RICHARD SWAIN OFFEN was born circa 1843 in Ramsgate
(source : 1881 census). His birth was registered in September quarter 1842 (source : Free BMD, district
Thanet Isle, volume 5, page 440). He was baptised on 25th September 1842 at St George's, Ramsgate, Kent
(source : baptism register, courtesy of Janet Todd).
On the 1851 census, aged 8, he was with his parents and siblings at 15 Newcastle Hill, Ramsgate, Kent.
On the 1861 census, a 17-year-old labourer, he was with his parents and siblings at 15 Newcastle Hill, Ramsgate, Kent.
He married JANE SUSANNAH MORRISON on 7th January 1866 in St Lawrence, Thanet, Kent
(source : wedding register, courtesy of Janet Todd). This marriage was registered in March quarter 1866 (source :
Free BMD district Thanet volume 2a page 891). Richard was 22, abachelor, labourer of St Lawrence, Kent, and
Jane was 18, a spinster, of St Lawrence (source : marriage register). The fathers were registered as Richard Offen,
labourer and David Morrison, shoemaker, and the witnesses were Ellen Morrison, Thomas Philpot (source : marriage register).
She was born circa 1848 in St Lawrence (Ramsgate), Kent (source : 1881 census).
On the 1871 census, at 22 Newcastle Hill, Ramsgate, Kent, we find Richard Offen (head (m) 27 hawker, b Ramsgate, Kent),
his wife Jane (23 shoebinder, b St Lawrence Kent) and their children Alice (4 scholar, born Ramsgate Kent) and
Richard (2, born Ramsgate, Kent). On the 1881 census, they were living at 1 Newcastle Hill, Ramsgate, with their three teenage children,
just a few doors along from Richard's childhood home and from Richard's brother GEORGE HENRY OFFEN, who was
living at number 20.
Both Richard and Jane were working, Richard giving his occupation as labourer and Jane as charwoman
(source : 1881 census). On the 1891 census, they are at 5 Model Cottages, Ramsgate, Kent : Richard S Offen (head (m)
47 painter's lab), wife Jane (43), son Frederick Charles (u 19 fisherman, born Ramsgate Kent).
Richard died in Ramsgate, Kent, aged 53, on 14th April 1897 and was buried on 19th April 1897 in Ramsgate cemetery,
Plot HA 513 (source : burials register, courtesy of Janet Todd).
His death was registered (as RICHARD SWAIN OFFEN, 52) in June quarter 1897
(Free BMD : district Thanet, volume 2a page 507).
The Children of RICHARD SWAIN OFFEN and JANE SUSANNAH MORRISON :
ALICE ELIZABETH OFFEN was born on 27th
October 1866 in Ramsgate, Kent (source : 1881 census and Jim Downes). The address on her birth certificate was
2 Dove Place, Ramsgate, Kent (source : Karen Noakes).
She was baptised on 30th December 1866 in St George's,Ramsgate (source : baptism register, courtesy of Janet Todd).
On the 1871 census, she was a 4-year-old scholar,
living at home with her parents at 22 Newcastle Hill, Ramsgate. On the 1881 census, she was aged 14,
neither working nor at school (listed as no occupation), living at home with her parents at 1 Newcastle Hill, Ramsgate.
She married STEPHEN CLAYSON on 2nd November 1889 in St Peter's church,
Margate, Kent (source : Jim Downes and Karen Noakes). He was born on 22nd November 1852 in St Margaret's, Kent
(source : Jim Downes). This marriage was registered in March quarter 1889 (source : Ancestry
England and Wales, Civil Registration Index, county Kent, volume 2a, page 1112).
They had two children, PERCIVAL FREDERICK CLAYSON ( born
8th June 1891 in Margate, Kent) and
ETHEL MAUD CLAYSON (born 23rd December 1889 in Margate, Kent)
(source : Jim Downes).
She died on 16th June 1892 in Margate, Kent (source : Jim Downes). The address on her death certificate was
15 Pleasant Place, Margate (source : Karen Noakes).
Stephen was coxwain of the Margate lifeboat and he
was married three times, the final time in 1894 (source : Jim Downes).
He died on 2nd July 1937 in Margate, Kent (source : Jim Downes).
