Family of Simon Bridge of Smarden & Wittersham, 1773-1855
date location record name description note
ca. 1773 Smarden Birth Simon Bridge son of Robert (burial + 1851 census)
ca. 1797 Birth James Bridge son (from age at baptism in 1821)
14 Nov 1798 Smarden Marriage Simon Bridge & Ann Collier Biddenden & Smarden
Aug 1799 Birth Richard Bridge son (from death registration in Ontario)
James and Richard were baptised together in Feb 1821, when Richard correctly gave his age as 21. James claimed to be 23, which seems very likely to be true also. In any case James must have been born before his parents married.
10 Mar 1801 Smarden Census notebook Simon Bridge sole occupancy 3 male & 1 female (Ann),
1 agric.worker (Simon)
ca.1805 Birth William Bridge son
1809/10 Wittersham Birth Robert Bridge son of Simon & Anne (baptism + 1851 census)
1816/7 Wittersham Birth Mary Bridge daughter (1881 census)
18 Aug 1833 Wittersham Burial Anne Bridge age 56
31 Oct 1835 Wittersham Marriage Simon Bridge widower & Mary Benstead spinster both made marks
28 Feb 1837 Wittersham Marriage Mary Bridge & John Packham both signed
6 Jun 1841 Wittersham,
Blackwall		 Census HO107 479.20/6 p4 Simon Bridge Agr. lab. 65
Mary Bridge 45
John Packham Agr. Lab 25
Mary Packham 20
William Packham 3
Alfred Packham 1
Charles Stonham Agr. Lab 35
The 1851 census return shows that Mary and John were living next door to her parents and probably the two households functioned as one. Note that in the 1841 census ages of adults were meant to be rounded down to the nearest multiple of 5.

Charles Stonham later married Sarah, the widow of Simon's son William.
30 Mar 1851 Wittersham,
Ham Green		 Census HO107 1620/129 #28 Simon Bridge head, Agr.lab. 77, b. Kent, Smarden
Mary Bridge wife 63, b. Kent, Warehorne
William Packham lodger, scholar 13, b. Kent, Wittersham
Alfred Packham lodger, scholar 10, b. Kent, Wittersham
Edwin Packham lodger, scholar 9, b. Kent, Wittersham
30 Mar 1851 Wittersham,
Ham Green		 Census HO107 1620/129 #29 John Packham head, Agr.lab. 37, b. Kent, Brenzett
Mary Packham wife 36, b. Kent, Wittersham
Mary Ann Packham daughter 7, b. Kent, Wittersham
Harriet Packham daughter 5, b. Kent, Wittersham
Elizabeth Packham daughter 2, b. Kent, Wittersham
James Packham son 6mo, b. Kent, Wittersham
5 Nov 1855 Wittersham Burial Simon Bridge age 82
7 Apr 1861 Wittersham,
4 Back St.		 Census RG9 509/113 #59 John Packham head, fruiterer 47, b. Kent, Brenzett
Mary Packham wife 43, b. Kent, Wittersham
William Packham son, fruiterer 23, b. Kent, Wittersham
Edwin Packham son, agr. labourer 19, b. Kent, Wittersham
Mary Packham daughter, servant 17, b. Kent, Wittersham
James Packham son, scholar 10, b. Kent, Wittersham
Caroline Packham daughter, scholar 8, b. Kent, Wittersham
Sarah Packham daughter 6, b. Kent, Wittersham
Eliza Packham daughter 3, b. Kent, Wittersham
19 May 1869 Wittersham Burial Mary Packham must be Mary Ann; Mary was still alive in 1881
2 Apr 1871 Wittersham,
1 Back St.		 Census RG10 953/111 #56 John Packham head, dealer 57, b. Kent, Snargate
Mary Packham wife 54, b. Kent, Wittersham
James Packham son, agr. labourer 20, b. Kent, Wittersham
2 Apr 1871 Wittersham,
1 Back St.		 Census RG10 953/111 #57 William Packham Head, agr. labourer 33, b. Kent, Wittersham
Jane Packham wife 33, b. Kent, Stone
Edwin J Packham son, scholar 8, b. Kent, Wittersham
Ernest W Packham son 5, b. Kent, Wittersham
3 Apr 1881 Wittersham,
1 Back St		 Census RG11 941/107 #47 Mary Packham head, 64, b. Kent, Wittersham
Family of Edwin Packham
3 Apr 1881 Wittersham, Glynes Cottage Census RG11 941/115 #26 Edwin Packham head, Farmer, 4 ac 39, b. Kent, Wittersham
Ellen Packham wife, dressmaker 34, b. Kent, Wittersham
Clara J. Packham daughter 10, b. Kent, Wittersham
Minnie G. Packham daughter 7, b. Kent, Wittersham
Ellen M. Packham daughter 5, b. Kent, Wittersham
Flora W. Packham daughter 3, b. Kent, Wittersham
Elsie J. Packham daughter 7 mo, b. Kent, Wittersham
31 Mar 1901 Wittersham,
