Jane Darby

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Jane Darby was baptised at St. Peter's on Sunday, 14 January 1770 at Roydon, Essex.¹ The church has walls of flint and rubble, and probably dates back to at least 1260. Historically, Roydon was a parish of scattered farms and cottages, with open fields and common meadows. There were 105 ratepayers named in 1734, and the population was 667 in 1801. On the north and west, rivers form the parish and county boundaries.²

She was the daughter of Richard Darby and Sarah Peachy.¹

She may have attended the wedding of her brother in the marriage of Richard Darby and Anne Brett in a Church of England ceremony at St. Peter's on Thursday, 8 June 1775 at Roydon, Essex. Both Richard and Anne signed the wedding certificate. They went on to have four children together.^3,4

She may have attended the wedding of her brother in the marriage of Thomas Darby and Elizabeth Perry in a Church of England ceremony at St. Peter's on Monday, 14 September 1778 at Roydon, Essex. Elizabeth and Thomas went on to have 11 children together over 17 years.^5,4

Jane Darby married Thomas Rogers at St. Augustine's on Thursday, 16 June 1796 at Broxbourne, Hertfordshire.⁶ Jane and Thomas lived circa 1805 at Hoddesdon, Hertfordshire.⁶

Jane and Thomas Rogers became the parents of George Rogers circa 1805.

In Richard Darby's will on 27 January 1821 Richard Darby, Jacob Bush, Martha Darby, Susannah Darby and Jane Darby were named as heirs. She was bequeathed "the Dividends and proceeds of One Hundred Pounds Stock in the three percent Consols [Consolidated Annuities] for and during the Term of her life" with the provisio that after her death the £100 was to be divided equally between her children..^7,8

Her father died February 1821 at the approximate age of 90. Jane was aged 51 when this happened.

Richard Darby's will was probated on 20 March 1821 at the Consistorial and Episcopal Court, London. Further to his will, the beqests were all granted along with a further £800 in consolidated stock which was granted to the executors George Darby, Thomas Darby and Joseph Munns. This £800 was redeemed shortly afterwards but it isn't known what was done with it.⁷ Jane Darby's nephew Richard died 14 February 1827, so her children received £50 each from the estate of her father.

Jane Darby was recorded as living with Thomas Rogers in the 1841 census at Chapel Hill, Hoddesdon, Hertfordshire, and other records indicate this was her spouse.⁹

She was recorded as living with her son, her daughter-in-law and three grandchildren aged 14 to 9 in the 1851 census. She was recorded as being 81 years old.¹⁰

Jane died on 19 November 1858 at Hoddesdon, Hertfordshire, at age 88 of old age. On her death she was to pass £25 each to her surviving children but due to her age it isn't sure if she ever did.¹¹