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    James Prentice of Hadleigh, Essex, England
    By Linus Joseph Dewald Jr., Editor
    Fall 2002 and Revised 11 Feb 2011

    We are helping James Henry Prentice, who sent us an email of 8 & 12 Jul 2002, in tracing the ancestry of his grandfather, James Prentice. Kerry Prentice has also brought to our attention additional information. We also found more information in Ancestry.com :

    A. William Prentice is thought to have been b. c. 1802 in Thundersley Parish, Essex, and d. there in 1859. Thundersley lies a mile or so north of South Benfleet and a few miles south of Chelmsford. William and his wife and children appear in the 1841 census in Thundersley Parish, Essex. 1851 census in Hadleigh, Essex.

    He m. Mary, b. c. 1805, Essex, per the 1841 Thundersley census.They had 3 or more children, including:

    1. William Prentice, b. c. 1826, Essex. 1841 at home in Thundersley Parish. Not home in 1851 and not in 1851 census.
    2. Emma Prentice, b. c. 1831, Essex. 1841 at home in Thundersley Parish. Not home in 1851.
    3. James Prentice was b. 1840 at Hadleigh, Essex Co., England. . . . . . . . . . . . . . [1]

    1. James Prentice was b. 1840 at Hadleigh, Essex Co., England, and d. 1916 in Cumberwell. Hadleigh lies perhaps a couple miles SE of Thudersley. James lived for some considerable time in Scotland, returning later to England. In the 1861 census he was an unmarried "Lodger" in Rochester, Kent. In the 1871 he was living with his wife and children in St. Mildred, Kent. James appears with his wife in the 1881 Camberwell, Surrey, census living at 9 Ulric St., Camberwell. His occupation is given as "Joiner."

    He m. Charlotte Anderson in 1864. She was b. c. 1846, Canterbury, Kent, England, and d. 1886, Lambeth. She was, a Dressmaker. Children shown in 1881 census:

    1. William Prentice, b. 1865, Canterbury, Kent. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . [2]
    2. Emily Prentice, b. c. 1867, Canterbury, Kent. At home in 1871. Not home in 1881.
    3. Minnie Prentice, b. c. 1871, Canterbury, Kent. She m. Frederick Ireland. In 1891 they were living at 127 Thomas Road, Lambeth, with James Prentice (her father) and James Prentice (her brother). In the 1901 Census they were at 12 Ulric Street Camberwell,, but Minnie was no longer with them; she was listed as a patient and lunatic at the London County Asylum, Dartford, Kent (per Lynn Read). Daughters:
      1. Amy Ireland, b. 1892
      2. Florence Ireland, b. 1894
      3. Edith Ireland, b. 1898
    4. Arthur Prentice, b. c. 1875, Canterbury, Kent. Not in 1891 or 1901 census.
    5. James Anderson Prentice, b. 24 May 1884. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . [3]
    6. (female) Prentice, perhaps a twin of James, who died in Childhood
    7. George Prentice. He lived in the 1890s in Paris, France. Not in 1901 census.
    8. Perhaps Rachel Prentice who d. 1916.

    2. William Prentice, b. 1865, Canterbury, Kent, a Coachsmith. At home in Canterbury in the 1871 census. He appears in the 1891 census in Canterbury as an unmarried Boarder in Newington, St. Andrew, London County and his occupation was "Wheelwry to Smith." census. Not in the 1901 census.

    3. James Anderson Prentice, b. 24 May 1884, Thundersley or Camberwell, London, and d. 1967, Eastbourne.

    He m. Florence Edith Wright at Holbeach, Lincolnshire in 1914. She was b. 21 Jan 1890, Holbeach, and d. Dec 1991 in Axminster. and had two sons:

    1. James Henry Prentice, b. 1915, Exeter, and living in 2002. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . [4]
    2. John Edward Prentice, b. 1924, Spalding and d. 1967. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . [5]

    4. James Henry Prentice, b. 1915, Exeter, and living in 2002. He m. Dorothy Peake in Newcastle-u-Lyme in 1949. 2 daughters:

    1. Diana Helen Prentice, b. 1953, Reading.
    2. Celia Jean Mary Prentice, b. 1955, Shinfield .

    5. John Edward Prentice, b. 1924, Spalding, and d. 1967. He m. 1st Margaret Iris Harding Buckler in 1946, Turlangton. Children:

    1. Iain Colin Prentice, b. 1952, Harrow. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . [6]
    2. Alison Margaret Prentice, b. 1954, Harrow.
    John m. 2nd Helen Patricia Ross in 1982 in Pershore.

    6. Iain Colin Prentice, b. 1952, Harrow. He m. 1st Honor ? Horton in 1972. He m. 2nd Sandy Harrison. They had 3 children:

    Who are James Prentice's Parents?

    James Henry Prentice relates that James Prentice's mother's maiden name was either Macgregor or Macpherson. He also tells us that his father (JAP) used to refer to a William Prentice, who probably lived in the early part of the 19th century. He also talked of the fact that the the family had been reasonably affluent until one member, and it may have been William, spent rather lavishly.

    In checking the IGI and 1881 census, we found the following persons in Hadleigh in the general time frame when James Prentice was b. c. 1840:

    1. Israel Prentice and Frances had a daughter, Caroline Prentice, chr. 10 Aug 1828.
    2. David Prentice, b. c. 1828, Flowton, Suffolk, and Mary Anne Hollingshed, b. c. 1829, Westminster, Westminster. He would have been only 12 in 1840 when James was born, but he might be a brother. For David Prentice's roots, see John Prentice of Needham, Suffolk .
    3. Henry Prentice and Amy had:
      1. James Prentice, chr. 9 Feb 1835. Not in 1881 census.
      2. Levi Prentice, chr. 9 Feb 1835. Not in 1881 census.
    4. John Prentice m. Elizabeth Allen on 12 May 1837 in Hadleigh.

    If you have any information about the folks mentioned in this article, please contact us at dewald@prenticenet.com.

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