Benjamin Blackmore and Mary Goff

Culmstock : The Culm Valley Inn
The former Railway Hotel, now the Culm Valley Inn
cc-by-sa/2.0 - © Lewis Clarke - geograph.org.uk/p/7381769

Benjamin Blackmore (bap. 3 Feb 1856 in Kentisbeare, Devon), Blacksmith, son of Samuel Blackmore and Elizabeth Jeffery, married Mary Goff (bap. 6 Nov 1859 in Kentisbeare), daughter of Charles Goff and Elizabeth Lock, at the parish church of St Mary's, Kentisbeare, on 11 Jan 1882.

Witnesses were John Goff and Hannah Goff, latter who was most likely to have been Mary's younger sister, Anna - she was also listed as Hannah on the 1881 census. The marriage record is on the same page and is therefore presumably the first wedding celebrated in the church since that of Mary's brother, William Goff and Sarah Jane Rowe, the previous September.

Ben and Mary had four daughters:

1. Lilian Elizabeth Blackmore b. 9 Mar 1882 (1882 J Quarter in WELLINGTON Volume 05C Page 334) Couldn't find a baptism, presumably because of the proximity to the wedding.
2. Florence Annie Blackmore b. 18 Oct 1885 D Quarter in WELLINGTON Vol 05C Page 310, bap. 15 Nov 1885 at All Saints Church, Culmstock
3. Amy Goff Blackmore b. 1889 M Quarter in WELLINGTON Volume 05C Page 313, bap. 7 Apr 1889 at All Saints Church, Culmstock
4. Gladys May Blackmore b. 17 Sep 1890 S Quarter in WELLINGTON Vol 05C Page 307, bap. Gladys Mary, 19 Oct 1890 at All Saints, Culmstock

The three baptism records all list their father's occupation as Blacksmith.

In 1886, Benjamin Blackmore of Culmstock won a prize for skill in shoeing.

In 1891, Benjamin Blackmore (34) General smith, was living in Station Road, Culmstock, with Mary Blackmore (32), Lilian Elizabeth Blackmore (9), Florence Annie Blackmore (5), Amy Goff Blackmore (2), Gladys May Blackmore (0) - 6 months - and William Windson (19) Apprentice.

R. D. Blackmore, the famous novelist best known for Lorna Doone, lived in Culmstock from 1835-1841 [Source], while his father, John Blackmore, was Curate of All Saints Church, Culmstock. In 1894, "Culmstock became the Perlycross in Blackmore's novel of that name. Perlycross includes detailed descriptions of local places and living conditions at that time." [Source] 

In Gregory's Directory of Culmstock, also of 1894, Ben Blackmore, is listed as "smith & machinist". In Richard Doddridge Blackmore's 1894 novel, "The only man with a clue to the mystery is a blacksmith who has been called up late at night by a mysterious party with a cart." Was there any link between Benjamin Blackmore and R D Blackmore? :) That would be research for another day.

(The Project Gutenberg EBook of Perlycross - Perlycross, R.D. Blackmore - Culmstock, Devon - Literary Sites on Waymarking.com)

In 1901, Benjamin Blackmore (45) was Innkeeper and Blacksmith at the Victoria Hotel, Culmstock with Mary Blackmore (42), Florence Blackmore (15), Amy Blackmore (12), Gladys Blackmore (10), Edith Brown (19) General domestic servant; Jonas Hooper (22) Blacksmith and Samuel Blackmore (17) Nephew, Blacksmith Apprentice. Lilian E Blackmore (19) Dressmaker, was a boarder at the Girls Friendly Society Lodge, 32, East Southernhay, Exeter.

Mary Blackmore died, aged 45, in 1905 J Quarter in WELLINGTON SOMERSET & DEVON Volume 05C Page 197 and Mary Blackmore (née Goff), wife of Benjamin Blackmore, Innkeeper, of The Railway Hotel, Culmstock, was buried, on 5 Apr 1905, in her native Kentisbeare.

So, Benjamin Blackmore (49), Widower, Licensed victualler, son of Samuel Blackmore, Farm Bailiff, married Clara Blackmore (47) Widow, daughter of Charles Dennett, in Wellington, Somerset on 23 Sep 1908. Clara gave her address as 26 Rockwell Green, Wellington (this address is a Post Office). Another Blackmore! That can't just be coincidence, can it? 

Clara Dennett bap. 21 Apr 1861, at Gussage All Saints, Dorset, daughter of Charles Dennett and Eliza Robertson, had married her first husband, John Tom Blackmore (b. 1860 in Gillingham, Dorset), son of Charles Blackmore and Mary Ann Wadman, at Gussage All Saints on 16 May 1887. 

