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Crickmore family distribution 1780-1837

This paper is by Chris Elsden. Many thanks, Chris.

The earliest coastal families I know of is those of Daniel Crickmore of Southwold (indices of c/m/b 1602/1802 at the Society of Genealogists) and George Crickmore of Wangford (from his will)

Daniel and wife Margaret Crickmore had five children: Daniel (1683), Mary (1685), an unnamed child in 1694 (infant mortality?), George (1696) and another Mary (1698). Margaret must have died, although there are no burial records for her or for Mary no. 1, or an unnamed child. Daniel remarried Ann Briggs in 1700. He must have been a man of some property as in 1674 he paid tax for three hearths, and his and Ann's wills were proved in the Archdeaconry of Suffolk in 1718 and 1721 respectively. In addition in 1710 he was acting as a Churchwarden of Southwold, and as such joint administrator of Captain John Steele’s Charity.

George who died in 1708 and his wife Lydia Jordan who died in 1716 had three children, James, William and Susan.

In 1741 Daniel, son of George Crickmore, was bound apprentice to Richard Stacey of Deptford, shipwright. It is tempting to link Daniel to this family, perhaps as the son of George Crickmore born in 1693. It is also tempting to link Mary, the daughter of Daniel and Sarah Crickmore who was baptised at Chatham in 1758 (IGI), and perhaps even the George Crickmore who married Mary Ellams of Greenwich in 1746/7. It may even be possible that Gould Crickmore, bachelor of Chatham, who married Elizabeth Barber at St John Horsleydown church in 1783 may also be linked.

During the 18th century there are families in Wrentham, Mutford, Corton, Carlton Colville and other "nearly coastal" parishes. Presumably these will have moved down the Waveney Valley from the Norwich/Beccles/Bungay/Ditchingham area.

From the 1780s there is quite a collection of Crickmore families in coastal parishes:

Southwold



The family of Robert and Charlotte Crickmore first becomes apparent with the baptism of Robert Freeman Crickmore in Southwold in 1815, to be followed by several other sons who all produced families which lasted in Southwold until the mid 20th century (approx) but which are still healthily represented all over the country. I have no idea where Robert and Charlotte came from. They are not listed in the NBI for Suffolk, do not appear in the 1841 or any other census, and I have failed to find stones for them, although there are lots of Crickmore memorials at Southwold.

Great Yarmouth



In Yarmouth IGI vital records (and other information) indicate the following families:

John Crickmore and Deborah Eastmure have the following alarming list of sons:

John born 1778 approx

Benjamin born 1780 approx, died before 1783

Samuel born 1782

Benjamin born 1783 10/Sep, died 1788 or before(?)

James born 1784 approx, died 1834 (aet. 51)

Benjamin born 1786 05/Jan

William born 1790 24/Jan



Thomas Crickmay (buried 1802 07/Jan - could he have been previously married to Elizabeth, and be the father of Elizabeth Crickmay, born 1783?) and Mary Ann Laws have the following children:

Mary Ann born 1787 17/Jan (surely Mary Ann, the wife of John Goodwin, buried 1809 18/Jan aged 26)

Thomas born 1789 19/Sep (husband of Mary Hovell, father of Samuel Thomas Hovell Crickmay, notary and ship owner of Southtown)

James Laws born 1793 07/Jul, died 1793 Jul

James Laws born 1795 20/May

Maria Christmas born 1796 approx, died 1797 Jul



William Crickmay (mariner and ?brother of Thomas) and Rachael Capp were married in 1776 at St George in the East, Stepney, London. They seem to have moved backwards and forwards between London and Yarmouth, but some, at least, of their grandchildren were "native Londoners":

Caroline, born 1791 29/Nov, married John Rogers 1818 10/Feb

Mary Seales, born 1781 approx (the name "Seales" turns up in the family of Edward and Jemima Crickmay, as does the name "Rodolpha", indicating a link between the Beccles, Yarmouth, Lowestoft and Wiltshire/Dorset families) - wife of Robert Manners?

