Wednesday, 24 June 2020

Great x3 Aunt Jane Mary Pyke (nee Sandford)

My Great x3 Aunt Jane (1873 - after 1911) was a domestic servant, housewife, possibly mother of one, and a younger sister of my Great Great Grandfather Mark Sandford (1872 - 1945).



Jane was born in Apr/May/Jun 1873 in Colyton, Devon, to George Anley Sandford (about 30), a farm labourer, and Sarah Ann Sandford (nee Willis) (about 33), a lacemaker and housewife.

Jane had two older half siblings, her mother's illegitimate children born before her marriage:

  • William Willis  1864 - 1922  (58)
  • Mary Willis  1868 - 1937  (69)

William and Mary lived with their maternal grandparents.

Jane was the second of five children born to George and Sarah Ann (two sons and three daughters):

  • Mark  1872 - 1945  (73)
  • Jane Mary  1873 - after 1911 (at least 38)
  • Alice  1877 - 1943  (65)
  • Susan  1882 - after 1939 (at least 57)
  • Henry 'Harry'  1884 - 1917  (32 or 33)

Jane and her family seem to have moved around a lot, likely as Jane's father George found work as a labourer on different farms...

In the late 1870's, when Jane was about four, they moved about eleven miles north west from Colyton to Feniton.

Around 1880, when Jane was about six, they moved again about two miles north from Feniton to Payhembury.

1881 Census:


In the early 1880's, when Jane was about eight, they moved again about twenty-six miles west from Payhembury to Zeal Monachorum.

They moved again in the late 1880's, when Jane was in her teens from Zeal Monachorum east five miles to Morchard Bishop.

In the 1880's and 1890's, Alice's older half-brother William Willis served as a gunner in the Royal Artillery. He would serve for twelve years, including six years (from 1886 to 1893) in Gibraltar.

1891 Census:


Living with Jane's father George, her older half sister Mary Pike (formerly Gill; nee Sandford), and other family members on the 1901 Census, is a William George Sandford, who is described as George's grandson. William was born Jan/Feb/Mar 1895, in the district of Crediton - his mother's maiden name was Sandford. Either unmarried twenty-one year old Jane or her unmarried seventeen year old younger sister Alice was William's mother; however, William seems to have remained closer to his Aunt Mary Pike, for it is Mary, rather than Jane or Alice, whom he puts as his next of kin on his World War One Army Service Records.

In Apr/May/Jun 1896, Jane (22 or 23), a domestic servant, married Edward John Pyke (20), a horseman on a farm, in the district of Crediton. Jane and Edward had no children.

In the 1890's and early 1900's, both of Jane's brothers served in the army. In 1896, twenty-four year old Mark enlisted as a private in the 4th Battalion of the Devonshire Regiment. He served for three years. In 1901, eighteen year old Harry enlisted as a private, also in the 4th Battalion of the Devonshire Regiment.

Mark and Harry seemingly looked alike as young men: both had fresh complexions, fair hair and blue eyes. I wonder if Jane was fair as well.

In Jul/Aug/Sep 1897, when Jane was only twenty-three, her mother Sarah Ann passed away, aged fifty-seven, in the district of South Molton.

By the time of the 1901 Census, Jane's older brother Mark, returned from the army, lodged with Jane and her husband Edward at West Howell, Colebrooke. Mark also worked as a horseman on a farm, likely alongside his brother-in-law.

1901 Census:


Sometime in the first decade of the 1900's, Jane and Edward made the big move from their native Devon to Rhondda, in Glamorganshire, Wales.

At the time of the 1911 Census, living with them were two nephews: a John Sandford Pyke (whose parentage I can't presently determine) and Arthur Harry Gill. Arthur was the son of Jane's half sister Mary Pike (formerly Gill; nee Willis)). In 1908, Mary had then married Jane's husband Edward Pyke's younger brother Samuel Pike (Pyke). Also lodging with them were James Pyke (another younger brother of Jane's husband Edward Pyke) and Samuel Gill. Samuel was Jane's first cousin, the son of her maternal aunt Mary Ann Gill (nee Willis), as well as possibly the brother of her half sister Mary Pike (formerly Gill; nee Willis)'s first husband William Gill.

All the male relatives Jane lived with worked in the Welsh mining industry.

1911 Census:


Unfortunately the 1911 Census is the last definite record I can presently find relating to Jane and Edward. We leave them, in their late thirties, surrounded by their extended Devonshire family, working in the mines of South Wales.

Jane's younger brother Harry served and was sadly killed in the First World War. Her nephew, Arthur Harry Gill, the son of her older half sister Mary Pike (formerly Gill; nee Willis) also served and was killed in action.

Her brother Harry, having served as a private in the early 1900's (service number 6687), was re-conscripted as a corporal (service number 3/6687) in the 8th Battalion of the Devonshire Regiment. He was listed as wounded on the casualty list of 31st January 1915 and again on the casualty list of 28th February 1915. He was killed in action on 25th March 1917, aged thirty-three. Harry's name appears on the Bow War Memorial; as well as at the Mory Abbey Military Cemetery, Pas-de-Calais, France.

Her nephew Arthur (service number 71781) was a private in the 5th Battalion (Territorials) of the Devonshire Regiment. He was killed in action on 27th September 1918, less than two years before the end of the war, aged twenty-three or twenty-four. Arthur's name appears on the Eggesford War Memorial; as well as on the Vis-en-Artois (British Cemetery and) Memorial at Haucourt, Departement du Pas-de-Calais, Nord-Pas-de-Calais, France.

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