Great x3 Aunt Susan Palmer (nee Vernon)

My Great x3 Aunt Susan (1854 - 1930) was a farm servant, housewife, mother of ten, and the eldest sister of my Great Great Grandfather Isaac 'Harry' Harwood Vernon (1869 - 1934).

Susan was born in Oct/Nov/Dec 1854 in Dolton, Devon, to William Vernon (about 25), a husbandman, and Martha Vernon (nee Dyment) (about 21), a housewife.

Susan was baptised on 28th January 1855 in Dolton.

Susan was likely named after her maternal aunt, Susan/Susanna Dyment, who alas passed away, aged only eighteen, in 1853 (the year before the younger Susan was born).

Susan was the eldest of twelve children (five daughters and seven sons):

• Susan  1854 - 1930  (75 years old)
• Thomas  1857 -
• William Robert  1859 -
• Sarah Ann  1860 -
• Silas  1862 -
• Mary 'Jane' Jane  1864 -
• Arthur John  1865 -
• Isaac 'Harry' Harwood  1869 - 1934  (65 years old)
• Martha  1871 -
• Louisa  1872 - 1874  (16 months old)
• Samuel 'Sam' Reuben  1875 -
• Ernest  1878 - 1903  (25 years old)

1861 Census:

By sixteen, Susan had left her family home to work as a general servant for the large Raymont family, headed by farmer Richard Raymont, at Barwisk Farm, Iddlesleigh.

1871 Census:

In Jan/Feb/Mar 1874, when Susan was nineteen, her younger sister, Louisa, passed away, at only sixteen months, in Hatherleigh.

On Christmas Day 1875, Susan (about 21), a farm servant, married Samuel Palmer (23), an agricultural labourer, in Hatherleigh. 

Though Samuel left his signature on their record of marriage, Susan left only her mark, implying she could not write. Thomas and Sarah Ann Vernon acted as witnesses to the marriage - these were likely Susan's younger siblings. Again they left only their marks. I know my Great Great Grandfather Harry, their younger brother, couldn't read or write. I daresay none of the older Vernon children were ever taught to read or write. They may have never even attended school, as school attendance was only made compulsory in England and Wales until the age of ten in 1880. Susan's youngest four siblings - Martha, Louisa, Sam and Ernest - may then have attended school, as they were the only Vernon siblings of this generation who would have been under ten years old in 1880.

Susan and Samuel had ten children:

• Mary Jane  1876 -
• ?
• ?
• Robert William S  1881 -
• Henrietta 'Etta'  1883 -
• Frederick John  1884 -
• Ellen  1887 - 1895  (8 years old)
• George  1889 - 1895  (6 years old)
• Lucy  1890 - 1892  (12 - 18 months)
• Emily Martha  1893 -

The 1911 Census confirms that Susan and Samuel had ten children born alive (five at that point still alive). I have discovered the names of the above eight Palmer children, with a gap between 1877 and 1880. Unfortunately I cannot find the family on the 1881 Census which might have helped to fill the gap. The two following children, who alas passed away in infancy, are the two most likely missing Palmer children. Both were born and died in the district of Crediton. Ordering their birth certificates would confirm the identities of their parents (and I may do this at some point).

Their possible other two children:

• Male  1878 - 1878  (0 - 3 months)
• Ernest  1879 - 1881  (12 - 18 months)

The couple's possible second child, a boy, was not named. However, he must have been born alive to receive records of birth and then death. He may have lived only a few hours or days.

Apart from their eldest daughter, Mary Jane, who was born in the district of Okehampton, the rest of Susan and Samuel's children were born in the district of Crediton. The couple didn't have any of their children christened (at least I cannot discover any baptism records for the ten children).

According to the 1891 Census, their middle children - Robert, Etta, Frederick and Ellen (born 1881 to 1887) were born in Lapford. Susan and her family must have lived in Lapford for the majority of the 1880's, before moving to Chawleigh around 1889 (her next born children, George, was born in Chawleigh in 1889). The family would live at Rodgements, Chawleigh, from around 1889 to at least 1901.

