Balchen Family
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The Balchen family unites with the Man family in 1746/7 at the point when on 26 February 1746/7 Mary Balchen (1721 - 1798) married John Man (1718 - 1783).  Two families connected with the Balchens are the Barnes and the Craddock families.

The most renowned Balchen was Admiral Sir John Balchen. However his exact genealogical relationship to the Balchen family listed below has yet to be demonstrated. Indeed it has become increasingly obvious that, although there may be a very distant relationship, the admiral was NOT in fact the uncle of Mary Man and her sister Elizabeth Cumberland as the two ladies and their descendants have claimed. The confusion surrounding the relationship between the Admiral and the Balchen family has been described here.

The Balchen / Balchin Family Society actively maintains contact among the members of the family and they have a web site HERE.  That web site consists mostly of data about the Surrey Balchens / Balchins of Godalming and Guildford.  The family often spills across the border into Sussex. The Balchen family on these pages, although very probably related to the Surrey (Sussex) family, is from London and so far no clear link has been established among:  i) the Admiral's family, ii) the Surrey (Sussex) Balchins, and iii) the London Balchens (as listed below).  However, all that is needed to demonstrate a relationship, if there is one, is some careful research which has yet to be done. (see also the Cumberland Family). Given the rarity of the name and the concentration of its occurrence in just one small corner of Surrey /Sussex, it most likely that all those bearing the name Balchen are in some way related to each other.

James Balchen (1724 - 1748/49), brother of Mary Man, wrote a description of visiting his new Man in-laws in 1747 and this can be found here.  For notes on the various claims made by the Man and Balchen families as to their relationship to Admiral Balchen's click HERE (<--- in pdf).  A court case involving Henry Balchen, Martha Balchen, Elizabeth Balchen, George Cumberland Sr., Sarah Boulter (nee Cradock), and others can be read HERE.  A more detailed Balchen family genealogy than the listing below and consisting of a 29 page pdf document can be read HERE.

 

In the will of a certain Edward Balchin Wheelwright of Horsham, Sussex, he appoints as his executor his 'loving kinsman' John Balchin of Whitechapel. Since there are no records yet found linking the Surrey/Sussex Balchins with the London Balchens this one reference takes on particular significance.

Edward signed his will on 5 June 1712 and it was proved on 15 July 1712 so he died soon after signing.  There is only one John Balchen alive in 1712 whose age would be appropriate to qualify as the executor of a will, as well as the fact that he is living in Whitechapel, and that is John Balchen (1658 - 1721) who is the grandfather of Mary Balchen who married John Man. 

From the will we gather that Edward is a widower and that he has two married daughters: Elizabeth and Rachell.  Elizabeth is the wife of George Sayers (yeoman). Edward mentions two of their children (Mary and Elizabeth). He also bequeaths to his second daughter, Rachell Lancaster, wife of John Lancaster.  

In the will, John Balchen is called a 'Supervisor of the Excise' which would indicate a fairly substantial government office. To read Edward Balchin's will in PDF (three pages) please click here.

For more detail's on Edward's family see the note below.

A number of references to the Balchen family have been found in the newspapers of the age some of which appear as follows:

Death of Susannah Balchen nee barnes Death of Richard Balchen
The death of Susannah Balchen (nee Barnes) in a London newspaper dated March 28 1737/38.  She would have been 75 years.
The death of Richard Balchen father of Mary Man, Elizabeth Cumberland, etc. announced in a London newspaper dated  April 22 1738. He was the son of Susannah (left). Above Richard Balchen is declared a bankrupt November 15 1726.
     
   
  Above Richard is declared to no longer be a bankrupt December 20 1726.  

To  more easily follow the descent to the Man family, the direct line has been placed in bold faced type.

Descendants of John Balchen.

Generation No. 1.

JOHN BALCHEN was born 1622 in Bramley, Surrey, and died 1696. He married FRANCIS RYDE December 03, 1650 in West Clandon, Surrey. She died 1693 in West Clandon, Surrey.