For more generations of CLAYSONs, please contact me for
Jim Downes' contact details.
RICHARD SWAIN OFFEN was born circa 1868 in Ramsgate, Kent (source : 1881 census).
He was baptised on 4th January 1869 in St George's, Ramsgate (source : baptism register, courtesy of Janet Todd).
On the 1871 census, aged 2, he was living at home with his
parents at 22 Newcastle Hill, Ramsgate. On the 1881 census, he was a 13-year-old scholar,
living at home with his parents at 1 Newcastle Hill, Ramsgate. He was no longer living at home on the 1891 census.
He married MARY ANN EDMONDS in 1894 in
Mile End Old Town. She was born circa 1869 (source : Collette Kendall). They had a daughter,
FLORENCE JANE OFFEN in September quarter 1896 (source Ancestry
England and Wales, Civil Registration Index, county Kent, volume 2a, page 926).
She was baptised on 29th July 1896 in St Paul's, Ramsgate and her parents were listed as Richard Swain & Mary Anne,
5 Model Cotts, fishmonger (source : baptism register, courtesy of Janet Todd).
FREDERICK CHARLES OFFEN was born in December quarter 1871
(source : Ancestry England and Wales, Civil Registration Index, county Kent, volume 2a, page 790).
He was baptised on 29th October 1871 in St George's, Ramsgate, Kent (source : baptism register, courtesy of Janet Todd).
On the 1881 census, he was a 10-year-old scholar,
living at home with his parents at 1 Newcastle Hill, Ramsgate. On the 1891 census, he was a 19-year-old unmarried fisherman,
at home with his parents at 5 Model Cottages, Ramsgate, Kent. He married
JANE PERRY . On the 1901 census, Frederick,
a 29-year-old plasterer labourer, his wife Jane (27, born London) and their two children BESSIE (3) and CHARLIE (1) are all listed
in St Lawrence, Kent (source : 1901 census index, household needs checking). He died in 1953 (source : Collette Kendall).
They had five children :
ALICE JANE OFFEN (baptised on 2nd October 1895 in St Paul's, Ramsgate,
daughter of Frederick Charles & Jane, 14 Model Cotts, fisherman (source : baptism register, courtesy of Janet Todd),
died on 21st December 1896 in Ramsgate, aged 1yr 5mths, and was buried on Christmas Eve, 24th December 1896 in Ramsgate
cemetery, Plot no IE 141 (source : burials register, courtesy of Janet Todd) - there is a death listed for 1-year-old
ALICE JANE OFFEN in December quarter 1896 ( Free BMD district Thanet, volume 2a, page 583),
BESSIE LOUISE OFFEN (baptised on 11th August 1897 in St Paul's, Ramsgate,
daughter of Fredk Chas & Jane, 1 Bing's Cott, St Luke's Ave, lab (source : baptism register, courtesy of Janet Todd)
and married
HERBERT VICTOR BETTS (born circa 1895) in Ramsgate in 1921),
CHARLES FREDERICK OFFEN (born on 2nd November 1899 in Thanet,
baptised 14th October 1900 at St Lawrence, Kent, son of Fredk Chas & Jane, 1 Bing's Cott, St Luke's Ave, lab
(source : baptism register, courtesy of Janet Todd)),
JACK RICHARD OFFEN (born in 1906 in Ramsgate,
baptised on 14th October 1906 at Holy Trinity, Ramsgate, son of Fredk Chas & Jane, 2 Louisa Terr, St Georges Rd, lab
source : baptism register, courtesy of Janet Todd) ),
and MAY BEATRICE OFFEN (born in 1912 in Ramsgate - source : Collette Kendall).
Census entries for RICHARD SWAIN OFFEN and JANE SUSANNAH MORRISON :
1881 census
Dwelling : 1 Newcastle Hill, Ramsgate, Kent
Richard S OFFEN, head, M, 38, born Ramsgate, labourer
Jane S OFFEN, wife, M, 33, born St Lawrence Kent, charwoman
Alice E OFFEN, daughter, U, 14, born Ramsgate, no occ
Richard S OFFEN, son, 13, born Ramsgate, scholar
Frederick C OFFEN, son, 10, born Ramsgate, scholar