Person:William Chaffer (1)

William Chaffer’s origins have yet to be established. The ages given when he married and died suggest that he was born around 1754.

William’s first sighting is on 16th June 1781 at Earnley on the Sussex coast, when he married Sarah Bartlett. Their marriage licence notes that William lived in the neighbouring parish of East Wittering and worked as a husbandman.

After their marriage, William and Sarah settled at Sidlesham, immediately east of Earnley. They had twin boys in 1787, but sadly both died young – they were both buried just five days after their baptism.

Sarah died in 1791, aged about 34.

Three and a half years later, William remarried. His second wife was Frances Roper and they married at Sidlesham on 17th March 1795. Between 1795 and 1809 they had six children baptised at Sidlesham, although their son George died aged two in 1804, then their youngest daughter Amy died just a few days after her baptism in 1809. In 1810, William’s eldest daughter Sarah died aged 14, leaving three surviving children out of the six.

Just three months after burying his eldest daughter, William died. He was said to be 55 years old, and he was buried at Sidlesham on 20th June 1810. Frances was therefore left with their three surviving children to look after, who were 12, 10 and 6 at the time of their father’s death. Frances married again just over a year after his death. She would outlive William by 37 years.

1. ↑ ^1.0 1.1 Church of England. Parish Church of Sidlesham (Sussex). Parish registers of Sidlesham, 1566-1901. (Chichester: West Sussex County Council).

   Burials in 1810 / June 20th William Chafer aged 55 years [1754/5]