Children of JOHN BALCHEN and FRANCIS RYDE are:

  1. HENRY BALCHEN b. 1651; d. 1741; m. JOAN.
  2. JOHN BALCHEN, b. 1658, West Clandon, Surrey; d. 1721, Whitechapel, London.

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Generation No. 2.

JOHN BALCHEN(JOHN1) was born 1658 in West Clandon, Surrey, and died 1721 in Whitechapel, London. He married SUSANNAH BARNES November 10, 1691 in St Mary Abchurch, London, daughter of HENRY BARNES and SUSANNAH CRADDOCK. She was born 1663 in Weston, Near Bath, Somerset, and died 1738 in Whitechapel, London. 

Children of JOHN BALCHEN and SUSANNAH BARNES are:

  1. RICHARD BALCHEN, b. 1692, Whitechapel, London; d. 1738, Whitechapel, London.
  2. SUSANNAH BALCHEN, b. 1694, Whitechapel, London; d. 1721, Whitechapel, London.
  3. JOHN BALCHEN, b. 1696, London Stone, London; d. 26 Jul 1742 at Canton, China.
  4. HENRY BALCHEN, b. 1698; d. 1780.
  5. MARIA BALCHEN, b. 1702, Weston Near Bath, Somerset.
  6. WILLIAM BALCHEN, b. 1705, Whitechapel, London.
  7. HESTER BALCHEN, b. 1712, Whitechapel.

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Generation No. 3

1. RICHARD3 BALCHEN (JOHN2, JOHN1) was born 1692 in Whitechapel, London, England, and died 1738 in Whitechapel, London, England. He married MARTHA HITCHCOCK 19  Oct 1715. She was born 1694. (See note on the marriage at the bottom of this page)

The children of RICHARD BALCHEN and MARTHA HITCHCOCK are:

  1. SUSANNAH4BALCHEN, b. 1716, London; d. 1771.
  2. MARTHA BALCHEN, b. 1717; d. 1717.
  3. MARY BALCHEN, b. 1721, London; d. 1798, Walworth Common, Surrey.
  4. WILLIAM BALCHEN, b. 1722, Mile End, London; d. July 1765.
  5. JAMES BALCHEN, b. 1724; d. February 1748/49.
  6. ELIZABETH BALCHEN, b. 1726.
  7. MARTHA BALCHEN, b. 1727; d. 1727.
  8. ANN (Nancy) BALCHEN, b. 1729.
  9. MARTHA BALCHEN, b. 1730.

4. HENRY3 BALCHEN (JOHN2, JOHN1) was born 1698, and died 1780. He married (1) MARY UNKNOWN. He married (2) MARY SCOTT 1745 in St Mary, Rotherhithe, Surrey. She died in Rotherhithe, Surrey. He married (3) MARY MATTHEWS 1763. She was buried at St Dionis Backchurch, London. [With regard to the first of Henry's wives; the following burial entry on page 453 of the records from St. Mary's, Whitechapel, suggests that this is her: "Mary Balchen of Mansell Street, 17 Jan 1742/43, age 35."]

Child of HENRY BALCHEN and MARY UNKNOWN is:

  1. SARAH4 BALCHEN, b. 1735.

Child of HENRY BALCHEN and MARY SCOTT is:

  1. JOHN BALCHEN, b. 1745, Whitechapel, London; d. January 09, 1785, Milk Street, London.

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Generation No. 4.

5. SUSANNAH4 BALCHEN (RICHARD3, JOHN2, JOHN1) was born 1716 in London, and died 1771. She married JAMES THOMPSON July 16, 1752 in Holy Trinity, Minories, London. He was born 1714.

Child of SUSANNAH BALCHEN and JAMES THOMPSON is:

  1. JAMES5 THOMPSON, b. 1754.

6. MARY BALCHEN (RICHARD3, JOHN2, JOHN1) was born 1721 in London, and died 1790 in Walworth Common, Surrey.  She married JOHN MAN February 25, 1745/46 in Holy Trinity, The Minories, London.  He was born 1718 in Hurst, Reading, Berkshire, and died April 07, 1783 in Cardiff, South Wales.

