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Olliver Family of Angmering (1616-1891) |
| Angmering Library holds a bound
transcript of Parish Registers from 1562 - 1687 (all nicely indexed!). The
Registers show the following: MARRIAGES 1616 June 9 Clemente Oliver of Bosgrove (?Boxgrove) unto Elizabeth Halle 1653 May 10 William Oliver to Elionor Pannett widowe 1680 May 6 Thomas Stiednam and An Olivar CHRISTENINGS 1639/40 Jan 10 William Oliver sonne of William Oliver by Margarett his wife 1640/1 Mar 14 Elizabeth daughter of William Oliver by Margarett his wife 1642 May 8 Thomas the sonne of William Oliver by Margarett his wife 1643 Dec 23 Mary ye daughter of William Oliver by Margarett his wife 1645/6 Jan 14 John the sonne of William Oliver by Margarett his wife 1648 Apl 13 Sara daughter of William Oliver by Margarett his wife 1669 Jun 20 William sonne of Thomas Oliver by Margarett 1671 Sep 30 Thomas sonne of Thomas Oliver by Margarett 1675 Aug 7 Sara daughter of Thomas Oliver by Margarett BURIALS 1641 May 6 Elizabeth daughter of William Oliver 1648 Apl 15 Sara daughter of William Oliver 1649 Jun 3 Margarett wife of William Oliver 1665 Oct 29 William s. of William Oliver 1666 May 10 William Oliver, householder 1669 Nov 4 Elioner Oliver, widowe 1679/80 Feb 21 Sarah Olivar d. of Tho. Olivar 1687 Apl 7 Thomas Olivar CHURCHWARDENS 1640 William Oliver 1658 William Oliver 1659 William Oliver 1688 - 1813 REGISTERS BAPTISMS
MARRIAGES
BURIALS
1841 CENSUS (limited information) OLLIVER William 29, Ag Lab, Dappers Lane Kate 20, Thomas, 12 months OLLIVER Ann 67, Ind OLLIVER Rose 30 Frances 35, Cordelia 25 1851 CENSUS George Olliver Lodger U 23 Groom b. Patching Kate Olliver Head U 48 Grocer b. Angmering Frances Olliver Sister U 44 Grocer b. Angmering Ann Olliver Head W 77 Annuitant b. Northiam William Olliver Head M 39 Agricultural Labourer b. Angmering Kate Olliver Wife M 31 Charwoman b. Amberley Thomas Olliver Son - 10 Scholar b. Angmering Henry Olliver Son - 7 Scholar b. Brighton Jane Olliver Dau - 5 Scholar b. Angmering George Olliver Son - 2 b. Angmering 1861 CENSUS Frances Olliver Head U 54 Annuitant b. Angmering William Olliver Head W 50 Agricultural Labourer b. Angmering Thomas Olliver Son U 19 Agricultural Labourer b. Angmering Henry Olliver Son U 17 Agricultural Labourer b. Brighton George Olliver Son U 13 Agricultural Labourer b. Angmering Fanny Olliver Dau U 9 Scholar b. Angmering 1871 CENSUS William Olliver Head M 63 Agricultural Labourer b. Angmering George Olliver Son U 21 Agricultural Labourer b. Angmering Henry Olliver Head M 26 Sailor b. Brighton Jane Olliver Wife M 27 Dressmaker b. Horndean Henry Olliver Son 2 b. Angmering 1881 CENSUS The 1881 Census shows that there were two Olliver brothers living in Angmering at that time, George (32), bricklayers' labourer, and Thomas Olliver (40), general labourer. Only a handful of Ollivers lived in nearby villages and the towns of Worthing and Littlehampton at that time. 1891 CENSUS No Ollivers in Angmering OTHER INFORMATION The Grand national steeplechase was won in 1842, 43 & 53 by Tom Olliver. Olliver was allegedly born in Angmering sometime between 1800-1815 into a local family. Their original name was Oliver but Tom added an extra "l" to his surname in adulthood. He was nicknamed Black Tom due to his swarthy gypsy like complexion. The Olliver/Oliver families were reasonably prolific locally in the 18th and 19th Centuries, being prosperous farmers or mill owners. The most famous local character in the 18th Century (and perhaps even today) was John Olliver (1709-1793), and considerable amounts have been written about him. John was an eccentric - he was also the Miller of Highdown Hill, a poet, rural philosopher, and a smuggler. Sails on his windmill we set to warn smugglers if the coast was clear. He kept his coffin under his bed and built his own tomb on Highdown some 30 years before he died. In lonely isolation, the tomb surrounded by railings still stands today. It is written that he had six grand-children but it is also written that he left the mill to two nephews provided they carried on milling. In the event, the windmill was pulled down in 1826. Highdown Hill is about one and a half miles from the centre of Angmering village. The top of the hill is in Ferring, the east side in Goring, and the western slopes in Angmering. Other Ollivers farmed or lived in the neighbouring villages of East Preston, Ferring and Rustington. One of the most infamous was farmer George Olliver of East Preston. He accused Edmund Bushby in 1831 of setting fire to one of his hay-ricks during the notorious Captain Swing riots. Bushby was hanged and the villagers of East Preston never forgave Olliver. Perhaps as an act of contrition, George Olliver built a school for East Preston. |
Last updated 13 June 2004