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Introduction: This article was original published under the title "Michael Prentice of Ipswich, Suffolk, England." New information provided by Frances Prentice's email of 11 Oct 2007 relates that the information about him appears to have been based on an erroneous transcription in the 1861 census. She informs us that she has viewed the original entry for the 1861 census at 29 Cumberland Street Shoreditch and, although quite hard to read, she was able to establish that his name is actually Richard Prentice and not Michael Prentice.

She has also provided additional information about Richard's parents and family, including his marriage record, and we have rewritten this article accordingly.

A. John Prentice. We do not yet know his birth date, but may have been about 1790-1810. He was a Sawyer (per the Marriage Certificate of his son, Richard). A search of the IGI discloses 3 men named John Prentice b. in Suffolk, but none in Ipswich where his children were born.

The name of his wife was not given in the Marriage Certificate. Frances Prentice's email of 11 Oct 2007 suggests the possibility that her name may have been Sarah Prentice (pauper, age 45, b. c. 1796, (probably Ipswich) Suffolk, and incorrectly indexed as Sarah Prentier) based on the possibility that her children, Richard and Sarah, are the Sarah and Richard Prentice, both aged 10 and b. in Suffolk, and listed with their mother, Sarah, aged 45 and b. c. 1796, in the 1841 census in the Ipswich Union Workhouse in St. Peter Civil Parish, Suffolk. Sarah does not appear in the 1851 and later census records.

Sarah, called a Pauper, was not necessarily a widow. It is conceivable that her husband could have been imprisoned or living in another country.

John and his wife had 2 or more children, including:

1. Richard Prentice, b. c. 1833 in Ipswich, Suffolk, England. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . [1]
2. Sarah Prentice, b. 1833 and d. a domestic servant died unmarried at Richard's house in 29 Cumberland Street on 21 Jan 1860, aged 27. She may have been a twin to her brother, Richard. She might be the Sarah Prentice who appears in the 1851 census in Ipswich St. Lawrence, b. c. 1831, Ipswich, and then called a "Servant" living in the home of George and Mary Gower in Ipswich.

1. Richard Prentice was b. c. 1833 in Ipswich, Suffolk, England. By email of 3 Oct 2007, John Wells advises that Richard d. at 29 Cumberland Place aged 36 on the 5th October 1869 (per Frances Prentice, email, 11 Oct 2007).

He might be the Richard Prentice who appears in the 1851 census in Ipswich St. Peter, b. c. 1831, Ipswich, and then called a "Nephew" living in the home of John Fuller (b. c. 1798, Ipswich) and his wife, Matilda (b. c. 1798, Ipswich). Being a Nephew suggests that Matilda Fuller is a sister to John's father or mother. He appears in the 1861 census in Shoreditch St. Leonard, Middlesex, with his wife and family.

He m. Eliza Phillips on 8 Mar 1857 at Christ Church, St. George in the East Middlesex. She was , b. 1833 in Corte Costh, Dorset, and d. in 1865, Shoreditch (per John Wells, email, 3 Oct 2007). She was the dau. of Isaac Phillips, Shoe Maker. Eliza is probably the person shown in the 1841 census in Dorset as b. c. 1832, Dorset, dau. of Isaac Phillips (b. c. 1806, Dorset) and his wife, Thirza (indexed as Thivza Phillips), b. c. 1806 Dorset.

Their Marriage Certificate states that Richard was then a bachelor and Clicker (a clicker was a person who cut out leather for shoes). It says that Eliza was a spinster, dress maker, and that both Richard and Eliza resided at 12 Lucas(?) St., presumable in East Middlesex where the church was located. Children:

1. Thirza E. Prentice, b. c. 1858, Shoreditch, After her parents died, Thirza was adopted by cousins and went to live in Bagshot Surrey and was pulling pints at their pub, The Cricketers Arms. She died in 1874, Chertsey, Surrey. (TB) (per John Wells, 3 Oct 2007)

Also living with the family in 1861 was a nephew, William Prentice, b. c. 1856, Bethnel Green. He might be the William Lloyd Prentice who is discussed in our Spring 2000 article. If so, John Wells, a descendant of William Prentice, relates in his email of 3 Oct 2007 that he only recently found this out and visits the pub every now and them as it is not far from his place of work; small world to be drinking at the pub where his great grandfather's cousin was living and working.

Who are the parents of #A John Prentice? Investigation is continuing.

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