Susan Sullings born about 1823 in Rochford, Essex

For related information see www.the-kirbys.org.uk, Ancestor List, Place Index and Wills Index

Summary

Yet to be summarised.

Parents and family

Her parents were Thomas SULLINGS and Mary (nee GAGE). On her marriage certificate it gives her father as Thomas SULLINGE, Sawer, so there is some latitude in the spelling of the surname.

Birth

Various Census records give her place of birth as Rochford, Essex and the date as about 1822-23. The record of her Christening would therefore seem to be that of Susan, daughter of Thomas and Mary SULLINGS, that took place at St Andrew's Church, Rochford, on 26 Apr 1823.

Childhood and education

Unknown.

Employment

The closest match I have been able to find on the 1841 Census is at Brittons Hall, Chignal St. James, Essex (about 3 Km NW of Chelmsford),
This is to be treated with caution as it is some way from her birthplace. However, so is Downham, where she married. The family structure looks as if this susan was in service and servants sometimes lived some way from their place of birth.

Marriage

On 25 Sep 1842 Susan married John Kirby from Downham at Downham, Essex. The events of their married life are to be found in the biography of John Kirby. 

Life as a widow

On 15 Aug 1876, at South Ockendon, Essex, her husband John KIRBY was buried.

On 14 September 1878 her daughter Eliza married Nathaniel GURNETT, a lad from the same street. The parish record for the marriage gives the following details -
Groom: Nathan GARNETT, age 27, bachelor, labourer, of South Ockendon, son of John GARNETT, labourer. Bride: Eliza Eleanor KIRBY, age 24, spinster, of South Ockendon, daughter of John KIRBY (deceased). The witnesses were S.A. [or F. J. T.]  KIRBY and J. GARNETT.

On the 1881 Census she is listed at Romford Road, South Ockendon, Essex. At that time the family group comprised:
The next family listed was that of Samuel SCOTT, a Labourer and his wife Emma. Next after that was the family of her son-in-law John SCOTT and his wife Mary A. SCOTT (nee KIRBY). Both families had links with Upminster Common, Essex, and were probably related.
Four families earlier in Romford Road is listed the family of Charles and Hannah PUNT whose daughter Eliza married Susan's son Charles KIRBY

On the 1891 Census she is listed at West Street, South Ockendon, Essex. This probably refers to West Street in Grays, Essex. At that time the family unit comprised:

On the 1901 Census the family are at Station Road, in the parish of St Nicholas, South Ockendon, Essex. At that time the family comprised.

Last Will and Testament

Unknown.

Death

Susan died in 1912, aged 91. The registration would appear to be that for Susan KIRBY, aged 91, Orsett, Dec Quarter 1912, 4a, 607. Her burial record suggests that at the time she was at the Orsett Union Workhouse, where a hospital had been built in the late 19th C (known as The Orsett Lodge Hospital).

Burial

She was buried on 1 Dec 1912. The Burial register gives the following details Age 91, name Susan KIRBY, abode South Ockendon, Union Orsett. date Dec 1 1912, J McKim (Rector). A marginal comment on register states 'She left 111 descendants'. The churchyard is large and the graves organised roughly by age. A lot of the burials in the 1912 period are now missing their headstones and no Kirby burials were found in the time available on my visit.

Descendants and notable relations

The One Hundred and Eleven 

The marginal note on Susan's Burial records relates that she left 111 living descendants (though an obituary for one of them suggests the number was 135). In 2005 John KIRBY from Hampshire called my attention to that note and gave me a good initial list. However, since then I have been steadily building upon John's hard won original. The following are 87 of my current candidates (though I don't yet know which died before 1913).

Daughter Mary Ann Kirby

Mary Ann KIRBY married John SCOTT on 11 Sep 1869. In 2008 and their graves were in the churchyard at South Okendon.
picture to come
'In loving memory of Mary Ann Scott died 23rd December 1932 aged 81 years also of John Scott died 6th January 1916 aged 67 years.'
Transcription and picture courtesy of Tracy Pammant
The grave of their son George is also int he graveyard at South Ockendon
picture to come
'In loving memory of my dear husband George Scott died november 4th 1933 aged 56 years
Alice Elizabeth Scott who died 18th september 1980 aged 99 years.'
Transcription and picture courtesy of Tracy Pammant



Pg 7 Col 8 of the Chelmsford Chronicle of 30 Dec 1932 carried the following obituary for Mary Ann SCOTT under the local news section entitled South Ockendon.

The Death took place at Hillside,
Hovefields Avenue, Nevedon, of Mrs.
Mary Ann Scott, who for over seventy
years had been a resident of South
Ockendon and a member of the Weslyan
Church there. She was born at North
Benfleet, married at South Ockendon,
and had a family of twelve, of whom six
are now alive. She was 81, and her hus-
band died in 1916. She went to stay
with her son, Mr Charles Scott, at Hill-
side, Nevedon, about 16 weeks ago. One
son fought in the South African War. A
brother is Mr. Thomas Kirby, aged 90,
of Thundersley. Her mother died at
the age of 93, leaving 135 descendants.
The funeral of Mrs. Scott took place
yesterday at South Ockendon.

Any transcripts and images on this page are Copyright R I Kirby 2005 unless stated otherwise.