Annie Yeo was born on 4th February 1868 in Meldon, near Okehampton, Devon, to George Yeo (33), an agricultural and quarry labourer, and Ann Yeo (nee Gliddon) (29). Annie does not appear to have been baptised, though all her siblings were.
Annie was the fourth of six children (one son and five daughters):
- Thomas 'Tom' 1863 - 1904 (40 or 41 years old)
- Mary 'Mary Anne' Gliddon 1864 - 1941 (76 years old)
- Emily Ann 1867 - 1872 (5 years old)
- Annie 1868 - 1948 (80 years old)
- Ellen 1869 - 1937 (68 years old)
- Harriet 1872 - 1893 (21 years old)
Annie and her siblings grew up just outside Okehampton.
1871 Census:
In October or November 1872, when Annie was four, her older sister Emily Ann passed away aged only five years old. Emily Ann was buried on 8th November 1872, in Okehampton. About three months later, Annie's father George passed away, aged thirty-nine, in 1873, in Okehampton. He was buried on 30th January 1873, in Okehampton. And about three months after that, Annie's mother Ann also passed away, aged thirty-three or thirty-four. She was buried on 30th April 1873 also in Okehampton. I wonder if they all succumbed to the same disease.
Unless relatives took them in, Annie and her five remaining siblings (aged zero to nine) would likely have ended up in the workhouse. Indeed, in the next census (1881 Census), Annie's younger sisters Ellen (11) and Harriet (9) can be found living in the Union Workhouse in Okehampton. I wonder if Annie and the other older siblings also entered the workhouse after their parents' early deaths, but by thirteen years old were deemed old enough to go out and work, as Annie can be found to be in the 1881 Census, living and working at Clarkestown Farm in Broadwoodkelly as a domestic servant.
1881 Census:
In 1886, aged seventeen or eighteen, a pregnant Annie was back in the workhouse. There she gave birth to an illegitimate daughter called Beatrice Mary Victoria Yeo or Beatrice Florence Victoria Yeo. Beatrice 'Beattie' was baptised on 15th January 1886 in Okehampton.
A report in the British Medical Journal on the conditions of Okehampton Workhouse in the 1890s noted the female ward, which held "fourteen beds", where Annie herself likely gave birth in 1886 and 1888, and its adjoining dayroom appeared "comfortless and bare". The dayroom "was warmed by an oven stove, which smoked persistently". The report continued:
"the walls are whitewashed, and without any attempt at decoration, unless the dado of matchboarding in the dayroom may be considered such; the roofs are pitched, with transverse beams, and from these are suspended some temporary bed-pulls made with cord and a bit of wood. We were struck by the absence of armchairs; there might have been one or two, but many of the patients were seated on a bench against the wall. There were no pictures, no plants, nothing to relieve the weary monotony.
The bedsteads are narrow (33 inches) and low; the bedding is chaff, changed twice a year, or oftener if necessary. It was sufficient, and quite clean.
The ward is heated by an open fireplace at one end. The ventilation is by means of the windows, which are swung sashes, and there are some apertures in the roof, but we suspected that these were blocked by an accumulation of dust and dirt."
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| Photograph of Okehampton Workhouse |
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| Another Photograph of Okehampton Workhouse |
In 1888, aged nineteen or twenty, a pregnant Annie was back again in the workhouse. There she gave birth to another illegitimate daughter called Alberta 'Florrie' Florence W Yeo. Florrie was baptised on 23rd July 1888 in Okehampton. Florrie's father appears to have been a labourer called John Worth. I wonder if the W in Florrie's name stands for Worth. John Worth was summoned by Annie to the petty sessions and ordered to pay 2s a week to Annie until Florrie reached thirteen years old. This was reported in the Western Times on 10th August 1888:
The report shows that, though Annie went to Okehampton workhouse to give birth, she lived in the late 1880s in Northlew, seven miles north of Okehampton.
In the early 1890s, in her early twenties, Annie was back working as a servant. She worked for the Webber family at Yeo Farm in North Tawton, about eleven miles west of Northlew.
