ROBERT JOHN OFFEN was born circa 1846 in Ramsgate, Kent (source : 1881 census).
His birth was registered in September quarter 1845 (source : Free BMD, district I.of Thanet, volume
5, page 461 ). 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).
He does not show up on the 1851 or 1861 censuses with the rest of his family.
He married JANE STEAD DAY on 31st October 1866 at St George's
in Ramsgate, Kent (source : marriage register, courtesy of Janet Todd ). She was born circa 1844 in Ramsgate, Kent
(source : 1881 census). Robert John Offen was 21, a bachelor, mariner of Ramsgate and Jane Stead Day was 23, a spinster of
Ramsgate (source : marriage register). The fathers were recorded as George Offen dec'd and Isaac Day lab, and the witnesses
were Wm? (or Mr) R Crocker and Henry Packer (source : marriage register).
On the 1871 census, at 10 Belmont Street, Ramsgate, we find Jane Stead Offen (head (m) 27, fisherman's wife), daughter
Jane 3, son Robert 1, (all born Ramsgate), and two lodgers Elizabeth Wood (lodger (w) 66, born Margate) and
Charlotte Watson (lodger 16, born Ramsgate) (source : Janet Todd) - Robert John (married, 25, master) shows up with
brother George on the boat named Laurel in Ramsgate, Kent .
On the 1881 census, Robert, a 46-year-old boatman, his wife Jane, 37, and four of their children
were living at 3 Claremont Gardens in St Lawrence, Kent.
Jane Stead Offen died in Ramsgate, Kent, on 5th September 1888, aged 45, and was buried on 8th September 1888
in Ramsgate cemetery, Plot no BB 63 (source : burials register, courtesy of Janet Todd ).
Before 1891, Robert remarried MARY ANN (PREWETT?) (born
circa 1857 in London, St George in the East) (source : 1901 census). On the 1891 census, at 27 Albert Street, Ramsgate, Kent,
we find Robert J Offin (head (m) 46 lighthouse keeper assis (harbour) born Ramsgate), Mary A (wife 34 born London St
George in the east), children George I. (14 errand boy), Thos W. 9 scholar, Amy E. (5 scholar), Walter P. 1
(all b. Ramsgate) and Maria Witherden (boarder (wid) 75 living on own means, b. Scotland).
On the 1901 census, Robert, a 54-year-old lighthouse keeper, his wife Mary (44), their son
THOMAS WILLIAM OFFEN (19, unmarried, born Ramsgate Kent, printer letterpress) and two daughters Amy Esther (15)
and Annie Bertha (9) (all born in Ramsgate) are all listed at Portlight, Poplar Rd, in Ramsgate, Kent (source : Janet Todd).
Robert died in 1908 (source : Collette Kendall).
The Children of ROBERT JOHN OFFEN and JANE STEAD DAY:
JANE ELIZABETH OFFEN was born circa 1868
in Ramsgate, Kent (source : 1881 census). Jane Elizabeth Offen was baptised on 29th December 1867 at
St George's, Ramsgate, daughter of Robert & Jane, Model Cotts, fisherman (source : baptisms register,
courtesy of Janet Todd ). On the 1871 census, aged 3 , she was with her mother and brother at 10 Belmont Street,
Ramsgate. On the 1881 census, age 13 (not listed as a scholar), she
was living at home in St Lawrence, Kent with her family. On the 1891 census, there was a Jane E Offen
(serv (s) 23 housemaid born Ramsgate) at St Lawrence House (source : Janet Todd).
She married WILLIAM CLARK NICHOLS on 18th February 1896 at
Holy Trinity, Ramsgate, Kent (source : marriage register, courtesy of Janet Todd).
This marriage is registered in March quarter 1896
(source : Ancestry England and Wales, Civil Registration Index, county Kent, volume 2a, page 1101).
Jane was 28, a spinster, of Unity Place and William Clark Nichols was 29, a bachelor, butcher, also of Unity Place
(source : marriage register). The fathers were registered as Robert John Offen, lighthouse keeper, and Robert Nichols,
mariner and the witnesses were Robert John Offen and Clara Eke (source : marriage register). On the 1901 census,
at 21 Meeting St., Ramsgate, we find William C Nichols (head (m) 34 house painter, worker), Jane E (wife 33),
RACHAEL FISH (lodger (s) 70, living on own means), Harry Offen (bro-in-law (s) 17 house painter) (all born Ramsgate)
(source : 1901 census, courtesy of Janet Todd).
