John Perry and Ann Watlington

Entrance to St Giles' Church, Reading
Bill Nicholls (cc-by-sa/2.0) geograph.org.uk/p/3278759

John Perry (b. 13 Dec 1712), son of Philip Perry and Elizabeth Flemming, married Ann Watlington (bap. 26 Apr 1716 at St Giles, Reading), daughter of Samuel Watlington and Ann Monke, at St Giles, Reading on 2 Jun 1737.

There are records for the following children of John and Ann Perry:

1. Philip Perry b. Monday, 18 Dec 1738, bap. 23 Dec 1738 (at 5 days old) at St Dunstan's, Stepney. The Chronicles of the Blackwall Yard lists Philip's birth year as 1739, but I don't see this as an inconsistency, as it was probably calculated from age. Philip Perry, eldest son of the late Mr. Perry, died (unmarried) at the age of thirty-seven, in 1776 (purportedly on 5 Jul 1776) and buried on 10 Jul 1776, at St Dunstan's, Stepney
2. Ann Perry b. Friday, 16 May 1740, bap. 6 Jun 1740 (at 21 days old) at St Dunstan's, Stepney
3. John Perry b. Sunday, 12 Sep 1742, bap. 14 Oct 1742 (at 32 days old) at St Dunstan's, Stepney. Reputedly died on 23 Nov 1742
4. John Perry b. Tuesday, 4 Jan 1743, bap. 25 Jan 1743 at St Dunstan's, Stepney (at 21 Days Old). This clearly doesn't agree with the birth date of 6 Apr 1743 on John's burial in 1810. Could this discrepancy be confusion from the change from the Julian to Gregorian calendar? *
5. Thomas Perry b. Tuesday, 2 Apr 1745, bap. 23 Apr 1745 (at 21 days old) at St Dunstan's, Stepney. Presume died in infancy.
6. Samuel Perry b. Wednesday, 6 May 1747, bap. 2 Jun 1747 (at 27 days old) at St Dunstan's, Stepney. Presume died in infancy.
7. Elizabeth Perry b. Monday, 15 Aug 1748, bap. 8 Sep 1748 (at 24 days old) at St Dunstan's, Stepney. (This child must have died as an infant: there is a potential burial on 3 Dec 1748 in Whitechapel)
8. Elizabeth Perry b. Monday, 28 Aug 1749, bap. 15 Sep 1749 (at 18 days old) at St Dunstan's, Stepney.

All baptisms list the parents as John Perry, Shipwright, and Ann of Poplar.

* At first there appears not to be enough time between John b. 1742 and John b. 1743 for them to have been of the same mother, however, the second John - the only one of these births falling in the first part of the year - was born in 1743 to him, but 1744 in our modern (Gregorian) calendar. The year difference before 1752 is due to the use of the Julian calendar, where the year began on March 25th, not January 1st. Thus entries between January 1st and March 24th of a given year would be one year behind our calendar. 

Ann Perry is reputed to have died on 6 Aug 1752 in Reading, Berkshire.

John Perry married Catherine Gibson on 3 Dec 1754 at St Dunstan-in-the-West. The marriage record reads: "John Perry of Blackwall in the Parish of Saint Dunstan Stepney Widower in the County of Middlesex and Catherine Gibson of this Parish Spinster were Married in this Church by Licence this Third day of December, in the year One Thousand and seven hundred fifty four, by leave of the Vicar by me John Gibson Clerk." The Reverend John Gibson, was Catherine's elder brother. Witnesses were Bartholomew Gibson and William Gibson, her other two brothers. Catherine Gibson (bap. 11 May 1720 at St Paul's, Covent Garden) was the daughter of John Gibson and Dorcas Shower (m. 4 Sep 1716 at St John the Baptist, Pinner.)

John Gibson senior was until about 1720 a jeweller in Bow Street. In 1718 he inherited property at Bury Pond Hill in Pinner from an aunt, Elizabeth Darden, and in 1720 his wife inherited Islips Manor Farm in Northolt, and property at Pinner Hill. She was Dorcas, only daughter and heiress of William Shower, and, through him, of her uncle, Sir Bartholemew Shower, recorder of London. [Source] "one of the most vilified and despised Tories of his generation."

Mrs Catherine Perry was buried on 20 Dec 1766 on St John the Baptist, Pinner, Harrow, Middlesex. The Will of Katherine Perry formerly Gibson states that she was the wife of Mr John Perry of Blackwall, Shipwright. It mentions her house at Pinner: she left "the house, called the White House and all the land surrounding the house to my husband, John Perry, together with the furniture that is mine." The rest of my fortune that my father John Gibson left me and all that has been left me or given to me by other friends Mr Perry has given me the Liberty to Dispose of it at my Death ..." These included bequeaths to her brothers William Gibson, Barth[olemew] Gibson and John Gibson and to her sisters Elizabeth Gibson and Dorcas Gibson. 

The Chronicles of the Blackwall Yard (PDF) says, ''John Perry died [listed in various locations as on 20 Jan 1771] at Blackwall, and was buried with his wife and father in the grounds of Poplar Chapel (St Matthias Old Church)." His grandson, Mr. Richard Perry, writes of this:—"My grandfather was of a very religious turn, and was supposed by the family to have passed away while engaged in his devotions ('Beatus ille!'). He had retired to his chamber one evening for that purpose, and was found dead upon the floor; the candle had fallen from his hand, and had providentially become extinguished." Mr. Perry left two sons and several daughters. His eldest son Philip died shortly afterwards, and his second son John succeeded him in business. By his will, dated 1772, "Mr. John Perry, of Blackwall, shipbuilder, left the interest of £200 to be given half-yearly in bread to the poor of the hamlet."

Probate was granted on 1 Feb 1771. In his will John Perry of Walthamstow in the County of Essex Esq, indeed states that "it is my will and desire to be buried in my vault in Poplar Church Yard." John Perry left his eldest son "Philip Perry the sum of five thousand pounds part of my four percent consolidated bank annuities and the five thousand pounds part of my three percent consolidated bank annuities to and for his own use which sums I direct shall be transferred within two months after my decease in the names of my two sons Philip and John Perry and of my sister Sarah Seehl wife of Mr Ephraim Rinhold Seehl." He left his share of the partnership trade of a shipwright in the Great Yard at Blackwall to his son John. He also gave John his share of the capital stock in the trade of Ropemaker. To his daughter Ann Hankey (wife of Joseph Hankey), "I give to my said daughter Ann my best Tea Equipage at Walthamstow ... the Carved Rosewood Table and the set of China Tea Chest Spoons and Cannisters belonging to the same and the Silver Tea Kettle Lamp ... used therewith and also the large case of silver spoons." The will lists his three sisters Sarah Seehl, Susanna Gilbert and Elizabeth Brown.

The statement that "Mr. Perry left two sons and several daughters" suggests that Thomas and Samuel had predeceased him, or died as infants (not found evidence). They were certainly not mentioned in their father's will either. The Chronicles of the Blackwall Yard also suggests his wife (which one?) was buried at Poplar Chapel, but I can find no record substantiating this. And "several daughters" would also suggest there were more than the two I've found records for, but only Ann was mentioned by name in his will.