Lab, born Rackham, Sussex

Ganay Smith, Wife, Mar, 39, born Pulborough, Sussex

Arthur A Smith, Son, 14, born Rackham, Sussex

Emma Smith, Daur, 11, Scholar, born Rackham, Sussex

Ellen L. Smith, Daur, 9, Scholar, born Rackham, Sussex

Mary J. Smith, Daur, 3, born Greatham, Sussex

Annie T. Willard, Niece, 3, born Pulborough, Sussex

Michael Gatton, Lodger, Widr, 70, Ag Lab, born Ashington, Sussex

HOLDER          WILLARD