GEORGE OFFEN was born circa 1817 in Ramsgate, Kent (source : Collette Kendall).
He married MERCY HOLLOWAY on 29th
June 1835 in St George's, Ramsgate, Kent
(source : marriage register, courtesy of Janet Todd ). The witnesses were SARAH
HOLLOWAY and JW CULL (source : marriage register). The IGI lists a MERCY HALLOWAY, daughter of WILLIAM HALLOWAY and MARY ?,
who was christened on 7th April 1816 in St Laurence, Kent (source : IGI, Batch Number: 9004143 Sheet: 03
Source Call No.: 1553627 Type: Film ).
On the 1841 census, George, a 25-year-old coal whipper (= someone who unoaded coal from ships using baskets),
his wife Mercy (25) and three young children are all at
Garden Row (Bellevue Hill) in Ramsgate, Kent. On the 1851 census, George, a 34-year-old mariner, his wife Mercy (35) and
two daughters are all at 27 Portland Place, Ramsgate, Kent. On the 1861 census, George (44, mariner), wife listed as Mary
(45, laundress) and three sons are all at 4 Frederick Place, Ramsgate, Kent.
George died, aged 48, in 1864 in Hereson Road, Ramsgate and his abode at the time of death was Frederick Place,
Ramsgate (source : Janet Todd). He was buried on 14th October 1864 in St Lawrence, Kent (source : burials register,
courtesy of Janet Todd).
Two years later, on 6th December 1868, Mercy remarried WILLIAM TAPPENDEN
at Holy Trinity, Ramsgate, Kent (source : marriage register, courtesy of Janet Todd). Her name was recorded as MARY OFFEN,
widow, of full age, abode 2 Frederick Place, and William was a boatman, of full age, abode also 2 Frederick Place
(source : marriage register). The fathers were named as WILLIAM HOLLOWAY boatman and JOHN TAPPENDEN carpenter, and the witnesses
were WILLIAM SACKETT JARMAN (her son-in-law, married to daughter Elizabeth) and MERCY ANN PACKER (her daughter) (source :
marriage register).
On the 1871 census, William Tappenden (70, boatman, born Sandwich Kent) and his wife Mercy (55, born Ramsgate Kent)
are both at 6 Garden Row, Ramsgate, Kent. On the 1881 census, William (80, formerly boatman, born Winsborough Kent) and his wife Mercy
(68, born Ramsgate Kent, unable to work) are listed at 8 Mews Cottages, Ramsgate, Kent.
The Children of GEORGE OFFEN and MERCY HOLLOWAY:
ELIZABETH SARAH OFFEN
was baptised, to parents GEORGE OFFEN, mariner of Ramsgate, and MERCY, on 7th February 1836
in St George's, Ramsgate, Kent (source : baptisms register, courtesy of Janet Todd).
MERCY ANN OFFEN was baptised, to parents GEORGE OFFEN,
mariner of Ramsgate, and MERCY, on 5th November 1837, on the same day as the baptism of HENRY SETH OFFEN, son of William and Ann,
in St George's,Ramsgate, Kent (source : baptisms register, courtesy of Janet Todd). On the 1841 census, aged 3, Mercy was
with her family at Garden Row (Bellevue Hill), Ramsgate, Kent.
She married
HENRY CHARLES GRAY SKINNER PACKER on 2nd September 1855 in St George's,
Ramsgate, Kent (source : marriage register, courtesy of Janet Todd). She was 18, daughter of George Offen mariner,
he was 23, a mariner, son of WILLIAM PACKER coachman and the witnesses were JW CULL and
GEORGE OFFEN (source : marriage register). He was born 15th July 1832 in Canterbury
St. Alphege, Kent (source : Eric Johnson and Collette Kendall). The 1861 census lists MERCY PACKER (23 laundress) with her
aunt (the widow of her uncle Wilkin Offen) Mary A Offen (54, cook, born Ramsgate Kent) at Cumberland Cottages,
Ramsgate, Kent, along with ESTHER LANE (65 laundress).
On the 1881 census, Mercy A Packer (married, 43, born Ramsgate Kent, housewife (patient), inmate) is one of many female
"inmates" or "patients" at 13 Lower Seymour St, London, Middlesex. This appears to be some kind of hospital, run by
E. TIDY (Head W Female 55 (Nat Brit Subject), East Indies Matron (Hosp) ). Henry (married, 48, born Canterbury Kent,
boatman) was living alone at 13 Mews Cottages in Ramsgate, Kent.
