Descendants of Joseph Bridge in Smarden, Kent

Family of Joseph Bridge of Smarden, 1797 - 1868
Joseph must have been the baby of the family, 20 years younger than his eldest brother. However, the connection with the Tilden chapel provides strong evidence for the link.
date	location	record	name	description	note
1787	death + census	Birth	Joseph Bridge	son of Robert	b. Smarden
1819/20	1851 census	Birth	Robert Bridge	son of Joseph	b. Smarden
1820/1	1871 census	Birth	William Bridge	son of Joseph	b. Omorden
1823/4	1851 census	Birth	Joseph Bridge	son of Joseph	b. Smarden
1824	Smarden Baptist	records	Mrs Bridge	member
1835	West Kent Poll Book		Joseph Bridge
1837	West Kent Poll Book		Joseph Bridge	nr. Gilham
1837-42	Smarden	Highway rate	Joseph Bridge	House and land	£5/15s valuation
1838	Smarden	Tithe	Joseph Bridge	near Chapel	freehold 5ac
The tithe maps made at this time were of very high quality both in the draughtmanship and the surveying. The field boundaries are all shown and it is easy to identify buildings. Joseph's house still stands opposite the chapel.
1843-53	Smarden	Highway rate	Joseph Bridge	house and land	£8 rent (revaluation)
30 Mar 1851	Gilham Quarter, Smarden, Kent	Census HO107 1621/37 #40	Joseph Bridge	Bricklayer using 4½ac	64, b. Kent, Smarden
30 Mar 1851	Gilham Quarter, Smarden, Kent	Census HO107 1621/37 #40	Mary Bridge	wife	66, b. Kent, Headcorn
7 Apr 1861	Tildens, Smarden, Kent	Census RG9 511/124 #49	Joseph Bridge	Farmer	74, b. Kent, Smarden
7 Apr 1861	Tildens, Smarden, Kent	Census RG9 511/124 #49	Mary Bridge	wife	77, b. Kent, Headcorn
16 Jun 1861	Smarden Bap.	Burial	Mary Bridge	of Calehill district	age 71, d.6/6/61
1865	West Kent Poll Book		Joseph Bridge	Smarden: near Gilham
22 Feb 1868	Smarden Bap.	Burial	Joseph Bridge	"senior to Robert"	age 80, d.17/2/68
after 1868	Smarden Bap. grave	The stone gives ages and dates of death of both Joseph and Mary, and also the names of 3 sons: James, Robert & Joseph. James was also called William, which caused me much confusion until I found him with his name in full in the 1901 census.

Family of Robert Bridge of Smarden, 1819-1895
date	location	record	name	description	note
1819/20	1851 census	Birth	Robert Bridge	son of Joseph	b. Smarden
1845-49	Smarden	Highway rate	Robert Bridge	house	£2/5s rent
Jan-Mar 1844	Maidstone	Marriage Index	Robert Bridge	& Hannah Daynes	vol 5/311
29 Apr 1847	Smarden Baptist	Burial	Robert Bridge	son of Robert Bridge	1yr 8mo
11 Jan 1846	Smarden	Baptism	Elizabeth Bridge	dau. of Robert & Hannah	(bricklayer)
11 Jan 1846	Smarden	Baptism	Olive Bridge	dau. of Robert & Hannah	(bricklayer)
1847	Bagshaw's Directory of Kent		Robert Bridge	Smarden	bricklayer
27 May 1849	Smarden	Baptism	Mary Jane Bridge	dau. of Robert & Hannah	(bricklayer)
30 Mar 1851	Smarden Town, Smarden, Kent	Census HO107 1621/19 #10	Robert Bridge	Bricklayer	31, b. Kent, Smarden
			Hannah Bridge	wife	36, b. Kent, Frittenden
			Olive Bridge	dau. scholar	7, b. Kent, Smarden
			Elizabeth Bridge	dau. scholar	5, b. Kent, Smarden
			Mary J. Bridge	dau.	2, b. Kent, Smarden
8 Jun 1851	Smarden	Baptism	Walter James Bridge	son of Robert & Hannah	(bricklayer)
1853	Smarden	Highway rate	Robert Bridge	house	£4/5s
16 Mar 1856	Smarden	Baptism	George Bridge	son of Robert & Hannah
23 May 1859	Smarden Bap.	Burial	George Bridge	son of Robert
7 Apr 1861	High St., Smarden, Kent	Census RG9 511/123 #36	Robert Bridge	Bricklayer employing 1 man	41, b. Kent, Smarden
			Hannah Bridge	wife	46, b. Kent, Frittenden
			Mary Jane Bridge	dau., scholar	12, b. Kent, Smarden
			Walter James Bridge	son, scholar	10, b. Kent, Smarden
			John Ottaway	apprentice bricklayer	15, b. Kent, Smarden
			Edwin Turk	lodger, bricklayer	24, b. Kent, Headcorn
1865	Smarden	W Kent Poll Bk	Robert Bridge
1868	Smarden	Electoral roll, #447	Robert Bridge	freehold house	near Bosden
2 Apr 1871	7 High St, Smarden, Kent	Census RG10 957/60 #93	Robert Bridge	Builder	49, b. Kent, Smarden
			Hannah Bridge	wife	55, b. Kent, Frittenden
			Jane M Bridge	daughter	22, b. Kent, Smarden
			Walter J Bridge	son, painter	19, b. Kent, Smarden
1873	This inkstand was presented to "Mr. R. Bridge" by Smarden Cricket Club, presumably to mark some special occasion. Probably he had been a benefactor, perhaps he had acted as secretary. At the age of 53, he would probably not still be playing and might have been retiring from active membership. The inkstand now belongs to Robert's great-grandson David Bridge.
17 Mar 1875	Smarden	Baptism	Robert Bridge	plumber and glazier	"of full age"
3 Apr 1881	High St., Smarden, Kent	Census RG11 945/60 #81	Robert Bridge	head, farmer	60, b. Kent, Smarden
			Hannah Bridge	wife	65, b. Kent, Frittenden
			Elizabeth Bridge	daughter, unmarried	35, b. Kent, Smarden
			Walter J. Bridge	son, unmarried, builder	29, b. Kent, Smarden
2 Jul 1886		Death	Hannah Bridge		DRB = David Bridge
19 Feb 1891	St Saviour's, Southwark	Marriage Register	Robert Bridge age 68	& Ellen Watts age 25	St Saviour Southwark, vol 1d/194
5 Apr 1891	Smarden Town, Smarden, Kent	Census RG12 698/114 #80	Robert Bridge	head, farmer	69, b. Kent, Smarden
5 Apr 1891	Smarden Town, Smarden, Kent	Census RG12 698/114 #80	Ellen Bridge	wife	26, b. Kent, Biddenden
9 Mar 1895		Death	Robert Bridge		DRB
Ellen did not die until 1947. She married again and has living descendants, including a great-granddaughter, to whom thanks for supplying details of Ellen's marriage to Robert.

Family of Walter James Bridge of Smarden, 1851-1897...
date	location	record	name	description	note
8 Jun 1851	Smarden	Baptism	Walter James Bridge	son of Robert
5 Apr 1891	The Ferns, Smarden, Kent	Census RG12 698/93 #56	Walter James Bridge	head, Builder	39, b. Kent, Smarden
			Lizzie C. Bridge	wife, Elementary School teacher	30, b. Carmarthenshire, Llangerech
			Arthur J. Bridge	son	1, b. Kent, Smarden
			Isabel H. Bridge	daughter	2 mo, b. Kent, Smarden
19 Apr 1891	Smarden	Baptism	Isobel Hannah Bridge	dau. of Walter James & Lizzie Ceridwin	(builder)
16 Oct 1892	Smarden	Baptism	Gladys Olive Bridge	dau. of Walter James & Lizzie Ceridwin	Jubilee, Smarden (builder)
1894		Birth	Gwendolyn Mary Bridge	dau of Walter & Lizzie	source = DRB; see below
1896		Birth	Joyce Myfanwy Bridge	dau of Walter & Lizzie	DRB
22 May 1896		Death	Gladys Olive Bridge		DRB
19 Dec 1897	Smarden	Baptism	Walter Lloyd Bridge	son of Walter James & Lizzie Ceridwin	The Finns, Smarden (builder)
31 Mar 1901	The Ferns, Smarden, Kent	Census RG13 781/9 #69	Walter James Bridge	head, Builder and farmer	49, b. Kent, Smarden
			Lizzie C. Bridge	wife	40, b. Carmarthenshire, Llangerech
			Arthur J. Bridge	son	11, b. Kent, Smarden
			Isabel H. Bridge	daughter	10, b. Kent, Smarden
			Gwendolen M Bridge	daughter	6, b. Kent, Smarden
			Joyce M Bridge	daughter	4, b. Kent, Smarden
			Walter L Bridge	son	3, b. Kent, Smarden
			Lucy A Miller	servant	25, b. Kent, Smarden
1903		Birth	Cecil Robert Bridge	son of Walter & Lizzie	DRB
ca. 1937		Death	Walter James Bridge		DRB
Children of Walter James
Arthur James married and had three daughters: Joan (m. Millum), Drucie (m. Francis) and Constance (m. Barker)
Isabel Hannah married Alfred Hinds in Smarden and they had a son Cecil John and a daughter Muriel (m. Bull)
1970		Death	Walter Lloyd Bridge	bachelor	DRB
Family of Cecil Robert Bridge
In 2002 David Bridge (DRB) sent me an e-mail beginning: Whilst trying to establish some of my family history and find out more about Robert Bridge, the original owner of a cricketing memento I inherited, I entered "History, Smarden Kent" into Google and was astounded and amazed to find my complete family history come up on the screen! It turned out that David was the only child of Cecil Bridge and therefore my fourth cousin. We met up and compared notes and he gave me more recent details of his side of the family. He also let me copy this picture of Cecil, taken at work.
1932	Ashford	Marriage	Cecil Robert Bridge	& Doris Mary Taylor	DRB
1935		Birth	David Robert Bridge	son of Cecil & Doris	DRB
1944	David Bridge recalls that "My father took myself and my mother up to Lancashire in the summer of 1944 to get away from the flying bombs. We stayed in Walkden, an area of Manchester, not far from Farnworth or Bolton. This was arranged for us by Joseph Bridge who I vaguely remember meeting. He appeared to be an elderly gentleman but as I was only 9 at the time anyone over the age of 20 would seem to be elderly! We did not stay with them but with friends of Joe Bridge (I remember my father always calling him Joe) but I cannot recall their names." Presumably this is the same Joseph who appeared in the 1901 census as the 11 year old grandson of William (see above).
1947		Death	Cecil Robert Bridge		DRB
1977	Tunbridge Wells	Marriage	David Robert Bridge	& Eileen Lockyer (née Hodge)	DRB
1979		Birth	Richard Robert Bridge	son of David & Eileen	DRB
1982		Birth	Suzanne Elizabeth Bridge	dau. of David & Eileen	DRB

Family of James William Bridge of Farnworth, Lancashire, 1820-1871...
date	location	record	name	description	note
1821/2	marriage + census	Birth	William Bridge	son of Joseph	Smarden
The ages on the marriage certificate do not agree exactly with the ages given at the 1871 census but are more likely to be correct.
20 Sep 1847	Farnworth	Marriage	William Bridge, Bricklayer, son of Joseph (bricklayer)	& Eleanor Taylor	25, 21; both of Farnworth
30 Mar 1851	Albert Place, Farnworth, Lancashire	Census HO107 2206/206 #92	William Bridge	Head, bricklayer	29, b. Kent, Chering
			Charing seems to be a mistake, though it is near Smarden.
			Eleanor Bridge	wife	24, b. Lancs., Farnworth
			Joseph Bridge	son bricklayer	2, b. Lancs., Farnworth
7 Apr 1861	Albert Rd., Farnworth, Lancashire	Census RG9 2808/41 #36	William Bridge	Head, bricklayer & provision dealer	39, b. Kent, Smorden
			Eleanor Bridge	wife	33, b. Lancs., Farnworth
			Joseph Bridge	son, bricklayer's apprentice	12, b. Lancs., Farnworth
			Mary A Bridge	daughter, scholar	9, b. Lancs., Farnworth
			Roger Bridge	son, scholar	6, b. Lancs., Farnworth
			Elizabeth A Bridge	daughter	3, b. Lancs., Farnworth
			Mary J Bridge	daughter	6 mo, b. Lancs., Farnworth
2 Apr 1871	93, Albert Rd, Farnworth, Lancs.	Census RG10 3918/89 #86	William Bridge	bricklayer & builder	50, b. Kent, Omorden
			"Omorden" is a variant spelling of Omenden; there is no other place of this name in Kent.
			Eleanor Bridge	wife	42, b. Lancs., Farnworth
			Joseph Bridge	son bricklayer	22, b. Lancs., Farnworth
			Mary A. Bridge	daughter	19, b. Lancs., Farnworth
			Roger Bridge	son bricklayer	16, b. Lancs., Farnworth
			Mary J. Bridge	dau. scholar	9, b. Lancs., Farnworth
			Walter Bridge	son scholar	5, b. Lancs., Farnworth
			Alice Ann Bridge	daughter	7 mo, b. Lancs., Farnworth
Apr-Jun 1872	Bolton	Death Index	Walter Bridge	age 5	vol 8c/162
Jan-Mar 1877	Bolton	Death Index	Eleanor Bridge	age 46	vol 8c/195
Apr-Jun 1879	Haslingden	Marriage Index	James William Bridge		vol 8e/165
3 Apr 1881	85 Harriet St, Worsley, Walkden, Lancs	Census RG11 3875/77 #114	William Bridge	head, bricklayer	62, b. Kent, Smardon
3 Apr 1881	85 Harriet St, Worsley, Walkden, Lancs	Census RG11 3875/77 #114	Ellen Bridge	wife	57, b. Worcs., East Com(?)
5 Apr 1891	85 Harriet St, Worsley, Walkden, Lancs	Census RG12 3148/87 #56	William Bridge	head, bricklayer	72, b. Kent, Smarden
5 Apr 1891	85 Harriet St, Worsley, Walkden, Lancs	Census RG12 3148/87 #56	Ellen Bridge	wife	62, b. Worcs., Imbelton
31 Mar 1901	7 Drill St, Worsley, Lancs	Census RG13 3653/16 #135	James William Bridge	head, retired bricklayer	83, b. Kent, Smarden
Walter Bridge (son of James 2) had a small album of family photographs, one of a young woman inscribed on the reverse "M. A. Bridge, 93 Albert Rd, Farnworth, Bolton". This strongly suggests that Mary and her father William were related to James and so supports the idea that Joseph was the youngest son of Robert and Elizabeth, making Mary Anne and Walter second cousins. It was unusual for a picture to be identified in this way, so it is probable that it accompanied a letter of introduction of some kind. The handwriting actually looks like that of Walter in which case he presumably noted the details on the back because he did not previously know the family. He did think the picture worth keeping, so it must have had some significance. Mary looks to be in her mid twenties, so the photo was taken a year or so before 1880, when Walter was still living in Ashford. She was 12 years older than him so it was probably not sent to him but perhaps to his mother, maybe with a view to interesting one of his older brothers.
Sons of James William Bridge
3 Apr 1881	11 Drill St., Worsley, Walkden, Lancs	Census RG11 3875/36 #75	Joseph Bridge	head, bricklayer	32, b. Lancs., Farnworth
			Mary Ann Bridge	sister, (housekeeper)	28, b. Lancs., Farnworth
			Roger Bridge	brother, bricklayer	26, b. Lancs., Farnworth
			Mary Jane Bridge	sister, winder in cotton mill	20, b. Lancs., Farnworth
5 Apr 1891	31 Chatsworth St., Worsley, Walkden, Lancs	Census RG12 3148/47 #307	Joseph Bridge	head, bricklayer	42, b. Lancs., Farnworth
			Alice Bridge	wife	41, b. Lancs., Farnworth
			Mary Wright	mother-in-law, widow	68, b. Lancs., Kearsley
			Eleanor Bridge	daughter	3, b. Lancs., Walkden
			Joseph Bridge	son	1, b. Lancs., Walkden
7 Apr 1901	3 Bridgewater Rd, Worsley, Walkden, Lancs	Census RG13 3653/82 #50	Joseph Bridge	head, bricklayer contractor, own account, at home	52, b. Lancs., Farnworth
			Alice Bridge	wife	51, b. Lancs., Farnworth
			Eleanor Taylor Bridge	daughter	13, b. Lancs., Walkden
			Joseph Bridge	son	11, b. Lancs., Walkden

5 Apr 1891	7 Drill St., Worsley, Walkden, Lancs	Census RG12 3148/42 #248	Roger T Bridge	Bricklayer	38, b. Lancs., Farnworth
			Mary Alice Bridge	wife	30, b. Lancs., Walkden
			Mary Jane Bridge	daughter	4 mo, b. Lancs., Walkden
31 Mar 1901	7 Drill St., Worsley, Walkden, Lancs	Census RG13 3653/16 #133	Roger Taylor Bridge	Foreman bricklayer	46, b. Lancs., Farnworth
			Mary Alice Bridge	wife	42, b. Lancs. Walkden
			Mary Jane Bridge	daughter	10, b. Lancs. Walkden
			Elizabeth Bridge	daughter	8, b. Lancs. Walkden
			Alice May Bridge	daughter	4, b. Lancs. Walkden

Family of Joseph Bridge of Michigan, USA, 1823-1910...
date	location	record	name	description	note
1823/4	1851 census	Birth	Joseph Bridge	son of Joseph	Smarden
23 May 1845	Smarden Bap.	Marriage	Joseph Bridge	& Abigail Syckelmore	Headcorn & Smarden
Apr-Jun 1847	Hollingbourne	Birth Index	Joseph Ebenezer Bridge		1847.2, V/266
1847	Bagshaw's Directory of Kent		Joseph Bridge	bootmaker	Headcorn
31 Mar 1851	Headcorn village, Kent	Census HO107 1618/498 #80	Joseph Bridge	cordwainer	27, b. Kent, Smarden
			Abigail Bridge	wife	30, b. Kent, Maidstone
			Ebenezer Bridge	son	3, b. Kent, Headcorn
			Emily Bridge	dau.	1, b. Kent, Headcorn
There is no trace of this family in any later U.K. census but there is an exact match with one in Michigan. They must have emigrated about 1851-2
18 Jun 1860	Detroit, Michigan	Census for 6th ward of the city of Detroit, Wayne Co., page 100	Joseph Bridge	gardner	38, b. England
			Abigail Bridge		38, b. England
			Eben. J Bridge		13, b. England
			Emily Bridge		10, b. England
			Mary A Bridge		8, b. Michigan
			Martha S Bridge		3, b. Michigan
			W S Bridge		1, b. Michigan
			M Masonity	laborer	38, b. Bavaria
30 Jul 1870	Detroit, Michigan	Census for 6th ward of the city of Detroit, Wayne Co., page 409	Joseph Bridge	farmer	46, b. England
			Abigail Bridge	keeping house	49, b. England
			Martha Bridge	at school	13, b. Michigan
			William Bridge	at school	11, b. Michigan
			Ellen Bridge	at school	9, b. Michigan
			Edward Bridge	at school	6, b. Michigan
			plus four other men described as laborers
16 Jun 1880	Stockbridge, Ingham Co., Michigan	Census S.D. 43, E.D. 140, page 12	Joseph Bridge	farm laberor	56, b. England
			Abigail Bridge	wife, keeping house	59, b. England
			Edward A Bridge	son, farm laberor	16, b. Michigan
5 Jun 1900	Detroit, Michigan	Census SD 116, ED 172, sheet 5	Joseph Bridge	widower, boarder	76, b. Nov 1823, England, immigrated 1860 (no!)
Children of Joseph Bridge
4 Aug 1870	8 Civil District, Cumberland Co., Tennessee	U.S. Census, sheet 186	Lorenzo Stratton	farmer	53, b. New York
			wife and six children
			Abenezer J Bridge	gardener	22, b. England
			Mary A Bridge	school teacher	18, b. Michigan
16 Jun 1900	7 Civil District, Roane Co., Tennessee	U.S. Census, S.D. 2, E.D. 118, sheet 9	Ebenezer Bridge	gardner	52, b. Jun 1847, England
			Helen Bridge	wife (marr. 11 yrs)	56, b. Aug 1843, Michigan
			John L Bridge	adopted son	8, b. Jul 1891, Maryland
			Estella Bridge	adopted daughter	5, b. Mar 1895, Maryland
3 May 1910	1st District, Roane Co., Tennessee	U.S. Census S.D. 2, E.D. 114, sheet 16	E J Bridge	gardener	61, b. England
			Helen Bridge	wife (marr. 22 yrs), florist	64, b. Michigan
			Estella Bridge	adopted daughter	15, b. Maryland

6 Jun 1900	Monguagon, Wayne Co., Michigan	U.S. Census, S.D. 116, E.D. 192, sheet 6	William Bridge	farmer	41, b. Feb 1859, Michigan (English parents)
			Anna Bridge	wife (marr. 4 yrs)	36, b. May 1864, Michigan (German parents)
			Emily Bridge	daughter	3, b. Jul 1896, Michigan
26 Apr 1910	Monguagon, Wayne Co., Michigan	U.S. Census, S.D. 1, E.D. 296, sheet 8	William Bridge	farmer	51, b. Feb 1859, Michigan
			Anna Bridge	wife (marr. 14 yrs)	45, b. May 1864, Michigan
			Emily Bridge	daughter	13, b. Jul 1896, Michigan

5 Jun 1900	229 van Dyke Ave., Detroit, Wayne Co., Michigan	U.S. Census, S.D. 116, E.D. 172, sheet 5	Edward A Bridge	Commission merchant	36, b. Apr 1864, Michigan
			Helen Bridge	wife (marr. 12 yrs)	40, b. Feb 1860, England (immigrated 1880)
			Marion E Bridge	dau., at school	11, b. Feb 1889, Michigan
			Ruth N Bridge	dau., at school	8, b. Oct 1891, Michigan
			Robert S Bridge	son	4, Mar 1886, Michigan
			Edward A Bridge	son	1, b. Dec 1898, Michigan
21 Apr 1910	229 van Dyke Ave., Detroit, Wayne Co., Michigan	U.S. Census, S.D. 1, E.D. 247, sheet 13	Edward A Bridge	Salesman	46, b. Michigan
			Helen Bridge	wife (marr. 22 yrs)	50, b. England
			Marion E Bridge	dau., Piano teacher	21, b. Feb 1889, Michigan
			Mary R Bridge	dau.	18, b. Michigan
			Robert S Bridge	son	14, Michigan
			Edward A Bridge	son	12, b. Michigan
			Alfred S Bridge	son	8, b. Michigan
			Amelia Selby	grandmother	88, b. England
			Joseph Bridge	grandmother(!), gardener	85, b. England