John Rookley and Mary Ayres

Kentisbeare : Priest Hill
cc-by-sa/2.0 - © Lewis Clarke - geograph.org.uk/p/3707225

John Rookley (bap. 9 Jan 1797 in Kentisbeare, Devon), son of James Rookley and Thomazin Salter, married Mary Ayres (bap. 13 Jun 1800 in Kentisbeare), daughter of Zachariah Ayres and Mary Farnell, on 24 May 1820 at St Mary's Church, Kentisbeare. Witnesses were William Ayres and Charles Knight.

Records suggest John and Mary Rookley had 13 children:

1. Mary Ann Rookley bap. 8 Oct 1820 (Residence: Picksey Pool)
2. John Rookley Jnr b. 1822 (No baptism found)
3. Jane Ayres Rookley bap. 18 Jan 1824 (Residence: Little Silver)
4. James Rookley bap. 20 Aug 1826 (Residence: Crosses)
5. Emma Rookley bap. 1829 in Kentisbeare
6. Elizabeth Ruckley (sic) bap. 13 Feb 1831
7. William Rookley bap. 3 Feb 1833 (Residence: Town)
8. Sarah Ruckley (sic) bap. 24 May 1835 (Residence: Little Silver)
9. Henry Ruckley (sic) bap. 18 Jun 1837 (Residence: Crosses)
10. Thomas Rookley b. 1839 J Quarter in TIVERTON AND DULVERTON Volume 10 Page 257 bap. 14 Apr 1839.
11. Thomasin Rookley b. 1841 M Quarter in TIVERTON AND DULVERTON Volume 10 Page 258 bap. 28 Feb 1841
12. Eliza Rookley b. 1843 J Quarter in TIVERTON AND DULVERTON Volume 10 Page 250 bap. 30 Apr 1843
13. Anna Rookley b. 1845 J Quarter in TIVERTON AND DULVERTON Volume 10 Page 266 bap. 1 Jun 1845

All Civil Birth registrations list the surname as Ruckley (doubtlessly, as a result of illiteracy and the Devon accent - on William's baptism the curate has written "Rookley, or as they say Ruckley") and the mother's maiden name as Ayres. On the baptisms of Mary Ann, Jane Ayres and James, John Rookley's occupation is described as a Husbandman (a person who cultivates the land; a farmer), obviously employed casually, but on those of Elizabeth, William, Sarah, Henry, Thomas, Thomasin, Eliza and Anna, he's a Labourer.

In 1841, John Ruckley (45) was in the Devon County House Of Correction, St David's, Exeter, having earned a 6 month sentence for Larceny. Mary and the children don't appear anywhere on this census that I can find.

We do find the family in 1851, when they are listed, unhelpfully, as living in "Village, Kentisbeare". John Rookley (56) is a Farmer of 22 Acres, with the household consisting wife Mary (52), William (19) and Henry (12) Employed on the farm; Thomas (10), Thomasin (8), Eliza (6) and Hannah (Anna) (4).

Mary Rookley died at 59 in 1859 J Quarter in TIVERTON Volume 05B Page 282 and was buried on 27 Apr 1859 in Kentisbeare churchyard.

In 1861, listed as John Rockley (sic) (67), widowed, Retired Farmer, was living at Gaddford Hills, Kentisbeare, Devon.

In 1871, John Rookley (78), Farm Labourer, was living at "Moor, Kentisbeare" (Kentis Moor) in the household of James and Thomasin Ridgeway. 

John Rookely died, still said to be aged 78, in 1871 J Quarter in TIVERTON Volume 05B Page 279 and was buried on 14 May 1871, in Kentisbeare.

