On 16 Oct 1860, as reported in the Southeastern Gazette, Mary Lilley, landlady of the Five Bells at Brabourne, Kent, was a witness in a case of horse stealing as was one Thomas Lilley. The license of the Five Bells had ben transferred from William Fox to Thomas Lilley in August of 1855.
The Five Bells, Brabourne
Attribution: Adam Hincks
And in the East Kent Times of 17 Dec 1859 we read of the:
Fatal Accident to a Child
Last week a fatal accident occurred to a little boy ten years of age, son of Mr. Lilley of the five Bells. A cart was being laden with chalk from a bank, and the poor little fellow was looking on, when, owing to the late rains, a quantity of the chalk suddenly became detached and fell on the boy. He was extricated as soon as possible, but life was found to be quite extinct.
The Kentish Gazette of 4 Jul 1853 reported that Richard Green was sentenced to three calendar months’ House of Correction, hard labour, for stealing at Brabourne – four chickens, the property of Elizabeth Lilley.
Brabourne Church, built 1144
Attribution: D G Seamon
Now, we don’t know if the above relates to our ancestor’s Lilley, but we do know that Charles Lilley, our 3rd great-grandfather married Rebecca Trice in Brabourne Church on 14 Oct 1837. Charles was the son of Richard and Elizabeth Lilley and Rebecca the daughter of Henry and Rebecca Trice, both were born in Brabourne between 1814-1816.
Interior of Brabourne Church – showing the oldest complete Norman window in England
from “The King’s England – Kent” by Arthur Mee 1936
Charles and Rebecca had 11 children, all born in Brabourne. Their first child, George Lilley, our 2nd great-grandfather, was baptised at Brabourne Church on 10 Feb 1839. He married Ellen Harriet Godden at Brabourne on 30 Jul 1865 and they had 7 children.
George for the most part was an agricultural labourer and he lived at Chapel Row and Wall Farm in Brabourne between his birth and at least 1851. He moved on to Saltwood, Faversham (Ewell Farm) and Barham (Shelvin Lane) over the years and ended up in Dover by 1901 as a contractor’s horse feeder living at 3 Mayfield Avenue in Dover, where he is listed in the electoral registers for 1903 to 1907. In 1911 he was living at 64 Balfour Road. And then at the death of his wife Ellen at 19 Randolph Road.
Signature of George Lilley from the 1911 Census
Dover Express 14 March 1919
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