Mutimer Family Page
Matilda MUTIMER was my Great-great-grandmother. She was born in 1816 in Hingham, the daughter of Stephen MUTIMER and Mary POND. She married Robert PETCH in Swaffham.
Stephen MUTIMER was possibly the son of Thomas MUTIMER and Sarah WRIGHT born about 1791 and baptised on 24 February 1793 at Framsden St Mary, Suffolk . On 22 November 1813 he married Mary POND at Hingham. Mary was a widow. Her maiden name was HAYTHORP and she had previously been married to Thomas POND with whom she had 4 children: Maria, Elizabeth, Mary and Bridget.
In 1814 Stephen is recorded on Parish records as a shopkeeper in Hingham. In 1815 it states that he is a baker but by 1822 he is working as a labourer. Stephen and Mary had seven children.
On 22 December 1829 Stephen 45, along with Matthew WICK 29 was charged with stealing 3 coombes of barley, the property of Thomas BRASNETT. Stephen and Matthew were convicted of the felony at the Epiphany Sessions in Norwich on 13th January 1830 and both were sentenced to 7 years hard labour.
Matthew was married to Stephen's step daughter Maria POND. They married at Hingham on 13 November 1825 and had two sons Thomas 1826 and Matthew 1828.
Stephen and Matthew were sent to Portsmouth to await removal (deportation) to Australia aboard the Lady Feversham which departed Portsmouth 9 February 1830 and sailed to Australia on 8 April 1830. It reached Port Jackson, NSW, Australia on 29 July 1830. While at sea Stephen was recorded as needing medical attention for an ulcer he was treated in the sick bay from 20 April to 25 April 1830. An undated convict index shows Stephen arrived on The Lady Feversham. and that he was born in Suffolk about 1785 and his occupation was a plough reaps. Both Stephen and Matthew were granted a Ticket of Leave in 1834 with the stipulation that they remain in the district of Bathurst. On 23 July 1839 Stephen was granted his Certificate of Freedom.
Nothing more is known about Stephen. It is unlikely that he returned to Britain after his release. It is thought though that Matthew Wick remained in Australia and married and had children by his wife there. Technically this could be considered bigamy but as many released convicts had no means by which to return to the UK and their wives and families after completion of their sentence it was a common occurence.
Meanwhile Stephen's wife Mary and her daughter Maria WICK nee POND were left here in Norfolk to carry on with their lives. Mary died and was buried at Sporle on 28 August 1839 aged 56 years. Maria Wick is recorded on the 1841 census with her son Matthew living at London Street, Swaffham. Maria died on Christmas Day 1848 and was buried the following day at Sporle. Matthew died in 1852 and was buried at Swaffham on 7 March, a single man. Maria's other son Thomas married Frances Louisa FROST at Swaffham in October 1850 but they were both to meet an early death. Frances was buried at Swaffham on 17 January 1854 and Thomas on 9 March 1860, they left two young children; Maria born 1851 and Matthew born 1853.
Children of Stephen Mutimer and Mary HAYTHORP.
Matilda was born on 27 February 1814 and baptised the following day. She did not survive long and was buried at Hingham on the 5th March 1814.
Jemima, twin sister of Matilda, was born on 27 February 1814 and baptised the following day. She married Charles HARPER on 14 February 1833 at Sporle and they went to live in Downham Market, Norfolk. In 1841 they are living at Church Lane and Charles is working as a carpenter. They are still there in 1851 but by 1861 they have moved to Denver Road, Downham Market. Charles is now employing a man to work with him as a carpenter as this is probably their son Frederick. Jemima died in 1866 and was buried at Downham Market on the 21 October 1866.
Harriet was born on 28th August 1815 in Hingham and baptised there on 17th September that year. On 23 October 1836 in Sporle cum Palgrave Harriett married James CODMAN, they had 11 children: (i) Mary Ann -1838-1839, (ii) Frederick James 1840 – 1901 a wheelwright by trade who lived and worked in Bury St Edmunds, he married Juliana BUTTERS of Swaffham, they had no children. (iii) Matilda 1844-1930 married James Henry PETCH (See Petch Family History) (iv) Emily 1847 – 1881 married Theophilus John PETCH (see Petch Family History) (v) George Alfred was baptised on 4 December 1848 he died in infancy and was buried at Sporle 14 January 1851, (vi) Harriett was baptised in Swaffham on 1 October 1850. She married William BACON in 1869, they had no children. (vii) Jemima was baptised at Swaffham in 1853 and married Mark FLINT, a boot and shoe maker and they lived at Mantripp’s Yard, Swaffham. They did not have any children. (viii) Providence was baptised at Swaffham on 28 December 1855. She married Borroughs GAINSBURY at Swaffham in 1855 and they had two children Providence Emily (1873 -1917) and Leonard (1879 – 1912). (ix) Hannah was born on 23 January 1857 at Swaffham and baptised there on the 26 January. She died aged four days and was buried on the 28 January; her name on the burial register is given as Sarah. (x) Charles James was born on 31 January 1857 in Swaffham and baptised there on 27 February, he only lived a few weeks and was buried at Swaffham on 25 March 1857 (xi) Julia was born on the 14 February and baptised on 17 March 1858 in Swaffham. She survived for only four weeks and was buried on 24 March at Swaffham.
Matilda was born 30 October 1816 and baptised at Hingham, Norfolk on 4 November 1816. She married Robert PETCH at Sporle cum Palgrave, Norfolk on 30th October 1835, her 19th birthday. Robert and Matilda lived at Lynn Street Swaffham where Robert was a tailor. Robert died in Swaffham in 1862 and Matilda on 7 August 1881, she was buried at Swaffham on 11 August 1881. Matilda and Robert had 10 children: Robert , Frederick Charles, James Henry, Arthur Jesse, Theophilus John, Alfred Pooley, Reuben Stephen Mutimer, Matilda, Willie and Arthur. (Petch Family History).
Providence was born on 18 May and baptised on 15 June at Hingham. She was only 7 years old when she died and was buried at Hingham on 6 December 1826.
Jessy was born at Hingham on 19 October 1822 and baptised there on the 23 October. She died a baby and was buried at Hingham on 13 April 1823.
Reuben was born on 21 September and baptised on 27 September 1825 at Hingham, he also died a baby and was buried at Hingham on 4 June 1826.