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Information contained in these pages is intended for genealogical research only,
and I ask that you respect the privacy of those mentioned.
Please
acknowledge the source of any information used from these pages. James Inwood and Lucy Head © James, the son of Isaac Inwood and Lucia / Lucy (nee Puttock), was baptized on the 12th September, 1802, in the Oakwood Chapel, Surrey, England1. This record indicates the family were members of the Parish of Ockley. Oakwood Chapel was built around 1220 as a ‘Chapel of Ease’ to the Wotten Parish Church for ‘ye inhabitants or out boarders of ye parysshes of Wotton, Okly, Abinger, Rydgewyke, Warnham and Ewhurst in ye county of Surrey and Sussex …. which dwell very ffar distant from ye parysshe churches’. This chapel is also only a short distance from an historical estate Gatton Manor. Ockley is approximately 10km south-west of Dorking, and stretches along the line of the old Roman Stane Street. Mentioned in the Domesday Book as having 14 medium sized households with a value to the Lord of £3. 5s. Largely an agricultural parish with a long history of having only a small number of substantial land ownerships, the area also supported minor brick and tilemaking. Originally situated a little north-east of the present site, the most important features of Ockley today are St Margaret, the Parish Church, the remains of the fortified Ockley Court which is close by the church and the long broad village green2. James first married Ann Giles in 1824, and records indicate they had 4 children: John 1825; Ann 1827; Lucy 1830; and Emma 1833. It is not known just when Ann died, but on the 23rd April, 1838, according to the Rites and Ceremonies of the Church of England, James, a Widower, married Lucy Head, a Spinster, in the Parish Church, Cranleigh, Surrey3. On the marriage certificate James gives his occupation as a Labourer of Fastbridge and his father as Isaac Inwood, a Farmer. Lucy gives her occupation as a servant of Fastbridge and her father as Richard Head, a Labourer. James and Lucy both state they are of Full Age and both made their mark. The witnesses were Abraham Thayers and Caroline Cole. Fastbridge was a substantial farm holding, estate, or manor approximately 10km North of Cranleigh. Lucy, the daughter of Richard Head & Margaret (nee Clarke), was baptized in St Peter & St Paul's Parish Church, Albury, Surrey, on the 8th February, 18061. The Old St Peter and St Paul’s Church pre-dates 1066, and has been considerably altered over the centuries. The original Saxon church spire was replaced by the current cupola in 1819. The village of Albury is 10km north of Cranleigh. It appears in the Domesday Book as Eldeberie, consisting of 22 quite large households which included 5 smallholders. Richard son of Count Gilbert was the Tenant–in-Chief, and the village had a value of £9. James, aged 37 and Lucy, aged 34 can be found on the 1841 Census4, where they were living in the Walks, Ockley, Surrey. With them are: Ann 16; Lucy 12; Emma 9; Mary 2, she married John Fuller 1857; and an unnamed baby girl age 3months, all recorded as born in the County. A search of the BMD records at FamilySearch indicates this daughter's name may have been Harriett, as a baptism of a Harriett Inwood, parents James & Lucy, has been located in the Parish Register of Ockley, Surrey, in August 1841. A probable 1851 Census record of James, Lucy and their family has been located, with the family living in Edward Street, Southwark, Surrey4. This record has James age 45, with occupation recorded as Gas Fitter, his wife is listed as Mary Ann age 42, and with them are children: Ann 13 (possibly Mary Ann?); Harriett 11; James born 1843; and Caroline born 1845, parish records of Abinger has the baptisms of these two. It is assumed the Enumerator misread Lucy as Mary, and while this record has all recorded as born in Guildford: Ockley, Albury and Abinger can all be classed as part of the Guilford District. The anomaly with the occupation can be explained by the fact that James & Lucy’s son John, according to his marriage record and the 1851 Census, was a Stoker in the City Gasworks, and it is feasible that he obtained a job for his father. By the time the 1861 Census4 was taken James and Lucy, recorded as ‘Irwood', were in ‘the rural parish of Abinger, living at Hackhurst. Abinger is approximately 10kms north-north-west of Ockley. James is recorded as a 60year old Carter, born Oakley, Surrey. Lucy is age 55, and her place of birth is recorded as Albury, Surrey. The 1871 Census4 shows James and Lucy are In Felda Bottom, Shere, Surrey. James is a 70year old Labourer and Lucy is aged 64. Shere is roughly 5km east of Hackhurst. Later records indicate that sometime after this Census James & Lucy moved to the Guildford Union Workhouse. Lucy died on the 25th January, 1879, in the Workhouse, she was 72years old, and the wife of James Inwood, a Labourer5. The cause of death is listed as Paralysis of the Right Side & Exhaustion, possibly the result of a stroke. The Informant was the Master of the Workhouse, Richard Davis. Lucy was buried in the churchyard of St James, in Shere, on the 30th January6. Interestingly the burial record gives Lucy’s abode as Shere and not the workhouse where she died. Maybe this might indicate they had not been there very long? It is not known just when James & Lucy entered the workhouse, but it is believed they both entered together. James is recorded on the 1881 Census as an inmate of the Workhouse, and he is also to be found on an Inmate list on the Guildford Union Workhouse website. Aged 80, a widow, James’ occupation is recorded as an Agricultural Labourer, from Ockley, Surrey. James died in the Workhouse, on the 5th April, 18865. He was 86years old, his occupation is listed as an Agricultural Labourer of Shere, the cause of death is recorded as Decay of Age, and the Informant was the Master of the Workhouse, William J Hardwick. James was laid to rest in the grounds of St James Church, in Shere, on the 10th April, 18866. As was the case with his wife James’ residence is not given on his burial record as the Workhouse, but the House of Industry. One would like to think that this may have been some small gesture by the Curate to protect the dignity of an old man? Or maybe after Lucy’s death, James was moved to another part of the Workhouse. Records indicate there were a number of workhouses in operation around Guildford, and one of these was ‘Parish House’ in Shere. Catering for between 12 and 20 inmates, it is possible James and Lucy entered the smaller workhouse in Shere, rather than one of the larger ones, therefore explaining their residence being given as Shere.
References: 1. Parish Baptism Record 2. Friends of Okewood Church http://www.friendsofokewoodchurch.org/history 3. Parish Marriage Record via Ancestry.co.uk https://www.ancestry.co.uk 4. UK Censuses via Ancestry.co.uk https://www.ancestry.co.uk 5. Death Certificate 6. Parish Burial Record via Ancestry.co.uk https://www.ancestry.co.uk
Other Sources: British History Online http://www.british-history.ac.uk Exploring Surrey's Past http://www.exploringsurreyspast.org.uk FamilySearch https://www.familysearch.org/search/ Gilford Union Workhouse http://www.workhouses.org.uk/Guildford/ Open Domesday Book http://domesdaymap.co.uk/ Public Family Trees via Ancestry.co.uk https://www.ancestry.co.uk Visit Surrey http://www.visitsurrey.com WebMD https://www.webmd.com/
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