JOHN BOURNE
was born circa 1770 and was baptised,
to parents THOMAS and ANN BOURNE, on 7th October 1770 in Hellingly, Sussex
(source : Hellingly Baptisms, transcript 1753-1812).
He married MARY GODFREY WHITEMAN by
banns on 26th April 1796 in Udimore, Sussex (source : Mandy Willard).
John was of Dallington, Sussex and Mary of Udimore, Sussex and the
witnesses were Sarah Bourne (presumably the groom's sister) and William Fisher (source : Mandy Willard).
Banns were called at Dallington, Sussex on 6th, 13th and 21st March 1796
(source : Mandy Willard).
Mary Godfrey Whiteman was baptised on 14th April 1776 in Udimore, Sussex and she
was the daughter of Thomas Whiteman (1729-1810) and Sarah Fuller (1738-1809) (source : Mandy Willard).
She was mentioned in her father's Will of 1805 as "Mary, wife of John Bourne" (source : Mandy Willard).
At the end of the summer of 1801, both of John's parents passed away, within weeks of each other, and
when his father's will was proved in November, John inherited his share of the family estate,
to a value of around £500 (source : Thomas's will, courtesy of Mandy Willard -
http://www.mandywillard.co.uk/surnames/bourne/will_thomas_1801.htm )
This is presumably the "John Bourne of Brightling, yeoman " who drew up an assignment dated 31st March 1810
"to Henry Bourne of Brightling, yeoman, (his brother???) with Thomas Freeman of the same place,
yeoman, as a party of the 3rd part - for �70 - of a cottage and piece of waste ground belonging,
being part of the ground and premises comprised in a Lease from Thomas, Lord Pelham, of 22 Mar., 1797.
of 2 cottages and 4 acres of waste ground on Brightling Down, near the windmill there. Signatures, Jno.
Bourne, Thos. Freeman, and seals. Witnesses:- Willm. Thorpe, Steph. Tutt" (source : a2a website, file :
SAS-RF/10/137 ). (On 8th November 1824, John Fuller paid �120 to Henry Bourne for the
aforementioned cottage - source : a2a website, ref. SAS-RF/10/137 .)
In 1815 and 1817, the Brightling parish register describe John as a farmer of Brightling, Sussex
(source : Mandy Willard).
On 31st August 1818, a John Bourne became the
tenant of Hawkridge in Hellingly, Sussex for 7 years, at a rental of �50 (source : Mandy Willard).
He had previously been of Boreship, Hellingly, Sussex (source : Mandy Willard).
John was mentioned in his uncle Henry's 1825 will (source : Mandy Willard).
On the 1841 census, Thomas (a 70-year-old agricultural labourer) and Mary (aged 66)
were living at Baxters, Brightling, Sussex (source : 1841 census).
By 1851, John was a widower and a pauper, aged 80 and living with the QUAIFE family
at Hollingrove (or Hillgrove?) Thatch House in Dallington, Sussex as a
lodger (source : 1851 census).
Mary died, aged 72, (according to the burial register) in Dallington, Sussex and
she was buried on 6th July 1845 in Brightling, Sussex (source : Mandy Willard).
Her burial was recorded in the name of Mary Godfrey Bourne (source : Mandy Willard).
John died aged 85 in Burwash, Sussex and was buried on New Year's Day, 1st January 1856 in Brightling, Sussex
(source : Mandy Willard).
The Children of JOHN BOURNE and MARY GODFREY WHITEMAN:
THOMAS BOURNE was born circa 1797 and was baptised on
12th March 1797 in Dallington, Sussex (source : Mandy Willard).
MARY GODFREY BOURNE
was born circa 1799 and was baptised on 26th April 1799 in Dallington,
Sussex (source : Mandy Willard).
JOHN BOURNE
was born circa 1801 and was baptised on 1st February 1801 in Brightling,
Sussex (source : Mandy Willard).
SARAH MATILDA BOURNE was born circa 1803 and
was baptised on 12th January 1803 in Brightling,
Sussex (source : Mandy Willard).
HENRY BOURNE was born circa 1804 and
was baptised on 22nd April 1804 in Brightling,
Sussex (source : Mandy Willard).
ANN MARIA BOURNE was born circa 1806 and
was baptised on 1st June 1806 in Brightling,
Sussex (source : Mandy Willard). She may be the
Ann Bourne witness to sister Harriet�s marriage in 1834 (source : Mandy Willard).
WILLIAM BOURNE was born circa 1807 and
was baptised on 18th November 1807 in Brightling,
Sussex (source : Mandy Willard). He was buried in Brightling the day after his christening on 19th November 1807
(source : Mandy Willard).
CAROLINE BOURNE was born circa 1809 and
was baptised on 29th March 1809 in Brightling,
Sussex (source : Mandy Willard).
HARRIET BOURNE was born circa 1811 and
was baptised on 14th April 1811 in Brightling,
Sussex (source : Mandy Willard).
CHARLOTTE BOURNE was born circa 1813 and
was baptised on 11th July 1815 in Brightling,
Sussex, at the same time as her sister Elizabeth Frances (source : Mandy Willard).
ELIZABETH FRANCES BOURNE was born circa 1815 and
was baptised on 11th July 1815 in Brightling,
Sussex, at the same time as her sister Charlotte (source : Mandy Willard).
SUSANNAH BOURNE was born circa 1817 and
was baptised on 10th May 1817 in Brightling,
Sussex (source : Mandy Willard). She had an illegitimate son WILLIAM HENRY RUSSELL BOURNE
who was baptised on 6th June 1841 in Brightling, Sussex (source : Mandy Willard).