Person Page - 198

John Sackett, son of John Sackett and Mary Austin, was baptized at St John in Thanet, Kent^G, on 21 July 1736.¹ He died aged nine on 27 November 1745 and was buried there on 1 December 1745.^2,3

Elizabeth Sackett, daughter of John Sackett and Mary Austin, was baptized at St John in Thanet, Kent^G, on 13 August 1738.¹ She died aged 15 in London^G on 4 April 1753² and was buried at St John in Thanet^G on 8 April 1753.^3,2

Ann Sackett, daughter of John Sackett and Mary Austin, was baptized at St John in Thanet, Kent^G, on 26 December 1740.¹ She died aged 17 on 3 June 1758 and was buried there on 7 June 1758.^2,3 Ann's twin sister Mary died later the same month.

Mary Sackett, daughter of John Sackett and Mary Austin, was baptized at St John in Thanet, Kent^G, on 26 December 1740.¹ She died aged 17 on 27 June 1758 and was buried there on 1 July 1758.^2,3 Mary's twin sister Ann had died earlier the same month.

Ambrose Sackett, shipwright and lighter builder, son of John Sackett and Mary Austin, was baptized at St John in Thanet, Kent^G, on 24 April 1743.¹ He died aged 70 on 25 August 1813 and was buried there on 1 September 1813.^2,3 He was unmarried.
     Ambrose Sackett established, with his brother Henry, the firm of A & H Sackett, Lighterbuilders, of Rotherhithe. The business was evidently very successful. The brothers accumulated significant wealth and were to describe themselves in later life as "gentlemen". They were both much involved in the Company of Shipwrights.
     Ambrose began his working life in 1757 at the age of 14 as an apprentice to Meridith Bishop, a shipwright and citizen of London. The fee paid for his apprenticeship was a nominal one penny, suggesting a family or other strong connection with the Bishops. He would have completed his seven-year apprenticeship at age 21. Five years later, in 1769, he was made free by servitude, becoming a citizen and shipwright of the City of London.⁴ Once qualified, Ambrose himself took a number of apprentices, the first of these, in 1777, being his cousin Thomas Sackett.⁵ On 15 July 1779 he took Henry Stokes of St Lawrence as an apprentice.⁶
     The records of the Shipwrights' Company show Ambrose paying quarterage (membership fees) from 1777 to 1810. He was elected an Assistant of the Company in 1784 and, in 1791, was elected as Steward for the next Lord Major's Day. Ambrose and Henry were listed in the Universal British Directory of 1791 under Livery of London, Shipwright's Company, as lighter builders of 52 Rotherhithe.⁷ After the brothers' deaths the business was carried on under the name of Sackett & Stokes, "near the Church", Rotherhithe^G.⁸
     Ambrose was named as a beneficiary in his brother Henry's will made in Kennington Green, Lambeth, Surrey^G, on 15 June 1807. He was left a sum of £200 and was appointed an executor of Henry's will and trustee of various funds. In the event, Ambrose predeceased his brother.⁹
     Ambrose made his will in St John in Thanet^G on 6 February 1808, naming as beneficiaries his brother (and business partner) Henry, his nephew John Henry Sackett, his nieces Ann Sackett and Mary Sackett, and his great nephews Henry John Preston and Henry Benjamin Walmsley.¹⁰ Ambrose left a substantial estate of nearly £2,500 in personalty as well as his real estate. The main beneficiary was his brother Henry—Ambrose's only surviving sibling, but who was himself to survive Ambrose by less than 18 months. He was left all Ambrose's real estate and £800 in Government stock. Henry was left a further £500 in stock for the benefit of his son John Henry Sackett "to set him up in business". Each of Henry's surviving daughters, Ann and Mary, was also left an amount of £500 in stocks. Ambrose remembered with bequests of £20 his great nephews, Henry Preston and Henry Walmsley, respectively the sons of Ann and Mary.

Henry Sackett, shipwright of Bermondsey, Surrey, son of John Sackett and Mary Austin, was baptized at St John in Thanet, Kent^G, on 19 May 1745.¹ He died aged 70 in St John in Thanet^G on 5 February 1815 and was buried there on 15 February 1815.^6,7 He married first at St Mary Magdalen, Bermondsey, Surrey^G, on 18 March 1770, Ann Terry.^2,3 Ann was born on 26 May 1746 and baptized at St Mary Magdalen^G on 19 July 1765 as an adult.⁸ He married second at St Mary Magdalen^G on 9 January 1787, Hannah Foott.^4,5 Hannah was born about 1756.⁹ She died aged 33 following the birth of her son John Henry and was buried at St Mary Magdalen^G on 3 August 1789.¹⁰ Her son was baptized four days later.
     Henry Sackett was engaged, with his brother Ambrose, in the firm of A & H Sackett, Lighterbuilders, of Rotherhithe. The business was evidently very successful. The brothers accumulated significant wealth and were to describe themselves in later life as "gentlemen". They were both much involved in the Company of Shipwrights.
     Henry took on an apprentice shipwright, Thomas Courthope, in 1792¹¹, and on 25 February 1796 took on John Sackett, son of his cousin John Sackett, husbandman of St Peter in Thanet.¹²
     Henry and Ambrose were listed in the Universal British Directory of 1791 under Livery of London, Shipwright's Company, as lighter builders of 52 Rotherhithe. Henry was also listed as a lighter builder in Holden's Triennial Directory of 1805–07.^13,14 After the brothers' deaths the business was carried on under the name of Sackett & Stokes, "near the Church", Rotherhithe^G.¹⁵
     Henry made his will in Kennington Green, Lambeth, Surrey^G, on 15 June 1807, naming as beneficiaries his son John, his daughters Ann and Mary, and his brother Ambrose.¹⁶ Henry left a substantial estate. Two trust funds were set up, the first of £2,000 for the benefit of his daughter Mary during her lifetime and subsequently for the benefit of her children. The second fund, to comprise a further £2,000, the proceeds of sale of all land and property, and the balance of personalty after other bequests, was for the benefit equally of his three children, John Henry, Ann, and Mary. Henry left an amount of £200 to his brother and business partner, Ambrose. In the event, Ambrose predeceased Henry and a large bequest from Ambrose would have been added to Henry's estate.
     Henry was named as a beneficiary in his brother Ambrose's will made in St John in Thanet^G on 6 February 1808. He was to inherit all Ambrose's real estate and an amount of £800 in Government stocks. He was an executor of the will.¹⁷
     In 1813, Henry was granted administration of the estate of his father who had died intestate in 1798.¹⁸