In 1891, listed as Thomas Blackmore (33) Coachman from Gillingham, Dorset and Clara Blackmore (30), they were living at 114, Pavilion Road, Chelsea, (a mews just off Sloane Square). In 1901, Thomas Blackmore (40) Coachman and Clara Blackmore (40) were listed, along with a long list of coachmen, grooms, etc., at 1, Blue Ball Yard, St James Westminster. "The earliest reference to Blue Ball Yard itself dates to when the site was sold by King Charles II in 1672, by which time it was already a developed site of stables and housing, probably for servants working in the palace." It's clear from the addresses that John Tom Blackmore had worked in some high places.

Then John Tom Blackmore died, aged 45, in 1905 D Quarter in HATFIELD Volume 03A Page 360 and was buried, on 11 Dec 1905, in The Parish of Bishops Hatfield (St Etheldreda), Hertfordshire. This church is in the old village of Hatfield, "close to the walls of Hatfield House, once a royal palace [...] so is exceptionally grand for a parish church." His abode was listed as Hatfield Park. One assumes he'd brought dignitaries there. He may have been in the employ of James Gascoyne-Cecil, 4th Marquess of Salisbury.

But what link there could be between the Dorset Blackmore families and their Devon counterparts, if there was one, I've not found anything to indicate it.

In 1911, Benjamin Blackmore (53) Hotel Proprietor was at the Railway Hotel Millmoor, Culmstock with Clara Blackmore (50), Amy Blackmore (22) Draper's Assistant; Gladys Blackmore (20) Miliner; Rose Troake (16) Servant and Thomas Walls (29) Stonemason, Boarder. Florence Blackmore (28) was a Domestic cook in the household of Maurice Michael (58) Watch importer at 19 Lydford Road, Cricklewood NW, London.

In 1921, Benjamin Blackmore (60) Hotel Proprietor & Clara Blackmore (58) were at the 17th Century Coaching House, the The White Hart Hotel in Wiveliscombe, with Lydia Mary Furze (41) and John Reginald Furze (11) Visitors and Violet Gladys Chandler (25) & Ivy May Taylor (22) Servants.

Clara Blackmore died, at 66, in 1927 D Quarter in WELLINGTON Volume 05C Page 307. And Benjamin Blackmore died the following year, at 69, in 1928 M Quarter in WELLINGTON Volume 05C Page 329.

• Lilian Elizabeth Blackmore married George Henry Hansford, in Wellington (Somerset), in 1906. That same year, they emigrated to Canada. They appear to have had two children. Lilian Elizabeth Hansford died, at 92, in Victoria, British Columbia, in 1975.
• Florence Annie Blackmore married William Herbert Owen Denness in Hendon, Middlesex, in 1912. They had three children. In 1939, William H O Denness, Hotel Proprietor, Florence A Denness were at 10-11 St George's Place, Llandudno - a quite grand, sea front location. Their younger daughter, Gladys, was Hotel Receptionist; also living in were a Hotel Boots, two Waitresses, a Chambermaid and a Cook. Florence Annie Denness died, aged 73, on 2 Dec 1958 and was buried, on 5 Dec 1958 in Llanrhos, Caernarvonshire.
• Amy Goff Blackmore married Douglas Wilfred Brentnall, in Wellington (Somerset), in 1917. They had one son quite late after their marriage, John Douglas Brentnall (1934-2010). Amy G Brentnall died, aged 77, in Weston-Super-Mare, in 1967.
• Gladys May Blackmore married Henry Cowper Giles (b. 12 Aug 1889, in Bristol), son of Francis Frederick Giles and Florence Maria Avent, in Wellington (Somerset), in 1917. They had one son, Roland Henry Giles (1918-1968). In 1939, Henry C Giles, Sports Outfitter and Gladys May Giles were living at 56 Chepstow Road, Newport, Monmouthshire, Wales. Gladys May Giles died on 11 Apr 1992, at the grand old age of 101 years 6 months and is buried at Holy Trinity Church, Christchurch Road, Newport, Wales.

