Introduction
Hemsley ~ First Generation

  The first known named couple of our HEMSLEY family are William and Elizabeth Hemsley of Slaugham, Sussex, England. The Parish Registers for Slaugham have been searched, and the first record found in the name of Hemsley is in 1803 with the baptism of a child, Henry. This indicates that it is most likely that William and Elizabeth moved into Slaugham and that the Hemsley family came from elsewhere in Sussex. Unfortunately the marriage records for Slaugham for the years around 1800 are not available, to find whether William and Elizabeth were married there.

However, independent research has found the marriage of a William Hemsley and Elizabeth Smith on 20 Dec 1802 at Lewes, Sussex (source to be confirmed; unfortunately this reference still can't be found, in 2019, and the images of the marriages are not yet available in Ancestry). If the name Smith is accurate, there is a baptism of an Elizabeth Smith 4 Apr 1784 at Bolney, Sussex, dau of Peter Smith & Frances (ref Ancestry England Select Births and christenings).

William was a farmer, as specified in the parish register for the births of his children in 1812 and 1815, and in the 1851 census below. His exact age has not been found, and going by the baptism of his first child, he might have been born any time from 1760 to 1782. There is a possibility of William Hemsley bap 24 Sep 1775 at Framfield, Sussex, son of John & Elizabeth Hemsley (ref Ancestry Select Births & Christenings) but no proof that this was the one. There were many interconnected Hemsley families in Sussex at the time.

The 1841 and 1851 census records below link the two parts of the family together, i.e. the first 8 children born at Slaugham (including Elizabeth), and the following 5 children born at Ringmer (including Joseph and Thomas).

William presumably died between 1827 (birth of last child) and 1841 (census). Parish burials have not been found.

Ref 1841 census. Sussex, England. Parish of East Grinstead. Address: Forest Row Green. This is next door to her daughter Rebecca.
Together with children Elizabeth (22) [presumably closer to 34], Joseph (19) [index incorrectly has 12], Thomas (14):
Elizabeth Hemsly. Age 55. Ind. Born Sussex. [Her age presumably incorrect, she would be closer to 59, see below.]

Ref 1851 census.Sussex, England. Parish of East Grinstead. Ecclesiastical district of Forest Row. Address: Lewes Road, East Grinstead.
Together with children Elizabeth (38), Joseph (28), Thomas (24):
Elizabeth Hemsly. Head. W. Age 75. Late widow of a Farmer. On income from her children. Born Sussex, Bolney. [Bolney is 5km from Slaugham. If she had her last child at age 45, she was born after 1782, and should be c69 here.]

There is a possible death of Elizabeth Hemsley in Sep qtr 1854 in East Grinstead district, age 70. This matches a birth of c1784.

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The following block of information relates to William's sister (or relative) FANNY HEMSLEY. However there are no siblings, William and Fanny, in the Sussex records; the most relevant baptism for a Fanny Hemsley is that on 14 Sep 1777 at Mayfield, Sussex, dau of Samuel & Mary. It is certainly possible for them to have been cousins and for the word "Aunt" in the 1851 census to have been a generic term for a relative.

Based on the 1841 and 1851 censuses, William had a sister, Fanny, who was born in Sussex c1777.
Ref 1841 census. Kent, England. Borough of Greenwich. Address: Blackheath Hill, Greenwich.
Together with Charles & Charlotte Hemsley and their children:
Fanny Hemsley. Age 64. Ind. Not born in Kent.

Ref 1851 census. Kent, England. Parish of Greenwich. Registration district of Greenwich. Household schedule 17. Address: 15 Blackheath Hill, Greenwich.
Together with Charlotte Hemsley (44), the widow of Charles, and 2 of her children:
Fanny Hemsley. Aunt. U. Age 73. Born Sussex.

Fanny was unmarried and lived to at least 73 (in Greenwich, Kent in the 1851 census).

The probable death registration for Fanny was Dec qtr 1860 at Tunbridge, Kent, age 83. This gives her a birth date of c1777. Details of her baptism are not found in Ancestry or fmp.

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FROM WHOM ELIZABETH SHADE NEE GRIERSON IS DESCENDED.


















1841 census



1851 census












1841 census



1851 census
  Children:  
1. Henry HEMSLEY bap 1803 at Slaugham, Sussex  
2. Fanny HEMSLEY bap 1804 at Slaugham, Sussex  
3. William HEMSLEY bap 1805 at Slaugham, Sussex  
4. Elizabeth HEMSLEY bap 1807 at Slaugham, Sussex  
5. Mary HEMSLEY bap 1809 at Slaugham, Sussex  
6. Rebekah HEMSLEY bap 1812 at Slaugham, Sussex  
7. Charles HEMSLEY bap 1814 at Slaugham, Sussex  
8. John HEMSLEY bap 1815 at Slaugham, Sussex  
9. Sarah HEMSLEY bap 1818 at Ringmer, Sussex  
10. George HEMSLEY bap 1820 at Ringmer, Sussex  
11. Joseph HEMSLEY bap 1822 at Ringmer, Sussex  
12. Maria HEMSLEY bap 1824 at Ringmer, Sussex  
13. Thomas HEMSLEY bap 1827 at Ringmer, Sussex  



Last modified 26 Apr 2019