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During The Ashdown Forest Dispute 1876-1882 commoners and land owners were interviewed by the solicitor William Raper. Their comments were recorded in a series of notebooks:
Marchant, John. 77. At Sheffield Arms. Born 28 April 1802 at Fletching and baptised there. I worked about Fletching as a boy till I was 16 and then I went to service with Mr. Beacon at Ketches Farm (Lord Sheffield) as odd man 3' /2 years. He then had litter and turf regularly from Ashdown Forest. During that time I went with Mr. Hobbs of Atheralls Farm his team for turf for his laborers or any cottagers in the street. Hobbs had the ashes afterwards for the trouble. I also went for Elphick at Pound Farm (Lord Sheffield's) with his team to the Forest for litter and turf. Also for his successor Eagles. I have lived near the Pound Farm. He was succeeded by John Kimber and I have worked for him at various times and have fetched litter for him. Paris and then Godly and then Newnham came afterwards. I know they had both litter and turf. I did not work for them but have been close by the farm for many years Newnham left the farm this Michaelmas.
When I was about 18 I went to service with Mr. Beacon at Ketches Farm (Lord Sheffield's) 3 1/2 years as odd man. He had litter and turf off the Forest every year. Sometimes I went for them when I was in his service. After I left his service I went to Mr. John Wheeler 1/2 year at Heaven Farm (now Mr. Hardys), [both] had litter and turf from Ashdown Forest. I then went to Mr. Beacon 1/2 year and then married and continued working for Mr. Beacon for several years, till 42 years ago, and during that time he continued to have litter and turf. I then worked on the roads in the western part of the parish for 40 years and retired 2 years ago.
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John Marchant labourer | m: 17th Oct 1796 St Andrew & St Mary Church, Fletching, Sussex | Mary Pinyon | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
b: c 1775 | b: c 1775 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Ann | Mary | Edmund | Diana | Susanna | Thomas | Frances | Naomi | b: 1799 Fletching, Sussex ch: 3rd Mar 1799 St Andrew & St Mary Church | b: 1803 Fletching, Sussex ch: 1st May 1803 St Andrew & St Mary Church | b: 1804 Fletching, Sussex ch: 28th Oct 1804 St Andrew & St Mary Church d: Nov 1881 Fletching, Sussex bur: 14th Nov 1881 St Andrew & St Mary Church, Fletching, Sussex | b: 1806 Fletching, Sussex ch: 31st Aug 1806 St Andrew & St Mary Church | b: 1808 Fletching, Sussex ch: 9th Oct 1808 St Andrew & St Mary Church | b: 1810 Fletching, Sussex ch: 21st Oct 1810 St Andrew & St Mary Church | b: 1812 Fletching, Sussex ch: 22nd Nov 1812 St Andrew & St Mary Church d: Sep 1813 Fletching, Sussex bur: 1st Sep 1813 St Andrew & St Mary Church, Fletching, Sussex | b: 6th Sep 1814 Fletching, Sussex ch: 18th Sep 1814 St Andrew & St Mary Church | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
John | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
b: 28th Apr 1801 Fletching, Sussex ch: 8th May 1801 St Andrew & St Mary Church | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
John Marchant farm labourer | m: 25th Dec 1823 St Andrew & St Mary Church, Fletching, Sussex | Sarah Cheeseman | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
b: 28th Apr 1801 Fletching, Sussex ch: 8th May 1801 St Andrew & St Mary Church | b: 1802 Fletching, Sussex | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Frances | Sarah Ann | John | Susan | William Wells | Diana | Mary Jane | Harriett | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
b: 1824 Fletching, Sussex ch: 20th Jun 1824 St Andrew & St Mary Church | b: 1827 Furners Green, Fletching, Sussex ch: 5th Aug 1827 St Andrew & St Mary Church d: Dec 1867 Danehill, Sussex bur: 29th Dec 1867 All Saints (als Holy Trinity Chapel), Danehill, Sussex | b: 1829 Broadwater Pitt, Fletching, Sussex ch: 6th Dec 1829 St Andrew & St Mary Church | b: 1832 Furners Green, Fletching, Sussex ch: 22nd Jul 1832 St Andrew & St Mary Church | b: 1834 Broadwater Pitt, Fletching, Sussex ch: 1st Jun 1837 St Andrew & St Mary Church | b: 1837 Broadwater Pitt, Fletching, Sussex ch: 16th Jul 1837 St Andrew & St Mary Church | b: 1841 Furners Green, Fletching, Sussex ch: 31st Jan 1841 St Andrew & St Mary Church | b: 1844 Broadwater Pitt, Fletching, Sussex ch: 27th Oct 1844 St Andrew & St Mary Church | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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