1891 Census:

1901 Census:

In Apr/May/Jun 1903, when Susan was forty-eight, her mother Martha passed away, aged about sixty-nine, in the district of Crediton. Alas a short time later, on 10th July 1903, Susan's youngest brother Ernest, aged twenty-five, was tragically killed by a train at Stafford level crossing, a few miles from Exeter. This must have been a sad time for the family.

Sometime in the 1900's, Susan's widowed father William moved in with her and her husband, and their youngest daughter, at their new home of Hollow Tree, near Chawleigh.

1911 Census:

On 1st October 1917, when Susan was about sixty-three, her father William passed away, aged eighty-eight, at their home of Hollow Tree, Susan at his side. The cause of death was senile decay.

In Oct/Nov/Dec 1919, when Susan was about sixty-five, her husband Samuel passed away, aged sixty-six, in the district of Crediton.

In August 1930, Susan passed away, aged seventy-five, at Hollow Tree. She was buried on the afternoon of Monday 25th August 1930 at Chawleigh parish churchyard.

From Western Times of 29th August 1930:

Great x3 Aunt Eliza Brealey

My Great x3 Aunt Eliza (1859 - 1860) was the younger sister of my Great Great Grandmother Emma Mutters (nee Brealey) (1855 - 1924).

Eliza was born around February 1859 in Holy Trinity, Exeter, Devon, to George Brealey (about 28), a carpenter, and Joanna Brealy (nee Sampson) (about 39), a former servant and housewife.

Eliza was baptised on 10th April 1859 in Holy Trinity, Exeter.

Eliza was the youngest of three children (two daughters and one son):

• Emma  1855 - 1924  (68 or 69 years old)
• Charles  1857 - 1923  (65 years old)
• Eliza  1859 - 1860  (13 months old)

In Jan/Feb/Mar 1860, Eliza sadly passed away, aged only thirteen months, in Exeter. Eliza was buried on 25th March 1860 in Holy Trinity, Exeter.

Eliza's record of burial gives at age at death in March 1860 as thirteen months old. If this is correct, that puts her birth around February 1859; however, her birth wasn't registered until Apr/May/Jun 1859. As today, parents had forty-two days to register the birth of a child; it might have been Eliza's birth was registered in the early April, if she was born in the February.

Great x3 Uncle Charles Brealey

My Great x3 Uncle Charles (1857 - 1923) was a carpenter, joiner, and the younger brother of my Great Great Grandmother Emma Mutters (nee Brealey) (1855 - 1924).

Charles was born in Jul/Aug/Sep 1857 in Holy Trinity, Exeter, Devon, to George Brealey (about 26), a carpenter, and Joanna Brealey (nee Sampson) (about 37), a former servant and housewife.

Charles was baptised on 2nd August 1857 in Holy Trinity, Exeter.

Charles was the second of three children (two daughters and one son):

• Emma  1855 - 1924  (68 or 69 years old)
• Charles  1857 - 1923  (65 years old)
• Eliza  1859 - 1860  (13 months old)

In Jan/Feb/Mar 1860, when Charles was two and half, his younger sister Eliza passed away, aged only thirteen months old, in Exeter. Eliza was buried on 25th March 1860 in Holy Trinity, Exeter.

During Charles' childhood, he and his family lived at 5 Trinity Place, near South Street, Exeter.

1861 Census:

1871 Census:

In Oct/Nov/Dec 1872, when Charles was fifteen, his mother Joanna passed away, aged fifty-three, in Exeter. Four years later, when Charles was eighteen or nineteen, his father George remarried. In 1876, George Brealey (35) married Charlotte Mary Filleul (30) in Exeter.

Charles followed in his father George's footsteps, working as a carpenter and joiner.

