The weeks seem to be flying by at the moment, I can not believe we are in April already. This weeks seems to have flown by even faster for some reason and I haven’t achieved anything, I’m surprised I even got this post written in time. Unfortunately I can not share all the information I was hoping to as certificates seem to be taking longer and longer to come through at the moment, even the pdf certificates are taken over a week to hit my mailbox. I promise that I will update the post as soon as I get them, hopefully it will not be too much longer, saying that last weeks certificates only arrived in my inbox this morning, so who knows when they will come through.

While I have been researching my families history, I’ve been surprised at how many people had illegitimate children, especially on my dads side of the family, this week is no exception. We all know it happened and was brushed under the carpet but I really am shocked at how many of my ancestors were born out of wedlock. I wonder if their parents made them feel ashamed, even disowned them. I really hope my ancestors were not disowned, especially Estella Rudgly and Susan Luke, my week 12 ancestor.
Let me tell you all about her.

Susan Luke my Great, Great, Great-Grandmother was born about 1820 in Lockerley, Hampshire, England to Moses Luke and Catherine Luke nee Mason.

Susan was christened on the 9th January 1820 at St John the Evangelist, Lockerley, Hampshire.

Susan disappeared from the paper trail until the 1841 census, where I find her living at Butlers Wood, Newtown, Lockerley, Hampshire, living with her mother and father, Moses and Catherine.
Their neighbors are Catherine Colince and Ann Colince.
Her father Moses is working as a Agricultural Labourer.

Name	Age
Moses Luke	80
Catherine Luke	70
Susan Luke	20

On the 6th February 1843, Susan gives birth to a daughter, Ellen Luke at Lockerley, Hampshire.
Susan signs the document with an X, when she registered the birth on the 15th February 1893.
There is no father named on the birth certificate.

Ellen was christened on the 19th march 1843 at Lockerley, Hampshire.

Susan has a second daughter Fanny Luke in the December quarter of 1843, in the Romsey district. Her birth certificate hasn’t arrived sorry.
I wonder if there is a father named?

Fanny is Christened on the 7th December as “Fanny Hatcher” at Lockerley, Hampshire. Charles is named a her father.

Susan gives birth to a third daughter Mary Ann Luke in the January – March quarter of 1846. Once again I have ordered her birth certificate but it hasn’t arrived.
Will she have a father named?

Mary Ann is christened as “Mary Ann Hatcher“, on the 7th December 1851 at Lockerley. Charles is named as her father.

A year later, Susan marries Charles Hatcher (my 3rd Great-grandfather), son of William Hatcher and Mary Roude, at the Parish Church of Lockerley, I assume at St John’s, Lockerley, Hampshire.
They marry on the 18th January 1847.
Their witnesses are David Kemish (my 1st cousin 6x removed) and Catherine Kemish nee Collins
Susan, Charles and Catherine all signed with an X.
Charles is working as a labourer and residing at Lockerley. Susan also is residing at Lockerley.

On the 9th February 1849, Susan gives birth to her first son John Henry Hatcher, at Lockerley, Hampshire.

John was christened on the 25th March 1849 at Lockerley, Hampshire.

The 1851 census finds Susan, her husband Charles, and their children Ellen, Fanny, Mary Ann and John living at Butlers Wood, Newtown, Lockerley, Hampshire.
Susan’s three daughters have all taken the surname Hatcher.
Charles is working as a Agricultural labourer.
Their neighbors are Job Lambourne, his wife Martha and their children, William, Josiah, Ann, Julianna, Martha, Job, John and Mary.

Name	Age
Charles Hatcher	36
Susan Hatcher	31
Ellen Hatcher	8
Fanny Hatcher	7
Mary Ann Hatcher	5
John Hatcher	2

Between the months of October and December 1851, Susan gives birth to a fourth daughter, Rose Hatcher. She was born in the Romsey District, I assumed at Butlers Wood, Newtown.

Rose was christened on the 7th December 1851 at Lockerley, Hampshire.

Susan and Charles welcome a second son into the family.
George Hatcher, my Great, Great-Grandfather was born on the 8th July 1855 at Lockerley, Hampshire, England.
Susan registered his birth on the 27th July 1855.
Charles profession is documented as a Agricultural Labourer.
Charles Goddard is the Registrar.

George was christened on the 12 August 1855 at Lockerley, Hampshire.

On April the 13th 1858, Susan gives birth to another son, Stephen Hatcher at Lockerley, Hampshire.
Susan Registered his birth on the 8th May 1858. She signs with an X.
The Registrar is John Bayley.
Charles is working as a General Labourer.

Stephen was christened on the 23 May 1858 at Lockerley, Hampshire.

Only a few months later, heartbreak engulfs the Hatcher/Luke family when Susan’s husband, Charles Hatcher dies on the 23rd November 1858 at Lockerley, Hampshire.
He is only 45 years old. His occupation is now listed as a Woodman.
His cause of death is Pneumonia and Bronchitis, 1 week Certified.
Hannah Bell is the informant and present at Charles death. She registered the death on the 24th November 1858.
The Registrar was John Bayley.

By 1861 Susan and 5 of her children John, Ellen, Rose, George and Stephen are residing at Butlers Wood, Newtown, Lockerley, Hampshire.
Susan is working as a Indoor House Servant, as is Ellen.
Their neighbors are Job Lambourn, his wife Martha and their children, William, Josiah and Martha.

