John Rookley and Mary Ayres

Kentisbeare : Priest Hill
cc-by-sa/2.0 - © Lewis Clarke - geograph.org.uk/p/3707225

John Rookley (bap. 9 Jan 1797 in Kentisbeare, Devon), son of James Rookley and Thomazin Salter, married Mary Ayres (bap. 13 Jun 1800 in Kentisbeare, Devon), daughter of Zachariah Ayres and Mary Farnell, on 24 May 1820 at St Mary's Church, Kentisbeare, Devon. 

Baptism records in Kentisbeare, suggest John and Mary had 13 children:

1. Mary Ann Rookley bap. 8 Oct 1820 (Residence: Picksey Pool)
2. John Rookley Jnr b. 1822 (No baptism found)
3. Jane Ayres Rookley bap. 18 Jan 1824 (Residence: Little Silver)
4. James Rookley bap. 20 Aug 1826 (Residence: Crosses)
5. Emma Rookley bap. 1829 in Kentisbeare
6. Elizabeth Ruckley (sic) bap. 13 Feb 1831
7. William Rookley bap. 3 Feb 1833 (Residence: Town)
8. Sarah Ruckley (sic) bap. 24 May 1835 (Residence: Little Silver)
9. Henry Ruckley (sic) bap. 18 Jun 1837 (Residence: Crosses)
10. Thomas Rookley b. 1839 J Quarter in TIVERTON AND DULVERTON Volume 10 Page 257 bap. 14 Apr 1839.
11. Thomasin Rookley b. 1841 M Quarter in TIVERTON AND DULVERTON Volume 10 Page 258 bap. 28 Feb 1841
12. Eliza Rookley b. 1843 J Quarter in TIVERTON AND DULVERTON Volume 10 Page 250 bap. 30 Apr 1843
13. Anna Rookley b. 1845 J Quarter in TIVERTON AND DULVERTON Volume 10 Page 266 bap. 1 Jun 1845

All Civil Birth registrations list the surname as Ruckley (doubtlessly, as a result of illiteracy and the Devon accent - on William's baptism the curate has written "Rookley, or as they say Ruckley") and the mother's maiden name as Ayres. On the baptisms of Mary Ann, Jane Ayres and James, John Rookley's occupation is described as a Husbandman (a person who cultivates the land; a farmer), obviously employed casually, but on those of Elizabeth, William, Sarah, Henry, Thomas, Thomasin, Eliza and Anna, he's a Labourer.

In 1841, John Ruckley (45) - closely agrees with his age given at other times - was languishing in the Devon County House Of Correction, in St David's, Exeter, having earned a 6 month holiday at Her Majesty's pleasure for Larceny. Mary and the children don't appear anywhere on this census that I can find.

We do find the family in 1851, when they are listed, unhelpfully, as living in "Village, Kentisbeare". John Rookley (56) is a Farmer of 22 Acres, with the household consisting wife Mary (52), William (19) and Henry (12) Employed on the farm; Thomas (10), Thomasin (8), Eliza (6) and Hannah (Anna) (4).

Mary Rookley died in 1859 J Quarter in TIVERTON Volume 05B Page 282 and was buried on 27 Apr 1859 in Kentisbeare churchyard, age given as 59.

In 1861, listed as John Rockley (sic) (67), widowed, Retired Farmer, was living at Gaddford Hills, Kentisbeare, Devon.

In 1871, John Rookley (78), Farm Labourer, was living at "Moor, Kentisbeare" (Kentis Moor) in the household of James and Thomasin Ridgeway. 

John Rookely died, still said to be aged 78, in 1871 J Quarter in TIVERTON Volume 05B Page 279 and was buried on 14 May 1871, in Kentisbeare.

Richard Flew and Joan Thorne

Rackenford : Village Sign & Road
cc-by-sa/2.0 - © Lewis Clarke - geograph.org.uk/p/3011542

Richard Flew (bap. 10 Feb 1743 in Stockleigh English), son of Richard and Jane Flew, then of the Parish [of Rackenford], Labourer, married Joan Thorne (bap. 16 Mar 1749 in Rackenford, Devon), daughter of Robert and Mildred Thorne, Spinster, on 6 May 1765 at All Saints Church, Rackenford. The witnesses to this marriage were John Way and Christopher Kingdom. 

