John Brown Durrant and Martha Francis

Photo © Michael Garlick (cc-by-sa/2.0)

Mattishall, All Saints Church, Friday, 25 May, 2018

Photo available for reuse under this Creative Commons licence.

John Brown Durrant (b. 26 Nov 1818, bap. 29 Nov 1818 in East Tuddenham, Norfolk), son of Isaiah Durrant and Elizabeth Brown, married Martha Francis (bap. 9 May 1817 in Mattishall, Norfolk), daughter of William Francis and Sarah Holmes, at All Saints, Mattishall on 6 Nov 1842. They were married by the Reverend Thomas Paddon, who was vicar of the parish from 1821-61. Witnesses to their marriage were John Thane and Sarah Thane.

John and Martha Durrant had five children:

1. Sarah Durrant b. 1843 S Quarter in MITFORD & LAUNDITCH UNION Volume 13 Page 211, bap. 17 Sep 1843 at All Saints, Mattishall
2. Frances Durrant b. 1847 D Quarter in MITFORD AND LAUNDITCH UNION Volume 13 Page 199, bap. 13 Aug 1854 in East Tuddenham
3. John William Durrant b. 1850 S Quarter in MITFORD AND LAUNDITCH Volume 13 Page 227, bap. 27 Jun 1850 in East Tuddenham, Norfolk. Died 1850 S Quarter in MITFORD AND LAUNDITCH Volume 13 Page 163 and was buried on 5 Jul 1850, also at East Tuddenham
4. Martha Durrant b. 1851 S Quarter in MITFORD AND LAUNDITCH Volume 13 Page 237, bap. 13 Aug 1854 in East Tuddenham, Norfolk. Died, aged 22, in 1874 J Quarter in MITFORD Volume 04B Page 187 and was buried on 17 Apr 1874 in East Tuddenham
5. Betsy Durrant bap. 25 Dec 1855 in East Tuddenham, Norfolk

There does not appear to be a GRO registration for Betsy's birth, but the mother's maiden name on all of the other four is correct as FRANCIS.

In 1851, John Durrant (32) Ag Lab; Martha Durrant (33), Sarah Durrant (7), Frances Durrant (3) and Sarah Francis (75) Lodger, Widow, Pauper [Martha's mother], were living in High Road, East Tuddenham, Mitford, Norfolk.

In 1861, probably in the same place, but with their address listed as The Street, East Tuddenham, Mitford, Norfolk, were John Durrant (42) Agricultural Labourer; Martha Durrant (43), Frances Durant (13), Martha Durrant (9) and Betsy Durrant (5). [Sarah had married in 1865].

Martha Durrant died, aged 51, in 1868 J Quarter in MITFORD Volume 04B Page 166 and was buried on 28 May 1868 at All Saints, East Tuddenham.

In 1871, John Durrant (52) Ag Lab was living on the Norwich Road, East Tuddenham, Mitford, Norfolk, with daughter, Martha Durrant (19) Ag Lab. Frances Durrant (23) was a servant in the household of James Reeve, Farmer at The Hall Farm, Church Road, Snetterton, Wayland, Norfolk; while Betsey Durrant (sic) (15) was a servant in the household of Thomas Smith, Collector of Gas Rents at Faith Terrace, St Peter Per Mountergate, Norwich, Norfolk.

On 15 Sep 1871, John Durrant, 52, Widower, married Mary Ann Harvey, 41, Widow at All Saints, East Tuddenham. Witnesses were John Laws and Rebecca Laws. Born Marianne Adcock (b. 1830, bap. 14 Apr 1833 in Mattishall, Norfolk), daughter of Richard Adcock and Marianne Bowles, she had first married John Harvey in 1856, with whom she had three sons: i. John Harvey b. 1856 J Quarter in MITFORD & LAUNDITCH Volume 04B Page 275; ii. William Harvey b. 1859 D Quarter in MITFORD & LAUNDITCH Volume 04B Page 276; and iii. James Harvey b. 1863 J Quarter in ST FAITHS Volume 04B Page 94. Her first husband, John Harvey, had died, aged 33, in 1868 S Quarter in SAINT FAITHS Volume 04B Page 71. 

