Henry Hunnisett (1746 - 1791)
Yeoman of Hailsham
The eldest son of Richard and Elizabeth, Henry was born in Herstmonceux where he married Elizabeth Erray/Arry from Ninfield on 24 April 1770. Henry was a yeoman farmer and lived in Hailsham where he owned 'Coggers' and also land in Wartling. He sold some of his land in 1790. They had a number of children baptised, the first two in Herstmonceux, the rest in Hailsham:
| Elizabeth | 9 Oct 1770 | |
| Richard | 28 Nov 1771 | |
| William | 3 May 1773 | buried 15 Jun 1781 |
| Henry | 4 Jun 1775 | |
| Jane | 6 Nov 1776 | |
| Charles | 20 Apr 1778 | |
| Fancourt | 16 Mar 1780 | buried 6 May 1780 |
| Ann | 18 May 1781 | buried 14 Jul 1781 |
Henry was buried in Hailsham on 12 May 1791 and he left 5 guineas per year to his wife and the remainder to be shared between his five surviving children when the youngest, Charles, reached the age of 21 (1799).
Of Henry's children:
- Elizabeth married Francis Box, a widower from Speldhurst, Kent, in Hailsham on 18 October 1791.
- Richard became a cooper, married Mary Martin and lived in Frant.
- Henry moved to Chatham in Kent where he worked as a wheelwright and married Ann Winder in Tenterden.
- Charles appears to have followed his brother Henry to Chatham where he married Sarah Dyke and also worked as a wheelwright.
Extracts from Henry's will:
...... I Henry Hunnisett Yeoman of the parish of Hailsham in the
County of Sussex ...... nominate and appoint Richard Hunnisett
of the parish of Herstmonceux William Arry of the parish of Warbleton
and Mr Robert Pursglove Gentleman of the parish of Herstmonceux within
County of Sussex to be my Executors ......
...... all my part of that Estate cal'd Bartons or Pents Bartons situated and
being in the Parish of Herstmonceux ...... also all that Messuages or Tenement
Buildings Lands and all thereunto belonging cal'd Coggers situated and being
in the parish of Hailsham ...... also all that Land situated and being in
the parish of Wartling
...... shall be sold ......
And all the rest residue and remainder of my Estate ...... with all
my Chattels my Stock and my Goods whatever and all my Bonds my Bills
and my Book Debts, leashold and personal, be sold and collected ......
...... my will and desire is that as many of my children lawfully born in wedlock
that are not or have not been put as Apprentices or be not of the Age
of twenty one Years at the time of my Decease that each and every one of them
not haveing any trade or be not of Age shall be allowed the Sum of fifteen Pounds
of good and lawfull Moneys to put them to some good trade ......
...... I give and bequeath unto Elizabeth my beloved Wife the Sum of five pounds
five shillings a year to be paid her at to half yearly payments and
...... my Executors shall keep in there hands the Sum of one hundred and fifty
pounds for the purpose of the above payments ...... but after her Decease
what and all ......
that shall remain ...... shall be divided eaquelly between all my
Children ......
...... all the Moneys profits Gains Benefits and Advantages be kept in my before
named Executors hands and Care til my youngest Child lawfully born in
Wedlock shall be the Age of twenty one Years. Then my Will and Desire is that
my before named Executors shall then devide all the Sum and Sums of Money ......
eaquelly share & share alike
between my Children viz Elizabeth my Daughter Richard my Son Henry my
Son Jane my Daughter and Charles my Son ......
...... this second day of December in the Year of our Lord One thousand
seven hundred and eighty eight 1788
Henry Hunnisett
...... as witnesses
Thos Camfield Thos Skinner
Joseph Turner
Henry's will was proved on 4 June 1791 and it was declared 'that the Goods Chattels and Credits of the said deceased do not amount in value unto three hundred pounds'.
Richard Hunnisett, one of the executors, would have been Henry's younger brother (the Looker).