1891 Census:
Whilst Annie was working, where were her young daughters, Beattie (5) and Florrie (2 or 3)? At the time, Beattie and Florrie lived with an Elizabeth Stratford and her daughters in Okehampton. Elizabeth's maid name was Yeo, so she may have been related to Annie.
1891 Census:
In 1893, twenty-five year old Annie gave birth to a third illegitimate child, a son called Archibald John Weedon Yeo, in Okehampton. Archibald was baptised on 15th September 1893 in Okehampton. Annie is once more described as living in Okehampton. Sadly in 1899, Archibald passed away, aged only six, in North Tawton. Archibald was buried on 14th December 1899, in North Tawton.
Sometime in the 1890's, Annie moved from North Tawton to Colebrooke.
1901 Census:
Annie's future husband Mark Sandford appears on the next page of the 1910 Census, meaning they lived close to each other. Mark is described as a horseman on a farm. I wonder if he worked as a horseman on the same farm where Annie worked as a servant.
In late 1901, Annie (33) married Mark (29) in the Crediton district. Annie would have been between five and eight months pregnant when she married.
In the 1900s, Annie and her family moved about three miles west from Colebrooke to Bow.
Annie and Mark had five children (three sons and two daughters):
- George 'Len' Leonard Yeo 1902 - 1976 (74 years)
- Archibald Arthur Yeo 1903 - 1904 (15 - 21 months)
- Archibald Arthur Yeo 1906 - 1906 (0 - 3 months)
- Pearl May Yeo 1909 - 1909 (0 - 3 months)
- Barbara May Yeo 1912 - 1927 (15 years)
Sadly four out of five of their children passed away young.
Times were tough. To get by, Annie attempted to steal wood; whilst her husband Mark may have turned to drink.
From the Western Times on 14th April 1905:
From the Western Times on 13th May 1909:
1911 Census:
Two of Mary's nephews, as well as her brother-in-law, served and died/were killed in the First World War.
Her half nephew James Henry Gliddon (the eldest son of her older half brother Joseph Gliddon) served as a seaman in the Royal Navy. He had enlisted before the war, in 1910, serving on many ships. He passed away in 1916, aged twenty-six, of cirrhosis of the liver, on board the hospital ship Somali.
Her nephew William Wallace Yeo (the son of her older brother Tom) served as private in the 2nd Royal Marine Battalion of the Royal Marine Light Infantry Plymouth Division. He had also enlisted before the war, in 1913. He served for two and half years on board the H.M.S Donegal, from late 1914 to early 1917; he also served with the Victory Brigade (or RM Brigade) in Belgium. He was killed in action in 1917, aged twenty-three, in Belgium.
Her brother-in-law Harry Sandford (the younger brother of her husband Mark) served as a corporal in the 8th Battalion of the Devonshire Regiment. He was re-conscripted, having previously served as a private in the early 1900's. Harry served on the Western Front. He was killed in action in 1917, aged about thirty-three, in France.
Sometime in the 1910s or 1920s, the family moved about two miles north from Bow to Zeal Monachorum.
When Annie was fifty-nine, her youngest daughter Barbara passed away, aged only fifteen, on 8th August 1927. Barbara's death was reported in local newspapers.
From the Exeter and Plymouth Gazette on 19th August 1927:
From the Exeter and Plymouth Gazette on 19th August 1928:
Annie's surviving son, Len (28), became a widower in 1930, when his young wife Rhoda passed away in childbirth. Their baby son, Frederick, also passed away shortly after birth. Len's older son Archie (2 or 3 years old) - named for Len's younger brothers Archibald, who passed away as babies - went to live with Annie and Mark. The couple brought Archie up.
Sometime in the 1930s, Annie, Mark and Archie moved back to Bow.
1939 Census:
In 1945, when Annie was seventy-seven, her husband Mark passed away, aged seventy-three.
In 1948, Annie herself passed away, aged about eighty.
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