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
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 his father was 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.
Thomasine was baptised at Kingston on 17 Mar 1643. Kingston is very close to Barham where Ellen was living when she married Robert.
Stephen was bap at Reculver 8 Sep 1650,
Robert’s father’s will shows that by 1656. Robert had sons Stephen, Robert and James.
Hellen wife of Robert was buried at Reculver on 15 Feb 1645.
James was also bap at Reculver Sep 1655 son of Robert and Mary and was buried at Reculver 2 Dec 1658
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. it is very likely that she was Mary Bunce whose mother Elizabeth Denne (form her first marriage to James Bunce) refers to her daughter now married to Robert Court of Reculver in her will of 1661.
Mary died about 1678 and her will was:
I Mary Court of the Parish of Reculver in the County of Kent widow, being in some weakeness of body, but of sound, and perfect mind and memory prayes be God therefore considering with my Selfe the certaintie of death, an d the uncertaintie of the time thereof, doe make and ordaine this my last will and Testament in manner and forme following That is to say ffirst and principally I commend my soul, into the hands of Almightie God hopeing to be saved through the alone merritts, death, passion and mediation of my Saviour Jesus Christ /\ And to have free Pardon, and remission of all my sinnes and to inherit, Eternall life, And for my body I com~itt it to the Earth to be decently interred, in certaine hope of a Joyfull resurrection, And as touching the disposition of that temporall estate, as it hath pleased Almightie God to make me Steward of in this life I give and dispose therof as ffolloweth ffirst I give and betqueath unto my daughter, Elizabeth Court, the sum~e of Two hundred pounds of good and lawfull money of England, to be paid unto her within halfe a yeare after my decease Item I give and bequeath unto my daughter Mary Court the sume of Two hundred pounds of good and lawfull money of England to be paid unto her when she shall attain the age of one and twenty yeares Item I give and bequeath more unto my said daughter Mary Court, the feather bed, boulster and beadsteadle furnished which I usually lye on, Item I give and bequeath unto my daughter in lawe Thomasin Lawrence [?] the sum~e of Tenn pounds of good and lawfull money of England to be paid unto her within halfe a yeare after my decease upon this condition and noe other wise That she shall give unto my sonne Stephen Court my Executor herinaffter named a full and lawfull discharge of what was formerly due to her and give her brother Stephen Court my Executor, hereafter named noe trouble for or concerning the same. She having formerly bin fully satisfied Item I give and bequeath unto my sonne Robert Court, the sum~e of Twentie pounds of good and lawfull money of England, to be paid unto him within halfe a yeare after my decease Item I give and bequeath unto my sonne James Court the sume of Thirtie pounds of good and lawfull money of England to be paid unto him by my Executor hereinafter named, when he shall accomplish the age of One and twentie yeares All the rest and residue of my Estate whatsoever, not before given and bequeathed I give and bequeath unto my beloved Sonne Stephen Court he paying the legacies before given and bequeathed whome I doe hereby make sole Executor of this my last will.and Testament, hereby revopakeing all former and other wills and Testaments, by me heretofore made. willing this and none other to stand for and be taken for and as my last Will and Testament In witness whereof I have hereunto sett my hand and seale the thirteenth day of September in the yeare of our Lord God One thousand six hundred seventie and Eight ./ Memorandum That the words and fiftie in the sixt line and fiftie within halfe a yeare after my decease in the eight line were blotted out before the Signing Sealing and delivery hereof and likewise the words when she shall attaine the age of one and twenty yeares interlined between the seventh and eight line was likewise done before the Signing, Sealing and delivery hereof./
And then this was Signed
Sealed & delivered by the said
Mary Court. The testator for
And as her last will and
Testament in the presence of
John Hills
The mark of
Robert R Welby
Joseeph Kickrith [??]
Proved 122 December 1678 by Stephen Court, son. [Proof iccomplete]
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 the 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.
Stephen Court’s own will of 1660
To be buried in the church yard at Reculver and 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
Stephen’s will refers to his ‘now’ wife Ann that suggests he remarried. Was she and 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.
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).
Anne 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 . The following suggests she was the granddaughter of Stephen Court who died in 1658. The marriage of Stephen Court to Ann Chambers was between ‘cousins’.
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.
There is an Abraham Chambers buried Faversham 27 Feb 1680 looks promising. Cant find him or Ann Chambers or a Ann Chambers Stephen Court marriage
Problem
1) Stephen Court b 1622 would be the uncle of Ann Chambers and marriage would be precluded
WIll of Henry Court 1627
The last will & testament nuncupative of Henry Court Late of the parish of Reculver in the County of Kent Deceased by him uttered and declared three weeks or thereabouts before his death for being then in reasonable good health of body, and of good and perfect memory with an intent and purpose to make his will and to dispose of his estate in these words following or the like in effect and substance viz, that said Henry Court said and affirmed that Joane Court the daughter of his brother Stephen Court should have all that he had in case he dyed unmarried (being then a widower). And about three days next before his Death he gave unto his brother Stephen, and his sister Mary Court otherwyse Keete twelve pence a piece In the presence of James Flloyd ?? Itland ??] and Thomas Dowd~
[signature:] James Flloyd
The mke of Thomas Dowde
7o Aprilus 1627 …
…… William Somner …
Probatu~ fuits …………
………… Stephi Court ………
Very kindly transcribed by LucyAnn Curling
The brother Stephen with a daughter Joan fits with Henry as brother of Stephen Court who died 1658.
No marriage or children for Henry have been found.
Jottings on my Family History 