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Richard Head and Susanna Strudwick © Believed to be the son of Richard Head and his wife Elizabeth (nee Baker), Richard was baptised in St John the Baptist Parish Church, Wonersh, Surrey, on the 16th December, 17251. Lying approximately 5½km south-east of Guildford, Wonersh is in an agricultural area, but in the 16th Century was one of the flourishing seats of the clothing trade in West Surrey. Specializing in Blue Cloth, dyed with woad, a plant of the cabbage family, which was grown under licence granted by the Queen. The blue cloth commanded a high price, particularly in the Canary Islands. However, by the 17th Century, due to the unscrupulous activities of some of the makers in stretching their webs, the lucrative market was lost. However, this was only part of the problem, as the clothing trade was dwindling throughout the area and Wonersh suffered the same decline in their cloth trade2. We have little information on Richard’s family, but we do know that he married Susanna Strudwick, by Banns, on the 25th July, 17573. The marriage took place in the Parish Church St Thomas of Canterbury in East Clandon. They were married by the Rector Mr Greenhill, and the witnesses were Henry Tayler and Geo Cate. East Clandon is approximately 7km east of Wonersh, and a clue is found on the marriage record as to why the marriage took place there. The marriage record states Susanna was from the parish, but Richard was from Wonersh. There was no indication of parents on the record, but both Richard & Susanna signed their names, which may indicate they had some schooling at some stage, or that their parents may have been more than general labourers. Interestingly Susanna signed as Susanna Head! Approximately 22km South East of East Clandon and 11km South of Wonersh, the word Clandon, first recorded as Clanedune, goes back to Anglo-Saxon times meaning ‘clean down’ thus ‘open downland’ from the North Downs hills that rise above the village in the south. People settled here due to the availability of water that emerged where the high chalk downs meet the lower lying clay from the north of the parish onwards2. It is estimated Susanna was born around 1735, and reference to a potential baptism has been located on several online sites for her. Possibly Susanna was the daughter of William Strudwick and his wife Ann (possibly Sparks), baptised 1 April 1735 in Wisborough Green Sussex. Predominantly a farming community said to have medieval origins, Wisborough Green lies in the northwest corner of West Sussex roughly 32km south of East Clandon. It is thought Susanna's parents married in Hascombe Surrey in 1731. Hascombe, along with Wonersh, East Clandon, and possibly even Wisborough Green, appear to have been in, around, or part of the Manor of Bramley. At the time of the Domesday Survey and up until then mid 1800s, the this Manor of Bramley covered many parts of the county from near Shalford to the north and south into Sussex, and it is believed the workers from this estate may possibly have travelled around to the different areas of the estate for work depending on the seasons. A search of records in the general area has uncovered only two children for Richard and Susanna both baptised in Wonersh: William 1758; and Richard 1760, he married Margaret Clarke 1787. Neither of these records give any indication of Richard’s occupation, but a later document indicates he may have been a Farmer. The All Surrey, England, Land Tax Records, 1780-18326 indicates Richard Head was the Occupier of Land in Wonersh 1780-1789, the records for these years indicate the land was owned by the Heads family of Yealdhurst. 1799- 1802 indicates the land was owned by the late Halls. Richard died in 1801, he was 76years old and was buried in the churchyard at St John the Baptist in Wonersh on the 31st March4. It is not known if there is, or was, a marker on his grave. A Will for Richard has been located which indicates he was a Farmer of Wonersh. In his Will he leaves all his property to his wife Susannah, this included all household goods and furniture, all farming stock and equipment and all his personal belongings. The full estate passing to his son Richard upon her re-marriage or death, with his son William to get £20.005. Land Tax Records of Wonersh6 indicate Susanna was the Occupier of land owned by Thomas Maybank 1806-1808. Susanna died in 1810 and was buried in the Parish Churchyard of Wonersh on the 9th March4, she was 74years old.
References: 1. Parish Baptism Record via Ancestry.co.uk https://www.ancestry.co.uk 2. Exploring Surreys Past www.exploringsurreyspast.org.uk/themes/places/surrey/mole_valley/ 3. Parish Marriage Record via Ancestry.co.uk https://www.ancestry.co.uk 4. Copy of Richard's Will via Ancestry.co.uk https://www.ancestry.co.uk 5 Parish Burial Record via Ancestry.co.uk https://www.ancestry.co.uk 6. All Surrey, England, Land Tax Records, 1780-1832via Ancestry.co.uk https://www.ancestry.co.uk
Other Sources: Oral Family History
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