Children of MARY BALCHEN and JOHN MAN are:

  1. HENRY MAN, b. February 1746/47, Prescot Street, Whitechapel, London; d. December 05, 1799, London.
  2. JOHN MAN, b. November 1749, Mansel Street, Whitechapel, London; d. April 1824, Castle Street, Reading.
  3. MARY MAN, b. July 1751, Mansel Street, Whitechapel, London;
  4. ANN MAN, b. June 1753, Mansel Street, Whitechapel, London; d. August 15, 1753.
  5. JAMES MAN, b. June 1755, Mansel Street, Whitechapel, London.; d. November 11, 1823, Dartmouth, Devonshire.
  6. FRANCES MAN, b. August 24, 1757, Croydon, Surrey; d. April 1842, Coley Place, Reading.
  7. MARIAH MAN, b. April 29, 1760; d. 1797, Reading, Berkshire.
  8. ANN MAN, b. 1766; d. 1826.

7. WILLIAM4 BALCHEN (RICHARD3, JOHN2, JOHN1) was born August 22, 1722 in Mile End, London, England, and died July 1765. He married SARAH O' NEAL January 01, 1748/49 in St Mary Magdalene, Old Fish Street, London, daughter of FRANCIS NEAL and ANN UNKNOWN.  She was born 1725, and died 1787 at Newington Butts. (William attended the Merchants Taylor school. (<--- two pages in pdf from school registry)

Children of WILLIAM BALCHEN and SARAH O' NEAL are:

  1. SARAH5 BALCHEN, b. 1751, Hackney, London.
  2. ELIZA BALCHEN, b. 1752.
  3. SUSANNAH BALCHEN, b. 1753; d. November 16, 1778.
  4. MARY BALCHEN, b. 1754; d. 1786.
  5. JOHN BALCHEN, b. 1761; d. 1783.

8. ELIZABETH4 BALCHEN (RICHARD3, JOHN2, JOHN1) was born 1726. She married GEORGE CUMBERLAND September 21, 1749 in St Olave Hart Street, son of JOHN CUMBERLAND and UNKNOWN HILLS. He died 1771.

Children of ELIZABETH BALCHEN and GEORGE CUMBERLAND are:

  1. MARTHA5 CUMBERLAND, b. 1750.
  2. RICHARD DENNISON CUMBERLAND, b. December 10, 1752, Middlesex, London; d. January 31, 1825, Drifford, Gloucestershire.
  3. GEORGE CUMBERLAND, b. 1754; d. August 08, 1848, St Augustine, Bristol, Somerset.
  4. JOHN CUMBERLAND.

9. ANN4 BALCHEN (RICHARD3, JOHN2, JOHN1) was born 1729. She never married.

Children of ANN BALCHEN and UNKNOWN are:

  1. ISAAC BALCHEN, b. 1747.
  2. JOHN BALCHEN, b. 1750.
  3. GEORGE BALCHEN, b. 1750.

10. JOHN4 BALCHEN (HENRY3, JOHN2, JOHN1) was born 1745 in Whitechapel, London, and died January 09, 1785 in Milk Street, London. He married ELIZABETH TEMPEST 1774 in All Hallows, Bread Street.
 

Children of JOHN BALCHEN and ELIZABETH TEMPEST are:

  1. ELIZABETH5 BALCHEN, b. 1777; d. 1778.
  2. MARY ANN BALCHEN, b. 1778; m. REV. THOMAS CAUSTON, M.A. D.D., June 02, 1799, St George's Hanover Square.

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Generation No. 5

(At this point The Man Family descended from Mary Balchen's children (above) is dealt with separately and occurs as Man Generation Four)

11. SARAH5 BALCHEN (WILLIAM4, RICHARD3, JOHN2, JOHN1) was born 1751 in Hackney, London. She married JAMES READ December 17, 1774 in St Olave, Southwark, London.

