Great x3 Half Aunt Eliza Susan Chapman (nee Heard)

My Great x3 Aunt Eliza (1827 - 1900) was a servant, housewife, mother of eleven, and an older half sister of my Great Great Grandfather Ezekiel Herd Easterbrook (1839 - 1920).

The spelling Eliza's maiden name varies on records between Herd and Heard.

Eliza was born around 1827 to William Herd (?), a sawyer and carpenter, and Dinah Herd (nee Bennett) (about 21), a housewife and former servant.

Eliza was named for her maternal half aunts Eliza and Susan Turner, who both passed away whilst Dinah was pregnant.

Eliza was baptised on 26th February 1827, in Jacobstowe. 

She was William and Dinah's only child.

Around 1835, Eliza's father William moved to America, leaving behind his wife and daughter.

By 1838, Eliza's mother was in a relationship with widower and thatcher Walter Easterbrook.

Dinah and Walter would never marry, but lived together for many years, with Dinah appearing on censuses as servant, housekeeper, visitor and nurse.

From this relationship, Eliza, aged about twelve, gained one younger half brother:

• Ezekiel Herd Easterbrook  1839 - 1920  (80 years old)

By the time of the 1841 Census, Eliza, about fourteen, was not living with her mother and younger half brother in Exbourne.

It seems most likely that Eliza was a live-in servant for the Drake family at New Inn, Zeal Monachorum.

1841 Census:

On 16th November 1846, Eliza (about 20), married Walter Chapman (about 28), a labourer, in Stoke Damerel (about 40 miles south-west of Eliza's native Jacobstowe).

Eliza and Walter's signatures (1846)

Both Eliza and Walter signed their names on their marriage certificate, implying both could write.

At the time of their marriage, Eliza was living at 10 Back of Cornwall Street.

Eliza and Walter would live their long married live in Stoke Damerel.

Eliza and Walter had eleven children (7 daughters and 4 sons):

• Selina  1847 
• Eliza  1849
• John  1850
• Mary Jane  1852 - 1853  (6 months old)
• William Albert or Alfred?  1854
• Walter James  1857
• Emmeline 'Emma'  1859
• Ellen Augusta  1861
• Edwin Albert  1864
• Selina Jane  1866
• Alma Mary  1869

1851 Census:

Sadly, Eliza and Walter's fourth child Mary Jane passed away, aged six months, in 1953. She was buried on 26th April 1853, in Devonport.

1861 Census:

Sadly, Eliza and Walter's eldest child Selina passed away, aged seventeen, in Oct/Nov 1864, She was buried on 6th November 1864, in Stoke Damerel.

1871 Census:

1881 Census:

1891 Census:

In Jan/Feb/Mar 1900, Eliza passed away, aged seventy-two, in the district of Plymouth.

Wedding photograph of Eliza and Charles's granddaughter Olive Hannaford to William Knight (both sat centre), 1919.

Olive's mother (Eliza and Charles's daughter) Emma is stood second from the right in a dark hat and dress.

Eliza and Walter's second youngest daughter Selina Jane married shipwright Charles Lillicrap. 

Their eldest son (Eliza's grandson) was Sir Charles Swift Lillicrap, KCB MBE, who designed warships during both world wars. 

His eldest son Charles Albert Lillicrap was a doctor and mayor of Lincoln. Both of Sir Charles's sons - Dr Charles and Edward were councillors - Dr Charles was an independent, but had conservative associations, whilst Edward was a conservative councillor. 

Sir Charles, his wife Harriet, and their children Ethel, Charles (stood centre - later doctor and mayor) and Edward. At their home, 1920's

Being from a family with a mainly liberal working class Devonian background, finding out I am (even if distantly) related to men, who designed warships for our biggest ever wars and stood for a right wing party - it's something to process.

Great x3 Uncle John Fisher

My Great x3 Uncle John (1866 - 1933) was an agricultural labourer, father of two, and the older brother of my Great Great Grandmother Alice Brownscombe Easterbrook (nee Fisher) (1868 - 1929).

