Great x3 Half Uncle Walter John Clapperton

My Great x3 Half Uncle Walter (1880 - 1913) was a private in the marines, and a young half brother of my Great Great Grandmother Emma Wright (nee Bennett) (1871 - 1944).

Walter was born on 29th August 1880, in Exeter, Devon, to James Clapperton (about 44), a Scottish veteran of the Crimean War and a draper's porter, and Sarah Ann Clapperton (formerly Bennett, nee Andrews) (about 36), a housewife.

I cannot find a record of marriage between Sarah Ann and James Clapperton, though they would live for years as husband and wife. 

On 15th October 1880, Walter was baptised in St Sidwell's, Exeter.

Walter had two old half siblings from his mother's first marriage to railway labourer James Bennett, who died after an accident at work:

• William  1868 - 1942  (73)
• Emma  1871 - 1944  (73)

Walter was the fourth of eight full siblings (four boys, four girls):

• James 1874 - 1936  (61)
• George Henry  1876 - 1952  (75)
• Albert 1878 - 1878 (2 months)
• Walter John  1880 - 1913  (32)
• Lily/Lilian Maude  1882 - 1958 (75)
• Minnie  1884 - 1956 (71)
• Ada  1886 - 1888  (1 year and 9 months)
• Florence 'Florrie' Mabel  1889 - 1975 (85)

1881 Census: 

On the evening of 11th April 1888, Walter's younger sister Ada was tragically killed - knocked down by a tram.

Ada was only a toddler, out of her mother's sight for barely a minute, while she fetched water from the house next door, and watched over by older brother George, aged only eleven. In a passing moment Walter, aged eight, left the front door open, going out to play with friends. Little Ada ran out, just when a tram came pass. The tram-driver braked suddenly, but too late. 

I am sure this stayed with Walter his whole life.

From the Western Times on 17th April 1888:

1891 Census:

George's parents' relationship fell apart around 1898. They had been living apart for fifteen months, when James was charged with assaulting Sarah in 1899. By then, Sarah was living with her future husband, stone mason William Luscombe.

Walter (9537) served as a private in the Royal Marines Light Infantry: Plymouth Division for thirteen years, from 1898 to 1911. Walter enlisted on 28th December 1898, aged eighteen. 

The fair Clapperton colour came through: Walter had blue eyes, light brown hair and was 5'8''. 

His character and abilities were repeatedly given as 'good' and 'very good'. 

Walter's ships and the dates he served on them:

- Vivid (Barracks at Devonport)  31st March 1900 - 30th April 1901
- Gibraltar  11th November 1901 - 13th December 1901  

HSM Gibraltar (1892)

- Terpsichore  14th December 1901 - 25th April 1904

HMS Terpsichore

- Cambridge  10th September 1904 - 15th December 1904
- Hussar  4th January 1905 - 8th September 1905
- Cornwallis  27th February 1906 - 18th September 1906

HMS Cornwallis (1915)

- C... [I cannot read]  1st May 1907 - 14th April 1909
- Doris  14th May 1909 - 13th September 1909

HMS Doris

- Emerald  14th September 1909 - 4th October 1909
- C... [I cannot read. Same as three above]  28th June 1910 - 1st August 1910
- Impregnable  11th January 1911 - 14th August 1911

1901 Census:

1911 Census:

On 16th November 1911, Walter was invalided out of the Marines.

Afterwards, Walter worked as a barman for Messrs Clive Bros of Joy Street, Barnstaple. 

Walter was engaged to Eva. Sadly, the couple never married, as Walter passed away.

On 1st April 1913, he passed away, aged thirty-two.

At the time of his death, he was living at 3 Summerland Street, Barnstaple, the home of his older brother George and his sister-in-law Minnie.

His funeral took place at 3:45pm on 5th April 1913, at Holy Trinity Church, Barnstaple.

From the North Devon Herald of 10th April 1913:

Great x3 Half Uncle George Henry Clapperton

My Great x3 Half Uncle George (1876 - 1952) was a Corporal in the army, a railway porter and guard, and a young half brother of my Great Great Grandmother Emma Wright (nee Bennett) (1871 - 1944).

