James Wood and Mary Ann Melhuish

Broadhembury
cc-by-sa/2.0 - © David Stowell - geograph.org.uk/p/6855

James Wood, son of James Wood and Harriet Gollop, married Mary Ann Melhuish on 20 May 1883 at St. Mary’s church, Kentisbeare. The spaces for Mary Ann's father are left blank on the marriage certificate, which lends more circumstantial evidence for accepting an illegitimate birth of a Mary Ann Melhuish (who said she was born in Clayhidon, Devon), in 1863 J Quarter in WELLINGTON SOMERSET AND DEVON Volume 05C Page 445. Without buying the certificate, we cannot even tell who her mother was, but I have a sneaking suspicion she may turn out to be the daughter of Mary Jane Melhuish, who James' elder brother Henry had married.

James and Mary Ann had 11 children:

1. Robert Wood b. 1883, bap. 12 Jul 1885 in Kentisbeare (Baptism record notes that he was 18 months old.) 
2. Sarah Ann Wood bap. 12 Jul 1885 in Kentisbeare
3. Edith Maud Wood b. 24 Jul 1887, bap. 14 Aug 1887 in Kentisbeare
4. Harriet Mary Wood b. 23 Nov 1888, bap. 13 Jan 1889 in Kentisbeare
5. George Wood b. 30 Aug 1890, bap. 5 Oct 1890 in Broadhembury
6. Unnamed male Wood b. Q1 1893 (Died in the same quarter)
7. Eldred James Wood b. 15 Mar 1894, bap. 1 Apr 1894 in Broadhembury. 
8. Mabel Wood bap. 8 Aug 1896 in Kentisbeare (Died at 21 days old, buried 23 Aug 1896, also in Kentisbeare)
9. Roland Ashford Wood b. 25 Jan 1898, bap. 13 Mar 1898 in Kentisbeare. 
10. Reginald Leonard Wood b. 8 May 1901, bap. ? 1901 in Blackborough
11. Mabel Frances Wood b. 1904 (Died at 26 days old, buried 17 Jan 1904 in Blackborough)

In 1891 the family were living in Broad Road, Broadhembury, Honiton with James Wood (32) Agricultural Labourer, Mary A (29), Robert (7), Sarah A (5), Edith M (3), Harriet M (2) and George (0).

In 1901, they were back in Kentisbeare at Hollis Green, with James Wood (43), Mary A (39), Edith (13), Harriet M (12), George (10), Eldred J (7) and Roland A (3). I've been unable to find either Robert or Sarah Ann. 

In 1911, at Cobblers Hall, Kentisbeare, were James Wood (53), Mary Ann (49), Sarah Ann Wood (25) Servant Cook, and Reginald Leonard Wood (9).

James Wood died in 1918, aged around 61.

In 1921, Mary Ann Wood (58) Widow, was living at Downlands, Kentisbeare, Devon with Roland Ashford Wood (23) & Reginald Leonard Wood (20) Farm Labourers; Sarah Ann Edmond (36) Widow; James Roland George Edmond (8) Grandson; Arthur Cecil Ronald Edmond (6) Grandson; Constance Mary Helen Edmond (4) Granddaughter and Robert Wood (37) Visitor.

In 1939, Mary Ann Wood, Widow, was living at 15, Blackborough with her youngest son, Reginald Leonard, then employed as a Rabbit Trapper. 

Mary Ann Wood died in 1955, aged 91.

1. Eldred J Wood served in the Devonshire Regiment during World War I.
2. Roland A Wood married Cicely Butt in 1939. That year they were living at Bodmiscombe Wood, where Roland was a Farmer on his own account. Roland Ashford Wood died on 28 Feb 1975.
3. Reginald Leonard Wood of 15 Blaydon Cottages, Blackborough, died on 18 Jun 1954 at Tiverton and District Hospital. As he left his effects to his widowed mother, we can probably conclude he had not married.