William Henry Marks 1831-1910

Born into a family of smugglers/free traders. Gunner RN, then fisherman

~1832. William Henry Marks was born to Hannibal Marks & Susanna Spriddle . His older brother, Hannibal 4, 1819, sailed to NZ about this time??- evading justice . Baptised 14/8/1831 St Makra, Maker, born Kingsand 17/7/1831- Marks Ancestry tree: RN Seamen Index gives his birth, rest of his records in the NA. Seaman number 10258

1841C..William Marks was living at Strand, Maker, St.Germans, Cornwall with his mother & 4 siblings . For birthplace, Devon was seemingly Cornwall! county boundary then different

William Soaper Male 25 1816 fisherman-
Elizabeth Soaper Female 25 1816 -
William Soaper Male 0 1841 Devon, England
Elizabeth Williams Female 5 1836 Devon, England
Susanna Marks Female 40 1801 Ind. Devon, England
Elizabeth Marks Female 12 1829 Devon, England
William Marks Male 10 1831 Devon, England
Pascho Marks Male 7 1834 Devon, England
Susanna Marks Female 5 1836 Devon, England
Mary Marks Female 1 1840 Devon, England

1845.

William Henry Marks. When admitted to Greenwich Hospital School: 31 January 1845.

Applicant born 29 August 1831/29 January 1833. There are two affidavits sworn by mother giving the different dates. This also gave rise to dispute about when the boy should leave the school. Parents married in 3 December 1818 in St. Andrew's Church, Plymouth. 9 Documents are held in the N.Archives at Kew. ADM 73/289/40 - Kevin, you should got there and ask to look at these!

Origins and Aims

The origins of the Greenwich Hospital School can be found in a Royal Charter. King William III founded the Royal Hospital for Seamen, as it was then known, at Greenwich in 1694, in memory of his co-monarch and wife Queen Mary II. The aims of the School, which were derived from the Charter, were to: 

  • Make provision for the maintenance and education of orphaned children of Royal Navy seamen who had been "slain or disabled" while fighting for 'King and Country' 
  • Improve the Royal Navy's navigation skills  
  • Supply the Royal Navy with competent and able new seamen  
  • Provide "for the further relief and encouragement of seamen"  

Because the School was run as a charity, boys (and girls until 1841) in Victorian times enjoyed free education and training. Girls, however, were trained to be domestic servants!

 But William was not an orphan!

 

1851C.Cannot find. But his parents at the Strand, Maker, St.Germans, Cornwall. He probably already at sea

Hannibal Marks Head Married Male 56 1795 Superanuated Gunner R N Maker Devon, England
Susanna Marks Wife Married Female 54 1797 - Maker Devon, England
Pascoe Marks Son Unmarried Male 17 1834 Mariner Maker Devon, England
Susanna Marks Daughter Unmarried Female 16 1835 - Maker Devon, England

1854. A William Henry Marks was imprisoned at Exeter Assizes, Devon, for 1 month, crime 'Fraud' - unlikely to have been him!

1858. William Henry Marks married Sarah Grace Andrews Plymouth Sep 1858.

Look for his Naval Record

1861C. Sarah Marks was living Market Street, Maker, St Germans, Cornwall with her parents and first born. Her husband, William H Marks, must have been away at sea

William Andrew Head Married Male 57 1804 Fisherman Maker, Cornwall, England
Grace Andrew Wife Married Female 54 1807 - Maker, Cornwall, England
Susanna Andrew Daughter Unmarried Female 22 1839 - Maker, Cornwall, England
Sarah G Marks Daughter Married Female 23 1838 Seamans Wife Maker, Cornwall, England
William E A Marks Grandson - Male 2 1859 - Plymouth, Devon, England

1871C.William Marks was living Market Street, Maker, St Germans, Cornwall. All born Kingsand: this once part of Devon

William Marks Head - Male 40 1831 naval pensioner- Kingsand Devon, England
Sarah Marks Wife - Female 35 1836 - Devon, England
William Marks Son - Male 12 1859 - Devon, England
John Marks Son - Male 8 1863 - Devon, England
Henry Marks Son - Male 6 1865 - Devon, England
Sarah Marks Daughter - Female 4 1867 - Devon, England
Susannah Marks Daughter - Female 2 1869 - Devon, England
Emily Marks Daughter - Female 0 1871 - Devon, England

Sarah Grace Marks, 4, was buried Maker on 17/12/1871 -COPC

1881 Grace Andrew Marks was born 16/12/1880 St Germans Mar 1881 to William & Sarah

1881C. William Marks was living Market Street, Maker, St Germans, Cornwall

William Marks Head Married Male 49 1832 Greenwich Pensioner Kingsand, Devon, England
Sarah Marks Wife Married Female 43 1838 - Kingsand, Devon, England
John Marks Son Single Male 17 1864 Fisherman Kingsand, Devon, England
Henry Marks Son Single Male 15 1866 Fisherman Kingsand, Devon, England
Susan Marks Daughter Single Female 12 1869 Scholar Kingsand, Devon, England
Emily Marks Daughter Single Female 10 1871 Scholar Kingsand, Devon, England
Sarah Marks Daughter Single Female 8 1873 Scholar Kingsand, Devon, England
Ida Marks Daughter Single Female 5 1876 Scholar Kingsand, Devon, England
Alice Marks Daughter Single Female 3 1878 Scholar Kingsand, Devon, England
Grace Marks Daughter Single Female 0 1881 - Kingsand, Devon, England

 

Diana McCormack shares the same Marks great grandparents.  Her grandmother was Alice..sister to Grace.
Diana now lives near Napier N Z.  She discovered news of Hannibal as descendants still live around there and apparently keep Hannibal as a name but I think now descending from the female line so not Marks.
 I do recall Grace and Alice did not see much of each other although they lived opposite each other in Kingsand.
Grace was known to be difficult although as kids we thought she was funny...a bit hysterical sometimes.  She did not talk of family history.  Alice was a gentle kindly soul.

 

1891C. William Marks was living Market Street, Maker, St Germans, Cornwall. All down as born Kingsand

William Marks Head Married Male 59 1832 Fisherman Cornwall, England
Sarah Marks Wife Married Female 54 1837 - Cornwall, England
John Marks Son Single Male 27 1864 Fisherman Cornwall, England
Henry Marks Son Single Male 25 1866 Fisherman Cornwall, England
Emily Marks Daughter Single Female 20 1871 General Servant Cornwall, England
Sarah Marks Daughter Single Female 18 1873 General Servant Cornwall, England
Alice Marks Daughter Single Female 13 1878 Scholar Kingsand, Cornwall, England
Grace Marks Daughter Single Female 10 1881 Scholar Cornwall, England

1901C. William H Marks was living Garrett Street, Rame, St Germans, Cornwall

William H Marks Head Married Male 69 1832 Pensioner Naval Maker, Cornwall, England
Sarah G Marks Wife Married Female 63 1838 - Maker, Cornwall, England
John Marks Son Single Male 37 1864 Fisherman Maker, Cornwall, England
Grace Marks Daughter Single Female 20 1881 General Servant (Domestic) Maker, Cornwall, England

1910. William H Marks, 78, died 1/2/1910 St Germans Mar 1910 . Buried in Maker Church- ref F -003. -FMP. No probate

 

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