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Thursday, 6 February 2025

John Windell and Sarah Exell

Church of St Mary's, Portsea
cc-by-sa/2.0 - © N Chadwick - geograph.org.uk/p/6667290

John Windell (b. 29 Jun 1805), son of John Windel and Mary Smith, first married Sarah Exell (bap. 22 Apr 1804), daughter of Joseph Exell and Jane Hawks, at St Mary's Church, Portsea, on 6 Feb 1831.

John and Sarah had two daughters:
  1. Sarah Anne Windell bap. 21 Aug 1831
  2. Mary Jane Windell bap. 13 Apr 1834. Died at 3M on 8 Jul 1834, buried 13 Jul 1834, of John & Sarah Windell of Spring Gardens, Landport
Both baptised at St Mary's, Portsea, with John's occupation listed as Joiner.

Sarah Windell (30), wife of John Windell of Spring Gardens, Landport, died on 28 Mar 1834 and was buried on 6 Apr 1834, at Portsea Cemetery.

Mary Tubb (b. 1814) daughter of William Tubb and Sarah Chard, married John Fleming (b. 1810), Mariner, at St Mary's Church, Alverstoke, on 20 Feb 1832, but only six months later, John Fleming (22), Midshipman died at Haslar Hospital (Royal Hospital Haslar), Alverstoke and was buried from St Luke's Chapel, Haslar, on 22 Aug 1832, when Mary was six months pregnant.

John and Mary Fleming's only daughter:
  1. Mary Ann Fleming b. 6 Nov 1832, was, obviously, her father's posthumous child, bap. 15 May 1836 at St Mary's, Portsea
Therefore, it was Mary Fleming, widow, who married widower, John Windell at St Mary's, Portsea on 8 Aug 1835. Witnesses to this marriage were Eliza Windell and a Benjamin Franklin (probably not this one).

John and Mary Windell produced another eight children:
  1. John William Windell bap. 15 May 1836 at St Mary's, Portsea
  2. Eliza Emma Windell b. 1838 J Quarter in PORTSEA Vol 07 Page 124
  3. Henry Alfred Windell b. 1842 M Quarter in PORTSEA Vol 07 Page 144
  4. Ellen Windell b. 1844 J Quarter in PORTSEA Vol 07 Page 141
  5. Louisa Elizabeth Windell b. 1846 J Quarter in PORTSEA Vol 07 152. Died, aged 6 in 1852 S Quarter in PORTSEA ISLAND UNION  Volume 02B  Page 241 and buried on 8 Aug 1852 at St Mary's
  6. Amelia Windell b. 1848 M Quarter in PORTSEA Vol 07 Page 149. Died aged 8M, in 1848 D Quarter in PORTSEA ISLAND UNION Volume 07 Page 110 and was buried on 17 Oct 1848 at St Mary's, Portsea
  7. Thomas Edward Windell b. 1850 M Quarter in PORTSEA Vol 07 153. Died at 2M in 1850 M Quarter in PORTSEA ISLAND UNION Volume 07 Page 118 and was buried on 17 Feb 1850 at St Mary's, Portsea
  8. Edward Charles Windell reg. 1855 M Qtr in PORTSEA Vol 02B 388.
Baptisms were abandoned once Civil Registration is introduced.

In 1841, John Windell (37) Joiner, was living in Bow Street, Portsea, with Mary Windell (27), Sarah Windell (9), Mary Windell (8)*, John Windell (6), Eliza Windell (3), William Tubb (54) Ropemaker (Mary's widowed father); Henry Tubb (15) and Edward Tubb (13) - Mary's brothers.

In 1851, at 21, Bow Street, Portsea, were John Windell (46) Joiner H M D Y; Mary Windell (37), Sarah Windell (19), Mary Windell (17)*, John Windell (15), Eliza Windell (13), Henry Windell (9), Ellen Windell (6), Elizabeth Windell (4), William Tubb (64) Ropemaker; Henry Tubb (25) Ropemaker. * Listed as Mary Windell, this is actually Mary Ann Fleming (b. 1832).

John Windell, age estimated as 58, of Bow Street, Landport, died on 4 Jan 1861 (1861 M Quarter in PORTSEA ISLAND Volume 02B Page 280) and was buried on 13 Jan 1861 at Portsea Cemetery.

In 1861, Mary Windell (48) widow, was living at 33, Bow Street, Portsea, with her father William Tubb (76), then the head of the family after her husband's death, with Ellen Windell (17) and Edward Windell (6).

Mary Windell (formerly Fleming, née Tubb), Widow, of Bow Street, Landport, died aged 53 on 15 Sep 1867 (1867 S Quarter in PORTSEA ISLAND Volume 02B Page 280) and was buried on 19 Sep 1867, at Portsea Cemetery.

