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

Showing posts with label Widworthy. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Widworthy. Show all posts

Wednesday 28 February 2024

Robert Gollop and Sophia Underdown

St Cuthbert's church, Widworthy
cc-by-sa/2.0 - © Derek Harper - geograph.org.uk/p/443571

Robert Gollop, son of Robert Gollop and Jane Horton married Sophia Underdown, daughter of Thomas Underdown and Susannah Underdown (also her maiden name), on 28 Feb 1837 at St Cuthbert's church, Widworthy.

Sophia, whose parents had married in Southleigh on 27 Apr 1795, was born on 20 Jan 1809 and baptised, on 22 May 1809, in Colyton, Devon

Robert and Sophia had four children:
  1. Charles Benjamin Gollop bap. 7 Jan 1838 in Widworthy
  2. Amos Robert Gollop b. 1839
  3. Emanuel Gollop b. 30 Jan 1842, bap. 25 Mar 1842 in Offwell
  4. Sophia Gollop b. 1844, bap. 9 Jan 1848 in Offwell
Their residence at the time of Charles Benjamin's baptism was Dalwood, Dorset (now in East Devon). Robert's occupation was Shoemaker.

In 1841, living in Wilmington Street, Offwell, were Robert Gollop (30), Sophia (30), Charles (3), Amos (1) and Robert Salter (15), Apprentice. 

Sophia Gollop died, aged 38, and was buried on 4 Jan 1848 in Offwell.

In 1851, Robert Gollop (44) Widower, was living in his mother's household in Widworthy, as were his three youngest children: Amos (11), Emanuel (9) and Sophia (7), while Charles Gollop (14) was employed as a Farm Servant by Abraham Cottey (63) Farmer of 80 acres at West Colwell, Offwell. 

Robert Gollop died at 45 and was buried on 10 Sep 1851, in Widworthy.

Monday 19 February 2024

James Wood and Harriet Gollop

Kentisbeare: village stores and Post Office
cc-by-sa/2.0 - © Martin Bodman - geograph.org.uk/p/4624324

James Wood (b. 1814), son of Henry Wood, Shoemaker, with residence in Bathwick, Somerset, married Harriet Gollop, daughter of Robert Gollop and Jane Horton on 19 Feb 1840 at St. Mary’sKentisbeare Devon. 

Records suggest that James and Harriet had at least seven children: 
  1. Mary Jane Wood b. 1840, bap. 14 Jun 1840 in Widworthy
  2. Henry Wood b. 1842, bap. 30 Oct 1842 in Kentisbeare
  3. Ann Wood b. 1845 and/or 1854 (see below)
  4. Charles Wood bap. 9 Sep 1849 in Kentisbeare
  5. Emma Wood b. 1852, bap. 4 May 1856 in Kentisbeare
  6. James Wood b. 1857, bap. 2 Aug 1857 in Kentisbeare
  7. Sarah Ann Wood bap. 5 Oct 1862 in Kentisbeare
In 1841, Harriet Wood (20) and her daughter Mary (1) were living in Harriet's mother's household at Lusehayne, Widworthy. It was quite common for women to go back to their mother's home to give birth to first babies. James, presumably, was away working, but I've not found where.  

In 1851, James Wood (37), wife Harriet (32), Mary (9), Henry (8), Ann (5) and Charles (2) were living at Lower Croyle, Kentisbeare. Mary J (10) was also once again listed as staying with her grandmother in Widworthy.

In 1861, living in North Street, Kentisbeare, were James Wood (47), Harriet (43), Charles (10), Ann (7) and James (4). NB: Ann's age just doesn't stack up. She should either have been 15, or this is a different child, but I can find neither birth or death registrations, nor baptisms around either date to clarify.

In 1871, James Wood (57), Harriet (51), James (12) and Sarah (8) were living with son Henry Wood and his family in Kentisbeare Village.

James Wood died in 1880, aged 65. 

In 1881, Harriet Wood (64) Widow, Unemployed, was living in Kentisbeare Village with son James (23) and granddaughter, Emma (9) [Henry's daughter].

Harriet Wood was buried on 3 Jan 1889, in Kentisbeare.

