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Facts and Events
Walter Longhurst’s origins have yet to be established. He had an uncle called Robert Thornden of Chichester in Sussex, who died in September 1701, and whose will (written in 1700) described Walter as being a blacksmith of Horsham. A number of other Longhursts are named in the will, who may be Walter’s siblings, but the relationship is not made explicit. Walter was to inherit his uncle’s house in Chichester and a farm called Fishbourne Farm at New Fishbourne near Chichester, both to be passed to him after the death of his uncle’s wife, Jane.
A couple of months after his uncle’s death, Walter was married at the church of St Paul Covent Garden in the western suburbs of London to Martha Andrews. Their marriage record describes Walter as being of Horsham, whilst Martha was described as being of Petersfield in Hampshire at the time of their marriage.
Walter and Martha returned to Horsham after their marriage, having a son in 1702 whom they named Thornden Longhurst. He was followed by a son called Walter in 1704 and a daughter called Martha in 1705. They also had a daughter called Mary, although no baptism record has yet been found for her. In 1703 Walter was named as the occupier of a barn and eighteen acres of land on the north side of Horsham Heath.
In 1706, their son Thornden died aged three whilst they were away from Horsham visiting Havant in Hampshire, where Martha appears to have had relatives.
In 1725 it appears that Martha sued Walter. The circumstances of the case have yet to be established. Martha seems to have had a Thomas Vosse of Havant acting on her behalf in the case.
Walter’s daughter Martha was married in London in 1725 to a butcher called Henry Waller. Two years later Walter was mentioned in a lease of premises in Butcher’s Row in Horsham which were occupied by Henry Waller. Walter was described as an ironmonger by this time.
In 1739, Walter served on the grand jury at the Horsham Quarter Sessions.
Walter died in 1741, being buried at Horsham on 24th September. Martha survived him by nine years. It would appear that at the time of his death Walter still owned Fishbourne Farm and the house in Chichester he had inherited from his uncle, as his son was mentioned in connection with them in a documents from 1742, whilst all three of Walter’s surviving children were mentioned in a document concerning Fishbourne Farm shortly after Martha’s death.
References
- West Sussex Archives Catalogue (West Sussex County Council, Chichester)
Acc10174 – Deed of land in Horsham / Add Mss 48271.
Title: Lease for a year (release missing)
Date: 22 Dec 1703
(a) Joseph Spencer of Horsham, butcher Mary Spencer of Horsham, widow, his mother
(b) Henry Michell of North Heath, Horsham, gent
Barn and closes of land lying on the north side of Horsham Heath, commonly called Bishopps Crofts, Wymble Posts, Ryes and Nowers, containing 18a. being in Horsham parish, in the occupation of Walter Longhurst
Consideration: 5s
Witnesses: Clement Burling, William Chambers, John Holles
- Discovery Catalogue (The National Archives, Kew)
C11/2688/8.
Short title: Longhurst v. Longhurst
Document type: Bill and answer
Plaintiffs: Martha Longhurst (wife of Walter Longhurst of Horsham, Sussex, by Thomas Vosse, gent of Havant, Hampshire).
Defendants: Walter Longhurst and Thomas Hunt
Date of bill (or first document): 1725
- West Sussex Archives Catalogue (West Sussex County Council, Chichester)
Acc687a – Deeds of various parishes / Add Mss 8774.
Title: Marriage settlement by way of lease and release
Date: 17 Aug 1727
Release missing
James Waller of Horsham, butcher, to Walter Longhurst senior of Horsham, ironmonger and John Waller of Horsham, innholder
West end of a tenement in Butcher’s Row, Horsham, in occupation of Henry Waller of Horsham, comprising one kitchen, a buttery or little room behind the kitchen, a brewhouse, two chambers, a closet and a garrett, and that part of the backside lying westwards as stumped off; the use of the well and house of office
Witnesses: Thomas Parham and Austen Coom
- West Sussex Archives Catalogue (West Sussex County Council, Chichester)
W387 – Horsham Quarter Sessions Roll / QR/W387/5.
