Laslett family history

William Lasslett of Rayham and Brook Farms and his wives Mary and Mary Ann

William was baptised at Hearne on 17 September 1775. He was the only son of Thomas Lasslett, a yeoman of Brook Farm, and his wife Elizabeth Lasslett née Gibbs (page 38).

William married first to Mary Wacher, a spinster, of Swalecliffe at Swalecliffe on 21 May 1804. Mary appears to have died shortly after the birth of their daughter Hannah on 12 April 1805. Mary was the daughter of John Wacher, farmer, of Chislet (1739-1821) and his wife Elizabeth Sharp (1751-1833).

On 16 October 1806 he married Mary Ann Rayner of Acol at Birchington by Banns. William was shown as being of Swalecliffe Parish. Mary was the daughter of Elias and Ann Rayner and had been baptised at Womenswold on 13 November 1768. The witnesses were Elizth Sidders and John Drew.

William was a Yeoman who both owned and tenanted land. He lived on Rayham Farm, in the Parish of Whitstable, which was rented from Thomas White, and as well inherited the freehold of Brook Farm (now Meadow Farm), in the Parish of Swalecliffe, on the death of his father in 1809. Brook farm was right in the village of Swalecliffe and it appears to have consisted of three fields totalling 15 acres. They were Brookfield, Bridgefield and Kitchenfield. In addition he rented a number fields in the district. From a parochial Whitstable charity he rented Priest and Sow, 9 acres; Banfield and Upperfield, 9 acres; Stockfish, 20 acres; and Wilkin Watts, 14 acres. The annual rent was £67/10/-. From Charlotte Anderson he rented two fields totalling 10 acres for £22/10/-. He also owned two houses in the village of Swalecliffe. One was a two story brick cottage on the main road near the brook which was rented out, while the other was a single story structure on the brook bank set back from the road. These cottages were really the farm houses of Brook Farm and the second one was occupied by his son William jnr who had a carpenter's and wheeler's shop and smithy beside the road near the cottage. The brick house is still standing while the second was demolished in 1966.

William died of 29 October 1835 and was buried in Swalecliffe Parish Churchyard on 5 November 1835. Mathew's Memorial Inscriptions. Kent. Vol. 30' records his tombstone: "William Laslett - 29.10.1835 - Left surviving Mary Ann his widow and 7 children. Hannah, William, Thomas, John, Mary, Elizabeth and George." A copy of his will appears on page 220.

Mary appears to have died about 1839 as she is mentioned in the 1838/39 Rate Assessment at £51 while her family is not mentioned. For the 1840 Rate Assessment Mary is not mentioned while her son William is rated £13/10/- and her daughter Elizabeth £45/10/-. No other children are mentioned in the 1840 Rate Assessment.

Family of William and Mary Lasslett

HANNAH - baptised 12 April 1805 at St John the Baptist Swalecliffe. Married John Bushell Goldfinch, bachelor, of Whitstable by banns at Whitstable on 14 February 1831. John was the son of John Bushell Goldfinch and his wife Elizabeth (née Holness). John was an Oyster Dedger having been apprenticed to his father at the Whitstable Oyster Fisher Co. In 1831 John was witness at his brother-in-law William's marriage. The Goldfinch family records show him as a Labourer 1838, Dredgerman 1851, Mariner 1861, Fisherman 1871. Late of Victoria Street, Whitstable, formerly of Seasalter, occupation Oyster Dredger, retired Gardener. John died on 13 August 1885. Hannah died in 1879.
Children:
John Goldfinch - born 18 July 1832 at Whitstable. A Master Maniner. Married Sarah Ann Foreman at Whitstable on 20 April 1856. John died at Southhampton on 3 June 1905.
William Goldfinch - born 26 January 1834 at Whitstable. A Master Shipbuilder. Married Mary Ann Court at Whitstable on 29 November 1859. William died at Blean Rd (Whitstable?) on 30 November 1910.
George Goldfinch - born 10 June 1836 at Whitstable. A Shipwright/ Boatbuilder. Married Martha Sarah Court at Seasalter(?) on 23 August 1860. George died at Whitstable on 13 January 1900.
Robert Daniel Goldfinch - born 16 June 1838 at Seasalter. He was a Mariner. Married Ann Prebble on 5 November 1859. Robert died at Herne Bay on 14 March 1918.
Mary Ann Goldfinch - born 16 September 1840 at Whitstable and was buried there on 6 April 1841.
Thomas Goldfinch - born 25 April 1842 at Whitstable. Married Sarah Harris and later, in 1893, Emma Edden. Thomas died in London in 1925.
Hannah Goldfinch - baptised 15 December 1844 at Whitstable. Married name was Moat. Hannah died on 19 July 1922 and is buried at Faversham.
James Goldfinch - baptised on 15 March 1848 at Seasalter and was buried at Whitstable on 20 March 1848.

