Parents Slater & Hannah Potts (nee Lawson)
"To the Honourable the Master, Wardens, and Assistants of the CORPORATION of TRINITY HOUSE, of Deptford-Strond
The humble Petition of Hannah Fleck aged thirty nine years, Widow of Thomas Fleck late residing at Boston in the county of Lincoln, Master Mariner deceased.
Sheweth,
That your Petitioner's Husband was bred to the Sea, and served there as an Apprentice under an Indenture of Apprenticeship for the Term of five years to Messrs. Walker & Simpson Ship Owners in Ships sailing to the Baltic, and particularly in the Station of Master on board the ship Withan of Boston, in the Coasting Trade, of which Ship Messrs. Gee & Clarke were owners, and served in that capacity for four years.
That the Petitioner has six Children unprovided for, and dependent on her for Support, whose Names and Ages are: viz. Thomas Fleck aged upwards of fourteen years, Indiana aged upwards of twelve years, Sarah Ann aged upwards of nine years, James aged upwards of eight years, Hannah aged upwards of four years & Elizabeth Potts aged one month.
That your Petitioner is not now able to support herself and Children without the Charity of this Corporation, having no Property or Income, and no Pension or Relief from any other Public Charity or Company, except an Allowance weekly from the Overseers of the said Parish of Boston.
Your Petitioner therefor most humbly prays that she may be admitted a Pensioner of this Corporation, at the usual Allowance.
Your Petitioner will ever pray, &c
Hannah Fleck"
Registered as a Widow aged 60 living with her Son in Law Henry Jenkins, wife Indiana 35, dau. Mary C. 13 at Barnsbury Place, Islington West
Home of Hy (Henry) Jenkins (Son in Law), 8 Barnsbury Place, Islington West, London, England; Apr-Jun Quarter
Article "Discoveries at St Mary Magdalene Church", Islington
Grave No. 460. Tombstone inscription reads:
"Mrs Hannah Fleck died in 1844 aged 65, the widow of the
late Captain Fleck of Boston, Lincolnshire, who was nephew
of Captain James Cook the celebrated circumnavigator."
Following the Death of her Husband, Thomas, she petitioned Trinity House for relief for both herself and her Children, a covering letter was attached written by Eliz. Cook, widow of Captain James Cook (as shown)
Clapham, Surrey
Dec. 27 1817
Sir,
I hope you will excuse the trouble I am giving you in requesting that you will be so good as to present the enclosed Petition to the Elder Brethren of the Trinity House & if you could further assist it by recommending it to their consideration you will much oblige me, as I am informed that the widow and her Husband Thomas Fleck was related to my deceased Husband Capt James Cook who lost his life many years ago in the South Seas in prosecution of his third Voyage of Discoveries and I have no knowledge of any Elder Brother now to apply to.
and am Sir
Your most obedient humble servant
Eliz. Cook
James Court Esq.
Secretary of the Corporation
of the Trinity House
London
Listed under is a copy of her Petition, together with an Extract of their Marriage, from the Register of Marsk in Cleveland; Extracts from the Register of Baptisms in the Parish of Boston, County of Lincoln, for six of their Children; and a Deposition from Elizabeth Cook, Wife of Captain James Cook.
Petition of Hannah Fleck to the Corporation of Trinity House (1817/8)
"To the Honorable the Master, Wardens, and Assistants of the CORPORATION of TRINTY-HOUSE, of Deptford-Strond.
The humble Petition of Hannah Fleck aged thirty nine Years, Widow of Thomas Fleck late residing at Boston in the County of Lincoln, Master Mariner, deceased.
Sheweth,
That your Petitioner's Husband was bred to the Sea, and served there as an Apprentice under an Indenture of Apprenticeship for the term of five Years to Messrs. Walker & Simpson, Ship Owners in Ships sailing to the Baltic, and particularly in the Station of Master on board the ship Witham of Boston, in the Coasting Trade, of which Ship Messrs. Gee & Clarke were owner, and served in that Capacity for four Years.
That your Petitioner has six Children unprovided for, and dependent on her for Support, whose Names and Ages are: viz. Thomas Fleck aged upwards of fourteen years, Indiana aged upwards of twelve years, Sarah Ann aged upwards of nine years, James aged upwards of eight years, Hannah aged upwards of four years and Elizabeth Potts aged one Month.
That your Petitioner is not now able to support herself and Children without the Charity of this Corporation, having no Property or Income, and no Pension or Relief from any other Public Charity or Company, except and Allowance weekly from the Overseers of the said Parish of Boston.
Your Petitioner therefore most humbly prays that she may be admitted a Pensioner of this Corporation, at the usual Allowance.
Your Petitioner will ever pray, etc
(Signed. Hannah Fleck)"
The following Letter was attached to the Petition Form:
Clapham, Surrey
Dec' 27 1817
Sir,
I hope you will excuse the trouble I am giving you in requesting that you will be so good as to present the enclosed Petition to the Elder Brethren of the Trinity
House and if you could further assist it by recommending it to their consideration you will much oblige me, as I am informed that the widow is a very deserving and distressed woman and her Husband Thomas Fleck was related to my deceased Husband Capt James Cook who lost his life many years ago in the South Seas in prosecution of his third Voyage of Discoveries and I have no knowledge of any Elder brother now to apply to.
and am Sir
Your most obedient humble Servant
(Signed. Eliz. Cook)
James Court Esq'
Secretary to the Corporation
of the Trinity House.
London."
The following was extracted from the Marriage Register of Marsk in Cleveland, and certified as a true copy of same.
Witness my Hand Joseph Harrison, Minister.
Len'd Harker ) Ch: Warden Guy Foster )
Marriage 1799
"Thomas Fleck of this Parish, Mariner, and Hannah Potts of the same Parish, (Marsk) Spinster were Married in this Church by License this Ninth day of May in the Year One Thousand Seven Hundred and Ninety Nine, by Joseph Wilkinson, Min'r.
This Marriage was solemnized between (Thomas Fleck
(Hannah Potts
In the Presence of John Carter
Jane Fleck
Zachariah Fleck"
The above is extracted from the Marriage Register of Marsk in Cleveland, and a true copy of the same.
Witness my hand
Joseph Harrison, Minister
Len'd Harker, Ch: Warden
Guy Foster
Boston, December 6th 1817. The above is a true copy of the last mentioned extract examined therewith by us -
Hen: Keeler
Rich'd Kitchen
Extracts from the Register of baptisms in the Parish of Boston in the County of Lincoln.
1803, Sep'r 1st Thomas son of Thomas & Hannah Fleck - Potts - Mariner
1805, July 20 Indiana, Daughter of Thomas and Hannah Fleck - Potts - Mariner.
1808, Aug't 8 Sarah-Anne, Daughter of Thomas and Hannah Fleck, Potts, Mariner.
1811, Mar 11 James, Son of Thomas and Hannah Fleck, Potts, Mariner
1813, July 13 Hannah, daur of Thomas and Hannah Fleck, Boston, Mariner -
J. Wayet
1817, Nov'r 2nd Elizabeth Potts - Daur, Thomas and Hannah, Fleck, Boston - Mariner - Baptized by J. Capam.
Certified by me J. Capam.
Boston, Dec'r 6th 1817 - I do hereby certify that the above are true Extracts from the Registry of Baptisms in the Parish of Boston in the County of Lincoln.
Bartho'w Gow B.A. Vicar.
1. Thomas Fleck d. 1817 (Bur. 23 May 1817) age 50, All Saints, Gainsborough, Lincolnshire – this could be the Thomas Fleck who married Hannah Potts, although the age is out by several years and they lived in Boston not Gainsborough.
2. Elizabeth Potts Fleck d. 1821 (bur. 8 Sep 1821, St. Botolph Church, Boston, Lincs) is the daughter of Thomas Fleck and Hannah Potts.
3. Michael Fleck d. 1829 (bur. 16 Oct 1829) age 28, St. Mary & All Saints Great Stambridge, Essex. This is interesting as Thomas Fleck/Hannah Potts had a son Michael born in 1801.
4. James Fleck, d. 1837 age 2, Berkshire – see attached file for Henry Fleck.
5. James Fleck, Berkshire 1851 census – see attached file for James Fleck.
6. Daniel Fleck d. 1817 (bur 6 May 1817), St. Botolph Church, Boston, Lincs) is the son of Thomas Fleck and Hannah Potts.
7. Hannah M E Fleck bapt. 1823 Northumberland – see attached file for Robert Fleck.
I had been doing some work on the Berkshire Fleck families as we moved to Berkshire a couple of years ago and they lived in this area. There are several of them who all seem to originate from around Kinston Lisle area in the early 1800’s, but I have not yet managed to locate them earlier than this.
The Essex burial of Michael is interesting as there do not ever seem to be many Fleck’s around Essex. Great Stambridge is/was a small village mostly agricultural. When Hannah Fleck (nee Potts) applied to Trinity House in 1818 for assistance she is listed as having 6 children, neither Daniel (d. 1817) no Michael are listed. This could because Michael had already left home and was working. When the petition was granted there are only four children listed – Sarah Ann, James, Hannah and Elizabeth. I assume this is because Thomas and Indiana were considered old enough to be earning their own keep (or already were by that time) and not reliant on their mother.
Regards Zoë
The Thomas listed on the NBI is not Thomas the son of Thomas & Hannah as the one on the NBI is listed as being 50 years old, he could possibly be Hannah’s husband though but I’m not sure of that either as the age is out by a few years and the NBI says this Thomas was from Gainsborough not Boston.
Hannah does not state on her petition that Michael was dead, he is just not listed with the children living with Hannah in 1818 but that could be just because he was no longer living at home and was therefore not a dependant. At the time of the petition Hannah was also claiming parish relief from Boston so it may be that the records for this are still around, if so they would be in the Lincolnshire archives. The archives also may hold other parish records for Boston which might help. I agree with all the information about the daughters as I have also found the same information you have. I think that more information needs to be found for the Michael who died in 1829 in Essex and to find out more about Thomas and James. I can find nothing to show that the James who died in Newcastle is the son of Hannah and Thomas, though I think I have a fair amount which shows he isn’t their son. There seems to be no sign either of their son Thomas after 1818 but there must be at least a death for him somewhere. Whether this is possible to find I don’t know.
I know this doesn’t help a great deal but there are still some avenues to try.
Regards Zoe
