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

Showing posts with label Witheridge. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Witheridge. Show all posts

Monday 20 November 2023

John Charles Stone and Elsie Alberta Wright

Blackchurch rock looking across Mouthmill beach.
cc-by-sa/2.0 - © Andrew Bolton - geograph.org.uk/p/1701554
John Charles Stone (Jack) (b. 18 Jun 1890), son of Frederick James Stone and Loveday Jane Land, married Elsie Alberta Wright (bap. 11 Dec 1892 in Bickleigh, Devon), daughter of [Albert] Henry Wright and Elizabeth Baker, at the Church of St Thomas, Exeter on 20 Nov 1911

Elsie's father's name is listed as Albert Henry Wright on both the record of her admission to Cadbury School in 1898 and on her marriage certificate, but in 1901, when Elsie (8) was at home with her family in Hayne Lane, Bolham, her father, listed as Henry Wright, was employed as a Carter on Farm.

On the 1911 census, John Stone (20) Police Constable, was residing at the Devon County Constabulary Exeter, while Elsie (19) was employed as a General domestic servant in the household of Retired Army Officer Major Frederic Smyly at 1 Milverton Lodge, [22 The Avenue], Tiverton.

Jack and Elsie had three sons, all of whom pre-deceased them:
  1. Frederick Charles Stone b. Q4 1911 in Exeter (Died 1949, aged 37.)
  2. Kenneth John Stone b. 23 Mar 1915, bap. 28 Apr 1915 in Revelstoke, Plympton (Died 1932, aged 17, see below.)
  3. Burgess William Stone b. 29 Jan 1918, bap. 2 Feb 1918 in Newton Ferrers. (Died Q1 1918, aged 0.)
In 1921, John Charles Stone (31) Police Constable was at Sticklepath, Northleigh, Devon. (In Sticklepath village Mill House was used as a bakehouse, then as the Police Station in the early 1900's until the 1930's). Frederick Stone (9) and Kenneth Stone (6) were hen living in the household of Walter Hurford (34) at Sickerleigh Cottage, Halberton, Devon, described as his nephews. (Walter Hurford married Florence Wright, Elsie Alberta's older sister, in 1909). There's no sign anywhere of Elsie Alberta Stone.

We get a wealth of information on this family - and confirm some of the other family marriages - from the very detailed newspaper reports of the time.

The Devon and Exeter Gazette of Friday, 16 Sep, 1932, reported:
BATHING FATALITY
Clovelly Youth's Cries for Help
Companion Goes to Aid But is Exhausted
CLERGYMAN HELPS IN RESCUE
INQUEST VERDICT
    A youth was drowned while bathing at Clovelly on Friday afternoon and a companion was only saved by the help of visitors after he had become exhausted by his effort to save his colleague.
    The lad who was drowned was Kenneth John Stone, aged 17, son of P.C. Stone, stationed at Clovelly and his companion, Walter James Wheaton. Both are employed at Clovelly Court. They were bathing at Mouth Mill near Clovelly, and had been swimming for about five minutes when Wheaton heard calls for help. Looking round he saw his companion was in difficulties. He swam to him and tried to keep him up, but Stone pulled him under the water and then released his hold.
    When Wheaton came up again assistance was forthcoming from some visitors on the beach, who had noticed them struggling in the water. They were Stephen S. Gill, of Barnstaple, Mr Lionel Bruce Taylor, of Purley, Surrey, his brother Mr Christopher Douglas Taylor, and their brother-in-law, the Rev Henry Bunny, of the Vicarage, Cullompton. They rescued Wheaton, who by that time was in an exhausted condition, and afterwards swam about in an endeavour to locate Stone, but failed to find any trace of him.
    The search was continued until dark and resumed on Saturday morning, when the body was recovered near the spot where the young man drowned.