As a young man, Charles moved from his hometown of Exeter all the way to London. We find him on the 1881 Census, lodging at 29 New Tothill Street, St Margaret, Westminster, London.

1881 Census:

On the 1881 and 1891 Census, Charles' paternal uncle Robert Brealey, his wife and daughter lived on the same road in London, at 25 New Tothill Street. Robert is described as a carpenter employing three men. I wonder if Robert employed his nephew.

On Christmas Day 1881, Charles (24), a carpenter and joiner, married Eliza 'Elizabeth' Mary Bursey (26), in the parish of St Margaret, Westminster, London. Eliza was a native of Westminster. At the time of their marriage, both parties resided on 24 Little Tufton Street, St Margaret, Westminster, London. Charles and Eliza had no children.

Presently I cannot find Charles and/or Eliza on the 1891 Census. It seems likely they remained living on Tufton Street, as they can be found there in 1881 and again in 1901.

By 1901, the couple had moved from 24 to 64 Tufton Street. Including the Brealey's there were nine people living at the address. Charles and Eliza occupied only one room in the house.

1901 Census:

By 1911, Charles was alas an inmate at the Lambeth Workhouse.

1911 Census:

Though Charles is still described as married on the 1911 Census, I cannot find Eliza.

In Apr/May/Jun 1923, Charles passed away, aged sixty-five, in the district of Lambeth.

Great x3 Uncle William George Mutters

My Great x3 Uncle William (1862 - 1864) was an older brother of my Great Great Grandfather George Mutters (1868 - 1918).

William was born in Jul/Aug/Sep 1862 in Exton, Devon, to George Mutters (about 37), a farm labourer and sexton, and Anna Maria Mutters (nee Havill) (about 36), a lacemaker and housewife.

William was baptised on 21st September 1862, in nearby Woodbury.

His middle name is probably for his father, George. He had both a maternal and a paternal Uncle William - he may have been named for both.

William was the fifth of 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)

Sadly, in Jan/Feb/Mar 1864, William passed away, aged only fifteen to eighteen months, in the district of St Thomas.

His younger brother, George, would name one of his sons William George - maybe for his older brother, who passed away four years before his own birth.

Great x3 Uncle John Thomas Mutters

My Great x3 Uncle John (1859 - after 1871) was an agricultural labourer, and an older brother of my Great Great Grandfather George Mutters (1865 - 1918).

John was born in Oct/Nov/Dec 1859, in Exton, Devon, to George Mutters (about 34), a farm labourer and sexton, and Anna Maria Mutters (nee Havill) (about 33), a lacemaker and housewife.

John was baptised on Christmas Day 1859 in Woodbury.

John was the fourth of six children (three daughters and three sons), but the eldest son:

• 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)

In April 1856, three years before John was born, his older sister Elizabeth Ann passed away, aged only eighteen months, as a result of an accident in the home. Their mother Anna Maria had been washing; her attention was off her infant daughter for but a moment, but sadly within this moment little Elizabeth managed to pull the tub of boiling water over herself. She was severely scalded and passed away twenty-four hours later.

1861 Census:

In Jan/Feb/Mar 1864, when John was four, his younger brother William George also passed away young, aged only fifteen to eighteen months old.

In the late 1860's, the family moved from Exton to Woodbury.

1871 Census:

Presently I am alas unable to find any latter records definitely related to our John. After looking through the 1881 Census of England and drawing a blank, I widened my search, and there's a possibility I may have found John in Canada on the 1881 Census. The age fits, but unfortunately under place of birth is only written 'England', meaning I can't say for certain if it's our John or not.

Great x3 Aunt Sarah Ann Alfords (nee Mutters)

My Great x3 Aunt Sarah Ann (1857 - 1928) was a domestic servant, housewife, mother of eight, and an older sister of my Great Great Grandfather George Mutters (1865 - 1918).