John was born around October 1866 in the district of Barnstaple, Devon to Richard Fisher (about 20), an agricultural labourer and horseman on a farm, and Elizabeth 'Bessie/Betsy' Fisher (nee Brownscombe) (about 22), a work woman on a farm.

John was likely named after her paternal grandfather, also called John Fisher, who sadly passed away suddenly, due to an accident whilst turnip picking, earlier in 1866.

John was baptised on 2nd October 1866 in Challacombe, Devon. At the time, the family resided at Westland Cottage, Challacombe. John and his siblings spent their whole childhoods there, and their parents would live there for many years more. Their cottage was a real home for over sixty years! John's father Richard worked as a skilled farm labourer at the Smyth family farm at nearby Wistlandpound for over fifty years!

It seems John's father Richard was a lovely man. In a eulogy to Richard in the North Devon Journal on 15th August 1929, he is described as: "A man of a bright and happy nature, he had a smile and a kindly word for all".

John was the second of three children (two daughters and one son):

• Mary  1865 - between 1881 and 1929 (at least 16 years old)
• John  1866 - 1933 (66 years old)
• Alice Brownscombe  1868 - 1929  (60 years old)

1871 Census:

1881 Census:

From his teens, John worked as an agricultural labourer.

In his twenties, he bordered with fellow agricultural labourer Josiah Parker and his family at New Mills, Shirwell.

1891 Census:

In Apr/May/Jun 1892, John (25), an agricultural labourer, married Lucy Hutchings (about 27), formerly a dairy maid and then domestic cook, in the district of Barnstaple.

They had 2 children:

• Alfred Richard  1895
• Blanche Mary  1897 - 1925  (28 years old)

1901 Census:

On 1st May 1904, John's wife Lucy passed away, aged thirty-nine, in Lower Loxbore, in the district of Barnstaple. She was buried on 4th May 1904 in Loxhore.

John was left a widower, with two children - aged eight or nine and six.

1911 Census: 

His only son Alfred moved to Canada, aged eighteen, in 1913.

Alfred served in the Canadian army during the First World War. Thankfully he survived.

Alfred's Attestation Papers give a brief physical description of John's only son. At eighteen, Alfred was 5' 11 1/2'', had a dark complexion, dark brown hair and grey eyes. He was also a Methodist. Was John a Methodist too? Did Alfred look like his father?

Twelve years after his first wife's death, John remarried. In Jul/Aug/Sep 1916, John (49), an agricultural labourer, married Lilian Elizabeth Stribling (33 or 34), a dressmaker, in the district of Barnstaple.

1921 Census:

At some point in the 1920's, John, his second wife Lilian, daughter Blanche, son-in-law Albert, and young grandchildren moved to and lived at 23 Charles Street, Barnstaple.

On 24th July 1925, John's only daughter Blanche died, aged twenty-eight. She left behind two young children, Lucy (2) and Reginald 'Reggie' (not yet 1).

John, family and friends attended Blanche's funeral at United Methodist Church, Barnstaple, on 28th July 1925

From the North Devon Herald of 6th August 1925:

In 1929, John faced too more losses: his younger sister Alice and father Richard passed away.

And in 1932, his mother Bessie/Betsy passed away.

In Jan/Feb/Mar 1933, John himself passed away, aged 66, in the North Devon Infirmary.

He was buried on the 9th March 1933, in Loxhore Churchyard.

From the North Devon Journal of 9th March 1933:

Like his children, Alfred and Blanche, John was a methodist. He was a member of the church and superintended of the Sunday School. 

Whilst he was a farm labourer and carter earlier in life - for example in the employ of Mr Yendell at Loxhore Barton - he later ran a boot and shore repairing business in Brayford.

From the North Devon Journal of 16th March 1933:

John's son Alfred 'Alf' was living in Canada at time of his sister Blanche's death in 1925. The next year, he named his third daughter after his sister.

By the time of his father's death in 1933, Alfred was a driver on the Isle of Man.

John's widow Lilian, widowed son-in-law Albert, and grandchildren Lucy and Reggie, were still living at the family home of 23 Charles Street, Barnstaple, at the time of the 1939 Register.

