They Left for America

Mrs G F Smith, 155 Chanctonbury Road, Burgess Hill, West Sussex RH15 9HF

Historian Vol 9 No 7 September 1991

While searching through the Vestry Meeting records for Ewhurst, Sussex, recently, I came across the following, which I feel would be of great interest to any person researching the families named.

On 4 Jan 1823 a request was made to the Parish Council by certain of the parish that money might be found to send them and their families to America. The matter was discussed at a meeting and it was agreed to borrow £l00 of Messrs Gill & Co Bankers of Hastings and another £100 of Messrs Fix & Co Bankers of Rye. On 19 Feb 1823 the following families were sent:- Sam Duke, wife & 7 children; Sam Stemp; Wm Fuller; Hm Stemp; Anthy Fuller, wife & 4 children; Edwd Smith, wife & 2 children; Jos Stemp, wife & 2 children; Sam Dawson; Wm Gardener; Hy Hands; Sam Crouch, wife & 2 children; Wm Gutsell & 3 children; Wm Smeeter & wife; Richd Cuckney; Jas Gardener (?), wife & 3 children; Hy Neeves, wife & 3 children; Chas Parks, wife & child; Hy Gutsell; John Chapman; and Edwd Chapman. There is some doubt whether Sam Duke actually left for America, as at the Vestry Meeting on Saturday 8 Dec 1827 "Sam Duke dismissed as clerk to the Parish Council for stealing shingles from the church. to replace them by Monday next or pay 10s".

It was also decided at the meeting on 4 Jan 1823 that those unemployed in the village, who were not going to America, should be allotted to every four men in regular employ and their wages repaid to the employers by the overseers. At the time of this decision there were 32 labourers unemployed; amongst them were William and Thomas Pearson, my own grandfather's great-grandfather and his brother.

There is also a very interesting letter written to the new vicar by the old one, which gives a good insight into village life in those days. I quote here a small portion of it: "The Sabbath is not well observed and churchwardens and constables (as usual) will do nothing they can avoid. Here are many Methodists &c and many who frequent no place of worship. The parochial business is usually done very unmethodically and illegally and the poor rate is often greatly misapplied and it has been useless for the minister to interfere; he does not get a respectful hearing, votes are not taken, nor indeed will the small farmers and traders even in any public way oppose the two or three rich. The public houses are not so orderly as they might be on Sundays and at Fair time and during the hop gathering they are most riotous &c".

Historian Vol 9 No 7 September 1991