Title: Folio 5 – List of Grand Jurors
Date: 9 Jul 1739
Includes: Walter Longhurst from Horsham. Grand Juror – served
- ↑ Horsham, Sussex: Bishop’s Transcripts (West Sussex County Council, Chichester).
Burials 1741 / Septemb[e]r 24 Walter Longhurst Housholder
The corresponding entry in the parish registers can be found, but is faded to the point of illegibility.
- Discovery Catalogue (The National Archives, Kew)
PROB 3/41/59.
Prerogative Court of Canterbury: Filed engrossed eighteenth century inventories and associated documents
Date: 20 May 1742
Longhurst, William [sic], Horsham, co. Sussex. Walter Longhurst, son and administrator.
- West Sussex Archives Catalogue (West Sussex County Council, Chichester)
Acc2479a – Deeds and other documents / Add Mss 11194.
Title: Deed to lead the uses of a fine
Date: 18 Jun 1742
Between
(a) Walter Longhurst of Horsham, yeoman (only son and heir of Walter Longhurst, late of Horsham, yeoman, deceased, who was nephew, devisee and sole executor of will of Robert Thornden, formerly of Subdeanery, Chichester, gentleman, deceased), Mary Jenden of Horsham (widow of William Jenden, late of Horsham, tailor, deceased, who was second son of John Jenden, late of Horsham, cordwinder, by Elisabeth, his wife), William Jenden of Horsham, currier (only son and heir of said William Jenden, deceased, by the said Mary), and Mary, his wife;
(b) George Waller of Horsham, linnen draper, and Philip Jenden of Horsham, cordwinder
Tenement in St. Peter-the-Great alias Subdeandery, Chichester, formerly in occupation of said Robert Thornden, deceased, with all buildings, gardens, orchards, courts, yards and backsides belonging, devised by the will, 1 Nov 1700, of said Robert Thornden to said Walter Longhurst, the father, in the will described as of Horsham, blacksmith (from the death of testator, and Jane, his wife) in tail male, with remainder to Peter Hearsent , son of John Hearsent, brother-in-law of testator; tenement, buildings, garden, orchard and backside in East Street, Horsham, late in occupation of said William Jenden, the father, now of said Mary and William Jenden, his widow and son
Property in Chichester to the use of the said Walter Longhurst, Property in Horsham to the use of the said Mary Jenden, the widow, subject to mortgage, of even date, for £84, to said Philip Jenden and on death of said Mary, and on payment of said money, to the use of said William Jenden
Witnesses: William Burnell, H. Waller
- West Sussex Archives Catalogue (West Sussex County Council, Chichester)
Acc1357 – Deeds of Nursery Farm and other lands in New Fishbourne / Add Mss 1127.
Title: Bond in £126
Date: 26 Jun 1751
From Walter Longhurst of Horsham, maltster, carrier and chapman, Henry Waller of the same, butcher, and William Patching of the same, gentleman, to Deborah Ventham of Havant (co. Hants), wid., to perform the covenants in an indenture of even date between
(a) John Hurst of Emsworth in Warblington (co. Hants), yeoman,
(b) James Andrews of Havant aforesaid, brewer,
(c) said Walter Longhurst (described as only son and heir at law of Walter Longhurst of Horsham, ironmonger, by Martha his wife, formerly Martha Andrews, both deceased), said Henry Waller and wife Martha (formerly Martha Longhurst, one of the daughters of said Walter Longhurst deceased and wife Martha), and said William Patching and wife Mary (formerly Mary Longhurst, the other daughter of said Walter Longhurst deceased, and wife Martha)
(d) John Bide of Havant aforesaid, merchant,
(e) said Deborah Ventham
Signatures and papered seals
Witnesses – John Dear, J. Newland
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