THE INQUEST
    At the inquest a verdict of "Accidental drowning" was returned by the North Devon Coroner (Dr Ellis Pearson).
    P.C. Stone said his son, who was 17, was a footman employed at the Clovelly Court, and was only a beginner at swimming. Witness heard during the afternoon of Friday that his son had go into difficulties while bathing in the sea and had been drowned. A search was made until dark that night, but it was not until Saturday morning that William Braund, a Clovelly fisherman, found the body.
    Wilfred John Wheaton, also an employee at Clovelly Court, stated that on Friday he went to bathe with Stone at Mouth Mill. He could swim, but Stone was not much of a swimmer. There was a strong under-current, and the water was rather rough. The tide was going out. Witness swam out towards the rocks, and Stone then appeared to be about ten yards from the shore.
    Hearing someone shouting for help, witness turned around, and, realising that Stone was in difficulties, swam back to him. He reached him in an exhausted condition, and put his arm around him as he sank. It was a dead weight, and witness was pulled down as well.
    Stone slipped free, and a man named Stephen S. Gill, of Barnstaple, helped witness ashore.
    Lionel Bruce Taylor, or Purley, Surrey, a visitor, said he was at Mouth Mill that day with his brother and brother-in-law. They were paddling when he heard calls, but could not distinguish whether it was one bather calling to another or not. His brother, who was on the hill behind, came down to the beach and said a man was calling for help, and another man in a bathing costume asked them to help him in reaching the swimmers. They went into the water and witness was surprised to see only one swimmer - the other had disappeared.
    Wheaton was got to the shore in an exhausted condition, and witness and the others swam to the spot where Stone had disappeared, and dived two or three times, but failed to find him.
    Constable Stone thanked the visitors who had attempted to save his son, and the local fishermen who helped in recovering the body.

The Western Times, Friday, September 23, 1932
Clovelly Fatality
MR KENNETH STONE LAID TO REST
Parish Loses a Popular Young Man
    The funeral of Mr Kenneth Stone, younger son of Police Constable J C Stone and Mrs Stone, who was drowned while bathing at Mouth Mill, took place at All Saints' Church on Wednesday week. The Rector (Rev. Somers Cocks) officiated.
    Deceased was a quiet, unassuming, courteous young man of sterling character, and he was very popular in the parish, having a host of friends, His sad death cast a great gloom over the district, and there was a large number of sympathising friends and parishioners present in the church and at the graveside. The utmost sympathy is felt for Mr and Mrs Stone, Mr Frederick Stone and the relatives in the loss they have sustained.
    The family mourners were:- Police Constable J C and Mrs Stone (father and mother); Frederick C Stone (brother); Mrs L J Stone, Cruwys Morchard (grandmother); Mrs R Southwood, West Anstey, Mrs F Hitchcock, Bishops Lydeard, Mrs L Baker, Coombe Florey and Mrs F Harford, Chevithorne (aunts); Mr Phillip Stone, Coombe Florey (uncle); Mr W Southwood junr, West Anstey, Mrs L Baker, West Anstey, Mr W and Mrs R Watts (cousins), Mrs R Anstey, Messrs. W Bale, E Martin, R Arnold, E Moore, S Leach, A Ackland, B Bridgeman, Mesdames L Stacey, R Blight, W Bale, C Ayres, T Vanstone, T Martin, L Ackland, Misses C Ackland, M Blight and E Ackland (friends from Shebbear), and Wilfred John Wheaton (fellow employee at Clovelly Court.)
    The bearers were officers of the "A" Division, Devon Constabulary, in charge of Seargeant Stuart (Hoops) and Inspector Rendell (Bideford). They were Police Constables Butt (Instow), Morcombe (Hartland), Hooper (Horns Cross), Beavis (Bideford). The coffin was of unpolished oak with brass fittings, and the breastplate was inscribed: "Kenneth Stone, aged 17 years, died 9th September, 1932."
    The following were among the general public:- Messrs A E Bushell, T Bale, J Crase, R Anstey, J T Moss, H Braund, E Braund, A Holloway, W Elliott, H Patton, S Williams, F Cleave, J Heal, H Tuke, J Stuart, O May, G Reilly, G Prince, F Robbins, J Headon, W Gist, L Gist, W Jewell, F Littlejohn, W Pengilly, J Whitefield, W Hamlyn, W Cruse, H Carpenter, H Taylor, C Braund, W Braund, G Lamey, J Johns, J Dunn, P Dunn, C Badcock, T Squire, A Dayman, A Beer, J Beer, F Found, E Found, C Prouse, C Pennington, E Rowe, S Wilson, G Attwood, T Jennings, W Jennings, M Beer, G Dark, F Pickett, F Day, W Thomas, J Jennings, L Symons, G Wonnacott, D Cook, W Cook, Capt. Burnard, Capt. H Jenn and Police Constable Cole (Bovey Tracey). Mesdames Hillsdon, D Hilton, E Moss, C Jenn, A May, H Taylor, L Cook, D Cook, J Babb, S Beer, Clements, F Johns, M Johns, M Lamey, A Dunn, N Colwill, M Badcock, E Shackson, F Badcock, H Braund, J Parsons, E Bragg, E Pengilly. Misses Doughton, Falconer, Anstey, F Gist, G Beer, E Johns and H Cook. There was a large number of floral tributes.

