Mary (Foster) Lansdell (1630 - 1699)

Born 1630 in Cranbrook, Kent, England

Ancestors

Wife of George Lansdell — married 1650 in Cranbrook, Kent, England

Descendants

Died 24 Jul 1699 at about age 69 in Rolvenden, Kent, England

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Biography

Mary Foster is born in 1630 in Cranbrook, Kent, England. She is baptized on February 21, 1630 (1629/30) in St Dustan’s church in Cranbrook [1][2]. Her parents are Lawrence Foster (1596-1668) and Elizabeth Fowe (?-1664). Lawrence Foster is a wealthy woolen merchant [1]. Cranbrook in the 17th century was one of the centres of the manufacture of broadcloth.

In about 1650 Mary marries George Lansdell (1618-1683). George is a weaver and the speculation is that he was apprenticed to Lawrence Foster in about 1635. He apparently did well and ends up marrying the boss’s daughter [1]. No record of the marriage has been found because in 1650 England was a Commonwealth ruled by Parliament, not a monarch. Here is an explanation from Wikipedia: “During the English Civil War (1643–1647) and in the following Commonwealth period, records were poorly kept and many are now missing after being destroyed or hidden by the clergy.”

Mary and George have seven children, the first five baptized in Cranbrook and the last two, the twins, baptized in Rolvenden.

• Lawrence [or Laurence] Lansdell 1651-1720 +(1683) Dorothy Roberts (Roberds) ?-1724

• Edward Lansdell 1652-died young

• George Lansdell 1654-1680

• John Lansdell 1657-1657

• Elizabeth Lansdell 1658-? + (1681) Stephen Milstead

• Edward Lansdell 1667-1727 + (1698) Elizabeth Neeve ?-1758

• Mary Lansdell 1667-? + (1688) William Apps

Mary and George move from Cranbrook to Rolvenden sometime before 1667. Rolvenden is about 100 kilometres southeast of the centre of London. It is speculated that they move to Rolvenden both because the textile industry in Cranbrook is in decline and because Mary’s parents moved to Rolvenden at some point (they are buried there)..

Mary dies in 1699 and is buried on July 24, 1699 in the churchyard in Rolvenden.

Sources

[1] Watson, Keith Lovet, 1988, Lansdell families of Rolvenden, Cranbrook and Benenden, Kent: genealogical working data. Page B shows the 7 children of George Lansdell & Mary Foster. On the 37th page of these notes (the pages are not numbered), Watson has these notes on Mary Foster: “MARY FOSTER daughter of Lawrence Foster, Woolen Merchant of Cranbrook, Kent, in 1650. No marriage entry in Cranbrook Parish Registers, on account of falling within the period of the Commonwealth. [Ref. Will of Lawrence Foster and full Baptismal entries.] Mary Lansdell was buried 1699 July 24. Rolvenden P.R., Kent.” On page 39 of these notes: Mary’s parents are Lawrence Foster & Elizabeth Fowe and they were married on Apr 24, 1623 in Cranbrook, but they are both buried in Rolvenden. Mary Foster was baptised in Cranbrook on Feb 21, 1630. The notes then continue: “The Fosters were wealthy woolen merchants in Cranbrook. It seems likely that George Lansdell was apprenticed to Lawrence Foster about the year 1635, prospered on his own account and married his Master's daughter. No record of the marriage of George Lansdell to Mary Foster [1650] can be found owing, no doubt, to its falling within the period of 'Commonwealth', at which time only civil ceremonies were permitted. Confirmation of marriage, however, appears both in the Cranbrook Parish Registers (Baptismal entries) and in Lawrence Foster's Will, dated 1669.” The next page (pg 40) contains a transcript of the will of Lawrence Foster. Some key points from this will: (1) he leaves his grandson, Laurence Lansdell £20; (2) he leaves £5 to each of the other 4 surviving children of George & Mary; (3) he also leaves some property to another grandchild (Elizabeth Foster). The will was signed on March 16, 1668 and was proved on March 1, 1669.

[2] Ruth Selman at http://wc.rootsweb.ancestry.com/cgi-bin/igm.cgi?op=GET&db=historyscape&id=I766 She shows George Lansdell married in abt 1650 Mary Foster. Mary was Christened in Cranbrook on 24 Jul 1629/30 and she was buried in Rolvenden on 24 Jul 1699.