Lilian outlived her husband by fourteen years. She passed away, aged sixty-four, in Jan/Feb/Mar 1947, Barnstaple.

Potential Great x3 Grandfather William Batchelor

My potential Great x3 Grandfather William (c 1822 - c 1862), was an agricultural labourer, father of eight, and the potential grandfather of my great grandfather William Batchelor (c 1882 - 1939).

(Several of my DNA matches on ancestry share the ancestors Mary Enoch and Benjamin Branson. It is most likely I am related to them via my great grandfather William Batchelor (c 1882 - 1939) and his father John Batchelor. Benjamin and Mary's daughter Fanny married a William Batchelor (c 1822 - 1850's) and had children - including a John Batchelor - so it is likely through this line, though I am yet to confirm just how they connect.)

William was born around 1822, in Little Bourton, Oxfordshire, to Robert Batchelor, a labourer, and Ann Batchelor.

William was baptised on 17th Ferbuary 1822, in Cropredy, Oxfordshire.

William was the eldest of two children:

• William  1822
• Catherine  1826

[There seems a possibility that William's mother was maybe called Sarah Ann: most of the time going by Sarah, but going by Ann on William and Catherine's baptism records. Because Robert and a Sarah (nee Townsend) have more kids in the village and on the 1841, 1851 and 1861 Census are literally a page over from William and his family, meaning they were very close neighbours. Plus I cannot find a marriage for a Robert and an Ann. However I cannot find a record where she goes by Sarah Ann. If the theory is correct, that would mean William and Catherine had more siblings:

• Mary  1815 
• George  1816
• Mercy  1818
• Mercy  1819
• Joseph  1820
• William  1822
• Evis  1824
• Catherine  1826
• James  1829
• Mary Ann  1835]

Sometime, possibly as a teenager, William moved about twenty miles north from his native Little Bourton, Oxfordshire, to Thurlaston, Warwickshire.

On 28th June 1840, William (about 19), an agricultural labourer, married Fanny Branson (about 25), a single mother of two, in the next village over from Thurlaston, in Dunchurch, Warwickshire.

1840 Marriage Certificate:

Fanny and William did not sign their names, leaving only their marks, implying they could not write.

At the time of their marriage, both Fanny and William were living in the village of Thurlaston, Warwickshire. Within a year, they settled 20 miles south in William's native Little Bourton, Oxfordshire.

Map of the local area

William and Fanny had eight children (3 daughters, 5 sons):

• Elizabeth  1840 - 1841 (about 2-3 months old)
• Elizabeth  1842
• Elijah  1845
• Sarah Ann  1847
• Levi  1849 
• Robert  1851
• Frederick  1855
• John  1857

Their eldest daughter Elizabeth passed away as a baby in 1841. On 19th January 1841, she was buried at St Mary the Virgin, Cropredy, Oxfordshire.

They gave their next daughter the same name.

All their children's births were registered in the district of Banbury, Oxfordshire. Censuses give their birthplace as the village of Little Bourton, Oxfordshire.

William and Fanny only had three of their children baptised: their eldest Elizabeth, Levi and their youngest John. All in Cropredy - a village less the two miles north of Little Bourton, where the family lived.

1841 Census:

In 1849, William's house in Little Bourton was sold. Being a poor labouring family, I assume they rented a small cottage - sadly it is called a 'hovel'.

From the Banbury Guardian of 8th November 1849:

William Batchelor was the only one of that name living in the village on the 1851 Census, so I assume this article from 2 years earlier is regarding their family home. However, William was not a junior and his father was called Robert.

1851 Census:

The 1851 Census describes William's step son John Branson as having impaired faculties and being a cripple. Fanny was likely the primary carer for her disabled son.

In Jul/Aug/Sep 1856, William's older step-son Owen (who lived with his maternal grandparents) passed away, aged twenty-three, in the district of Banbury, Oxfordshire. He was buried on 7th Sep 1856, at St John the Baptist, Upper Boddington, Northamptonshire.

