Great x3 Aunt Emily 'Em' Maude Trigger (nee James)

My Great x3 Aunt Emily 'Em' (1880 - 1967) was a domestic housemaid, housewife, and a younger sister of my Great x2 Grandmother Lucy Vernon (nee James) (1868 - 1897).

Emily was born on 4th October 1880 in Morchard Bishop, Devon, to Henry James (about 43), an agricultural labourer, and Louisa James (nee Edwards) (about 34), a housewife.

Emily was baptised Christmas Day (25th December) 1880 in Morchard Bishop.

Emily was the fifth of eight children (four daughters and four sons):

• Lucy  1868 - 1897  (29 years old)
• Bessie  1869 - 1946 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 -
• Francis Robert  1886 -
• Gilbert  1889 -

Emily and her siblings grew up in Morchard Bishop.

1881 Census:

1891 Census:

When Emily was a teenager, two of her older siblings passed away in their twenties. In July or August 1896, Emily's older brother Edwin passed away, aged only twenty-one, in East Worlington. Less than a year later, in March 1897, Emily's eldest sister Lucy passed away, aged twenty-nine, of TB, in Kennerleigh. I wonder if brother and sister both succumbed to the same disease.

Emily as a young woman.

Emily is stood centre, with her mother Louisa sat left, and older sister Louisa sat right, c. 1900.

Close up of Emily as a young woman, c 1900

As a young woman, Emily moved to Exeter, where she worked in service. The 1901 Census shows twenty-year-old Emily working as a domestic housemaid for and living with the Osmond family - elderly retired land agent Edward Osmond and his spinster daughters Ellen and Bertha - at The Hermitage, 31 Union Road, Exeter. Emily was one of two live-in servants - the other being seventeen-year-old Mary Frigger [or Trigger? possibly a sister or cousin of Emily's future husband Samuel Trigger], a domestic cook.

1901 Census:

On 7th September 1904, Emily (23), a domestic housemaid, married Samuel Trigger (24), a carman for the Great Western Railway, at St James's in Exeter. 

From the Western Times of 8th September 1904:

At the 1908 Exeter Annual Cart Horse Parade, reported to have been a 'splendid show', Samuel was one of three winners of The Shire Horse Society's silver medals, offered for the best heavy breed carthorses engaged in town work.

The 1911 Census shows Emily and Samuel, by then in their early thirties, living at Cowley Cottages, Upton Pyne. They had no children.

1911 Census:

On the afternoon of 21st March 1920, whilst out walking along the Stoke Canon Road in Exeter, Emily and Samuel were knocked down and badly injured by a speeding St John's ambulance. The driver was drunk. Samuel was knocked down from behind, thrown into the air and pitched on his head. He was rendered unconscious. His head was cut and both shoulders and one leg were damaged. One tooth was knocked out. He was very much bruised and cut. Emily was thrown into the hedge and very much shaken.

From the Exeter and Plymouth Gazette of 29th April 1920:

1939 Census:

In Apr/May/Jun 1966, when Emily was eighty-five, her husband Samuel passed away, aged eighty-seven, in Exeter. About a year later, on 2nd June 1967, Emily herself passed away, aged eighty-six, also in Exeter. 

Great Great Half Uncle Ernest Isaac Vernon

My Great Great Half Uncle Ernest (1904 - 1997) was an innkeeper, taxi driver, father of one, and the younger half brother of my Great Grandfather Walter Charles Vernon (1892 - 1965).

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 - 1895 (1)
• Frank 1896 - 1897 (6 months)

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."

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.

Great Great Half Uncle George Henry Vernon

My Great Great Half Uncle George (1901 - 1973) was the younger half brother of my Great Grandfather Walter Charles Vernon (1892 - 1965).

George was born on 20th September 1901 in the Thorverton, Devon, to Isaac 'Harry' Harwood Vernon (31), an agricultural labourer and farm carter, and Ellen Vernon (nee Tonkins) (24), a former domestic servant and now a housewife.

George and his older brother Fred were baptised together on 5th April 1903 in Brampford Speke. George was likely named for his older brother of the same name, who had passed away, aged only zero to three months old, the year before George Henry was born.

George 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 - 1895 (1)
• Frank 1896 - 1897 (6 months)

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 old)
• George Henry  1901 - 1973  (71)
• Ernest Isaac  1904 - 1997  (93)
• Isaac Harry (went by Harry like his father)  1906 - 1964  (58)
• William Harwood  1908 - 1972  (64)
• Florence Emily  1911 - 1993  (82)
• Sidney 'Sid'  1913 - 2004  (91)
• Percy  1915 - 2002  (86)

At some point between 1901 and 1904, the family moved to Upton Pyne, for there George's older half siblings Edith and Walter attended school for a time; and George's next younger brother Ernest was born in Netticott, Upton Pyne, in January 1904.