Sarah Ann was born in Jul/Aug/Sep 1857, in Exton, Devon, to George Mutters (about 32), a farm labourer and sexton, and Anna Maria Mutters (nee Havill) (about 31), a lacemaker and housewife.

Sarah Ann was baptised on 27th September 1857, in nearby Woodbury.

Sarah Ann was the third of 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)

In April 1856, just over a year before Sarah Ann was born, her older sister Elizabeth Ann passed away, aged only eighteen months, as a result of an accident in the home. Their mother Anna Maria had been washing; her attention was off her infant daughter for but a moment, but sadly within this moment little Elizabeth managed to pull the tub of boiling water over herself. She was severely scalded and passed away twenty-four hours later.

1861 Census:

In Jan/FebMar 1864, when Sarah was six, her younger brother William George also passed away young, aged only fifteen to eighteen months old.

In the late 1860's, the family moved from Exton to Woodbury.

1871 Census:

By the time of the 1871 Census, Sarah Ann's older sister Mary Jane had left home to live and work as a domestic servant in Exmouth. Sarah Ann would follow in her older sister's footsteps. We find her on the 1881 Census living with and working as a domestic servant for the Copp family, at 2 Bicton Place, Exmouth. Her employers are, the unusually named, Lorenzo Copp, a joiner, and his wife Lucy, a lodging house keeper.

1881 Census:

On 3rd September 1882, Sarah Ann (25), a domestic servant, married William Henry Alford (25), in Woodbury. William originally from the Isle of Wight. At the time of their marriage, he was a licensed hawker, but soon became a boatman for the coastguard, which he did for many years. At the wedding, Sarah Ann's father George acted as a witness.

On their marriage record and most of their children's birth and baptism records, their surname is given on Halford; however, on censuses it often appears as Alford.

Sarah Ann and William had eight children (three girls and five girls):

• Grace May  1885 -
• William Henry  1886 -
• Frederick John  1888 - 1889  (7 months old)
• Walter Leonard  1891 -
• Edward George  1892 -
• Emily Blanche (known as Blanche)  1894 -
• Edith Ethel  1896 -
• Ernest Charles  1900 - 1924 (24 years old)

By 1885, Sarah Ann and William had moved west along to coast to Shaldon. There their eldest two children, Grace and William, are baptised in 1885 and 1887; and their third child buried in 1889.

In 1889, Sarah Ann's third child, Frederick, sadly passed away, aged only seven months, in Shaldon. He was buried on 30th March 1889, in Shaldon.

By 1891, the family had moved from Devon all the way east to Dungeness, a coastal hamlet in Kent. There Sarah Ann's husband William worked as a boatman for the coastguard, and the family lived at the coast guard station.

1891 Census:

By 1892, the family had moved again - this time to Felpham, a village near Bognor Regis, in Sussex (now West Sussex).

When Sarah was in her early forties, her parents passed away. On 12th February 1896, her father George passed away, aged seventy, in Woodbury. He was buried the same day. About eighteen months later, in October or November 1897, her mother Anna Maria passed away, aged about seventy, also in Woodbury. Anna Maria was buried on 13th November 1897 in Woodbury.

By 1900, Sarah and her family had moved to Pett, a village near Hastings, Sussex (now East Sussex). Once more the family lived at the coast guard station.

1901 Census:

Sometime the 1900's, in his late forties or early fifties, Sarah Ann's husband William retired from the coast guard. The 1911 Census is difficult to read, but it looks like he's become a 'grazier' - someone who rears or fattens cattle or sheep for market. Under his 'industry or service with which worker is connected' is written 'milkman or smallholder'. A newspaper article from 1911 tells how William was fined 1s for failing have his name painted on his milk cart.

From Sussex Agricultural Express of 7th April 1911:

By 1911, the family had moved to Rye Foreign, another village in Sussex (now East Sussex). They lived there on the unusually named Dumbwoman Lane.

