Mary Rees 1771 Steynton Married William Corke / Cork 1763 Mariner For the Children of Mary Rees and William Corke, see; Chapter Two

Baptism of Mary Mary Reece (Rees) was the daughter of James Rees and his wife Elizabeth Griffith, and was baptised 27th July 1771 at Steynton parish church Pembs. Marriage and a brief account of their Children Mary Rees married William Corke 1st November 1791 at Hubberston parish church Pembs According to the baptism records William and Mary had at least six children. Two boys named Joseph and two boys named John. The other two children were William and Elizabeth. All the children were baptsied at Hubberston parish church Pembs. Which is now part of modern day Milford Haven. 1st Child William 1793 mariner and rope maker The first child was William Corke, and he was baptised on the 8th April 1793. Young William went on to marry Phoebe Charles of Milford Haven in 1820. At that stage of his life William was a mariner and both he and Phoebe spent some time in Ireland, at in Cork When he returned to Milford haven he had a change of occupations and was recorded as being a rope maker. The couple went on to have at least four children Mary Ann and Eliza both born around 1824 in Courtmacsherry Ireland. The other children are Hester aka Ester (b 1826) and James the youngest (b 1828) The two Johns The second child of Mary and William was 1st John Corke was baptsied 22nd May 1795 at Hubberston parish church, just one day after his birth on the 21st.  We know that poor little John had a short life, and he must have died before 1815, because William and Mary had another boy named John, who was baptsied that year and like his elder brother sadly died a short while later. The six child of Mary and William was 2nd John Corke was the youngest child of William and Mary Corke, he was also the second boy to be named John. The first John was born in 1795, and died sometime before 1815, when the second John was baptsied at Hubberston parish church Pembs. Sadly like his namesake he was not to survive into adult hood and was buried aged just nine days old, at Hubberston parish church. The two Josephs The fourth child of William and Mary was 1st Joseph Corke he, was born in October 1798, and was baptsied 11th November that year at Hubberston parish church. Sadly Joseph died just two months later and was buried Christmas day (25th December) that very same year. The fifth child of Mary and William was the 2nd Joseph Cork who was baptized 6th March 1808 at Hubberston parish church Pembs (two weeks old). Joseph went on to marry Dorothy Edwards of Milford Haven and the family moved to Liverpool, and had at least eight children, some in Milford the others in Liverpool. 3rd Child Elizabeth Corke Elizabeth Corke was 3rd child and only daughter of William and Mary Corke, was baptised 14th August 1796 at Hubberston. Elizabeth married James Merchant and lived in the Milford Haven area. The couple had at least six children. Some of whom moved to Cardiff and Pembroke Dock. Elizabeth also cared for her father in his old age. The 1841 Census and beyond We know from the 1841 census that Mary and William lived in Hubberston, and that William was a mariner aboard the vessel Speedwell. It does not say if it is a merchant or naval vessel. There was a customs cutter by that name operating around the Irish Sea area at that time. But I think that one in particular was not in service at the time of the 1841 census. I need to research the ships of the Haven in more detail before I can shed light on that vessel. At the time of the 1841 census, Mary’s age is entered as 72, putting her date of birth as 1769, and making allowances for the rounding up or down of the age by five years, it pretty much a fit. Also at that address is their daughter Elizabeth Merchant and two of their grandchildren, Mary Merchant (b 1828) and William Merchant (b 1831). Elizabeth’s husband James is not at the family home, and is possibly at sea, at the time of the census. Beyond the 1841 census I have not found anything regarding Mary or William. This includes burials. It is possible that the couple moved, or their deaths have not yet come to light.   The Children of Ann Rees and William Corke. See Chapter Two 1.      William Corke 8th April 1793 Hubberston Milford Haven 2.      1st John Corke  22nd May 1795 Hubberston  Milford Haven 3.      Elizabeth Corke 14th August 1796 Hubberston Milford Haven 4.      1st Joseph Cork 11th November 1798 Hubberston Milford Haven 5.      2nd Joseph Cork 6th March 1808 Hubberston Milford Haven 6.      2nd John Cork 8th October 1815 Hubberston Milford Haven