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.

William Francis and Mary Gunn

St Peter’s Church, Mattishall Burgh

William Francis and Mary Gunn, a pair of my 5th great-grandparents, were married, on 1 Jan 1771, at St Peter’s Church, Mattishall Burgh.

Records exist for the baptisms, also in Mattishall Burgh, of three children: 

1. John Francis bap. 19 Apr 1772
2. William Francis bap. 14 Nov 1773
3. Mary Francis bap. 28 Mar 1779

William and Mary were buried at All Saints' Church, Mattishall. Mary was buried on 14 Apr 1816. The record states that she was 73 and born in 1743. William was buried little more than a year later, on 18 May 1817. His burial record says he was 76, born in 1741, but I haven't located their baptisms.

Churchyard at All Saints' Church, Mattishall

Jacob White and Rose Bunkall

St. Nicholas Church, Dereham

Jacob White and Rose Bunkall, married on 12 Nov 1805 at St. Nicholas Church, Dereham. Jacob, the son of Jacob White and Elizabeth Thompson, was baptised at All Saints Church, Shipdham, on 23 Jul 1770 (where his parents had married just two months earlier on 19 May 1770). Rose, the daughter of William and Margaret Bunkall, was born in December 1766 and baptised at St. Nicholas Church, Dereham on 1 Feb 1767. Jacob and Rose married late and were already 35 and 38, respectively, at the time of their marriage, but are described as a single man and a single woman. 

The lateness probably accounts for why they had only one child: 

1. William White, bap. 20 Jul 1806 at St Margaret, Garvestone

Rose White died, her age estimated at 62, and was buried on 6 Jul 1827, at All Saints, Mattishall. (Mattishall is where son William lived then.)

In 1841, Jacob White (70) was living South Green, Mattishall. 

Jacob White died, his age also over-estimated by two years to 76, in 1844 M Quarter in MITFORD AND LAUNDITCH Volume 13 Page 181.