William John Northcott and Emma Jane Wood

Photo © Lewis Clarke (cc-by-sa/2.0)

Tiverton : Fore Street, Thursday, 2 June, 2022

Photo available for reuse under this Creative Commons licence.

William John Northcott (b. 24 Nov 1867 in Branscombe, Devon), son of John Northcott and Sarah Ann Collins, married Emma Jane Wood (b. 15 Aug 1871 in Kentisbeare, Devon), daughter of Henry Wood and Mary Jane Melhuish, at the Register Office in the District of Tiverton, on 7 Apr 1896. The Tiverton Registration District covered a wide area including Bampton, Cullompton, Uffculme, and Silverton. In 1896, the register office for the Tiverton Registration District was located in the Town Hall on Fore Street in Tiverton, opened in 1864, replacing an earlier 1615 edifice. Witnesses were Henry Wood, Emma's father and Alice Mary Wood, her younger sister.

William and Emma's children (not necessarily together) had included:

1. Frederick James Wood b. 1891 S Qtr in HONITON Vol 05B Page 21, bap. 8 Jun 1892 in Kentisbeare, clearly listed as the son of Emma Jane, Single Woman. Died at 20 months in 1893 M Qtr in TIVERTON Volume 05B Page 318 and was buried on 9 Mar 1893 in Kentisbeare
2. Maud Wood, Emma's illegitimate daughter, b. 19 Dec 1893 (registered 1894 M Quarter in TIVERTON Volume 05B Page 397), bap. 19 Feb 1895, at 14 months old, in Kentisbeare. (Not seen after 1901.)
3. William Henry Northcott b. 8 Mar 1897 (1897 J Quarter in TIVERTON Volume 05B Page 381) (Not found again after 1912)
4. Arthina Northcott b. 14 Oct 1898 (1898 D Quarter in TIVERTON Volume 05B Page 362), bap. 2 Nov 1898 in Cullompton
5. Elizabeth Northcott b. 1900 M Quarter in TIVERTON Volume 05B Page 389 (Died in the same quarter 1900 M Quarter in TIVERTON Volume 05B Page 354) and is buried in Cullompton Cemetery
6. Charles John Northcott b. 23 Feb 1902 (1902 M Quarter in TIVERTON Volume 05B Page 368), bap. 23 Mar 1902 in Cullompton
7. Albert James Northcott b. 30 Aug 1903 (1903 D Qtr in TIVERTON Vol 05B Page 361), bap. 16 Sep 1903. (Died aged 5 mts in 1904 M Qtr in TIVERTON Vol 05B Page 308) and buried in Cullompton Cemetery
8. Florence Northcott b. 25 Oct 1907 (1907 D Quarter in TIVERTON Volume 05B Page 353), Emma's illegitimate daughter

With respect to the paternity of Emma's first child, The Exeter and Plymouth Gazette of 15 Sep 1891 had reported that at the Cullompton Sessions, "Emma Wood, a domestic servant of Kentisbeare, sought an order against Frederick Selley, a young carter, of the same place ..." This appeared to be the 2nd time that the defendant had failed to appear in this matter, so "An order to contribute 2s 6d weekly for 13 years was made upon Selley", although this requirement will undoubtedly have died along with the child. However, The Western Times of 1 Sep 1891 had identified the putative father as Frederick Sully (21), who it appears was born in Hockworthy (1869 M Quarter in TIVERTON Volume 05B Page 480). He died, listed as Frederick Sulley, aged 25, in 1894 J Quarter in TIVERTON Volume 05B Page 266.

Maud Wood was registered at school in Cullompton in 1897 as Maud Northcott, but that may have been simply because her mother had married, and not necessarily because William Northcott was her biological father. 

The mother's maiden name on the births from William Henry onwards is WOOD. Dates of birth are those listed on their school registrations. 

In 1901, William Northcott (~31) Blacksmith Journeyman from Branscombe, Devon, wife Emma Jane (30) from Kentisbeare, along with Emma's daughter, Maud Wood (7); William Henry Northcott (4) and Arthenia Northcott (2) were living at Church Cottages, Cullompton.

William Northcott (listed as 33) died on 11 May 1904 (1904 J Quarter in TIVERTON Volume 05B Page 256) at Crow Bridge, Cullompton, from "Phthisis pulmonalis exhaustion". This is an archaic medical term for death caused by the severe wasting and fatigue associated with advanced pulmonary tuberculosis (TB). Historically used on death certificates, it described patients whose bodies completely gave out from the chronic infection, coughing, and inability to breathe. William's death was registered by E. J. Northcott, Widow of the Deceased. He was buried on 15 May 1904, in Cullompton Cemetery. 

In 1905 Charles John Northcott was at Cullompton school. His date of leaving that school was 13 Dec 1907 with reason given 'left Cullumpton'. 

