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Lingfield, Surrey
I had a mystery in my family tree for years, namely the birthplace and parents of my maternal grandfather's paternal
grandfather, George Ellis. George had
arrived in Adelaide in 1839 on an immigrant ship, but his origins in England had either never been recorded, or family oral
history had muddled that information (as frequently happens!).
After almost a decade of research, and with considerable help from
others, I discovered that George was born in the rural locale of Crowhurst, Surrey. George's mother, Hannah Agent was from the nearby village of
Lingfield.
Lingfield is only a few miles from Gatwick Airport where we would be arriving in England so we decided to make Lingfield
our first stop on the trip. Lisa booked a room in the excellent Star Inn, which I believe was very much in business when my
3x great grandmother Hannah Agent was born.
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- Hannah was baptized in St Peter and St Paul’s Church on 6 December 1801.
- Center
- The Lingfield powers-that-be built what is called The Cage in 1773 to lock up minor felons. Of course this was during
those tricky years when convict transportation to the American colonies was being stopped, and a decade before the First
Fleet of convicts departed for Botany Bay.
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There are a number of listed 15th
and 16th century cottages and buildings on the short street leading from the Star to the church.
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