Dorothy, born 1783 approx, married Jacob Harvey 1809 05/Nov

Edward, born 1788 22/Oct (presumably the blockmaker husband of Mary)

Samuel Thomas, born 1789 21/Dec 1867 12/Mar (married three times at least, and possibly a fourth time, but has a cousin with a similar name) (candidate for husband of Mary Hovell and father of Samuel Thomas Hovell Crickmay? If so, son Samuel Thomas is not mentioned in will of :

William Leek, bap 18 Mar 1786, son of William CRICKMAY and Rachel CAPP (mariner, married Ann Potter at St Lukes, Old Street, 1820). William and Ann lived in St Georges in the East parish and appear in the 1851 census. Their daughter Mary Ann married her (?)cousin Thomas Samuel Crickmay (cabinet maker) at St Martin Ongar Church in 1832.

In addition to these three families IGI and other sources names other individuals present in Yarmouth at the turn of the 19th century:

Robert Crickmer, whose wife Sarah (late Riches) was buried on 18th November, 1805 aged 23 years.

James Crickmore buried on 30th September 1814 aged 34 years (might be the son of John and Deborah, but the burial of the 51-year old in 1834 matches more closely)

James Crickmore, widower, married Elizabeth Aldous, widow in 1829. He is almost certainly the chap who died in 1834 - son of John and Deborah - as Elizabeth remarries shortly afterwards. I have an idea that he might be the James Crickmore of Eye, married firstly to Ann Moore in 1807 (she died in 1823). One of their daughters was called Deborah, but this may be coincidental, especially as they were Methodists. In addition, a James Crickmer was the subject of a Settlement Examination and Removal Order (L: 16/8) pm 10th July 1833. He was apparently determined to belong to Eye and removed, but I can't imagine why this would happen to someone born and married in Yarmouth. A real puzzle here.

Earlier than this, Elizabeth Crickmay of Yarmouth married John Lillistone of Beccles in 1746. I tentatively identify her as the daughter of Robert Crickmer, farmer of Loddon who left a will in 1745. If this were correct, there would be a link between the families in Beccles and Loddon, and somehow to Yarmouth.

Lowestoft



The following were buried at St Margaret's Church:

1793 William Crickmer, husband of Martha and son of John and Elizabeth (nee Darby), aged 71

1793 James Newby, son of John Newby and his wife Esther (nee Crickmore) (unfortunately too young to be the daughter of Robert Crickmore and Ann Mooney - see London)

1795 Martha, widow of William Crickmer, aged 75

1820 Rachel Crickmay, widow of William, aged 67 (this is Rachel Capp, who moves from London to Yarmouth and on to Lowestoft)

1838 Sarah, widow of Isaac Crickmore, aged 82 (married Isaac in 1794 in Lowestoft)

The following were married:

1815 James Jackson, wid. to Sarah Crickmore, wid., witts Brown and Mann

1820 Maria Crickmer Manners, daughter of Robert and Mary Manners (Mary Crickmer married Robert Manners in Yarmouth, 1818). It is tempting to identify her with Mary Seales Crickmay and imagine that after her widowhood Rachel went to live with her daughter, perhaps taking the (?)unmarried Caroline with her.

Caroline Crickmay marries twice, John Rogers and John Farrer. Her son John Dowling Farrer baptised 1829. I identify her with the daughter of William and Rachel.

Around this time Caroline Crickmay and Anna Maria Crickmay acted as witnesses at marriage of Woods and Rogers families.

In 1806 and 1811, the daughters of Samuel and Mary Ebbs (nee Crickmore) are baptised.

Edward Crickmer Jones, son of John and Susanna Jones, was baptised in 1824, but his mother's maiden name was Garwood.

In 1825, Maria Downing, daughter of William Crickmer of Loddon and Maria Hays, and wife of James Easter Downing, died at the birth of her second child at Lowestoft. There are memorials to Maria, her parents and child, at Loddon.

George and Mary Grigson: Mary Grigson was the daughter of John and Rhedelpha Crickmay of Beccles. She was living in Lowestoft when her daughters Mary and Rhedelpha Georgiana were born around 1803.

Which brings me to Edward Crickmay and Jemima Hayter who marry in London in the 1794. Their children are born in Wiltshire, mainly Fonthill Gifford, and one enterprising son moves himself and family to Dorset via Herefordshire. The names Seales and Rhodolpha occur in the families which remain in Wiltshire, raising the possibility of links between Beccles, Yarmouth and Lowestoft. I believe Edward and Jemima die in London, Westminster District around 1840 (but would have to buy the certificates to be sure), and many family members returned to London. This couple have a large number of descendants in many different areas. Could Edward be a brother of William and Thomas Crickmay of Yarmouth? What is their link to Beccles? Are they related to John Crickmay and Ann Barrell of Beccles?