Children of SARAH BALCHEN and JAMES READ are:

  1. SARAH6 READ, b. 1776.
  2. HANNAH READ, b. 1779.
  3. JAMES READ, b. 1787.

12. RICHARD DENNISON5 CUMBERLAND (ELIZABETH4 BALCHEN, RICHARD3, JOHN2, JOHN1) was born December 10, 1752 in Middlesex, London, and died January 31, 1825 in Drifford, Gloucestershire. He married SUSAN TIMBRELL July 09, 1788 in Cirencester, Gloucestershire.

Children of RICHARD CUMBERLAND and SUSAN TIMBRELL are:

  1. SUSAN WILLET6 CUMBERLAND, b. 1791; m. JOHN JONES.
  2. CHARLES DENNISON CUMBERLAND, b. 1794.

13. GEORGE5 CUMBERLAND (ELIZABETH4 BALCHEN, RICHARD3, JOHN2, JOHN1) was born 1754, and died August 08, 1848 in St Augustine, Bristol, Somerset. He married ELIZABETH COOPER.

Children of GEORGE CUMBERLAND and ELIZABETH COOPER are:

  1. GEORGE CUMBERLAND
  2. SYDNEY CUMBERLAND

Note on the marriage of Richard Balchen and Martha Hitchcock on 19 Oct 1715 in London. The source for this marriage on the International Genealogical Index (IGI) was a Batch # I025702. What is odd about this number is the prefix "I" before the batch number. Ed Man, who found the marriage record on the IGI, sent an email enquiring about the meaning of the "I" prefix to the Family History Center of the Church of Latter Day Saints and they explained the prefix and number as follows:

"The film that batch number I025702 was extracted from is #815482 Clandestine baptisms and marriages performed by suspended ministers in the Fleet Prison Chapel in the city of London : Mayfair Chapel in the parish of St. George, Hanover Sq. Westminster; King's Bench Prison, and The Mint, in the borough of Southwark, 1667-1754. "  A copy from the film indicating Richard and Martha's marriage is below.  A transcription of what the record is believed to show is: "Richard Balchen Apothecary Common Garden and Martha Hitchcock".

Richard balchen and Martha hitchcock marriage

Fleet Marriages and ‘Rule of the Fleet’ Marriages

Fleet marriages were irregular ceremonies that took place in an area centred on the Fleet prison in London during the later 1600s and first half of the 1700s. They were speedy marriages of convenience carried out by ordained clergymen who had no parochial allegiance to the Bishop of London. Often they were debtor prisoners themselves who were allowed to live within close proximity of the Fleet Prison.

'Rules of the Fleet' marriages were initially carried out in the prison chapel but as the practice became more popular then other local 'chapels' were set up in nearby taverns, coffee house, chambers and shops. Parsons' fees were charged according to prevailing market forces of urgency and necessity for a quick wedding service, often with only 24 hours notice. Occasionally, Fleet parsons were prepared to travel into the surrounding countryside - with the added bonus of travelling expenses. No banns or licences were required but a record was kept by an accompanying register keeper and hence many of these records now survive in The Public Record Office. Strangely, unlike parish registers of that period, these records contain details of occupations, marital status and home locality and are therefore of interest to those trying to track down their family history in counties surrounding London. There were more than 200,000 marriages (and some baptisms) performed at the Fleet prison, Mayfair Chapel, and The King's Bench among others.

Notes on Edward's family:

Children of Edward and Rachell Balchin:

  1. Rachell - b. 19 Feb 1663/64 in Horsham, Sussex; c. 25 Mar 1664; m. 19 Sep 1687 to John Lancaster.
  2. Thomas - b. 13 Mar 1665/66 in Horsham, Sussex; c. 17 Apr 1666; found a marriage at Bramley but inconclusive.
  3. Edward - b. 15 Feb 1667/68; c. 08 Apr 1668.
  4. Elizabeth - b. 05 Jan 1671/72; c. 09 Feb 1671/72; m. 02 Jul 1702 to George Sayers

Children of George and Elizabeth Sayers:

  1. Elizabeth - c. 05 Jun 1703.
  2. Elizabeth - b. 19 Jun 1705; c. 24 Jun 1705.

Mary Sayers another daughter of George and Elizabeth (and mentioned in her grandfather Edward Baltchin's  will) has not been found on the IGI, yet.