Inherited Craziness
A place to share all the nuts found on my family tree

Showing posts with label Stawley. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Stawley. Show all posts

Wednesday 24 January 2024

Henry Stone and Mary Ridgeway

Church of St John the Baptist, Ashbrittle
cc-by-sa/2.0 - © David Smith - geograph.org.uk/p/5104522
A plaque near The Ancient Yew of Ashbrittle declares, "Generations of local people
have cherished this tree, one of the oldest living things in Britain."


Henry Stone (bap. 26 Oct 1828 in Langford Budville, Somerset), son of William Stone and Mary Thorne, married Mary Ridgeway (bap. 28 Dec 1833 in Ashbrittle, Somerset)daughter of James Ridgeway and Mary Ann Lock, at her parish of St John the BaptistAshbrittle, on 24 Jan 1854

Henry and Mary Stone, a pair of my 2nd great-grandparents, had nine children. Frederick James was born in Stawley and the rest in Ashbrittle, Somerset. All were baptised at St John the Baptist, Ashbrittle.

  1. Frederick James Stone bap. 25 Dec 1854
  2. Henry William Stone bap. 13 Jul 1856 
  3. John Stone bap. 23 May 1858 
  4. Mary Ann Stone bap. 5 Feb 1860 
  5. Tom Stone b. 11 Dec 1861, bap. 4 Feb 1862
  6. Harriet Stone bap. 2 Apr 1865 
  7. Francis Stone b. 1 Feb 1867, bap. 3 Mar 1867
  8. Charles Stone b. 8 Apr 1869, bap. 9 May 1869
  9. Lucy Jane Stone b. 11 Apr 1872, bap. 26 May 1872
Court Place, Ashbrittle
cc-by-sa/2.0 - © Roger Cornfoot - geograph.org.uk/p/3819462

In 1861, Henry (31) and Mary (27) were also living in a Private Cottage at Court Place, as were Henry's parents at that time. With Henry and Mary were the four children born to date; Frederick (6), Henry (4), John (3) and Mary Ann (1), along with Jane Ridgeway (28), Sister-in-Law (Mary's sister).

In 1871, with their address merely given as Cottage, Ashbrittle, were Henry and Mary with Mary Ann (12), Tom (9), Harriet (6), Francis (3) and Charles (1). The first three boys having left home already. Living next-door-but one was the family of John Ridgeway (relatives of Mary's, obviously) and then that of John Vickery. These three families remain intrinsically linked. In 1871, Frederick (16) was already working, as a servant, described as an 'Ag Lab Indoor', for Henry Oxenham at Chevithorne, Tiverton. The mind boggles at how you do agricultural labour indoors, but I'm sure they mean lives inside the farmer's main accommodation, rather than outside in a cottage.  

In 1875, the family were living in Hill, Huntsham, according to son Francis Stone's school record, when he was enrolled at Huntsham County Primary School that year. At the time he left school in 1879, Francis was attending school in Chevithorne, so presumably the family had relocated there.

By 1881, the family had moved to Lands Mill, Uplowman with Henry (51) and Mary (49), Harriet (16), Francis (14), Charles (11) and Lucy Jane (8), granddaughter, Ellen Snow (2) and widowed Sister-in-Law, Jane Vickery (43). Visiting were Mary Ann Tarr (27) and Jane Tarr (22), General Servants. 

Lands Mill (now demolished) was part of the Widhayes estate, so assuming Henry was employed by Edward Chave at Widhayes Farm. The stable block, barn, linhay, gate house and farmhouse at Widhayes are Listed Buildings

Some of the listed buildings at Widhayes

Mary Stone died, aged 52, on 28 Dec 1885 and was buried on 3 Jan 1886

In 1891, Henry Stone (63), Widower, was living at Greengate Cottage in Uplowman, with daughter Harriet (25), son Francis (23), granddaughter, Ellen Snow (12) (Henry's daughter) and grandson Francis (3) (Harriet's son).