Owly		 Census RG13 778/96 #52 Edwin Packham head, Farmer, Employer 58, b. Kent, Wittersham
Ellen Packham wife 54, b. Kent, Wittersham
Flora W. Packham daughter, dressmaker, own account, at home 23, b. Kent, Wittersham
Elsie J. Packham daughter 20, b. Kent, Wittersham
Bertram J. Packham son, "F. Rel" (= farming related?), worker, at home 16, b. Kent, Wittersham
Alice M. Packham daughter 15, b. Kent, Wittersham
Mary Packham mother, widow 84, b. Kent, Wittersham
Edwin Packham had evidently prospered. The house at Owley was substantial, as seen from this photograph, sent to Andrew Bridge around 1905. A hundred years on, it still looks much the same. The wedding photograph was also sent to Andrew and clearly was taken in front of the same house. Several years after I put it on this website, it was recognised by the grand-daughter of Elsie Jane Packham, who has another copy and has given me the names of the people shown. They are (left to right) brother of bridegroom, Mabel Packham (Alice), Fred Wickens (bridegroom), Winifred (Flora) Packham, Elsie Jane Packham and John Radway Shuffrey, husband of Winifred's eldest sister Clara. Ellen Packham is standing in the dooway of the house, wearing a hat befitting her status as bride's mother!
MPackhamHouse (15K) MP_Wedding (20K)
Family of Richard Bridge
Family of William Bridge of Wittersham, ca.1805-1836
date location record name description note
15 Jul 1827 Wittersham Marriage William Bridge & Sarah French son of Simon
28 Oct 1827 Wittersham Baptism George Bridge son of William & Sarah
29 May 1831 Wittersham Baptism William Bridge son of William & Sarah
21 Jul 1833 Wittersham Death William Bridge age 31
4 Sep 1833 Wittersham Baptism Rhoda Bridge dau. of William & Sarah
6 Jun 1841 Wittersham Census HO107 479.20/4 p1 Sarah Bridge 30, b. Kent
George Bridge 13, b. Kent
William Bridge 10, b. Kent
Roda Bridge 7, b. Kent
John Bridge 6 days, b. Kent
30 Mar 1851 Wittersham Census HO107 1620/148 #61 Charles Stonham Agr. lab. 45, b. Iden, Sussex
Sarah Stonham wife 44, b. Kent, Sandhurst
William Bridge wife's son, Agr. lab. 19, b. Kent, Wittersham
John Stonham son, scholar 10, b. Kent, Wittersham
Ann Stonham daughter, scholar 8, b. Kent, Wittersham
Charles Stonham son, scholar 6, b. Kent, Wittersham
ditto, #59 Rhoda Bridge unm., lodger, house servant 17, b. Kent, Wittersham
Sons of William Bridge
11 Sep 1827 Wittersham Birth George Bridge tree of descendents diary
18 Apr 1849 Left Wittersham and travelled to Liverpool by train, stopping overnight in London. diary
23 Apr 1849 Sailed from Liverpool on the "New World", a sailing ship of 1500 tons. diary
George kept a diary during the voyage and made a couple more entries later in the summer while working in New York state. The original manuscript was edited by his grandson Harry, who added some biographical notes, and a copy was deposited in the Gail Borden public library in Elgin, Illinois. I am most grateful for a copy of the diary sent to me by George's great-grandson, Donald H. Bridge, together with an updated family tree and a number of pictures.
26 May 1849 Port of New York Passenger List George Bridge age 21 from Liverpool, on the "New World"
about 1850 Moved to Cook County, Illinois where he bought a farm with borrowed money, married and started a family. (biography in diary)
25 Dec 1854 Marriage George Bridge & Mary Ann Checksfield (DHB)
Mary Ann probably came from Tenterden in Kent; a search on the name Checksfield (or variants: Chexfield, Chacksfield) in the 1851 census shows that it was almost completely confined to that one town. George's diary refers to his taking leave of friends in "Tinterden" on the way from Wittersham to catch his train in Headcorn. The 1851 census shows a Mary Checksfield aged 17, servant, housekeeper to a widower and his family; the 1841 census does not have a corresponding Mary aged 7. However, George's letter to Andrew says that she was an orphan with one sister, so possibly the details were not entered correctly.