Family of William and Mary Ann Lasslett

Sons

WILLIAM - born 15 August 1807 at Brook Farm and baptised on the next day at St John the Baptist Swalecliffe. Married Sarah Vevers of Liverpool by banns at Swalecliffe on 30 May 1831. Immigrated with their family to Victoria in 1853. Both died at Malmsbury Victoria, William on 13 July 1888 and Sarah on 1 October 1891.

See chapter William and Sarah Lasslett of Malmsbury on page 76.

THOMAS - baptised 20 February 1809 at St John the Baptist Swalecliffe and baptised at St John the Baptist Swalecliffe on 26 February. On 22 March 1830 the Canterbury Freeman books note that Thomas Lasslett, baker, was made a freeman by redemption. Married Emma Blake, spinster, of St Mildreds Canterbury by licence at St Mildreds Canterbury on 20 August 1830. Immigrated to Detroit Michigan in the USA. Thomas died in 1888 and is buried Erin Grove Cemetery in Roseville, Michigan. Emma is buried there also but I have no date of death.

See chapter Thomas and Emma Lasslett of Detroit on page 84.

JOHN - born on 22 May 1812 and baptised a month later on 22 June 1812 at St John the Baptist Whitstable. Buried a year later at Swalecliffe on 24 June 1813.

JOHN - born 25 January 1814 and baptised at St John the Baptist Whitstable on 24 February 1814 as 'John Lacy'. Overseer of the Poor for Swalecliffe Parish 1845-47. Immigrated to New Jersey in the USA. In the 1880 Census for Woodbridge, Middlesex, New Jersey he is shown as aged 66, Widowed, born 1814 in England, a farmer and the head of the household.
Children:
William George – born New Jersey in 1854. A Dry Goods Salesman. Lived Woodbridge, Middlesex, N.J. Married to Emily Louise. born 1852 in New York. The Methodist Episcopal Cemetery, Woodbridge, [Middlesex Co.] NJ (Extracted from inscriptions Cemetery of the First Presbyterian Church of Woodbridge, [Middlesex Co.], New Jersey. C150 Emily Louise, 1st wife of Wm. George Lasslett, d. 12 Sun 1854 (sic), ae 33 yrs.
Children:
Florence Louise – born Woodbridge, Middlesex, New Jersey on 3 February 1876.
Grace Ethel – born Woodbridge, New Jersey in 1878

GEORGE - born 13 September 1822 and baptised at St John the Baptist Whitstable on 14 March. In mid 1840 George married Harriet Ann Chandler born 1830 Minster in Thanet The daughter of James Phillis (sic) Chandler and his wife Sarah (née Brooker). In the 1851 Census they are living at 21 Bodling Farm, Swalecliffe. When she married in 1868 George’s daughter Harriet gave her father’s occupation a Labourer. Nothing further is known about George until he appears in the 1880 US census as married to Sarah b.1831. The 1880 census shows George Laslett aged 57, a Newspaper Huckster, living with his wife Sarah aged 49 Keeping House, at Kings, Brooklyn, N.Y. No children listed. Both George & Sarah were shown as born in England of English parents. The Methodist Episcopal Cemetery, Woodbridge, [Middlesex Co.] NJ (Extracted from inscriptions Cemetery of the First Presbyterian Church of Woodbridge, [Middlesex Co.], New Jersey. C226 Elizabeth, wife of George LASSLETT, d. 6 Nov 1874 ae -- , C227 George LASSLETT, (vestryman 1853-62) d. 1 Jan 1886 ae 64 yrs. (Note: The above information may be incorrect so if you find any errors please e-mail me on glaslett@bigpond.net.au.)
Family of George and Harriet Lasslett
Harriet Anne – baptised 7 November 1847 at Minster Kent. On 13 October 1868 Harriet married Joseph Gardener, aged 21, Bachelor, Labourer of Herne, Father's name George Gardener, witnesses were Stephen Edwards and Ann Maria Lasslett.
Ann Maria – baptised 29 June 1849 (no parish) Kent
Jane - born 2 September 1850 Swalecliffe 1850 baptised 6 October 1850 (no parish) Kent
William - baptised 13 April 1852 Swalecliffe
James - baptised 21 October 1854 Swalecliffe

Daughters

MARY - born 12 March 1811 and baptised on 7 April 1811 at St John the Baptist Whitstable. Mary died two years later and was buried 25 April 1813 at St John the Baptist Churchyard in Swalecliffe.
MARY - probably born around 1814 at Whitstable. On 24 January 1846 married Edward Watson "of full age, bach, labourer of Whitstable, father William Watson, butcher" at Whitstable. Mary was shown as "of full age, spinster of Whitstable, father William Lasslett, farmer. Both signed in full name. Witnesses were William and Sarah Rayner. Mary was a witness at her brother William's wedding in 1831.
ELIZABETH - born in 1818 at Whitstable. Elizabeth was the local School Mistress at Swalecliffe and the 1851 census records that she was lame. In 1840 Elizabeth was assessed £45/10/- rates. She appears to have inherited property on the death of her mother.
JANE - born at Whitstable in August 1819. Buried in St John the Baptist Swalecliffe Churchyard on 24 April 1820.