Volume 2 – Kent: The Alchins of Meopham, Leybourne and the Mallings

Part 2 – Alchins at Meopham 1600 – 1680

The Oast House at New Barns, West Malling

Introduction

Only some of the parish registers of the church of St John the Baptism, Meopham have survived from the 17th century. Besides those persons listed in the main text of this genealogy, there are a number of Alchin marriages at Meopham where identification of the ancestry of the individuals has not been possible:

John Alchin and Elizabeth Death on 23rd May 1641 (they baptised a son John at Meopham on 13th July 1643)

Thomas Higgins and Phoebe Alchin on 24th September 1662

Thomas Alchin and Joan Harris in May 1665

Steven Alchin and Dorothy Bright on 2nd November 1665; and

Mary Alchin and Henry Alchin (son of Thomas Alchin of Leybourne) on 16th November 1682.

The last four marriages possibly concern the children of John Alchin and Elizabeth Death. John Alchin is quite possibly a brother of Thomas Alchin of Leybourne – see Part 2. John may also have been the son that George Alchin and Marjorie Roofe baptised at Cranbrook on 1st July 1603. Interestingly there is a record of Joan Alchin marrying Thomas Mepham at Brenchley near Tonbridge on 9th January 1573.

During the 18th century a number of other Alchin men folk moved to Meopham where they married, raised families and invariably worked as carpenters. In particular this included Anthony Alchin, born at Hadleigh, Suffolk in 1742 but who's father (also called Anthony) was born at Leybourne and whose grandparents Henry and Mary Alchin had married at Meopham in 1682. Anthony junior married Mary Higgins at Meopham in 1767 thereby becoming the ancestor of all those people listed in Part 3 of this history. Another was John  Alchin who married Esther Loader and whose descendants moved to Victoria and a third was John Alchin (see para 1.3.4.4) who married Mary (Margaret) Phillips and through her became a fairly large landowner in the parish of Meopham.

1  ~~  Unknown Alchin Ancestor

This man was probably born around 1560 or thereabouts in one of the villages to the south and  west of Maidstone, possibly Meopham or Leybourne. He may even have been born at Rotherfield in Sussex (see Introduction page 2). His name was probably one of either Thomas, Richard, John, Anthony or Henry as these were the names used almost exclusively used by his descendants for the next 200 years. He married an unknown woman and they had at least two sons – Thomas and Richard both of whom were probably born in the 1590's. He may also have had a third son (Henry ?) who was the ancestor of Thomas Alchin of Leybourne (see Part 2).

1.1  ~~  Thomas Alchin

Thomas was born in the late 1580's or early 1590's. There is a possibility he may have been one of three children born to Isaac Alchin and Alice Baker at Rotherfield, Sussex in the 1580's or Robert and Mary Alchin of Marden. Thomas married Sarah and they had at least four children, all daughters – Margaret (c.1617/18), Parnell (1619), Sarah (1623) and Sarah (1624).

His will records that Thomas was a carpenter of Meopham and that at the time of his death in 1626 his wife and three of his daughters were still alive. Even though he describes himself as only a carpenter, Thomas was prosperous enough to own a house and lands at Wateringbury, several miles south of Meopham.

Thomas' will bequeathed 20 pounds to be divided equally between his three daughters and which they were not to receive until they attained the age of 21 years. His house and lands were granted to his wife and after her death these were to be divided between his surviving daughters. Thomas appointed his brother Richard Alchin of Fawkham, Kent as one of the overseers of his will. Thomas was buried at Meopham on 15th May 1625 and it appears that one of his daughters might have died the following week.

The last Will and Testament of Thomas Alchin, Carpenter of Meopham reads as follows:

"In the name of God Amen the eleventh daye of Maye in the first yeare of the Reigne of our Sovereigne Lord Charles by the grace of God Kinge of Great Brittayne France and Ireland defender of the Fayth etc I Thomas Alchin of Meopham in the Countie of Kent Carpenture though sicke in bodie yet of good and perfect minde and remembrance thankes be unto almightie God therefore doe make and appoynte this my last will and testement in manner and forme followinge and? first and principally I give and bequeath my soule unto the hands of Almightie God my Creater and of Jesus Christ my redeemer by whose pretious bloode sheadeinge I hope to be saved and my bodie to be buried within the Churcheyarde of Meopham aforesayde

Item I will and give unto the poore people of the p'ishe of Meopham aforesayde Tenn shillings to be payed them w'thin tenn weekes next after my decease

Item I will and give unto my three daughters Margarett Parnell and Sara the Summes of Twentie powndes of Currant Englishe money to be equally devided amongst them as they shall atteyne and come to their severall ages of one and twentie yeares

Item my minde and will is that if any of my aforesaid children shall happen to dye before they shalbe of the sayd age then their or her parte she dyeinge to remayne and come to the liveinge

Item I will and give unto Sara my welbeloved wife my house and lands at? lyeinge and beinge att Wateringburie in the Countie aforesayd for and dureinge her naturall life for her maynetaynance and to help bringe up my aforesayd children w'th? and after her decease my minde and will is that my sayd house and lands shall descend and come equally to be devided betweene my aforesayd children

Item I will that my aforesayd wife shall have the use and yearely p'fitt of my childrens money while they shalbe to ___ the same as aforesayd The residue of all my goods not mentioned nor bequeathed I give unto Sara my wife whome I make sole Executrix of this my last will and testament

Item I will that if my wife shall marrie after my decease that then myne overseers hereafter named shall other receive? and putt out the aforesayd summes of twentie powndes for my children or rest? reymine such? sufficient securitie for payement thereof as aforesayd as shall stand w'th their good? likewise

Item I will and appoynt my loveinge brother Richard Alchin and Nathaniell Augur? to be my Overseers
In witness whereof I have hereunto sett my hand and seale the daye and yeare first above written Thomas Alchin his marke
Sealed and published to be his last will and testament ___ of Tho. Pigott, Robert Willcocke his marke"

Probate 4 May 1626 to Sara Alchin relict (widow) and executrix

Source: Peculiar Court of Shoreham Vol.1 folio 14 #189094 1626 (Transcribed by Maureen Rawson)

1.1.1  ~~  Margaret Alchin

Margaret was the eldest surviving child of Thomas and Sarah Alchin. There is no surviving record of her baptism but she was probably born at Meopham in about 1617 or 1618. She was named as one of the heirs of Thomas Alchin when he died in 1626. Margaret married Thomas Walker at the church of St John the Baptist, Meopham on 30th November 1640.