Richard and Joan Flew had four children:

1. Richard Flew bap. 29 Sep 1765
2. Thomas Flew bap. 12 Jun 1768. There was a burial on 21 Mar 1778.
3. John Flew bap. 4 Mar 1772. (Assume died in infancy.)
4. Elizabeth Flew bap. 19 May 1775 

The same day as Elizabeth was baptised, 19 May 1775, Joan Flew was buried.

Richard Flew remarried to Elizabeth Tommas (sic), also at All Saints Church, Rackenford, on 27 May 1776. Witnesses to this marriage were John Way and Arthur Saunders. There was a baptism of an Elizabeth Thomas on 4 Mar 1749, in Thelbridge, Devon, the daughter of Robert and Joan Thomas.

Richard and Elizabeth added three more children:

5. Jane Flew bap. 25 Nov 1776
6. Hugh Flew bap. 28 Feb 1779
7. John Flew bap. 30 Jan 1781. Burial on 4 Feb 1781.

Then Elizabeth Flew was buried on 7 Dec 1783, also in Rackenford.

Richard Flew, of this Parish, Husbandman, married for the 3rd time to Ann Kingdom, of Rackenford, Spinster, on 14 May 1787. Once again, John Way was one of the witnesses. The other looks like William Griffin. Ann Kingdom (bap. 17 May 1761 in Rackenford), was the daughter of Christopher Kingdom (who was a witness at Richard's first marriage) and Mary Taylor.

Richard and Ann added 7 further children, bringing his total to 14:

8. Mary Flew bap. 30 Mar 1788
9. Arthur Flew bap. 16 Sep 1789
10. Sarah Flew bap. 22 May 1792. Infant, buried 3 Jun 1792. Pauper.
11. Ann Flew bap. 28 Dec 1794. Infant, buried 15 Feb 1795.
12. John Flew bap. 20 Mar 1796
13. Ann Flew bap. 21 Jan 1798. Buried 19 Feb 1798.
14. Ann Flew bap. 24 Aug 1800. Buried 14 Sep 1800.

Richard Flue (sic) Snr was buried in Rackenford on 26 Feb 1809.

It's unclear when 3rd wife, Ann Flew, died.

Robert Marsh Minns and Mary Kett

Ruins of St Bartholomew, Heigham, Norwich, Norfolk

Robert Marsh Minns (b. 1776), son of David Minns and Hannah Marsh, married Mary Kett on 19 Oct 1801 at St Bartholomew's, the Parish Church for Heigham, Norfolk. Mary Kett, baptised here at St Bartholomew's on 1 Oct 1780, was the daughter of Hannah Kett and, just in case there was any doubt, the record of Mary's baptism states that she was 'Baseborn' (illegitimate). (I wonder if they were related to Robert Kett, leader of Kett's Rebellion.)

Robert and Mary also wasted no time in starting a family:

1. Robert Marsh Minns b. 1 Apr 1802, bap. 4 Apr 1802
2. Mary Ann Minns b. 17 Jan 1805, bap. 20 Jan 1805
3. John Minns b. and bap. 19 Jul 1807
4. Ann Minns b. 14 Sep 1810, bap. 16 Sep 1810
5. Hannah Minns bap. 24 Jan 1813
6. David Minns b. 22 Jun 1815, bap. 25 Jun 1815
7. Elizabeth Minns b. and bap. 29 Mar 1818
8. Harriot Minns b. and bap. 15 Feb 1824

Several of the baptism records, which all took place at St Bartholomew's, Heigham, list Robert's occupation as Husbandman. 

In 1829, Mary Minns (née Kett) died, aged 49. She was buried on 17 Jun 1829 in the churchyard at St Bartholomew's, Heigham. The church was destroyed by German bombs on April 27, 1942 and the graveyard was grassed over in the 1950s. No trace of any grave remains.

St Mary's churchyard Hellesdon
cc-by-sa/2.0 - © Evelyn Simak
 geograph.org.uk/p/850775

Robert remarried Ann Clark, widow, on 13 Nov 1831, also at St Bartholomew's, Heigham. 

In 1841, Robert Minns (55), Ann (55) and his two youngest daughters, Elizabeth (20) and Harriet (15) were at Upper Heigham. 

Robert Marsh Minns, of Heigham, died in 1865, aged 88, and was buried on 31 Jan 1865 in the churchyard of St Mary, Hellesdon (where his grandparents had married and his mother was baptised).