George was born on 21st September 1876, in Exeter, Devon, to James Clapperton (about 40), a Scottish veteran of the Crimean War and a draper's porter, and Sarah Ann Clapperton (formerly Bennett, nee Andrews) (about 32), a housewife.

I cannot find a record of marriage between Sarah Ann and James Clapperton, though they would live for years as husband and wife. 

George had two old half siblings from his mother's first marriage to railway labourer James Bennett, who died after an accident at work:

• William  1868 - 1942  (73)
• Emma  1871 - 1944  (73)

George was the second of eight full siblings (four boys, four girls):

• James 1874 - 1936  (61)
• George Henry  1876 - 1952  (75)
• Albert 1878 - 1878 (2 months)
• Walter John  1880 - 1913  (32)
• Lily/Lilian Maude  1882 - 1958 (75)
• Minnie  1884 - 1956 (71)
• Ada  1886 - 1888  (1 year and 9 months)
• Florence 'Florrie' Mabel  1889 - 1975 (85)

1881 Census:

In August and September, George's older brother James, aged eleven, was twice arrested - first for stealing sweets, then for stealing prawns. He was sentenced to three weeks in prison; then sent to an Industrial/Reformatory School for five years.

Sometime between 1885 and 1888, the family moved from Little Clifton Street to New Cheeke Street.

As a boy, George had a favourite cat - belonging to a neighbour, William Millman. 

On 31st March 1888, George saw the cat go in the direction of another neighbour, Frederick Denham's house. When he next saw the cat, it was "laying on his doorstep with its head smashed in". 

Young George went to Mr Denham's house and on stating his suspicions that he killed the cat, "received a volley of abuse" from Denham's wife. Mr Millman then went to his neighbour's house to threaten him. Denham then took Millman to court for using "abusive and obscene language" towards him: Millman had threatened to "knock his brains out". Denham claimed he knew nothing about the cat.

From the Western Times of 5th April 1888:

The loss of his favourite cat must have been hard for the young boy. Sadly, within less than a fortnight, he suffered a greater loss.

On the evening of 11th April 1888, George's younger sister Ada was tragically killed - knocked down by a tram.

Ada was only a toddler, out of her mother's sight for barely a minute, while she fetched water from the house next door, and watched over by George, aged only eleven. In a passing moment a younger brother, Walter, aged eight, left the front door open, going out to play with friends. Little Ada wandered out, just when the older brother wasn't looking, and just when a tram came pass. The tram-driver braked suddenly, but too late. George, oh how racked with guilt and shock and sadness he must have been, when he then ran to his mother to tell her. 

From the Western Times on 17th April 1888:

1891 Census:

As a teenager, George worked as an errand boy; then as a labourer, employed by Mr Hatcher of Exeter. He also served with the Devon and Somerset Volunteer Engineers.

On 15th March 1895, George (3055), aged eighteen, joined the Fourth Battalion Devonshire Regiment as a private.

George's Army Service Record gives a physical description of him as a young man: George had fresh skin, blue-grey eyes, fair hair, and was 5' 4 1/2'' in 1895 and had grown to 5' 5 1/2 by 1896. His fair colouring was very much like his father.

On 11th March 1896, George (4705), aged nineteen, transferred from the Fourth Battalion to the Devonshire Regiment as a private. George served in the East Indies from 28th February 1898 to 20th September 1899, and in South Africa from 21st September 1899 to 21st May 1903. He re-engaged for service on 11th march 1908, for four years, until 10th March 1912.

He was promoted to Lance Corporal on 29th May 1900, and to Corporal on 13th March 1902.

In Jan/Feb 1898, George (21), a soldier, married Minnie Jane Elizabeth Algar (23), a domestic servant from Barnstaple, in Exeter

George and Minnie didn't have any children.

George's parents' relationship fell apart around 1898. They had been living apart for fifteen months, when James was charged with assaulting Sarah in 1899. By then, Sarah was living with her future husband, stone mason William Luscombe.