ROBERT GEORGE OFFEN was
born circa 1870 in Ramsgate, Kent (source : 1881 census). He was baptised on 1st March
1870 at St George's, Ramsgate, son of Robert John & Jane Stead, Model Cotts, fisherman (source : baptisms register,
courtesy of Janet Todd ). On the 1871 census, aged 1 , he was with his mother and sister at 10 Belmont Street,
Ramsgate. On the 1881 census, he was an 11-year-old scholar, living with
his family in St Lawrence, Kent.
MERCY ANN OFFEN was born in March quarter 1872
(source : Ancestry England and Wales, Civil Registration Index, county Kent, volume 2a, page 842).
She was baptised on 6th February 1872 at St George's, Ramsgate, daughter of Robert John & Jane Stead,
Belmont Place, fisherman (source : baptisms register, courtesy of Janet Todd ). On the 1881 census, she was a
9-year-old scholar, living with her family in St Lawrence, Kent. On the 1891 census, she shows up at
Hildersham House, St Peters Rd, St Peters, as Mercy Offen (serv (s) 20 dom servant born Ramsgate) (source : Janet Todd).
Mercy Ann married WALTER DALE (from Whitstable) and they had three
sons Walter
(died aged about 8 ), Raymond and Lionel (born August 1917, died in 1986) (source : Sarah Heyward).
Mercy Ann and Walter Dale and their five year old son Walter were at at Middle Wall in the 1901 census
(source : Sarah Heyward).
Mercy Ann died in 1960 and Walter died in 1963 (source : Sarah Heyward). They lived all their married
lives in Whitstable (mostly in Albert Street, just two doors along from Mercy's sister Amy Ethel)
until just a few years before they died (source : Sarah Heyward).
MARY OFFEN was baptised on 9th September 1874 at
St George's, Ramsgate, daughter of Robert John & Jane Stead, Ramsgate, fisherman (source : baptisms register,
courtesy of Janet Todd ). She died on 14th September 1874, an infant of Ramsgate, and was buried on
18th September 1874 at Ramsgate cemetery, Plot no DA 390 (source : burials register,
courtesy of Janet Todd). There is a birth registered for a MARY ANN OFFEN in
March quarter 1873 (source : Ancestry England and Wales, Civil Registration Index, county Kent, volume 2a, page 683).
LILLY OFFEN was baptised on 6th August 1875 at St George's,
Ramsgate (baptism also registered in St Paul's), daughter of Robert John & Jane Stead, Ramsgate, fisherman
(source : baptisms register, courtesy of Janet Todd ). She died on 14th September 1875, an infant of Ramsgate,
and was buried on 17th September 1875 at Ramsgate cemetery, Plot no DA 482 (source : burials register,
courtesy of Janet Todd). There is a birth and a death registered in
September quarter 1875 for a LILY OFFEN, which may be her (source : Ancestry
England and Wales, Civil Registration Index, county Kent, volume 2a, pages 828 and 428).
GEORGE ISAAC OFFEN was born in September quarter 1877
(source : Ancestry England and Wales, Civil Registration Index, county Kent, volume 2a, page 833).
He was baptised on 7th August 1877 at St George's, Ramsgate, Kent, son of Robert John & Jane Stead,
Ramsgate, fisherman (source : baptisms register, courtesy of Janet Todd). On the 1881 census, he was 3 years old
and living with his family in St Lawrence. On the 1891 census, he was a 13-year-old errand boy,
living with his family in Ramsgate. He worked in newspaper printing (source : Annie Prosser).
He married EMMA DARBY
on 22nd January 1899 in St Lawrence, Kent (source : marriage register, courtesy of Janet Todd). George was 22, a bachelor, a printer, of High Street, St Lawrence, and Emma was
23, a spinster, also of High Street, St Lawrence (source : marriage register). The fathers were recorded as
John Offen, lighthouse keeper and William Darby, grocer's assistant, and the witnesses were William Darby and
Louisa Jane Darby (source : marriage register). This marriage was registered in March quarter 1899
(source : Ancestry England and Wales, Civil Registration Index, county Kent, volume 2a, page 1297).
Emma was the daughter of William Darby & Emma (nee Johncock) (source : Janet Todd).
The Ramsgate and St Lawrence 1936 directory lists George Isaac OFFEN at 33 St Luke's Avenue.
George died in Thanet circa 1966 (source : Annie Prosser).
They had at least three children : WILLIAM JOHN OFFEN
was born on 7th November 1900 and baptised on 23rd December 1900 in St Lawrence, Kent,
son of George & Emma, compositor, 107 Winstanley Cres. (source : baptisms register, courtesy of Janet Todd).
He married DOROTHY MARY CAVELL (born circa 1900) in 1921 in Ramsgate
(source : Collette Kendall). The Ramsgate and St Lawrence 1936 directory lists Wm Jn OFFEN at 4 Bradley Road, St Lawrence.