East Donyland/Fingringhoe



The name of this family is also rendered Crickmer and Crickmar. After 1851 some of them move to Fingringhoe and from there to Rowhedge. The family of William moves from Colchester to East London and is still represented there. Steve Crickmar is a descendant.



In the 1841 census of East Donyland are listed

John Crickmore (60) with ?wife Ann Crickmore (55) and ?children William Crickmore (25), Sarah Crickmore (20) and Susannah Crickmore (18). Listed separately are John Crickmore (30) with wife Edna and family, Henry Crickmore (27) with wife Mary Ann and family and James Crickmore (20) with wife Ann. An Ann Crickmore (15) is with the family of Robert Wilkin.



By 1851, the census shows that John Snr. has been widowed. He is still a farmer (of 41 acres) and gives his age as 73 and birthplace as Norfolk. William Crickmore has married and moved to Colchester, but John, Henry and James are all still living at East Donyland, and state that (like William) this is their place of birth.



Also present in East Donyland is John Edward Crickmore (55), Agricultural Labourer born at Layer de la Haye, Essex and his wife Elizabeth Crickmore (45) born at East Mersea, Essex.



This most rational interpretation is that John Crickmore Snr married (either in East Donyland or elsewhere) and moved to the parish with his wife Ann, where his children were born. The names of his sons: John, Henry, William, James do not provide any particular clues about his origins in Norfolk.



How John Edward fits in is unclear, although it seems very great coincidence that two separate Crickmore families should be represented in this parish at the same time.



London



St Dunstans - indexed registers: Baptisms 1745-46, 1753-1812, Marriages 1776-1837

The following baptisms of children of John and Elizabeth Crickmore are recorded in St Dunstans, Stepney (tantalisingly, we will almost certainly never know any more about them):

Crickmore Richard 1678 24/Jul

Crickmore Elizabeth 1679 07/Jun

Crickmore Mary 1681 17/Jun

Crickmore John 1682 20/Mar

Crickmore Sarah 1684 08/Oct

Crickmore Anne 1687 07/Jul



In 1787 Robert Crickmore, widowed mariner, married Ann Mooney at St Dunstans, Stepney

Their children were baptised at St Dunstans:

Crickmoore Esther 1788 27/09

Crickmoore Robert 1790 10/Aug

Crickmoore John Gould 1799 01/Oct

Crickmoore James 1802 21/Sept

The name "Gould" hints at a link with a Beccles family.

A Deborah Crickmore marries on 28th May, 1797. Unfortunately John Crickmore and Deborah Eastmure did not, as far as I know, name one of their daughters Deborah.



St Georges Stepney: Indexed registers - Baptisms: 1771-1837, Marriages: 1729-1833

On 2nd February 1769 John Crickmore of West Ham married Rebecca Hovell by licence. He may have been from Norfolk or Suffolk, but a John Crickmore who may well have been him was apprenticed to a calico printer at West Ham in 1760. A John Hovell Crickmore was killed in 1941 during an air raid. He was born in 1871 and appears with his family in Islington in the 1881 census. I have identified this family as descendants of John and Rebecca, but of course their ancestors may have been Thomas Crickmay and Mary Hovell of Yarmouth (although I think this less likely).

On 19th November, 1776 William Crickmay married Rachael Capp. Both are described as "of this parish". Witnesses unhelpful.

On 5th June, 1803, Rachael Crickmay (surely the daughter of William and Rachael Capp) married Thomas Sandell of Bradford, Wiltshire. Does this indicate a link with Wiltshire cousins? The witnesses are unhelpful.

On 31st June, 1793, John Crickmore married Mary Welch at St Georges in the East.

Their children were born/baptised there:

Crickmore James 1793 10/Nov/1793 29/Dec

Crickmore Mary 1797 26/Feb/1797 09/May

Crickmore James 1802 05/Jan/1802 31/Jan

Crickmore Elizabeth 1804 04/Feb/1804 04/Mar

Presumably the first son James died before the baptism of his brother James. (As you can imagine, I would have loved him to be my great x 4 grandfather, but the birth of the younger James rules this out!)



Brighton, Sussex

IGI gives two baptisms for John Crickmore, son of Edward and Hannah Crickmore at St Peters, Brighton in January and December 1851. Despite there being an index for the 1851 census of Brighton, Edward and Hannah don’t appear and remain mysterious, but would seem to be temporary residents.



