Person:John Stokes (16)

John Stokes was baptised on 11th July 1813 at Hitchin in Hertfordshire, son of Frances Stokes, formerly Everitt, and her husband Edward Stokes, a labourer. The family lived at Walsworth, a hamlet in the north-east of the parish of Hitchin and separated from the town itself by open fields. When John was just four months old his father Edward died, leaving John's mother a widow at the age of 22 with two small children to look after.

On 9th October 1831, when he was 18, John married Mary Ann Sharpe at St Ippolyts, just south of Hitchin. They had six children together at St Ippolyts between 1832 and 1842, although their first child died as a baby. Back at Walsworth, John's mother died in 1836.

The 1841 census finds John, Mary and their children living at Ashbrook, a hamlet in the parish of St Ippolyts. John was working as an agricultural labourer. In 1842 John was convicted of stealing wheat scotches from his employer, and sentenced to two months in jail. His sister Ann's husband John Worbey appeared as a witness, and the court actually said they thought Worbey was the more guilty, albeit he was not the one on trial.

John's wife Mary died in 1844, aged just 29.

Later that year, in October and November 1844, banns of marriage were read for John to marry a widow named Jane Wilmott, who was twelve years his senior, but for whatever reason the marriage did not go ahead.

John did marry again, on 12th December 1846 at Hitchin, to a widow called Hannah Pateman, formerly Page, who was originally from Wellingborough in Northamptonshire, but had moved to Hitchin as a child with her parents. John and Hannah lived had another six children born at Hitchin between 1848 and 1859. The 1851 census find the family living at Hollow Lane, on the east side of the town. John was still working as an agricultural labourer, whilst Hannah was a straw plaiter. In 1861 they were living at Mill Yard. By 1871 they had moved to Whinbush Lane (later called Whinbush Road), and John was working as a lime burner, whilst Hannah was described as being blind due to cataracts.

Hannah died in 1877, aged 63.

In the 1881 census John was living on Taylor's Lane in Hitchin with a woman called Sarah Ann Farey, who was described as a housekeeper. Two months after that census, John and Sarah married. He was 38 years her senior; when they married he was 67 and she was 29. They did not marry locally to Hitchin but in Islington in the northern suburbs of London. Most of John's children from his first two marriages were older than Sarah.

John and Sarah returned to Hitchin, where they went on to have three children together between 1882 and 1888. There was therefore 56 years between John's eldest and youngest child. John was 75 years old when his youngest child was born. The 1891 census finds the family living at 28 Radcliffe Road in Hitchin.

John died in 1893, aged 79. Sarah survived him by over 50 years and married again shortly after his death.

1. ↑ Baptisms register, in Church of England. Parish Registers of St Mary's Church, Hitchin. (Hertford: Hertfordshire Archives and Local Studies).

   BAPTISMS solemnized in the Parish of Hitchin in the County of Hertford in the Year 1813
   No.	When Baptized	Child's Christian Name	Parents' Name		Abode	Quality, Trade, or Profession	By whom the Ceremony was performed
   			Christian	Surname
   49	1813 July 11	John Son of	Edward & Frances	Stokes	Walsworth	Lab[oure]r	J. Parsons

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 445; Book 8; Folio 18; Page 2, 6 Jun 1841.

   Address: Ash Brook, Ippollitts, Hertfordshire
   John Stokes, male, 28 [1812/3], Labourer, born in county
   Mary Ann Stokes, female, 27 [1813/4], born in county
   Edward Stokes, male, 8 [1832/3], born in county
   Emma Stokes, female, 6 [1834/5], born in county
   Fanny Stokes, female, 3 [1837/8], born in county
   Hannah Stokes, female, 1 [1839/40], born in county
   Samuel Waterful, male, 15 [1821-6], not born in county

3.   Hitchin Union Superintendent Registrar's Notices of Marriage (Hertfordshire Archives & Local Studies, Hertford).
   To the Superintendent Registrar of the District of the Hitchin Union in the Counties of Hertford and Bedford.
   I hereby give you Notice, That a Marriage is intended to be had, within Three Calendar Months from the Date hereof, between me and the other Party herein named and described; (that is to say)
   

   Name	Condition	Rank or Profession	Age	Dwelling Place	Length of Residence	Church or Building in which Marriage is to be solemnized
   John Stokes	Widower	Labourer	31	Ash Brook, Ippollitts	about 4 years	at the Register Office in Hitchin
   Jane Wilmott	Widow	Straw Plaiter	43	Wymondley Brook, Hitchin	23 years

   
   Witness my hand this twenty first day of October 1844 The mark X of Jane Wilmott
   Witness to the above Mr Stevens Sup[erintenden]t Reg[istra]r
   
   Read 1 Time 22d Oct/44
   Read 2d Time 29 Oct/44
   Read 3d Time 5 Nov/44
4. ↑ 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 1710; Folio 165; Page 23, 30 Mar 1851.