At the time of the 1901 Census, George would have been serving in South Africa with the army. Minnie was living and working as a domestic servant for the Gay family, headed by Butcher William Gay, back in her native Barnstaple. When George returns, the couple appear to settle in Barnstaple.

On 18th January 1907, when George was thirty, his father, James. passed away, aged seventy-one, in Exeter. His death was reported in the Western Times on 23rd January 1907:

His funeral took place on 24th January 1907 at Exeter's Higher Cemetery. Owing to his military service, his funeral was highly attended and reported in the Western Times on 25th January 1907:

1911 Census:

Interestingly, George and Minnie have a live-in servant, which is quite unusual for my working class family.

In 1913, when George was thirty-six, his younger brother Walter passed away. In the Royal Marines for thirteen years, Walter had served on many ships, before being invalided out on 16th November 1911. Eighteen months later, he passed away, aged thirty-two, in April 1913. 

At the time of his death, Walter was living with George and Minnie at 3 Summerland Street, Barnstaple.

His death was reported in the Western Times on 8th April 1913:

1921 Census:

George and Minnie lived at 3 Summer Street from before 1911 to 1927.

The Electoral Register shows at various times one to five other people living at that address - possibly lodgers and/or servants - with George and Minnie during the 1910s and 1920s. 

In 1928, George and Minnie moved to 1 Gordon Villas, also in Barnstaple.

In the 1930s, George and Minnie moved from Minnie's native Barnstaple back to George's native Exeter.

1939 Census:

In Jul/Aug/Sep 1952, George passed away, aged seventy-five, in Exeter.

In Sep/Oct/Nov 1956, Minnie passed away, aged eighty-two, in Exeter.

Great x3 Uncle Francis Robert James

My Great x3 Uncle Francis (1886 - 1962) was a cow boy, rabbit dealer, farm carter, step father of 1, father of 2, and a younger brother of my Great x2 Grandmother Lucy Vernon (nee James) (1868 - 1897).

Francis was born on 30th August 1886 in Morchard Bishop, Devon, to Henry James (about 49), an agricultural labourer, and Louisa James (nee Edwards) (about 37), a housewife.

Francis was the seventh of eight children (four daughters and four sons):

• Lucy  1868 - 1897  (29 years old)
• Bessie  1869 - 1945 or 1956  (77 or 86 years old)
• Edwin  1875 - 1896  (21 years old)
• Louisa  1878 - 1966  (87 years old)
• Emily Maude  1880 - 1967  (86 years old)
• Charles  1883 - 1965  (82 years old)
• Francis Robert  1886 - 1962 (76 years old)
• Gilbert 1889 -

Francis and his siblings grew up in Morchard Bishop.

1891 Census:

1901 Census:

As a teenager, Francis worked with cattle on a farm, meaning he is amusingly recorded in the 1901 Census as a cow boy. 

As a young man, Francis was working as a rabbit dealer. His older brother Charles - the sibling closest to Francis in age - worked as a rabbit trapper/catcher/dealer his whole life. I wonder if Charles inspired Francis to follow him in his work and/or trained up Francis in catching rabbits.

In Jan/Feb/Mar 1910, Francis (about 23), a rabbit dealer, married young single mother of one Mary Squire(s) (about 20), in the district of Torrington.

Mary was only seventeen and an inmate of Crediton Workhouse, when she gave birth to her illegitimate son, Henry Harris Squire(s) in 1907. The father was one Joseph Noyes, a stableman, whom she summoned to court for child maintenance. Though Noyes failed to appear - purportedly working away in Hampshire - he was ordered to pay '2s a week, and payment of the usual expenses, in addition to advocate's fee'.

By the time of the 1911, the young couple, with three-year-old Henry, were living at Bolts [farm or cottage?] in Ashreigney. Francis dealing in rabbits, Mary looking after her young son.

1911 Census:

With Francis, Mary had two more children (one son and one daughter):

• Charles  1915 -
• Margaret E  1931 -

By 1939, Francis had changed job and was now working as a farm carter.

