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Friday, 11 April 2025

Hugh Flew and Mary Wood

Rackenford : Village Road
cc-by-sa/2.0 - © Lewis Clarke - geograph.org.uk/p/4637008

Hugh Flew (bap. 28 Feb 1779), son of Richard Flew and Elizabeth Thomas, married Mary Wood (bap. 26 Dec 1780), daughter of George Wood and Elizabeth Tucker, at All Saints Church, Rackenford on 11 Apr 1805.

Hugh and Mary had ten children, all baptised in Rackenford:
  1. William Flew bap. 29 Sep 1805
  2. Elizabeth Flew bap. 28 Feb 1808
  3. John Flew bap. 28 Jan 1810. (Buried on 26 Sep 1835.)
  4. Mary Flew bap. 26 May 1812
  5. Ann Flew bap. 5 Jun 1814
  6. Sarah Flew bap. 1 Sep 1816
  7. Jane Flew bap. 1 Jan 1820
  8. George Flew bap. 1 Jan 1822
  9. Thomas Flew bap. 11 Jan 1824
  10. Susanna Flew bap. 21 May 1826. (Buried 26 Oct 1828.)
In 1841, living in the Village, Rackenford, South Molton, Devon, were Hugh Flew (60), Mary Flew (60), William Flew (30), Ann Flew (27), Sarah Flew (25) and Thomas Flew (15). Also in the household were Mary Wood (35), Mary Ann Wood (10) and Elizabeth Wood (2), as well as John Baker (25). Elizabeth Flew (32) was a Female Servant in the household of Thomas Tanner, Farmer, at Creacombe Barton and in the same household was John Flew (3), who was the illegitimate son of Elizabeth Flew, Spinster, baptised in Rackenford on 4 Feb 1838; Jane Flew was a Female Servant at Little Hensley, Tiverton; there was a George Flew (15) Apprentice at Lower Thorne, Rackenford.

Hugh Flew died at 74 in 1850 J Quarter in SOUTH MOLTON Volume 10 Page 163 and was buried in Rackenford on 2 May 1850.

In 1851, with address merely listed as Cottage, Rackenford, were Mary Flew (70) Widow and George Flew (29) Agricultural Labourer. Elizabeth Flue (sic) was still Servant to Thomas Tanner, Retired Farmer, in Witheridge with her son John Flue (sic) (13) still living with her.

In 1861, Mary Flew (80) Widow, Lodger and Pauper, was living with her son-in-law James Chamberlain (50) at Cottages on Village, Rackenford.

Mary Flew died, age estimated at 83, in 1862 S Quarter in SOUTH MOLTON Volume 05B Page 268 and was buried on 4 Oct 1862, in Rackenford.

  • John Flew married Susanna Wood in Rackenford on 31 Mar 1834
  • James Chamberlain m. Mary Flew in Rackenford on 27 Oct 1839
  • John Baker m. Sarah Flew at St Peter's, Tiverton on 28 Jun 1841
  • William Chamberlain married Ann Flew in 1843
  • William Flew married Sarah Fewings in Q1 1845
  • John Baker married Jane Flew on 11 Nov 1847 in Creacombe
  • Thomas Flew married Maria Yendell on 7 Nov 1850 in Creacombe

It's clear James Chamberlain and William Chamberlain are brothers, so we have yet another pair of brothers, marrying two sisters in the family.

The John Baker who married Sarah Flew in 1841 was a Carpenter, bachelor, listed as son of Wm Baker. The John Baker who married Jane Flew in 1847, was also a Carpenter, listed as a bachelor, son of Robert Baker. It was allegedly this latter John Baker who was lodging with the family in 1841. Further research is needed, but were these perhaps the same person?

Edward Carpenter and Mary Winter

St Mary, Kentisbeare, Devon - Chancel
cc-by-sa/2.0 - © John Salmon - geograph.org.uk/p/1726294

Edward Carpenter (bap. 31 May 1730), son of Hugh Carpenter and Joan Baker, married Mary Winter on 11 Apr 1748 at St MaryKentisbeare

Records suggest the couple had seven children: 
  1. William Carpenter bap. 25 Apr 1749
  2. Dorothy Carpenter bap. 29 May 1752 (buried 25 Jul 1752)
  3. Jenney Carpenter bap. 24 Aug 1755
  4. Thomas Carpenter bap. 18 Jun 1758
  5. Edward Carpenter bap. 9 Nov 1760
  6. Dorothy Carpenter bap. 15 Jul 1764
  7. Hugh Carpenter bap. 6 Jan 1769
There's nothing in the records I've seen to date to suggest what occupation Edward had, neither has it been possible to find a record of his death. There are several deaths for a Mary Carpenter in Kentisbeare between 1774 and 1796, any of which could relate, but it hasn't been possible to identify which one it is. Likewise, trying to trace each of their children forward has either provided no further records beyond their baptisms, or where several records exist and no clues to narrow it down. Frustrating, but common problem.