Jane Ridgeway and Thomas Vickery and James Copp

Tiverton : St Peter's Church
cc-by-sa/2.0 - © Lewis Clarke - geograph.org.uk/p/4739285

Jane Ridgeway, daughter of James Ridgeway and Mary Ann Lock, married Thomas Vickery (bap. 23 Nov 1834 in Sampford Peverell), son of James Vickery and Elizabeth Webber (m. 26 Mar 1818), on 7 May 1865 at St Peter's Church, Tiverton. There, in March of the same year, Thomas Vickery and Jane Ridgway had been witnesses to the marriage of Jane's brother Thomas Ridgway to Ann Tooze. Reversing the roles, witnessing Thomas and Jane Vickery's marriage were the recently married, Thomas and Ann Ridgeway.

In 1871, Thomas Vickery (37) Farm Labourer, Jane Vickery (32) and George Coombe (37) Miller, Lodger, were living at Lands Mill, Uplowman.

Thomas Vickery died, aged 45, and was buried on 16 Apr 1879, in Uplowman.

In 1881, Jane Vickery (43) Widow, Laundress, was living with her brother-in-law and sister Henry and Mary Stone, still at Lands Mill, Uplowman.

On 24 Jun 1882, Jane Ridgeway remarried to James Copp, at St Peter’s Church, Uplowman. James Copp, b. 24 Feb 1832 and bap. 11 Mar 1832, was son of Thomas Copp and Elizabeth Hall (m. 26 Mar 1831).

Neither marriage produced any children.

In 1891, James Copp (59) Mason and Jane Copp (52) were living at Woods Tenement, Pinnex Moor, Tiverton. (If now replaced by the 'bungalow land' of Pinnex Moor Road, 'tenement' suddenly sounds wildly enticing!)

In 1901, James Copp (69) Mason and Jane Copp (62) were living at 67, Barrington Street, Tiverton.

Jane Copp died in 1905, aged 66. James Copp died in 1911, at 78.

James Ridgeway and Mary Ann Lock and James Marsh

Ashbrittle Village with Court Place Farm (foreground left)
Photo © Lewis Clarke (cc-by-sa/2.0)

James Ridgeway and Mary Ann Lock, a pair of my 3rd great-grandparents, married, on 29 Apr 1833, at the Church of St John the Baptist, Ashbrittle. Witnesses to this marriage were Henry Vickery and Elizabeth Webber.

The couple appear to have seven children, with records existing only for the baptisms of first two children; Mary in 1833 and James in 1835. Once civil registration had been introduced (in 1837), there are no more baptism records for the subsequent five children, but neither are there civil registrations for most (only for the sixth child, John, in 1847), just their listings on the census.

1. Mary Ridgeway bap. 28 Dec 1833 at St John the Baptist, Ashbrittle
2. James Ridgeway bap. 25 Oct 1835 at St John the Baptist, Ashbrittle
3. Jane Ridgeway b. 1839
4. Harriet Ridgeway b. 1841 
5. Thomas Ridgeway b. 1844
6. John Ridgeway b. 1847 (Died aged 4, buried 6 Aug 1851 at St John the Baptist, Ashbrittle)
7. William Ridgeway b. 1850 (Died aged 29, see below.)

In 1841, James Ridgway (32) and Ann Ridgeway (33), were living in Ashbrittle Village, with children; Mary (7), James (5), Jane (2) and Harriot (0). 

And in 1851, still living in Ashbrittle Village, we find James (45) and Ann (45), with Harriot (10), Thomas (7), John (4) and William (1). Mary (19) was a Servant of William Sweet at Appley Court, Appley, Stawley; James (15) had also left home and was working as a Servant in the household of Robert Venn at Little Tadbeer Farm, Ashbrittle; while Jane Ridgeway (12), was a Servant in the household of Robert Johns of Kittisford at Stawley, Somerset. 

James Ridgeway died in 1854, said to be aged around 44, and was buried on 18 Jun 1854 at St John the Baptist, Ashbrittle. 

In 1859 there are banns of a marriage, in Kittisford, between James Mash (sic) and Mary Ann Ridgway (sic). The banns read in Tiverton correctly identify the bridegroom as James Marsh and bride as Mary Ann Ridgeway. 

James Marsh, son of Richard and Mary Marsh, bap. in Bampton, Devon on 31 Jul 1814, had married Mary Cruwys - also a widow - in Morebath, on 22 Mar 1840. They had one child, Mary Marsh, born 1841 and that year were living at Exbridge, Morebath, along with three children from Mary's previous marriage. In 1851, they were still there with Mary (9) and three more children Elizabeth (7), Martha (5) and James (2). Mary Marsh died in 1858. 

In 1861, James Marsh (46), Anne [Mary Ann] Marsh (51) and William Ridgeway (11) were living at 'Cottage, Bampton Down, Bampton'. By 1861, Thomas Ridgeway (18), was employed as a Carter at Holcombe Barton, Holcombe Rogus. (Holcombe Barton Farm was part of the Manor of Holcombe Rogus of Holcombe Court, "the finest Tudor house in Devon.")

In 1871, still at 'Cottage, Bampton Down, Bampton', were James Marsh (60) and Mary Ann Marsh (62). William Ridgeway (21) Postman, was a lodger in Ashbrittle, in the household of William Cude (64) Carpenter & Builder. 

James Marsh died and was buried on 3 Jul 1871, in Bampton.

William Ridgeway died, aged 29, and was buried on 15 Mar 1879, in Uplowman. Administration of the Personal Estate of William Ridgway late of Uplowman in the County of Devon Letter Carrier a Batchelor who died 9 Mar 1879 at Uplowman was granted at Exeter to Mary Ann Marsh of Uplowman Widow the Mother and only Next of Kin.

In 1881, Mary Ann Mash (sic) (74), Widow, was living with her son, Thomas Ridgeway, in Whitnage, Uplowman, listed as his mother. In 1891, Mary A Marsh (83), was living with her daughter, Harriet Were (sic) (50), in Chettiscombe. Mary Ann Marsh died, in 1894, at the age of 86.