Matilda Fry was the second child of William Fry & Elizabeth Morphew born c1822 at Laughton, Sussex & christened August 3rd, 1823 at St Marys Parish Church, Hartfield.
On November 29th, 1839 Matilda married William Lindfield at Chailey, Sussex. William was christened August 13th, 1816 at Clayton, Sussex, the son of Elizabeth Walker & William Lindfield, a farmer.
In 1841 Matilda & William were living at Broadstone, Chailey, Sussex where William was a farmer. They had a 1 year old daughter Elizabeth.
Matilda & William were living at New House, Chailey, Sussex in 1851 & William was now a farmer of 60 acres employing 1 indoor labourer. As well as daughter Elizabeth they now had Ellen (8) & Esther (6). Living with them was William’s father William Lindfield, a 63 year old widower, William’s sisters Catherine (20), a house servant, & Naomi (17), a dressmaker, & his brother Hasted (22), a journeyman butcher.
In 1861 Matilda & William were still at Chailey, now living at Jackey Heads with children Ellen, Esther & Samuel (6) at home. William was now an agricultural labourer & huckster. William’s father, now 74, was living next door at New House with his new wife Eliza (46), his daughter Catherine & a grandson William H (4). Another neighbour was William’s brother, Hasted the butcher, now married to Mary with their 2 children.
In 1865 daughter Ellen married Charles Smeed [sm.10] at Brighton. Charles was the son of William Smeed & Caroline Turner.
Matilda died on May 19th, 1867, aged 43, at Chailey, Sussex. Administration of her estate was granted on October 25th, 1867 to widowed William. Her effects were under £200.
The children of Matilda Fry & William Lindfield were:
f.3.2.1 Elizabeth Lindfield born April-June 1840 at Chailey, Sussex
f.3.2.2 Ellen Lindfield born July-September 1842 at Chailey, Sussex
f.3.2.3 Esther Lindfield born 1844 at Chailey, Sussex
f.3.2.4 William Samuel Lindfield born Oct-December 1854 at Chailey, Sussex
In 1871 widowed William was living on his own at Fletching Common, Newick, Sussex. His occupation was hay trusser.
William remarried in April-June 1874 at Cuckfield. His new wife was Elizabeth Collings, born c1833 at Newick, Sussex.
In 1881 William, now an agricultural labourer, & Elizabeth, a laundress, were living at Wivelsfield Rd, Wivelsfield, Chailey. They had a lodger, Jane Kenwood, also a laundress & her 2 children.
William died in Oct-December 1886, aged 73, the death being registered at Lewes, Sussex.
At the time of the 1891 census widow Elizabeth (still a laundress) was living with her uncle William Wicking, a 70 year old domestic gardener, at Wivelsfield. With them was Jane Kenwood, indexed as William Wicking’s niece, now a mangling woman, & her 2 children.
Elizabeth died in July-September, 1894, aged 62, her death being registered
at Lewes, Sussex.