Name	Age
Susan Hatcher	42
Ellen Hatcher	19
John Hatcher	12
Rose Hatcher	8
George Hatcher	6
Stephen Hatcher	3

Surprisingly, Susan gives birth to another son in 1863.
William Hatcher was born on the 3rd May 1863 at Lockerley.
There is no father named on his birth certificate.
Susan signs the Register on the 6th June 1863 with an X
I wonder who his father was. It can’t be Charles as the math just doesn’t fit.
Could it be the same father as her first three illegitimate children, or were they Charles? I guess we will never know unless some long lost family member knows the answers. Fingers crossed.
Dna can not solve this one for me as my dna matches with Charles.
At present I can not find a christening for William, which may have held a clue.

1871 finds Susan, Stephen, William and George living at Butlers Wood, Newtown, Lockerley.
George is working as an Agricultural Labourer.
This 1871 census is definitely an interesting one as it gives information about Susan’s son, William.
It states that William is 7 years old, single, born in Lockerley, all standard information found on every census.

The last column on the census return is 9 out of 10 times empty.

Unfortunately William has something written in his Column, which makes my heartache.
Poor William was crippled from birth.

I can only imagine how hard life would have been not just for William but for Susan also.
I wonder if William father helped Susan, if he took responsibility for Williams care and welfare, I really hope he did.
Their neighbors at the time of the census are, William Lambourn, his sister Martha and an lodger William Moore. And Jonah Southwell, his wife, Nancy Southwell nee Kemish (my 3rd cousin 5x removed) and two lodgers James Rogers and Walter Burnett. They all were residing at The Bush Inn, Newtown. My hubby and I have spent many evenings in the Bush Inn while we were dating, all those years ago.

Name	Age
Susan Hatcher	50
George Hatcher	13
Stephen Hatcher	11
William Hatcher	7

On the night of the 3rd April 1881 the census was taken.
Susan, George, Stephen and William are residing in Newtown, Lockerley, Hampshire.
Susan is listed as having no occupation, while her 3 boys including William are all working as Agricultural Labourers.
William is now listed as a Imbecile, but still is sent out to work. 😢

Their neighbors are Charles Elcock, his wife Jane and their children George H and Ann M Elcock, also George A Russ and his wife Georgina and a visitor Thomas Brown

Name Age Susan Hatcher 60 George Hatcher 25 Stephen Hatcher 23 William Hatcher 18

On the night of the 5th April 1891, there would have been a knock at the door and the census was taken at the Hatcher household.
Susan is still at Butlers Wood but she is living with my great, great-grandfather George Hatcher, his wife Fanny Hatcher nee Pearce, their son and daughter Florence Hatcher and Ernest Hatcher. They also have William residing with them.
George is working as a Agricultural Labourer.
William is living off a parish allowance. Bless him, he is still listed as a Imbecile.
Their neighbors are George Barry Moody, his wife Elizabeth Moody nee Grist, their son David Barry Moody and a boarder called Ernest Hillier, who is Elizabeth Grist’s grandson from her first marriage to Enos Hillier. Elizabeth Grist and Enos Hillier are my husbands 4th Great-Grandmother. Ernest is the son of Walter Hillier and Caroline Abrahams.
Their other neighbors are George A Russ and his wife Georgina Russ.

Name Age George Hatcher 33 Fanny Hatcher 25 Florence Hatcher 4 Ernest Hatcher 1 Susan Hatcher 72 William Hatcher 26

When the 1901 census is taken on the 31st March 1901, Susan is once again residing at Butlers Wood, Newtown, with her son William who is now 38. They are both living on Parochial Relief. Once again William is listed as an Imbecile.
I can only imagine how hard life would have been for Susan. She’s 81 years old and caring for her son. If that isn’t love, I don’t know what is. I feel an overwhelming sense of pride for Susan.
Their neighbors are still George and Georgina Russ and Henry Finch, his wife Lucy and their children James, Alfred, Amy, Maud, Francis and Edward Finch.

Name Age Susan Hatcher 81 William Hatcher 38

Only a few years later Susan dies on the 4th February 1903.
Cause of death is documented as Decay of Nature, certificated by Frank A Taylor MRCS.
My great, great grandfather, George Hatcher who was residing at Carters Clay, Lockerley, Hampshire, is informant of her death. George registered her death on the 10th February 1903.

Susan leaves behind a son who is unable to care for himself, which is heartbreaking. His story doesn’t end here though, he lives on until he is the grand age of 83, the same age as his mother Susan was when she passed away.
I will tell you more about William at a later date during my in my 52 Week challenge. Watch this space.🤓

I haven’t yet been able to locate Susan’s final resting place, I suspect it is at St John’s, Lockerley. I’m waiting for a dry, warm day, when my hubby is home so we can pop to the local church and hunt for her grave. We were hoping to go, over the Easter weekend but the weather was awful.☔️

By all accounts, Susan had a hard life, only finding a few years of happiness with her husband Charles. She has proven to be of the strongest character, with a huge amount of love and dedication in her heart for her children.❤️

Susan is definitely one ancestor whom I wish I could travel back in time to visit, get a drink with her at the Bush Inn and listen for hours to Susan telling me about her struggles, her joys, her journey but mostly about her love for her family and of course who her lovers were. 😉
As that is impossible, I’ll wish her peace and, hopefully one day very soon, I’ll lay a flower for her, letting her know she isn’t forgotten and how proud I am to call her my Great, Great, Great-Grandmother.

May you RIP

Susan Hatcher nee Luke

1820-1903

🦋🦋🦋

 

Updated information on Fanny and Mary Ann Luke’s births can be found here.