There is a possible death registered for his disabled step-son John Branson in Oct/Nov/Dec 1856, in Banbury, Oxfordshire. [No age is given though]

1861 Census:

On the 1861 Census, Fanny is listed as married, but William is not present. On the 1871 Census, Fanny is listed as a widow. William passed away either in the 1860's or 1850's.

There are two deaths registered for William Batchelors in the district of Banbury, Oxfordshire: one in 1862, another in 1863. He would have been about forty. 

Her husband absent, Fanny worked in the fields. Their sons would go on to be agricultural labourers.

One of William and Fanny's daughters - likely Sarah Ann - had an illegitimate son called William Batchelor in Oct/Nov/Dec 1869, in Bourton. On the 1871 Census, William is listed as Fanny's son (very unlikely as she would have been in her mid fifties and her last child was born over a decade before) and on the 1881 Census, he is living with Levi and his wife, and listed as his nephew.

Potential Great x3 Grandmother Frances 'Fanny' Batchelor (nee Branson)

My potential Great x3 Grandmother Fanny (c 1815 - 1876), was a (pauper) field woman and housewife, mother of ten, and the potential grandmother of my great grandfather William Batchelor (c 1882 - 1939).

(Several of my DNA matches on ancestry share the ancestors Mary Enoch and Benjamin Branson. It is most likely I am related to them via my great grandfather William Batchelor (c 1882 - 1939) and his father John Batchelor. Benjamin and Mary's daughter Fanny married a William Batchelor (c 1822 - 1850's) and had children - including a John Batchelor - so it is likely through this line, though I am yet to confirm just how they connect.)

Fanny was born around 1815, in Lower Boddington, Northamptonshire, to Benjamin Branson (about 32), an agricultural labourer, and Mary Branson (nee Enoch) (about 28 - 32), a housewife.

Fanny was baptised on 24th December 1815, in Boddington, Northamptonshire.

Record of 1815 Baptism:

Fanny had one older half brother, Samuel, from her father Benjamin's first marriage, born around 1807.

Fanny was the third of seven children born to Benjamin and Mary (5 daughters, 2 sons):

• Ann  1811
• Elizabeth  1813
• Frances 'Fanny'  1815 
• Jane  1817 
• Mary Ann  1821 - 1821  (at least 6 months old)
• James  1823
• John  1825

Interestingly around 1821, Fanny's parents seem to have converted from Anglicanism to Roman Catholicism. On 9th May that year, Mary and their daughters were baptised into that faith in Overthorpe, Northamptonshire.

Overthorpe is nine miles south of Boddington. We do not know if the family had moved to Overthorpe or traveled there to go to the Catholic church.

Public Catholic worship had been legalised in Britain, only thirty years earlier, in 1791.

Record of 1821 Catholic baptism of Mary's family:

However, they later buried their daughter Mary and baptised their son John in the local Anglican church. Fanny herself would only baptise half of her children, but those she did where in the local Anglican church.

Fanny had two illegitimate sons before she married.

In 1833, when Fanny was about eighteen, she gave born to her eldest son, Owen Bliss Branson. Four years later, in 1837, Fanny, about twenty-two, gave birth to her second son John Branson. 

(The 1841 Census shows an Owen Bliss (about 30), a sheep dresser (shearer), living with his family, two miles away, in the next village over, Byfield, Northamptonshire. Owen married Eliza Robertson in Oct 1837, and she gave birth to their daughter Mary in Oct/Nov/Dec 1837. Eliza passed away in 1839. In January 1842, Owen was sentenced to twelve months imprisonment with hard labour, after stealing four of his uncle's sheep.

Did Fanny name her son after him? Was he the father of her eldest son/s?)

Both sons were baptised in Boddington. Owen would live with his grandparents, Benjamin and Mary; whilst John would stay on with Fanny after she married.

Owen's 1833 Baptism Record:

John's 1837 Baptism Record:

At some point between 1837 and 1840, Fanny, in her early twenties, moved over fifteen miles north from Lower Boddington, Northamptonshire to Thurlaston, Warwickshire.

