Huguenot Link
information compiled by Cathy Day arrived 29th June 2005
You might recall that last year we talked about the family
legend that the WHITERs were originally Huguenots, and that the family name was
originally "DE WHITTIER". This was a fairly persistent rumour, as
several branches repeated essentially the same story.
It seems that one branch of the family, at least, were
descended from Huguenots, but the original refugees from France weren't called
WHITER, or any variant. This explains both David's observation on an Irish
connection, and the dearth of WHITER information in Huguenot records.
Mary BARBIER (also known as BARBER) was born in Bethnal Green
on 21 Aug 1779 and baptised at St Mathew's on 5 Sep 1779.
She was the daughter of George BARBIER (or BARBER) and his wife Elizabeth
YARDLEY, who had been married in
St Dunstan's Stepney in 1777.
According to Pallot's Marriage Index, Mary married
James WHITER in Hackney in 1802, although I have not seen
the original record.
There is a lot of information about James and Mary WHITER
on David Dells' website.
Mary was a Huguenot descendent, and was entitled to retire
to the French Protestant Hospital, which she did on 4 Jun 1853.
In order to gain admission, one had to prove one's Huguenot
descent. Mary's sister Elizabeth (born 15 Sep 1777), two nieces,
a cousin and a granddaughter were all elected to the hospital and each provided
information on their Huguenot ancestors.
I think that because so many of them went to the hospital for
their final years, our ancestors retained the information that they
were of Huguenot descent.
This is correct, except that it was not through the WHITER line,
but through the BARBIER line.
Mary's father was George BARBIER, and he was the son of
Michel BARBIER, "a native of France". I am still wading through masses
of information on this family, and have not yet pinned them
all down, but am still working on it.
I would be happy to share any of the details of the above
relationships with anyone who is interested.
Notes: I G I seems a bit thin on Hackney records!
1841 Census would suggest that 1 James Street,Bethnal Green
was the home of both James and Mary and John and Susannah
with a couple of so far unmarried children.
