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. 

James' elder brother, Henry Wood, had married a Mary Jane Melhuish, which seems an incredible coincidence. Henry's wife, Mary Jane had said she was from Plymouth, while Mary Ann lists herself as being from Clayhidon. But in neither case can I find a birth for either of them individually, much less find any connection between them. That's another mystery for another day.

James and Mary Ann had 11 children:

1. Robert Wood born 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 born 30 Aug 1890, bap. 5 Oct 1890 in Broadhembury
6. Unnamed male Wood born Q1 1893 (Died in the same quarter)
7. Eldred James Wood born 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) Domestic Servant Cook, and Reginald Leonard Wood (9).

James Wood died in 1918, aged around 61.

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. 

William George Beamer and Elsie May Carver

HMS Impregnable in the Hamoaze off Devonport Dockyard

William George Beamer, second son of Alfred Beamer and Mary Ann White, at age 16, in 1901, was a member of the crew of HMS Impregnable the 1st Rate (Training Ship For Boys), in the Hamoaze, Devonport off Maker, St Germans, Cornwall. After spending 19 years in the reserve fleet, HMS Impregnable became the Royal Navy's second boys' training ship at Devonport in 1862. 

Having signed up for a further 12 years in the Royal Navy, on 4 Feb 1903, William was discharged, invalided, on 8 Jun 1905. Then on 9 Sep 1905, he enlisted in the British Army in the Devonshire Regiment. One wonders what condition was classed as invalid for the Navy, but still fit for the Army.

So, next we find William George Beamer (26), in 1911, with the 2nd Battalion Devonshire Regiment, stationed at Saint Georges Barracks, Malta. (Part of the Pembroke Army Garrison, at Pembroke, Malta, not far from St. Julian's.)

William George Beamer married Elsie May Carver at the Anglican Church of the Holy Trinity, which was located in Southside Street/Friars Lane, Barbican, Plymouth, on 17 May 1916. This church no longer exists because it was was destroyed in the Second World War and never rebuilt or replaced. 

Elsie May Carver (b. 22 Nov 1894, bap. 16 Dec 1894 at Holy Trinity Church), was the daughter of Charles Frederick Carver from Clerkenwell, London and Frances Rundle, native of Plymouth. (She was Frances Foster at the time of their marriage, so may have been a widow.) In 1911, the family, including Elsie May (16), had lived at Artizans Dwellings, Notte Street.

William George Beamer was the recipient of a Silver War Badge, having been discharged from the Machine Gun Corps on 30 Mar 1917, under King's Regulation 392 (xvi) “No longer physically fit for war service". "He has a Ministry of Pensions record card which shows him as 22105 MG, residing at 13 Walson Rd, Plymouth. He was discharged on 30.3.17. Cause - deafness. He was also entitled to the Silver War Badge number 197170." (The Silver War Badge was designed to be worn on civilian clothes after early discharge from the army. The accompanying certificate will have read, "Served with honour and was disabled in the Great War. Honourably discharged on ...")

Elsie's younger brother, Charles Frederick Carver (b. 1898), 5th (Prince of Wales's) Battalion (Territorials), Devonshire Regiment, son of Charles F. and Frances Carver, of 5, Artizan's Dwellings, Notte St., Plymouth, was killed in action on 20 Jul 1918 and is buried at Marfaux British Cemetery, France. 

In 1939, William G Beamer, Skilled Labourer HM Dockyard, wife Elsie M Beamer and John F Carver (b. 1902), Road Repair Labourer (Elsie's brother), were still living at 5 Artizans Dwellings, Notte Street, Plymouth - buildings in that street were destroyed in the Second World War and demolished. 

William George Beamer, once more of 5 Artizans Dwellings, Notte Street, died on 1 Jan 1956 and left £605 4s 10d to his widow. 

Elsie May Beamer died in the 4th quarter of 1973, aged 79.