On 28th June 1840, Fanny (about 25), single mother of two, married William Batchelor (about 19), an agricultural labourer, in the next village over, in Dunchurch, Warwickshire.

1840 Marriage Certificate:

Fanny and William did not sign their names, leaving only their marks, implying they could not write.

At the time of their marriage, both Fanny and William were living in the village of Thurlaston, Warwickshire. Within a year, they settled 20 miles south in William's native Little Bourton, Oxfordshire.

Map of the local area

Fanny and William had eight children (3 daughters, 5 sons):

• Elizabeth  1840 - 1841 (about 2-3 months old)
• Elizabeth  1842
• Elijah  1845
• Sarah Ann  1847
• Levi  1849 
• Robert  1851
• Frederick  1855
• John  1857

Their eldest daughter Elizabeth passed away as a baby in 1841. On 19th January 1841, she was buried at St Mary the Virgin, Cropredy, Oxfordshire.

They gave their next daughter the same name.

All their children's births were registered in the district of Banbury, Oxfordshire. Censuses give their birthplace as the village of Little Bourton, Oxfordshire.

Fanny and William only had three of their children baptised: their eldest Elizabeth, Levi and their youngest John. All in Cropredy - a village less the two miles north of Little Bourton, where the family lived.

1841 Census:

In 1847, Fanny's eldest illegitimate son Owen, aged about 14, was charged with stealing a tame duck and sentenced to a fortnight's imprisonment.

From the Northampton Mercury of 8th January 1848:

In 1849, Fanny and William's house in Little Bourton was sold. Being a poor labouring family, I assume they rented a small cottage - sadly it is called a 'hovel'.

From the Banbury Guardian of 8th November 1849:

Fanny's husband was the only William Batchelor living in the village on the 1851 Census, so I assume this article from 2 years earlier is regarding their family home.

1851 Census:

The 1851 Census describes Fanny's second illegitimate teenage son John Branson as having impaired faculties and being a cripple. Fanny was likely the primary carer for her disabled son.

In Jul/Aug/Sep 1856, Fanny's eldest illegitimate son Owen (who lived with her parents) passed away, aged twenty-three, in the district of Banbury, Oxfordshire. 

He was buried on 7th Sep 1856, at St John the Baptist, Upper Boddington, Northamptonshire.

There is a possible death registered for her disabled son John Branson in Oct/Nov/Dec 1856, in Banbury, Oxfordshire. [No age is given though]

1861 Census:

On the 1861 Census, Fanny is listed as married, but William is not present. On the 1871 Census, Fanny is listed as a widow. William passed away either in the 1860's or 1850's.

There are two deaths registered for William Batchelors in the district of Banbury, Oxfordshire: one in 1862, another in 1863.

Her husband absent, Fanny worked in the fields. Her sons would go on to be agricultural labourers.

One of Fanny's daughters - likely Sarah Ann - had an illegitimate son called William Batchelor in Oct/Nov/Dec 1869, in Bourton. On the 1871 Census, William is listed as Fanny's son (very unlikely as she would have been in her mid fifties and her last child was born over a decade before) and on the 1881 Census, he is living with Levi and his wife, and listed as his nephew.

1871 Census:

At the time of the 1871 Census, Fanny's married eldest daughter Elizabeth and her family lived next door.

In July 1876, Fanny passed away, aged about sixty-one, in the district of Banbury, Oxfordshire.

At the time of her death, she lived in Great Bourton, Oxfordshire.

On 15th July 1876, Fanny was buried in Great Bourton, Oxfordshire.

1876 Burial Record:

Potential Great x4 Grandmother Mary Branson (nee Enoch)

My potential Great x4 Grandmother Mary (c 1783-1787 - 1859), was a housewife, mother of seven, and the potential great grandmother of my great grandfather William Batchelor (c 1882 - 1939).

(Several of my DNA matches on ancestry share the ancestors Mary Enoch and her husband Benjamin Branson. It is most likely I am related to them via my great grandfather William Batchelor (c 1882 - 1939) and his father John Batchelor. Benjamin and Mary's daughter Fanny married a William Batchelor (c 1822 - 1850's) and had children - including a John Batchelor - so it is likely through this line, though I am yet to confirm just how they connect.)

