Person:Maria Prior (1)

Maria Prior was born in 1841 at Pagham in Sussex, daughter of a hat manufacturer named Ann Prior and her husband Jacob Prior, a shoemaker, flint collector and fisherman. Maria was baptised at Pagham on 6th April 1841 - the same day that the 1841 census was taken. The census taken that night shows Maria living at Nyetimber in Pagham with her parents and siblings.

Some time in the early 1840s the family left Pagham and moved to the neighbouring parish of Sidlesham, where Maria's younger sister was born in about 1844. The 1851 and 1861 censuses both find the family living at Mill in Sidlesham. Maria followed her mother's trade as a child and young adult, being a straw plaiter and hat manufacturer.

In 1861, Maria had a daughter named Mary Ann Prior. Mary Ann's baptism record does not name the father.

On 26th November 1864, aged 23, Maria married a fisherman named Stephen Grant. He was also from the Mill area of Sidlesham, but was quite a bit older than her, being 35 when they married. They had a son named Henry in 1865, and a daughter named Annie in 1867.

Stephen died less than four months after Annie's baptism. He was only 37 when he died. Maria was therefore left with three children aged from five down to just a few months to support. Her brother Alfred apparently came to live with her, appearing with Maria and the children in the 1871 census.

In 1875, eight years after Stephen's death, Maria married again. Her second husband was a carpenter named George Fullinger. They stayed in Sidlesham, where they had three sons between 1876 and 1881. In total, therefore, Maria had six children from three different relationships.

George died in 1904, aged 60. Maria appears in the 1911 census living alone at Sidlesham. She reported that all six of her children were still alive. Maria died in 1919, aged 78.

1. ↑ Pagham (St Thomas a Becket) baptisms, in Sussex, England. Online Parish Clerks.

   No. 1045
   When baptised: 6 Jun 1841
   Name: Maria
   Parents: Jacob & Anne
   Surname: Prior
   Abode: Pagham
   Occupation: Shoemaker
   By whom the Ceremony was performed: E. Goddard

2. ↑ England. 1841 Census Schedules for England and Wales, Isle of Man and the Channel Islands. (
   Kew, Richmond, Greater London TW9 4DU, United Kingdom:
   The National Archives (abbreviated TNA), formerly the UK General Register Office.)
   Class HO107; Piece 1099; Book 4; Folio 24; Page 12, 6 Jun 1841.

   Address: Nytimber, Pagham, Sussex
   Jacob Prior, male, 40 [1796-1801], Collector of Flints, born in county
   Ann Prior, female, 35 [1801-6], born in county
   Ann Prior, female, 15 [1821-6], born in county
   James Prior, male, 15 [1821-6], born in county
   Fredrick Prior, male, 11 [1829/30], born in county
   Benj Prior, male, 9 [1831/2], born in county
   Helen Prior, female, 7 [1833/4], born in county
   Emma Prior, female, 6 [1834/5], born in county
   Julia Prior, female, 4 [1836/7], born in county
   Harriet Prior, female, 2 [1838/9], born in county
   Maria Prior, female, 4mo [1841], born in county

3. ↑ England. 1851 Census Returns for England and Wales. (
   Kew, Richmond, Greater London TW9 4DU, United Kingdom:
   The National Archives (abbreviated TNA), formerly the UK General Register Office.)
   Class HO107; Piece 1652; Folio 84; Page 11, 30 Mar 1851.

   Address: Mill, Sidlesham, Sussex
   Jacob Prior, head, married, male, 51 [1799/1800], Mariner, b. Shoreham, Sussex
   Ann Prior, wife, married, female, 45 [1805/6], Hat Manufacturer, b. Pagham, Sussex
   Benjamin Prior, son, unmarried, male, 19 [1831/2], Laborer, b. Pagham, Sussex
   Emma Prior, daughter, unmarried, female, 15 [1835/6], Hat Manufacturer, b. Pagham, Sussex
   Julia Prior, daughter, female, 13 [1837/8], Hat Manufacturer, b. Pagham, Sussex
   Harriet Prior, daughter, female, 11 [1839/40], Hat Manufacturer, b. Pagham, Sussex
   Maria Prior, daughter, female, 10 [1840/1], Hat Manufacturer, b. Pagham, Sussex
   Eliza Prior, daughter, female, 6 [1844/5], Scholar, b. Sidlesham, Sussex

4. ↑ England. 1861 Census Schedules for England and Wales, Isle of Man and the Channel Islands. (
   Kew, Richmond, Greater London TW9 4DU, United Kingdom:
   The National Archives (abbreviated TNA), formerly the UK General Register Office.)
   Class RG9; Piece 617; Folio 67; Page 8, 7 Apr 1861.

