John Box (Senior)

Born: 23 Sept 1804

Died: 1854

Married: Lucy Card

Mother: Sarah

Father: Peter Box

Descendant: John Box

Census

1841

1851

1861

1871

1881

1891

1901

1911

1921

Birth

John Box was born on the 23rd September 1804, and baptised in Ardingly on the 10th February 1805, his parents were Peter and Sarah Box.

Marriage

John Box married Lucy Card on the 18th October 1824 at the parish Church of Hartfield, Sussex. No parents were recorded. However the witnesses were John Atheral and Fanny Card (likely Lucy's sister).

On the same day, John Atheral and Fanny Card were also married, and their witnesses were John Box and Lucy Card (although technically she should have written Lucy Box assuming they were married in the order in which the register was filled in).

Both Johns wrote their signatures, while Lucy and Fanny resorted to making their mark.

Why were they married in Hartfield? Lucy came from East Grinstead (8 miles away), and John came from Ardingly (12 miles away). Maybe they lived there. Or maybe John Atheral lived there, and they wanted to have a joint wedding.

Children

• Mildred Ann Box, christened 23 July 1826, Brighton, father John Box (Flyman), mother Lucy (North Lane), buried 3rd December 1826.
• John Box, christened in Brighton on the 11th November 1827, father John Box (a Fly Driver), mother Lucy. They lived at Super Street in Brighton.
• Louisa Box, christened 17 July 1831, Brighton, father John Box (Flyman), mother Lucy (Sussex Street).
• Elizabeth Sophia Ruth Box, christened 4th August 1839, Brighton, father John Box (Flyman), mother Lucy (Cheltingham Place)
• Edward Albert Box, christened 30 January 1842, Brighton, father John Box, mother Lucy, BMD:B: Q4 1841, Edward Box, Brighton Vol. 7 p258

On the night of 6 June 1841 John Box was living with his wife Lucy and children John (11), Louisa (9) and Sophia (2) at Cheltenham Place, Brighton.

In 1851 he was living with his family at 2 Cheltenham Place, Brighton. He is 46, a proprietor of Hackney Carriages, and he was born in Ardingly, Sussex. His wife Lucy is 48, and was born at East Grinstead, Sussex. With them are two of their children, Albert (10?) and Sophia (11). Interesting they are using their middle names. They also have a 14 year old house servant, Ann Brigden, also from East Grinstead.

Brighton Gazette - 3rd June 1847:

JOHN BOX v. JAMES JOHNSTONE.- This was an action to recover £5 for injury arising from  the defendant having improperly rode a horse against a fly.- Mr Bennett appeared for the plaintiff; the defendant did not appear, owing to the rapidity with which the preceding cases in the list had been disposed of. His attorney was not in attendance.

Plaintiff, a fly proprietor, deposed that on Thursday, the 13th May, he was driving his fly at the bottom of Regency Square, when he met Mr Johnstone.

Mr Bennett - Outside of a horse?
Plaintiff - Yes.
Mr Bennett - Not much of a horseman, was he?
Plaintiff - He was soon off. I was going about 3½ miles an hour. Mr Johnson was on the wrong side ; and he rode against me, and damaged by carriage.
Mr Bennett - Was he unhorsed?
Plaintiff - He tumbled off.
Mr Bennett - After he had damaged your carriage he damaged himself?
Plaintiff - Not much. I asked him to come and look at the damage ; but he said he had nothing to do with it,- it was the fault of the horse. (Laughter)
Mr Bennett - What was the extent of the damage ?
Plaintiff - He drover the step back, broke the top bed of the carriage, creased the panel, and broke the door handle. 

Mr Cripps, of Migbell Street, who was called in at the time, estimated the injury at £3 15s. It would take five days to complete the repairs ; and during that time the fly could not be used. He thought 6.s a day would be a fair charge for this, after paying the expenses.
Mr Bennett - Together,that would be more than £5 ?
Witness - Yes.
The Judge gave a verdict for the plaintiff for the amount claimed.
The Court rose at half-past one o'clock.

Death

• BMD:D: John Henry Box, 1854, Q1, Brighton, Vol. 2b, Page 138.

Other Records

In a (very long) news article in the Sussex Advertiser on the 15th July 1851, a John Box is mentioned as a witness in a court case George Chatfield v. Ardingly Benefit Society. In this George Chatfield had been excluded from the benefit of the society because John Box had written a letter to the society stating that he had seen George Chatfield help his brother, John Chatfield in Brighton, carry a chest of drawers out of his house. Having another profession seems to have been against the rules. The judge came to the conclusion that while it was legal to expel him, he thought it was harsh and they should reconsider. It seemed likely that this witness is our John Box, as it is about the Ardingly Benefit Society, and Ardingly was his birthplace. However, there is another John Box in Brighton in 1851 who was born in Ardingly, but he was younger (27) - possibly a nephew or cousin. And another article on the same story from the Brighton Gazette on the 10th July 1851 mentions that John Box was a sawyer residing at 15 Vine Street. Which is unlikely to be our John Box. On the 7th June he was residing at 5 Over Street,