Great x3 Uncle Edwin James

My Great x3 Uncle Edwin (1875 - 1896) was a general domestic servant, and a younger brother of my Great x2 Grandmother Lucy Vernon (nee James) (1868 - 1897).

Edwin was born in July or August 1875 in Morchard Bishop, Devon, to Henry James (about 38), an agricultural labourer, and Louisa James (nee Edwards) (about 29), a housewife.

Edwin was the third of eight children (four daughters and four sons), and the eldest son:

• Lucy  1868 - 1897  (29 years old)
• Bessie  1869 - 1946 or 1956  (77 or 86 years old)
• Edwin  1875 - 1896  (21 years old)
• Louisa  1878 -
• Emily Maude  1880 -
• Charles  1883 -
• Francis Robert  1886 -
• Gilbert  1889 -

Edwin and his siblings grew up in Morchard Bishop.

1881 Census:

By sixteen, Edwin was no longer living at home with his parents and younger siblings. Instead, he lived with and worked as a general domestic servant for retired farmer George Southcott and his wife Emma at their home in Lapford.

1891 Census:

By 1896, aged twenty-one, Edwin was living at Pedly Cottage at East Worlington.

Sadly, Edwin passed away, aged only twenty-one, in July or August 1896, in the district of South Molton. He was buried on 30th August 1896 in East Worlington. 

I know James' eldest sister, my Great x2 Grandmother, Lucy, suffered from and passed away from TB, aged only twenty-nine, in 1897 - the year after Edwin passed away. I can't help but wonder if brother and sister both passed away prematurely of the same disease.