   Address: Mill, Sidlesham, Sussex
   Jacob Prior, head, married, male, 61 [1799/1800], Fisherman, b. Shoreham, Sussex
   Ann Prior, wife, married, female, 57 [1803/4], Straw Plait maker, b. Pagham, Sussex
   Maria Prior, daughter, unmarried, female, 20 [1840/1], Straw Plait maker, b. Pagham, Sussex
   Eliza Prior, daughter, unmarried, female, 16 [1844/5], Straw Plait maker, b. Sidlesham, Sussex

5. ↑ England. England and Wales. 1871 Census Schedules. (
   Kew, Richmond, Greater London TW9 4DU, United Kingdom:
   The National Archives (abbreviated TNA), formerly the UK General Register Office.)
   Class RG10; Piece 1111; Folio 67; Page 10, 2 Apr 1871.

   Address: Sidlesham, Sussex
   Maria Grant, head, widow, female, 29 [1841/2], Charwoman, b. Pagham, Sussex
   Mary Ann Prior, daughter, female, 9 [1861/2], b. Sidlesham, Sussex
   Henry Grant, son, male, 6 [1864/5], b. Sidlesham, Sussex
   Anne Grant, daughter female, 4 [1866/7], b. Sidlesham, Sussex
   Alfred Prior, brother, unmarried, male, 19 [1851/2], Labourer, b. Sidlesham, Sussex

6. ↑ England. 1881 Census Schedules for England and Wales, Isle of Man and the Channel Islands: . (
   Kew, Richmond, Greater London TW9 4DU, United Kingdom:
   The National Archives (abbreviated TNA), formerly the UK General Register Office.)
   Class RG11; Piece 1122; Folio 68; Page 10, 3 Apr 1881.

   Address: Village of Mill, Sidlesham, Sussex
   George Fullinger, head, married, male, 38 [1842/3], Carpenter, b. Sidlesham, Sussex
   Maria Fullinger, wife, married, female, 40 [1840/1], Wife, b. Pagham, Sussex
   William G. Fullinger, son, unmarried, male, 5 [1875/6], b. Sidlesham, Sussex
   Alfred Fullinger, son, male, 2 [1878/9], b. Sidlesham, Sussex
   Infant Fullinger, son, male, 1 month [1881], b. Sidlesham, Sussex
   Harry Grant, stepson, male, 16 [1864/5], Agric[ultura]l Labourer, b. Sidlesham, Sussex
   Annie Grant, stepdaughter, female, 14 [1866/7], b. Sidlesham, Sussex

7. ↑ England. 1891 Census Schedules for England and Wales, Isle of Man and the Channel Islands. (
   Kew, Richmond, Greater London TW9 4DU, United Kingdom:
   The National Archives (abbreviated TNA), formerly the UK General Register Office.)
   Class RG12; Piece 840; Folio 60; Page 4, 5 Apr 1891.

   Address: Mill Road, Sidlesham, Sussex
   Five or more rooms occupied
   George Fullinger, head, married, male, 48 [1842/3], Estate Carpenter, employed, b. Sidlesham, Sussex
   Maria Fullinger, wife, married, female, 50 [1840/1], b. Pagham, Sussex
   William Fullinger, son, male, 15 [1875/6], Baker, employed, b. Sidlesham, Sussex
   Alfred Fullinger, son, male, 12 [1878/9], Scholar, b. Sidlesham, Sussex
   Herbert Fullinger, son, male, 10 [1880/1], Scholar, b. Sidlesham, Sussex
   Henry Grant, stepson, single, male, 26 [1864/5], Agricult[ura]l Labourer, employed, b. Sidlesham, Sussex

8. ↑ England. England. 1901 Census Schedules for England and Wales, Isle of Man and the Channel Islands. (
   Kew, Richmond, Greater London TW9 4DU, United Kingdom:
   The National Archives (abbreviated TNA), formerly the UK General Register Office.)
   Class RG13; Piece 967; Folio 119; Page 11, 31 Mar 1901.

   Address: "Shortford Manor House", nr. Mill, Sidlesham, Sussex
   George Fullinger, head, married, male, 58 [1842/3], Carpenter on farm, worker, b. Sidlesham, Sussex
   Maria Fullinger, wife, married, female, 60 [1840/1], b. Pagham, Sussex

9. ↑ England. 1911 Census Schedules for England and Wales, Isle of Man and the Channel Islands. (Kew, Richmond, Greater London TW9 4DU, United Kingdom: The National Archives (abbreviated TNA), (formerly the UK General Register Office.))
   Class RG14; Piece 5391; Schedule 93, 2 Apr 1911.

   Address: Sidlesham, Chichester, Sussex
   Five rooms occupied
   Maria Fullinger, head, female, 70 [1840/1], widow, 6 children born alive, 6 children still living, b. Pagham, Sussex

10. ↑ Deaths index, in General Register Office. England and Wales Civil Registration. (London: General Register Office).

    d. Maria FULLINGER, March Quarter 1919, Westhampnett Registration District, Vol. 2b, page 700, aged 78 [1840/1]