James Shopland and Loveday Jane Stone

Bridge and Uplowman church
cc-by-sa/2.0 - © David Smith - geograph.org.uk/p/4097757

Loveday Jane Stone, third daughter of Frederick James Stone and Loveday Jane Land, married James Shopland, son of James Shopland and Caroline Sydenham, at St Peter’s Church, Uplowman on 2 Nov 1904. Witnesses were Mary Ann Stone, the bride's sister and Frederick James Stone, most likely her father. 

James Shopland's father, James Shopland (1850-1908), was a Wheelwright and Carpenter of Chevithorne Village, Tiverton. In 1901, James Shopland (16) had been employed as a Dairyman's Labourer to Samuel B Thornton, residing at The Island Cottage, Lowman Green, Tiverton. Then, on 8 Jun 1901, adding two years to his age and claiming to be 18 years and 3 months, James Shopland, enlisted for Short Service in the Devonshire Regiment and served until 7 Jun 1913, when he was discharged at the end of his first period of engagement. James' record says he passed classes as Mounted infantry, Certified.

From 23 Jul 1902 until 21 May 1903, James served in South Africa, in the aftermath of the Second Boer War. Then from 22 May 1903, until his discharge, he was assigned to Home, presumably actual home, as a reservist:

1. Frederick James Shopland born 19 Nov 1905, bap. 17 Dec 1905 at St Peter's Church, Tiverton, as the family's address at the time of this baptism was 3 Adam's Court, Barrington Street, Tiverton. In 1927, he married Elizabeth A P Cox and in 1939, they were living at 131 Eden Grove, Bristol. Frederick James Shopland died in 1971, in Weston-super-Mare.
2. Loveday Jane Shopland, born 14 Feb 1907, bap. 17 Feb 1907 at Cove. In 1928, Loveday Jane Shopland married Leonard Southcott in Bristol. Their address in 1939 was 34 Pylle Hill Crescent, Bristol. Leonard Southcott died, aged 47, in 1950, in Bristol and in 1952, Loveday Jane Southcott remarried to a James J Basten-Rank. James J B Rank died, aged 68, in 1966, in Weston-super-Mare. Despite this second marriage, her death in 1995, in Taunton Deane, is registered under Loveday Jane Southcott. 
   
3. Albert Geoffrey Shopland born 21 Jul 1908. In 1930, Albert Geoffrey Shopland married Annie Richards in Bristol and in 1939 were living at 3 Chessington Avenue, Bristol. Albert G Shopland died, in Britol, aged 35.
4. Sidney Arthur Shopland bap. 27 Feb 1910 at Bickleigh. On 13 Jun 1929, Sidney Arthur Shopland enlisted in the Royal Artillery. Haven't been able to find a marriage, but Sidney A Shopland died, aged 58, in 1968, in Bristol.
5. John James Shopland born 1911. There is more than one John Shopland in the relevant areas and none specifically listed as John James, so it hasn't yet been possible to isolate relevant records for him going forward.

Seckerleigh Farm
cc-by-sa/2.0 - © Derek Harper - geograph.org.uk/p/1767262

In 1911, the family, living at New Cottages, Seckerleigh Farm, Halberton, consisted James Shopland (27) Farm Labourer, Loveday Jane (27), Frederick James (6), Loveday Jane (4), Albert Geoffrey (3), Sidney Arthur (1) and boarder, Robert Charles Harris (38) Farm Labourer, from Penzance, Cornwall. 

In 1939, Loveday Jane Shopland (née Stone) was living at 34 Pylle Hill Crescent, Bristol, with her daughter, Loveday Jane Southcott. She was listed as married, but there was no sign of James. Loveday Jane Shopland died, aged 56, in 1941, in Taunton, Somerset. James Shopland died, in Bristol, in 1955.

Pylle Hill Crescent
cc-by-sa/2.0 - © Thomas Nugent - geograph.org.uk/p/2566288