  • Youngest son, Edward Windell, joined the Royal Navy as a stoker on 7 Apr 1873, giving his date of birth as 25 Dec 1851, making himself three years older than he was. He was assigned to HMS Asia (1824) then and on several other occasions throughout his career. In 1881, Edward Windell (29) Leading Stoker, Royal Navy At Sea, Ships and Overseas Establishments was with HMS London (1840) in Zanzibar, East Indies. He was with HMS London from 1 Sep 1880 to 22 Jan 1883, during which time she was involved in the suppression of the slave trade in the area. The London Evening Standard on Sat, 6 Sep 1884 reported, "The Lords Commissioners for the Admiralty have awarded medals for long service and good conduct to ..." including Edward Windell leading stoker of the Asia ..." Edward was shore pensioned in 1891 and discharged in 1893. In 1891, Edward Windell (36) Brass moulder, was living with his sister, Ellen Rees at 125, Wingfield Street, Portsea. Edward Windell died on 21 Feb 1903, aged 48, and was buried from St Mary's, Portsea on 26 Feb 1903, having never married.

Charles Goff and Elizabeth Lock

Ford, footbridge and Goodiford Farm
cc-by-sa/2.0 - © David Smith - geograph.org.uk/p/5058166

Charles Goff (bap. 9 Feb 1834 in Kentisbeare), Mason, son of James Goff and Elizabeth Lane, married Elizabeth Lock (bap. 2 Jan 1831 in Ashbrittle), daughter of Mary Ann Lock, at St John the Baptist, Ashbrittle, on 6 Feb 1855. Incredibly, Elizabeth Lock, Servant, where her father should be named, it just says 'Illegitimate'. Whilst this is honest and true, I've never seen that on a marriage certificate before, with most in that situation making up a father 'for appearances sake'. Witnesses were James Ridgeway, presumably her half-brother, and Charles Vickery. (In 1841, Elizabeth Lock, then 10, had been living with her grandfather, John Lock, and I wouldn't have known about her, but DNA links to descendants of three of Elizabeth's sons show her as being my 'half 2nd great-grandaunt'. As the daughter of my 3rd great-grandmother and half-sister of my 2nd great-grandmother, that's spot on.)

Charles and Elizabeth Goff had nine children:
  1. James Goff b. 1855 in Ashbrittle, Somerset (no birth reg nor baptism)
  2. William Goff b. 1857 J Quarter in TIVERTON Volume 05B Page 392, bap. 7 Jun 1857 at St Marys Church, Kentisbeare 
  3. Mary Goff b. 1859 S Quarter in TIVERTON Volume 05B Page 373, bap. 6 Nov 1859 at St Marys Church, Kentisbeare 
  4. John Goff b. 1861 J Quarter in TIVERTON Volume 05B Page 436, bap. 6 Oct 1861 at St Marys Church, Kentisbeare 
  5. Anna Goff b. 1863 D Quarter in TIVERTON Volume 05B Page 427, bap. 7 Feb 1864 at St Marys Church, Kentisbeare 
  6. Frank Goff b. 14 Feb 1866 M Quarter in TIVERTON Volume 05B Page 472, bap. 5 Aug 1866 at St Marys Church, Kentisbeare 
  7. Edmund Goff b. 1868 M Quarter in TIVERTON Volume 05B Page 449, bap. 5 Apr 1868 at St Marys Church, Kentisbeare. Died, aged 17 months, in 1869 J Quarter in TIVERTON Volume 05B Page 317 and was buried on 23 May 1869 also at St Marys Church, Kentisbeare 
  8. Henry Goff b. 1 Feb 1870 M Quarter in TIVERTON Volume 05B Page 456, bap. 3 Jul 1870 at St Marys Church, Kentisbeare 
  9. Charles Goff b. 15 Jun 1871 S Quarter in TIVERTON Volume 05B Page 412, bap. 3 Sep 1871 at St Marys Church, Kentisbeare 
In 1861, Charles Goff (26) Mason was in North Street, Kentisbeare with Elizabeth Goff (32), son James Goff (6), William Goff (3) and Mary Goff (1).

In 1871, at Goodiford, Kentisbeare were Charles Goff (34) Mason, Elizabeth Goff (37), James Goff (16) Mason's Labourer; William Goff (13), Mary Goff (11), John Goff (9), Anna Goff (7), Francis Goff (5) and Henry Goff (1).

In 1881, Charles Goff (45) Farmer & mason & miller employing 15 men & boys was still at Goodiford Mills, Kentisbeare with Elizabeth Goff (48), William Goff (23) Mason; Mary Goff (21), John Goff (20) Carpenter; Hannah [Anna] Goff (17), Frank Goff (15) Miller; Henry Goff (11), Charles Goff (9) and James Hiles (16) Farm Servant from Clayhanger, Devon.

In 1891, at Mill House, Kentisbeare, were Charles Goff (56) Builder & miller; Elizabeth Goff (58), Frank Goff (25) Miller; Henry Goff (21) Carpenter and Charles Goff (19) Builder's son.

Elizabeth Goff of Goodiford, Kentisbeare, died, aged 60, on 17 Apr 1892 (1892 J Quarter in TIVERTON Volume 05B Page 279) and was buried on 23 Apr 1892 at St Marys, Kentisbeare, leaving £171 to Charles Goff, Builder.

Charles Goff, Builder and Miller, died the following year, aged 58, on 29 Mar 1893 (1893 J Quarter in TIVERTON Volume 05B Page 295) and was buried on 5 Apr 1893, also at St Marys Church, Kentisbeare. He left effects of £1084 (£171,775 in 2023) to Frank Goff and Charles Goff.