Reculver Tower at dusk by John Walsh
The first records of the Court family at Reculver we have found are the marriages of Stephen Court to Tamazen Kyte and of Mary Court to Edmund Kyte both on 30 Jul 1610.
The 1627 will of Henry Court of Reculver establishes that he, Stephen and Mary Court were brothers and sister.
The Reculver Composite Parish Register starts in 1602 for baptisms and burials and in 1603 for marriages so it is not possible to say whether the Court family was in Reculver before then.
Stephen Court’s will was made on 25 Dec 1656. He wished to be buried in Reculver and he refers to his:
– Late daughter Joan wife of Abraham Chambers and their children: Stephen, Edward, Abraham, Thomasine, Jane, Ann, and Agnes.
– Late daughter Thomasine married to Richard Baxly and their children: Stephen.
– Late daughter Alice wife of Ambrose Stark and they had Thomasine and Mary.
– Son Stephen with daughters Ann and Joan to have house and land in Chislet.
– Son Robert and his sons: Stephen, Robert and James. Robert was to inherit land and messuage in Herne near Blacksole. He refers to Robert’s late wife Ellen and their daughter Thomasine.
The will was proved on 9 Jun 1658
Stephen and Tamazen’s children were baptised at Reculver as follows (ex Findmypast PRs):
| Joan | 09-Jul | 1612 |
| Joan | 02-Oct | 1615 |
| Thomas | 14-Sep | 1617 |
| Tamzen | 07-Mar | 1618 |
| Stephen | 26-Nov | 1620 |
| Stephen | 08-Sep | 1622 |
| Mary | 14-Dec | 1623 |
| Thomas | 25-Sep | 1625 |
| Elizabeth | 20-May | 1627 |
| Alice | 07-Dec | 1628 |
The burial records show Joan b 1612, Thomas b 1617, Stephen b 1620 and Thomas b 1625 died in infancy. Mary died in 1647, aged 24, before her father wrote his will. Elizabeth is not mentioned in the will and presumably also died young.
The baptism of son Robert referred to in Stephen Court’s will was on 6 Jan 1613 at nearby Herne.
Daughters
Joan married Abraham Chambers at Reculver on 10 June 1639.
Tamzen married Richard Blaxey at Seasalter on 13 Jul 1646. Their son Stephen was baptised at Reculver on 1 Jan 1647. Tamzen was buried at Reculver shortly after, on 15 Feb 1647.
Alice married Ambrose Stark at St Mary Bredin, Canterbury on 28 June 1653. The two children: Thomasin and Mary were baptised at Herne in 1653 and 1655 respectively.
Sons
Robert Court son of Stephen was baptised at Herne on 6 Jan 1613. It is interesting that Robert’s siblings were all baptised at Reculver but as eldest son Robert might have been baptised where one or both his parents were from.
His father’s will establishes Robert’s wife was Ellen who had died before 1656 and they had daughter Thomasine. Robert and Ellen were married at Reculver on 21 Mar 1642; Robert Court aged 26, yeoman of Reculver to Helen Wraith (also noted as Ellen Wraight) of Barham widow of Nicholas ex FMP East Kent Marriage Index.
Ellen’s previous marriage was:
Wraight, Nicholas, of Adisham, yeom. ” widr., about 24, at his own govt.,” and Ellen Witheat of Hoath, v., about 20, who, her parents being dead, is now in the govt, of John Quilter of S. John’s in Thanet, who consents, as is testified by her brother, John Witheat. At All Saint’s, Cant. John Willett ” aforesaid, bonds. May 10, 1637. ex East Kent Marriage Index.
Daughter Thomasine was baptised at Kingston on 17 Mar 1643. Kingston is very close to Barham where Ellen was living when she married Robert.
Ellen was buried at Reculver on 15 Feb 1645.
Robert’s father’s will shows that by 1656. Robert had sons Stephen, Robert and James.
Stephen was bap at Reculver 8 Sep 1650,
James was also bap at Reculver Sep 1655 son of Robert and Mary. James was buried Reculver 2 Dec 1658 son of Robert and Mary.
Robert’s baptism has not been found but there is evidence of a Robert b 1653:
The marriage record of Robert Court of Herne on 7 Mar 1681/2 shows Robert Court, 29 and Elizabeth Cock, 21 of Herne ex FMP East Kent Marriage Index establishes there was a Robert Court b about 1653. Robert’s father’s will of 1656 shows his sons were to have land and a property in Herne (a few miles for Reculver so there were Court links with Herne). Robert b ca 1653 would fit between Stephen and James. We suggest this is Robert’s son and the one referred to in his grandfather’s will.
After death of Ellen, Robert must have married Mary between 1645 and 1650. We do not know who Mary was but her will (very kindly transcribed by LucyAnn Curling) fits. There is a son Stephen b 1650 and a daughter Mary that fit and Thomasine the daughter in law could be her stepdaughter. Thomasin’s marriage has not been found. Why is son Robert missing from her will?
Stephen 1622 – 1660
Returning to Stephen’s 1656 will which refers to his son Stephen with daughters Ann and Joan to have house and land in Chislet.