Kenneth John Stone (1915-1932)

(Though I did chuckle to see a Beavis and Butt among the bearers.)

Witheridge, Trafalgar Square And Hare And Hounds Inn

The Western Times, Friday, June 5, 1936
WITHERIDGE HOTEL: PROTECTION ORDER GRANTED
    "A protection order in respect of the Hare and Hounds Hotel, Witheridge, was granted at South Molton Petty Sessions on Tuesday to Mr John Charles Stone, now a police constable at Clovelly, who is retiring from the force on June 24th. The order will not take effect until the constable's retirement, Supt. E C Parr pointing out that a police officer could not be the holder of a licence."

Jack Stone did retire from the police in 1936 and became landlord of the Hare and Hounds (see image - undoubtedly Jack behind the bar, as the family resemblance is glaring), which was in the then pretentiously named Trafalgar Square in Witheridge, Devon. Nowadays it's just the junction of Fore Street and Church Street, where the B3137 is intersected by North Street and West Street. The pub has been turned into a residential cottage, so if you drive past, you'd have no idea of it's previous use, as we have on several occasions.

This is confirmed in the 1939 Register, where John Charles Stone (b. 18 Jun 1890) Police Pensioner Now Licenced Victualler and wife Elsie A Stone (b. 28 Oct 1892) are listed at the Hare & Hounds Public House, Witheridge.

John Charles (Jack) Stone died in 1960, aged 70.

Elsie Alberta Stone died in 1973, at 81.

Saturday 17 July 2021

Ernest John Hill and Irene Venetta Stone

North Devon : Grassy Field & Cattle near Rackenford
cc-by-sa/2.0 - © Lewis Clarke - geograph.org.uk/p/3997996

Ernest John Hill (b. 16 Nov 1882), son of John Hill and Martha Bennett married Irene Venetta Stone (b. 15 Jul 1900), daughter of Frederick James Stone and Loveday Jane Land, in Tiverton District, in Q2 1919. 

The couple had six children:
  1. John Hill b. 18 Oct 1919 D Qtr in SOUTH MOLTON Vol 05B 709
  2. Martha Hill b. 1921 S Qtr in SOUTH MOLTON Vol 05B 684
  3. Loveday Jane Hill b. 1924 J Qtr in SOUTH MOLTON Vol 05B 581
  4. Mary Ann Crw Hill b. 8 Mar 1926 in SOUTH MOLTON Vol 05B 570
  5. Ernest Hill b. 1928 J Qtr in SOUTH MOLTON Vol 05B Page 567
  6. Irene Venetta Hill b. 1931 S Qtr in SOUTH MOLTON Vol 05B 545
In 1921, Ernest John Hill (38) Farmer from Mariansleigh, Devon and Irene Venetta Hill (pretending to be 25) were living at Wilson Farm, Witheridge, Devon with son John Hill (1), Stanley William Stone (18) Horse Man (who was Irene's brother) and William Crook (19) Nephew, Learning Farming.

In 1939, the family was still living at East Wilson Farm, Rackenford (PDF) with Ernest J Hill engaged in Mixed Farming. 

Ernest John Hill of East Wilson Farm, Rackenford, died, aged 61, on 9 Dec 1943 and in 1944, Probate was granted to his widow, Irene Venetta Hill, to whom he left effects valued at £1723 10s 3d (worth £96,882 in 2023). 

In the 2nd quarter of 1944, daughter Mary A C Hill married William Coles and in the 4th quarter of 1945, Irene V Hill remarried to William C Coles

In 1939, there'd been a William Coles (b. 8 Mar 1917) living with his widowed father, William C Coles (b. 8 Oct 1878) at 11 Bolham Halt, Chettiscombe, so it seems that mother and daughter married father and son.

William C Coles died, aged 84, in Tiverton, in 1959.

Irene Venetta Coles died in 1980, in her 80th year.