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The story now continues from the previous chart with John Cuckow. 10 generations ago. We are descended from John (b 1776), who is mentioned here, and on the next chart. However, you can also read about another branch of our family, who are descended from Mary Cuckow on this chart.
Although there may be some confusion with his Uncle John who died in 1742, it is thought unlikely that John Cuckow would have had a separate household prior to his marriage to Mary circa 1735 (to date this marriage has not been found).
We know that he inherited his father's dwelling place from the Offham Manorial
rolls where the house is described as:-
One messuage or tenement and premises at the end of Offham Green in Offham
late his father's George Cuckoo
These rentals cover the period 1759 to 1777 and were compiled every six years. Up to 1777 John is shown as tenant, occupier and person paying. He was also a tenant of Francis Hodges, and is shown as such in the 1754 Poll Book and in Francis Hodges Will dated 30 Sep 1754 which mentions property in Offham in occupation of Cuckoe.
He was assessed in the Churchwardens Accounts in 1750 and on the 28 Mar 1755 but on the 9 Mar 1756 the assessment reads Thomas Hodges late Cooker. (probably the beneficiary of Francis Hodges taking possession of his inheritance.He was paid for a hedgehog in 1748/9.
In the Overseers accounts he is assessed from 24 July 1743 until 23 Oct 1754.
There is a likely mention in the Will of Thomas Driver dated 8 Nov 1769 (a cottage in the occupation of John Caucott (sic).) John's wife, Ann, has several entries concerning her in the Overseers accounts, viz.,
In the 1777 Manorial Rental although John is shown as the tenant, the person paying is John Sticking and the poor were shown as occupying the house so it is assumed that John sold the house to the Parish to be used as a Workhouse.
This period marks the beginning of the decline in the circumstances of the family, but unfortunately the documents are missing that would throw a light on the reasons.
It appears she died in childhood as her burial is recorded two years later 17 Nov 1737.
This may be the John who was married at Ditton on 15 Nov 1760. As he also acted as a witness at the marriage of Ann Cuckow the following day it would seem to indicate that they were brother and sister.
Baptismal entries at Thurnham may refer to this marriage:
1 Nov 1761 John Cuckow…………(buried 24 Mar 1769)
23 Dec 1770 Thomas Cuckow
John Cuckow, buried at Thurnham 24 Feb 1797
Mary Cuckow, buried at Thurnham 25 Apr 1802
George worked for Mr George Smith at Court Lodge, Offham and he must have been conscientious because Mr Smith in his Will proved 1790 makes a bequest to "To my faithful servant and workman George Cuckow twenty pounds". He also made a bequest "to my faithful servant Sarah Childmaid (if my servant at death) the sum of fifty pounds"
George and Sarah then became servants to George Smith's sister, Elizabeth
Knell, and she in turn made them bequests in her will (proved 1800).
"I give unto my faithful servant George Cuckow the sum of twenty pounds.
To my faithful servant Sarah Chilmaid the sum of forty pounds if both serving
at my death". They thus had quite a substantial sum between them when they
married at Offham on the 17 Aug 1802 (Not shown on the chart for reasons
of space).
George then beacame a tenant of Friend Addison and features in both the Churchwardens and Overseers accounts being regularly assessed from 1803 onwards.
He lived into his 90s and with his death in 1831 the male line of the Cuckows at Offham came to an end.
As stated above she may be the Ann who married at Ditton on the 16 Nov 1760 to John Praull of Brenchley.
The only reference to him at Offham is a payment to Will Coken of 4d for a hedgehog. (Churchwardens accounts)
There is a theory that he may have been on the first fleet to Australia. The following extract comes from THE FOUNDERS OF AUSTRALIA, a biographical dictionary of the First Fleet, by Molly GILLEN, published by the Library of Australian History, Sydney 1989.
"CUCKOW/COOK, William (c 1743-1807) William Cuckow (indicted as Cuckoo) may have been the son of John and Ann Cuckow baptised at Offham Kent on 25 July 1743. He was sentenced to death at Maidstone on 2 August 1784 for theft of goods valued £1.13s.2d after breaking into a house. He was reprieived to transportation to America for seven years and sent with several others to the Censor hulk, received as Cookes, aged 43. (He was said to be aged 35 at his trial).
He sailed with the First Fleet on Scarborough and appears at Port Jackson in 1788 as Cuckow. He was sent by Sirius on 4 Mar 1790 to Norfolk Island. After return to Port Jackson, he was granted 30 acres at the Hawkesbury on 19 November 1794. which he sold in 1798. Cuckow was buried at Port Jackson on 3 April 1807. He was sometimes recorded as Cook or Cookes.
(Note: the baptismal date is incorrect but in a book of that magnitude some errors are more than likely - with regard to the name sometimes being spelt Cookes, I wonder if the 's' isn't a badly written 'r' and should read Cooker ?). I notice that the author only says "may have been the son of John and Ann Cuckow". I wonder if she is only assuming this from his age recorded when he was received at the Censor hulk.
The first entry in the Overseers accounts concerning Thomas is on the 19 Jan 1764 when he was paid 1/- for fetching Mrs Bugge, probably a settlement case.
