The Hampshire Family Historian | Volume 50 No.1 | June 2023

Searchers

assess damages in an action of trespass wherein, Mr Thomas COMPTON , a gentleman residing in that neighbourhood (at Buckland House see map above), was plaintiff, and Foster Ellis (Merrender’s stepfather), Joseph BROWN and Robert MCPHEE were the defendants. It appeared in evidence that on the 6th day of February, 1816, the plaintiff was in his house alone as usual,.. when about 3 o’clock in the afternoon he observed it surrounded by the defendants and several other persons; soon after which defendants assisted a woman (I suspect this would have been Merrender Roods PAUL his wife?) to get over the plaintiff’s wall which surrounds his house, eight feet in height and glass bottled; after accomplishing which, plaintiff hearing some persons breaking into his house, he immediately left it, to seek legal redress. On the next day, he with the assistance of his neighbours, removed the whole of his furniture, and by which means he expelled the party who had continued possession until this period and also done plaintiff considerable injury. After a patient and full investigation, the Jury gave plaintiff £90. I can only assume the couple resolved their differences as they went on to have four children: Lucretia Compton born 1819; Sarah COMPTON born 1824, Thomas COMPTON born 1827 and William COMPTON born 1830. All the children appear to have been baptised in Portsea and the father was always described as a “Gentleman” on the baptism records. Indeed, all their subsequent marriage certificates announced their father as “Thomas COMPTON , Gentleman”. Thomas COMPTON Junior can be found in the Rate Books for Portsmouth pretty

continuously from 1816 up to his death on 23rd December 1841 at Buckland Place. His house was auctioned off on the 12 February 1842 as a residence, then known as “Buckland Cottage. In his will he left land in Penalt near Ross in Herefordshire as well as his house and possessions to his surviving siblings Samuel and Esther. In addition, he left a number of cash bequests to his servants and friends which totalled to some £430. However, the curious thing is that he only left “ Merrender ROODS COMPTON with “whom I some years unfortunately intermarried the sum of five pounds only and no more in consequence of her adulterous and abandoned conduct.” Neither did he mention any of his children in the will. Merrender can be found in the 1841 census (June?) living in a different household in Buckland Place and described as of “Independent” means alongside her daughters aged 21 and 19, similarly described, and Thomas, a “Bricklayer” and William aged 11. Thomas COMPTON Junior appears in the same census, two pages on, living with three servants. None of the Compton siblings mention Merrender or her children in their wills. Why did they separate and why is there such a long gap between the marriage and the birth of the first child? Could he have been involved in the Napoleonic wars and away from the country between 1809 and 1815. Why did he not mention the children in his will? That makes me suspect that he did not recognise them as his lawful offspring. Which brings me on to the DNA match which appeared on my Ancestry account recently (see image).

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