about 1860 Moved to Kane County, Illinois where he bought a dairy farm of 100 acres at $12 per acre. Harry noted that the whole family would get up at dawn to start their work; the two eldest boys would do their chores in the barn and then go to sleep between the cows for warmth. (biography in diary)
29 Jun 1870 Dundee, Kane Co., Illinois, USA U.S. Census
folio 268		 George Bridge Farmer, real estate value: $6000 43, b. England
Mary A Bridge Keeping House 37, b. England
Wm Bridge Farm laborer 14, b. Illinois
Chas J Bridge 13, b. Illinois
Clara Bridge 11, b. Illinois
Martha Bridge 6, b. Illinois
Flora Bridge 4, b. Illinois
Henry Bridge 2
Alma Bridge 6 mo
George Martin Farm laborer 32, b. England
after 1880 Moved to Elgin, Illinois, where he became a vegetable farmer and built a large house, in Harry's words, "to accomodate the frequent visits of his children and grandchildren". (biography in diary)
29 Jan 1901 805 Augusta Ave, Elgin, Ill Letter to Andrew George Bridge gave details of 9 children and 21 grandchildren and referred to his brother William (see below) and niece Rhoda (William's daughter), as well as cousin Ellen Packham at Stone, Kent.
1903 Visited England with his wife, presumably going back to his relatives in Kent. biography in diary
1910 Death George Bridge biography in diary
1911 Death Mary Ann Bridge biography in diary
21 Oct 1853 Port of New York Passenger List William Bridge age 20 from London
15 Mar 1860 Kane Co., Illinois Marriage William Bridge & Elizabeth Pierce (ages 29 and 17)
Again, this seems to fit the other facts and there is an Elizabeth Pierce of the right age in the 1851 English census, listed simply as a visitor.
12 Jun 1880 Hanover, Cook Co., Illinois, USA U.S. Census
folio 407		 William Bridge Farmer 49, b. England
Elizabeth Bridge wife, Keeping House 37, b. England
Rhode Bridge dau., at home 15, b. Illinois
Amelia Bridge dau., at home 11, b. Illinois
Richard Bridge son 9, b. Illinois
Joseph Jette servant, Farm laborer 19, b. Canada
Family of Robert Bridge of Wittersham, 1809-1851...
date location record name description note
1809/10 1851 census Birth Robert Bridge son of Simon
7 Dec 1828 Wittersham Baptism Robert Bridge son of Simon & Anne "in his 20th year"
28 Mar 1829 Wittersham Marriage Robert Bridge & Sarah Addy Robert signed
11 Oct 1829 Wittersham Baptism John Bridge son of Robert & Sarah
16 May 1832 Wittersham Baptism William Bridge son of Robert & Sarah
28 Jul 1833 Wittersham Burial Sarah Bridge age 27
25 Jun 1835 Wittersham Marriage Robert Bridge, widower & Mary Ann Duval, spinster both signed
1 May 1836 Wittersham Baptism George Bridge son of Robert & Marianna
8 Apr 1838 Wittersham Burial John Bridge age 8
3 Oct 1838 Wittersham Baptism Edwin Bridge son of Robert & Mary Ann
6 Jun 1841 Stone
Odiam Farm		 Census HO107 479.16/5 p2 Robert Bridge Agr. Lab 30, b. Kent
Mary Bridge 35, b. Kent
William Bridge 11, b. Kent
Edwin Bridge 2, b. Kent
Stephen Bridge 6 days, b. Kent
5 Sep 1847 Wittersham Baptism Eliza Bridge dau. of Robert & Mary Ann
30 Mar 1851 Wittersham Census HO107 1620/155 #2 Robert Bridge Agr. lab. 41, b. Kent, Wittersham
Mary Bridge wife 39, b. Kent, Wittersham
George Bridge son, Agr. lab. 15, b. Kent, Wittersham
Edwin Bridge son 12, b. Kent, Wittersham
Stephen Bridge son, scholar 9, b. Kent, Stone
Eliz. Bridge daughter 3, b. Kent, Wittersham
5 Sep 1852 Wittersham Baptism James Bridge son of Robert & Mary Ann
7 Apr 1861 Old Pickhill Cottage, Tenterden, Kent Census RG9 510/77 #59 Robert Bridge Head, widower, carter 52, b. Kent, Wittersham
Eliza Bridge daughter 13, b. Kent, Wittersham
James Bridge son, scholar 8, b. Kent, Wittersham
2 Apr 1871 Prawl House, Stone, Kent Census RG10 953/102 #44 Robert Bridge boarder, widower, ag. lab. 62, b. Kent, Wittersham
Jul-Sep 1878 Tenterden Death Index Robert Bridge age 69 vol 2a/413
5 Aug 1878 Wittersham Burial Robert Bridge
Sons of Robert Bridge
Apr-Jun 1861 Thanet Marriage Index William Bridge & Eliza Lewin vol 2a/1004
3 Apr 1881 Tenterden, Union Workhouse Census RG11 942/49 p39 lines 5-7,10 William Bridge inmate, pauper laborer 57, b. Kent, Wittersham
Eliza Bridge inmate, pauper 48, b. Kent, Beckley
Eliza E. Bridge inmate, pauper 5, b. Kent, Tenterden
Edith J. Bridge inmate, pauper 2, b. Kent, Tenterden
Eliza could be William's wife and the girls their children; such details were not recorded!
