Jacob Ridgway and Jane Bray

Parish Church of St. Gregory, Seaton
cc-by-sa/2.0 - © Maurice D Budden - geograph.org.uk/p/2942441

Jacob Ridgway (b. 3 May 1776, baptised at the age of 17 in Culmstock, on 27 Oct 1793), son of Thomas Ridgway and Sarah Leaman, married Jane Bray (bap. 8 Jul 1777 in Uffculme, Devon), daughter of James Bray and Jane Taylor, on 23 Nov 1802 at the parish church of St. Gregory, Seaton, Devon. One of the witnesses to their marriage was a William Salter.

On 14 Feb 1798, Jacob Ridgeway had married Mary Spurway, in Culmstock. There being no other Jacob Ridgway in the area, this appears to be Jacob's previous marriage. A death of a Mary Ridgeway between 1798 and 1802 would provide additional evidence, but I cannot find a record.

Jacob and Jane Ridgway had six children:

1. John Ridgway bap. 8 May 1803 in Seaton & Beer
2. Sarah Ridgway bap. 6 Jan 1805 in Seaton & Beer
3. Thomas Ridgway bap. 9 Mar 1806 in Seaton & Beer
4. Jacob Ridgeway bap. 13 Dec 1807 in Seaton & Beer
5. James Ridgeway bap. 22 Oct 1809 in Seaton & Beer
6. Jane Ridgway bap. 29 Nov 1812 in Ashbrittle, Somerset

In 1841, Jacob Ridgway (66) and Jane Ridgway (62) were living in Ashbrittle Village, Ashbrittle, next-door-but-two to John Lock and Mary Nott.

Jacob Ridgway died, at 69, in 1845 D Quarter in WELLINGTON Volume 10 Page 322 and was buried on 14 Dec 1845 at St John the Baptist, Ashbrittle.

In 1851, Jane Ridgway (76) Widow, from Uffculme, Devon, was a lodger in the household of Thomas Salter (32) Ag Lab from Wiveliscombe. Also lodging in his household were Mary Taylor (32) Widow and her five children. The youngest, James Taylor, then 2 months old, b. 1851 M Quarter in WELLINGTON (SOMERSET & DEVON) Volume 10 Page 523, shows his mother's maiden name was RIDGEWAY. (James Taylor married Mary Ridgway on 11 Sep 1836 in Ashbrittle, Somerset. In 1841, they were living at Bourden Gate Cottage, Hockworthy and James Taylor died, aged 31 - with the census on 30 March 1851, it must have been days before - with his death registered in 1851 J Quarter in WELLINGTON-SOMERSET AND DEVON Volume 10 Page 367. Thomas Salter then married widow, Mary Taylor in the 4th quarter of 1851. James Taylor and Mary Ridgway, clearly were family. 

Jane Ridgway died, age estimated as 77, in 1853 M Quarter in WELLINGTON - SOMERSET AND DEVON Volume 05C Page 294 and was buried on 13 Feb 1853, also at St John the Baptist, Ashbrittle.

Thomas Ridgway and Sarah Leaman

Photo © Roger Cornfoot (cc-by-sa/2.0)

All Saint's Church, Culmstock, Saturday, 8 March, 2014

Photo available for reuse under this Creative Commons licence.

Thomas Ridgway (b. 9 Sep 1754, bap. 26 Oct 1760, in Culmstock, Devon), son of Thomas Ridgway and Elizabeth Potter, married Sarah Leaman (bap. 6 Apr 1755 in West Buckland, Somerset), daughter of Robert and Sarah Leaman, at All Saint's Church, Culmstock on 31 Jul 1774. 

(The village of Culmstock was later immortalised in the novel Perlycross, by R.D. Blackmore of Lorna Doone fame, who lived in Culmstock for six years while his father, John Blackmore, was curate-in-charge of the parish.)

Thomas and Sarah Ridgway had four children, all baptised in Culmstock:

1. Thomas Ridgway bap. 11 Sep 1774
2. Jacob Ridgway b. 3 May 1776, bap. 27 Oct 1793
3. Sarah Ridgway b. 21 Feb 1778, bap. 27 Oct 1793
4. Simon Ridgway b. 28 Feb 1784, bap. 27 Oct 1793

So far, I've been unable to identify records of Thomas & Sarah's deaths.

Sidney William Hitchcock and Florence May Stone

Bishops Lydeard
cc-by-sa/2.0 - © Tony Atkin - geograph.org.uk/p/246659
The crossroads on what could be called the village centre

Sidney William Hitchcock married Florence May Stone, daughter of Frederick James Stone and Loveday Jane Land, married , in Tiverton, in 1920. Without buying a copy of the marriage certificate - not economically attractive for any but direct ancestors - I have no more details on date or venue. 

This couple had at least one child:

1. Frederick Walter Hitchcock b. 1920 D Quarter in TIVERTON Volume 05B  Page 636

In 1921, Sidney William Hitchcock (22) Engine Driver Threshing and Hauling; Florence May Hitchcock (24) and son Frederick Walter Hitchcock 8 months, born in Cruwys Morchard, were living in Bishops Lydeard, Taunton.

Mrs F Hitchcock, was one of the family mourners at her nephew's funeral in 1932. That newspaper report also told us that she lived in Bishops Lydeard, which was useful data, because this family evaded the 1939 Register.

Sidney William Hitchcock died, in Taunton district, in 1952, aged 53.

Florence M Hitchcock died in 1967. She will have been 73.

Sidney William Hitchcock (b. 1899), was the son of Walter Simon Hitchcock and his wife Ann Stone. Is this yet another circular branch on the family tree? 

Walter Simon Hitchcock and Annie Stone had married in 1880 and had lived at Red Ball in 1881 and 1891. "W. S. Hitchcock, labourer, Redball" is listed under the Cottagers - a term, the meaning of which, has changed enormously in the intervening 127 years - in GREGORY'S DIRECTORY OF 1894. Back then, it had nothing to do with homosexual practices in public toilets, or following Fulham Football Club. A Cottager was a person who lived in a cottage, one of the levels of serfdom in feudal societies. 

In 1901, Walter Hitchcock (40) then a Traction engine driver, from Culmstock, Devon, still lived at Red Ball Cottages, 1, Nicholashayne in Culmstock. Wife Ann (38) was from Burlescombe.  

Walter Simon Hitchcock (b. 1858) was the son of William Hitchcock (b. 1827), Shoemaker, and his wife Susana. And this William Hitchcock was the son of William Hitchcock (b. 1798) Shoemaker, and his wife Sarah.

Ann Stone (b. 1862) was the daughter of William Stone (b. 1813) and Ann Croyden who had married on 15 Dec 1840, in Burlescombe. William Stone, Husbandman, was the son of Samuel Stone, Quarryman and his wife Grace. Ann Croyden, Seamstress, was the daughter of John Croyden, a Sawyer. But, if there's any link between Ann Stone and the rest, it's in earlier generations.