Charlotte Evans

     Charlotte Evans was baptized on 10 December 1815 at Fareham St Peter & St Paul, Fareham, Hampshire, England, daughter of George and Ann Evans. She was the daughter of George Evans and Anne Cluer.
Charlotte Evans married Philip Murrell, son of Philip Murrell and Mary Bishop, on 28 August 1838 at Roman Catholic Chapel, Slindon, Sussex, England.¹
Philip Murrell was a widower when he married Charlotte Evans.
The Roman Catholic Chapel, Slindon House, at Slindon was registered to conduct marriages on 18.12.1837 and was later transferred to St Richard's Church, Slindon on 21.11.1865. "Throughout penal times the chapel in Slindon House was continuously served by a priest. During the worst days of persecution Mass was said in a secret chamber under the roof. Later the chapel was on the first floor with an arched roof, and in close proximity were three priest's hiding places. The last to occupy one of these holes was Fr. Joseph Molyneux, (Slindon 176578) who thus eluded arrest upon a search being made for him by order of a magistrate during a temporary outburst of "No Popery" fever (from: "Catholic Record Society, Miscellanea, Vol VI, Bedingfeld Papers, etc, published 1909" LDS Microfilm No. 1068700).
It appears that most Murrell's in Slindon were Catholics. This could come about from most of these Murrells being descendants or relatives of Jeremy Murrell of Slindon who was Steward to Lord Newberg according to his burial on 23.1.1763 (St Mary's Church of England Register). I suspect that Lord Newberg was a Catholic although I haven't thoroughly researched this yet. In the 1861 census it appears that Philp Murrell is a gardener for Anne, Countess of Newburgh.
The fact that Charlotte's first child Mary had her mother's maiden name indicates that she was illegitimate. It is also interesting to note that Charlotte and Philip were married and resident in Slindon but their first child, Charles, was born in Charlotte's birthplace, Titchfield. Charlotte's family would have been living there.
On 7 June 1841 Charlotte Evans and Philip Murrell lived at Slindon, Sussex, England.²
Charlotte Evans witnessed the birth of Maria Murrell on 11 February 1846 at Slindon, Sussex, England.³
On 30 March 1851 Charlotte Evans and Philip Murrell lived at Dyers Lane, Slindon, Sussex, England.⁴
On 7 April 1861 Charlotte Evans and Philip Murrell lived at Slindon St, Slindon, Sussex, England.⁵
On 2 April 1871 Charlotte Evans and Philip Murrell lived at Slindon Common, Slindon, Sussex, England.⁶
On 3 April 1881 Charlotte Evans lived at 7 The Drive, Hove, Sussex, England, with her daughter Mary Farendon (nee Evans) and her husband George. This was just 2 months after Philip died.⁷
A possibility for Charlotte's death: Oct-Dec 1881, Westhampnett RD, Vol 2b page 225, age 87 years. She was buried at Barnham St Mary on 17 Nov 1881.