Part 3 - The Descendants of William Alchin and Ann Knock of Meopham

1.1 ~ Anthony William Alchin

Anthony was baptised at the church of St John the Baptist, Meopham on 1st January 1797 and he was named for his father (William Alchin) and his grandfather (Anthony Alchin). Anthony died at Camer aged 18 years and he was buried at Meopham by the Rev’d R.S. Joynes on 15th April 1814.

1.2 ~ Henry Alchin

Henry was born in May 1798 and he was baptised at the church of St John the Baptist, Meopham on 10th June 1798. Henry married Mary Holman at St Mary’s church, Newington in Surrey on 30th August 1823. Mary was baptised at Coulsden near Croydon on 28th May 1797 and she was the daughter of Francis Holman and Mary Curling.

Henry and Mary Alchin had at least two children – John (1825) and Emma (1828). Both children were baptised at Croydon in Surrey (now part of Greater London). The 1841 census records that Henry was employed as a carpenter. He and his wife and their two children were living at North End, Croydon. Mary probably died in 1872 aged 76 years (Croydon 1872 December qtr Volume 2a Page 117). Henry may have died in 1879 aged 84 years (Croydon 1879 March qtr Volume 2a Page 155).

1.2.1 ~ John Alchin

John was baptised at the church of St John the Baptist, Croydon on 24th July 1825. The 1841 census records that John was living with his parents at North End, Croydon and he was probably still at school despite being 15 years old. John married Juliet Ann Wotton Friend in 1876 (Eastry 1876 September qtr Volume 2a Page 1307).

Juliet was born at Eastry in Kent in late 1825 or early 1826 and she was baptised at St Lawrence’s church, Thanet on 29th January 1826. She was the daughter of Robert and Elizabeth Friend. As both John and Juliet were both well and truly middle-aged when they married it seems unlikely that they had any children.

The 1881 census records that John was an accountant and he and his wife were living at New Street, Sandwich, Kent. Visiting John and his wife at that time was 9 year old Agnes Maude Vallance of Dover. Juliet died at Sandwich in 1900 aged 75 years (Eastry 1900 June qtr Volume 2a Page 632).

The 1901 census records that John was a widower and he was a retired brewery clerk. He was still living at New Street, Sandwich. 7 year old Robert H. Woffinden (born at Hornsey, Middlesex) was staying with him at the time. It seems likely that John may have remarried again (possibly to Emily Mary Ballard) later that year (Eastry 1901 September qtr Volume 2a Page 2069).

John died in 1912 aged 86 years (Eastry 1912 June qtr Volume 2a Page 1143). A letter written in December 1914 by William Mosto Alchin states that John had died three years previously (1911 but actually 1912) at Sandwich at the age of 86 years.

1.2.2 ~ Emma Alchin

Emma was baptised at the church of St John the Baptist, Croydon on 7th September 1828. The 1841 census records that Emma was living with her parents at North End, Croydon.

1.3 ~ William Alchin

William was born in February 1800 and he was baptised at the church of St John the Baptist, Meopham on 9th March 1800. William married Charlotte Mosto at the church of St John the Baptist, Croydon on 5th August 1821. They had at least two children  – William (1822) and Anthony (1834).

William traveled to South Australia in 1836 aboard the vessel “Duke of Aden” – at this stage it is believed that he travelled by himself. Perhaps his intention was to bring his family to Australia once he had settled in but he died at Burra not long after arriving in Australia, probably from the primitive conditions present in the mining settlement.

Unfortunately the enumerators appear to have missed the family for the 1841 census for the Croydon district. Ten years later, William’s son, Anthony followed in his father’s footsteps when he later migrated to South Australia in 1850. Charlotte may have died at Croydon in 1864 (Croydon 1864 June qtr Volume 2a Page 112) or more likely in 1875 aged 78 years (Croydon December qtr Volume 2a Page 141)..

1.3.1 ~ William Alchin

William was baptised at the church of St John the Baptist, Croydon on 30th June 1822. William married Ellen (her surname is unknown but it was probably Miles. Ellen Miles, the daughter of William and Elizabeth Miles, was baptized at the church of St John the Baptist, Croydon on 21st January 1824);she was born at Croydon in 1824.

William and Ellen had at least seven children – William (1848), William (1852), Emma (1855), twins Anthony and Charles (1857), Herbert (1860) and Harriett (1865). The 1881 census records that William was a timber merchant and he was living with his wife and three of his children at 26 Summer Road, Croydon.

