Great x4 Grandmother Susannah 'Susan' Edwards (nee Passmore)

My Great x4 Grandmother Susan (1818 - 1853) was a hand loom weaver (serge), housewife, and mother of seven.

Susannah 'Susan' Passmore was born around 1818 in Morchard Bishop, Devon, to Philip Passmore (about 35) an agricultural labourer, and Anne Passmore (nee Leach) (about 37).

The spelling of Susan's maiden name varies on different records. It appears as Pasmore, Passmore, Pasmoor, Passmoor etc.

Susan was baptised on 22nd March 1818 in Morchard Bishop. The family's residence at the time of her birth is listed as Rolston (otherwise Rollstone Barn) in or near Morchard Bishop.

Susan was the eighth of nine children (five sons and four daughters):

• Philip  1805 -
• Jane  1807 -
• Elizabeth  1809 -
• Benjamin  1810 -
• Eleanor  1812 -
• John  1814 - 
• George  1816 - 
• Susannah 'Susan'  1818 - 
• William  1820 - 

On 16th January 1837, Susan (about 19), a hand loom weaver (serge), married William Edwards (about 23), a stonemason, in St Thomas, Exeter. On their record of marriage, whilst William signed his name, Susan left only her mark, implying she could not write.

It is interesting that though both Susan and William were natives of Morchard Bishop, they went to Exeter to get married, before returning to Morchard Bishop to live. I wonder why they didn't marry in the local church. Perhaps there were familial objections? Certainly it appears no relation stood as witness at the wedding, which is normally the case. Perhaps the following had something to do with it...

The year before the wedding, Susan had given birth to an illegitimate daughter, whom she called Ann Ellen (known as Ellen). Ellen was baptised on 17th July 1836 - six months before Susan and William were married. Was William the father? Certainly on all later records he is listed as the father of Ellen.

Including Ellen, William and Susan had seven children (four girls and three boys):

• Ann Ellen  1836 -
• Mary  1837 -
• Richard  1839 -
• Henry  1841 - 1843 or 1849 (died as a young boy)
• George  1843 -
• Louisa  1845 -
• Eliza  1849 -

Though their marriage certificate states Susan and William to be of the Exeter parish, they very soon returned to Morchard Bishop, as shown by the records of baptism of their children, as well as censuses.

1841 Census:

Both the 1841 and 1851 Censuses list Susan and her family as living on Church Street in Morchard Bishop.

Photograph of Church Street in Morchard Bishop, c 1955. Though taken some century after the Edwards family lived on the street, I like to think the thatched cottages probably hadn't changed much, even after that length of time.

1851 Census:

In Jan/Feb/Mar 1853, Susan passed away, aged only about thirty-six, in the district of Crediton. She left behind a widower in William and six children - the oldest seventeen, the youngest only four. Sadly, less than five years later, in Oct/Nov/Dec 1858, William too passed away, leaving the children orphans.