FREDERICK JAMES OFFIN was born circa 1871 in
Hastings, Sussex (source : 1881 census).
On the 1871 census, Frederick J (7 months)
was at 43 Norman Road West, Hastings, Sussex with his parents and family.
On the 1881 census, he was a 10-year-old scholar,
living at home with his parents and family at Hemingfold House in Battle, Sussex.
He married
ALICE MAUD KENNETT in 1892 in Hastings, Sussex (source : Collette Kendall).
She was born circa 1872 (source : Collette Kendall).
The 1892 Directory, Guide and Almanack
for Bexhill on Sea, Sussex, lists F.J. OFFEN, pork butcher, at Birmingham House, Sackville Road.
On the 1901 census, Frederick, a 30-year-old butcher, his wife Alice (29, born Hastings Sussex) and
their son Frederick (4) are all listed in Bexhill, Sussex (source : 1901 census index, household needs checking).
In August 1904,
FJ OFFEN was in hot water for erecting a temporary storehouse at the rear of Hemingfold, Barrack Road which was
erected in contravention of the byelaws (source : A2A website - ref. DR/B/71/48 and ref. DR/B/71/94 ).
Kelly's 1911 and 1915 Directories for Sussex list Fredk James OFFEN at 26 Barrack Road, Bexhill on sea. On 23rd February 1914,
a FJ OFFEN (and GE MAYNARD) submitted Building Regulation Plans to Bexhill Borough council for a
Slaughterhouse near Freezeland Farm, off Ninfield Road (source : A2A website - ref. DR/A/1/22/2334). An FJ OFFEN
also submitted Building Regulation Plans to Bexhill Borough council on 7th November 1898 for a
Stable and Coach house, rear Amherst Road (source : A2A website - ref. DR/A/1/9/884) and on 28th July 1913/ 15th
September 1913 for Cart shed Amherst Road (presumably the same property) (source : A2A website - ref. DR/A/1/21/2286).
The 1905 Kelly's Directory of Sussex lists F.J. OFFEN as a poulterer at 19 and 21 Station Road, Bexhill.
Ada died in December 1916 (source : Mark Offen). Frederick donated a wall clock to the local church
- just a few houses along from his home at 23 Springfield Road, Bexhill - in her memory,
which bears the inscription :
"In Memory of Mrs F J Offen 23rd December 1916" (source : Mark Offen).
Frederick died in September 1955 and the following notice appeared in the Bexhill Observer on
17th September 1955 :
"Mr F J Offen
The death has occurred in St Helen's Hospital, Hastings of Mr F J Offen
after a long illness. He was aged 85. Mr. Offen was well known in the
town, having been in business as a butcher for many years. He was also
actively connected with the old Belle-hill Wesleyan Church for almost
half a century. There was a son in Australia and a daughter." (source : Mark Offen, who points out that the son
(Bishop Frederick Offen) lived in South Africa and not Australia).
Frederick was buried in a plot just next to that shared by his wife and daughter but neither is
still marked (source : Mark Offen).
The Children of FREDERICK JAMES OFFIN and ALICE MAUD KENNETT:
BISHOP FREDERICK OFFEN
was born on 17th January 1896 in Bexhill, Sussex (source :
National Archives online - Family History: Registers of Seamen's Services). He
married DOROTHY GLADYS ISAAC (born circa 1899) in Shirley in 1918,
had two children, moved to South Africa in 1929 and died in 1976 (source : Mark Offen)
ADA MARIAN OFFEN was born in 1902 in Bexhill, Sussex (source :
Collette Kendall). She died on 13th January 1921 at the age
of 18 (source : Mark Offen). She was buried in the same plot as her mother, who had died four years earlier (source :
Mark Offen).
DOROTHY MAUD OFFEN was born in 1905 in Bexhill and died in 1971
(source :Collette Kendall).