Thomas Ridgway and Sarah Leaman

Photo © Roger Cornfoot (cc-by-sa/2.0)

All Saint's Church, Culmstock, Saturday, 8 March, 2014

Photo available for reuse under this Creative Commons licence.

Thomas Ridgway (b. 9 Sep 1754, bap. 26 Oct 1760, in Culmstock, Devon), son of Thomas Ridgway and Elizabeth Potter, married Sarah Leaman (bap. 6 Apr 1755 in West Buckland, Somerset), daughter of Robert and Sarah Leaman, at All Saint's Church, Culmstock on 31 Jul 1774. 

(The village of Culmstock was later immortalised in the novel Perlycross, by R.D. Blackmore of Lorna Doone fame, who lived in Culmstock for six years while his father, John Blackmore, was curate-in-charge of the parish.)

Thomas and Sarah Ridgway had four children, all baptised in Culmstock:

1. Thomas Ridgway bap. 11 Sep 1774
2. Jacob Ridgway b. 3 May 1776, bap. 27 Oct 1793
3. Sarah Ridgway b. 21 Feb 1778, bap. 27 Oct 1793
4. Simon Ridgway b. 28 Feb 1784, bap. 27 Oct 1793

So far, I've been unable to identify records of Thomas & Sarah's deaths.

Richard Rowland and Caroline Tooze

Church of St Mary Magdalene, Taunton
cc-by-sa/2.0 - © Mike Searle - geograph.org.uk/p/3157603

Richard Rowland (bap. 25 Dec 1819 in Upottery), son of William Rowland and Betty Hill (m. 11 Mar 1802 in Upottery, Devon), married Caroline Tooze (bap. 22 Feb 1829 in Holcombe Rogus), daughter of Richard Tooze and Eliza Disney, at St Mary Magdalene, Taunton (now Taunton Minster) on 8 Apr 1856. The witnesses were Samuel Tooze and Robert Dyer.

Richard and Caroline had eight children, none were baptised:

1. Alfred James Rowland b. 1857 S Quarter in WELLINGTON-SOMERSET AND DEVON Volume 05C Page 369. Died, aged 6, in 1864, and was buried in Nynehead, Somerset.
2. Emma Jane Rowland b. 1859 M Quarter in WELLINGTON - SOMERSET AND DEVON Volume 05C Page 427. Died at 26, in 1885 in Wellington.
3. Alfred Richard Rowland b. 1860 D Quarter in WELLINGTON SOMERSET AND DEVON Volume 05C Page 368. Registered as Alfred Richard, but appears to have been known as Francis.
4. Ann Rowland b. 1863 J Quarter in WELLINGTON - SOMERSET AND DEVON Volume 05C Page 440. Died at 8, in 1871 J Quarter in WELLINGTON - SOMERSET AND DEVON Vol 05C Page 252.
5. Rosa Rowland b. 1865 S Quarter in WELLINGTON SOMERSET AND DEVON Volume 05C Page 378
6. Emily Rowland b. 1867 J Quarter in WELLINGTON - SOMERSET AND DEVON Volume 05C Page 386. Died, aged 10, in 1877, in Wellington.
7. Alfred Rowland b. 1869 S Quarter in WELLINGTON-SOMERSET AND DEVON Volume 05C Page 355
8. Walter Rowland b. 1872 in Wellington, Somerset.

In 1861, Richard Rowland (34) Shepherd from Upottery, Devon was living at Haywood Cottage, Nynehead, Somerset with wife Caroline Rowland (32) from Holcombe Rogus, Devon; Alfred (3) and Emma Jane (2) born in West Buckland, Somerset; Francis Rowland (5 months) [must be the child registered as Alfred Richard] born in Nynehead and James Tooze (21) Chairmaker, Lodger (this is Caroline's younger brother).

In 1871, living in Payton, Wellington, were Richard Rowland (50) Farm Labourer, Caroline Rowland (40), Francis (10), Anne (8), Rosa (6), Emily (4) and Alfred (2) - the last two having been born in Langford, Somerset.

Caroline Rowland died, age estimated to 48, in 1876 D Quarter in WELLINGTON, SOMERSET AND DEVON Volume 05C Page 238.

In 1881, Richard Rowland (68) Agricultural Labourer from Upottery, was an Inmate in Wellington Union Workhouse. Wellington Workhouse was the first to be built after the Poor Law Amendment Act of 1834, which ordered that every area in England and Wales should have a purpose built place to house the poor. [Source] Also Inmates, in a different section from their father, were Alfred Rowland (13) Scholar (pauper) born in Langford Budville, Somerset and Walter Rowland (9) Scholar (pauper), born in Wellington, Somerset. There was a Rose Rowland (16) Woolen Feeder, living in Wellington as head of the household, living with her was Mary A Stevens (14) Lodger.

In 1891, Richard Rowland (age estimated to 75) Widower, Agricultural Labourer was still an Inmate of Wellington Union Workhouse. Rose Rowland married Tom Winter in 1887 and they were living in Rockwell Green. Alfred Rowland (21) Assistant Butcher, Servant, born in Langford, Somerset was in the household of James Moorish (29) Butcher, at 27 Rockwell Green.

Richard Rowland died, at 73, in 1892 M Quarter in WELLINGTON, SOMERSET AND DEVON Volume 05C Page 252.