Person:Richard Sims (6)

Richard Sims was baptised on 16th October 1825 at Bosham in Sussex, son of an agricultural labourer named Richard Sims and his wife Olive. The 1841 census finds the family living at Chequers Lane in the Walton area of Bosham parish.

On 3rd August 1850, aged 24, Richard married Hannah Jackman. The 1851 census finds them living at Hambrook in Westbourne parish, a little way north-west of Bosham. Richard's mother was living with them. Richard and Hannah appear to have had at least six children together, born at various locations at the western end of Sussex around Chichester. By the 1861 census the family was living in the parish of Pagham in the hamlet of Lagness. Richard described himself as a carter and agricultural labourer.

Some time between 1861 and 1868 the family moved a short distance within Pagham parish to Nyetimber. Hannah died in 1868, aged 42 or 43.

The 1871 census finds Richard living at Nyetimber with two of his children. Also living at Nyetimber in the 1871 census was a widow named Fanny Bailey, formerly Hampshire, whose first husband had died in 1868. Richard and Fanny were married on 7th February 1872 at Pagham. The 1881 census finds Richard and Fanny living at 1 Nyewood Cottages, Nyewood Lane in the town of Bognor (which at that time was in the parish of South Bersted). Two of Fanny's children were living with them. They were still at Nyewood Lane in 1891, living in a four roomed house. Richard described himself as a cowman on this occasion.

Fanny died in 1897. They were living at North Bersted (a hamlet in the parish of South Bersted) at the time of her death, although she was buried at Pagham. The 1901 census finds Richard lodging at the crossroads at North Bersted.

Richaed died in 1909 in the Petworth area of Sussex, a few miles inland from where he had lived most of his life. He was buried back at South Bersted on 3rd September 1909. He was about 84 years old.

1. ↑ England. Births and Christenings, 1538-1975. (FamilySearch, Ancestry.com, Findmypast).

   ch. 16 Oct 1825, Bosham, Sussex: Rich[ar]d son of Rich[ar]d & Olive Syms

   Needs to be confirmed at West Sussex Record Office. This baptism has been linked to the Richard Sims who married Fanny Hampshire on the basis that their marriage certificate gives his father's name as Richard Sims and in the censuses after their marriage Richard consistently gave his place of birth as Bosham.

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 7; Folio 34; Page 10, 6 Jun 1841.

   Address: Walton Tithing or Chickers Lane, Bosham, Sussex
   Richard Simm, male, 41 [1799/1800], Ag Labourer, born in county
   Olive Simm, female, 40 [1800/1], born in county
   Richard Simm, male, 16 [1824/5], Ag Labourer, born in county
   Thomas Simm, male, 12 [1828/9], Ag Labourer, 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 1655; Folio 221; Page 7, 30 Mar 1851.

   Address: Hambrook, Westbourne, Sussex
   Richard Sims, head, married, male, 26 [1824/5], Agricultural Laborer, b. Bosham, Sussex
   Hannah Sims, wife, married, female, 26 [1824/5], b. Chitham, Hampshire
   Olive Sims, mother, married, female, 49 [1801/2], b. Bosham, 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 618; Folio 71; Page 7, 7 Apr 1861.

   Address: Lagnersh Copyhold, Pagham, Sussex
   Richard Sims, head, married, male, 36 [1824/5], Ag Lab Carter, b. Bosham, Sussex
   Hannah Sims, wife, married, female, 26 [1824/5], b. Midhurst, Sussex
   James Sims, son, male, 10 [1850/1], Ag Lab, b. West Bourn, Sussex
   William Sims, son, male, 8 [1852/3], b. Whyke, Sussex
   Ellen Sims, daughter, female, 4 [1856/7], b. Oving, Sussex
   Jane Sims, daughter, female, 2 [1858/9], b. Oving, Sussex
   Charles Sims, son, male, 11mo [1860], b. Pagham, 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 1112; Folio 90; Page 12, 2 Apr 1871.

   Address: Nyetimber, Pagham, Sussex
   Richard Sims, head, widower, male, 45 [1825/6], Ag Lab, b. Bosham, Sussex
   Richard C. Sims, son, male, 11 [1859/60], Ag Lab, b. Pagham, Sussex
   Caroline Sims, daughter, female, 5 [1865/6], Scholar, b. Pagham, 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 1124; Folio 46; Page 51, 3 Apr 1881.

   Address: 1 Nyewood Cottage, Nyewood Lane, Bognor, South Bersted, Sussex
   Richard Sims, head, married, male, 55 [1825/6], Yewman [sic], b. Bosom, Hampshire
   Fanny Sims, wife, married, female, 55 [1825/6], b. Earnley, Sussex
   Henry Bailey, stepson, unmarried, male, 21 [1859/60], Sailor, b. Pagham, Sussex
   James Bailey, stepson, unmarried, male, 16 [1864/5], Blacksmiths Apprentice, b. North Mundham, 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 842; Folio 5; Page 3, 5 Apr 1891.

   Address: Nyewood Lane, Bognor, South Bersted, Sussex
   4 rooms occupied
   Richard Sims, head, married, male, 69 [1821/2], Cowman, employed, b. Bosham, Sussex
   Fanny Sims, wife, married, female, 60 [1830/1], b. Earnley, Sussex
   Percy Cox, lodger, single, male, 32 [1858/9], Cowman, employed, b. Bognor, 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 966; Folio 5; Page 2, 31 Mar 1901.

   Address: Cross Roads, North Bersted & Shripney, Bersted, Sussex
   David Ellis, head, married, male, 70 [1830/1], Labourer, b. Little Horsted, Sussex
   Matilda Ellis, wife, married, female, 69 1831/2], b. Fenshurst [sic], Kent
   Esther Baker, daughter, married, female, 44 [1856/7], Laundress, worker, b. Ringmere, Sussex
   John Baker, son, married, male, 41 [1859/60], Labourer, worker, b. Blenworth [sic], Hampshire
   Edith Baker, granddaughter, single, female, 9 [1891/2], b. Thakeham, Sussex
   John Baker, grandson, single, male, 7 [1893/4], b. Bersted, Sussex
   Richard Sims, lodger, single, male, 70 [1830/1], Cowman, worker, b. Bosham, Sussex
   Henry Burrows, lodger, single, male, 39 [1861/2], Labourer, worker, b. Rumboldswyke, Sussex
   Rowland Harrison, lodger, single, male, 23 [1877/8], Bricklayers Labourer, worker, b. Wasall [sic], Staffordshire

   The census record says at the top of the page North Bersted and Shripney, two separate but nearby hamlets. There is nothing on the census record to say which hamlet 'Cross Roads' was at, but it is considered that it must mean North Bersted - there is a very obvious crossroads at North Bersted but none at Shripney, plus Richard's wife's burial three years earlier had given her address as North Bersted.

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

   d. Richard SIMS, September Quarter 1909, Petworth Registration District, Volume 2b, page 175, aged 85 [1824/5]

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

    bur. 3 Sep 1909, South Bersted, Sussex: Richard Sims

    Needs to be confirmed at West Sussex Record Office.