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| Huntsham : All Saints Church cc-by-sa/2.0 - © Lewis Clarke - geograph.org.uk/p/6039979 |
As William Henry Stone (bap. Henry William on 13 Jul 1856 in Ashbrittle, Somerset), son of Henry Stone and Mary Ridgeway, married Sarah Snow on 23 Jul 1879 at All Saints' Church, Huntsham. Witnesses were John Voisey and Marrianne (Mary Ann) Stone, the bridegroom's sister.
Their daughter, Ellen Stone Snow had already been born at Putson Cottages, Blundells Road, Tiverton on 27 Feb 1879 (1879 J Quarter in TIVERTON Volume 05B Page 425), to Sarah Snow, Domestic Servant.
In 1881, Henry Stone, was a widower, aged just 24, living alone at Little Fair Oak, Uplowman, while Ellen was living with her grandparents, because Sarah Stone, wife of Henry Stone, Farm Labourer, had died on 22 Jan 1880, from Phthisis acuta (Acute tuberculosis), at Huntsham.
Also in 1881, in Henry Stone and Mary Ridgeway's household were two visitors: Mary Ann Tarr (27) and Jane Tarr (22), who were daughters of William Tarr, a Hostler, and his wife, Jane Wood, of Marsh Bridge Road, Dulverton, Somerset. Clearly they were there preparing for a wedding, because in Q2 of 1881, William Henry Stone married Jane Tarr.
Henry and Jane Stone had four further children:
- Frederick Harry Stone b. 1885 M Quarter in TIVERTON Volume 05B Page 420, bap. 26 Apr 1885, Frederick Henry, son of Henry and Jane, at St Mary’s church, Uffculme (Died, aged 2, in 1887 S Quarter in TIVERTON Volume 05B Page 267, see report below.)
- Francis Albert Stone b. 17 May 1886, bap. 15 Aug 1886 in Halberton, son of William Henry and Jane (1886 S Quarter in TIVERTON Volume 05B Page 417, as Albert Stone with mother's maiden name TARSE.)
- Louisa Jane Stone b. 1888 M Qtr in TIVERTON Vol 05B Page 406, bap. 26 Feb 1888 as Louisa Mary Jane Stone, at St Mary’s, Uffculme.
- Emma Katie Stone b. 3 Feb 1890 M Quarter in TIVERTON Volume 05B Page 432, bap. 12 Feb 1892 at St Peter's Church, Tiverton, the abode on the baptism record was Tiverton (Union), i.e. Workhouse
On 29 July 1887 The Western Times reported on the inquest into the accidental death of Frederick Henry Stone, 2½ yrs old, of Wellington Road, Uffculme, whose clothes caught fire, causing burns over his whole body, as did the Exeter and Plymouth Gazette. This report of the inquest, which was held in the cottage where they lived, is hard reading.
THE SHOCKING DEATH OF A CHILD NEAR UFFCULME
The inquest touching the death of the child, Frederick Henry Stone, aged 2½ years, son of a labourer residing at Brickyard Cottage, Wellington Road, near Uffculme, was held by Mr. F. Burrow, district coroner, on Saturday, when the evidence of the mother, Mrs Potter, a neighbour, and Dr. Morgan, of Uffculme, was taken. It appeared that about 8 a.m. on Friday the mother, having lighted the kitchen fire, placed the child, which was wearing its night-dress, in a chair by the side of it. Her back was turned for a few moments, and in the meantime the nightdress, a long one, became ignited by a burning stick which fell out of the grate. On hearing the child scream the mother ran into the kitchen, and finding the nightdress in flames, endeavoured to smother them by throwing some woollen material around the child. Failing, however, in this attempt, she and her little girl called for assistance, Mrs Potter then came in and, according to her statement, found the child in the middle of the floor, getting up into its knees and enveloped in "a mass of flames from head to foot." With the exception of fragments, the nightdress and undergarments were then completely charred. She extinguished the flames upon what remained and then, with the assistance of other neighbours, the burns were treated with linseed oil and lime water. In the meantime Dr. Bryden, of Uffculme, was sent for, as also was Dr. Morgan. The latter arrived first, but not until the child had expired. In his evidence, Mr. Morgan said he entirely approved of the remedies applied and even had he been there more could not have been done. The extent and nature of the burns, involving as they did the whole body were sufficient to cause death. -- The father of the child was present at the earlier part of the enquiry, but as he persisted in interposing remarks he was ordered by the Coroner to withdraw. Subsequently he was recalled and allowed to make a statement, the Coroner holding that he was not in a fit state to be sworn. Stone complained very strongly that Dr. Bryden although called twice and promised to come down did not do so until it suited his convenience in the course of his usual round as parish doctor, which was an hour or more after death. Mentioning incidentally that Dr. Bryden had attended on previous occasions he said he owed him 7s 6d, which he declared he would never pay. -- The Coroner remarked that that was a matter between himself and Dr. Bryden. -- It transpired that the child was insured in the Prudential Insurance Company. -- The jury returned a verdict of "Accidental death."
William Henry Stone, Farm Labourer of Halberton, died, aged 33, on 11 Aug 1889, at the Infirmary Tiverton from Cardiac disease and oedema of the lungs (Pulmonary edema is often caused by congestive heart failure.)
In 1891, Jane Stone (32), Francis Albert Stone (5), Louisa Mary Jane Stone (4) and Emma Katie Stone (1) were all listed as Inmates at the Tiverton Union Workhouse. Ellen Snow (12) was again living with her grandfather, going by her mother's surname, even though her parents subsequently married.
Jane Stone, Widow, married William Staddon at Uffculme Parish Church on 11 Oct 1899. William Staddon, Widower, son of William Staddon and Jane Babbage, had been blind from birth. (He'd previously married Leah Parr, in Halberton, on 30 Mar 1871. Leah Staddon died, at 51, in 1897.)
In 1901, William Staddon (51), Jane Staddon (42), Lucy Stone [Louisa Mary Jane] (13), Emma Stone (11) and Richard Takel (59) Boarder were living in Bridge Street, Uffculme. Ellen S Stone (22), was a Domestic Cook at a Private Girls School at 19, St Peter Street, Tiverton, Devon.
In 1911, in Kitwell Street, Uffculme were William Staddon (52) Basket Maker, from Uplowman, Devon, with Jane Staddon (52) from Dulverton, along with his son Tom Staddon (32) and Henry Wright (45) Boarder.
In 1921, with address just listed as 'Halberton' were William Staddon (73) Basket Maker (retired); Jane Staddon (62) and Doris Irene Harding (11) Granddaughter - actually Jane's granddaughter, daughter of Emma Katie Stone, who had married Reginald Herbert Harding in 1909.
William Staddon died in 1925 J Qtr in TIVERTON Vol 05B Page 466.
There's a death of a Jane Staddon of the right age who died, at 78, in 1937 J Quarter in MERTHYR TYDFIL Volume 11A Page 598, which may relate (if one of the children moved to that area perhaps), but so far I'm unable to confirm.