He was assessed in the Churchwardens accounts only once, for 1/10 ½ . This is the period when as noted above the standing of the family declined somewhat. Thomas seems to have fared worst of all as shown by the following entries in the Overseers accounts:-
| 3 Feb 1788 | Paid for close for Cuckoos children | 15/7 ½ |
| 4 May 1789 | Gave Thomas Cuccow by order | 16/- |
| 5 Apr 1790 | Paid for a shroud for Cuccow's child | 3/- |
| 30 Jan 1791 | Gave Thomas Cuccoo by order | 2/- |
| His wife was buried at the expense of the Parish | ||
| 26 Mar 1792 | Paid the expences on burying Dame Cuccoo | 9/9 |
| 9 Apr 1792 | Paid the Clarkes fees for burying Dame Cuccow | 4/- |
| Paid the nurse ditto | 7/- | |
| Paid for lying forth | 1/- | |
| 25 June 1792 | Paid for a shroud and pillow for Dame Cuccow | 4/6 |
| In 1801 Thomas received further payments by order and on 25 Oct 1802 there was a payment of £1.19.6 for clothes for Thomas Cuccow's girl. | ||
| In 1809 | he received two further payments of 5/-, and then in the following year we come to the final tragic entries: | |
| 8 Jan 1810 | Attending Mr Dudlow on account of the local Militia and likewise Mr Foot on account of Thos. Cuckoo | 2/- |
| Paid at Mr Foots for Richard Hosmer's oath | 1/- | |
| 19 Jan 1810 | Paid St. Luke's Hospital on account of Thos. Cuckoo | £6.1s.0 |
| Paid for two pocket handkerchiefs for Thos. Cooker | 2/- | |
| Paid for a Hackney Coach for Thos. Cucker | 3/- | |
| Expences for John Walker and myself and Thos Cucker | ||
| Going up to London | £1.15.0 | |
| 5 Feb 1810 | Paid Mrs Austen a bill for chaise to carry Thos. Cooker to London and other expences | £4.10.2 |
| 23 Mar 1810 | Paid Mr Perfect a bill on account of Thos. Cooker being in the Mad House | £30.9.0d |
And so Thomas left Offham - the date of his death and place of burial are not yet known.
She only lived a very short time, being buried at Offham on 23 Oct 1746.
Mary and her descendants are the subject of their own chart.
She married William Woods at Offham on the 9 Sep 1775. There was another William Woods whose wife was called Sarah who had children at Offham at the same period and so it has not been possible to establish their descendants.
Once again the sadness of a childhood death as he was buried at Offham on the 11 Feb 1753.
She married John Honey at Mereworth on 5 June 1786, and the family continued at Mereworth. In 1967 I met a descendant Cecil Roland Honey (known as Tom) who was still working as a woodsman in Mereworth Woods at the age of 78.
Elizabeth was buried at Mereworth on the 25 Sep 1836.
Nothing else is known at present.
She may be the Mary Cucker who married William Seagers at West Malling by licence on the 11 October 1792. The name is spelt both Cucker and Cooker on the Marriage Allegation.
There are two children of William and Mary Seagers baptised at Offham:-
On 2 Dec 1799 William Seagers was paid 6/- by the Overseers for a pair of breeches for young Woods.
Nothing more is known at present.
Died at the age of five, and is buried at Offham (3 Mar 1779)
Again, did not live very long - his burial at Offham is recorded on 16 Feb 1777.
John is our direct ancestor.Our family history continues with him on the next chart.
The Overseers accounts reveal the following entries concerning Ann and her husband to be George Waters: -
| 26 June 1797 | Paid for Ann Cuckow's oath when she swore her natural child |
1/- |
| Paid for a warrant to apprehend George Waters | 1/- | |
| Attending the setting on account of Ann Cuckow | 3/- | |
| Expences going to Ightham to apprehend George Waters |
7/- | |
| 31 July 1797 | Expences attending the Quarter Sessions on account of George Waters and Ann Cuckow for bastardy |
6/- |
| 30 Oct 1797 | Attending the Quarter Sessions on account of George Waters and Ann Cuckow |
2/6 |
George and Ann were duly married at Farningham on the 19 Nov 1798. The first
child had been born prior to the marriage and they had two more children
one of whom Emma married John Hodges.
George and Ann were witnesses at the marriage of her sister Mary to James Durrant at stansted in 1808.
George was buried at Offham on the 31 May 1856 so after such a reluctant court-ship they were married for over 50 years.
Ann was living with John and Emma Hodges at the time of the 1861 census and was buried at Offham on the 15 Mar 1865.
Jane received various payments from the Overseers accounts from 15 Feb 1820 and in 1821 George Stickings was paid 6/6 for a pair of shoes for Jane Cooker.
She died in Malling Union Workhouse and was buried at Offham on the 30 Apr 1844.
Again, very short lived. She was buried at Offham on the 24 April 1783.
She married James Durrant at Stansted on the 2 Nov 1808. They were living at Tonbridge Road, Ightham in 1851, James age was given as 68 and his birthplace as Seal.
On 29 Jan 1804 the Overseers provided Hannah Cokker 1 pair of shoes 1
apron at the cost of 8/-
On Apr 7 1806 they recorded that they had provided clothes to the value of
£5.6.11d on Hannah Cuckoo going into service in Oct 1804.
She was buried at Offham on 25 Oct 1812.
Nothing further is known at this time
Mary Cuckow, bap 22 Jan 1769 at Hadlow.