Mary (3) Woodhurst

Brief biography

Mary (3) Woodhurst was christened at Ore, East Sussex on August 5th 1827 to parents Andrew (4) Woodhurst and his wife Ann [Ore Parish Register].

The 1841 Census appears to find her at age "13" living in Bedford Place, St. Mary-in-the-Castle in Hastings and occupied as a female servant in a Jetty household. Her surname is spelt as Woodhouse.

She married in 1848 to her cousin Comfort Woodhouse / Woodhurst. The GRO reference [Marriage Index: Ashford E. 5 17, 1848 (Dec)] spells both their surnames as Woodhouse.

The 1851 Census finds her at age "24" living at Mersham Street in Mersham, just two miles west of Smeeth in Kent, with Comfort and their children John Andrew and Walter, together with a lodger apprentice Humphrey Philpott.

The 1861 Census finds the family living in Gravel Walk, Ashford where Comfort was occupied as a shoe maker. Mary (3)'s birthplace is given here as Fairlight.

The 1871 Census finds the family living at 35, Gravel Walk where Comfort was occupied as a boot maker. Mary (3)'s birthplace is given correctly here as Ore.

Comfort died aged "63" in early 1881. The GRO reference [Death Index: W. Ashford 2a 454, 1881 (March)] spells his surname as Woodhouse.

The 1881 Census finds Mary (3) at age "52", widowed and living at 35, Engineer Place in Ashford, Kent. She was occupied as a mangler. Her birthplace is given here as Hastings. With her were three of her children - Sarah Emma, Frederick William and Charles A., all born in Ashford.

Her children by Comfort Woodhouse / Woodhurst

1. John Andrew Woodhouse - [Birth Index: Ashford E. 5 5, 1849 (Dec)]
2. Walter Woodhouse - [Birth Index: E. Ashford V 6, 1850 (Dec)]
3. Constance Woodhouse - born about 1854/55 at Ashford
4. William Harry Woodhouse - born about 1857/58 at Ashford
5. Sarah Emma Woodhouse - [Birth Index: W. Ashford 2a 517, 1859 (Dec)]
6. James Spencer Woodhouse - [Birth Index: W. Ashford 2a 516, 1862 (Sept)]
7. Frederick William Woodhouse - [Birth Index: W. Ashford 2a 617, 1865 (March)]
8. Charles Arthur Woodhouse - [Birth Index: W. Ashford 2a 659, 1872 (June)]
9. and possibly others ...

The 1861 Census finds John Andrew, then aged 11 and born in Mersham, living in Smeeth with his grandparents John (10) and Sarah. He married in London in 1877 [Marriage Index: London C. 1c 31, 1877 (Dec)]. The 1881 Census finds him living at age 31 with his wife Emily at 43, Birkbeck Road in Islington and occupied as a solicitor's general clerk. His birthplace is again given as Mersham. Emily was born in Lambeth around 1855.

Sarah Emma may have married in 1874 [Marriage Index: Manchester 8d 461, 1874 (Dec)].

James Spencer may have married in 1887 [Marriage Index: Battle 2b 85, 1887 (Dec)].