James Dengate

James Dengate

KEY DATES:

Baptism: 11 April 1788, St John the Baptist Church, Wittersham, Kent

Marriage: 28 March 1812, St Nicholas' Church, Pevensey, East Sussex

Death: 19 January 1869, Sedlescombe, East Sussex

Burial: 25 January 1869, St John the Baptist's Church, Sedlescombe, East Sussex

BIOGRAPHY:

James Dengate was baptised 11 April 1788 in St John the Baptist Church, Wittersham, Kent to James and Elizabeth Dengate. James and Elizabeth had one other child together, Harriet Dengate before Elizabeth died. She was buried in St John the Baptist Church, Wittersham on the 29 June 1790.

St John the Baptist Church, Wittersham, Kent

James remarried in 1791 to Mary Weeks in Beckley Parish Church. They had one son, John Dengate baptised in St John the Baptist Church, Wittersham in 1793 before they moved to Ash (near Dartford) and Kingsdown where they had a further 17 children. Whether the 5 year-old James was taken to Ash with James and Mary is unclear, as records for this time are scarce. However, on James' marriage entry he gives his home parish as Wittersham, so he may have been raised by his mother's family or perhaps a Dengate relative in Wittersham. James followed in his father's footsteps and became a miller - evidently something his father trained him for, and which he then went on to train his own sons. James' half-brothers William and George Dengate were also millers.

James Dengate married Sarah Christian Bovis on the 28 March 1812 in St Nicholas' Church, Pevensey, East Sussex. One of the witnesses to their marriage was Sarah's sister Esther Bovis.

St Nicholas' Church, Pevensey, East Sussex, 2002

James and Sarah had their first child William in Westham, East Sussex, the village next to Pevensey before moving to Bexhill-on-sea, East Sussex where their next 2 children Harriet and Charles were born. William, Harriet and Charles were all baptised in St Peter's Church, Bexhill. James was working as a Miller at this time. Between April 1816 and March 1818 the family moved to Northiam, East Sussex where James was working variously as a miller and as a labourer. Here James and Sarah had a further 9 children; George, James, Sarah, Susannah, Elizabeth, John, Mary, Walter, and Thomas who were baptised in St Mary's Church, Northiam. James evidently raised and trained his sons to work in the milling trade, for William, Charles, John and Thomas all followed in their father's footsteps.

Their youngest child Walter Dengate was buried 5 February 1833 aged 10 months in St Mary's Church. Between Walter's burial and 1841 the family moved to Sedlescombe, where they are recorded on the 1841 census living in Mill House. Beryl Lucey, in her book on Sedlescombe history writes, "In 1841 when the Tithe Map was made, William Bates, farmer of Riccards, was the mill-owner and James Dengate, the miller's man. In 1849 both were still there. Bates owned also Whatlington Mill only a mile away and it was probably here that he lived in the larger and better house, letting the cottage of Hancox Mill to his assistant, James Dengate."¹

Old map of Sedlescombe. The Windmill is under the blue circle, on Stream Lane

Despite undergoing renovations and extension, including the front elevation, the cottage remains remarkably similar both inside and out to how it would have been in the 1840s.

Windmill Cottage, 2004

(Left) The highest point for miles: the site where the mill is believed to have stood

(Right) The remarkable views and high winds this site is exposed to

In 1851 the family are described as living in the windmill with James working as a miller.

Sedlescombe Church, 2002

In 1861 James and Sarah, presumably retired as miller, and therefore no longer eligible to live in the mill, are recorded on the census living in Sedlescombe village with their daughter Elizabeth - a dressmaker.

James died 19 January 1869, aged 82 years in Sedlescombe, East Sussex of "paralysis and age". Susanna Martin, the local nurse, was present at the death. James was buried 25 January in St John the Baptist Church, Sedlescombe, East Sussex. His death was announced in the Hastings News 22 January 1869.

Sarah is recorded on the 1871 census as a widow, living in Sedlescombe village with her daughter Elizabeth and grandson George William Dengate. Sarah died two years later on the 12 August 1873, aged 84 years of old age. Her daughter, Elizabeth Dengate was present at the death. Sarah was buried with her husband in St John the Baptist Church, Sedlescombe on the 23 August 1873. One of their sons, John Dengate who died 4 March 1853 aged 27 years was also buried with them.

James, Sarah and John Dengate's grave, St John the Baptist Church, Sedlescombe, 2002

The grave inscription reads, "In affectionate remembrance of James Dengate who died January 19th 1869 aged 82 years. Also of Sarah Dengate wife of the above who died August 19th 1873 aged 84 years. Also of John Dengate their son who died March 4th 1853 aged 27 years. ?? we believe that Jesus died and rose again even? so them also which sleep in Jesus will God bring with him _ness."

Also buried in Sedlescombe churchyard are James and Sarah's children Elizabeth Dengate, Harriet Dengate, James Dengate, and John Dengate and several of their grand and great grandchildren.

CENSUS:

¹ Twenty Centuries in Sedlescombe by Beryl Lucey, p. 249