5

March Tree 

WILLIAM GRIMES and MARY ALLET (9)

 

WILLIAM GRIMES. Unusually, William’s burial record, at the age of 72, tells us that he was the son of John Grimes. We do not know what was so memorable about John Grimes to warrant this.

Baptism. St Margaret, Felbrigg.
1738 Nov 28  William son of John and Abigail Grimes.

His mother was Abigail Whyerson.

William was the sixth of seven children, though three of these seem to have died in infancy.

We have not found William’s occupation. In the 1841 census, all the Grimes men in the surrounding area are agricultural labourers, except for one fisherman in Beeston Regis. It is likely that William too worked on the land.

William was first married in 1759.

Marriage. St Margaret, Felbrigg.
1759 Jun 4  William Grimes of this parish singleman & Sarah Eastow of the same singe woman.
They make their marks + and X

It was a marriage haunted by tragedy

Baptisms. St Margaret, Felbrigg.
1761 born Mar 8, bapt Mar 16  Mary and Sarah.
Mary was buried on 29 Mar 1761, aged three weeks. Her twin Sarah lived a little over a year, and was buried on 2 Jul 1762.
1763 born Jan 1, bapt Jan 12  Abigail
1764  born Feb 18, bapt Feb 24  Elizabeth
1765 Apr 14  Elizabeth
We assume that the first Elizabeth died, though we have no record of her burial.
1766 May 11  Hester.  Hester died soon after birth and was buried  on 14 May 1766.

Sarah survived the birth by only two weeks.
Burial. St Margaret, Felbrigg.
1766 May 23  Sarah Grimes.

William was left with just two of his daughters.

Three months later, he married again.

 

MARY ALLET. Mary was living in Felbrigg when she married. The age given at her burial would make her born in 1742-3. There are many baptisms for Mary Allen, but we have found none for Mary Allet. Nor have we found a marriage for a man named Allet to a wife named Mary, and she was said to be a spinster when she married.

We are on surer ground with a baptism in 1764, two years before her marriage to William Grimes.

Baptism. St Andrew. Metton,
1764 Apr 1  Jane illegitimate daughter of Mary Allet.

Metton is two miles south of Felbrigg Hall.

 

The couple married in Felbrigg.
Marriage. St Margaret, Felbrigg.
1766 Aug 17  William Grimes widower s and Mary Allet spinster, both of this parish.
Both make their mark X.
Witnesses: Francis Allet X. John Ward.

Francis Allet, who was a witness, may be Mary’s father or brother. The couple named one of their sons Francis.
We have found no further information about Francis Allet. 

They raised their family in Felbrigg.
Baptisms. St Margaret, Felbrigg.
1767 May 6  John & Sarah son & daughter of Wm & Mary Grimes.
On 27 Aug there was the burial of Elizabeth daughter of William and Sarah Grimes. This meant that the only surviving child of William’s first marriage was his daughter Abigail.
1769 born Aug 27, bapt Aug 29  William
On 22 Mar 1769, the infant Sarah, twin to John, was buried.
1771 Nov 17  Elizabeth
1774 Mar 17  Charles
1779 born Nov 10, bapt Nov 16  Mary
1782 born Jun 12, bapt Jun 16  Francis Barnaby
`1784 Sep 29  Sarah
1787 born May 14, bapt May 21  Margaret

St Maragaret’s church,  Felbrigg, was built in the grounds of Felbrigg Hall and the village was clustered around it. In the 16th century, following an outbreak of plague, the village was rebuilt in a new location to the north-east, leaving the church isolated.
It is approached by an avenue of oak and beech.

Unusually, there was a census for Felbrigg in 1788. This showed William Grimes, his wife and 8 children (unnamed). In a village of 196 inhabitants, theirs was the largest family.

The  Grimes family does not feature in the churchwardens’ lists of principal property owners in 1801-2 and 1820-1.

There is a headstone in Felbrigg churchyard for William Grimes. He died on 18 Sep 182?.
Burials. St Margaret, Felbrigg.
1810 Sep 21  William Grimes, son of John Grimes, aged 72.

Mary lived another ten years.
1820 Apr 14  Mary Grimes, aged 77.

 

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