John Ansted was my great-great-great-great grandfather. Baptismal records state he was born on October 27, 1789 to Thomas and Esther (Carruthers)Â Ansted. He was baptised on November 22 of that year at St. Dunstan in the East, London, England.
In 1820, the following wedding announcement appeared in April edition of The London Review and Literary Journal:
11. Mr. John Ansted, of the firm of Clark and Ansted, Fruit Brokers, Mincing-lane, to Miss Dionysia Northeast.
They received a marriage licence on March 27, 1820, according to the Society of Genealogists Vicar-General Marriage Licence Allegations 1694-1850 as indexed on findmypast.com. A marriage on April 11, 1820 therefore seems quite reasonable. John would have been 30 and Dionysia, who was born around 1796, would have been about 23. Her father was Thomas Northeast and she had at least one brother.
John and Dionysia had three children. John Jr. was born on May 21, 1821. Rebecca was born on April 8, 1823. And Dionysia was born on July 27, 1827. Sadly, Dionysia Northeast Ansted died shortly after her second  daughter was born and was buried on August 10, 1827.
John married Jane Ann Mary Sharpe on January 15, 1829. Jane was born around 1808 although I have yet to find any record to confirm that. They had four daughters together: Emily Jane, born in 1829 or 1830; Clara Maria, born in 1833; Alice Emma, born in 1837; and Isabel Gordon, born on January 2, 1840.
On the 1841 census, John (50) and Jane (40) were living on Clapham Road, Lambeth, Surrey. Living with them was their son John (20) and daughters Rebecca (18) and Isabel (1). Daughters Dionysia (13), Emily (11) and Clara (8) were away at school. I have not yet found Alice listed anywhere. She would have been four and I would have expected her to be home with her parents.
Like his father before him and his son after him, John was involved in the politics of the day. The September 3, 1844 Times of London includes both John Sr. and John Jr. in the list of the Liverymen and friends hoping to promote the election of Mr. Alderman Brown to Chamberlain of London.
John (61) and Jane (50)Â are still living on Clapham Road in the 1851 census. With them is Emily (21) and two servants, Sarah Chapman and Patience Martin. John is listed as a merchant. Daughter Clara (18) appears to be visiting David Thomas Ansted, the well-known Cambridge-based geologist. I am curious as to whether David Thomas is somehow related to “my” Ansteds, but have not yet been able to prove an actual connection.
In 1856, daughter Clara married Thomas Outhwaite Hutton. He was a widower and was listed in the marriage register as a wholesale stationer. Clara and Thomas had eight children together, in addition to Thomas’ daughter from a previous marriage.
John (71) was listed as a gentleman on the 1861 census and he was away from home visiting the brother of his first wife – Thomas Barnes Northeast. Thomas was listed as a farmer of 880 acres employing 17 men and 8 boys in North Tidworth, Wiltshire. Also with Thomas was his wife Mary, his neice Martha Gilbert and a couple of servants. Jane (60) was at home with Alice (24) and Isabel (21), a cook (Ann Brown) and two servants (Sarah Holman and Ann Barnes).
On April 30, 1863, daughter Isabel married William Harvey. William was a merchant and, as far as I can tell so far, they had no children.
In the 1871 census, John (81) and Jane (70) are still living at 194 Clapham road. John is listed as a fruit broker. Emily (41)Â and Alice (34) are living with their parents. The family now has a cook (Jane Lucas), a parlormaid (Esther Harmer), a ladies maid (Mary Foster) and a housemaid (Alice Parley).
John passed away at 87 years of age on February 4, 1877. He was buried on February 9, 1877 in the South Metropolitan Cemetery (Norwood Cemetery, Norwood Road, Lambeth). His will was proved by his wife later that month:
ANSTED John. Effects under £10,000.
26 February. The Will with a Codicil of John Ansted of Mincing-lane in the City of London and of 194 Clapham-road in the County of Surry Fruit Broker who died 4 Febrary 1877 at 194 Portland-place Clapham-road was proved at the Principal Registry by Jane Ann Mary Ansted of 194 Portland-place Widow the Relict one of the Executors.
By the 1881 census, Jane (80)  is living at 35 Palace Grove in Bromley, Kent, with her daughter Alice (44) and two servants, Ellen Tagg and Rosa Banks.
Jane passed away on October 3, 1890. At the time she was living at 38 Palace Grove in Bromley. The will was proved by her daughters Clara Hutton and Isabel Harvey of 38 Palace Grove.
Related posts:
John’s father: Thomas Ansted (ca1764-1846)
John’s daughter: Dionysia Ansted Burton (1827-1898)
The best laid plans…: Update on the Ansteds
Australia Day 2011 – Clark & Ansted
The Ansteds of London
Hi, Jen,
I have contacted you before, and thought you may be interested in some research Ansted family members have been doing to update the family tree. Just send me an email if you are interested.
David Thomas Ansted – John Ansted Sr’s cousin.
And another interesting relative-in-law – Mary Bridger Philby, aunt to Jack (Harry St John Bridger) Philby (explorer and intelligence officer) and great aunt to his son, Kim Philby (double agent and member of the Cambridge Five).
Hi Jen & Karen
Many thanks for this.
DT was also, of course, Chris’s g/g grandfather (I think that Chris posted a reply to one of the threads)
Karen – I’d be happy to try to provide any details you have not got of the descendants Eleanor Dorothea Ansted (1872- ), and to be in contact with you
Best wishes
Frank