Mark Holmes was resident of Spilsby at the time of his marriage to Susannah Motley. However, he was not born there. In fact there were no Holmes christenings in Spilsby from 1758 to 1788. In 1789, Thomas Holmes, son of Mark and Susannah, was christened in Spilsby.
Mark may have had a older brother, William, who was buried in Spilsby 24 May 1813, aged 60 years.
It's possible that Mark was the son of Thomas Holmes* and Frances Place* who were married in Langton-by-Partney (close to Spilsby) on 25 Apr 1758, even though no christening for Mark can be found there. Thomas and Frances had a son George who died young in Langton and was buried there on 9 Oct 1761 a few days after his brother Thomas, and no christening record for George can be found there. However, even given the fact that Mark's eldest son was called Thomas and his eldest daughter was called Frances, is not sufficient reason to assume Mark's parents were Thomas* and Frances*. It's entirely possible Mark was born in another county (e.g. a Mark Holmes was christened 31 Ma 1761 in Keighley, Yorkshire, son of John Holmes & Barbara).
* Thomas Holmes was born c. 1732 and was buried 1 Sep 1795 in Langton-by-Partney, Lincs., aged 63 years. Frances Place was born c. 1728 (possibly christened 2 Aug 1730 in Langton-by-Partney) and was buried 19 Aug 1781 in Langton-by-Partney, aged 53 years.)
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Alehouse Recognizances
Date: 17 Sep 1792 LQS/D/9/1/3/20
Licensee: Mark Holmes.
Alehouse: In the parish of Spilsby.
Sureties: Mark Holmes of Spilsby & Joseph Bateman of Candlesby.
Date: 17 Sep 1792 LQS/D/9/1/3/25
Licensee: Joseph Bateman.
Alehouse: In the parish of Candlesby.
Sureties: Joseph Bateman of Candlesby & Mark Holmes of Spilsby.
Date: 9 Sep 1799 LQS/D/9/1/3/32
Licensee: Mark Holmes.
Alehouse: In the parish of Spilsby.
Sureties: Mark Holmes & John Dodds of Spilsby.
Date: 9 Sep 1799
LQS/D/9/1/3/38
Licensee: William Smith.
Alehouse: In the parish of Little Steeping.
Sureties: William Smith of Little Steeping & Mark Holmes of Spilsby.
Date: 9 Sep 1799
LQS/D/9/1/3/54
Licensee: Cuthbert Woodward.
Alehouse: In the parish of Stickford.
Sureties: William Smith & Mark Holmes of Spilsby.
Date: 3 Sep 1804
LQS/D/9/1/3/93
Licensee: Robert Taylor.
Alehouse: In the parish of Spilsby.
Sureties: Robert Taylor & Mark Holmes of Spilsby.
Date: 3 Sep 1804
LQS/D/9/1/3/94
Licensee: Mark Holmes.
Alehouse: In the parish of Spilsby.
Sureties: Mark Holmes & Robert Taylor of Spilsby.
Date: 8 Sep 1806 LQS/D/9/1/3/143
Licensee: Mark Holmes.
Alehouse: In the parish of Spilsby.
Sureties: Mark Holmes of Spilsby & John Ashton of Revesby.
Date: 8 Sep 1806
LQS/D/9/1/3/160
Licensee: John Ashton.
Alehouse: In the parish of Revesby.
Sureties: John Ashton of Revesby & Mark Holmes of Spilsby.
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"MARK HOLMES' CREDITORS AND DEBTORS.
WHEREAS MARK HOLMES late of Spilsby, in the County of Lincoln, Victualler, hath, by Indenture, assigned all his personal Estate and Effects to certain Trustees therein named, IN TRUST, for the Benefit of such of his Creditors as shall execute the Deed of Assignment on or before the 22nd DAY of MARCH next."
Stamford Mercury, March 12, 1802
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Mark Holmes was a witness to the wedding of his daughter Frances Holmes to William Pinches in 1822.
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"On Tuesday last was committed to the house of correction at Spilsby, (by John Bourne, Esq.) James Houlden, labourer, for further examination on suspicion of stealing a one-pound note from out of a cupboard in the stable, the property of Mark Holmes, ostler at the George Inn, Spilsby."
Stamford Mercury, December 14, 1827.
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Mark Holmes was a witness to the wedding of Robert Howden, widower, and Mary Silvester, spinster, on 3 Feb 1837 in Sausthorpe.
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Mark Holmes, labourer, died aged 80 years as a result of decay of nature. Son Mark Holmes of Sausthorpe, informant. 3
Mark Holmes, [resident] of Sausthorpe, died aged 80 years (burial record).—The age given (80) is undoubtedly rounded off, as Mark gave his age as 25 in 1787, making him 77 years old when he died.
General Notes: