Second Generation

2. Thomas Sales was born before 30 Apr 1786 in Kent.⁴ Thomas' age in the 1841 census is given as 49, which would have made his year of birth 1792. The 1786 baptism is the most likely match, despite the eight year difference, given that his abode in Thomas junior's baptism in 1821 is given as Marden, Kent, and Thomas senior's baptsim took place in Marden, Kent. He was baptized on 30 Apr 1786 in St Michael and All Angels, Marden, Kent.¹ The original baptism register gives a surname of either Selss, Selse or Sells. However, there are no other baptisms to a Thomas and Mary Sells for the other dates. Therefore, this Thomas would seem to be a correct match for the Thomas Sales we were looking for, and a mistake was made in writing his parents' surname in the register, probably due to the interpretation of the vicar, curate, or parish clerk of the sound of the name. He was living on 9 Jun 1821 in Marden, Kent.^5,6 His place of abode is given as Marden, Kent, of his illegitimate son Thomas' baptism record. Thomas then married Sarah, and they had eight further children. This was quite a common state of affairs, even in the 19th century. On 6 Jun 1841 he was an agricultural labourer in Goudhurst, Kent.⁷ In Mar 1849 he was an agricultural labourer in Goudhurst, Kent.⁸ He died from small pox, 12 days certified, on 27 Mar 1849 in 3 P Mal, Goudhurst, Kent.^8,9,10 (March quarter.) (Informant Stephen Lane, Goudhurst, in attendance. Death Registered 30 Mar 1849.) He is described as a labourer on 18 Feb 1856 in Goudhurst, Kent.¹¹ (This information is from his son Charles' marriage with Ellen Roberts, but he was deceased in 1849.)

Thomas Sales and Sarah A Roots were married about 1822.⁷ They appeared in the census on 6 Jun 1841 in Whitestocks, Goudhurst, Kent.⁷ Sarah A Roots was born about 1800 in Chatham, Kent.^7,9 She appeared in the census on 30 Mar 1851 in Queens House, Goudhurst, Kent.⁹ (She is recorded in the census as a pauper and widow.) She died in 1857 in Maidstone Registration District, Kent.¹² (Either March quarter or December quarter. To be verified.) Her surname comes from the baptism record of her illegitimate son, Thomas, and the father is given as Thomas Sales. Thomas Sales and Sarah A Roots had the following children:

6
i.
Thomas Sales was born on 8 Jun 1821 in Goudhurst, Kent.¹³ Illegitimate, but the parish register shows his father as Thomas Sales.
1851 census give birthplace as Goudhurst. He was baptized on 9 Jun 1821 in St Mary the Virgin, Goudhurst, Kent.⁵ He appeared in the census on 6 Jun 1841 in Trillinghurst, Goudhurst, Kent.¹⁴ On 6 Jun 1841 he was a male servant in Trillinghurst, Goudhurst, Kent.¹⁴ He was also known as Thomas Sayles on 6 Jun 1841.¹⁴ He appeared in the census on 30 Mar 1851 in Chilmill, Brenchley, Kent.¹⁵ (Working for Thomas Guest, farmer 75 acres employing 3 labourers, and family.)

Chillmill Manor lies south-south-west of the village of Brenchley, on the corner of Kite Lane and Fairman's Road. The main house itself is timber framed, large and very attractive, and may or may not have been a manor. There is a large barn, now turned into accommodation, which is timber framed, and would originally have had wattle and daub between the timbers. The stable block has also been turned into a house. There is still an oast kiln and associated building, so one of the crops on the farm would have been hops.

Other nearby places shown in the census, Egypt and Brattles, are still there as Egypt House and Brattles Grange. On 30 Mar 1851 he was a farmer's carter in Chilmill, Brenchley, Kent.¹⁵ Described as "servant", so he was a live-in farm servant. This fits with Thomas being single, and explains why he is present with the Guests when the census was taken. He would have earned more than the live-out labourers. He died about 1857 in Tunbridge Registration District, Kent. Civil Registration index (FreeBMD) lists three alternative Thomas Sales deaths: Sep 1853 Vol.2a p217, Dec 1857 Vol.2a p237 and Dec 1859 Vol.2a p237, Tunbridge, and Sep 1859 Maidstone Vol.2a p291.
+7
ii.
John Sales.
+8
iii.
Rachael Sales.
9
iv.
Jane Sales was born about 1829 in Kent.⁷ She appeared in the census on 6 Jun 1841 in Whitestocks, Goudhurst, Kent.⁷
+10
v.
Charles Sales.
11
vi.
Benjamin Sales was born about 1835 in Kent.⁷ He appeared in the census on 6 Jun 1841 in Whitestocks, Goudhurst, Kent.⁷
+12
vii.
Walter Sales.
+13
viii.
Dorcas Sales.
+14
ix.
Daniel Sales.