1939 Census:

Francis' stepson Henry Harris Squire served as a seaman in the navy. He enlisted, aged eighteen, in 1925, for a period of twelve years. His service records gives a brief physical description: as a young man, Henry was 5'7'', with dark brown hair, grey eyes and a fresh complexion. His character is repeatedly given as 'very good'. He served until 1938, but was either called up to serve again or volunteered to serve in the Second World War. He was a Petty Officer Telegraphist, when he was killed at sea, on 8th June 1940, aged thirty-two, when the ship he was serving on - HMS Glorious - was lost to enemy action.

Francis passed away in Oct/Nov/Dec 1962, in the district of Barnstaple, aged seventy-six.

His wife Mary outlived Francis by two years, passing away in Oct/Nov/Dec 1964, in the district of Barnstaple.

Great x4 Grandfather John Fisher

My Great x4 Grandfather John (1801 - 1866) was an agricultural labourer, later a shepherd of 600 acres (which is just less than one square mile), and father of seven.

John was born around 1801 in the Barnstaple area, to ? and Mary Fisher.

Annoyingly, two John Fishers were baptised (one in Barnstaple, and one in Pilton, a village just outside Barnstaple) in 1801. The mothers of both John's were called Mary, so we at least know his mother's name. Either way, he was one of several children.

On 26th October 1834, John (about 33), an agricultural labourer, married widow and mother of one, Frances Abbot (nee Keal) (about 27) in Landkey. On their record of marriage, his place of residence is listed as Tawstock; whilst Frances' is Landkey. Whilst Frances was able to sign her name, John left only his mark, implying he could not write. The couple's eldest son, John (likely named for his father) was baptised less than one month later, on 23rd November 1834, in Landkey. Frances would have been very heavily pregnant, when they married.

John and Frances had seven children (six sons and one daughter):

• John  1834 -
• Mary  1837 -
• William  1840 -
• Samuel  1842 - 1850  (8 years old)
• Richard  1845 -
• Henry  1847 - 1847  (2 months old)
• James  1847 - 1847  (less than 2 months old)

Sometime between 1834 and 1837, John and his family moved about five miles south-west from Landkey to Eastacombe. There they lived at the time of their daughter Mary's 1837 baptism. And can still be found in the hamlet come the 1841 Census.

1841 Census:

Sometime between 1841 and 1845, the growing family moved about six miles from Eastacombe to Goodleigh. There the couple's youngest three children were baptised. Notably on this baptism records, John is listed as a yeoman, as apposed to a labourer (the reverend is making the differentiation on the records of baptism, as fathers as labourers are listed, alongside yeomen). John may then have been more than a simple labouring cottager.

Alas three of John and Frances' children passed away young. Firstly their youngest children, twins Henry and James, in 1847. They were baptised on 21st September 1847. Less than two months later, James was buried on 14th December 1847; and then Henry, perhaps just two months old, was buried on 23rd December 1847. Both were baptised and buried in Goodleigh. Then in 1850, their fourth child Samuel passed away, aged eight. He was buried on 27th November 1850 in Goodleigh.

Sometime around 1851, the family moved about three and half miles south from Goodleigh to Swimbridge.

1851 Census:

Sometime in the 1850's, John and his family moved about ten miles north from Swimbridge to Blackmore (now Blackmoor, though originally named for the Blackmore family) Gate.

By the 1860's, John was certainly more than just an agricultural labourer. On the 1861 Census, he is listed as a shepherd of 600 acres (just under one square mile).

1861 Census:

Sometime in the early 1860's, John and his family moved again. This time about four miles east, from Blackmore Gate to Challacombe.

In March 1866, John tragically passed away, aged about sixty-five, in an accident at work. He was instantaneously killed, when, whilst turnip picking, he accidentally drove the 'butt' in which he was riding against a wall, causing it to capsize and himself to fall under the shaft.

His death was reported in the local newspaper. From the North Devon Journal of 29th March 1866:

John was buried on 24th March 1866 in Parracombe. Touchingly his son Richard would name his next born child John, likely after his late father. John's widow, Frances, would move in with their son Richard and his young family.