MARY HANNAH OFFEN was baptised, to parents GEORGE OFFEN,
mariner of Ramsgate, and MERCY, on 29th September 1839 in St George's, Ramsgate, Kent (source : baptisms register, courtesy of
Janet Todd) On the 1841 census, aged 1, Mary was with her family at Garden Row (Bellevue Hill), Ramsgate, Kent. On the
1851 census, aged 11, Mary was with her family at 27 Portland Place, Ramsgate, Kent. She married
WILLIAM GORHAM on 11th December 1859 at St Lawrence, Kent (source :
marriage register, courtesy of Janet Todd). She was 20, daughter of George Offen mariner, and her name was recorded as MARY SUSANNAH OFFEN,
he was of full age, mariner, son of JAMES GORHAM bricklayer, deceased, and the witnesses
were HENRY PACKER, SARAH ELIZABETH GORHAM and ROBERT NEWING (source : marriage register). The 1881 census lists
WILLIAM GARHAM (head, 44, mariner, born Ramsgate Kent), his wife Mary (41, born Ramsgate Kent) and their children
ELLEN GARHAM (16, unmarried, scholar, born Ramsgate Kent),
WILLIAM GARHAM (14, scholar, born Ramsgate Kent),
THOMAS GARHAM (6, scholar, born Ramsgate Kent),
JOHN GARHAM (4, scholar, born Ramsgate Kent), and
ALFRED GARHAM (1, born Ramsgate Kent) at 5 Monteford Cottages,
Hereson Rd, St Lawrence, Kent. (Hereson Road is where WILLIAM WILKINS OFFEN, Mary's uncle, died in 1858.)
SARAH OFFEN was baptised, to parents GEORGE OFFEN,
mariner of Ramsgate, and MERCY, on 24th October 1841
in St George's, Ramsgate, Kent (source : baptism register, courtesy of Janet Todd). On the 1851 census, aged 9, Sarah was
with her family at 27 Portland Place, Ramsgate, Kent. On the 1861 census, Sarah, a 19-year-old house servant,
was at 53 Queen Street, Ramsgate, Kent. She married
THOMAS ISAAC JARMAN in 1862 in Ramsgate, Kent (source : Collette Kendall).
He was born circa 1839 (source : Collette Kendall). They may have emigrated since they do no show up on the 1881 census.
THOMAS WILLIAM OFFEN was born in September quarter 1843
(source : Free BMD, district I of Thanet, volume 5, page 447 ).
He was baptised, to parents GEORGE OFFEN,
mariner of Ramsgate, and MERCY, on 20th August 1843 in St George's, Ramsgate,
Kent (source : baptism register, courtesy of Janet Todd). He may have died or emigrated since he does not show up
on the 1851 or 1881 censuses. He may be the THOMAS OFFIN (married, 38, ethnic origin : English, birthplace : England,
Occupation : Pump block m... (machinist?), religion : Presbyterian Canada) married to ELIZA (female, 30 born Nova Scotia,
religion : Baptist) in Ward No. 6, Halifax, Halifax, Nova Scotia on the Canadian 1881 census.
ROBERT JOHN OFFEN was
born circa 1846 in Ramsgate, Kent (source : 1881 census). He was baptised, to parents George Offen, mariner of Ramsgate,
and Mercy, on 3rd August 1846 in St George's, Ramsgate, Kent (source : baptism register, courtesy of Janet Todd).
GEORGE RICHARD OFFEN was born in March quarter 1850
in Ramsgate, Kent (source : 1881 census and Ancestry England and Wales, Civil Registration Index,
county Kent, volume 5, page 526). He was baptised, to parents George Offen, mariner of Ramsgate,
and Mercy, on 10th February 1850 in St George's, Ramsgate, Kent
(source : baptism register, courtesy of Janet Todd).
WALTER HENRY OFFEN was baptised, to parents George Offen,
mariner of Ramsgate, and Mercy, on 9th May 1852 in St George's, Ramsgate, Kent (source : baptism register, courtesy
of Janet Todd). On the 1861 census, aged 9, Walter was with his parents and brothers at 4 Frederick
Place, Ramsgate, Kent. There is a marriage listed on the IGI for WALTER HENRY OFFEN and
HARRIET ANN FREEMAN on 27th September 1873 in
Corton, Suffolk (source : IGI). She was born on 20th January 1852 in Corton, Suffolk to parents SAMUEL FREEMAN
and ELLEN BURRAGE (source : IGI). Henry died before 1881, because on the 1881 census, Harriet Ann Offin (29, widow,
charwoman) is at her parents' home in High Street, Corton, Suffolk. There are also two children from this marriage :
ELLEN J OFFIN (born circa 1870 in Corton, Suffolk) and
ANNA MARIA OFFIN (born circa 1875 in Corton, Suffolk) (source : 1881 census).
JOHN JAMES OFFEN was baptised on 24th January 1856 in Ramsgate, Kent
(source : baptisms register, courtesy of Janet Todd). He was baptised a second time on 25th March 1856 in Ramsgate,
Kent (source : baptisms register). One possible explanation is that the first baptism was a private baptism and the second was a public
one, but the register makes no mention of this.