From 25th June 1904, George, with his older siblings Fred and Mabel, 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 George and Mabel attended Crediton Hayward School, as their older half siblings had down before them.

Then from February 1908, George, along with Fred and Mabel, 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 Cheriton 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 or 1913, the family moved about three miles east to South Tawton. There, at their home of Turnpike Gate, George's younger brother Sidney was born in April 1913. But the family had moved back towards Whiddon Down, within a few years: in February 1915, George's youngest brother Percy was born at their home of Toll Bar House in Whiddon Down. On a second look, they might not have moved at all, for a toll-house, which often had a gate across the turnpike road, was a cottage on which the charges for the turnpike road were often displayed. Also Whiddon Down is within the district of South Tawton.

During my father in his family tree research of the 1990's, he met with George's younger siblings, by then old men, he Great Half Uncles Sid and Percy. Sifting through some his research now, I just found scribbled that Sid (and presumably George and the rest of the siblings also) was "brought up at Barnstaple Cross, near Crediton".

George was twelve when the First World War began. His older half brother Walter and older brother Fred both served in the war. Whilst Walter, an experienced 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.

Alas I know next to nothing of George's adult life. My father's research puts his death year as 1973 (though I cannot confirm where he got this information from). There was a George Henry Vernon who married, had children, and then died in Staffordshire in 1973 (born around 1901); however, there was also a George Henry Vernon born in Staffordshire in 1901, so the death is more likely of this George and not ours.

Our George may well not have stayed in Devon or perhaps he didn't get married or have any children, meaning he comes up less frequently in records.

Great x4 Grandmother Jane Andrews (nee Perkins)

My Great x4 Grandmother Jane (1820 - after 1901) was a servant, housewife, and mother of ten.

Jane was born around 1820 in the county of Kent (likely Dartford in Kent; else in Shoreditch, London), to Robert Perkins (about 25), a labourer and worker in a London oil mill, and Elizabeth Perkins (nee Cooper) (about 29).

Jane was baptised on 11th February 1821 in Shoreditch, London.

Jane was the third of four children (three sons and one daughter):

• John  1817 -
• William  1819 -
• Jane  1821 -
• George  1823 -

Jane's parents, Robert and Elizabeth, had married in Dartford, in Kent, on Christmas Eve 1815. Their first two sons, John and William, were born and baptised in Dartford, in 1817 and 1819 respectively. It seems the family then moved to Shoreditch, London, for there Jane was baptised in 1821. Whilst in London, her father Robert worked in oil mills there (his occupation as such is given on his youngest son George's baptism record). Come 1822 and the family were living down in Upton Pyne, Devon. There Robert and Elizabeth were buried, and their youngest son George baptised in 1823.

When Jane was nearly two years old, her father Robert passed away, aged only twenty-seven. He was buried on 27th October 1822 in Upton Pyne. At the time of his death, his wife, Elizabeth, was about two or three months pregnant with their fourth child.

Only eight months after her father passed away, when Jane was about two and a half years old, her mother Elizabeth also passed away, aged about thirty-one. Elizabeth was buried on 29th June 1823 in Upton Pyne. Elizabeth had given birth for the last time only the previous month - might she have passed away as a result of the birth?

All later censuses, taken was Jane was an adult, say she was born in the county of Kent, however no town or village is ever given. Given that her parents died when she was one or two years old, and her brothers were about six years old, four years old and one month old, she may not have known where she was born, but may have been told her family came from Kent.

Upton Pyne, 1823; who was looking after the four little Perkins orphans? Whilst their mother, Elizabeth, may well have been from Kent; it seems their father, Robert, may have been a native of Upton Pyne. A Robert Perkins, son of John and Mary, was baptised there in 1795 (the year according to Robert's burial record he was born). So paternal relations may likely have taken the children in. It also makes sense that Elizabeth would go to her husband's place of birth, around the time of his death, for it would be that parish which would (if any) have a duty to give aid to her and her children, for she and her children, as a man's wife and children, would thus be of his parish. Also, at Jane's wedding in nearby Exeter, nearly two decades later, a James Perkins acts as witness. This James was likely her uncle, her father Robert's younger brother.

Come 1840 and Jane, now a young woman, could be found living in Bartholomew Street, Exeter, working as a servant. On 18th October 1840, Jane (19 or 20) married William Andrews (22), an agricultural labourer, in St Olave, Exeter. At the time, William, though a native of Morchard Bishop, was also residing in Bartholomew Street. On their record of marriage, Jane and William left only their mark, implying neither could write.

It seems Jane was about five months pregnant with the couple's first child, when they married.

