Katie Stanley (katies @t freemail.com.au) of Hobart, Tasmania, writes: I am researching the family of John Archer (b 1782 Hertfordshire) who was a miller.  He owned Ware Park Mill.  In 1828 he and his eldest son, John Kinder Archer, came to Tasmania, AUS.  He returned and brought the rest of the family (wife Marianne (nee Kinder), children Marianne, Thomas Kentish, Susan Kinder and Sarah Rose) out in 1831.

I am interested in finding out more about the family prior to coming to Australia.  John had siblings Frederick (Frederick Hill Archer, his son, has at least one reference on this website [see Appointment of Overseers, 1871]), Thomas, James and Mary (m Thomas B Evans and came to Tasmania).  There is some suggestion that they may be the children of Thomas Wright Archer who died in 1817 at Westmill. 

Can you help me with any information on Thomas Wright Archer or John Archer (miller of Ware) that might link them?  I'd also be interested in information on the Ware Park Mill in the period (1800 - 1830).

Sources:  All the information about John Archer and his family come from family sources.  The IGI shows the baptisms of John Archer's children, and also a record of his marriage to Marianne (or Mary Ann) Kinder.  The IGI also shows a Thomas Wright Archer who married Rose Mickley and had children John, Frederick, James, Thomas and Mary - with baptisms in years that would correspond to what I know of John Archer and his siblings.  The final source of information on the family is a Morton Hill Archer (b 1879 or 1919 - uncle and nephew) of Tredizzick Bridge, St Minver, Cornwall, who was writing to my great grandfather, Claude Archer in the 1930s.  Morton Archer is a descendent of John Archer's brother, Frederick.

I have had a quick look at a few sources to see if I could find a reference to anyone called Archer who had a mill in Ware in the early 19th century. A check of the 1823 Pigot's directory showed the following "Millers and Mealmen":

The History of Ware mentions that there were several mills, the first being mentioned in the Domesday Book, and the is one to the west of the town marked on a map - but nothing definite. The Victoria County History is no more helpful and Cussans has no relevant Archer reference. Industrial Archaeology of Hertfordshire lists two mills. Station Mills was built 1896 and still working. Ware Mills are most probably early 19th century and ceased milling in 1899. I assume you have checked the IGI index at familysearch. Unfortunately my information on Ware is somewhat limited and there may well be documents at HALS which could help (such as wills or deeds) and some records, such as old account books, etc., may have been microfilmed and available through your local LDS Family History Centre.

July 2018

Thomas Stamp wrote on to say that Marianne or Mary Anne Kinder  married John Archer in 1811. She was born on 1782 in St Albans, and was daughter of John Kinder (d 1807) and Susanna Kentish (1743-1792). She had 3 sisters.