John and Mary Ann Durrant added a daughter:

6. Clara Durrant b. 30 May 1877 (1877 J Quarter in MITFORD Volume 04B Page 260), bap. 5 Oct 1884 at All Saints, East Tuddenham

In 1881, John Durrant (62) Ag Lab, was living in The Street, East Tuddenham, Mitford, Norfolk with Mary A Durrant (50), Clara Durrant (3) with step-sons William Harvey (21) Bricklayer and James Harvey (18) Gardener unemployed. [Frances had married in Nov 1871; Martha had died in 1874] Betsey Durrant (25) was then employed as a Lady's Maid in the household of Admiral Sir Francis William Sullivan, 6th Baronet at Northcotts, Bishops Hatfield, Hatfield, Hertfordshire. (Also employed there at that time was [George] Frederick Walker (21) Footman, who Betsy married in 1883.)

In 1891, John Durrant (72) Ag Lab; Mary A Durrant (60) and Clara Durrant (13) were living at 28, The Street, East Tuddenham, Mitford, Norfolk.

John Brown Durrant died in 1898 D Quarter in MITFORD Vol 04B Page 175.

In 1901, Mary Ann Durrant (70) Widow was living in the household of her youngest son, James Durrant (38) Widower and his four children, in Low Street, North Tuddenham, Mitford, Norfolk.

In 1911, Mary Ann Durrant (80) Widow, was living in the household of her son-in-law, Henry Owen Neve (28) who had married her daughter, Clara Durrant, in 1909 at Clint Green Post Office, Yaxham, Norfolk. 

In 1921, Mary Ann Durrant (90) was still living with her son-in-law and daughter, Henry Owen and Clara Neve at Clint Green Post Office, Yaxham.

Marianne Durant died, aged 91, in 1921 S Quarter in MITFORD Volume 04B Page 231 and was buried on 20 Sep 1921 in Honingham, Norfolk.

William Francis and Sarah Holmes

Mattishall, All Saints Church: The sanctuary
cc-by-sa/2.0 - © Michael Garlick - geograph.org.uk/p/5792067

William Francis (bap. 14 Nov 1773 in St Peter, Mattishall Burgh), single man, son of William Francis and Mary Gunn, married Sarah Holmes (bap. 16 Feb 1776 at St Peter’s, Mattishall Burgh), single woman, daughter of James and Mary Holmes, on 8 Jan 1799, at All Saints' Church, Mattishall. Neither could write and both made their mark with an X. Witnesses were Mary Francis (who could have been William's mother or his sister) and a Wm. Dade.

Records suggest that this pair had at least five children: 

1. Anne Francis b. 3 Dec 1802, bap. 10 Apr 1803 at Mattishall Burgh
2. Sarah Francis b. 30 Apr 1805, bap. 19 May 1805 at Mattishall Burgh
3. Harriet Francis, b. 25 Jul 1813, bap. 19 Sep 1813 at Mattishall
4. Stephen Francis bap. 14 Mar 1816 (buried 8 Apr 1816) at Mattishall
5. Martha Francis bap. 9 May 1817 in Mattishall

With such gaps, there could have been others. The baptism records for Harriet, Stephen and Martha lists their father's occupation as Labourer.

In 1841, William Francis (65), Ag Lab, wife Sarah (60) and daughter Martha (20), were shown as living at Badley Moor, Mattishall. 

William Francis (75) died in 1848 D Qtr in MITFORD AND LAUNDITCH Vol 13 Page 152 and was buried on 13 Dec 1848 at All Saints', Mattishall. 

In 1851, Sarah Francis (76), widow, pauper, was lodging with John Durrant and his wife Martha (33) - her youngest daughter - in East Tuddenham. 

Sarah Francis died in 1852 M Quarter in MITFORD & LAUNDITCH Volume 04B Page 195, with her age listed at an under-estimated 75, and was buried, on 22 Feb 1852, at All Saints, East Tuddenham.