The Tiverton Gazette of 1 Oct 1907 reported, "RATE EXEMPTON FOR A WIDOW. Emma Northcott, widow, of Cullompton, was summoned for the non-payment of rates amounting to 4s 4d. The Assistant Overseeer (Mr Baker) said defendant had been repeatedly asked to appear before the Court and apply for an exemption from payment of the rates, but until that day she had (despite frequent promises) failed to do so. Asked by the Chairman why she had not appeared before, defendant replied that she did not like to come into Court. She was unable to pay the rates on account of sickness of herself and family. The Chairman told defendant if she paid the cost of the summons (2s) within a fortnight, she'd be exempt in future from paying rates.

However, on 13 Jan 1908, Charles John Northcott was registered at Elmore School, in Tiverton, with his address listed as Elmore Workhouse and his mother's simply as 'Workhouse' (Belmont Road, Tiverton).

In 1911, Emma Northcote (sic) (37) Widow, Laundress was living at 7 Rices Court, West Exe South, Tiverton with her four surviving children: William (14) Errand Boy; Arthina (12), Charles (9) and Florence (3). 

From the Tiverton Gazette of 26 Nov 1912, "AMENDMENT PROMISED. Mrs Emma Northcott, widow, of 3 Jarman's Court, pleaded guilty to not sending her son Charles, aged ten, regularly to the Elmore School. Attendance Officer McDermott produced the head teacher's certificate showing that the boy had only made 57 attendances out of a possible 72. Asked if he knew the reason why the boy had been kept home, Mr McDermott replied: A certain amount of idleness, not altogether the fault of the boy himself; he is a nice little fellow. Mr F B Fisher: Is he in ill-health? Mr McDermott: Oh no, he is a fine lad. Defendant admitted that she kept the boy home occasionally, but did not give the reason. She had four children; the two oldest had left school. The Mayor: Do you understand that it is of the utmost  importance that this boy should be sent to school regularly? Defendant (weeping) Yes, sir. The Mayor: If you will undertake to send the boy regularly to school we will adjourn the case for a month. Will you undertake to do that? Defendant: Yes, sir. The Mayor: Then we adjourn it, but if you do not obey the law, we shall be obliged to inflict a penalty when next you appear. Defendant: I'll do it, sir."

The above report confirming that Emma then had four children - the four listed in 1911 - suggests that she had lost her daughter Maud between 1901 and 1911, however I've found no death or burial record to confirm this.

In 1917, Emma Jane Northcott made a half-rotation and remarried to Arthur Southcott (b. 30 Jul 1883, bap. 9 Aug 1883 at St Peter’s Church Tiverton), 12 years her junior, son of Frederick Southcott and Eliza Harris. 

The Western Times of 22 Mar 1918 reported, "At Tiverton County Police Court, Tuesday, Charles Northcott, aged 16, labourer, of Bartow's Causeway, Tiverton, for using obscene language at Washfield, was fined 10s."

Charles John Northcott (17) joined the Royal Tank Corps on 19 Aug 1919.

In 1921, Arthur Southcott (39) Married, Private in the Army 4th Defence Battalion Devon Regiment, was at 5, Homefield Place, Fore Street, Exeter. Meanwhile, Emma J Southcott (48) Married, was living at 7 Bartows Causeway, Tiverton with Florence Northcott (13) Daughter; Ivy M Wood (6) Grandchild [for whom I've not found any birth nor other records] and Dorothy F Wood (4) Grandchild - born Dorothy Florence Northcott b. 16 Nov 1916 (1916 D Quarter in TIVERTON Volume 05B Page 563), with mother's maiden name Northcott, presumably Arthina's illegitimate daughter). There was a Dorothy Evans (23) Married, born in Cullompton, Devon as a Domestic Servant at the Half Moon Hotel, Fore Street, Tiverton (Arthina Northcott had married Ernest F J Evans in 1918 and later uses Dorothy); Charles John Northcott (19) Army Private was at Hare Park Camp, Curragh, Ireland.

Arthur Southcott died in 1935 D Quarter in TIVERTON Vol 05B Page 503.

In 1939, Emma Jane Southcott, Widowed, was again living at 7 Bartows Causeway, Tiverton with Dorothy A Evans, Laundress, and Dorothy Florence Northcott, who worked at the Lace Factory and one other person. 

Emma Jane Southcott died, at 75, in 1947 J Qtr in TIVERTON Vol 07A 713. 

(Dorothy Arthena Evans died, aged 82, in 1980, in Newton Abbot, Devon. The date of birth quoted is consistent as 14 Oct 1898 for Athina Northcott on her school record, on the 1939 Register and upon the record of her death.)

(The 1939 Register also gave us the surnames of Dorothy Florence Northcott husbands. She married Rowland E Jeffries in 1944, in Tiverton and Henry J Kingslan in Haslingden, Lancashire, in 1952. Dorothy Florence Kingslan - with correct DOB - died in Colwyn, Denbighshire, Wales in 1993.)