Saturday 4 April 2020

Great x4 Grandmother Sarah Easterbrook (nee Westlake)

My Great x4 Grandmother Sarah (1765 - 1841) was a housewife and mother of nine.


Sarah was born around 1765 in Hatherleigh, Devon, to Richard Westlake (about 34) and Eleanor Westlake (nee Lake) (about 36).

Sarah was baptised on 3rd April 1765 in Hatherleigh.

Sarah was the sixth of eight children (three sons and five daughters)


  • Mark  1754 - 1768 (13 years old)
  • Eleanor  1756 -
  • Richard  1758 -
  • Mary  1760 -
  • Margaret  1762 -
  • Sarah  1765 -
  • Robert  1768 -
  • Elizabeth  1773 -


All eight siblings were baptised in Hatherleigh - their father's hometown.

In 1768, when Sarah was about three years old, her eldest brother Mark passed away, aged about thirteen. He was buried on 25th May 1768 in Hatherleigh.

On 5th September 1786, Sarah (about 21) married Thomas Easterbrook (about 21) in her native Hatherleigh. On their record of marriage, each left only their mark, implying neither could write. They married in the presence of William Westland, maybe an uncle or cousin of Sarah.

The young couple settled less then five miles away in Thomas' native Exbourne. There all their children was baptised.

Sarah and Thomas had nine children (four daughters and five sons):


  • Betty  1787 - 1802  (about 15 years old)
  • Walter  1789 -
  • Mary  1782 -
  • Sarah  1795 -
  • Jane  1798 -
  • John  1800 -
  • Thomas  1802 - 1809  (about 6 years old)
  • William  1807 -
  • Thomas Westlake  1810 -


Sadly two of their children passed away young. Their eldest child, Betty, passed away, aged about fifteen, in 1802. She was buried on 26th April 1802 in Exbourne. And their seventh child, Thomas, passed away, aged about six, in 1809. He was buried on 7th March 1809 in Exbourne.

Alas I know little about the middle of Sarah and Thomas' married life. They seemingly spent most of it in his native Exbourne. She was likely a housewife, and looked after their many children; whilst he likely worked as an agricultural labourer or had a rural trade, like his son Walter, who was a thatcher.

In 1841, Sarah passed away, aged about seventy-six. She was buried on 16th August 1841 in Exbourne.

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