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

Showing posts with label Washfield. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Washfield. Show all posts

Sunday 29 October 2023

Charles Stone and Emma Middleton

Interior of St Peter's Church, Tiverton, Devon
cc-by-sa/2.0 - © Derek Voller - geograph.org.uk/p/3683165
This church is famous (or infamous depending on your point of view) in that upon its organ, seen left of picture, was played for the very first time, the tune that was destined to send shivers up the spine of many a strong man. It was of course ... (intake of breath) "The Wedding March". On June 2nd 1847, at a wedding ceremony here, Felix Mendelssohn's composition ushered the bride and groom out of the church as man and wife. The couple were, I believe, friends of the composer.

Charles Stone (b. 8 Apr 1869 in Ashbrittle, Somerset), son of Henry Stone and Mary Ridgeway, married Emma Middleton (b. 6 Aug 1862 in West Anstey, Devon), daughter of Jane Middleton, on 29 Oct 1896 at St Peter’s Church Tiverton and were my great-grandparents. They both gave their address as 111 Chapel Street, Tiverton, which was that of Charles' younger sister, Lucy Jane and her husband, William Bridle, who were their witnesses.

In 1891, Emma Middleton (26) was a Domestic Servant to William Heywood (27), Farmer (son of Robert Heywood of Spurway Barton), at West Spurway Farm, Oakford, Devon. (Emma's illegitimate son, William Henry Middleton, b. 4 Nov 1888 (1889 M Quarter in TIVERTON Vol 05B Page 435), was then living with his grandmother, Jane Howe, in Stoodleigh.) Charles Stone (20), was Farm Servant to William Gale (69), at Courtney Farm, Washfield.

No idea why she later chose to change her name from Emma to Emily (fashion perhaps?), but she didn't seem to be trying to hide her son William Henry's illegitimate status, but might have been trying to play down her own, because Emma (Emily) "invented" a father called William Middleton for the marriage certificate. As we now know Middleton was not only hers, but also her mother's maiden name, so that couldn't be her father's name. Emma (Emily) had an older brother and an uncle William Middleton, both of whom she never met as they died as infants, whose name she was clearly borrowing.

Well, I say she wasn't trying to hide William Henry's true origins, but clearly someone came up with a story later, because my father was always under the mistaken impression that William Henry Middleton, his "Uncle Bill", was the product of Emily's "first marriage". Of course there was no such alliance.

1 Silver Street, Tiverton where my grandfather was born on 6 Jun 1898

Charles and Emma (Emily) Stone added four more children:

  1. Charley Stone b. 6 Jun 1898 at 1 Silver Street, Tiverton (1898 S Quarter in TIVERTON Volume 05B Page 401), bap. 20 Jul 1898 at St Peter’s Church Tiverton, clearly listed as son of Charles and Emma.
  2. Albert Stone b. 18 Jan 1900 (1900 M Qtr in TIVERTON Vol 05B 399)
  3. Emily Stone b. 2 May 1901 (1901 J Qtr in TIVERTON Vol 05B 387)
  4. Henry Stone b. 17 Nov 1902 (1902 D Qtr in TIVERTON Vol 05B 375)
All of the GRO registrations list the mother's maiden name as MIDDLETON.

Only Charley was baptised, most probably because they moved out to Lower Washfield, which would have been a very long walk to any church.

Woodgates, Lower Washfield, Tiverton, their address in 1901

In 1901, Charles (30), Agricultural Labourer, and Emily (33 - really 39 - the gap between fiction and reality getting bigger) were living at Woodgates, Lower Washfield, with their two sons, Charley (2) and Albert (Bert) (1).

Charles and Emma with their children:
Charley (rear right), Albert (rear left),
Emily, (front right) and Harry (front left)
Then in 1911, we find them in Hayne Lane, Bolham. Charles (40) was then a Carter on Farm. Emily had lost another couple of years to reach 41 (actually 49) and they'd added another two children: Emily and Harry. The photo (right) was taken at the side of the house at 4 Hayne Lane, Bolham.

These cottages were originally built for the workers on the Knightshayes Estate - Home Farm, Knightshayes is at the end of Hayne Lane - for whom Charles then worked. I imagine the image was probably taken for the bosses to show their loyal servants with their lovely new accommodations.

In 1921, Charles Stone (51) General Farm Labourer was living in West Manley, Tiverton, Devon, working for Mr A Farrant, Farmer of West Manley Farm. Emily Stone was claiming to be 31 - she was actually 59 - with Harry Stone (18) General Roadman For District Council, still at home. Charley Stone (24) [i.e. still maintaining he was a year older than he really was], Corporal RMLI, was with the Royal Navy, Armed Forces Overseas (he was in Queenstown (Cobh), Ireland). Albert Stone (21) Private RMLI was with H.M.S. Ramillies in Cawsand Bay, Plymouth. Emily Stone (20) was working as a General Domestic Servant in the household of the Managing Secretary of the Cooperative Society Ltd, at 27, St Andrew Street, Tiverton

Charles Stone died on 13 Jun 1930, aged 61. Emily Stone died 2 Jun 1936.