Isaac Horn and Maria Agnes Thaxter

St. George-in-the-East
cc-by-sa/2.0 - © David Williams - geograph.org.uk/p/3844118

Isaac Horn (b. 21 Aug 1803, bap. 3 Aug 1806 in Thatcham, Berkshire), son of John Horn and Lucy Buckeridge, married Maria Agnes Thaxter (b. 6 Jan 1824 and bap. 21 Mar 1824 at St George in the East, Stepney), daughter of William Thaxter, Labourer in the East India Docks and his wife, Maria, at Christ Church Watney Street, St George in the East, on 24 May 1842. The groom, listed as a bachelor, will have been 39, while Maria was 18. Witnesses were James Massey and Amelia Thaxter, the latter I believe was Maria's sister.

Isaac and Maria had seven children:

1. William Horn b. 14 Oct 1842 D Quarter in ST GEORGE IN THE EAST Volume 02 Page 103, bap. 13 Nov 1842 at St George in the East
2. John Isaac Horn b. 18 Jul 1845 S Quarter in ST GEORGE IN THE EAST Volume 02 Page 109, bap. 31 Aug 1845, as John Isaac Robert Horn
3. George James Horn b. 16 Feb 1848 M Quarter in ST GEORGE IN THE EAST Vol 02 Page 132, bap. 5 Mar 1848. Died before his 1st birthday in 1849 M Quarter in ST GEORGE IN THE EAST Vol 02 Page 99
4. Edmund Horn b. 1851 M Quarter in ST GEORGE IN THE EAST Volume 02 Page 128. Died, aged 2, in 1853 M Quarter Vol 01C Page 340
5. Isaac Richard Horn b. 4 July 1856 S Quarter in ST GEORGE IN THE EAST Vol 01C Page 406, bap. 27 Jul 1856 at St George in the East
6. Lucy Ann Horn b. 1858 M Qtr in ST GEORGE IN THE EAST Vol 01C 452
7. Maria Lucy Horn b. 1862 J Quarter in ST GEORGE IN THE EAST Volume 01C Page 452. Died in 1862 J Quarter Volume 01C Page 314

All of the GRO birth registrations confirm the mother's maiden name of THAXTER. On all of the baptisms, Isaac Horn is listed as a Plumber. On William's baptism in 1842, their address was 39 Lower Cornwell St and on John's in 1845, 29 Lower Cornwell St. On George's baptism in 1848, their address was 5 Back Road and on Isaac's in 1856, it was 5 China Place. 

In 1851, at China Place, Back Road (so the addresses on George's and Isaac's baptisms was the same place), were Isaac Horn (46) Plumber, although it gave his birthplace a Chippenham, Wiltshire; Maria Horn (27) Coffee Shop Keeper; William Horn (8), John Horn (5) and Edwin [they mean Edmund] (0).

Coffee Houses were a thing of the 17th and 18th centuries, places that no “respectable” woman was able to enter and many were haunts for criminals and prostitutes. By the 19th century, coffee houses had declined.

In 1861, at 5, Back Road, St George in the East, were Isaac Horn (56) Plumber and Painter, again with his birthplace listed as Chippenham, Wiltshire; Maria Horn (listed as 51, but she was only 37); William Horn (18) Plumber; John Horn (16) Plumber; Isaac Horn (5) and Lucy Horn (3).

Maria Horn died, at 39, in 1862 D Quarter in SAINT GEORGE IN THE EAST Volume 01C Page 367.

In 1871, Isaac Horn (67) Widower, was Coffee House Keeper at 333 Cable Street. Living with him were William Horn (24) Plumber; Isaac Horn (15) Plumber and Lucy Horn (14). At one time each part of the street bore different names, with Back Road being one of them, so it seems likely they'd been in the same premises since at least 1848. Isaac's birthplace is once again listed as Thatcham, Berkshire. Why it had previously been given as Chippenham, Wiltshire, isn't obvious, but twice isn't an error. The two places are around 50 miles apart. It does appear that Thatcham is correct, however, both of his parents had died by 1810, so perhaps he was brought up in Chippenham.

Isaac Horn, age overestimated to 75, died on 20 Mar 1874 (1874 M Quarter in SAINT GEORGE IN THE EAST Volume 01C Page 328).