In 1901, Henry (71), Widower (listed incorrectly as Henry Ridgway), working as a Labourer on Roads, was still living at Greengate, Uplowman, this time in the household of James Ridgway (34), who was married to Harriet Stone.

Henry Stone died, aged 72, on 26 Nov 1901 and was buried on 30 Nov 1901 at Uplowman. Both Henry and Mary have been buried in the same plot in Uplowman Churchyard along with their son, John, who had died in 1882. 

Grave of John, Mary and Henry Stone in Uplowman Churchyard.

Monday 3 July 2023

John Ridgeway and Ellen Norman

Building at Widhayes FarmUplowman

John Ridgeway (b. 18 Jun 1870), son of Thomas Ridgway and Ann Tooze, married Ellen Norman (b. 1872), daughter of James Norman and Harriet Woodland at St Peter’s ChurchUplowman, on 3 Jul 1892. Witnesses were James Norman and William Norman, the bride's father and brother.

The couple probably met at Widhayes Farm (Grade II Listed), as in 1891, John Ridgeway (20) Agricultural Labourer, had been lodging with James Wood at Widhayes, Uplowman and at the same time, Ellen Norman (20) had been employed as a General domestic servant in the household of Edward Chave (39), a prosperous Farmer, at the Farm, Widhayes, Uplowman. 

John and Ellen had three children: 
  1. William Henry Ridgway b. 1893
  2. Thomas Ridgway b. Q1 1894 (Died Q2 1894, aged 0)
  3. Annie Elizabeth Ridgway b. 26 May 1895, bap. 30 Jun 1895 at St Peter’s ChurchUplowman
In 1901, John Ridgeway (30) Cattleman on farm, Ellen Ridgeway (29), William H (8) and Annie E (6) were at Little Sellake, Halberton.

In 1911, still at Sellake, Halberton, were John Ridgway (40), Ellen Ridgway (39) and William Henry (18) Farm Labourer. Annie Ridgway (16) was working as a General domestic servant in the household of Retired farmer, Robert Pearce (89) at Locks House, Witnage, Sampford Peverell.

In 1921, John Ridgway (50) Farmer was living at Whipcott, Holcombe Rogus with Ellen Ridgway (49).

In 1939, John Ridgway, Assisting Cowman, and Ellen Ridgway (b. 23 Dec 1871), were living at Whipcott, Red Ball.

John Ridgway (77) of Whipcott, Holcombe Rogus, died on 22 Mar 1947 at Gamlins, Greenham, Stawley. Probate was granted to Herbert John Howe, quarry proprietor and Arthur John Exton, solicitors managing clerk, leaving effects of £2282 12s (worth around £91,590 in 2021).

Ellen Ridgway (81) of Gamlins, Greenham, Somersetshire died on 11 Sep 1952 at Mountbatten Nursing Home Taunton, leaving effects of £2942 9s 2d. Probate was granted to Arthur John Exton, solicitors managing clerk.

Friday 27 August 2021

Private Robert John Ridgeway

When we first visited St Peter’s Church, Uplowman, in 2016, I'd noticed this cross in remembranc of Private Robert John Ridgeway and took the photo as a reminder to research him to see how we might be related. Many of my Ridgeway ancestors had ended up in Uplowman: my 2x great-grandmother, Mary Ridgeway, daughter of James Ridgway, was born in Ashbrittle and is buried in Uplowman churchyard. Mary's brother, Thomas Ridgway, also came to Uplowman and had no less than ten children there. Perhaps, I thought, Robert John Ridgeway will have 'belonged' to one of them. Now that I've worked my way through them, however, I discover he does not and actually exists in a parallel universe:


Private Robert John Ridgeway, Royal Army Ordnance Corps, the parish website informs us, "... died in November 1945, after the war in Europe had ended, in a road accident when the armoured Ford Lynx scout car that he was a passenger in, tried to overtake another vehicle in a convoy and left the road striking a tree on Watling Street, Shenstone in Staffordshire." Robert John Ridgeway died on 6 Nov 1945, is buried in Uplowman churchyard and is remembered inside the church.