7 Apr 1861 Frittenden, Kent Census RG  9 /507/137 #31 George Bridge brother-in-law, unm., Agr. lab. 25, b. Kent, Wittersham
2 Apr 1871 Gladdish Cottage, Headcorn Rd., Sutton Valence, Kent Census RG10 948/30 #111 George Bridge head, Agr. lab 35, b. Kent, Wittersham
Louisa Bridge wife 34, b. Kent, Biddenden
Ellen Bridge daughter 1, b. Kent, Frittenden
7 Apr 1861 Biddenden, Kent Census RG9 509/4 #11 Edwin Bridge boarder, unm., Agr. lab. 22, b. Kent, Wittersham
Oct-Dec 1864 Faversham Marriage Index Edwin Bridge & Emily Esther Brunger vol 2a/1239
2 Apr 1871 Faversham, 57 Park Rd. Census RG10 978/129 #47 Edwin Bridge head, Labourer, general 32, b. Kent, Wittersham
Emily E. Bridge wife 26, b. Kent, Dunkirk
Elizabeth Bridge daughter, scholar 5, b. Kent, Faversham
Edwin W. Bridge son, scholar 3, b. Kent, Faversham
George Bridge son 1, b. Kent, Faversham
Thomas W Brunger wife's brother, Labourer, general 25, b. Kent, Dunkirk
James Brunger wife's brother, Labourer, general 17, b. Kent, Dunkirk
3 Apr 1881 Faversham, 57 Park Rd. Census RG11 969/4 #2 Edwin Bridge head, sawyer 42, b. Kent, Wittersham
Emily E. Bridge wife 37, b. Kent, Dunkirk
Elizabeth E. Bridge daughter 15, b. Kent, Faversham
Edwin W. Bridge son, scholar 13, b. Kent, Faversham
George Bridge son, scholar 11, b. Kent, Faversham
Ellen L. Bridge daughter, scholar 9, b. Kent, Faversham
John W. Bridge son, scholar 7, b. Kent, Faversham
Alfred M. Bridge son 4, b. Kent, Faversham
5 Apr 1891 Sittingbourne, 3 Jubilee St. Census RG12 718/99 #61 Edwin Bridge head, Sawyer 52, b. Kent, Wittersham
Martha Bridge wife 45, b. Cornwall, Murthing
Alfred M Bridge son, errand boy 14, b. Kent, Faversham
Edith M. Bridge daughter, scholar 6, b. Kent, Faversham
7 Apr 1861 Biddenden, Kent Census RG9 509/36 #26 Stephen Bridge servant, unm., carter 19, b. Kent, Stone
2 Apr 1871 Kennington Census RG10 962/78 #124 Stephen Bridge head, Agr. lab 29, b. Kent, Wittersham
Ellen Bridge wife 33, b. Kent, Wickling
Richard W. Bridge son, Agr. lab 5, b. Kent, Hollingbourne
William Barnard wife's father, widower, pauper 77, b. Kent, Kennington
3 Apr 1881 Lydd Census RG11 1016/28 #26 Stephen Bridge lodger, Agr. lab 40, b. Kent, Wittersham
Ellen Bridge wife 43, b. Kent, Wickling
Richard W. Bridge son, Agric. laborer 15, b. Kent, Hollingbourne
Jan-Mar 1887 Rye Marriage Index James Bridge & Agnes Mary Dove vol 2b/5
5 Apr 1891 13 Port Hall St., Preston, Brighton, Sussex Census RG12 820/79 #124 James Bridge head, Groom and coachman (domestic servant) 33, b. Kent, Wittersham
Agnes Bridge wife, dressmaker 27, b. Sussex, Iden
Horace H. Bridge son 3, b. Sussex, Brighton
Beatrice S Dive sister (i.-l.), scholar 14, b. Sussex, Iden