Sarah Sackett, daughter of William Sackett and Elizabeth Dawson, was baptized at St John in Thanet, Kent^G, on 15 June 1746.¹ She died aged 84 and was buried at St Peter in Thanet^G on 23 January 1830.³ She married at St John in Thanet^G on 1 November 1766, William Doughty.²

Elizabeth Sackett, daughter of William Sackett and Elizabeth Dawson, was baptized at St John in Thanet, Kent^G, on 3 April 1748.¹ She died aged about 54 and was buried there on 4 August 1802.³ She married at St Lawrence in Thanet^G on 31 October 1768, Edward Fittell.²

William Sackett, son of William Sackett and Elizabeth Dawson, was baptized at St John in Thanet, Kent^G, on 11 February 1749/50.¹ He died without issue aged 32 on 24 October 1782² and was buried there on 31 October 1782.^4,2 He married at St Peter in Thanet^G on 11 November 1780, Mary Fox.³ After William's death, Mary married second at Birchington, Kent^G, on 21 December 1782, John Sidders, a husbandman.^5,6,7

Mary Sackett, daughter of William Sackett and Elizabeth Dawson, was born in St John in Thanet, Kent^G, on 15 August 1752 and baptized there on 23 August 1752.¹ She married at St Peter in Thanet^G on 5 October 1777, John Church Brasier, son of Robert Brasier and Sarah ___.^2,3

Thomas Sackett, shipwright of Rotherhithe, Surrey, son of William Sackett and Elizabeth Dawson, was born in St John in Thanet, Kent^G, on 19 October 1754¹ and baptized there on 27 October 1754.¹ He died aged 76 and was buried at St Mary the Virgin, Rotherhithe^G, on 13 March 1831.⁴⁵ He married first at St Mary le Bone, Middlesex^G, on 15 January 1787, Susanna Robbins.² Susanna was born about 1762.⁶ She died aged 28 following the birth of her son William and was buried at St Mary the Virgin, Rotherhithe^G, on 5 February 1790.⁷ He married second at St John Horsleydown, Bermondsey^G, on 17 April 1794, Martha Grant.³ Martha was born about 1760.⁶ She died aged 81 and was buried at St Mary the Virgin, Rotherhithe^G, on 28 May 1841.⁸
     Thomas Sackett was apprenticed on 27 November 1777 to his cousin Ambrose Sackett, a shipwright, who was in business with his brother Henry.⁹ Thomas would have completed his apprenticeship after seven years in 1784 although he did not take up his freedom of the Shipwright's Company until 1795.
     Thomas took on a number of apprentices including his nephew William Sackett on 23 February 1797¹⁰ and his own son Francis on 15 October 1809.¹¹ Others were: William Gore in 1802, James Egan in 1807, Thomas Robins in 1812, Richard Grant in 1814, James Alston in 1815.^{12,13,14,15,16} By the following year, 1820, there had evidently been a decline in the business and Thomas found himself bankrupt. There was a forced sale by auction of the extensive business premises at Mill Stairs.¹⁷

John Sackett, carrier of St John in Thanet, Kent, son of William Sackett and Elizabeth Dawson, was born in St John in Thanet^G on 9 September 1757¹ and baptized there on 18 September 1757.² He died aged 55 on 7 January 1813 and was buried there on 11 January 1813.^4,5 He married at Birchington^G on 7 December 1780, Mary Hughes.³ Mary was born about 1757.⁶ She died aged 70 on 5 February 1827 and was buried at St John in Thanet^G on 24 February 1827.^5,7

Anne Sackett, daughter of William Sackett and Elizabeth Dawson, was born in St John in Thanet, Kent^G, on 10 October 1759 and baptized there on 14 October 1759.¹
     Further records have not been found. She may have died young (the quick baptism perhaps indicating that she was not expected to survive), or she may have been the Ann Sackett who had an illegitimate son in St Peter in Thanet in 1784.

Susan Sackett, daughter of William Sackett and Elizabeth Dawson, was born in St John in Thanet, Kent^G, on 5 August 1761 and baptized there on 16 August 1761.¹ She died aged 21 on 10 April 1783 and was buried at St John in Thanet^G on 13 April 1783.^2,3

Martha Sackett, daughter of William Sackett and Elizabeth Dawson, was born in St John in Thanet, Kent^G, on 23 March 1763 and baptized there on 3 April 1763.¹ She died in infancy and was buried there on 21 May 1763.^2,3