Wednesday, 11 June 2025

John Blake and Elizabeth Leigh

Launceston - St Mary Magdalene Church
cc-by-sa/2.0 - © Colin Park - geograph.org.uk/p/4285105

John Blake, son of John Blake and Margaret White (bap. 27 Aug 1786 in Launceston, Cornwall) married Elizabeth Leigh (bap. 23 Apr 1793 in Tregony, Cornwall), daughter of William Thomas Leigh and Rebecca Harris, on 11 Jun 1812 at St Mary Magdalene's Church, Launceston.

Records exist for eight children of this marriage:
  1. Rebecca Blake bap. 31 Oct 1813 at St Mary Magdalene, Launceston.
  2. Harriett Blake bap. 7 Sep 1817, died at 20 weeks and was buried on 4 Jan 1818, both in Lawhitton, Cornwall.
  3. Mary Anne Leigh Blake bap. 18 Feb 1821 in Lawhitton, Cornwall.
  4. John Blake bap. 26 Oct 1823 in Lawhitton, Cornwall.
  5. Solomon Blake bap. 16 Oct 1825 at St Mary Magdalene, Launceston.
  6. Harriot Blake bap. 30 Sep 1827 at St Mary Magdalene, Launceston.
  7. James Blake bap. 4 Oct 1829 in Lawhitton, Cornwall.
  8. Elizabeth Blake bap. 27 Oct 1833 in Lawhitton, Cornwall.
In 1841, John Blake (55) was living at Lower Luckham, Lawhitton with his wife Elizabeth Blake (45), John Blake (15) and Elizabeth Blake (7). Rebecca Blake had married in 1834 and was living in Lezant, Cornwall; there was a Mary Blake (20) working as a Female Servant in Fore Street, Callington who I believe was Mary Anne Leigh Blake; Solomon Blake (15) was a Male Servant in the employ of John Stevens (55) Farmer in Linkinhorne, Cornwall; Harriot Blake (13) was a Female Servant in the employ of Henry Paynter also at Lower Luckham, Lawhitton; there was a James Blake (11) employed as an Ag Lab at Guncott, North Petherwin, then in Devon, and to add to the reasons for accepting this as him, his future wife was from South Petherwin.

In 1851, son John Blake (37) Agricultural Labourer was the head of the household at Luckham, Lawhitton with wife Mary Blake (33), John Blake (66) Father; Elizabeth Blake (58) Mother and James Blake (25) Brother. Mary A Blake (29) from Lawhitton, Cornwall was a House Servant to Thomas Coode (53) Attorney At Law in St Austell; Solomon Blake (26) had married and was living in Cardiganshire, Wales; Elizabeth Blake (17) was visiting Robert and Harriet Cundy (Harriet Blake, as was) at 12 Keates St, Stoke Damerel.

John Blake died, aged 69, in  1853 S Quarter in LAUNCESTON Volume 05C Page 21 and was buried on 29 July, in Lawhitton.

In 1861, Elizabeth Blake (68) Pauper was living alone in Lawhitton Village.

Elizabeth Blake died, at 79, in 1871 D Qtr in LAUNCESTON Vol 05C P 15.
  1. Rebecca Blake married Richard Braund on 16 Apr 1834 in Lawhitton. They went to live in Lezant, Cornwall. Records list their surname as Braund, Bround, Brawn or Brown. Richard Brawn died, at 77, in 1886 J Quarter in LAUNCESTON Volume 05C Page 23. Rebecca Brawn died in 1905 J Quarter in LAUNCESTON Volume 05C Page 18, at 93.
  2. Mary Anne Leigh Blake (39) married William Metters (34) Widower, Yeoman, on 12 Nov 1860 in Stoke Damerel. The bride's brother-in-law, William Trick, was one of the witnesses. William Metters died at 55, in 1881 D Quarter in LAUNCESTON. Mary Ann Leigh Metters died, at 68, in 1887 S Quarter in LAUNCESTON Volume 05C Page 17.
  3. John Blake married Mary Stanbury in Lawhitton on 10 Oct 1843.
  4. Solomon Blake married Maria Williams in Cardigan, Wales on 31 Jan 1849. The couple reputedly had 20 children. Maria Blake died, at 60, in 1888 S Quarter in CARDIGAN Volume 11B Page 3. Solomon Blake died in 1889 M Quarter in CARDIGAN Volume 11B Page 5, at 70.
  5. Harriet Blake married Robert Cundy in the 4th quarter of 1845, in Launceston, Cornwall. Robert Cundy died, at 51, in 1871 D Quarter in TAVISTOCK Volume 05B  Page 318. Harriet Cundy died in 1906 M Quarter in DEVONPORT Volume 05B Page 225, at 78.
  6. James Blake married Mary Ralph Martyn in Werrington, then in Devon, on 30 Mar 1852. James Blake died at 47, on 30 Jun 1878 (1878 S Quarter in LAUNCESTON Volume 05C Page 21) and was buried in Lawhitton, Cornwall on 3 Jul 1878. Mary Ralph Blake died, in 1917 D Quarter in DEVONPORT Volume 05B Page 404, at 86.

