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| Looking down from Telscombe Cliffs cc-by-sa/2.0 - © Marathon - geograph.org.uk/p/6864973 |
John Leese (b. 1826), purportedly from Portsea, son of John Leese, although I've been unable to identify his birth or baptism, married Caroline Bussey, the eldest daughter of Benjamin Bussey and Elizabeth Bowen and sister to Hannah Bussey and Susannah Bussey at St Mary's Church, Portsea, Portsmouth, on 23 Feb 1852. The year before, Caroline Bussey (24) had been a housemaid at Greenwich Hospital, London, home for retired sailors of the Royal Navy.
John and Caroline Leese had seven children:
- Susan Caroline Leese b. 1852 D Quarter in ROMNEY MARSH Volume 02A Page 646, baptised at All Saints Church, Lydd, Romney Marsh.
- Margaret Hannah Leese b. 1857 J Quarter in ROMNEY MARSH Volume 02A Page 677, baptised at All Saints Church, Lydd, Romney Marsh.
- Henrietta Leese b. 1860 M Quarter in LEWES Volume 02B Page 169, bap. 12 Feb 1860 in Telscombe, presumably at the church of St Laurence.
- Henry John Leese b. 5 Jan 1862 M Quarter in LEWES Volume 02B Page 164, bap. 7 Feb 1862, also in Telscombe.
- Mary Jane Leese b. 1864 S Quarter in LEWES Volume 02B Page 161
- Elizabeth Leese b. 1867 M Quarter in LEWES Volume 02B Page 178
- William James Leese b. 1869 D Quarter in LEWES Volume 02B Page 182
In 1861, at Lower Bannings, Lewes Sussex (in the area of Saltdean) were John Leese (35) Coast Guard R N; wife Caroline (35), Susan C (8), Margaret H (4) and Henrietta (1). I've not yet seen John Leese' naval or pension record, but the fact that he is a coastguard (the second in the family, one on each side) explains why they were in Lydd earlier, of which is said, "As with much of the marsh, the town was a base for smuggling in the 18th and 19th centuries."
In 1871, listed at the Coast Guard Station, Newhaven, Lewes, Sussex, were John Leese (44) Chief Boatman Coast Guard, Caroline Leese (44), Susan Leese (18), Henrietta Leese (11), Henry Leese (9), Mary J Leese (9), Elizabeth Leese (4) and William Leese (1). Margaret Leese (14) was working as Servant in the household of John Sykes, Assistant Secretary Civil Service (father of Sir John Charles Gabriel Sykes (1869-1952) at 38 Kensington Square, Kensington.
In 1881, living at 41, Ivory Place, Brighton, Sussex were John Leese (54) Naval Pensioner from Portsmouth, Hampshire; Caroline Leese (54); Margaret Leese (23) Dressmaker; Hetty Leese (Henrietta) (21) Confectioner's Assistant; Jane Leese (Mary Jane) (16) Pupil teacher and Elizabeth Leese (14) At home helping mother. Susan Caroline Leese had married in 1877; Henry John Leese, who had joined the Royal Navy in 1879, was an "Ordinary seaman pupil teacher" at HMS President (shore establishment) in Poplar (Wapping), while William James Leese (11) was a pupil at Greenwich Hospital, School, Greenwich, Kent.
John Leese died, aged 55, in 1882 M Quarter in BRIGHTON Vol 02B Pg 195.
Caroline Leese died, aged 62, in 1889 S Quarter in BRIGHTON Vol 02B Pg 125.
