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This first entry on this chart goes back 13 generations to our earliest confirmed ancestor, who was born in approximately 1600. This chart goes on to cover two further generations, as you can see, our direct ancestors are:-
The chart on the next page continues the story, starting from from John (b 1705)
You can read about the people mentioned in the chart here:-
The first problem is one of identification.
There are three John's born in the relevant period:-
If we assume that the Widow Cowko buried at Offham in 1657 is the mother of our John then we can disregard A and B above (Anthony's wife was buried at Mereworth 16 Jan 1622 and George's widow, Juliana, was dead by 1647 see PCC admons). However we also have "Old Mother Cuckoo" buried at Mereworth on 18 Feb 1650 who may be the mother of C. so it is likely the problem may never be resolved.
We know that John and Ann must have moved to Offham shortly after their marriage at Mereworth in 1630 as their son John was baptised at Offham the following year.
We know nothing about them after that as their names do not crop up in the records, either in the Churchwardens accounts which commence in 1661 or in the Hearth Tax returns of 1664, initially.
The first mention in the Churchwardens accounts is on the 3 Feb 1674 when his name is written over that of Richard Evans but there is no amount recorded and the entry was probably meant to be erased.
The accounts entries then read:-
| A. 20 Dec 1677 6d. | E. 23 Apr 1683 6d |
| B. 8 June 1678 6d | F. 21 May 1683 6d |
| C. 27 Apr 1680 6d | G. 20 Apr 1685 6d |
| D. 10 May 1682 6d | H. 12 Apr 1686 6d |
He was dead by the time of the next assessment.
Once again we know nothing about John's circumstances in the early part of his life. It seems more than likely that he worked for somebody else rather than in his own right. Elizabeth, his wife, may have been the daughter of John Wiggenden who is mentioned in the Churchwardens accounts from the initial surviving one of 1661. This idea is given credence by the fact that John Cuckow is first assessed on 23 Nov 1687 as John Cookow, junior 6d. John Wiggenden who was assessed in the previous assessment of 12 Apr 1686 is not mentioned which may mean that our John took over the Wiggenden property.
He was dead by the time the next assessment was made on the 4 May 1688 and
the entry reads:-
Widow Cookoe and her son Thomas for Goslands……1/-.
Elizabeth, under the description of the Widow Cookoe was assessed again on the 28 Apr 1691. On the 15 July in the same year John Addison the elder of Offham made his will in which he mentions "and also all that one messuage or tenement with the appurtenances in Offham aforesaid wherein Mary Wichenden widow and Elizabeth Couckow widow now dwell"
On 3 May 1698 the assessment reads Widow Cowcoke (sic)…9d. There is at least one other assessment in 1698, just prior to her death.
In an indenture dated 2 Feb 1741 held in the County Archivist's office, Maidstone, between John Addison and others mention is made of "One or other messuages in Offham formerly in the several tenures of Elizabeth Cuckow widow and Mary. Wickenden and now or late of John Newman and John Cuckow"
This is probably the property referred to above in the previous John Addison's will.
Nothing further is known about her. She may have been the Elizabeth COCKLE married at Offham in 1691, another surname variation.
There are a lot of entries concerning John in both the Churchwardens and Overseers accounts. In the Overseers accounts he is assessed regularly for the One Pound rateable value, the amounts vary between 1/- and 2/-. There is also a payment in the Churchwardens accounts in 1723 of a payment of 3/- "making and mending ye hedge (of the Churchyard)", although this may of course refer to his nephew John (born 1705 - see below).
In the Churchwardens Accounts of 1726 he is assessed not only under Offham, but also under the heading "Foreigners". In the Poll Book of 1734 he is shown as holding a freehold at Mereworth so that entry may refer to that property.
In the Indenture of 2 Feb 1741 (a month before his death) there is another reference besides the one already alluded to. It refers to "One messuage one garden one orchard one backside lying in Offham formerly in the tenure of John Smith butcher afterwards Thomas Smith butcher and now or late of John Cuckow". The wording seems to indicate that he may have given up the tenure, perhaps due to ill health, and the fact that his assessments in the rates for 1739, 1740 and 1741 were abated would seem to indicate he was in reduced circumstances.
