Henry Stone and Mary Ridgeway

Church of St John the Baptist, Ashbrittle
cc-by-sa/2.0 - © David Smith - geograph.org.uk/p/5104522
A plaque near The Ancient Yew of Ashbrittle declares, "Generations of local people
have cherished this tree, one of the oldest living things in Britain."

Henry Stone, son of William Stone and Mary Thorne, married Mary Ridgeway, daughter of James Ridgeway and Mary Ann Lock, at her parish Church of St John the Baptist, Ashbrittle, on 24 Jan 1854. 

Henry and Mary Stone, a pair of my 2nd great-grandparents, had nine children, the first, Frederick James, is listed as being born in Stawley and the rest in Ashbrittle, Somerset. All were baptised at St John the Baptist, Ashbrittle.

1. Frederick James Stone baptised 25 Dec 1854
2. Henry William Stone baptised 13 Jul 1856 
3. John Stone baptised 23 May 1858 
4. Mary Ann Stone baptised 5 Feb 1860 
5. Tom Stone born 11 Dec 1861, baptised 4 Feb 1862
6. Harriet Stone baptised 2 Apr 1865 
7. Francis Stone born 1 Feb 1867, baptised 3 Mar 1867
8. Charles Stone born 8 Apr 1869, baptised 9 May 1869
9. Lucy Jane Stone born 11 Apr 1872, baptised 26 May 1872

Court Place, Ashbrittle
cc-by-sa/2.0 - © Roger Cornfoot - geograph.org.uk/p/3819462

In 1861, Henry (31) and Mary (27) were also living in a Private Cottage at Court Place, as were Henry's parents at that time. With Henry and Mary were the four children born to date; Frederick (6), Henry (4), John (3) and Mary Ann (1), along with Jane Ridgeway (28), Sister-in-Law (Mary's sister).

In 1871, with their address merely given as Cottage, Ashbrittle, were Henry and Mary with Mary Ann (12), Tom (9), Harriet (6), Francis (3) and Charles (1). The first three boys having left home already. Living next-door-but one was the family of John Ridgeway (relatives of Mary's, obviously) and then that of John Vickery. These three families remain intrinsically linked. 

In 1875, the family were living in Hill, Huntsham, according to son Francis Stone's school record, when he was enrolled at Huntsham County Primary School that year. At the time he left school in 1879, Francis was attending school in Chevithorne, so presumably the family had relocated there.

By 1881, the family had moved to Lands Mill, Uplowman with Henry (51) and Mary (49), Harriet (16), Francis (14), Charles (11) and Lucy Jane (8), granddaughter, Ellen Snow (2) and widowed Sister-in-Law, Jane Vickery (43). Visiting were Mary Ann Tarr (27) and Jane Tarr (22), General Servants. 

Lands Mill (now demolished) was part of the Widhayes estate and, my guess is that Henry was employed by Edward Chave at Widhayes Farm. The stable block, barn, linhay, gate house and farmhouse at Widhayes are Listed Buildings. 

Some of the listed buildings at Widhayes

Mary Stone died, aged 52, on 28 Dec 1885 and was buried on 3 Jan 1886 at Uplowman. In 1891, Henry Stone (63), Widower, was living at Greengate Cottage in Uplowman. With him are daughter Harriet (25), son Francis (23), granddaughter, Ellen Snow (12) and grandson Francis (3) (Harriet's son).

Henry Stone died, aged 72, on 26 Nov 1901 and was buried on 30 Nov 1901 at Uplowman. Both Henry and Mary have been buried in the same plot in Uplowman Churchyard along with their son, John who had died in 1882. 

Grave of John, Mary and Henry Stone in Uplowman Churchyard.