Caroline Mays was the first child of Richard Mays & Caroline Roser christened August 19th, 1832 at East Grinstead.
In 1841 Caroline, her sister & 2 brothers & her parents were living at East Grinstead where her father was a farmer.
By 1851 Caroline was working as a laundress for the Cox family at Cowden, Kent.
Caroline, a servant, married John (Bridgland) Bridgeling on November 12th, 1854, at St Mary Magdalene, Cowden, Kent. However Caroline’s father was given a John Mays, labourer, on the marriage register, & the year on the register was mistakenly given as 1855 – perhaps the vicar was having a bad day!. Caroline’s abode was Cowden & witnesses at the wedding were Richard Mays & Elizabeth Mays. John was born c1822 at Cowden, Kent, son of John Bridgeling, a labourer.
In 1861 Caroline & John were living at Bush Cottage, East Grinstead & John was an agricultural labourer.
They were still living in East Grinstead in 1871 & John was described as a labourer. They had a 7 year old son, John.
In 1881 John & Caroline were living at Rook Cottage, Ashurstwood, East Grinstead & John was still a labourer. Son John was found in the East Grinstead Workhouse & described as an idiot.
Caroline died in Oct-December 1890, her death being registered in Lewes, Sussex.
At the time of the 1891 census widowed John was still living at Rook Cottage on his own in 1891 & was still a labourer.
John died in April-June 1896, aged 74, at East Grinstead.
The children of Caroline Mays & John Bridgland were:
m.2.1.1 John Bridgland born Jan-March 1864 at East Grinstead