1911 Census:

Sarah Ann's eldest son William served as a seaman in the royal navy in the First World War (service number 229011). He had enlisted back in 1904, aged eighteen, for a period of twelve years; however, he ended up serving for nearly twenty-two years, until 1926. William served on about twenty different ships. He character is repeatedly described as 'very good'; his ability improves from 'satisfactory' to 'superior'.

Sarah Ann'a fourth son Edward followed his older brother into the navy (service number K35118). He enlisted as a seaman in the summer of 1916, aged twenty-four, serving for three years, until 1919. His character is described as 'very good'; his ability is 'moderate'.

The brothers' service records give physical descriptions of Sarah Ann's sons as young men: though 5'6'' when he first enlisted, William grew to 5'10'', whilst Edward a little shorted at 5' 8 1/2'. Both had fresh complexions and brown hair. William's eyes were grey, and Edward's were bluish grey. I wonder if the young men had their mother and/or father's colouring.

In Oct/Nov/Dec 1924, when Sarah Ann was sixty-seven, her youngest son Ernest passed away, aged only twenty-four, in the district of Rye, Sussex.

In Jan/Feb/Mar 1928, Sarah Ann passed away, aged seventy, in the district of Rye, Sussex.

Great x3 Aunt Elizabeth Ann Mutters

My Great x3 Aunt Elizabeth Ann (1854 - 1856) was an older sister of my Great Great Grandfather George Mutters (1865 - 1918).

Elizabeth Ann was born in Oct/Nov/Dec 1854, around Exton or Woodbury, Devon, to George Mutters (about 29), a farm labourer and sexton, and Anna Maria Mutters (nee Havill) (about 28), a lacemaker and housewife.

George may have wished to name his daughter Elizabeth after his younger sister of the same name, as baby Elizabeth Ann was born soon after her Aunt Elizabeth had passed away. Anna Maria may have also wished to honour her younger sister, also named Elizabeth, who passed away in infancy.

Elizabeth Ann was the second of 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)

Sadly Elizabeth Ann and her younger brother William passed away in infancy. Their father 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.

Little Elizabeth's death, at only eighteen months, was the result of a tragic accident in the home...

On the morning of Thursday 24th April 1856, her mother Anna Maria was at home washing - such a normal domestic situation - and her attention was off her infant for but a moment, but in that moment, that live-changing moment, little Elizabeth managed to pull the tub of boiling water over herself. Imagine the screams, the cries. Somebody must have ran for help, for medical assistance was speedily got, but to no avail: the scalding to Elizabeth was severe and she lived only twenty-four hours more. One can only hope she was soothed and her pain somehow eased within that time.

From the Western Times of 3rd May 1856:

Elizabeth Ann was buried on 4th May 1856 in Woodbury. At the time of her burial, the family lived in nearby Exton.

Great x3 Aunt Mary Jane Mutters

My Great x3 Aunt Mary Jane (1852 - after 1871) was a domestic servant, and the older sister of my Great Great Grandfather George Mutters (1865 - 1918).

Mary Jane was born in Jan/Feb/Mar 1852 in Woodbury, Devon, to George Mutters (about 27), a farm labourer and sexton, and Anna Maria Mutters (nee Havill) (about 26), a lacemaker and housewife. Anna Maria was about three and half to six and half months with Mary Jane, when she married George.

Mary Jane was baptised on 28th March 1852 in Woodbury Devon. At the time of Mary Jane's birth, the family lived on Broadway, a main road in Woodbury.

Mary Jane was the eldest of 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)

1861 Census:

As a young woman, Mary Jane worked as a domestic servant for the Foster family, headed by grocer George Foster, on The Strand in Exmouth.

1871 Census:

Unfortunately, I cannot find any later records definitely related to Mary Jane. We leave her a young woman in domestic service, in Exmouth. Maybe researching her younger siblings will throw some light on Mary Jane's adult life.