Gorringe Challenge

[carolp]

Hi,

How many of you out there likes a challenge? Well, boy have I got one for you, so here goes ....

I have a William Gorringe, born in Ringmer in 1767, who married Hannah Jenner in East Grinstead in 1791. In 1792 the couple moved to Ringmer and had their first child William. In December 1792 Hannah Gorringe dies, leaving William senior to look after his baby alone. Seems straight forward enough I hear you say! But then the tricky bit comes! William senior's Father, another William wrote his will in 1829, in it he states, "I leave to my late son William's three children, two boys and a girl etc, etc ....

So from this, we can establish that William senior must have remarried and had a further two children, one boy and one girl. We can also establish that William born in 1767, must have died before his Father wrote the will in 1829. I have on numerous occasions been to the Lewes records office and looked for these facts, but have not found the information I am looking for. Is there anyone else looking into the Gorringe family from Ringmer? So to recap, I am looking for a marriage of William Gorringe to ???, can be anywhere in Sussex!!, I am also looking for two children born to the "new" couple, whose names only God knows. I have asked the Sussex family history society for all known marriages of any William Gorringes in Sussex, and they have been extremely helpful in providing me with a list, but everytime I think I am on a winner, someone else claims the William I am looking for!!

There is however a William Gorringe as marrying a Sarah Thatcher in Glynde in 1804/5, so if anyone has any info on this marriage can they let me know please. If anyone can solve this mystery, you would be on the top of my Christmas list.

Many thanks.

Carol

[Geoffers]

I have a William Gorringe, born in Ringmer in 1767, who married Hannah Jenner in East Grinstead in 1791. In 1792 the couple moved to Ringmer and had their first child William. In December 1792 Hannah Gorringe dies.....William senior's Father, another William wrote his will in 1829, in it he states, "I leave to my late son William's three children, two boys and a girl etc, etc ....So from this, we can establish that William senior must have remarried and had a further two children

I hate to throw a spanner in the works; but just on the information you give it is possible that he had twins before or just after his marriage and so the children to whom the will refers may not be from another marriage. Have you checked East Grinstead registers (and maybe those for surrounding parishes) for any Jenner/Gorringe baptisms? Sorry to jump in here if you have additional information that rules out this possibility.

Geoffers
Charlbury, Oxfordshire

[Jane M]

Hi Carol,

Are you sure the will is for the right William? Looking at dates, William who wrote the will would have been well into his eighties, leaving it a bit late. Let's assume that Big William was 20 when his son, William was born 1767. That gives Big William a dob of 1747. If he wrote his will in 1829 that makes him 82. Do you mean 1829 was when it was PROVED? Do you know when Big William died? Maybe this will is for William b. 1767. which would give him an age of 62.
Food for thought,
Jane