Odiarne Coates, one of my 5th great grandfathers, was born in 1704 in New Romney, Kent, England. He was the son of John Coates (1670–1747) and Sarah Odiarne (1673–1744).
Coates was a gentry family, owning land on Romney Marsh. Odiarne’s father John was a jurate, that is, a civic dignitary or alderman. He served as mayor of New Romney several times.
Odiarne was named after his mother’s surname. It continued in the family as a given name for at least 200 years. At least two of his 4th great grandsons bear the name: Odiarne Hylton Roche Lane (1891-1947) and Edward Odiarne Theron (1912-1999) .
Odiarne Coates (24) married Anne Haffenden (19) on 9 February1729 in St Clement, Old Romney, Kent. Their nine children were:
William Coates (1730–1732)
John Coates (1732–1732)
Margaret Coates (1733–1786)
Sarah Coates (1735–1738)
Ann Coates (1737– )
Sarah Coates (1739–1822)
Baker Coates (1741–1785)
Odiarne Coates (1742–1798) my 4th great grandfather
John Coates (1744–1744)
I have been able to find only a few records that concern Odiarne Coates.
In 1735 Mr. Odiarne Coates, of New Romney, acquired the manor of Stanford in Kent.
In 1735 Odiarne Coates, his wife and sister-in-law were plaintiffs in Coates v Teake. I am not sure how the case turned out or what was in dispute:
Reference: C 11/365/85
Short title: Coates v Teake.
Document type: Bill only.
Plaintiffs: Odiarn Coates, gent of New Romney, Kent and Ann Coates his wife and Elizabeth Haffenden, spinster of New Romney (residuary legatee of Stephen Brett, gent deceased late of Old Romney, Kent).
Defendants: Samuel Jeake and John Fowle.
Date of bill (or first document): 1735In 1736 Odiarne Coates was in the Ecclesiastical Courts. The case concerned “Election of chws”: I assume the election of churchwardens.
Reference: DCb/J/J/71/15
Title: Ecclesiastical cause papers
Plaintiff: Rich BOWES vic New Romney; Defendant: Bart TOOKEY & Odiarn COATES; Documents: Ans; Case: Election of chws
Date: 1736Odiarne died on 20 February 1745 (new style date) in New Romney, aged 39. He was buried on 28 February in the Church of St Nicholas, New Romney.
Inscription
Here lieth interred Odiarne Coates Gentleman. He married Anne daughter of William Haffenden of Old Romney Gentleman and had issue by her nine children Four of which lie here interred viz William, John, Sarah and John and left surviving Margaret, Ann, Sarah, Baeker and Odiarne. He departed this life February the 20th 1744 Aged 40 years.
Also the body of Ann wife of Odiarne Coates who departed this life Oct 4th 1780 Aged 70 years
I did not find any will or probate left by Odiarne Coates. Unusually his father outlived him. However his father failed to make a will and it seems like that they had made their dispositions outside the probate system.
Odiarne’s parents’ memorial is in the same church and the inscription follows the same style:
Here lieth interred Sarah wife of John Coates Gentleman daughter of Thomas Odiarne of Rye in Sussex, Gentleman. She departed this life March ye 6th 1744 aged 72
Here also lieth interred John Coates Gentleman, Jurate and often time mayor of this corporation
He had issue by Sarah his wife 10 children, 8 of which he buried here and left two surviving viz Sarah and Ann
He departed this life September 3 1747 aged 76 years
Odiarne’s mother died only a fortnight after he did. John Coates survived his son by 2 ½ years.
It is sad to think that Odiarne’s parents survived him and seven of their other children. Also that four of Odiarne and Sarah’s nine children died in infancy before him.
Related posts
Argar, P. (2023, May 20). Victorian New Romney. theruralwriterblog. https://theruralwriterblog.wordpress.com/2023/05/20/victorian-new-romney/
Among the Gentry there were a number of families who were civic dignitaries and who became jurats, and mayors of the town and the Coates family had acted in these offices for several generations. Many of this family are buried in or around the south aisle of the church.
Wikitree: Odiarne Coates (1704-1745)
1. Anne is the daughter of Rafe Champion de Crespigny
2. Rafe is the son of Kathleen Cavenagh (Cudmore) Symes (1908-2013)
3. Kathleen is the daughter of Kathleen Mary (Cavenagh) Cudmore (1874-1951)
4. Kathleen is the daughter of Wentworth (Cavenagh) Cavenagh-Mainwaring (1822-1895)
5. Wentworth is the son of Ann (Coates) Cavenagh (abt.1788-1846)
6. Ann is the daughter of Odiarne Coates (1742-1798)
7. Odiarne is the son of Odiarne Coates (1704-1745)
This makes Odiarne the fifth great grandfather of Anne.
This post first published at https://anneyoungau.wordpress.com/2025/04/17/o-is-for-odiarne/
That's a very unusual name Anne. At first I thought it sounded and looked French. It's sad to think of his parents surviving the deaths of so many children. I know it wasn't unusual at the time, but it always makes me sad to think of it.
Any idea where the “Hylton” in Odiarne Hylton Roche Lane (1891-1947) came from? That’s one of my family surnames.