JAMES HERSEY and ELIZABETH BORER (8)

  

JAMES HERSEY. From the date of his marriage, we should expect a baptism for James around 1737. There is one that matches it in Nutfield, 3 miles south of Caterham where he married.

Baptism. Ss Peter and Paul, Nutfield.
1737 Jul 5  James ye son of James Hersey.

We have not been able to find his mother’s name for certain, but she may have been Elizabeth.

James junior was the second of six children.

His father was a gardener. We have no information about James’s occupation. His youngest son Richard became an agricultural labourer, and it is likely that James was one too.

Before his marriage, James had moved from the village of Nutfield three miles north to Caterham. This would have been the village on the slopes of the North Downs, now known as Caterham on the Hill. The modern town in the valley was built in the 19^th century.

 

ELIZABETH BORER. The age given at her burial gives Elizabeth a birth date of 1739-40. This matches exactly with a birth in Caterham.

Baptism. St Lawrence, Caterham.
1739 born Nov 15, bapt Nov 25  Elizabeth the daughter of John and Mary Boarer.

Her mother was Mary Burley of Croydon.

Elizabeth was the oldest of eight children, but two of them died in infancy.

She grew up in Caterham, but was living in Coulsdon, 4 miles NW, at the time of her marriage. Her father had been resident in Coulsdon at the time of his own marriage, so she may have had family there.

 

Marriage. St Lawrence, Caterham.
1762 Oct 9 James Hersey of the parish of Caterham and Elizabeth Borer of Coulsdon.

The couple set up home in Caterham.

Seven children were baptised at St Lawrence’s. This was the ancient parish church for Caterham on the Hill, but fell into disrepair when St Mary’s was built opposite in 1866.

Baptisms. St Lawrence, Caterham.
1764 born Mar 7, bapt Mar 14  William
1766 Apr 1  Sarah
1768 Apr 23  Anna Maria
1770 Oct 77  James
1773 Jun 27  Thomas
1777 Jan 19  Judith
1779 Sep 19  Richard

 This was a time of prosperity in rural Surrey, with the ever-growing demand for food in London.

Caterham was still a village when James and Elizabeth died.

Burial. St Lawrence, Caterham
1803 Apr 29  James Hersey

He was aged 65.

Elizabeth was a widow for 17 years,

1820 May 7  Elizabeth Hersey  Caterham  80 yrs