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George BEACON
1789 - 1875 (~ 85 years) Has 108 ancestors and 23 descendants in this family tree.Set As Default Person
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Name George BEACON Relationship with Teresa Ann GOATHAM Baptised 13 Dec 1789 St. Mary’s Church, Lenham, Kent, England - KFHS transcript (CD 27)
Gender Male Occupation From 1814 to 1818 Sheerness, Sheppey, Kent, England Joiner - Recorded when each of his sons was baptised in Sheerness.
Residence 12 May 1826 Great Chart, Kent, England - At the time he obtained a marriage licence for his marriage to Ann Hudson née Reynolds.
Occupation 11 Dec 1835 Maidstone, Kent, England Yeoman - When his mother-in-law Ann Reynolds (married name) wrote her will
Status 1839 Gentleman - Recorded in the 'rank or profession' field at the marriage of each of his sons.
Residence 1841 Wellington Terrace, Lambeth, London, England - A George Beacon, rounded down age given as 50, was living alone as one of a number of people in the house. He was shown as of Independant means and not born in the county.
I think that was probably this George.
Chancery Court dispute 1844 George wanted wife Ann's inheritance - George's wife Ann (née Reynolds) was the plaintiff, George the defendant in the dispute.
The documents are long, and due to their width not easy to read. I have started transcribing them but it will take some time and at the moment I haven't gathered the full story.
What is significant is that it is after George and Ann separated, not long after which Ann's parents died and she inherited a number of properties etc.
It is probably also significant that this was well before before the Married Women's Property Act (1882) and I think George was trying to get his hands on Ann's inheritance.
Summary (based on summary in the 1870 Chancery case):
The bill prayed for a declaration of Ann's right to the real and personal estate derived by her under the wills of her father and mother and the produce thereof, for her separate use and for a settlement of the same accordingly and for the appointment of a receiver in the meantime and for an injunction against George to restrain him from meddling with the real or personal estate, and from molesting or disturbing Ann in her enjoyment, management and disposal of it.
The injunction sought was granted by the Court on 29 March 1844, and on 31 January 1846 a final decree was issued, "in the terms prayed or nearly so and obedience to which the Defendant George Beacon executed the said indenture of the 30th day of June 1846".
(Source: Court of Chancery Pleadings, TNA ref. C 14/188/B27)
Residence 1844 Mount Row, New Kent Road, Surrey, England - At the time of the Chancery Court dispute between George and his wife
Residence 1851 32, Upper George Street, Marylebone, London, England Occupation From 1851 to 1875 Proprietor of houses Residence From 1861 to 1875 5, Clifton Terrace, Gravesend, Kent, England - From 1861 and 1871 censuses and Probate Calendar entry
Miscellaneous 1863 Lenham, Kent, England [1, 2] Established charity: Beacon Charity for the poor of Lenham - Established by the grant of property at Egerton to the trustees, by "George Beacon, gentleman, of Gravesend".
Objective of the charity: "Income to be applied for the benefit of six poor women and six poor men on Christmas Eve annually except ten shillings to be given to the ringers of the Church bells"
Thomas does not identify how George was related to the Beacons in Lenham, but everything is consistent with it being this George. At the time of the 1861 census there was a George Beacon living in Gravesend, described as "proprietor of houses", with age given as 71 and birthplace as Lenham. The age and birthplace shows the census entry is for this George, while the place and occupation link it to the George who set up the charity (by this time those who did not need to work for an income, such as those who got an income from property, were often styled gentlemen).
How did George have the wealth to set up a charity? He may have invested wisely in property and from small beginnings have done well. But maybe also he had a good start; he may have been brought up by his grandparents, and may consequently have inherited more than his share of whatever they left.
The Charity Commissioners' website shows that the charity was registered in 1965, but removed in 2003 due to "funds spent up".
Chancery Court dispute 1870 A further case concerning Ann (née Reynolds) property - As in the 1844 case, George's wife Ann (née Reynolds) was the plaintiff, George the defendant in the dispute. However, whilst in 1844 Ann was represented by John Gorham, this time members of the Gorham family were defendants along with George.
The documents are long, and although now in the form of small booklets, some handwritten, some printed and thus much easier to read, I have yet to read all through them and work out just what was going on.
There are lots of references to earlier disputes and agreements.
(Source: Court of Chancery Pleadings, TNA ref. C 16/618/B98)
Will 29 Aug 1874 Written - It appears from the register copy of the will that George made the will and a codicil the same day. In the will George had appointed an executor and an executrix. The codicil was to change the latter from his daughter Georgina to a neighbour. Had he really changed his mind so quickly? Possibly, maybe Georgina found out and wasn't happy at the idea, but I think it possible the same date was accidentally entered twice when the reigster copy was made.
