The earliest Gunning of whom we are aware was Richard. He died 12 March 1717 and was buried at St Martin Ludgate. He was a stationer and his name can be found in the London tax records for 1709-1715. He married Mary Giddings 15 Oct 1702 at St Dionis Backchurch, London.

 

They had five children: Peter (chr. 24 Feb 1708 St Gregory by St Paul), Richard (chr. 30th Sep 1716 St Martin Ludgate), Jesse (chr. St Martin Ludgate), Josiah (chr. Oct 1706 St Gregory by St Paul) and Mary (chr. 26 Feb 1707 St Gregory by St Paul).

 

Jesse Gunning married Deborah Godfrey in Jan 1733 at the Chapel Royal, Whitehall. He appears in the London tax records from 1734 after he seems to have returned from Jamaica. He died in 1764 and the value of his estate was £20.

 

Deborah (chr. 9 Jul 1704 St Luke, Chelsea) was the daughter of John Godfrey and Mary Peerson who had married at St Luke, Chelsea in 1702.

 

Jesse and Deborah has three children: Mary (chr. 25 Mar 1740 St Sepulchre's), Charles (chr. 10 Jul 1836 St Sepulchre's), Richard (chr 18 Sep 1734 St Sepulchre's). Richard was registered as an apprentice 2nd Jan 1748. 1756 he was registered as apprentice vintner to Thomas Cram.

 

Richard married Mary Muller 3rd April 1758 at St Lawrence Pountney. They had four children: Mary: chr. 17 May 1761 St Sepulchre's, marr. John Wills abt. 1780 St Marylebone

Jesse: chr. 22 Mar. 1767 St Sepulchre's.

Richard: chr 4 Sep. 1762 St Sepulchre's.

Henry John: b. 27 Dec. 1758, chr. 29 Dec 1758 St Mary Abchurch, d. Oct 1850 possibly in Marylebone.

 

Henry John Gunning was described by his daughter as being in Public Duty. He was assessed for tax in 1792 and 1794. After his retirement, Mr Runting used to do commissions for him. He married Anne Steadman 20 Oct 1782 at St George, Bloomsbury. She may have come from Cranleigh in Surrey and her parents were Thomas Steadman and Sarah Stevens.

 

They had four children:

 

Hannah: b. 16 Feb. 1793, chr. 8 Apr. 1793 Providence Chapel, Tichfield St. St Marylebone

 

Ann: b. 1778 St Marylebone, marr. William Minet 20 Aug 1799 St Mary Marylebone

 

Jesse (Jeremiah): b. 17 Mar 1784, chr. 13 Apr 1784 St Mary's Marylebone. The facts are confusing: he appears to have married twice. He married Elizabeth Pile 14th Mar 1811 St Martin Outwich. By Hannah Hearns he had Julia (b 18 Feb 1841, chr. 17 Mar 1841 Marylebone, d. Apr 1896 Prestwich) and Joshua Hearns (b.14 Aug 1839, chr. 11 August in workhouse chapel and chr. 2 Sep 1839 St Marylebone. Perhps the second baptism was to try to erase the stigma of the workhouse baptism. It is possible that Joshua was not Heremiah's own child.

 

Mary Dixon: b 14 Aug 1790, chr. 10 Sep 1790, d. 26 Apr. 1882.