Hunnisett Family History

William Honeysett (1779 - 1855) labourer of Headcorn, Kent

William, a son of John and Sarah, was baptised in Headcorn on 19 December 1779. He became a labourer in Headcorn and his marriage to Ann Tolhurst in Headcorn on 6 May 1803 was witnessed by John Honeysett and Thomas Ottoway (probably a churchwarden). Their children are believed to have included:

In 1841 William was in Headcorn with his wife, daughter Sapphie and grandson William.

In 1851 William and Ann were paupers living with George Day, widowed husband of their daughter Sarah, and some of his children.

Ann died, aged around 70, and was buried in Headcorn on 26 January 1854. William died, aged 74, and was buried in Headcorn on 20 January 1855.

Of William's children:

• Mary married Robert Hooker in Headcorn on 7 December 1823.
• Sarah married George Day in Headcorn on 12 December 1826.
• William married Rachel Honeysett (a distant cousin?) in Wichling in 1834 and they lived in Headcorn.
• Harriot married James Drowley in Headcorn on 19 November 1833.
• Sophie had a son, William, baptised in Headcorn on 13 Mar 1841 and both were living with her father at the 1841 census (June). However young William was buried on 11 November 1841 aged 11 months. Sophia seems to have married in 1845.
• John married Susanna Hawkins in 1845 and they had two daughters, Mary in 1845 and Matilda in 1856. Susan died in 1872 and John married twice more, both times to widows with children but does not appear to have had any more of his own. He lived all his life in Headcorn and died in 1905.
  • Mary married George Porteus in 1867
  • Matilda married George Hoad in Headcorn on 21 April 1877.
• Louisa had three illegitimate children; George in 1842, John in 1845, and Edgar in 1851.
  In 1851 she was living-in as housekeeper to her widowed brother, William, in Headcorn and had George and John with her. Edgar was born later that year in Hollingbourne workhouse.
  Louisa married William Ely in Sutton Valance on 5 May 1855 and they had a daughter, Emma, the following year. However William died in 1857 and so Louisa married Edward Sedgwick in 1858 and they had a daughter, Charlotte, in 1859.  Louisa died in 1860.
  • George and his wife Eliza lived in the Sutton Valance area.
  • Edgar joined the Royal Navy, married Sarah Upstell and eventually lived in Portsmouth.
• George married Harriett Buss in 1850 and lived in Headcorn and Bethersden with their children. George was an agricultural labourer and died in 1895.