Lydia Hills (Barker)

1748, 12 April, Portchester, Hampshire - birth of Lydia Barker - daughter of John Barker, and Ann Russell.

1767 Marriage in Holy Trinity Church Gosport, Hampshire. This church has a 'Handel organ" ["From 1718-1720, Handel was director of music to James Brydges, Duke of Chandos, and commissioned the building of this organ. After his house was demolished in 1744 Trinity paid £117 for the organ" - Source Church website]

According to a 'handed-down' paper insert (torn out of a book or family bible) the births of their children are recorded - it is thought that the first half of the names were written by this Lydia), transcribed as follows: :

• John Hills, born the 26th JUly 1768 Died 178..;
• Lydia Hills, ditto, 4th Sept.1769, Died 25th Jany 1771 (1 yr 4 mths)
• Mary Hills, ditto, 6th Decr. 1770....;
• Wm Hills, ditto, 18th Octr 1771.....;
• Little One Lost.........(miscarriage?) 9th June 1772
• George Hills, born the 12th July 1773, Died 20th July 1773 (8 days old)
• Charles Hills, ditto, 22nd March 1774, Died 1795
• Fanny Hills, ditto, 5th August 1775, Died Sept 19th 1775 (1+ month old)
• Hary Hills, ditto, 21 October 1776, Drowned - ship lost off Cape Horn, 1807
• George Hills, ditto, 8th November 1777 (Certificate of baptism 1777, Novr 23, Parish of Buckland, Dover, Co of Kent)

1777 Her husband drowned off Hanois Reef, Guernsey, Channel Islands and Lydia and her family continued to live at Buckland Manor - the former home of Sir John Bentley dec'd, Admiral of the White, Royal Navy, who had left his estate to her husband William and his brother John in 1772. (John had signed over his part of the estate to William in April 1773)

Two years later Lydia received 'a Widow's pension of British Pounds £25.00 - ordered 8 February 1779 [Source: Accounts and Estimates, Army Returns &c. Session 23 January-June 21 1810, Volume XIII. The Ordinary Estimate of His Majesty's Navy, for the Year 1810. No.3 Pensions and Allowances to Sea and Marine Officers, Commissions of His Majesty's Navy, their Widow, and the Relations of Sea Officers. p.14.] - Today's (2014) income value would be British Pounds £46,600.00

1800, Jan 31 - Release of claim to rents and profits of (Buckland Manor) Estates near Dover, Kent, from son Harry Hills to Lydia Hills (Papers in East Sussex Record Office - ACC 10149).

Deceased: 29 March 1813 - Clare Priory, Suffolk, England