Monday, 8 September 2025

William Tooze and Sophia Disney

St Andrew's Church, Halberton, Devon
cc-by-sa/2.0 - © Wayland Smith - geograph.org.uk/p/6557083

William Tooze (bap. 3 Apr 1809) son of Thomas Tooze and Joan Potter, married Sophia Disney at St Andrew's Church, Halberton, Devon, on 8 Sep 1831. Sophia was most likely born around 1805 - census records place her birth anywhere between 1803 and 1808 - and she is consistently listed as being born in Thorne St Margaret, Somerset, as was Eliza Disney (b. 1807), wife of William's elder brother, Richard Tooze. Baptisms for that parish are not freely available online, so I haven't seen baptism records for either, but I imagine there's a good chance that the two could have been sisters.

William and Sophia had three children:
  1. Thomas Tooze bap. 10 Feb 1833 in Holcombe Rogus
  2. Edward Tooze bap. 29 Nov 1835 in Holcombe Rogus.
    Died, aged 7, and was buried in Holcombe Rogus in 1843.
  3. Eliza Tooze bap. 20 Jun 1838 in Burlescombe. Died, aged 4 and was buried in Holcombe Rogus in 1842. (No GRO registrations)
William's occupation listed on all the baptisms was Thatcher.

In 1841, William Tooze (30), Sophia Tooze (35), Thomas (8), Edward (5) and Eliza (3) were living at Ridgeway Gate, Holcombe Rogus.

In 1851, William Tooze (40) Thatcher; Sophia Tooze (43) and Thomas Tooze (18) Thatcher were again living at Ridgeway, Pound Hill, Holcombe Rogus.

In 1861, William Tooze (59) Thatcher; Sophia Tooze (58) and Sophia Tooze (7) Granddaughter, were again listed at Ridgeway Gate, Holcombe Rogus.

William Tooze died, aged 60, in 1869 M Quarter in WELLINGTON-SOMERSET AND DEVON Volume 05C Page 297.

In 1871, Sophia Tooze (67) Widow, Gardenwoman, and granddaughter, Sophia Tooze (17) Fancy Worker, were still at Ridgeway Gate.

Sophia Tooze died in 1875 J Quarter in WELLINGTON Volume 05C Page 274, aged ~70. She was buried in Holcombe Rogus on 4 Jun 1875.

Cottages, at Twitchen, Holcombe Rogus
cc-by-sa/2.0 - © Roger Cornfoot - geograph.org.uk/p/1268080

Thomas Tooze (bap. 10 Feb 1833) son of William Tooze and Sophia Disney, married Caroline Cottrell (bap. 16 Feb 1834), daughter of Thomas Cotterell and Sarah Tooze. The Banns of the marriage were attempted to be read in Holcombe Rogus, but written on the record is, "I William Tooze, father of the above Thomas Tooze, did openly in the Church this day March 13th, 1853, forbid these Banns. My son being under age." William Tooze.

The determined couple married, in Tiverton, in the 4th quarter of 1853.

Thomas and Caroline Tooze went on to have twelve children:

  1. Sophia Tooze b. 1854 J Quarter in WELLINGTON SOMERSET AND DEVON Volume 05C Page 417, bap. 7 May 1854 in Holcombe Rogus
  2. Edward William Thomas Tooze b. 1855 D Quarter in WELLINGTON - SOMERSET AND DEVON Vol 05C Page 355, bap. 2 Dec 1855
  3. Sarah Jane Tooze b. 1858 M Quarter in WELLINGTON-SOMERSET AND DEVON Volume 05C Page 416, bap. 14 Feb 1858
  4. Caroline Tooze b. 1859, bap. 26 Feb 1860 (no GRO registration)
  5. Eliza Tooze bap. 15 Dec 1861 (no GRO registration)
  6. Lily Tooze b. 1863 D Quarter in WELLINGTON-SOMERSET AND DEVON Volume 05C Page 396, bap. 8 Nov 1863
  7. Thomas Tooze b. 1865 S Quarter in WELLINGTON SOMERSET & DEVON Volume 05C Page 390, bap. 10 Sep 1865
  8. Lucy Ann Tooze b. 1867 S Quarter in WELLINGTON - SOMERSET AND DEVON Volume 05C Page 369, bap. 14 Jul 1867. Died, aged 13, in 1880 M Quarter in WELLINGTON SOMERSET AND DEVON Volume 05C  Page 273 and was buried in Holcombe Rogus
  9. Emily Tooze b. 1869 D Quarter in WELLINGTON - SOMERSET AND DEVON Volume 05C Page 352, bap. 10 Oct 1869
  10. Elizabeth Tooze b. 1872 M Quarter in WELLINGTON SOMERSET AND DEVON Volume 05C Page 393, bap. 3 Mar 1872. Died, 1900 J Quarter in WELLINGTON, SOMERSET & DEVON  Volume 05C  Page 209
  11. William Tooze b. 1875 J Quarter in WELLINGTON SOMERSET AND DEVON Volume 05C Page 361, bap. 15 Aug 1875
  12. Albert Tooze b. 9 Mar 1880 M Quarter in WELLINGTON, SOMERSET AND DEVON Volume 05C Page 333, bap. 16 May 1880
Caroline will have been 46 when the last child was born, which is late, so I did check that they weren't passing off any illegitimate grandchildren as their own, but all of the registrations of the above show the mother's maiden name as COTTERILL, COTTERELL or COTTRELL and all of the baptisms list the child as being that of Thomas and Caroline, so appear to be theirs.

In 1861, Thomas Tooze (28) Carter; Caroline Tooze (28), Edward (5), Sarah J (3) and Caroline (2) were living at Knowle Cottage, Holcombe Rogus. Their eldest daughter, Sophia (7) was living with her grandparents.

In 1871, Thomas Tooze (38) Agricultural Labourer; Caroline Tooze (37), Caroline (10), Eliza (8), Lillie (sic) (7), Thomas (5), Lucy (4) and Emily (1) were all living at Twitchen, Holcombe Rogus. Living with them was Caroline's widowed father, Thomas Cotterell (84) Pauper and an Elizabeth Hall (22) Visitor. Eldest daughter, Sophia (17) Fancy Worker, was still living with her grandmother; yet to find Edward; Sarah Tooze (13) was Domestic Servant to Henry Jones (73) Carpenter, in South Street, Holcombe Rogus.

In 1881, still at Twitchen, Holcombe Rogus were Thomas Tooze (48) Ag Lab, Caroline Tooze (48), Emily (10), Elizabeth (9), William (6) and Albert (1). Also living with them was Frances Tooze (6) Granddaughter (b. 1875 M Quarter in WELLINGTON SOMERSET AND DEVON Volume 05C Page 365), bap. 31 Jan 1875, illegitimate daughter of Sophia Tooze. Not found Sophia, Edward or Sarah Jane; Caroline married in 1879; Eliza Tooze (19) was Domestic Servant to John Howse (42) Farmer at Burrow Farmhouse, Ashbrittle; Lillie (sic) Tooze (18) was a General Servant to Alice E James (21) Schoolmistress in South Street, Wellington and Thomas Tooze (15) was a Farm Servant (indoor) to William Warren (55) Farmer at Ford Place, Holcombe Rogus.

In 1891,  at Twitchen, were Thomas Tooze (58) Coachman, Caroline Tooze (57), William Tooze (15) French Polisher and Albert Tooze (11). Elizabeth Tooze (20) was Domestic Servant to Frederick Chave (68) in Halberton.

In 1901, Thomas Tooze (68) Ordinary Labourer and Caroline Tooze (68).

Caroline Tooze died actually at 66, in 1901 S Quarter in WELLINGTON, SOMERSET AND DEVON Volume 05C Page 193. Thomas Tooze died in  1902 J Quarter in WELLINGTON Volume 05C Page 213, at 68.