THE BIGGS FAMILY
of Bedfordshire, Kent & Sussex
 
For about eight years we lose track of them.  During this time two sons were born. John Kenworthy Biggs, born about 1793, and Jonathon.  On January 3, 1796, a daughter, Susan, was baptised at Felmersham.  On August 18, 1800, their son, Jonathon, was buried at Felmersham.  William died at the age of 41 and was buried on 15th January 15, 1805, at Felmersham.  His widow, Susan, who was left with at least two young children, married John Barber on October 14, 1806, at Felmersham.

JOHN KENWORTHY BIGGS was born about 1793, but no record of this has yet been found.  When he was 12 his father died and the following year his mother married again.  He was married about 1825 to ELIZABETH GREEN and they settled in Thurleigh, Bedfordshire.  They had at least 7 children: Thomas, born 1828; John, born 1832; Jesse, born 1833; Samuel, born 1837; Priscilla, born July 1838; Jonathan, born November 1839.  Priscilla died of measles aged 18 months on January 17, 1840, and Jonathan died of Convulsions aged 11 months on October 12, 1840.  Another daughter was born on February 4, 1841.  She was registered as Abigail but appears to have been called Caroline.  John Kenworthy Biggs was a Farm Labourer and lived at Cross End, Thurleigh.  He appears in the census return at this address on January 14, 1841 with his wife and five children at home.  In the next census return on April 7, 1851 only his wife, Elizabeth, described as a lace maker; his son, John, agricultural labourer; and the youngest child, Caroline, aged 10, a scholar are left at home.  Ten years later at the next census on March 30, 1861, only he and his wife are at home.

John Kenworthy Biggs died on May 5, 1866, his age is given as 75 and cause of death given as diarrhoea.  His wife, Elizabeth, survived him by 33 years and died aged 99 in 1899.  Their son, John Biggs, was our great grandfather.  He was born about 1832 at Thurleigh, Bedfordshire.  He started work as an agricultural labourer at Thurleigh living at home with his parents.  Some time after 1851, he left home and went to work at Charlton in Kent as a gardener.  On May 17, 1858, aged 26, he married Mary Buries aged 35 at St. Luke’s Church, Charlton, Kent.  John and Mary set up business as Beer Shop Keepers at the Old Greyhound, Lewisham.  This business had formerly belonged to Mary's brother.  On May 12, 1859, their first son, Jesse Kenworthy Biggs, was born.  Two months later, when the census was taken on March 30, 1861, John and Mary are at home with their two children and one maidservant, and visiting them is John's sister, Caroline.  As the youngest boy was only two months old, she was probably visiting them to see the new baby, possibly for its christening.  Two further children were born: Susan Elizabeth, born June 3, 1862, and Rosina Caroline, born June 25, 1865, died nine months later in 1866. On May 13, 1867, John Biggs died at the early age of 34 of Influenza and Hepatitis.  He left a will giving a legacy of £5 to each to of his mother, Elizabeth Biggs, and his Mother-in-law, Sarah Stone, and the residue amounting to about £200 to his dear wife, Mary, and her heirs.  His widow, Mary Biggs, married George Stubbs in April 1868 who took on the business of the Old Greyhound Beershop.  Mary Stubbs died in 1881.