Abraham and Ann Roberts's children:

There are five possible offspring of Abraham jnr and Ann Roberts, including the only one we know of for sure: my 3xgreat grandfather, Lazarus. First a word about naming patterns, however. The most common convention used in England from about 1700 was, for males: first son named after the paternal grandfather, second son named after the maternal grandfather, third son named after the father. But in the case of Abraham and his family, this was not the pattern followed. Abraham had already been given the same name as his father. His father’s younger brother was named Lazarus (Lazarus Steel Roberts) and his sons were also named Abraham (1786) and Lazarus (1789). So the pattern established here was to name the eldest son Abraham with the second son named Lazarus.

For girls, the pattern seemed to be to use commonplace names, Ann, Elizabeth and Mary. Abraham’s wife was Ann and her sisters were Mary and Elizabeth.  

So we could expect to see all these names amongst the children of Abraham and Ann. And indeed we do, although it would seem the eldest son of this generation was named Lazarus and the second son Abraham.

Furthermore, the Devon connection (notably Stoke Damerel and Plymouth) – certainly with Lazarus and Elizabeth and possibly with  the others as well – suggests that after their mother’s death in 1801, or their father’ s incarceration in 1804, some or all of Abraham and Anne’s  children relocated to Devon, where Lazarus entered the Royal Navy in 1804. If indeed this is the case, the reason was their mother’s family, the Dunriches and Pollards and the children’s benefactor, Elizabeth Dunrich.

1. Elizabeth Roberts, Born Torpoint/Stoke Damerel 1787

2. Lazarus Roberts, Born Antony/Torpoint 1790; Died Plymouth 1873

3. Abraham Roberts, Born 4 February 1794 and baptised 18 Februray 1794, St Mary Magdalen, Bermondsey, Abraham, son of Abraham and Ann Roberts, Ropemaker, East Lane

4. Mary Roberts, Born 17 September 1796 and baptised 13 October 1796, St John Horsleydown, Bermondsey, Mary, daughter of Abraham and Ann Roberts, Gent.

5. Ann Roberts, Born 27 December 1798 and baptised 19 January 1799, St John Horselydown, Bermondsey, Ann, daughter of Abraham and Ann Roberts, Gent.; Died Ugborough, Devon 1865