by Keith Ellis and Clive Boyce
Several years ago, we corresponded with Michael Wood who very kindly shared his research on the early Curlings of Thanet and in particular the line of this John Curling. We tentatively accept Michael’s conclusion that John Curling was the son of William Curling and Mary Johnson provided significant revisions in the justification are made. A summary of Michael Wood’s findings is:
‘WILLIAM CURLING bap 1 Feb 1595/96 at St Peters (SP) buried 21 Aug 1646 at SL married 1) 16 Sep 1616 at St Margaret Canterbury, MARY JOHNSON bap …. dau of John and Jane (Crispe) Johnson of Nethercourt. About 1633 William 2) married Jane. William was a maltster. His will dated 11 Aug 1646 was proved 18 Dec 1646. The Johnson Visitation pedigree has been published in Berry’s Kent Genealogies, p 168
Children by Mary bap at SP:
i John bap 1 Feb 1617/18 d young (bap St Johns but of SP ex FMP PR transcribed as January. No burial record).
ii John b abt 1625 /6 (according to MW he married Ann Maxted but there is no evidence of a baptism).
Children by Jane:
iii William bap 4 Oct 1635 St Lawrence (SL)
iv Stephen bap 6 May 1638 at SP
v Gregory bap 16 Jan 1640/41
vi Thomas bap 17 Dec 1641 at SL
vii Elizabeth bap 10 Apr 1646 bur 25 May 1646 at SL’
We consider this scheme needs major revision.
The marriage was by licence dated 13 Sep 1616 – William Curling of St John Baptist, Thanet, maltman and Mary Johnson spv. at same and according to the Parish register the marriage was on 16 Sep 1616 at SJ not Canterbury.
We attribute all the children of Jane except William b 1635 (confirmed son of William but no mother given) to William Curling and Jane Sayer who were married at Tilmanstone 24 Oct 1633 ex FMP PR There is no reason to think this was a second marriage for William who had married Mary Johnson and we consider William born 1635 belonged to another couple – see below.
The children of William and Jane were (baptismal records from Findmypast Parish records – FMP PR):
i John bapt 7 Sep 1634 Tilmanstone son of William Curling and Jane Sayer
ii William bapt 8 May 1636 Tilmanstone son of William and Jane
iii Stephen, bapt 6 May 1638 at SP. son of William and Jane
iv Gregory, bapt 16 Jan 1640/1 at SP. son of William and Jane
v Thomas, bapt 17 Dec 1643 at SL. son of William and Jane
vi Elizabeth, bapt 10 April 1646, bur 25 May 1646 at SL dau of William and Joane
The will of William Curling (PRC/16/248 S/11) made 11 Aug 1646 fits with the William and Jane Sayer family rather than with that of William Curling and Mary Johnson.
William Curling of St Lawrence, Thanet, maltster, to be buried in the churchyard there. John Curling, yeoman, my brother living in the afsd Island and parish to be sole executor. To his eldest son John Curling £30 at age 21. To his son William Curling £30 at age 21. To his son Stephen Curling £30 at age 21.To his son Gregory Curling £30 at age 21 and to his son Thomas £30 at age 21. To his executors 20 shillings apiece. His movable and immovable for the bringing up of his sons. Dated 11 August 1646. Witnesses: William Hills, Martin Brooke. Proved 18 Dec 1646.
William Curling was buried on 21 Aug 1646 SL. His wife, Jane, predeceased him and was buried at SL on 23 May 1646 two days before their youngest child Elizabeth was buried. Their five sons, all under 13 years old, were left parentless.
There is another will dated 13 Jul 1638 and proved 28 Jul 1638 that could apply to William Curling and Mary Johnson. This William Curling of SL, who was buried SL on 20 Jul 1638 ex FMP PR, refers to his wife Mary as executor, his son William, and daughters Susan, Mary, Priscilla, and Ann all under 21. John Curling and Edward Cheeseman were witnesses. However, the will does not refer to John as his son. There was also an inventory dated 26 Jul 1638 and prepared by John Hall, John Curling and Sylvester Curling.
The children of this William Curling and Mary were:
i William bap 27 Jan 1620/21 SL ex FMP PR son of William
ii Susan bap 27 Apr 1623 SL dau of William, buried SL dau of William bur 4 Sep 1638 ex FMP PR
iii Mary bap SL 1 May 1625
iv Priscilla bap 29 Jul 1627 SL dau of William ex FMP PR
iv Jone bap SL 2 May 1630 dau of William ex FMP PR buried 21 Jan 1633 dau of William
v Ann bap 28 Jul 1633 SL ex FMP PR dau of William
vi William bap 4 Oct 1635 ex FMP PR son of William
This family would fit with the marriage of William Curling and Mary Curling at Westbere 21 Jun 1619 ex FMP PR (no details) and appears to have nothing to do with our possible ancestor John Curling, son of William.