George took on responsibility at quite an early age as he became a tenant of the Manor (The Earl of Thanet's land) in 1697 when he would only have been about 18. This property continued in the occupation of the family for some time as according to the Manorial Rentals his son John held the same property until at least 1777.
However there are no assessments in either the Churchwardens or Overserrs
accounts until 1725. The first assessment in the Churchwardens accounts in
that year is shown under "Foreigners" which might mean he had taken over
property previously held by an outsider. There is no further assessment until
1730 which is in the overseers accounts. There is however a payment on 1
August 1728:
"Gave a great bellied woman sent away by George Cuckow…..1/6d" (One
hopes George was not responsible !)
On 24 Nov 1730 we have an assessment that reads "Mr (Sic) Cuckoo for Chequers Lane field….1/-"
He received other assessments for the same property until 9 April 1735, and also on the 26 Dec 1732 he is once again shown under "Foreigners" for "Hookwood field late Smiths" He is shown under Offham residents for the same property on the 26 March 1733 for the quite large amount of 5/- at 1/- in the pound. This large assessment continues up to 26 Apr 1741 after which his name does not appear in the Overseers accounts. There are, however, further entries in the Churchwardens accounts in 1743, 1744, 1745 and in 1748 there is an entry for "Henry Broad late Cookoo". George is also shown in the Poll Book of 1734 as owning a freehold at Offham.
An indenture (also in the County Archivist's Office) dated 11 April 1722 between Henry Sams and Thomas Andrews there is the mention of "garden backside or orchard late in the tenure of Mary Bing widow and late of George Cuckow but now or late of Anthony Chambers"
Probably in his later years he also suffered a reduction in his circumstances
as there are records of payments in the Overseers accounts viz:-
13 June 1740 Paid the widow Blake nursing George Cuckoo wife and daughter
of the smallpox £2.
He was also in receipt of several payments of 2/- a week between 20 Apr 1745
and 9 Apr 1746.
The Churchwardens accounts also record several payments in earlier years:
Nothing further known - she may be the Ann who married Benjamin Garrett at Aylesford on 13 April 1723, both described as of Wrotham.
John is the link from this chart, to the next chart. You can read about him on the next page.
Nothing further known at the moment.
She married Thomas Collins at Ridley on the 9 Nov 1732, and there were two children of the marriage baptised at Offham.
Nothing further known at present.
Her burial is recorder at Offham on the 8 Nov 1720, reflecting the high incidence of childhood mortality at that time.
Thomas is not shown on the chart.
The only evidence we have for his existence is the entry referred to above in the Churchwardens accounts. There is no baptism of a son called Thomas at Offham. It is only an assumption that his surname was Cuckow - it is not given in the assessment. It is possible that Thomas may have been the son of Elizabeth born prior to her marriage to John Cuckow ?
Herewith is a transcription (not a facsimile) of the Poll Book which shows the names of John and George Cuckow. The other people shown in it would, of course, be known to them. The name Thomas STRESS should read Thomas TRESSE and although they have died out in the male line in the parish a descendant of theirs still lives and farms in Offham. Thomas COLEMAN was related to the TRESSE'S. Thomas ANDREWS name was also spelt ANDRUS and a descendant of his, F.S. ANDRUS, M.V.O., M.A., published an account of his family's later generations in Archaeologia Cantiana Vol C(1984). It may, perhaps, be assumed that people were entered in the order in which they voted in which case maybe Thomas ANDREWS walked in with John and George, and that they were, thus, close friends, but this could just be too fanciful. John ADDISON's family began as Tailors in the neighbouring parish of Addington at the beginning of the previous century and finished up considerable landowners in both Offham and the adjacent parish of Ryarsh. Francis HODGES, as mentioned in the text, (next chart) was for a while the Cuckow's landlord. What strikes one is the unanimity of the voting, all Vane and Dering, but the ballot not being secret, everybody probably voted according to the wishes of the Lord of the Manor !