Charles Allen Du Val

David Brown 1814-1897

Thame and nearby villages in 1676

David Brown was born in 1814 at Shabbington in Buckinghamshire, the son of James Brown.

He married Jane Hunt on 13 October 1838 at the parish church of Thame in Oxfordshire. She was born at nearby Moreton in 1815, the daughter of Richard Hunt.

At the time of his marriage, David Brown was a bachelor aged 23 years, working at Elsfield near Oxford (1).

When the Census was taken in 1851 he and his family were living in a cottage at Shabbington. David Brown was then recorded as an agricultural labourer, and his wife Jane Brown as a lace maker.

David and Jane Brown had the following children:

Martha Brown. She was born in 1840 at Moreton, and was twice married, first to Joseph Hopkins, and after he died in 1881 to William Reed.

Long Crendon

Elizabeth Brown. She was born in 1842 at Moreton.

Sarah Brown. She was born in 1844 at Moreton.

Thomas Brown. He was born in 1847 at Long Crendon in Buckinghamshire.

William Brown. He was born in 1850 at Shabbington, and married Elizabeth J. Maloney 1849-1901. They had two daughters Ada Brown 1877-1952 and Rose Brown 1876-1957. He died in 1913.

David Brown. He was baptised privately at Moreton on 15 April 1853 (2).

Their mother Jane Brown nee Hunt died in 1853.

The second wife of David Brown was Susan Pullen, whom he married at Thame in 1857. She was born in 1835 at North Weston near Thame, the daughter of John Pullen (born 1772) and his wife nee Ann Loosley (born 1783).

When the 1861 Census was taken they were living at the Kennels, Albury in Oxfordshire. David Brown was then working as a shepherd. In 1871 the family were recorded at Thame, probably living at nearby Rycote (3). David Brown was then employed as a day labourer. In 1881 he was an unemployed shepherd, and he and his family had moved to Frog Lane at Long Crendon in Buckinghamshire. They were still there in 1891, when he was recorded as being a shepherd aged 75 years.

David and Susan Brown had the following children:

Rycote Chapel

Mary Ann Brown. She was born in 1859 at Rycote in Oxfordshire.

Frederick Brown. He was born in 1861 at Albury in Oxfordshire. He married Sarah Brown born in 1862. They had the following children: James L. Brown (born 1890), Herbert H. Brown (born 1892), Clarence A. Brown (born 1897), and Etty M. Brown (born 1900).

Albert James Brown. He was born in 1863 at Rycote. He married Esther E. Ray (born 1861) and had two sons Archibald Brown (born 1890) and Ambrose Brown (born 1900).

Stephen George Brown. He was born in 1865 at Rycote.

Herbert Edward Brown. He was born in 1868 at North Weston, and baptised on 28 June 1868 at Thame. He married Florence Worley 1872-1937 and they lived at 29 Westfield Road, Ealing in London. He died in 1931.

Ada Brown. She was born in 1870 at North Weston, and baptised on 15 October 1870 at Thame.

Walter Brown. He was born in 1872 at North Weston, and baptised on 3 May 1872 at Thame. When the 1891 Census was taken he was a shepherd aged 19 years. He married Alice Winifred Preedy (born 1873 at Whaddon in Buckinghamshire), and they had three children Winifred Maud Brown (born 1903), Walter George Brown (born 1906), and Stanley Albert Brown (born 1909). By 1911 Walter Brown was employed as a carman and the family were living at 6 Wrotham Road, Mattock Lane, West Ealing. He died in 1937 at Reading in Berkshire.

Arthur Ernest Brown. He was born in 1874. He married Minnie Tolley (born 1873), and had a son Sidney G. Brown (born 1900).

Francis John Brown. He was also born in 1874 at Rycote. He married Caroline Mary Saunders in 1899 at Thame. She was born in 1875 at Great Hampden in Buckinghamshire, and they had a daughter Dorothy Ellen Brown born in 1900 at Great Hampden. In 1901 they were living at Workhouse Farm in Great Hampden, where he was employed as a carter on the farm.

Percy Brown. He was born in 1876 at North Weston, and baptised on 29 October 1876 at Thame. When the 1911 Census was taken he was a butcher aged 34 years boarding at 2 Clarence Road, Windsor in Berkshire, unmarried and an employer.

Alfred Bertie Brown 1880-1957. He was born in 1880 at North Weston, and baptised on 22 July 1880 at Thame. When the 1891 Census was taken he was working as a butcher's assistant aged 14 years. He married Rose Smith at Ealing in London on 27 July 1903, and they lived in Reading in Berkshire. He died in 1957.

Their father David Brown died at Thame in 1897. He was said then to be 80 years old but was in fact aged 83 years.

(1) Entry in the Thame parish church register. David Brown, his father James Brown and Richant Hunt were all recorded as being labourers. The witnesses were Henry Hunt (presumably a relative of the bride) and Ann Radwell.
(2) The entry in the Thame parish church register records him as being the son of David and Susan Brown of Shabbington. Presumably he was in too poor health for delayed public baptism. His mother died in the same year.
(3) The family were perhaps at the same address from 1861 till at least 1865, judging by the birth places of the children. Rycote and Albury are adjacent hamlets. By 1868 they had moved to nearby North Weston where they lived until 1880, although Francis John Brown was born in Rycote in 1874. The moves were probably from one tied cottage to another as David Brown found employers hiring a shepherd. However by 1881 he had moved to Long Crendon, which was perhaps where he actually died.