PrenticeNet

In reviewing census records, the IGI, and with additional research provided by Ian Prentice and set out in his email of 23 Apr 2002, we have information on the following Prentices in Cressing, Essex Co., England which lies about 3 miles SE of Braintree and perhaps 5 miles N of Witham:

1. Thomas Prentice was likely b. c. 1670-90 at an unknown location. The name of his wife is not yet confirmed, but he may be the Thomas Prentice who m. Mary Tarling in Moreton on 13 Jan 1709 (per Richard Thompson, email of 3 May 2002, citing Moreton Parish records in the Esex Records Office).

Thomas and his wife were living in Cressing in 1712 had 1 or more children, including:

1. Thomas Prentice, b. c. 1710-15. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . [2]
2. (perhaps) Elizabeth Prentice, chr. 11 Apr 1710 Church Of Christ Independent, Abbess Roding, Essex.
3. (perhaps) Ann Prentice, chr. 19 Jun 1711 Church Of Christ Independent, Abbess Roding, Essex.

2. Thomas Prentice, b. c. 1710-15, Cressing. He m. Ann Crozier in Cressing in 1736. They had 1 or more children, including:

1. James Prentice, perhaps b. c. 1740-58. He m. Sarah Tiler/Tiller on 14 Oct 1778 in Cressing. Children:
   1. (perhaps) Francis Prentice, b. c. 1786, Cressing. He m. Ann, b. c. 1796, Cressing. Francis appears in a Workhouse in Bocking, Essex, in the 1851 census, living away from his family. Children per 1841 and 1851 census):
      1. Harriott/Harriatt/Harriet Prentice, bap. 25 Dec 1817, Duke Street, Chelmsford, Essex.
      2. Sarah Prentice, b. 8 May 1819, Cressing and bap. 2 Sep 1821, Duke St., Chelmsford, Essex. At home in 1841. She may, or may not, be the Sarah Todd, b. c. 1923, Cressing, who appears in the 1851 census as the wife of Charles Todd.
      3. Matilda Prentice, bap. 16 Apr 1822, Duke Street, Chelmsford, Essex. She may have died young as a later daughter has the same name.
      4. Matilda Prentice, b. c. 1826, Cressing and bap. 16 Apr 1822, Duke Street, Chelmsford, Essex. At home in 1841. She may, or may not, be the Matilda Rutland (indexed as Butland), b. c. 1826, Cressing, who appears as a Head in the 1851 Braintree, Essex, census. She is likely the mother of:
         1. James Rutland, b. c. 1847, Braintree, who is shown in the 1851 census in Braintree living with his grandmother, Ann Prentice, above.
      5. John Prentice, b. c. 1828, Cressing. At home in 1841. Not in 1851 and later census. By email of 24 Mar 2015, Lester Jackson suggests he is the same person as John William Prentice in our Spring 2011 article about #1, John William Prentice of Australia .
      6. Francis Prentice, b. c. 1833, Cressing. At home in 1841 and 1851.
      7. Amelia/Emilia/Emily Prentice, b. c. 1840, Cressing. At home in 1841 and 1851.
   2. (perhaps) Harriet Prentice, b. 1818, cressing (per IGI identifying her father as James Prentice). She is probably the Harriet Prentice who m. William Ward on 27 Aug 1847 in Cressing. They appear in the 1871 census in Braintree, Essex, with their children (per 1871 census):
      1. Eliza Ward, b. c. 1852, Braintree, Essex. At home in 1871 census.
      2. George Ward, b. c. 1855, Braintree, Essex. At home in 1871 census.
      3. William Ward, b. c. 1862, Braintree, Essex. At home in 1871 census.

   3. Thomas Prentice, b. c. 1825, Cressing (per 1851 census). At home in 1851. He m. Emma, b. c. 1830, Braintree, Essex. They appear in the 1861 census in Braintree. Children:
      1. Emma Eliza Prentice, b. c. 1852, Sudbury, Suffolk. At home in 1861, Braintree. She may be the Elizabeth shown in the 1871 Sudbury census living with her father, Thomas.
      2. Susannah Prentice, b. c. 1853, Sudbury, Suffolk. At home in Braintree in 1861.

