Robert Marsh Minns and Mary Kett

Ruins of St Bartholomew, Heigham, Norwich, Norfolk

Robert Marsh Minns (b. 1776), son of David Minns and Hannah Marsh, married Mary Kett on 19 Oct 1801 at St Bartholomew's, the Parish Church for Heigham, Norfolk. Mary Kett, baptised here at St Bartholomew's on 1 Oct 1780, was the daughter of Hannah Kett and, just in case there was any doubt whatsoever, the record of Mary's baptism states that she was 'Baseborn' - of illegitimate birth. 

Robert and Mary also wasted no time in starting a family:

1. Robert Marsh Minns, born 1 Apr 1802, bap. 4 Apr 1802
2. Mary Ann Minns, born 17 Jan 1805, bap. 20 Jan 1805
3. John Minns, born and baptised 19 Jul 1807
4. Ann Minns, born 14 Sep 1810, bap. 16 Sep 1810
5. Hannah Minns, bap. 24 Jan 1813
6. David Minns, born 22 Jun 1815, bap. 25 Jun 1815
7. Elizabeth Minns, born and baptised 29 Mar 1818
8. Harriot Minns, born and baptised 15 Feb 1824

Several of the baptism records, which all took place at St Bartholomew's, Heigham, list Robert's occupation as Husbandman. 

In 1829, Mary Minns (née Kett) died, aged 49. She was buried on 17 Jun 1829 in the churchyard at St Bartholomew's, Heigham. The church was destroyed by German bombs on April 27, 1942. The graveyard of St. Bartholomew was grassed over in the 1950s. No trace of any grave remains.

St Mary's churchyard Hellesdon
cc-by-sa/2.0 - © Evelyn Simak
 geograph.org.uk/p/850775

Presumably in need of a housekeeper and someone to care for the younger children, Robert remarried Ann Clark, widow, on 13 Nov 1831, also at St Bartholomew's, Heigham. 

In 1841, Robert Minns (55), wife Ann (55) and Robert's two youngest daughters, Elizabeth (20) and Harriet (15) were living at Upper Heigham. 

Robert Marsh Minns, of Heigham, died in 1865, aged 88, and was buried on 31 Jan 1865 in the churchyard of St Mary, Hellesdon (where his grandparents had married and his mother was baptised).