Nicholas Rundle Trevail and Ann Bennett

 Packhorse Inn, Fore Street, St Blazey, Cornwall

Nicholas Rundle Trevail (bap. 28 Jan 1838), son of Joseph Trevail and Jane Rundle, married Ann Bennett (bap. 28 Apr 1840 in Luxulyan), daughter of Richard Bennett and Ann Collings, at the Parish Church of St Cyriacus and St Julitta, Luxulyan, on 22 Oct 1864. However, Ann Trevail died giving birth to their daughter, Ann Bennett Trevail (b. 1867 M Quarter in BODMIN Volume 05C Page 84). The Royal Cornwall Gazette Death Notice read TREVAIL - At Rosemelling, Luxulyan, February 19, Ann, the wife of Mr Nicholas Trevail, aged 27 (1867 M Quarter in OF BODMIN Volume 05C Page 61). Ann Trevail was buried and the infant baptised on the same day, 21 Feb 1867.

On 3 Aug 1869, Nicholas Rundle Trevail, widower, by profession a butcher, married Sophia Jane Olver (b. 1845), daughter of William Joseph Olver and Mary Kingston, at St. Blaise, St Blazey, Cornwall. (Sophia's father was a Master Mariner, born in 1816 in Mevagissey and had married Mary Kingston, from Devonport, at St Andrew's Church, Plymouth on 31 Mar 1837.)

But Nicholas and Sophia had been married for only four months, when Nicholas Rundle Trevail died, aged 32, on 11 Dec 1869, at St Blazey (1869 D Quarter in SAINT AUSTELL Volume 05C Page 82). Nicholas Rundle Trevail of the Packhorse Inn, St Blazey was buried, on 15 Dec 1869, at Luxulyan. The probate record, which granted his effects to his widow Sophia Trevail of the Parish of Mevagissey, listed Nicholas' occupation as Innkeeper.

In 1871, the four year old orphan, Ann B Trevail was living in the household of William and Tabitha M Carkeek, at High Lanes Cottage, Veryan, Truro, where she was described as their niece. Tabitha Martha Bennett, born 1842, was her mother's younger sister. In 1881, Ann (14) was still living with her aunt and uncle, Tabitha and William Carkeek, grocer, at Church Town, Luxulyan. 

In 1891, Ann Trevail (24) had moved to the household of Elizabeth Bennett (44) widow, farmer at Colkerrow, Lanlivery, another relative of her mother's. Living there also was Elizabeth's father, James Rundell (Rundle?) (73).

Sadly, by 1901, A B Trevail (35) single female, Pauper Patient, was an Inmate of the Cornwall County Asylum, later St Lawrence's Mental Hospital. Annie Bennett Trevail died, aged 43, and was buried, in Bodmin, on 4 Sep 1909.

As was hinted on the probate record, Nicholas Rundle Trevail's widow, Sophia Jane, returned to her family in Mevagissey after his death. In 1871, Sophia Jane Trevail (25) was living with her widowed mother, Mary Olver (55), her sister Mary (27) and brother, George (21), in Fore Street, Mevagissey.

By 1891, Sophia (42) and her mother, Mary Olver (75) retired and living off her own means, were at Prospect Terrace, Church Street, Mevagissey. 

It was not until 1896, when Sophia Jane Trevail, 51, remarried, in St Austell, to Walter Henry Sanders (b. 1840 J Quarter in MEDWAY Volume 05 Page 338, bap. 28 Jun 1840 at St Mary's Church, Chatham, Kent), son of Stephen Sanders and Jane Nichols. This is interesting, because way back before Sophia had married Nicholas Trevail, on 5 May 1867, the first banns were called for an intended marriage between Walter Henry Sanders and Sophia Jane Olver, in Mevagissey. Obviously, something had prevented the marriage from going ahead at that time, because under the second date for the banns is written 'to be omitted', the third space is left blank and a line crossed through the whole record. But, almost 30 years later, they finally tied the knot.

In 1901, Walter H Sanders (60) from Chatham, Kent, Grocer; Sophia J Sanders (53) and Mary Olver (83) were living in Pouddlin Lane, St Austell. 

A newspaper death notice tells us that Walter Henry Sanders died, age under-estimated as 64, on 27 Jan 1907, in Truro. His death was registered at the General Register Office erroneously under William Henry Sanders (sic) in 1907 M Quarter in ST. AUSTELL Volume 05C Page 79.

In 1911, Sophia Jane Sanders (66) Widow, was a Grocer in her own right, with her niece, Beatrice Mary Olver (19) as a Companion.

In 1921, Sophia Jane Sanders (76) was living with her sister Elizabeth Doidge Kymbrell (82) Widow, in Church Street, Mevagissey, Cornwall.

Sophia Jane Sanders (GRO record wrong as Saunders) died, in St Austell, aged 85, in 1931 J Quarter in ST. AUSTELL Volume 05C Page 126.

Fore St, Mevagissey
cc-by-sa/2.0 - © N Chadwick - geograph.org.uk/p/5694544