   Address: Hollow Lane, Hitchin, Hertfordshire
   John Stokes, head, married, male, 37 [1813/4], Ag[ricultural] Lab[ourer], b. Hitchin, Hertfordshire
   Hannah Stokes, wife, married, female, 37 [1813/4], Plaiter, b. Wellingborough, Northamptonshire
   Edward Stokes, son, male, 17 [1833/4], Ag Lab, b. Ippollitts, Hertfordshire
   Emma Stokes, daughter, female, 15 [1835/6], Plaiter, b. Hitchin, Hertfordshire
   Henry Pateman, son in law, male, 14 [1836/7], Ag Lab, b. Hitchin, Hertfordshire
   George Stokes, son, male, 9 [1841/2], Plaiter, b. Ippollitts, Hertfordshire
   John Stokes, son, male, 3 [1847/8], b. Hitchin, Hertfordshire
   Jane Stokes, daughter, female, 1 [1849/50], b. Hitchin, Hertfordshire

5. ↑ 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 818; Folio 93; Page 20, 7 Apr 1861.

   Address: Mill Yard, Hitchin, Hertfordshire
   John Stokes, head, married, male, 47 [1813/14], Ag[ricultural] Lab[ourer], b. Hitchin, Hertfordshire
   Hannah Stokes, wife, married, female, 47 [1813/14], Straw Plaiter, b. Hitchin, Hertfordshire
   John Stokes, son, unmarried, male, 13 [1847/8], Ag[ricultural] Lab[ourer], b. Hitchin, Hertfordshire
   Cornelious Stokes, son, unmarried, male, 9 [1851/2], Scholar, b. Hitchin, Hertfordshire
   James Stokes, son, male, 6 [1854/5], b. Hitchin, Hertfordshire
   Mary A. Stokes, daughter, female, 4 [1856/7], b. Hitchin, Hertfordshire
   Arthur Stokes, son, male, 2 [1858/9], b. Hitchin, Hertfordshire

6. ↑ 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 1368; Folio 67; Page 31, 2 Apr 1871.

   Address: Wimbush [sic] Lane, Hitchin, Hertfordshire
   John Stokes, head, married, male, 57 [1813/14], Lime Burner, b. Hitchin, Hertfordshire
   Hannah Stokes, wife, married, female, 57 [1813/14], b. Wellingborough, Northamptonshire, Blind for 3 years from Catteracts
   James Stokes, son, unmarried, male, 16 [1854/5], Ag[ricultural] Lab[ourer], b. Hitchin, Hertfordshire
   Arthur Stokes, son, male, 12 [1858/9], Scholar, b. Hitchin, Hertfordshire
   Mary Ann Stokes, daughter, female, 14 [1856/7], Straw Plater, b. Hitchin, Hertfordshire

7. ↑ 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 1419; Folio 87; Page 36, 3 Apr 1881.

   Address: Taylor's Lane, Hitchin, Hertfordshire
   John Stokes, head, widower, male, 66 [1814/15], Limeworks Labourer, b. Hitchin, Hertfordshire
   Sarah Farey, boarder, unmarried, female, 31 [1849/50], Housekeeper, b. St Ippollitts, Hertfordshire
   Fred[eric]k Farey, boarder, male, 6 [1875/6], Scholar, b. Hitchin, Hertfordshire

8. ↑ 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 1107; Folio 178; Page 13, 5 Apr 1891.

   Address: 28 Radcliffe Road, Hitchin, Hertfordshire
   John Stokes, head, married, male, 77 [1813/14], Retired Lime Burner, b. Walsworth, Hertfordshire
   Sarah A. Stokes, wife, married, female, 38 [1852/3], b. Hitchin, Hertfordshire
   Harry Stokes, son, male, 9 [1881/2], Scholar, b. Hitchin, Hertfordshire
   Reuben Stokes, son, male, 7 [1883/4], Scholar, b. Hitchin, Hertfordshire
   Edith Stokes, daughter, female, 2 [1888/9], b. Hitchin, Hertfordshire

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

   d. John STOKES, March Quarter 1893, Hitchin Registration District, Volume 3a, page 309, aged 79 [1813/4]

10.   Hertford Mercury and Reformer, in United Kingdom. The British Newspaper Archive
    Saturday 21 May 1842.

    HERTS ADJOURNED EASTER SESSION
    Before T. MILLS, Esq., DEPUTY CHAIRMAN
    John Stokes was charged with stealing a quantity of wheat scotches, the property of Mr. Hainworth, of Hitchin, his master.
    John Foot examined - Saw the prisoner on the 23rd April at the Crown public-house; he asked Mrs. Turner, the landlady, whether she wanted to buy any wheat scotches? she replied, no; he then asked me, and showed samples, and said the remainder were close handy; I went down the yard; he brought the scotches; there were about three bushels; I gave him 2s. for it, first asking him whether his master allowed him to sell it, to which he replied - "Yes, it is our perquisites;" he shot it out of Mr. Hainworth's sack. The following morning I asked Mr. Hainworth's bailiff if he allowed his men to sell the offal corn.
    Mr. William Hainworth deposed that the prisoner had been in his employ two years: he never allowed his men wheat scotches as perquisites.
    The prisoner said he went into the yard, and the two taskers asked him to sell the scotches.
    John Waby, a tasker, in the employ of Mr. Hainworth, examined - Was in the yard, and helped to lift the sack on prisoner's back; he brought the money back, which we divided between three of us. Verdict - Guilty.
    Mr. Hainworth recommended the prisoner to mercy, stating that he considered him less guilty than the last witness; and also on the ground that he had a wife and young family.
    The Deputy-Chairman said, the prosecutor's exceedingly kind recommendation should have weight with the Court in awarding their sentence; the Court, too, felt that the witness Waby was the most guilty, and said he might think himself exceedingly fortunate that he did not stand in the position of the prisoner.
    To be imprisoned for two months - two weeks solitary.