Robert John Ridgeway was born on 18 Mar 1927, was at home in 1939, at Uplowman Cross Cottage, Uplowman. Is that the same as 1 Crosses Cottage, Uplowman, where my relative, Frederick John Ponsford, son of Charles Ponsford and Bessie Ann Stone, was living in 1970? Or 2 Crosses Cottages, Uplowman, where Elsie Tremlett, daughter of William Ridgeway and Florence Louise Finnimore, was living in 1979? Or even Lowman Cross, Uplowman where Thomas and Ann Ridgway were living in 1871?

The parish website also says that "Robert lived a large part of his life at Wallflower Cottages, Uplowman." Several of my relatives have been residents at Wallflower Cottages, Uplowman: William and Florence Ridgeway and George and Ellen Norman in 1911, and Herbert Ridgeway in 1988. These were most likely tied cottages, so it suggests they were all working for the same farms, but is no particular indication that they're related.

Sarah Ridgway 
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John Ridgway bap. 27 Nov 1825 - Mary Parker b. 1831
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James Ridgway bap. 25  Apr 1858 - Eliza Vickery b. 1861
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Robert John Ridgeway b. 7 Sep 1898 - Louisa Baker b. 10 Dec 1899
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Robert John Ridgeway b. 18 Mar 1927 - d. 6 Nov 1945

Robert John Ridgeway's parents were Robert John Ridgeway (b. 7 Sep 1898) and Louisa Baker (b. 10 Dec 1899), who had married, in Tiverton, in 1924.

In 1911, Robert John Ridgeway Snr (12), born in Holcombe Rogus, was living with his widowed mother, Eliza (48), sister Florence Alice (9) and brother, Herbert Percy (6) at Passmore's Court, Halberton. In 1910, this Robert John Ridgeway had attended Halberton School. In 1901, living at Ford, 90, Holcombe Rogus, were James Ridgway (43) Cattleman on farm, from Stawley, Somerset, wife Eliza (39), Beatrice (13), Edith (11), Eliza (9), William (7), Lillie (5) and Robert John, listed simply as John (3).

Records suggest that James Ridgeway had married Eliza Vickery in the second quarter of 1887, in the Wellington, Somerset registration district.

The baptism for James Ridgway on 25 Apr 1858, in Stawley, Somerset, listed his parents as James and Mary Ridgway, however, in 1861, we find the 3 yr old, living at Parkley, Stawley, Wellington as the son of John Ridgway (33) Agricultural Labourer, with wife Mary (30) and John (8), Mary Ann (6), Sarah Jane (4), James (3), Charles (1) and Mary Cotter (12) Housemaid. In 1871, John Ridgeway (46) and wife Mary (40) were living at Stones Cottage, Stawley, Wellington, with John (18), Mary Ann (16), Sarah (14), James (13), Elizabeth (10), Emily (8), Thomas (6), Edwin (4) and William Henry (2).

John Ridgway married Mary Parker, on 18 Apr 1851, at St Michael & All Angels, Stawley. One of the witnesses was William Vickery. Mary Parker's father is listed as James Parker, while the name of John Ridgeway's father isn't listed ... which stacks up with the baptism of John Ridgway in Ashbrittle, on 27 Nov 1825, son of Sarah Ridgway, described as 'single - base'.

These earliest records of Baptisms, Burials & Marriages, were transcribed from the "Bishop's Transcripts", which were in poor condition. There aren't any further records to prove if we have a common ancestor. But, to be having an illegitimate child in 1825, there's a fair chance that Sarah Ridgway was born around 1805, give or take. My 3x great-grandfather, James Ridgway was born around 1806. They are from the same hamlet - the population in 2014 was only 225 - with the same surname. Their descendants all turn up in the same locations. They could be siblings. They could be first cousins. It would be much more difficult to accept that they were not at all related.