      He may be the Thomas Prentice shown in the 1871 census in Sudbury as a Lodger with his daughter, Elizabeth, b. c. 1853, Sudbury; Eliza may be Emma Eliza Prentice, above.

2. Mary Prentice. She m. Isaac Crozier 3 Nov 1763, Cressing. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . [3]
3. Martha Prentice. She m. James Barker on 10 Jun 1775, Cressing. Not in 1881 and later census.

3. Mary Prentice. She m. Isaac Crosier on 3 Nov 1763, Cressing. Children (per Samantha Ward, email, 7 Apr 2002):

1. Isaac Crosier, bap. 3 Feb 1765.
2. John Crosier, bap. 13 Aug 1769 m. Susannah Robjent 11 Nov 1794, Hatfield Peverel. Children:
   1. John Crosier.
   2. Mary Crosier.
   3. Sarah Crosier, bap 8 Jun 1772. She m. Robert Ward on 26 Nov 1792, Fairstead. Children:
      1. Mary Ward, bap. 1810, Fairstad.
      2. George Ward, bap. 1812, Fairstead.
      3. James Ward, bap. 1815, Fairstead.
      4. Hannah Ward, b. 1778.
      5. Joseph Ward.
   4. Susannah Crosier.
   5. Isaac Crosier.

1. Unknown Prentice, b. c. 1790-1797, perhaps in or near cressing.

He m. Sarah, b. c. 1797, Cressing, Essex (per 1851 Cressing census). In Cressing in 1861 and 1881. Children:

1. Louisa Prentice, b. c. 1815-16, Cressing (per 1861 census). At home in 1861 and 1881. 1891 a Boarder in the home of Alfred and Mahala Tokley; see Mahala Prentice, below.
2. Lucy Prentice, b. c. 1817, Cressing. At home in 1851. Not in 1861 and later census.
3. William Prentice, b. c. 1825, Cressing. At home in 1851. Not in 1861 and later census.
4. Eliza Prentice, b. c. 1828, Cressing. At home in 1851, 1861 and 1881. 1891 a Boarder in the home of Alfred and Mahala Tokley; see Mahala Prentice, below.
5. Mary/Maria Prentice, b. c. 1834, Cressing. At home in 1851, 1861 and 1881. 1891 a Boarder in the home of Alfred and Mahala Tokley; see Mahala Prentice, below.
6. Mahala Prentice, b. c. 1850, Cressing, and d. 1931. At home in 1851, 1861 and 1881. She m. Alfred Tokley in 1884 and they appear in the 1891 census in Cressing with their children:
   1. Charles Tokley, b. c. 1885, Cressing, Essex.
   2. George Tokley, b. c. 1887, Cressing, Essex.
   3. Elizabeth Tokley, b. c. 1890, Cressing, Essex.

1. Mary Prentice, b. c. 1777, Cressing. She appears in the 1851 census in Cressing as an single Housekeeper in the home of John Linch who was b. c. 1813, Cressing.

1. Unknown Prentice, b. c. 1795-1801 and apparently d. some time after 1825 when his son, James, was born.

He m. Sarah, b. c. 1801, Sudbury, Suffolk. Children per 1851 census:

1. Thomas Prentice, b. c. 1825, Cressing, Essex. He m. Emma, b. c. 1828-30, Braintree. They are living with Barrells in the 1851 census, see below.

Sarah apparently m. 2nd, James Barrell, b. c. 1796, Acton, Suffolk. Children shown in the 1851 Sudbury, Suffolk, census:

1. Hannah Barrell, b. c. 1825, Braintree, Essex.
2. Ellen Barrell, b. c. 1850, Sudbury, Essex, and called a granddaughter.