Francis Ginn of Weston & Clothall d.1798

Francis Ginn, son of William in my post of 6th January 2013,  moved to Weston in, or about, 1757.  He was 30.  I know little of his early life, but I do know that he had a severe limp.  This seems to have resulted from a poorly reset broken leg, possibly the result of an accident at his father's Mill.  Windmills were generally on five floors, each floor used for a particular task.  I have wondered if Francis fell through one of the hatches.  The evidence of his injury comes from the Militia records.

He married Ann Swain at Weston in 1757 when he was 30.  I have not researched Ann's family, but she was quoted as being a minor.  From her burial entry, she seems to have been 16 (if this is accurate).  Her brother Samuel was a local blacksmith and it was through his influence that this family eventually developed their interest in smithing and metalwork/engineering which lasted for the next 200 years.

If the register is accurate  then Francis and Ann seem to have had few children at Weston.  They seem to have been scrupulous in having their children baptised (and properly married) and there seem to be no unaccounted for Ginns.  So the whole thing is strange.  I have even wondered whether Francis's injury contributed to this.

In about 1765 (see Militia) Francis moved to Clothall.  He was a Labourer, and if his injury was really bad, may have had trouble finding work.  However, by 1790, he achieved the Labourer's dream; he became the Landlord of the local Pub - "The Barley Mow and Windmill".  We know this, because in 1790 (HRO) he is mentioned in a conveyance of the Alehouse to James Ind (of later Ind Coope).  He was Landlord there until his death.

"The Barley Mow and Windmill" later became just "The Barley Mow".  The building appears to still stand (it no longer has a licence) and is fairly remote from the village,  I visited in the early 1990s and below is a photo of the building still called by that name and I believe at least in part the building of the 1790s.

Francis Ginn died at Clothall  in 1798.   The register gives his age as 72 (he was 71).  In 1803 Ann had the unpleasant task of nursing her dying son Francis, who had been brought home from Broxbourne.

Ann Ginn was buried in December 1815.  She was quoted as being 74.

Francis and Ann had six children:

Francis - he obtained the permission of the magistrates to move to Broxbourne.  See later post

Mary - married Jeremiah Nutting

Judith - she had an illegitimate child - either George Bill or George Bull Ginn in 1798 who is untraced.  Later married William Watson.

William - second of that name, he was a Blacksmith.  Established a large Ginn clan at Weston.  See later post

Ann - married John Bygrave