ESSEX WILLIAM OFFEN
was born circa 1835 in Ulcomb, Kent (source : Collette Kendall) or Easecombe, Kent (source : 1881 census).
He married ELIZA ALLEN in December quarter 1867
(source : Ancestry England and Wales, Civil Registration Index, county Kent, volume 2a, page 1078).
She was born circa 1844 in Charing, Kent (source : Collette Kendall).
On the 1871 census, Essex W (34, publican, born Ulcombe Kent), his wife Eliza (26 ), their daughter JANE (2),
Essex's brother Wilkins T (28, unmarried, carpenter, born Smarden Kent) and a few lodgers are at the Royal Oak
Inn in Mersham, Kent.
On the 1881 census, Essex (44, licensed victualler) and family were at Rodneys Head in Herne, Kent.
Essex was declared bankrupt in 1881. The Times (Oct 5th 1881, pg 8, issue 30317, col B
- quoting its source as The London Gazette, Tues Oct 4th) ran a list of Bankrupts
(Notices of Adjudication and First Meetings of Creditors - Under the Bankruptcy Act of 1869) which included
Offen, William, Herne Bay, Kent - victualler - Oct 21 Canterbury. A few weeks later, he was listed in the
Public Examinations : Nov 11, EW Offen, Herne Bay, licensed victualler (source : The Times, Sat Oct 29 1881
- pg 8, issue 30338, col A - quoting from The London Gazette, Fri Oct 28 1881).
On the 1891
census, five of the children (Alfred, Sarah, Wilkins, Kate and Henry) are all listed at Gravel Walk in Ashford, Kent.
On the 1901 census, Essex (64, sheriff's bailiff), his wife Eliza (56, born Statisfield, Kent),
AMOS OFFEN (presumably son Wilkins Amos) (20,wheelwright, born Herne Bay, Kent), KATE OFFEN (16, servant domestic,
born Snave, Kent) and HENRY OFFEN (13, errand boy, born Ashford Kent) are all in Ashford, Kent
(source : 1901 census index, household needs checking).
The Children of ESSEX WILLIAM OFFEN and ELIZA ALLEN:
JANE E OFFEN was born circa 1869 in Smarden, Kent (source :
1871 census). On the 1871 census, aged 2, she was with her family at the Royal Oak
Inn in Mersham, Kent.
GEORGE WILLIAM (CHARLES) OFFEN was born circa 1873 in Mersham
, Kent (source : 1881 census). He was baptised circa 1873 in Smarden, Kent (source : Collette Kendall). He married
EMMA JANE BOULDING (born circa 1874) in 1899 in Ashford, Kent
(source : Collette Kendall). He died in 1940 (source : Collette Kendall).
ALFRED JAMES OFFEN was born circa 1875 in Mersham, Kent
(source : 1881 census). On the 1891 census, he was a 16-year-old general labourer. He married
ELLEN FLORENCE BEALE (born circa 1877 in Bromley) in 1906
in Southborough (source : Collette Kendall). He died in 1920 in Ashford, Kent (source : Collette Kendall).
SARAH ANN OFFEN was born circa 1878 in Herne Bay, Kent
(source : Collette Kendall). She was
baptised in 1879 in Smarden, Kent (source : Collette Kendall).
WILKINS AMOS E OFFEN was born circa 1880 in Herne Bay, Kent
(source : Collette Kendall).
KATE OFFEN was born circa 1885 in Snave, Kent
(source : Collette Kendall).
HENRY OFFEN was born circa 1887 in West Ashford
reg district, Kent (source : Collette Kendall). He married
ETHEL MAY HUNT (born circa 1888) in 1920 in West Ashford, Kent
(source : Collette Kendall ).