Died Jun Q 1875 Gravesend Reg Dist, Kent, England - GRO ref: BEACON, George, q2 1875 aged 86 Gravesend RD 2(a?) 25* (poor quality type, was mis-transcribed as Grace, aged 56 in FreeBMD website but looks like George, 86 to me and this now agreed and entry updated). The GRO online index has George, aged 86.
Buried 19 Apr 1875 Municipal Cemetery, Gravesend, Kent, England - From transcription by North West Kent Family History Society, on Find My Past. Shows George Beacon as aged 86, of 5 Clifton Terrace, Gravesend.
Probate From 24 May 1875 to Aug 1876 Principal Registry, London, England Calendar entry - Beacon George. 24 May. The Will with a Codicil of George Beacon late of 5 Clifton-terrace Gravesend in the County of Kent Gentleman who died 13 April 1875 at 5 Clifton-terrace was proved at the Principal Registry by Theophilus Smith of 31 New-road Gravesend Outfitter and Julia Dodds (Wife of William Brown Dodds, Pilot) of 6 Clifton-terrace the Executors.
Effects under £450.
Resworn August 1876 under £1,000.
Patriarch & Matriarch Sarah GYLES, b. Abt 1737, Kent, England , bur. 19 Mar 1795, St. Mary’s Church, Lenham, Kent, England (Age ~ 58 years) (Grandmother)Notes - (Research):How have I linked all these events together as being this George?
I first linked the George who married Ann Reynolds as the George who then in the lifetime of Ann née Reynolds lived with another younger Ann as husband and wife, and had 2 daughters with this younger Ann through not finding any other George Beacon. However, I have since found stronger evidence:
* The 1861 census shows age 71, the 1871 as 81, and both give place of birth as Lenham, clearly pointing at this George.
* His address in the 1861 and 1871 census match that of the George Beacon for whom probate was given in 1875. The grants of administration for Ann née Reynolds who died at Ticehurst give the same address / the names of George's executors, clearly showing it was this George to whom Ann was married.
* Having his daughter Georgina living with him at the time of the 1871 census makes a clear link to the George who was living with a younger wife Ann and two daughters at the time of the 1851 census. (The age and birthplace match). A Georgina Beacon was with her mother and stepfather in 1861 as well as 1881 and 1891, but she was missing in 1871 - when George's daughter Georgina was with him, further suggesting the 2 were the same. More evidence is Ann, the supposed wife of Henry Bateman matching Ann who was living as wife of George in 1851, and Emma the daughter of George and Ann matching Emma with Ann and Henry Bateman in 1861. Also, in each of the censuses 1851-1871 George was described as a 'proprietor of houses'.
* George was described as a widower when he married Ann Hudson née Reynolds, and that he had a son William is evident from a Chancery Court case. The way William is described as 'his son' suggests he was not the son of Ann Reynolds, also that William is said to have assulted Ann with George in 1843: if a child of Ann's he would have been no more than 17 (possible) and also would have been assulting his own mother (this seems unlikely. Also, if I have found the right George Beacon in the 1841 census there is no William living with him, and there isn't with Ann either; if he were only aged about 15 at the time he would most likely have been with one of them (though could have been living where working, or at sea etc.). If a son of a previous marriage he could well have been some years older and have left home to set up his own.
* George's will names grandsons Charles Beacon and George Hunter Beacon. I have yet to identify Charles, but the distinctive middle name makes George easy to identify, and his father was a master mariner also called George. Marrying of full age in 1839, and with the older Ann's mother's will (written 1825) describes him as formerly of Sheerness. I am therefore as certain as I can be that the son George of George (bap 1789) was the George baptised in Sheerness in 1815. His mother was in that case Martha, and the Martha buried in Minster in 1818 fits nicely.
(Confusingly the baptisms of the sons of George and Martha in Sheerness are on FMP as 'civil births' although in a baptism register, and cannot be searched by data found in baptism records but by that found in birth registrations!)
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Person ID I7686 All Last Modified 25 Mar 2023
Mother Ann BECON, bap. 20 Feb 1767, St. Mary’s Church, Lenham, Kent, England , d. Yes, date unknown Family ID F4097 Family Group Page | Family Chart
Family 1 Martha WYEATT, b. Abt 1791, d. 1818 (Age ~ 27 years) Married 11 Oct 1813 St. Botolph’s Church, Aldgate, London, England - From PR entry (image on Ancestry, viewed 7 Mar 2019)
Shows George Beacon, Bachelor married Martha Wyeatt, Spinster married by Banns. Both signed, witnesses John Wyeatt and Mary Wyeat also both signed.
