Abraham Belchamber 1774

Abraham Belchamber
b. abt 1774 Ardingly, Sussex

Occupation: blacksmith

Father: George Belchamber
Mother: Hannah Jackson

Partner: Elizabeth Johnson of Sevenoaks, Kent

Children:

Abraham Bellchamber b. 25 May 1811 Lindfield, Sussex


Notes:

1. Elizabeth Johnson single woman of Sevenoaks, Kent was forced to take out a bastardy order against Abraham Belchamber, putative father, after the birth of their son. Poor Law Record Reference Number:Par/21/34/1 Parish:Billingshurst Order type:Bastardy order/bond Date:28 Dec 1811 Child: male child b 25 May 1811 JOHNSON.

2. There is no baptismal record of that birth under the name of Bellchamber or Johnson, and that the child became known as Abraham Bellchamber indicates that there was a relationship between his parents and, considering the Napoleonic Wars at the time, the father may have died in warfare shortly afterwards. He did not appear in the 1841 census, but his brother George Belchamber b. abt 1780 Ardingly, Sussex and sister in law Elizabeth Shaw did. That he met Elizabeth in Kent suggests that he was in the navy.