Great x3 Grandfather George Mutters

My great x3 grandfather George (1825 - 1896) was a farm servant, farm labourer, sexton, and father of six.

George Mutters was born in 1825 in Woodbury, Devon, to John Mutters (20), a carpenter, and Mary Mutters (nee Marks) (28), a lacemaker.

George was baptised on 6th November 1825 in Woodbury.

George's parents married less than a month before George's birth. His mother Mary was about eight months pregnant with George, when she married his father John.

George was the eldest of five children (three sons and two daughters):

• George  1825 -
• Elizabeth  1827 - 1854 (26 years old)
• Mary Ann 1830 - 1848 (18 years old)
• William  1831 -
• Thomas Marks  1834 - 1838 (4 years old)

In 1838, when George was twelve, his youngest brother Thomas passed away, aged only four years old.

As a teenager, George worked as a servant for the Ashford family at Venmore Farm, Woodbury.

1841 Census:

George's future wife Anna Maria Havill also worked as a servant at Venmore Farm in the 1840s. It seems likely they met there.

Photograph of (Higher) Venmore Farm, Woodbury

When George was in his twenties, both his sisters, Elizabeth and Mary, passed away as young women.

Meanwhile, George worked as a farm labourer for the White family at Clare's Farm, Woodbury.

On 22nd October 1851, George (26), an agricultural labourer, married Anna Maria Havill (25), a servant, in Woodbury. Anna Maria was about four months pregnant when they married. The couple married n the presence of Anna Maria's elder sister Jane. On their record of marriage, Anna Maria left only her mark, but George was able to sign his name:

George Mutters' Signature, 1851

George and Anna Maria had six children (three daughters and three sons):

• Mary Jane  1852 - after 1871  (at least 19 years old)
• Elizabeth Ann  1854 - 1856  (18 months old)
• Sarah Ann  1857 - 1928  (70 years old)
• John Thomas  1859 - after 1871  (at least 11 years old)
• William George  1862 - 1864  (15 - 18 months old)
• George  1868 - 1918  (52 years old)

All six children were born in Exton, but baptised in Woodbury.

Sadly two of their children, Elizabeth Ann and William George, passed away in infancy. As well as an agricultural labourer, George was sexton at Woodbury Church. A part of a sexton's duties was digging graves, so it seems likely George dug the graves for his two young children.

George may have named his daughter Elizabeth after his younger sister Elizabeth, as the former was born soon after the latter passed away.

The tragic death of George's daughter Elizabeth Ann was reported in the Western Times on 3rd May 1856:

1861 Census:

In 1862, when George was thirty-six, his father John passed away, aged fifty-seven, in Woodbury. George had followed his father John in being sexton at Woodbury Church.

Photographs of St Swithun's Church, Woodbury, c 1895, when George was sexton in the 1860s and 1870s

From the Western Times on 16th January 1863:

In 1869, when George was forty-four, his mother Mary passed away, aged seventy-three, in Woodbury.

1871 Census:

In May 1974, when George was forty-eight, he was accused of stealing the shawl of a Mrs Sarah Street, who had left the shawl at church. Though the shawl was later found at his home, George was found not guilty. George's wife Anna Maria claimed she had taken the shawl away to look after it until the owner would be found.

Articles about the incident describe George's character:

"The Rev J.L. Fulford, Vicar of the parish [Woodbury] was called, and he stated that he had known the prisoner [George Mutters] for twenty-eight years, and he had always found him an honest man." - Exeter and Plymouth Gazette, 15th May 1874

"The prisoner [George Mutters] received an excellent character from the rector of the parish" - Western Daily Mercury, 2nd July 1874

From the Exeter and Plymouth Gazette on the 15th May 1874:

From the Western Daily Mercury on 2nd July 1874:

1881 Census:

Woodbury began an annual flower show in 1881. In 1881, George won first prize for his spring-sown onions. In 1883, George won third prize for best cultivated cottage garden. In 1884, George won joint third prize for best cultivated cottage garden.

1891 Census:

On 12th February 1896, George passed away, aged seventy, in Woodbury. He was buried the next day. His death was announced in the Western Times on 28th February 1896: