Name: Peter Paskins
Burial Number: 0061
Gender: Male
Occupation: Labourer
Born: 00/00/1794
Died: 08/05/1881
Buried: 13/05/1881
Story
Peter Paskins was born in Broadwater, Worthing, Sussex, and baptised there on 28th August 1796. He was the son of James Paskins, 26yrs, Gardener, and Elizabeth, 29yrs, nee Grimsted, and was 1 of 7 children, Job b.1794, Patient b.&d.1799, Caroline b.1800, Abraham b.1801, Eleanor b.1805, and Isaac b.1808. The family lived in extreme poverty, (his father later died in East Preston workhouse) and Peter was unable to read or write. Peter worked as a labourer, and in April 1820 was tried and acquitted at Lewes Crown Court for Larceny.
On 8th May 1820 Peter married Elizabeth Jones at Broadwater Parish Church, they were both 24yrs of age and both marked an X on the marriage certificate. They had 6 children, Sarah b.1821, Eleanor b.1822, Peter b.1824 died 1825, Charles b.1826, Jacob b.1827, and Matilda b.1830.
Peter, like his own father, was unable to support his family; in January 1836, his 15yr old daughter, Sarah, went into domestic service in Brighton, and Peter applied to the Poor Law authority to buy her suitable clothing. Just 2 years later, she returned home, too ill to work, and again Peter had to apply for welfare to support her.
In 1849, his daughter, Matilda, 19yrs, had a son, also named Peter Paskins, and this grandson appeared to have lived with Peter and his wife. Peter was still working as a labourer in 1861, aged 66yrs, but by 1871, he had retired and was receiving parish relief for himself and Elizabeth; they lived in Cooks Row, a notorious slum area in central Worthing. Elizabeth died in 1874, aged 78yrs, and Peter died on 8th May 1881, aged 85yrs. The very next day, 9th May, his brother, Job, died, aged 88yrs. Peter’s daughter, Eleanor, died the following year in Brighton workhouse, aged 60yrs.
Researcher: Maggi Martin
The Grave
Location in Cemetery
Area: Unknown Row: Unknown Plot: Unknown
Exact Location (what3words): rate.pest.select
Ashes or Urn: Unknown
Headstone
Description:
None Found
Inscription:
None Found
Further Information
Birth
Name: Peter Paskins
Gender: Male
Born: 00/00/1794
Town: Worthing
County: Sussex
Country: England
Marriage
Maiden Name: Not applicable
Marriage Date: 08/05/1820
Spouse First Name: Elizabeth
Spouse Last Name: Grimsted
Town of Marriage: Worthing
County of Marriage: Sussex
Country of Marriage: England
Information at Death
Date of Death: 08/05/1881
Cause of death: Unknown
Address line 2: 11
Address line 3: Cooks Row
Town: Worthing
County: Sussex
Country: England
Obituary
No obituary has been entered.
Personal Effects
Money left to others: No value recorded
Current value of effects: Not calculated
Census Information
1851
Living at 19, Martlet Street, Worthing, Sussex. Peter Paskins, Hd. 57yrs, Labourer, wife, Elizabeth, 57yrs, daughter, Matilda, 19yrs, Dressmaker, grandson, Peter Paskins, 2yrs.
1861
Living at 6, Cooks Row, Worthing, Sussex. Peter Paskins, Hd. 66yrs, Labourer, wife, Elizabeth, 63yrs, grandson, Peter Paskins, 11yrs.
1871
Living at 11, Cooks Row, Worthing, Sussex. Peter Paskins, Hd. 75yrs, Receiving Parish Relief, wife, Elizabeth, 63yrs.
Miscellaneous Information
Paupers
In Victorian times, were defined by their being in receipt of relief while the wider poor lived in varying degrees of poverty. Thus, a poor person would be legally defined as a pauper only when they were in receipt of relief. Low wages and recourse to charity, (whether institutional or from neighbours), did not define pauperism.