Monday, 9 June 2025

John Elworthy and Mary Flew

Rackenford : Church of All Saints - Lych Gate
cc-by-sa/2.0 - © Lewis Clarke - geograph.org.uk/p/3011518

John Elworthy (b. ~1826 in Molland, Devon) and Mary Flew (bap. 26 Mar 1828 in Oakford), daughter of Richard Flew and Ann Hagley, both resident in the parish, married at All Saints Church, Rackenford on 9 Jun 1850

In 1851, John Elworthy (26) Ag Lab from Molland and Mary Elworthy (23) from Rackenford, were living at "Cottage, Rackenford, South Molton".

John and Mary Elworthy had one daughter, Mary Jane Elworthy b. 1852 J Quarter in SOUTH MOLTON Volume 05B Page 437, bap. 4 Apr 1852, in Rackenford, Devon. However, John Elworthy died, age estimated at 30, in 1852 D Quarter in SOUTH MOLTON Volume 05B Page 313 and was buried, on Christmas Day, 25 Dec 1852, in Rackenford. Then Mary Jane Elworthy died, in 1853 M Quarter in SOUTH MOLTON Volume 05B Page 332 and the infant was buried, also in Rackenford, on 6 Mar 1853.

On 26 Mar 1856, Mary Elworthy, widow, daughter of Richard Flew, married James Marshall (bap. 9 May 1824 in Knowstone), bachelor, son of Edward Marshall and Elizabeth Sellick, at St Peter's Church, Knowstone

James and Mary Marshall had five more children:
  1. John Marshall b. 1857 M Quarter in SOUTH MOLTON Volume 05B Page 415, bap. 4 Jan 1857 in Knowstone
  2. Emma Jane Marshall b. 1859 J Quarter in SOUTH MOLTON Volume 05B Page 421, bap. 22 May 1859 in Knowstone
  3. James Marshall b. 1862 J Quarter in SOUTH MOLTON Volume 05B Page 452, bap. 13 Apr 1862 in Knowstone
  4. Elizabeth Ann Marshall b. 1865 J Quarter in SOUTH MOLTON Volume 05B Page 458, bap. 16 Apr 1865 in Knowstone
  5. Mary Ann Marshall b. 28 Oct 1868 D Quarter in SOUTH MOLTON Volume 05B Page 451, bap. 29 Nov 1868 in Knowstone
The birth registrations confirm the mother's maiden name as FLEW.

In 1861, at Westcott, White Field, Knowstone, were listed James Marshall (35) Labourer from Knowstone, Devon; Mary Marshall (34) from Oakford, Devon; John Marshall (4) and James Marshall (1). This is a neat trick, listing James who was not even born until the following year. Wishful thinking? I did check that there had not been a James born earlier and who died as an infant, but there were no records to suggest this. Also Emma Jane is not listed. 

In 1871, at Marshall Cottage, Knowstone, we find James Marshall (48), Mary Marshall (44), James Marshall (9), Elizabeth Marshall (6), Mary Marshall (2) and Elizabeth Howard (0) Lodger. (Elizabeth Howard b. 1871 M Quarter in SOUTH MOLTON Volume 05B  Page 470, bap. 5 Feb 1871 in Knowstone, was the illegitimate daughter of Joanna Howard (21), who in 1871 was working as a Domestic Servant at Woods Farm, West Anstey. One assumes she paid Mary Marshall to care for the infant while she was working. Joanna, daughter of John Howard and Sarah Land is undoubtedly, distantly related.) John Marshall (14) Farm Servant and Emma Marshall (11) Child Maid, were working for Henry Buckingham at Awlo Borrough Farm, Knowstone.

Most of the family seem to have escaped the census of 1881, except Elizabeth Ann Marshall (16) who was employed as a General Servant to George Gunn, Farmer, at Lower Bulwarthy, Rackenford.

In 1891, James Marshall (68) Farm Labourer was living in the Village, Knowstone, with Mary Marshall (63) Charwoman; James Marshall (29) Farm Labourer; Sarah J Marshall (26) Daughter-in-law and Nellie Kingdom (1) Granddaughter. (Son James had married Sarah Jane Kingdom on 2 Jun 1890, but Nellie had arrived a bit prematurely in 1890 J Quarter in SOUTH MOLTON Volume 05B Page 410.) John had married in 1883; Emma Jane in 1879 and Mary Ann in 1890. Elizabeth A Marshall (25) was General Servant in the employ of William Cole, Farmer, at Bommer, Molland.

In 1901, James Marshall (77) Retired ordinary labourer, Mary Marshall (73) Pauper and Mary Ann Packer Marshall (23) Dressmaker (daughter of Samuel Packer and Emma Jane Marshall) were living in "Cottage, Knowstone". 

James Marshall, age estimated as 80, died in 1906 S Qtr in SOUTH MOLTON Vol 05B Page 247 and was buried on 2 Sep 1906, in Knowstone.

Mary, listed as Mary Ann (she never had a middle name), age also estimated as 80, died the following year in 1907 S Quarter in SOUTH MOLTON Volume 05B Page 237 and was buried on 7 Jul 1907, also in Knowstone.