Mary was born around 1783 - 1787, in Priors Marston, Warwickshire.

(Her age was given as 64 on the 1851 Census, imply a birth year of 1786 - 1787, with Priors Marston given as her place of birth on the same census. However, on her 1859 burial record, her age was given as 76, implying a birth year of 1782 - 1783.)

She was very likely baptised on 28th September 1788, in Priors Marston. This baptism record gives her parents names as Robert and Sarah.

Record of 1788 Baptism:

By looking for baptisms of other children born to Robert and Sarah, we see Mary likely had one younger sister called Jenny, who was also baptised in Priors Marston, in 1791.

On 19th November 1809, Mary (about 22 - 26) married widower and father of one Benjamin (about 25), an agricultural labourer of Lower Boddington, Northamptonshire, in her native Priors Marston, Warwickshire. 

Record of 1809 Marriage and Banns:

Though from different counties, their villages are only four miles apart.

Mary gained one step-son:

• Samuel  1807 -

Benjamin and Mary had seven children:

• Ann  1811
• Elizabeth  1813
• Frances 'Fanny'  1815 
• Jane  1817 
• Mary Ann  1821 - 1821  (at least 6 months old)
• James  1823
• John  1825

The couple's eldest daughters, Ann and Elizabeth, were baptised in their mother's native Prior Marston, implying the young family may have been living there around 1809 - 1813. 

Their next two daughters, Fanny and Jane, was baptised in their father's native Boddington, implying the family may have been living here around 1814 - 1817.

Interestingly around 1821, Benjamin and Mary seem to have converted from Anglicanism to Roman Catholicism. On 9th May that year, Mary and their daughters were baptised into that faith in Overthorpe, Northamptonshire.

Overthorpe is nine miles south of Boddington. We do not know if the family had moved to Overthorpe or traveled there to go to the Catholic church.

Public Catholic worship had been legalised in Britain, only thirty years earlier, in 1791.

Record of 1821 Catholic baptism of Mary's family:

In late 1821, Mary  and Benjamin loss their youngest daughter, Mary Ann. She was buried on 9th December 1821, in the Anglican church in Boddington. She was at least six months old.

In 1823, their next child - a first son called James - they again had baptised into the Catholic Church in Overthorpe.

Yet they baptised their next son John into the Church of England, back in Benjamin's native Boddington.

Their daughter Fanny had two illegitmate children before she married - Owen Bliss Branson in 1833 and John Branson in 1837. Both sons were baptised in Boddington. Owen would live with his grandparents, Benjamin and Mary.

The 1841 and 1851 Census show Mary and her family living in her husband's native Lower Boddington. All of Mary and Benjamin's children had left home to find work or marry by the time of the 1841 Census, apart from their teenage son James.

1841 Census: 

In 1847, Mary and Benjamin's grandson Owen was charged with stealing a tame duck and sentenced to a fortnight's imprisionment.

From the Northampton Mercury of 8th January 1848:

1851 Census:

Their nextdoor neighbour at the time of the 1851 Census was a Thomas Branson (31) and his young family. It is likely Thomas was a close relative of Benjamin.

In Apr/May/Jun 1855, Benjamin passed away, in the district of Banbury, Oxfordshire. He was buried on 30th June 1855, in St John the Baptist Churchyard, North Boddington, Northamptonshire. His age was given as seventy-two.

On 7th October 1859, Mary passed away, in Lower Boddington. Her age was given as seventy-six, implying a birth year of 1783.

Below is a map of Mary's local area. Her native Prior Marston, Warwickshire; then south four miles (just over the border) to her husband Benjamin's native Lower Boddington, Northamptonshire; then south again to Overthorpe, Northamptonshire, where Mary and their children were baptised in 1821. 

On this map you can see the county lines (in red), with Warwickshire on the top left, Northamptonshire on the right, and Oxfordshire on the bottom left.