William Bartley and Anne Flight

The Children of William Bartley and Anne Flight of St Peter Port Guernsey.

Robert John Bartley, son of William BARTLEY and Anne FLIGHT was born in St Peter Port, Guernsey, Channel Islands on the 18th of October 1798. He was baptised at the Town Church on the 28th of October. His Godparents were his Father, his Aunt Elizabeth Flight, and Etienne Martin. A little brother William James Bartley arrived in 1801. Shortly afterwards their father died. Their mother Anne remarried to Nicholas CAPELAIN 23 April 1806 in the Town Church at St Peter Port. A step sister Judith Capelain was born the following year.

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Town Church, St Peter Port, Guernsey

Robert John Bartley marries Betsey Benest

Robert trained as a builder. The end of the war with France had meant an end to Guernsey’s privateering opportunities, with a reduction in spending power for those who had no agricultural interest. It is likely that Robert moved to Jersey about 1820.

He married on 1st July 1822, at St Helier, Jersey. His bride was Betsy BENEST, daughter of Amice BENEST and Elizabeth MARETT. She was born at Trinity, Jersey and baptised on the 27th of December 1801.  On both sides of her lineage, Betsy’s family had been in the Islands since at least the fourteenth century. Robert built houses in Union Court with his friend and business partner Robert Laurent GUILLE, who was also from St Peter Port. They traded as Bartley & Guille.[1] The two families lived as neighbours in Union Court for many years. Both partners had sons named Robert of a similar age and these youngsters joined the firm as apprentices at age 14.[2] Edward Bartley would also train with his father for a short time before emigrating. Betsy died in March 1856 and Robert followed her a year later. Both rest in the Bartley plot 180 at the Green Street Cemetery, St Helier.

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[1] Jersey Archives L/A/20/A/1 West of England Insurance Co Fire Insurance Register 1823-1829

[2] 1841 Census St Helier, Jersey District 14 Folio 47 page 21- Film 0464353 Piece H.O.1071461

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St Helier Harbour

The Parents of Robert BARTLEY of St Helier, Jersey

Transcript of parish records Town Church St Peter Port Guernsey:

Town Church Marriage

William Bartley the son of John Bartley of St.Austell in Cornwall and Ann Flight the daughter of Thomas Flight of this parishwere married together on 22 April 1797.

 Town Church Baptisms

Robert son of William Bartley and of Ann Flight his wife was born on 18^th. and baptised on 28^th. October 1798 had for sponsors William Bartley, Stephen Martin and Elizabeth Flight.

William James son of William Bartley and  Ann Flight his wife was born on the 5^th. and baptised on 18^th.May 1801 had for sponsors James Belhache, Mary Allez and William Barrett.

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Guernsey View

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St Peter Port from Fort George

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Guernsey Harbour