4 Hayne Lane, Bolham in 2016

Tuesday 17 August 2021

John Kerslake and Mary Ann Beedell

Mid Devon : Higher Pitt Farm
cc-by-sa/2.0 - © Lewis Clarke - geograph.org.uk/p/3667038

John Kerslake married Mary Ann Beedell, in Tiverton, in 1880. The marriage record names her merely as Mary Beedle (sic), but on each of their children's baptisms, she's listed as Mary Ann and on each of the civil registrations of the births, her maiden name is Beedell (a name we've encountered before, when Temperance Southcott married her second husband, Francis Thomas Beedell.) So far, I haven't been able to find the births or parents for either John or Mary Ann to be able to establish the link (if there is one) between these people.

John and Mary Ann Kerslake had ten children: 
  1. Jane Kerslake b. 19 Mar 1880, bap. 4 Jan 1881 at St Peter's Church, Tiverton. Their abode at the time of Jane's baptism was Clayhanger.
  2. Ernest John Kerslake b. 5 Aug 1881
  3. Alice Elizabeth Kerslake b. 21 Jun 1883
  4. Lewis William Kerslake b. 16 Nov 1885, bap. 31 Dec 1885 at St Peter's Church, Tiverton. Residence was Burlescombe.
  5. Albert Henry Kerslake b. 6 Dec 1887
  6. Edwin Beedell Kerslake b. 2 Jan 1890
  7. Geoffrey Kerslake b. 1892. (Buried 29 Jun 1892 in Washfield.)
  8. Florence Ellen Kerslake b. 1894, bap. 2 Dec 1894 in Loxbeare. Address was Buttermoor Farm, Washfield, John Kerslake was Dairyman Farmer.
  9. Manuel Charles Kerslake b. 17 Nov 1900, bap. 24 Dec 1900 at St George's Church, Tiverton. Residence was Castle Barn Farm, Exeter Hill.
  10. Frederick Kerslake b. 5 Nov 1902, bap. 4 Dec 1902 at St Peter's Church, Tiverton. At East Bicknell Farm, Cove, John was a Dairyman.
In 1881, John Kerslake (35) was a Farmer of 30 acres at Goldsmoor [Farm], Sampford-Peverell, with Mary Kerslake (25), Jane Kerslake (1), William Kerslake (4) Visitor and 'Eles' Biddle (13) Servant.

In 1891, at Higher Pitt Farm, Washfield, were John Kerslake (43) Farmer, Mary Kerslake (33), Jane Kerslake (11), John Kerslake (9), Alice Kerslake (7), Lewis William Kerslake (5), Albert Henry (3) and Edwin Beedell (1).

In 1894, five of the children were enrolled at Loxbeare Church of England School: Ernest John Kerslake, Elizabeth Alice Kerslake, Lewis William Kerslake, Albert Henry Kerslake and Edwin Beedell Kerslake. 

In 1901 at Castle Barn Farm, Tiverton, there were John Kerslake (55) Farmer, Mary A Kerslake (42), Jenny (Jane) Kerslake (21), William (Lewis William) Kerslake (15) Tailor's Apprentice, Edwin Kerslake (11), Florence E Kerslake (6) and Charles M (Manuel Charles) Kerslake (0).

(With so many changes of address, I have visions of them driving their cattle almost incessantly around the narrow lanes of Devon!)

John Kerslake, finally of Luttrell FarmBampton, Devonshire, died on 30 Nov 1903, leaving his effects of £271 5s (worth around £33,800 in 2021) to William Henry Beedell, Innkeeper. As yet, I don't know which inn he kept. One can perhaps assume that William Henry Beedell was a relative of Mary Ann's, but again, I've not been able to find out how they might be related. 

In 1911, Mary Ann Kerslake, Widow, Needle woman, living at 1 The Works, Tiverton with Edwin Beedell Kerslake (21) Gardener, Florence Ellen Kerslake (16) School teacher, Charles Emanuel Kerslake (10) and Frederick Kerslake (8). Jane Kerslake (listed as Jenny) (29) was Cook to the family of Henry William Gould, Solicitor, at Compass Cottage, Stoke Hill, Heavitree.

In 1921, Mary A Kerslake (62) Widow; Jane Bowden (40) Widow (Jane Kerslake married Frank Bowden in 1917); Lewis W Kerslake (34) Widower, Tailor; Emanuel C Kerslake (20) Motor Driver and Frederick Kerslake (18) Grocer's Assistant were living at 1, The Works, Tiverton, Devon.

In 1939, Jane Bowden was still living with her mother, Mary Ann Kerslake, at 1 Castle View, Tiverton.

Mary Ann Kerslake (née Beedell) died in 1951, aged 93.