Settlement Examination:
William Relf of St Clement Hastings: in 1794 he bought a house in St Clement Hastings from Isaac Isaiah Edward Fleaureau for 280; lived there for 11 years and served as overseer of the poor for a year; in 1804 sold the house for the benefit of his creditors and then rented back the house at 40 per annum for six months; appointed as check clerk by the Ordnance Department at 5s per day to oversee the masons and bricklayers building the Martello towers in Rye Bay; after two years he was employed to sweep and look after 11 Martello towers from Cliffs to Rye Harbour at 18s per week for two years; while so employed he rented a small house at Winchelsea at 3s per week for a year; in 1813 he rented a small house (three rooms) near the market in Brighton from Samuel Capon, gardener (under tenant of the premises) at 12 per annum for 10 months; at the same time he rented a bakehouse from John Thompsett, baker at 2s 6d per week for two to three months; moved to London where he rented a furnished apartment for two months at 5s per week; in 1823 he went to Rye where he rented a shop, bakehouse and two rooms (part of a large house) at 7s per week for two and a half years; moved to Northiam where he rented a house at 2s per week for two years; rented a house in St Clement Hastings from George Garner at 3s 6d per week for 11 weeks; married by licence at St Clement Hastings in 1793; wife Ann; endorsed removed to Brighton, quashed by consent. 4
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Writing his Will in Mar 1802 John Smith of Bexhill, yeoman, named William Relf of Hastings, miller, as husband of John's sister Ann.
In May 1802 Wm Relf was present at the marriage of his sister-in-law Sarah Smith to John Crowhurst in Bexhill Sussex.
Writing his Will in Aug 1819 Smith Crouch* of Hastings, gentleman, made bequests to 'all and every the children and child of William Relf late of Hastings ... miller by his present wife who before her marriage was Ann Smith spinster...'
* Smith Crouch (b. 1778 in Hastings) was Ann's first cousin, the son of Lovell Crouch and Ann's aunt Sarah Crouch (née Smith).
At the time of the 1841 England Census Wm Relf, aged about 75, baker, and wife Ann Relf, aged about 75, were living in All Saints Street, All Saints, Hastings Sussex.
At the time of the 1851 England Census William Relph, born in Sedlescomb, widower, miller, was living in Hastings Union House, Ore Sussex.
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William Relf of Hastings Union died aged 88 years (burial record).
Research Notes: