Ernest was born on 10th January 1904 in Upton Pyne, Devon, to Isaac 'Harry' Harwood Vernon (34), an agricultural labourer and farm carter, and Ellen Vernon (nee Tonkins) (27), a former domestic servant and now a housewife.
Ernest was baptised on 7th August 1904 in Upton Pyne. At the time of his baptism, the family resided at Nettacott, Upton Pyne.
Ernest was named for his uncle of the same name, who was tragically killed at an accident at a level crossing, in July 1903.
Ernest had four older half siblings (one half sister and three half brothers) - the children of his father Harry and his first wife Lucy James - :
- Edith Ellen 1891 - 1971 (79)
- Walter Charles 1892 - 1965 (73)
- William John 1894 - ???? (?)
- Frank 1896 - 19?? (?)
And nine full siblings (seven brothers and two sisters):
- Frederick 'Fred' (born Tonkins, later Vernon) 1897 - 1915 (18)
- Mabel Ellen 1898 - 1993 (94)
- George 1900 - 1900 (0 - 3 months)
- George Henry 1901 - 1973 (71)
- Ernest Isaac 1904 - 1997 (93)
- Isaac Harry (went by Harry like his father, or Henry) 1906 - 1964 (58)
- William Harwood 1908 - 1972 (64)
- Florence Emily 1911 - 1993 (82)
- Sidney 'Sid' 1913 - 2004 (91)
- Percy 1915 - 2002 (86)
Ernest's earliest months were spent in Upton Pyne. However, the family soon moved about seven miles north-west to Sandford. From 25th June 1904, Ernest's older siblings Fred, Mabel and George attended Sandford School. On their school record, their address is given as Priorton Mill (a mile north of Sandford). They stayed at the school for three years, till July 1907, when the family moved about three miles to Crediton. There Mabel and George attended Crediton Hayward School, as their older half siblings had done before them.
Then from February 1908, Fred, Mabel and George began attending Dunsford County Primary School, which is about nine miles south of Crediton where they last lived. They left the school only five months later, in July 1908, when the family moved again - this time, five miles east, to Holcombe Burnell ,where they again attended the local school.
Around 1909, Mabel, George, Ernest and Harry attended school in Longdown (only a mile west of Holcombe Burnell where they previously attended), before the family moved about ten miles to Hittisleigh - the children attended the school there from September 1910. At the time they lived at Beer or Beara Cottage, which was seemingly about half way between Hittisleigh and Cheriton Bishop.
The family were still there a year later at the time of the 1911 Census:
In November 1911, George, Ernest and Harry began attending Drewsteignton Primary School (Drewsteignton is only about four miles from their previous home in Chariton Bishop). At the time, the family lived at Tenants Piece (or Tenantspiece) Cottage in Drewsteignton. They left the school in May 1912, when they moved to Whiddon Down, a hamlet just to the west of Drewsteignton.
Around 1912 to 1915, the family lived at Turnpike Gate or Toll Bar House in Whiddon Down. A toll-house, which often had a gate across the turnpike toad, was a cottage on which the charges for the turnpike road were often displayed.
Ernest was ten, when the first world war began. His older half brother Walter and older brother Fred both served in the war. Whilst Walter, an experience soldier, survived; teenage Fred was not so lucky. He was killed on Thursday 30th September 1915, during (or just after) the Battle of Loos, aged only eighteen. His name appears on the Men of Dunsford war memorial.
On 27th March 1926, Ernest (22) married Blanche Murch (25) in Exeter.
Ernest and Blanche had one son:
- Frederick 'Freddie' Ernest 1928 -
Touchingly: did Ernest name his only son Frederick for his elder brother who died in the First World War?
The Express & Echo of 27th March 1996 reports that Ernest "in 1928 cut the first tuft at Exeter Golf and County Club".
1939 Census:
When my father started his family tree research in the mid 1990's, it was his Great Half Uncle Ernest, though by then in his nineties, who answered his letters with kind words, invitations and information about the family. It is personally touching to read the two men discuss "the baby", for that baby was me!
An extract from a letter by Ernest of 12th August 1995 (three months before I was born):
"We [Ernest and Blanche] are so pleased that everything is going alright with Julie [my mother] and the baby [me]. The baby seemed to be very strong - a very good sign. She [my mother] must not do any lifting, and, as you say, rest all she can. Whether it is a boy or a girl, they all bring their love. We often wish we had had a second one. Hoping it would have been a girl as well for Aunt Blanche. We think everyone who has a boy and a girl are very lucky."
On 27th March 1996, Ernest and Blanche celebrated their seventieth wedding anniversary! Such made the Express & Echo of 27th March 1996. Of their marriage, Ernest said:
"People expect too much from married life. We have always seen what we could put into our marriage, whereas others seem to see what they could get out of it. We have had our ups and downs, but throughout it all we shared and cared and that is what it is about."
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| Ernest and Blanche, in their nineties, 1996 |
In Oct/Nov/Dec 1997, Ernest passed away, aged ninety-three, in the district of Honiton. His wife Blanche passed away in the same quarter, aged ninety- six.
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