To be buried in the church yard at Reculver and he refers to:
His son Stephen and his two daughters Joan and Ann all under 21.
Ann his ‘now wife’ ie he had be married before.
His brother Robert.
Ann daughter of Stephen junior was baptised at Reculver on 17 Jun 1649. Tamzen dau of Stephen and Ann was bap Reculver 12 Jan 1647and was buried 13 May 1650, daughter of Stephen Court junior.
There appear to be no records for the baptisms of Stephen’s children Joan and Stephen.
Stephen therefore married Ann before 1647 but no marriage record has been found.
1656 Ann Court wife of Stephen died at Reculver no further details.
Stephen died 1660 from his will but there is no burial record. His will refers to his ‘now’ wife Ann that suggests he remarried. There are several possibilities for the marriage:
- Ann Court of Reculver, widow of Stephen who married Paul Sackett, yeoman of Margate, widower 14 Feb 1663 at St Mary Northgate ex FMP East Kent Marriage Index. This is unlikely as we will argue below she was the grandaughter of Stephen’s father and therefore the neice of Stephen and such marriage would be precluded. Moreover she was probably a generation younger.
- Ann Howson of Hackington widow and Stephen Court of Reculver at St Alphage on 5 May 1657 (also given as 1658) ex FMP East Kent Marriage Index. This would fit well with the death of Stephen’s first wife in 1656. There do not appear to be any children at Reculver for Stephen’s second marriage.
Who was Ann Court of Reculver, widow of Stephen who married Paul Sackett
Ann Court of Reculver, widow of Stephen married Paul Sackett, yeoman of Margate, widower 14 Feb 1663 at St Mary Northgate ex FMP East Kent Marriage Index. The following is taken from the Sackett Association website.
‘Paul Sackett instructed his executor to sell all his lands and goods to pay his debts, the residue of his estate to be shared equally between his wife Ann and his children.
Paul’s widow Anne made her will in Buckland next Faversham, on 27 September 1674, naming as beneficiaries her daughters Anne and Elizabeth. She left half of her estate to her son John (presumably her son by her marriage to Stephen Court) and half to her and Paul’s daughters Anne and Elizabeth. She also left £5 each to the children (these would be Susan and Henry) of her late husband Paul.
Will of Anne Sackett of Buckland next Faversham, Kent, 27 September 1674, proved in the Archdeaconry Court, 14 October 1674 (Kent Archives Office, KAO PRC 17-73-350). (Researched by Marion Sackett). Dated on or about 27 Sep 1674 (Nuncupative) Proved 14 Oct 1674. (Extracted from IGHS Tyler Collection abstracts by Marion Sackett).
Widow; late of Buckland next Faversham, Kent
Son = John Half of my estate plus 2 of my rings Executor
Daus = Anne & Elizabeth Other half of my estate plus 2 rings each
James SAUNDERS £20 Appointed guardian of my children & to use my farm next year for the benefit of my children. To account to Dr. EVE & my brother Abraham CHAMBERS whom I make overseers.
Son & dau in law, children £5 each at 21 of my husband Paul SACKETT
Sister = Jane [? PERCHCOKE] £5 plus linen & woollen
Witnesses :- Henry EVE D.D., Abraham CHAMBERS’
This Ann must have been Ann Chambers as her will shows she had a brother Abraham Chambers. In his will of 1656 Stephen Court refers to his late daughter Joan wife of Abraham Chambers and their children: Stephen, Edward, Abraham, Thomasine, Jane, Ann and Agnes. I think Ann and Abraham were the brother and sister referred to in Ann Sackett’s will.
Unfortunately records for the Chambers family appear to be very limited. There is a baptism for Stephen on 14 April 1639/40 son of Abraham and Joan at Elmstone and a marriage for Stephen son of Abraham at Elmstone on 18 Oct 1661 (no bride given). There is also a burial of Edward son of Abraham at Elmstone on 12 May 1664 but that is all.
The most likely spouse for Ann Chambers is one of her cousins: Stephen son of Stephen, or Stephen son of Robert. Presumably she married one and Susanna Austin who married Stephen Court at Wingham on 2 Dec 1660 (ex England Marriages no details) married the other. Stephen Court’s will written in 1656 provides no clue and Robert Court did not leave a will (however there is a 1661 Inventory) so there is no evidence either way. I shall arbitarily couple Ann Chambers and Stephen son of Stephen and Susanna Austin and Stephen son of Robert, fully accepting it may be necessary to swop the husbands or perhaps to find completely different ones.
Odds and Ends
Robert Court married Pleasant Christian at Reculver 28 Oct 1714 ex FMP PR. Pleasant Christian was bap 14 Feb 1688 at Hoath daughter if John and Pleasant ex FMP who were married at Chislet on 4 Jul 1671. Pleasant was Pleasant Ewele ex FMP PR
They had Robert 1718 and Pleasant 1717 at Reculver.
Robert was buried Reculver 1720 died 9 Apr 1720
Jottings on my Family History 