1.1.2  ~~  Parnell Alchin

Parnell was baptised at the church of St John the Baptist, Meopham on 3rd October 1619. She was named as one of the heirs of Thomas Alchin when he died in 1626. Parnell married Thomas Harman at Meopham by licence on 21st February 1641. Licences were used by couples when there was some urgency for them to be married or they were of a higher station and did not want "to be gawped at by the peasants" entailed by the publication of the banns.

1.1.3  ~~  Sara Alchin

Sara was baptised at the church of St John the Baptist, Meopham on 14th April 1623. Sara died aged about 2 months and she was buried at Meopham on 6th June 1623.

1.1.4  ~~  Sara Alchin

Sara was baptised at the church of St John the Baptist, Meopham on 23rd January 1625. She was named as a beneficiary in her father's will of 1625. It appears however that she died soon after her father and she was buried at Meopham on 21st May 1625.  The Sarah Alchin refereed to in the burial register could not be her mother as Sarah Alchin senior was still alive in May 1626 when probate of her husband's will was granted.

1.2  ~~  Richard Alchin

Richard was born probably at Meopham or Leybourne in the early 1590's. He married Rachel and they had at least five children – John (1627), Male infant (1630), Elizabeth (1631), Rachel (1634) and Sarah (1635). Rachel and three of his children survived Richard.

The last Will and Testament of Richard Alchin, labourer of Fawkham, reads as follows:

In the name of God Amen Two and twentieth day of April Anno (Domine) thousand six hundred fourty three and (in the) nynteenth yeare of the raigne of our s(overeign) Lord Charles by the Grace of God of E(ngland) France and Ireland & my defender of (the) Faith etc I Richard Alchin of Fawkh(am in) the County of Kent laborer be my (___) weak of bodie but of good and perfect (mind) thanks be to God doe make this my last (will) & testament in manner and forme (following) [that is to say] First I committ my (soul into) the hands of Almightie God my (creator) hoping to be saved by the merritts of (Jesus) Christ my redeemer and my bodie I (commit to the) earth to be decently buried according (to the) discretion of my Executrix heareafter (named)

Item I give and bequeath unto Rachell (my) wife whome I make the sole Executrix (of this) my last will and testament all my (___) goods chattles household stuffe moveable (and) unmoveable whatsoever soe long as (she) remayne a widow And if it shall hap(pen) she marry againe Then my will (mind) intent & meaning is that she paie (or cause) to be paid unto John Alchin my sonne (the) somes of tenn pounds of good and l(awful) monie of England within one moneth after her marriage to be put out at (___) for the best benefitt of my said sonne (John) Alchin And alsoe my will mind and (___) that she shall likewise pay or cause to (be paid) unto my two daughters Elizabeth and (____) and to either of them the some of five (____) a peece with in one moneth next after (her) marriage to be likewise put forth and (_____) to the best benefitt of them and either (of them) which if any of my said children shall happen to die before any of their said portions shall growe due yet my mind and will is that she shall have and enioy the said some so bequeathed to be equally devided amongst them

Item my mynd and will is that my said wife paying the said somes soe given and bequeathed unto my said children and paying all my debts and funerall expenses shall have & enioy all the rest of my goods monie Cattle and howsehold stuffe whatsoever to her use forever And doe of this my last will and testament make her the sole executrix In witnes whereof I have hereunto sett my hand and seale the daie and yeare first above written Signed Richard Alchin published and declared in the presence of John Waller

Probatum to Rachell Alchin relict on 3 July 1643

Source: Consistory Court of Rochester 1643 #188800 V.22 f.550-1 (Transcribed by Maureen Rawson)

1.2.1  ~~  John Alchin

John was baptised at the church of St John the Baptist, Meopham on 23rd September 1627. He was named as one of the beneficiaries of his father's will in 1643 when his father decreed that if his wife remarried that she should pay 10 pounds for John "to be put out for his best benefit" (i.e. apprenticed). This person appears to be too young to be the same John Alchin who married Elizabeth Death at Meopham on 23rd May 1641 but it cannot be ruled out entirely. John  may also be the person who married Frances Culpepper at Aylesford on 25th April 1667.

1.2.2  ~~  Male Infant Alchin

This boy would not have long survived his birth and he may even have been stillborn as he died before he could be baptised. He was buried at Meopham on 5th September 1630.

1.2.3  ~~  Elizabeth Alchin

Elizabeth was baptised at the church of St John the Baptist, Meopham on 20th November 1631.

1.2.4  ~~  Rachel Alchin

Rachel was baptised at the church of St John the Baptist, Meopham on 18th May 1634. She was named after her mother but unfortunately the baby did not survive for long. Rachel was buried at Meopham on 10th July 1634 at the age of about 3 months.

1.2.5  ~~  Sarah Alchin

Sarah was baptised at the church of St John the Baptist, Meopham on 30th August 1635. She is probably the second daughter referred to in Richard Alchin's will and whose name in the will cannot be made out.

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