James Goff and Sarah Ann Canniford

The triangle at the centre of Kentisbeare
cc-by-sa/2.0 - © David Smith - geograph.org.uk/p/2697345

James Goff (b. 1855 in Ashbrittle, Somerset), eldest son of Charles Goff and Elizabeth Lock, married Sarah Ann Canniford (bap. 18 Jan 1857 in Kentisbeare), daughter of William Canniford and Jane Baker, in 1876. 

James and Sarah Ann Goff had nine children:

1. William Goff b. 1877 J Quarter in TIVERTON Volume 05B Page 428, and was initially baptised privately on 10 Mar 1877 and then again in the church of St Mary, Kentisbeare on 20 May 1877. Died, aged 6, on 18 Sep 1883 (1883 S Quarter in TIVERTON Volume 05B Page 252) and was buried on 23 Sep 1883 at St Mary, Kentisbeare. [1]
2. Annie Goff b. 1879 M Quarter in TIVERTON Volume 05B Page 433, bap. 5 Jan 1879 at St Mary, Kentisbeare. Died, aged 4, on 18 Sep 1883 (1883 S Quarter in TIVERTON Volume 05B Page 252) and was buried on 23 Sep 1883 at St Mary, Kentisbeare. [1]
3. Tom Goff b. 1881 M Quarter in TIVERTON Volume 05B Page 421, bap. 13 Mar 1881 at St Mary, Kentisbeare. Died, aged 2, on 23 Sep 1883 (1883  D Quarter in TIVERTON  Volume 05B  Page 275) and was buried on 25 Sep 1883 at St Mary, Kentisbeare. [1]
4. Beatrice Elizabeth b. 26 Oct 1882 (registered as Mary Jane in 1882 D Quarter in TIVERTON Volume 05B Page 422 Occasional Copy: A), bap. as Beatrice Elizabeth Goff on 16 Mar 1883 at St Mary, Kentisbeare.
5. James Goff b. 1 Sep 1886 D Quarter in TIVERTON Volume 05B Page 413, bap. 14 Nov 1886 at St Mary, Kentisbeare.
6. Henrietta Goff b. 22 Oct 1888 D Quarter in WELLINGTON, SOMERSET AND DEVON Volume 05C Page 310 (no baptism found)
7. Anna Goff b. 1891 M Quarter in WELLINGTON, SOMERSET AND DEVON Volume 05C Page 318, bap. Annie Goff on 12 Nov 1893 at St Mary, Kentisbeare. 
8. Winnifred Goff b. 1893 D Quarter in TIVERTON Volume 05B Page 389, bap. 4 Oct 1893 at St Mary, Kentisbeare. Died, aged 2, in 1895 D Quarter in TIVERTON Volume 05B Page 259 and was buried on 1 Dec 1895 at St Mary, Kentisbeare. [2]
9. Agnes Augusta Goff b. 28 Aug 1900 D Quarter in TIVERTON Volume 05B Page 347, bap. 25 Aug 1901 at St Mary, Kentisbeare.

[1] The newspaper report in Western Times of 28 Sep 1883 reads: "Sympathy is felt in this village with James Goff, who lost two children on the 18th instant - a boy aged six years and a girl aged four, dying within 10 minutes of each other.  This heavy bereavement was followed by another in the death of a boy aged two years on the 23rd instant, and now Mrs Goff has been taken seriously ill with dyptheria (sic). Foul water is assigned as the cause of the illness, and the Nuisance Inspector as well as the Medical Officer of Health have been called into consultation over this very serious affair."

[2] The Exeter and Plymouth Gazette of 6 Dec 1895 reported, "An inquest was held at Kentisbeare, on Saturday, upon the body of Winifred Goff, aged two years, the daughter of Mr. James Goff, Builder. Dr Tracey, of Willand, attributed death to diphtheria, and the jury returned a verdict accordingly."

Of course this was pre-vaccine, pre-antibiotics and pre-NHS.

In 1881, James Goff (26) Mason from Ashbrittle, Somerset was living in the Village, Kentisbeare, with Sarah A Goff (25) from Broadhembury, Devon; William Goff (4), Annie Goff (2) and Tom Goff (0). Beatrice E Goff (18) was working as a Parlourmaid in St Leonards, Weston Super Mare.

In 1891, in Burlescombe were James Goff (36) Bricklayer; Sarah A Goff (35), Beatrice E Goff (8), James Goff (4), Henrietta Goff (2) and Anna Goff (0).

On 19 Sep 1899, The Western Times reported, "The first meeting of Creditors of James Goff, Mason, of Colepark, Kentisbeare, was held in the Receiver's Office, Exeter, on Thursday. Debtor estimated his liabilities at £212 15s 6d and assets £75 9s 6d, leaving a deficiency of £137 6s. Causes of failure alleged by debtor were sickness of self and family ..."

In 1901, at Hollis Green, Kentisbeare, were James Goff (46) Mason; Sarah A Goff (45), James Goff (14) Mason; Henrietta Goff (12), Annie Goff (10) and Agnes Goff (0). 

James Goff, Mason, died, aged 53, at the Tiverton Infirmary and Dispensary in 1908 D Quarter in TIVERTON Volume 05B Page 251 and was buried on 11 Nov 1908 at St Mary, Kentisbeare.

Sarah Ann Goff née Canniford, of Hollis Green, Kentisbeare, wife of the above James Goff, died, aged 52, in 1908 D Quarter in TIVERTON Volume 05B Page 248 and was buried on 13 Dec 1908, also at St Mary, Kentisbeare.

• Beatrice Elizabeth Goff (24) Domestic Servant of Hollis Green, Kentibeare, daughter of James Goff, married William John Wyatt (21) Brakeman, of 22 Sutton Road, Newport, Monmouthshire, son of James Wyatt, on 31 Mar 1907 at St Mary, Kentisbeare. They had four children. Beatrice Elizabeth Wyatt died, in 1976.
• James Goff married Harriet Bennett, daughter of John Bennett, on 8 Apr 1911 at St John's Church, Maindee, Newport, Monmouthshire. They had four daughters. James Goff died, at 63, in 1949 in Newport (Monmouthshire).
• Henrietta Goff married George Hendy, son of George David Hendy and Jane Richards, in Tiverton, in 1908. In 1911, they were living at 6 Melbourne Street, Tiverton and living with them was Henrietta's younger sister, Agnes Augusta, then 10 and at school. George and Henrietta had one son, Leslie George Hendy b. 1921. Agnes was still living with them, at 1 John Street, Tiverton, in 1939. Henrietta Hendy died, in Tiverton, in 1980. 
• Annie Goff died, aged 40, in St Thomas, Exeter, in 1931.
• Agnes Augusta Goff died, in Tiverton, on 17 Jul 1982.