James Dean was born in Banstead, Surrey, England probably within a month prior to his baptism on the 1 November 1795 in the Parish of All Saints.  The family were of the Baptists faith.  He was the son of William and Elizabeth Dean.

James siblings were William Dean born 1798, John Dean born 1800, George Dean 1803, Charles Dean born 1805, Henry Dean born 1808, Joseph Dean born 1810, Sarah Dean born 1813, Robert Dean born 1815, Thomas Dean born 1817, Michael Dean born 1819,

By 1818 James was living 6.5 kilometres away in Walton on the Hill.  James married Ann Edser  (certificate stated both from Walton on the Hill) on the 24th May 1818 in Headley at St Mary the Virgin in Surrey. (Pallot Marriage Index). He was 22 and she was 19 years.

James Dean & Ann Edser marriage.

Edser was a common family name in Surrey as was Dean.  James and Ann’s first child William was born in 1819 and baptised on the 21st February in the parish of St Peters, Walton on the Hill.  James occupation was given as a labourer.

James and Ann’s children were all subsequently baptised at either the parish of  St. Peter’s at Walton on the Hill and some of them in the parish of All Saint’s in Banstead.  They were; William born 1819, Harriet born 1820, Mary Anne born 1822, Hannah born 1823, Henry born 1825 and George born 1828. Through all these years James gave his occupation as labourer except for once where he was recorded as a farmer.

On October the 18th 1823 James and Ann’s little daughter Mary Anne was buried in the All Saints Parish aged 17 months.  After scouring records I’m fairly certain Ann dies aged 32 and is buried on the 27th January 1832 from St Peter’s, Walton on the Hill, Surrey.  This would have left her youngest child George as a 4 year old and her eldest child William 14.

Beyond these records in 1832 I’ve not been able to find any further records of Ann (Anne) Dean.  One of their daughters Harriet appears on the 1841 census living in Croydon with other persons not related as a 21 year old. Her occupation is given as female servant.

I’m fairly sure I’ve found James on the 1851 census as an agricultural labourer living with a family called Worley as a lodger. At this time he is aged 56 and listed as a widower.  His daughter Hannah had long since emigrated to Australia during the latter 1840’s.

Of their other children I have found marriage records for a William Dean that could fit but I’d be guessing.  He appears again in 1861 still living with the Worley’s at this time he is 66, still listed as a labourer and listed as a boarder.

In 1871 a year before he dies James is living with a family called Blunden as a lodger. They are living in the parish of All Saints.  Now I’m not sure of this and I’m only surmising.  But, James daughter Hannah married William Fowles who had a sister Ellen Fowles who married a Cecil Blunden (all from the same area in Surrey).  Ellen and Cecil emigrated to Australia a few years before William and Hannah.  I wonder whether this family of Blunden’s in England were family of James son-in-law William Fowles and whether for this reason he lodged with them?  It’s highly likely given that these families all would have very likely known of each other.

James was buried on the 15th April 1872 in the parish of All Saints. He was aged 77 which at the time made him a fairly old soul.