Richard Mattingly was born in 1783 to Thomas and Sarah Mattingly of Whitchurch in Hampshire. He was the third son of six children bought up by the couple. His two brothers would have no doubt followed in their father’s occupation in the village. Th

is was not to be the case with Richard, who when he married Mary Mildenhall in 1808 he moved from Whitchurch to Stoneham, 23 miles south of the village. He may well have had taken up the position of Gardener to John Willis Fleming, who owned the huge estate to the west of the village. It was here that his first child, Richard was born in 1810. Both Charles (1812-1875) and Henry  (1813-1881) were also to be baptised at St. Mary’s Church in South Stoneham.

Richard was only to live there until 1815, when he moved 7 miles to the west of the village to take up the position of Gardener to Henry Timson of Tatchbury Mount, Eling. He and Mary were to have three more children – Sarah (born 1815), Jane (1818 - 1892) and John ( born 1820) who were all baptised at St. Mary’s Church in Eling. Richard was to die in 1830, aged just 47 and his widow was to live with her eldest surviving son, Charles until she passed away in 1853. Charles was to take on the former position of Gardener held by his father at Tatchbury.The lists shown here are of two of their children who were baptised in St. Mary`s Church in Eling in 1815 and 1818. Richard is described as a Gardener working for H.T. Timson, Esq. This is an important record as it gives us an insight into his occupation employed by one of the large Estates in Hampshire. Henry Timson owned and lived in  Tatchbury House in Eling. Richard had an early death in 1830 at the age of just 47 and was buried in the churchyard. His wife , Mary was to live with her son Charles until her death in 1884, aged 81. Her daughter, Jane  never married and sadly was to end her days as a Pauper in the Poor House.