William Honeysett (1792 - 1867) bricklayer of Herstmonceux
William, a son of William and Esther, was born on 12 September 1792 and baptised in Herstmonceux on 28 October 1792. He became a bricklayer and married Harriet Duly (1792-1874 daughter of Thomas and Elizabeth of Herstmonceux) on 20 November 1815 at Hastings, St Clement. They are known to have had six children:
Harriet
29 Jun 1817
Herstmonceux Congregational Chapel
Mary
2 May 1819
Herstmonceux Congregational Chapel
Thomas Ebenezer
born 29 Sep 1820
bap. 27 Sep 1822 Herstmonceux Congregational
William Lewis
born 10 Feb 1824
bap. 7 Jan 1825 Herstmonceux Congregational
Charles Robert
born 24 Nov 1828
bap. 2 Mar 1832 Herstmonceux Congregational
George Frederick
born 17 Sep 1830
bap. 2 Mar 1832 Herstmonceux Congregational
William, Charles and George were also baptised in the Herstmonceux parish church on 31 March 1841.
The East Sussex Quarter Session Rolls (ESRO QR/E 818) record that Thomas Goldsmith, a 35-year-old labourer was convicted of stealing a pair of trousers, valued at 3 shillings, from William Honisett on or about 24 July 1833. He was sentenced to six weeks hard labour and a whipping. William, described as a painter and bricklayer, stated:
About one o’clock yesterday afternoon as I was going along towards Gardener Street I overtook Thomas Goldsmith the prisoner and noticed that he wore a pair of trousers belonging to me and which I had missed for some time. I said to him “Goldsmith, you have got my trousers on – you are my prisoner”. He answered “Yes I know very well they are yours”. I then took the prisoner into custody and this morning took the trousers from his person.
At the 1841 census William and Harriet were at Church Road with their sons Thomas, William and George. Charles was in Hastings.
In 1851 William, now recorded as a Master Builder, was living at New Brewery, Herstmonceux, with Harriet. They had a 6-year-old grandson, William, living with them.
William of Hailsham Road died on 9 July 1867, aged 74, and was buried in Herstmonceux on 14 July.
In 1871 Harriet was living with her son Thomas and his family in Gardner Street. She died on 17 April 1874, aged 81, and was buried on 23 April. There is a memorial to William and Harriet in Herstmonceux.
Of their children:
- Harriet married John Sands, a blacksmith and later a professional cricketer, in Herstmonceux on 20 April 1840. She had died before the 1861 census.
- Mary became a schoolmistress and in 1851 she was in Framfield with her brother Charles, where they both taught at the National School. She married Frank Wrenn, a shepherd, in 1858. In 1861 they were staying with Mary’s brother Charles in Catsfield. In 1881 they were at HopHouse Farm, Catsfield and in 1891 they were at The Stream, Catsfield.
- Thomas married Elizabeth Martin and lived in Gardner Street, Herstmonceux.
- William died when he was 20 and was buried in Herstmonceux on 13 August 1844.
- Charles married Mary Winborn and lived in Catsfield.
- George married Elizabeth Gosden and later Sarah Oliver and lived in Brighton.