Person:Ann Aldridge (6)

Ann Aldridge was born about 1753 - her burial record says she was 79 when she died in 1832.

The first known record that mentions Ann is her marriage to Walter Creasey in East Grinstead on 11 August 1776. The marriage record says she was living in the parish of Laughton, Sussex, some 20 miles from East Grinstead. It's not currently known who Ann's parents were or how she came to marry someone who lived so far away.

There don't appear to have been any Aldridge families in Laughton or East Grinstead at the time of Ann's marriage. Later there was a James Aldridge whose wife Sarah was buried at East Grinstead in 1804, and a Methodist Minister William Aldridge who christened children 1829-1837 in East Grinstead. There was also an Elizabeth Aldridge buried in Lingfield, Surrey (5 miles from East Grinstead) in 1774.

Walter and Ann had 8 children all baptised in East Grinstead:

• Elizabeth bap. 19 Apr 1778
• James bap. 4 Feb 1781
• Mary bap. 16 May 1784. She married Edward Geer in 1802 and had eight children
• George bap. 26 Nov 1786. He married Elizabeth Payne who bore him a son who died as an infant and she died a few years later. He later married widow Mary Mathew and had two more sons
• Ann bap. 13 Sep 1789
• "Kitty" (Catherine) bap. 2 Sep 1792. She may have been named after Walter's sister Katherine. She married Thomas Gorringe in 1815 and had eight children, although Ann died before the last one born
• John bap. 26 Mar 1797 bur. 7 Jun 1797
• Thomas bap. 4 Nov 1798. He married Mary Ann Holland in 1822 and had 10 children, although Ann only lived to meet the first four.

In all Walter and Ann had 29 grandchildren.

Walter died in 1828 at the age of 74 and was buried on 6 Jun in East Grinstead.

Ann died a few years later and was buried 14 Jan 1832 in East Grinstead. Her burial record gives her abode as the "Poor House".

Geographical and Historical Context

East Grinstead has been an important market town since the early middle ages. St. Swithun's Church was rebuilt after it was struck by lightning in 1772. Near the entrance to the church, stones mark the supposed ashes of three martyrs who were burned on 18 July 1556 during the reign of Mary I because they refused to renounce the Protestant faith.

Ann was born during the reign of George II. He lived through the reigns of George III and IV and died during the reign of William IV.

DNA Genealogy

If you are a descendant of Ann Aldridge and would like to compare autosomal DNA results please contact Jocelyn_K_B (at) yahoo.com for kit numbers

St. Swithun's Church, East Grinstead

East Grinstead High Street

1. ↑ Church of England. Sussex, England. Parish Registers 1538-1910. (FamilySearch)
   Elizabeth Creasey, dau. of Walter & Ann, bap. 19 Apr 1778 at East Grinstead.
2. ↑ Church of England. Sussex, England. Parish Registers 1538-1910. (FamilySearch)
   James Creasey, son of Walter & Ann, bap. 4 Feb 1781 at East Grinstead.
3. ↑ Church of England. Sussex, England. Parish Registers 1538-1910. (FamilySearch)
   Mary Creasey, dau. of Walter & Ann, bap. 16 May 1784 at East Grinstead.
4. ↑ Church of England. Sussex, England. Parish Registers 1538-1910. (FamilySearch)
   George Creasey, son of Walter & Ann, bap. 26 Nov 1786 at East Grinstead.
5. ↑ Church of England. Sussex, England. Parish Registers 1538-1910. (FamilySearch)
   Ann Creasey, dau. of Walter & Ann, bap. 13 Sep 1789 at East Grinstead.
6. ↑ Church of England. Sussex, England. Parish Registers 1538-1910. (FamilySearch)
   Kettey Creasey, dau. of Walter & Ann, bap. 2 Sep 1792 at East Grinstead.
7. ↑ Church of England. Sussex, England. Parish Registers 1538-1910. (FamilySearch)
   John Creasey, son of Walter & Ann, bap. 26 Mar 1797 at East Grinstead.
8. ↑ Church of England. Sussex, England. Parish Registers 1538-1910. (FamilySearch)
   Thomas Creasey, son of Walter & Ann, bap. 4 Nov 1798 at East Grinstead.
9. ↑ ^9.0 9.1 Church of England. Sussex, England. Parish Registers 1538-1910. (FamilySearch)
   Walter Creasy m. Ann Aldridge, 11 Aug 1776 at East Grinstead.
10. ↑ ^{10.0 10.1 10.2} Church of England. Sussex, England. Parish Registers 1538-1910. (FamilySearch)
    Ann Creasy aged 79, bur. 14 Jan 1832 at East Grinstead.