Laslett family history

William and Susanna Laslett of Stratford-on-Avon

William was born at Ash in 1701, the third son of Thomas Laslett, a yeoman of Hoden Farm, Ash, and his wife Mary Laslett née Curling (page 21). The Parish Baptismal Records for four years up to 1702 have been destroyed and no record of baptism has been found. Richard Laslett investigating the matter in 1860 came to the conclusion that William was born at Ash in 1701 and detailed his findings in a letter in 1912 to his brother George in South Australia.

On 18 October 1726 William Laslett married "the Widow Fright" at Ash. Later records show her Christian name to be Susanna. At that time marriage to a widow was often the sign of an upwardly mobile young man as such a marriage could give access to capital not otherwise available to so young a man. Perhaps confirming this is William's application four years later, in 1730, for an appointment in the Excise. In the Application he gave his age as 28. William was ordered for examination at St Mary's Sandwich on 18 March 1730 and left Kent to follow his occupation on 14 May 1731.

On his father's death in 1739 he received a share in Hoden Farm but appears to have sold this to his brother Richard.

William's career in the Excise was successful. On 18 January 1754 he was promoted Collector East Wales, on 16 September 1761 he was Collector Middle Wales. He relinquished his position on 13 September 1769 and died at Stratford-on-Avon in 1777. He was buried there on 15 March.

His Will is dated 5 April 1775 and was proven on 4 April 1777. In it he names his sons William and Thomas as Executors while a third son, Stephen, is mentioned in the Will as a beneficiary.

Susanna survived William and in 1782 she left Stratford-on- Avon to live in Worcester with her son Thomas.

An interesting sidelight is a marriage recorded on 13 October 1779 at Stratford-on-Avon between a John Mills and a Susanna Laslett. It seems likely that this may have been a third marriage for Susanna.

Family of William and Susanna Laslett

Son

THOMAS - born at St Albans around 1730. Registers destroyed by fire in 1743. Married Jane Emerson at Potton Bedfordshire on 25 July 1760.

See chapter Thomas and Jane Laslett of Worcester on page 33.

STEPHEN - no details known. Mentioned in father's Will 1777. There is a baptism of Stephen Laslett son of William and Mary Laslett at St Mary’s Sandwich on 16 February 1729 and an apprenticeship in 1742 for Stephen Laslett son of William Laslett to John Randall of Rotherhithe a Shipwright for £30. Also a will dated 31 March 1762 proved 18 May 1764 for Stehen Laslett outward bound in the Good Ship Earl of Ashburnham. In this will Stephen’s sole beneficiary is his wife Mary. The Earl of Ashburnham was an East India Company ship, Captain Thomas Pearce Commander, 499 Tons, which made four EIC voyages between 1761 and 1771.
WILLIAM - no details known. Mentioned in father's Will 1777. There is a baptism of William Laslett son of William and Mary Laslett at St Mary’s Sandwich on 12 October 1730 and an apprenticeship in 1744 for William Laslett son of William Laslett to Sam Reader of Cranbrook a Barber &c. (barber/surgeon?) for £10/10/-.