Person:John Hanchant (1)

John Hanchant was baptised on 6th July 1783 at Shephall in Hertfordshire, son of John and Sarah Hanchant.

On 21st July 1810, aged 27, John married Mary Walby at Shephall. She was from the neighbouring parish of Aston. After their marriage they remained in Shephall, having seven children baptised there between 1810 and 1829. Several of the children's baptisms describe John as a labourer.

The 1841 census finds John, Mary and some of their children living at Shephall Green. John was described as an agricultural labourer. A Tithe Map of Shephall was prepared in 1845, in which John is listed as the owner and occupier of a small piece of land in the middle of the village green, and one of three occupiers of a row of cottages on the east side of Shephall Green. Comparison with modern maps show the building is still there, now converted to one house and called 23 Shephall Green, which is a listed building, dating back to the seventeenth century.

Mary died in 1857, aged 72. John survived her by four years. The 1861 census finds him living at Shephall with two of his adult children.

John died in 1862, aged 78. He was buried at Shephall, where he appears to have lived his whole life, on 31st March 1862.

1. ↑ Church of England. Shephall Parish Registers, 1560-1935. (Hertford: Hertfordshire Archives & Local Studies).

   1783 / July 6th / John Hanchett D [sic] of John & Sarah

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 439; Book 3; Folio 8; Page 11, 6 Jun 1841.

   Address: Shephall Green, Shephall, Hertfordshire
   John Hanchant, male, 60 [1779-81], Ag[ricultural] Lab[ourer], born in county
   Mary Hanchant, female, 55 [1781-6], born in county
   Ann Hanchant, female, 30 [1806-11], born in county
   Thomas Hanchant, male, 20 [1816-21], Ag[ricultural] Lab[ourer], born in county
   John Hanchant, male, 15 [1821-6], Ag[ricultural] Lab[ourer], born in county
   Mary Hanchant, female, 12 [1828/9], born in county
   James Hanchant, male, 7 [1833/4], 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 1709; Folio 290; Page 3, 30 Mar 1851.

   Address: Shephall, Hertfordshire
   John Hanchant, head, married, male, 70 [1780/1], Agr[icultural] Lab[ourer], b. Sheephall, Hertfordshire
   Mary Hanchant, wife, married, female, 66 [1784/5], Wife, b. Aston, Hertfordshire
   John Hanchant, son, unmarried, male, 24 [1826/7], Agr[icultural] Lab[ourer], b. Sheephall, Hertfordshire
   Thomas Hanchant, son, unmarried, male, 31 [1819/20], Agr[icultural] Lab[ourer], b. Sheephall, Hertfordshire

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 817; Folio 9; Page 11, 7 Apr 1861.

   Address: Shephall, Hertfordshire
   John Hanchant, head, widower, male, 78 [1782/3], Ag[ricultural] Lab[ourer], b. Shephall, Hertfordshire
   Ann Hanchant, daughter, unmarried, female, 51 [1809/10], Wash Woman, b. Shephall, Hertfordshire
   John Hanchant, son, unmarried, male, 36 [1824/5], Ag[ricultural] Lab[ourer], b. Shephall, Hertfordshire

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

   d. John HANCHANT, March Quarter 1862, Hitchin Registration District, Volume 3a, page 168, aged 79 [1782/3]

6. ↑ England. Deaths and Burials, 1538-1991. (FamilySearch, Ancestry.com).

   bur. 31 Mar 1862, Shephall, Hertfordshire: John Hanchant

   Needs to be confirmed at Hertfordshire Archives.