The only clue we have to our possible ancestor is an inventory dated 24 Feb 1639 of William Curling of Westwood, which is part of St Peters, on the western side of the village. It was drawn up by Stephen Golding and Abbias Paramore. Unfortunately it provides no Curling family names. It is surprising that there is apparently no will.
William and Mary (Johnson) Curling appear to have had just two children: John bap 1 Jan 1617/18 St Johns – P R mentions from St Peters and Mary bap SP 5 Mar 1619/20 dau of William ex FMP
Michael Wood suggested John died in infancy and a second son John was born about 1625 and he married Ann Maxted. We have not been able to confirm the death of John in infancy or the birth of a second son John so we conclude John born 1617 was William’s only son (we suspect this derived from attributing the wrong will to William). The evidence for this John being the one that married Ann Maxted is very limited and essentially depends on both father and son both being maltsters and both associated with St Peters, Thanet. Some support is given from considering the wider family.
Michael postulated that John’s grandfather was Anthony Curling who married Judith White at St Peters in 1593 and proposed Anthony and Judith’s children baptised at St Peters were:
i John 25 Aug 1594 date not confirmed – FMP St Peters Register missing 1589 – 1595
ii William 1 Feb 1595/6 date not confirmed – FMP St Peters Register missing 1589 – 1595
iii Johan 26 June 1597 dau of Anthony ex FMP PR
iv Sibbill 11 Nov 1599 dau of Anthonie, buried 12 Nov 1599 ex FMP PR
v Anthonie 24 May 29? 1601 son of Anthonie alive in 1649, mentioned in brother John’s will
Anthony’s son John born 1594 left a will in 1649 that ties in with his brother William a maltster of St Peters with a son John.
PROB11/208, Will of John Curlinge of the parish of St Mary Matfelon (St Mary’s Whitechapel), Middlesex, weaver. Made 6 July 1649. His wife Jane Curlinge sole executor, giving her one indenture dated 26 Sept 1625 containing all those messuages and tenements etc in the parish of St Peter’s, Sandwich, Kent which I bought from Gyles Harrison of Sandwich, giving to Jane my wife £6 a year rent to be paid by Thomas Squire of St Peter’s, Thanet, husbandman. Unto Thomas Squire and Marie his wife during their lives. All the rights and interest that I have, which I bought of Gyles Harrison, after the decease of my executor. If they die without issue, unto John Curlinge my brother’s son* who liveth at St Peter’s, Thanet, maltster and his heirs. Unto my brother Anthony Curling 10s. to buy him a ring. Unto my brother William his son John Curling £10 at the end of two years after the decease of me or my wife if in case John Curling my brother’s son shall then be living, or to his heirs. My two loving friends and kinsmen Thomas Squire of the Isle of Thanet and John Cooper of St Gyles without Cripplegate, London, cooper appointed overseers to see my will is performed to my intent Witnesses: John Bold, George Brentnall, Nicholas Moody, Thomas Squire, John Cooper. Proved 24 July 1649.
* Which brother is not given but it is presumably (late) William as his brother Anthony is referred to later. The will does not specifically refer to children. His son Robert died in infancy and his daughter Mary married Thomas Squire in 1647
John Curling married Rebecca Jenkinson ay St Margaret, Canterbury 11 Jan 1618 (John Curlinge of St Leonards in the city of London, silkweaver and Rebecca Jenkinson of St Peters in Sandwich v. at St Margarets Canterbury ex Canterbury Marriage licences.). They had a son Robert bap 3 Sep 1620 at St Botolph Without, Aldgate who died in infancy (buried Aldgate 27 Aug 1621 and a daughter Mary bap 17 Oct 1624 at St Peter, Thanet. Mary married Thomas Squire 2 Aug 1647 at St Dunstan, Canterbury so they are Thomas Squire and Marie referred to in the will. Rebecca Curling was buried at St Peter, Sandwich on 23 Aug 1625, wife of John ex FMP PR 1618. John Curling then married Jane Wright on 16 Feb 1628 at St Dunstans and All Saints, Stepney (John Curling of Spittlefields, silk weaver married Jane Wright widow ex Ancestry PR).
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