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St Peters Church, Clayhanger, Wednesday, 27 April, 2016 Photo available for reuse under this Creative Commons licence. |
Thomas Stone (bap. 4 Jan 1824 in Langford Budville, Somerset), son of William Stone and Mary Thorne, married Mary Collard (b. ~1828 in Bampton, Devon), in Tiverton, Devon registration district, in the 2nd quarter of 1854. (Awaiting marriage certificate for further details of venue, date, etc.)
This couple had ten children:
- Mary Jane Stone bap. 2 Jun 1850 at St Mary the Virgin, Burlescombe. I could find no GRO birth registration (under either surname), but she was baptised 'as if' she were legitimate, i.e. her parents lied in a church. :) On Mary Jane's baptism, her father was described as a Husbandman and the family's address was given as "at Amory's, Westcott." [1]
- Elizabeth Collard b. 23 May 1852 at Clayhanger, Devon was registered at the GRO (1852 S Quarter in TIVERTON Volume 05B Page 389) as the (illegitimate) daughter of Mary Collard, with no father listed. Nevertheless, she was baptised at St Peter, Clayhanger, Devon, on 4 Jul 1852, as Elizabeth Stone, once more 'as if' she were legitimate. Their address was simply 'Clayhanger' and her father listed as a Labourer.
- William Collard Stone bap. 4 Jun 1854 at St Michael's, Stawley [2]
- Emily Stone bap. 11 Jun 1856 at All Saints', Holcombe Rogus
- Thomas Henry Stone bap. 22 May 1858 at All Saints', Holcombe Rogus
- Benjamin Stone bap. 25 Nov 1860 at All Saints', Holcombe Rogus
- Samuel John Stone bap. 10 May 1863 at All Saints', Holcombe Rogus
- Ellen Rebekah Stone b. 12 Jan 1865, bap. 5 Feb 1865 at All Saints', Holcombe Rogus [3]
- Caroline Ann Stone b. 7 Oct 1867, bap. 3 Nov 1867 at St Mary the Virgin, Burlescombe [3]
- Eliza Stone, b. 12 Mar 1870 at Locks Cottage, Holcombe Rogus (1870 J Quarter in WELLINGTON SOMERSET AND DEVON Volume 05C Page 396), with her mother's maiden name listed as COLLARD; father Thomas Stone, Quarryman, bap. 10 Apr 1870 at All Saints', Holcombe Rogus.
Interesting that they suddenly registered the last child, because Thomas' brother, Henry Stone's youngest is also the only one they registered at the GRO in 1872. In 1870, the civil registration of births in England and Wales was technically required by law, but not actively penalized until the Births and Deaths Registration Act of 1874 made it strictly compulsory in 1875. Perhaps there had been warnings of what was coming around that time.
[1] Amory's Tenement is an agricultural property in the hamlet of Westcott, in the parish of Burlescombe, Devon. The property has roots tracing back to the 17th century. A counterpart lease dating to June 8, 1688, lists Thomas Amory (yeoman) as the tenant under Sir Edward Wyndham of Somerset.
[2] The very next baptism after William Collard Stone's is of Laura Churly, eldest child of George Churly and Mary Ann Stone, Thomas' half-sister.
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Webber's Church of England School, Holcombe Rogus, Wednesday, 31 August, 2016 Photo available for reuse under this Creative Commons licence. |
[3] Dates of birth for Ellen Rebecca and Caroline Ann are from the records of their admissions, in 1876 and 1878 respectively, to Holcombe Rogus (Webber's) School (Webber's Church of England Primary School), a co-educational primary school located on Fore Street in the village of Holcombe Rogus, Wellington, Somerset. This school, endowed by a Mrs Webber of Bampton in 1823, is an important component in the centre of the village. Eliza Stone was also registered in 1876, and all list their father as Thomas Stone.
On William Collard, Emily and Thomas Henry's baptisms, their father was listed as a Labourer, but on Benjamin's, as a Quarryman. On Samuel John's and Ellen Rebekah's baptisms it was once again Labourer. In earlier years, Thomas had certainly been an Agricultural Labourer, but later, maybe he'd been a Labourer in a quarry. Equally, he could have swapped back to agriculture as jobs, such as farm servants & labourers, were live-in roles, and workers were hired on fixed six-month or annual verbal contracts. On Caroline Ann's and Eliza's baptisms, he was back to being a Quarryman.
