Person:Maria Hornet (2)

Maria Hornet was born on 21st April 1798 and baptised a couple of months later at Wheathampstead in Hertfordshire. She was the daughter of Mary Hornet, formerly Wingrove, and her husband John Hornet, a labourer.

Maria's father died in 1806, when Maria was only eight years old. At the time of his death the family was living at Gustardwood, on the border of the parishes of Wheathampstead and Kimpton.

In 1819 Maria had a daughter, Mary Ann, whilst she was living at Blackmore End, just over the border into the parish of Kimpton. She was working as a plaiter at the time of Mary Ann's birth.

On 15th July 1822, aged 24, Maria married an agricultural labourer called James Fensom. They married at Kimpton and had a daughter baptised there later in 1822. Some time between 1822 1822 and 1826 they moved back to Gustardwood, and all the other children were baptised at Wheathampstead.

Maria's eldest daughter, Mary Ann, died aged sixteen in 1836.

Some time between 1836 and 1838 Maria and James moved from Gustardwood to Marshalls Heath, also in Wheathampstead parish, where they were living when their youngest child was baptised. The 1841, 1851 and 1861 censuses each find Maria and James living together at Marshalls Heath. Maria's mother died in 1848 at Flamstead, a few miles west of Wheathampstead, where Maria's younger sister Sarah had settled.

James died in 1861, aged 59. Maria survived him by about eight years. She died aged seventy, and was buried at Wheathampstead on 16th March 1869.

1. ↑ ^1.0 1.1 Church of England. Wheathampstead Parish Registers. (Hertford: Hertfordshire Archives and Local Studies).

   More Baptisms In the Year 1798
   Hornet - Maria Daughter of John & Mary Born April the 21st Baptized July the 1st

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 442; Book 8; Folio 23; Page 8, 6 Jun 1841.

   Address: Marshalls Heath, Wheathampstead, Hertfordshire
   James Fensom, male, 40 [1796-1801], Ag Lab, b. in county
   Maria Fensom, female, 35 [1801-6], Pl[aiter], b. in county
   Ann Fensom, female, 12 [1828/9], b. in county
   James Fensom, male, 7 [1833/4], b. in county
   Eliza Fensom, female, 2 [1838/9], b. 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 1713; Folio 39; Page 33, 30 Mar 1851.

   Address: Marshalls Heath, Wheathampstead, Hertfordshire
   James Fensom, head, married, male, 50 [1800/1], Ag Lab, b. Kimpton, Hertfordshire
   Maria Fensom, wife, married, female, 52 [1798/9], Ag Lab's Wife, b. Wheathampstead, Hertfordshire
   Charlotte Norris, daughter, widow, female, 29 [1821/2], Straw Platter, b. Kimpton, Hertfordshire
   William Norris, grandson, male, 9 months [1850], b. Harpenden, Hertfordshire
   Thomas Lawrence, son in law, married, male, 22 [1828/9], Ag Labourer, b. Harpenden, Hertfordshire
   Ann Lawrence, wife, married, female, 20 [1830/1], Ag Labourer Wife, b. Wheathampstead, Hertfordshire
   Mary Lawrence, daughter, female, 1 [1849/50], b. Wheathampstead, Hertfordshire
   Eliza Fensom, daughter, female, 13 [1837/8], Straw Platter, b. Wheathampstead, 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 827; Folio 31; Page 26, 7 Apr 1861.

   Address: Marshalls Heath, Wheathampstead, Hertfordshire
   James Fensom, head, married, male, 61 [1799/1800], Labourer Ag, b. Kimpton, Hertfordshire
   Maria Fensom, wife, married, female, 62 [1798/9], b. Wheathampstead, Hertfordshire

   Living next door to her niece Mary Ann Wheeler (formerly Hornet), daughter of her brother Joseph.

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

   d. Maria FENSOM, March Quarter 1869, St Albans Registration District, Volume 3a, page 228, aged 75 [1793/4]

6. ↑ Burials register, in Church of England. Wheathampstead Parish Registers. (Hertford: Hertfordshire Archives and Local Studies).

   BURIALS in the Parish of Wheathampstead in the County of Hartford [sic] in the Year 1869
   No. 73
   Name: Maria Fensom
   Abode: The Folley, Wheathampstead
   When buried: March 16
   Age: 71 [1797/8]
   By whom the Ceremony was performed: F.R. Farbrother, Curate