5
Alan March’s Family History
This site is a work-in-progress. There is a massive amount to cover. I have included both male and female lines, and some go back many generations. Keep coming back for more.
I have numbered the generations working backwards from Alan’s as (1)
EDWARD LADD and ELIZABETH HARRIS (7)
EDWARD LADD. The 1841 census, which in Banstead gives exact ages, places Edward’s birth at 1777-8. This is later than the age given at his burial, which places it at 1772-3. No baptism has been found for the later date, but there is one for the earlier.
Baptism, Sutton.
1773 Jan 10 Edward s of John & Elizabeth Ladd.
His mother was Elizabeth Allwinckle.
Edward married in Banstead. The only entry in the Banstead registers for Ladd before this is the marriage of Martha Ladd in 1658. This fits with Edward having come there from another parish.
Sutton is a town in Surrey 3 m north of Banstead. In 1755 two turnpike roads were opened, crossing in Sutton. One was the London-Brighton road, the other from Carshalton to Ewell. This greatly added to the prosperity of the town.
Edward was the fourth of 12 children, one of whom died in infancy.
Like so many others, he became an agricultural labourer. He moved south to Banstead. The chalklands of Banstead Downs supported an abundance of sheep. Crops were also grown, despite the lack of natural streams. Water was collected in dewponds.
His twin brothers Thomas and James also moved to Banstead and had children baptised there.
ELIZABETH HARRIS. The 1841 census and the age given at her burial give different estimates of her birth date, ranging from 1773 to 1779. She was of Banstead when she married there, so her baptism is probably the following.
Baptism. All Saints, Banstead.
1776 Aug 5 Elizabeth daughter of Richard and Anne Harris.
Her mother was Anne Boney of Banstead.
Elizabeth was the third of six children. The index of burials does not distinguish between children and adults, but it appears that up to three of her siblings may have died as children.
Unlike Edward, who was a newcomer to the village, Elizabeth came from a long-established family. There were Harrises in Banstead at least as early as 1619. She was part of a large extended family.
Marriage. Banstead.
1794 Jan 5 Edward Ladd and Elizabeth Harris, both of this parish.
We have the baptism of seven children.
Baptisms. All Saints, Banstead.
1794 Feb 23 Elizabeth. There is a possible burial for her on 5 Nov 1795
In 1796 there a baptism in Cheam, adjacent to Sutton, and 3 miles north of Banstead.
Baptism. St Dunstan, Cheam.
1796 Feb 28 Frances
There are no other baptisms in Cheam for children of Edward and Elizabeth Ladd, and this fits the pattern of dates, so this appears to be the same family. All the other children were baptised in Banstead.
Baptisms. Banstead.
1798 Feb 11 Charles
1800 Mar 15 Maria
1802 Oct 26 Mary. There is a burial for Mary Ladd on 1 Jul 1804.
1806 Feb 23 James. He was buried on 15 Oct.
1811 May 5 John
1814 Mar 13 Caroline
Edward and Elizabeth raised their children during the French Revolutionary and Napoleonic wars. The youngest child, Caroline, was born a year before the Battle of Waterloo, which resulted in victory over the French.
This was a period when the English countryside was changing rapidly. There was a huge increase in the enclosure of former common land. W Teorkers lost their right to graze animals there. There was a decreased demand for farm labour. As the 19th century progressed, this was partly offset by the increase in population, demanding more food.
In 1841 we find Elizabeth and Edward living at North Lodge East, Banstead. Their children have left home. Unusually, the census gives their exact ages, instead of rounding them down to a 5 or 0, as was the norm in 1841.
1841 Census. North Lodge East, Banstead, Epsom, Surrey.
Edwd Ladd 63 Ag Lab Y
Elizth Ladd 62 Y
Wm Ladd 27 Ag Lab Y
William was Edward’s nephew, son of his brother Richard.
Both Edward and Elizabeth died before the next census.
Burial. All Saints, Banstead.
1848 Sep 3 Edward Ladd Banstead 75
Elizabeth died a year later.
1849 Jun 3 Elizabeth Ladd Banstead 75
Elizabeth’s true age was 73.
[i] https://media.mutualart.com/Images/2017_08/28/00/002757955/845daa25-e8b3-4180-83bb-159880b772d1_570.Jpeg
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