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| Charles Church, the second most ancient parish church in Plymouth. cc-by-sa/2.0 - © N Chadwick - geograph.org.uk/p/5218300 |
John Oxford (bap. 26 Dec 1777), son of Henry and Mary Oxford, married Elizabeth Lang (bap. 24 Aug 1778 in Stoke Damerel), daughter of James Lang and Mary Smart, on 4 Sep 1803 at Charles Church, Plymouth.
John and Elizabeth had at least the following children, all baptised at Plymouth, Charles the Martyr (Charles Church, Plymouth):
- John Oxford b. 7 Sep 1804, bap. 7 Apr 1805. With a subsequent child also named John, it is likely this child died as an infant and there's a burial of a John Oxford, although the age is not listed, on 28 Oct 1805
- John Lang Oxford b. 29 Nov 1807, bap. 6 Jan 1808
- Elizabeth Ann Mills Oxford b. 22 Aug 1808, bap. 27 Aug 1809. Died, aged 12, and was buried at Charles Church, Plymouth on 15 May 1820
- Henry Lang Oxford b. 13 Aug 1810, bap. 28 Oct 1810
- Mary Amelia Oxford b. 29 Nov 1811, bap. 15 Jun 1817. Baptism lists her as Mary Emilia (sic) and John's occupation as Shipwright
- Edward Oxford b. ~1821
- Emma Oxford b. ~1826
Found no baptism records [yet] for Edward or Emma, however, they were on 1841 Census and Emma's marriage, in 1847, confirms her father as John Oxford, Shipwright. With significant gaps, there may have been others.
By 1841, John Oxford (60) was resident in Devonport Workhouse (previously Stoke Damerel Parish Workhouse). Elizabeth Oxford (~65) was living in what looks like a boarding house, in Old Town Street, Plymouth St Andrew, along with Edward Oxford (20) and Emma Oxford (15).
Elizabeth Oxford died, in Stoke Damerel, on 22 Dec 1845 (1845 D Quarter in STOKE DAMEREL Volume 09 Page 262) and was buried, in the parish of Stoke Damerel, on 26 Dec 1845. Her age, estimated to 60 (she was 67), is likely just a wild guess by the overseers. Her residence at the time of death was 'Workhouse'. "Until the National Health Service was established in 1948, the Workhouse Infirmary was one of the few places where medical care could be obtained free of charge. As a result, many babies were born in the Workhouse and many older people ended their days there." [Source] Inside Plymouth's dismal Workhouses which housed the poor and disabled.
In 1851, John Oxford (74) Widower, is again listed at the Workhouse in Stoke Damerel, proudly listed as "Shipwright Employed Thirty Men".
John Oxford died, aged 76, on 16 Aug 1853 (1853 S Quarter in STOKE DAMEREL Volume 05B Page 184). Once more, the record of his burial, on 20 Aug 1853, in that parish, gives his last address as 'Workhouse'.