Page 61 - ‘A Blaker Family History’ The family history of Joseph Blaker (1916-2007; ‘Joe’)

© The Blaker Society
© The Blaker Society

6.21.1.1 John Botting (1851-1930)
Born: 28 September 1851, Ardingly, Sussex
Married: 14 September 1872, aged 20 years, married Harriet Blaker; St.
Mary, Balcombe, Sussex
Died: 13 June 1930, aged 78 years, Black Dog Cottage, Worth, Sussex

John was an ‘Agricultural Labourer’. His parents were Stephen Botting
(1817-1897) and Ann Dawes (1828-1891). John’s father was an
‘Agricultural Labourer’, who lived in Balcombe Lane, near Ardingly. John
had at least four siblings. There were numerous members of the botting
lineage in mid Sussex at that time – they were prolific breeders!

In September 1872, Harriett Blaker and John Botting were married. Since
their first child, William, was born in late 1872, it is evident that Harriett
was heavily pregnant at the time of her marriage to John.

6.21.1.2 Harriett Blaker and John Botting
Harriett and John initially lived in Balcombe Lane, Balcombe. They had a
large family, comprising at least eleven children, most of who were born
in Balcombe, Sussex:
• William: b. 1872
• Harry Stephen: b. 1874
• Alice: b. 1876
• George: b. 1878
• Emily: b. 1879
• Ernest Charles John: b. 1882
• Rose Annie: b. 1884
• Alfred Frederick: b. 1887 (known as ‘Freddy)
• Albert Percy: b. 1889 (known as ‘Burty’), Cuckfield, Sussex
• Ada Kate: b. 1891, Cuckfield, Sussex
• Arthur: b. 1895, Cuckfield, Sussex

Their first two children died as infants.

Harriett and John were recorded in the 1881 Census, living at 18
Balcombe Lane, Balcombe, together with their three surviving children.
Ten years later, their family had expanded, and Harriett and John were
then living in the rural location of Middle Pilstyle, Hazeldean, Cuckfield,
Sussex, together with six of their children. Middle Pilstyle is some 4 km
north of Cuckfield church.

By the time of the 1901 Census, Harriett and John were living at Upper
Pilstyle Cottage, Cuckfield, together with six of their children. John was
then working as a ‘Farm Carter’. Ten years later, Harriett and John had
moved to Black Dog Farm, Worth, Sussex, and were living there in a
cottage with two of their sons, both of whom were working as ‘Farm
Labourers’.