(I don't know what George would be doing in London / why he would marry there, but given the right Christian names for the parents of the Georges baptised in Sheerness in 1814 and 1815 it seems probably the right couple)
Children 3 children Last Modified 11 Mar 2019 Family ID F5909 Family Group Page | Family Chart
Family 2 Ann REYNOLDS, b. Abt 1786, Middlesex, England , d. 31 May 1874, Ridgeway, Ticehurst, Sussex, England (Age ~ 88 years)
Other Partners: William HUDSON m. 5 Apr 1810Marriage License 12 May 1826 Canterbury, Kent, England - Geo Beacon of Gt Chart wid & Ann Hudson of Minster Sheppey wid, at M. 12 May 1826.
Married 16 May 1826 St. Mary and St. Sexburga’s Church, Minster, Sheppey, Kent, England - From transcribed data on KFHS CD 16
George BEACON Widwer of Great Chart married Ann HUDSON Widow otp by Licence; witnesses: Jno B Clark, Reb Harwood
Separated Sep 1834 - In a Chancery Court Case (C 16/618/898) it is said that
"The Defendant George Beacon and the Plaintiff were married on the 16th day of May 1826 as stated in the bill filed in this cause but they did not live happily together and finally separated in the month of September 1834. [*] They never lived together again"
(where is have placed an * there is a struck through sentance:
"The immediate cause of their separation was as I believe certain personal ill-usage inflicted by the Defendant George Beacon on the Plaintiff in respect of which he was formally bound over to keep the peace towards her")
Married? Not married or evidence to suggest they didn't marry Last Modified 21 Nov 2018 Family ID F5910 Family Group Page | Family Chart
Family 3 Ann WELLER, b. Abt 1815, Tenterden, Kent, England , d. Jun Q 1892, Tonbridge Reg Dist, Kent or Sussex, England (Age ~ 77 years)
Other Partners: Henry BATEMANMarried Est 1844 - George separated from his wife Ann Reynolds in about September or October 1834, so must have started living with Ann after that. I have not found any sign of a George and Ann together in the 1841 census that could be them, so I suspect they got together after this. My estimate of the start of their living as husband and wife is based on the approximate dob of their first known child.
(Given I have found neither baptisms nor birth registrations for their daughters it is possible there were other children who did not survive infancy and are in no census)
I have not found any evidence that George married Ann, so it appears that the relationship was adultery rather than bigamy.
Separated Between 1851 and 1861 - George and Ann were together at the time of the 1851 census, but living apart in 1861, with Ann living as the wife of Henry Bateman, with the daughters she had had with George. They must have kept in contact to some extent as in 1871 daughter Georgina was with her father.
Married? Not married or evidence to suggest they didn't marry Children 2 children Last Modified 25 Mar 2023 Family ID F5913 Family Group Page | Family Chart
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Event Map Click to hide Baptised - 13 Dec 1789 - St. Mary’s Church, Lenham, Kent, England Married - 11 Oct 1813 - St. Botolph’s Church, Aldgate, London, England Occupation - Joiner - From 1814 to 1818 - Sheerness, Sheppey, Kent, England Residence - 12 May 1826 - Great Chart, Kent, England Marriage License - 12 May 1826 - Canterbury, Kent, England Married - 16 May 1826 - St. Mary and St. Sexburga’s Church, Minster, Sheppey, Kent, England Occupation - Yeoman - 11 Dec 1835 - Maidstone, Kent, England Miscellaneous - Established charity: Beacon Charity for the poor of Lenham - 1863 - Lenham, Kent, England Died - Jun Q 1875 - Gravesend Reg Dist, Kent, England Buried - 19 Apr 1875 - Municipal Cemetery, Gravesend, Kent, England = Link to Google Earth (if installed; see link below to install) Pin Legend
Sources - [S137] Archæologia Cantiana, Journal of the Kent Archæological Society, H. B. Thomas O.B.E., "Thomas Becon, Canon of Canterbury," LXIX ( 1955): p.170. (Reliability: 3), 19 Jul 2013.
Thomas mention's George's setting up of the charity after describing grandsons of Thomas-the-theologian, Basil and Thomas, and their families, up to 1659, and then commenting ".. from this stock came a number of Beacon families scattered in East Kent during the next 150 years, some of which can still be identified" (p.169).
He takes no interest in the female lines, so it is ironic that he should pick out George for mention, who was only a Beacon because his mother was not married! - [S254] Charities, Charity Commission, ((http://www.charitycommission.gov.uk/)), accessed 3 Jan 2014), George Beacon's Charity. (Reliability: 3).
entry for George Beacon's Charity