Portsmouth/Isle of Wight

IGI gives the marriage of John Crickmore and Mary Parker at Boldre by Lymington, Hampshire

They appear at Whippingham, Isle of Wight in the 1851 census, where John is described as a retired mariner, and gives his birthplace as Henstead, Suffolk. He would have been born around 1785.

Their son John married Fanny Kemp at Whippingham in 1845. In the marriage record his occupation is given as shipwright, as it is in the 1881 census. Census information indicates he was born at Gosport around 1823. He died in 1895. He and Fanny moved to Southampton where their children were born and a number of families is in evidence by the end of the 19th century.



IGI gives the baptism of John and Mary’s daughter Elizabeth at Christchurch Hampshire (or Dorset!) in 1815.



Other possible children of this couple are:

Charles Napoleon Crickmore, named at Morice Street Wesleyan Chapel in 1827, named 7th August, born 22nd April. His parents names are given as John Charles and Mary Ann Crickmore, and their presence at Devonport would tie in with John’s marine/naval occupation. A Charles and Mary Crickaney (almost certainly a mistake for Crickmay) and their son Charles, appear in the 1851 census of Warwickshire, at Aston, Birmingham. Charles Jnr., was born at Portsmouth around 1841. The dates don’t seem to fit for this entry to apply to Charles Napoleon, but it’s interesting, just the same. And (despite the considerable respect Napoleon enjoyed in England due to his having beaten hell out of the “Roosians” and “Proosians”, Napoleon is an unusual choice of name….)



Henry Crickmore, horse trainer, noted in 1871 census at Preshute, Wiltshire. He gave his birthplace as Hampshire and approximate birthdate would be 1821. He may be linked to this family (dates and birthplace fit) or to the Crickmere family (occupation fits), or to neither.



Cornelia Constantine Crickmore, died in Stoke Damerel (Devonport) District in the June quarter of 1842.



There seem to be fairly long gaps between the births of the children, but this may be accounted for births and infant mortalities about which we know nothing. It rather looks as though John and Mary may have embraced non-conformity.



Deaths are recorded for Anna Elizabeth and Mary Ann Dorothy Susannah Crickmay at Portsea Island, September quarter 1838. Could the name “Dorothy” link them to the family of William Crickmay and Rachael Capp?



Sproughton/Isle of Wight

May or may not be connected to John and Mary in some way.

Samuel Crickmore, farmer of Havin Street, Ryde, Isle of Wight, almost certainly the son of Samuel Crickmore and Lucy Wright, born in Sproughton, Suffolk around 1826. He appears in the 1881 census and proved the will of his uncle John of Sproughton in the same year. He married Martha in 1845 in the Isle of Wight. Is it a coincidence that he should choose to make his home in the Isle of Wight, or might he have been visiting relatives when he chose to marry and settle there?



London before 1837



Boyds Index of Marriages for Middlesex gives the marriage of:

Henry Crickman and Susan Fromthewire in Stepney, 1626

John Crickmore and Elizabeth Eldridge in Knightsbridge, 1676

Elizabeth Crickmore and Thomas Burrows in Stepney (lic.) 1687

Sarah Crickmore and Hanbury Wathall (of Cheshunt, Herts.) St James Duke’s Place (lic.) 1729

George Crickmore to Mary Ellams of Greenwich, Kent, (lic.) St Peter Poor, 1746/47

John Crickmore (33 yrs., of St Mary Aldermanbury) to Lydia Wicks (30 yrs.,of St Andrew, Holborn) (lic.) Lincolns Inn, 1746



IGI gives the following baptisms:



St Giles, Cripplegate

Edward, son of John Crickmore, 24th June 1608



St Botolphs, Bishopsgate - the children of Richard and Sarah Crickman:

Thomas, 14th September 1645

Elizabeth, 12th January 1651



St Dunstans, Stepney

Children of John and Elizabeth Crickmore (couple married at Knightsbridge?)