Thursday 27 April 2023

Richard Gollop and Hester Litten

Honiton : St Michael's Church
cc-by-sa/2.0 - © Lewis Clarke - geograph.org.uk/p/5740951

Richard Gollop and Hester Litten were married, on 27 Apr 1770, in Honiton on Otter, Devon, which today is just called Honiton and, well, it's close to the River Otter. Not at St Paul's Church, High Street, as that wasn't built until 1835, so probably at the former parish church of St Michael's (now closed), but not as we see it now, as it was rebuilt in 1911/12 after a fire

Richard Gollop appears to be the son of William and Mary Gollop, baptised on 25 Dec 1746 in Kilmington, Devon, while Hester Litten (or Littin) was the 'Bast' (Bastard, obvs) child of Dinah Littin from Offwell, bap. 7 Sep 1741.

Richard and Hester had at least three children: 
  1. Robert Gollop bap. 17 May 1772 in Offwell
  2. Elizabeth Gollop bap. 12 May 1776 in Offwell
  3. Dinah Gollop bap. 22 Oct 1780 in Offwell
It's hard to be certain with records this old, but there was a burial of a Richard Gollop on 15 Jun 1800 and a burial of an Esther Gollop, Widow, on 11 Dec 1808, both in the parish of Widworthy, which may relate to this couple.

Thursday 13 April 2023

Charles Awton (or Horton) and Mary Maurice

St Michael, Awliscombe, Devon - East end
cc-by-sa/2.0 - © John Salmon - geograph.org.uk/p/1726261

Charles Awton married Mary Maurice at the church of St Michael and All Angels, Awliscombe, East Devon on 13 Apr 1762. The family name was probably, and it certainly became, Horton, but I'll reproduce what was written in the church records - that was undoubtedly as a result of the Devonshire accent and the precedent set by the spelling of the village name.

Charles and Mary had at least nine children, all baptised in Awliscombe:
  1. Betty Awton bap. 6 Jun 1762
  2. John Awton bap. 7 Apr 1765 (John, son of Charles and Mary, was buried on 10 Feb 1782. He will have been 17.)
  3. William Awton bap. 22 May 1768
  4. Charles Awton bap. 9 Sep 1770
  5. Nancy Awton bap. 2 Jul 1775
  6. Jenny Awton bap. 19 Apr 1778 (Later calling herself Jane)
  7. Henry Awton bap. 14 Jan 1781 (Presume died as an infant)
  8. John Awton bap. 11 Feb 1782
  9. Henry Awton bap. 9 Jan 1785
Reenactors in the uniform of the 33rd Regiment of Foot (Wellington's Redcoats), who fought in the Napoleonic Wars between 1812 and 1816. (Slightly later than William Horton's time.)
“The 33rd Regiment was unquestionably the best trained regiment in the British Army at this time (1765 -1795).” [SourceWyrdLight.com, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons

Most of the Awtons/Hortons I've been unable to trace forward, however, William Horton, living with his sister, Jane Gollop, in Widworthy, in 1841 and 1851, was described as a Chelsea Pensioner. William Horton had served with Marquess Cornwallis' 33rd Regiment of Foot (the real one, not the reenactors, but this does help to visualise him in his red coat, looking like an extra in a Jane Austen drama). He was discharged on 21 Apr 1796:

William Horton, Private of the Aforesaid Regiment, born in the parish of Orliscomb (sic), in or near the Market Town of Honiton, in the county of Devon, aged twenty-six years (ish) and by Trade a Labourer, hath served honestly and faithfully in the said Regiment, five years and eight months, but being lame of the right arm from a Wound received at Bois-de-duk (sic) on the 15th October 1794, which renders him unfit for service ...

The regiment took part in the disastrous Flanders Campaign during the French Revolutionary Wars (War of the First Coalition). In 1794, Bois-le-Duc (French) ('s-Hertogenbosch a.k.a. Den Bosch, Netherlands) was taken by French troops of the newly created young republic. The Siège de Bois-le-Duc (1794) took place from 23 Sep to 5 Oct 1794, so it's clear that William Horton was there around that time, when he received his injuries.

Despite this, William Horton lived until the age of 84 and was buried, on 27 Mar 1853, in the churchyard of St Cuthbert's church in Widworthy.

It hasn't been possible to find the burial for Charles Awton, but there is a burial of a Mary Auten (sic), on 21 Jun 1837 - the day after Queen Victoria ascended to the throne - in Awliscombe, who had lived to the age of 100. That would have made her 25 at the time of the 1762 marriage, which, I believe, makes it entirely plausible that this record relates to her.

Churchyard, Awliscombe
cc-by-sa/2.0 - © Derek Harper - geograph.org.uk/p/2784088