During the 19th century, quarrying in Holcombe Rogus was dominated by limestone extraction for agricultural lime, building stone, and railway ballast. These sites — notably Barge and Perry quarries — were interconnected with the nearby Grand Western Canal via tramways and tunnels. What is now the massive Westleigh Quarry (stretching across the border into Burlescombe) was made up of several smaller 19th-century operations like Furlong, Sparkes Hill, and Pitcher Kiln quarries. These small entities were later consolidated. Eric G Rodwell's history of Tracebridge, Stawley (PDF), has a tremendous map that shows the relative positions of many of the villages and hamlets, as well as the route of the canal and the various quarries in the area.
In 1851, Thomas Stone (~25) Ag Lab from Langford [Budville], Somerset; with Mary Stone (24) 'Wife' from Bampton, Devon and Mary J Stone (0) born in Burlescombe, Devon, were living in Westleigh, Burlescombe, Devon.
In 1861, living in Road Longwood [Longwood Lane], Holcombe Rogus, were Thomas Stone (~39) Stone Quarrier from Langford Budville, Somerset; Mary Stone (33) Wife [this time she was] from Bampton, Devon; Mary J Stone (10) from Burlescombe; Elizabeth Stone (9) from Tiverton [Clayhanger, which is near Bampton, is within Tiverton District]; William C Stone (7) from Stawley, Somerset; Emily Stone (4), Thomas H Stone (2) and Benjamin Stone (5mts). Boarding with them was Thomas Needs (82) Widower, Ag Lab.
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Locks Cottage, on the Grand Western Canal, near Burnhill Farm, Holcombe Rogus The remains of Lowdwells Lock in the foreground, this is now where the canal terminates. For more on this area, read Walking the Grand Western Canal Photo available for reuse under this Creative Commons licence. |
In 1871, living at Burnhill, Holcombe Rogus (which means almost certainly at Locks Cottage, since Eliza was born there the previous year) were Thomas Stone (48) Quarryman from Langford Budville, Somerset; Mary Stone (44) from Bampton, Devon; with Thomas Stone (13) Ag Lab; Samuel J Stone (8), Ellen R Stone (6), Caroline A Stone (3) and Eliza Stone (1).
Elizabeth Stone, servant, aged 23, died on 28 Oct 1875 at Burnhill, Holcombe Rogus. Her cause of death was Parturition (childbirth) Metritis (also known as childbed fever). Metritis is an acute, potentially life-threatening bacterial infection and inflammation of the entire uterus that typically occurs within the first 1 to 3 weeks postpartum. It is caused by an ascending bacterial infection (often E. coli or other polymicrobial flora) when the cervix remains open following parturition, an abortion, or obstetric manipulation. Risk factors include retained fetal membranes, dystocia (difficult labor), and unhygienic conditions. I'm including this information, because this has probably been the cause of death for so many women and, of course, in the days before antibiotics, the resulting sepsis undoubtedly did prove fatal. Clearly, Elizabeth had been pregnant with an illegitimate child, but I can find no corresponding record of a birth, baptism nor death, so I'm guessing the child was stillborn.
In 1881, living at Locks Cottage, Holcombe Rogus, Devon, were Thomas Stone (57), Quarryman from Langford [Budville], Somerset; Mary Stone (53) from Bampton, Devon; Benjamin Stone (20) Quarryman and Eliza Stone (11).Thomas Stone (64) Quarryman died on 10 Aug 1888 (1888 S Quarter in WELLINGTON SOMERSET AND DEVON Volume 05C Page 187) at Locks Cottage, Holcombe Rogus, from Chronic Hepatitis and Hydrothorax. (Hepatic hydrothorax is the build-up of fluid in the chest cavity that affects people with cirrhosis and other serious liver issues.) Under the informant was 'The mark of Mary Stone, Widow of the deceased, present at the death'. Thomas Stone was buried on 19 Aug 1888 at All Saints Church, Holcombe Rogus.
Mary Stone (née Collard) (62), Widow of Thomas Stone, Quarryman, died on 4 Sep 1890 in Llangibby (Llangybi, Monmouthshire, Wales) from Fatty disease of the heart, dropsy (oedema) and congestion of the lungs. The informant listed on her death certificate was E R Stone [Ellen Rebecca], daughter, present at the death. Mary Stone of Llangibby, Monmouthshire, was buried back at All Saints, Holcombe Rogus on 10 Sep 1890.
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Holcombe Rogus, All Saints Church: Eastern aspect, Thursday, 1 October, 2020 Photo available for reuse under this Creative Commons licence. |