Anne (1687), Sarah (1684), John (1682), Mary (1681), Elizabeth (1679), Richard (1678)



Elizabeth, daughter of John and Annabel Crickman, 14th September, 1653 (?same as):

St Augustine, Watling Street

Elizabeth, daughter of John and Ann Crickmer, 5th July 1655



St Olave, Old Jewry

Baptisms of four children of Thomas Crickmore and his wife Alice (identified by Richard John Crickmore as Thomas, son of Robert Crickmore and his wife Esther Ward of Syleham, married to Alice Pleasance):

Deborah (1741), John (1744), Ann (1746), Thomas (1749)

It is possible that John is the apprentice calico printer, and that is the husband of Rebecca Hovell and ancestor of the West Ham/Islington family: Entries from Holdens Directory 1805/1807/1808

Thomas Crickmore, calico printer, West Ham.

It is possible that John or Thomas may be connected with Thomas, husband of Elizabeth and father of the following children:

William (1799 - Sion Chapel, Mile End Old Town), Thomas William (1812), Elizabeth (1807), Ann (1801) baptised at Christchurch, Spitalfields. A Thomas Crickmore, aged 50, was buried at the nonconformist burial ground at Bunhill Fields in 1815. The body was collected from Spitalfields. Holdens and Kents Directories contain advertisements for Thomas Crickmore, pewterer and beer engine maker of Skinner Street, Bishopsgate from 1811-27.



Kents Directory of 1840 and the 1841 census place a James Crickmore, pewterer, in Mitre Place, Bishopsgate.



During the 1840s Henry, Edwin and Lavinia, children of a Thomas Crickmore (? Husband of Parthana Fisher, married St Giles Cripplegate, 1805?) marry in Islington/Hackney/Shoreditch. In the 1851 census two of them and their sister Frances give their birthplace as the City of London.



St Luke, Chelsea

1818, 01/Nov, Samuel Crickmore, sm otp to Lucy Jones, sw otp, witnesses Bryan and Dowage. Is this a first marriage of Samuel Crickmore of Southelmham, profession Chelsea pensioner?



St Leonard, Shoreditch

1805 22/Jan, marriage of Rebecca Crickmore to Andrew Mackie. Witnesses John Crickmore and Angela Hovell may indicate that she is the daughter of John Crickmore and Rebecca Hovell.

1822 10/Jun, Mary Crickmay to Leonard Printall (? Family of William Crickmay and Rachael Capp - witnessed by Susannah Crickmay).



Marriage Index of St Georges, Hanover Square 1725-1823

James Crickmer to Sarah Janaway of St Clement Dane (lic.) 1793 18/May

Harriot Crickmore to John Ruffell/Russell, 1801

Mary Crickmore to W Rewe/Reeve 1801

Sarah Crickmore to Thomas Rainham 1803

Lidia Crickmore to James Houghton 1810

Could these women be the following daughters of John Crickmore and Mary Carter, baptised at St Mary’s Church, Watford, and could there be a connection to John Russell Crickmore, butcher of Lambeth, advertised in 1850:

Lydia (1778), Harriet (1782), Sarah (1775), Mary (1780)



By the start of the 19th century the following families were also in London. They continued to thrive and will have many descendants both in London and all over the country:



The family of John Crickmer (illegitimate son of Robert Crickmer, farmer of Loddon) and Ann Jex. John was a baker and flour factor, living in Bermondsey.



The families of William (Draper, then accountant) and Charles (wine merchant) Crickmer, sons of William Crickmer of Ditchingham. The family of William formed marital alliances with a number of clergymen, one becoming Perpetual Curate at Beverley Minster and producing a large family. They lived in Hackney, Islington and Kennington. The two widows ended their lives living together in Croydon.



The family of Gould and Sarah Crickmore. Gould was a glazier and house painter; his wife came from Rosslyn, Herefordshire so presumably they met in London. Their family starts appearing in 1812. The names Gould, Benjamin and Richard would seem to link them to the Beccles families.



The family of George Crickmore and Charlotte Smith. They were non-Conformists, their children being baptised at St Giles Cripplegate Barbican Independent Chapel. George was an “oil and colorman” in Finsbury, then a warehouseman. He ended his life as a prosperous man living in Greenwich. His only son died in infancy and he left behind two daughters: Charlotte Wrangham and Caroline Crickmore. He named his birthplace as Witham, Essex.



The family of William and Frances Crickmay. William was the son of John Crickmay and Ann Barrell of Beccles. In the 1841 census he is living at Kensington, a private tutor by profession. His sons did very well for themselves, becoming clerks in the Home Office and Bank of England. Any wealthy Crickmay is likely to be descended from them, although some of the Dorset family have done quite well.