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This chart goes back 9 generations to 1776. We are descended from William Henry, mentioned below, and on the next chart. However you can also follow the story of another branch of our family, who are descended from Thomas (b1809) on this chart.
1. Charles and Elizabeth Cooker had the following children:-
2. George and Mary COOKER, had a son George Robert COOKER, who died as an infant.
John married Mary Ann Matthews who according to her granddaughter, Hannah Cooker came from Berkshire to be a dairymaid at Ightham Mote House.
The marriage probably took place about 1800 but has not yet been found. John seemed to have regained some standing in the community, perhaps his Uncle George helped him out? Be that as it may he was assessed in the Churchwardens accounts up to 16 Dec 1809. Then came the mental breakdown of his father and it may be that John temporarily left the parish to be near his father.
In the Churchwardens accounts we have:-
| 25 Apr 1810 | Mr Wells lent to John Cookoo wife to let Mary Hogges have when going away from the parish | £1.1.0 |
| 25 May 1810 | Paid Mrs Cookoo for looken after Mary Hogges children | 6/- |
The only explanation I can think of is that John was accompanied by Mary Hogges (or Hodges) who was perhaps a relative and willing to look after him whilst Mary Cuckow considered that her own family was too young to leave but felt able to look after Mary Hogges children.
Sometime after the birth of their son, George, in 1812 the family moved to Maidstone where their next child, Eliza, was born in 1814. Nothing is known at this time about their life in Maidstone. John died in 1834 but Mary was still alive in 1851 dwelling at a house in Earl Street. Her date of death and burial is not known at this time.
The record of his baptism has not yet been found. He married Elizabeth Bedwell at All Saints, Maidstone on the 20 Apr 1834, and of their children we know that Avis married Alfred Burgess and by 1881 had four children:-
Their youngest daughter, Fanny, married at St Peter's Church on the 25 Oct 1873 Henry Thomas Hollingsbee and had three children by 1881:-
Charles was dead by 1881 and Elizabeth was living with the Hollingsbees at Dartford.
Nothing further known at present.
She married Edward Thomas at West Pecham on the 23 July 1826.
Nothing further is known until 1871 when she was living at 70 Melville Road, Maidstone. Her nephew John James Cooker his wife and Daughter were also living in the house. She is not mentioned at the address in 1881 so presumably had died in the meantime.
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Offham Church |
Quintain Offham |
John never married but lived with various members of his family. In 1841 he was living with his brother Thomas at Hart Street, Maidstone, in 1851 with his sister Caroline, who had married Thomas Porter, at Union Street, Maidstone.
He died later that year and was buried in Trinity Churchyard, Maidstone on the 16 Nov 1851 from the Maidstone workhouse, Coxheath so had left Caroline's perhaps due to ill health. He worked as a butcher.
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Holy Trinity Church |
We are not directly descended from Thomas, however, I have researched his side of the family. You can read about this research here.
George apparently went into domestic service and was described as a servant at his marriage on the 3 August 1842 to Emily Rice, a daughter of Charles Rice, at Milton next Gravesend. He became landlord of the Turk's Head Inn, Maidstone. It is not yet known exactly when but probably before the death of Emily which occurred on 7 Nov 1844 as it is recorded on her tombstone (see below) that she was the wife of George Cooker (of this town victualler) when she was buried at Maidstone.
George then married Mary Rice, the daughter of Charles Rice (dec'd) at St. Marks, Kennington on 2 Mar 1846, presumably she was Emily's sister and Marriage with a deceased wife's sister was supposedly illegal at that time ? Edward Thomas, his brother in law, was a witness at the ceremony. They had a little boy, George Robert, born 14 Sep 1848 at the Turks Head. Presumably George then became sick, as he felt it necessary to make his Will which reads:
This is the last Will and Testament of me George Cooker of the Turk's Head Maidstone in the County of Kent Licenced Victualler I devise and bequeath all the Real and Personal estate to which I shall be entitled at the time of my decease unto my dear wife Mary (formerly Mary Rice spinster the daughter of Charles and Frances Rice formerly of Southampton but now deceased to whom I was married on the second day of March one thousand eight hundred and forty six in the parish church in the district of Kennington in the county of Surrey) for her absolute use but as to estate vested to me upon trust or by way of mortgage subject to the equities affecting the same respectively and I appoint my said wife Mary sole executrix of this my will. I revoke all former wills and codicils.
In witness whereof I have hereunto set my hand this thirtieth day of July in the year of Our Lord one thousand eight hundred and fifty.
The will was witnessed by John Moncton, solicitor, Maidstone and Edward Giles his clerk and proved in the Perogative Court of Canterbury 24 Sep 1850.
George died on the 15 August 1850 and it is sad to relate his little son followed him to the grave only four months later.
They are commemmorated by a tombstone in Trinity Churchyard, Maidstone:
Sacred |
Nothing further known at present.
All Saints Church, Maidstone
She had an illegitimate daughter, Eliza, baptised at Loose on the 30 July 1843, but the little girl died aged only a few weeks. She married Thomas Porter of Hawkurst at Barming on the 6 July 1846. They had two little girls Elizabeth, born c 1845 and Ann, born c 1847. Nothing is known of them after the 1851 census.
He worked as an Ostler at an Inn in the London Road, Maidstone but contracted Menengitis and died 7 Oct 1846.
We are escended from Henry, his story continues on the next chart.