Twins HARRY GEORGE OFFEN ( who married
KATIE DORIS JOHNSON in Ramsgate, Kent in 1926 - source : Collette Kendall)
and Harry's twin sister JESSIE ELIZABETH OFFEN were
baptised, to parents George & Emma, printer, 2 Pretoria Villas, St Lukes Ave, on 28th January 1906 at St Luke's
(source : baptisms register, courtesy of Janet Todd). The twins' births were registered in March quarter 1906 (source :
Free BMD, district Thanet, volume 2a, page 1082).
THOMAS WILLIAM OFFEN was born circa 1882
in Ramsgate, Kent (source : 1891 census). He was baptised on 25th October 1881 at St George's, Ramsgate, son of
Robert John & Jane Stead, Claremont Gdns, St Lawrence, fisherman (source : baptisms register, courtesy of Janet Todd).
On the 1891 census, he was a 9-year-old scholar, living with his family in Ramsgate. On the 1901 census, a 19-year-old
unmarried letter press printer, he was living with his father, step^mother and sisters at Portlight, Poplar Rd, Ramsgate.
HENRY OFFEN was baptised on 8th April 1884 at St George's, Ramsgate,
son of Robert John & Jane Stead, 9 Montague Cotts, boatman (source : baptisms register, courtesy of Janet Todd). On the
1901 census, he shows up at 21 Meeting St., Ramsgate, at his sister Jane's home :
William C Nichols (head (m) 34 house painter, worker), Jane E (wife 33),
RACHAEL FISH (lodger (s) 70, living on own means), Harry Offen (bro-in-law (s) 17 house painter) (all born Ramsgate)
(source : 1901 census, courtesy of Janet Todd).
AMY ETHEL OFFEN was born circa 1885
in Ramsgate, Kent (source : Collette Kendall). Amy was baptised on 17th November 1885 at St George's, Ramsgate,
son of Robert John & Jane Stead, 9 Montague Cotts, boatman (source : baptisms register, courtesy of Janet Todd). On the 1891 census, she was a 5-year-old scholar,
living with his family in Ramsgate. On the 1901 census, Amy Esther (sic), aged 15, is with her
father, stepmother, brother and sister at Portlight, Poplar Rd, Ramsgate. She married
GEORGE DENT in 1919 in Ramsgate (source : Collette Kendall).
He was born circa 1885 (source : Collette Kendall). They had a son, who died young (source :
Sarah Heyward). Having lost both her husband and her son, Amy Ethel Dent
lived next door but one to her sister Mercy Ann, in Albert Street, Whitstable, Kent (source : Sarah Heyward).
The Children of ROBERT JOHN OFFEN and MARY ANN (PREWETT?):
WALTER PREWITT OFFEN was born circa 1890
in Ramsgate, Kent (source : 1891 census).He was baptised on 25th May 1890 at Holy Trinity, Ramsgate, son of
Robert John & Mary Ann, 8 Syndal Place, lighthouse caretaker (source : baptisms register, courtesy of Janet Todd).
On the 1891 census, he was aged 1 and living with his family in Ramsgate. Walter died in Ramsgate on 17th April 1891,
aged 11 months, and was buried on 22nd April 1891 in Ramsgate cemetery, Plot no IC 281 (source : burials register,
courtesy of Janet Todd).
ANNIE BERTHA OFFEN was baptised on 7th February 1892 at
St George's , Ramsgate, daughter of Robert John & Mary Ann, 25 Albert St, lighthouse keeper
(source : baptisms register, courtesy of Janet Todd). There is a birth registered for Anne Offen in December quarter 1893,
which may be her (source : Ancestry England and Wales, Civil Registration Index, county Kent, volume 2a, page 715).
On the 1901 census, Annie, aged 9, is with her parents in Ramsgate, Kent
(source : Janet Todd). She married
DAVID FRANKLIN STEVENS in 1913 in Ramsgate (source : Collette Kendall).
He was born circa 1888 (source : Collette Kendall).
Census entries for ROBERT JOHN OFFEN and JANE STEAD DAY:
1881 census:
Dwelling : 3 Claremoant Gardens, St Lawrence, Kent
Robert J. OFFEN Head M Male 35 Ramsgate, Kent, England Boatman
Jane OFFEN Wife M Female 37 Ramsgate, Kent, England
Jane OFFEN Daur Female 13 Ramsgate, Kent, England
Robert OFFEN Son Male 11 Ramsgate, Kent, England Scholar
Mercy OFFEN Daur Female 9 Ramsgate, Kent, England Scholar
George OFFEN Son Male 3 Ramsgate, Kent, England