William may have died in 1891 aged 68 years (Dover 1891 June qtr Volume 2a Page 649). Ellen died at Croydon in 1900 aged 75 years (Croydon 1900 March qtr Volume 2a Page 198).

1.3.1.1 ~ William Miles Alchin

William was born in early 1848 (Croydon 1848 March qtr Volume 4 Page 114). He was baptised at the church of St John the Baptist, Croydon on 14th May 1848. William died at Croydon in 1850 aged only 2 years (Croydon 1850 September qtr Volume 2a Page 80).

1.3.1.2 ~ William Mosto Alchin

William was baptised at the church of St John the Baptist, Croydon on 5th September 1852 (there is no surviving trace of his birth registration). The 1881 census records that William was unmarried and he was living with his parents at 26 Summer Road, Croydon. He was assisting his father with his timber business. William married Sarah in the mid 1880’s; she was born at Epsom in 1856.

William and Sarah had at least two children – William (1889) and Sidney (1892). The 1901 census records that William was a timber merchant. He and his wife and their two children were living at 38 Croydon Close, Croydon. Living with them was a 28 year old female domestic servant from London who is recorded merely as White.

William wrote a letter (a copy of which still survives) to his cousin Sarah Pettit in Australia on 10th December 1914:

“I am sending you by this post a paper sent me from Sandwich, giving an account of the funeral at Hastings of Mr L.E. Alchin [Linton Edmund Alchin baptised at Linton, Kent 21st March 1851, the son of Henry and Mary Alchin].

He must belong to the family. You will see he was from Maidstone, Kent. That is the district they originate from. On the tombstones in the old churchyards they are described as farmers or yeomen.

I shall see my brother who was in Australia some time ago at Christmas but I do not think he knows much of the pedigree of the family, as is a great   deal younger than me.

Mr G. Alchin [probably George James Alchin born in Sydney in 1856, the son of Francis Alchin and Ann Eliza Christophers] has a pedigree we sent him some years ago which shows our part of the family also shows Anthony Alchin married and died in Australia leaving a family.

I remember my grandmother [Anthony’s mother, Charlotte Alchin nee Mosto] had letters from his children and she used to show them to me fifty years ago when I was a boy. I think his wife was either Dutch or German.

Will look up the Roman Catholic Clergy at Xmas to see if Frank Alchin (I told you of) is still a missionary – would like to see him myself.

Enclosed some postcards of our Croydon territorials and you have a lot of people in Sydney from this part if you know any it would be very interesting to them. Must now conclude.

William M Alchin
148 St James Road
West Croydon”

1.3.1.2.1 ~ William Charles Alchin

William was born at Croydon in about 1889 (Croydon 1889 March qtr Volume 2a Page 251). At the time of the 1901 census he was a school boy and he was living with his family at 38 Croydon Close, Croydon.

1.3.1.2.2 ~ Sidney Percy Alchin

Sidney was born at Croydon in 1892 (Croydon 1892 June qtr Volume 2a Page 271). At the time of the 1901 census he was a school boy and he was living with his family at 38 Croydon Close, Croydon. Sidney served with the Royal Engineers during World War One, reaching the rank of Corporal (regimental # 161087).

1.3.1.3 ~ Emma Ernestine Alchin

Emma was born at Croydon in 1855 (Croydon 1855 December qtr Volume 2a Page 117) and she was baptised at the church of St John the Baptist, Croydon on 6th April 1856. The 1881 census records that Emma was an assistant school governess. She was boarding at 116 Terminus Road, Eastbourne with the family of a local grocer, Joseph C. Davie.

1.3.1.4 ~ Herbert William Alchin

Herbert was born at Croydon in about 1860 (Croydon 1860 June qtr Volume 2a Page 153). The 1881 census records that he was unmarried and he was living with his parents at 26 Summer Road, Croydon. He was assisting his father with his timber business. Herbert married Charlotte Weston in 1886 (Croydon 1886 December qtr Volume 2a Page 381). Charlotte was born at Downton, Wiltshire in 1866.

Herbert and Charlotte had at least two children – Charlotte (1887) and Herbert (1893). The 1901 census records that Herbert was a timber merchant and undertaker. He and his family were living at 51 Summer Road, Croydon. Also living with them was a 26 year old unmarried nephew Horace Weston (born at Deptford, Kent) who was employed as Herbert’s assistant. The family also employed a young female servant, Alice Lord. It appears that their only son died at the age of 10 years.

According to his elder brother (see the letter above), Herbert visited Australia at least once.