Jane and William had ten children (four daughters and six sons):

• Mary Jane  1841 - 1843 (about 2 years old)
• John  1844 -
• Sarah Ann  1847 -
• George  1851 -
• James  1854 -
• Mary Emma  1856 -
• William J  1859 -
• Eliza Jane  1861 -
• Jane  1864 -
• Elizabeth  1865 -

The couple's oldest child, Mary Jane, was baptised in William's native Morchard Bishop in February 1841, implying the young family moved back there from Exeter around late 1840, early 1841. Sadly Mary Jane seems to have passed away young.

Come the 1841 Census, the family had moved again, about nine miles south-east, from Morchard Bishop to Mills Cottages, Shobrooke, Crediton.

1841 Census:

However, within a few years, they were back down in Exeter. At the time of their son John's baptism in 1844, the family resided in Cowley Road, Exeter.

A few years later, and they had moved again, about four miles north from Exeter to Stoke Canon, where they resided at the time of their daughter Sarah Ann's baptism in 1847. They were still there come the 1851 census.

1851 Census:

Sometime in the early 1850's, Jane and her family moved again, about thirteen miles north-east from Stoke Canon to Sampford Peverell, where the younger children were born and baptised.

Unfortunately I cannot find the family on the 1861 Census; however, baptism records imply the family were still living in Sampford Peverell at the time.

Sometime in the late 1860's, Jane and her family moved once more: this time over the border into Somerset! They moved about fifteen miles north-east from Sampford Peverell to Allerford, Hillfarrance, Somerset. They would remain in the area for twenty/thirty years until their deaths. Lodging with the family was Emma Bennett, the older sister of James Bennett. the husband of Jane's daughter Sarah Ann.

1871 Census:

In August 1872, Jane's daughter Sarah Ann was suddenly widowed, when her husband James passed away as a result of an accident at work. In his role as a packer for the Bristol and Exeter Railway Company, he aimed to unload a truck. Alas he attempted to get into the truck while it was still in motion; he missed his step and his leg got entangled in the wheel!

It seems Jane and William were either unable (or chose not) to support their widowed daughter and two infant grandchildren. Sarah, with no obvious means of support, was left a pauper and sought relief in Exeter. Sadly, she and her children were not welcomed by the city, and its justices sought to have them legally removed to South Molton. But Sarah did soon settle in Exeter, with her second husband, Scottish veteran of the Crimean War, James Clapperton, by whom she had more children.

1881 Census:

On 18th October 1890, Jane and William celebrated their golden wedding anniversary. The local newspaper at the time that the elderly couple had "worked hard all their lives, and brought up a [large] family of children".

From the Weston Mercury of 1st November 1890:

1891 Census:

In January 1894, when Jane was about seventy-three, her husband William passed away, likely just short of his seventy-sixth birthday. He was buried on 21st January 1894 in Hillfarrance, Somerset. Jane, now widowed, moved in with their son, William, a groom, and his young family, in Taunton, Somerset.

1901 Census:

Jane's parents had been born at the end of the 18th century; Jane, in her old age, would live to see the beginning of the 20th century.

Although I cannot find a record of death, it seems likely Jane passed away, in her eighties, in Somerset, in the first decade of the 20th century, as she doesn't appear on the 1911 census.

Great x4 Grandmother Jane 'Jenny' Bennett (nee Godsland)

My Great x4 Grandmother Jane (1804 - 1855) was a housewife and mother of eight.

Jane was born around 1804 in Sandford, Devon, to William Godsland and Jane Godsland (nee Maunder).

Jane was baptised on 8th January 1804 in Sandford as Jenny, though on all later records she is called Jane. Perhaps the nickname was to differentiate her from her mother of the same name.

Jane was the fifth of six children (two daughters and four sons):

• Ann  1794 -
• Richard  1796 - 1798 (about thirteen months old)
• William 1799 - 1800 (about eleven months old)
• John  1801 -
• Jane 'Jenny' 1804 - 
• William 1808 - 1808 (as a very young baby)

Although the siblings were baptised in Sandford with their surname spelt as Gosland (without the d), on their father's marriage certificate and on Jane's own marriage certificate, father and daughter both spell it as Godsland.

Sadly three of Jane's siblings passed away as babies. Six years before Jane was born, her older brother Richard passed away, aged about only thirteen months old. He was buried on New Years Day 1798. Two years later, Jane's older brother William passed away, aged about only eleven months old. He was buried on 4th May 1800 in Sandford. And in December 1808, when Jane was about four years old, her younger William (second of his name) passed away, as a very young baby. He was buried on 27th December 1808 in Sandford.

On 15th March 1827, Jane (about 23) married John (about 35), a ropemaker, in his native South Molton. Both Jane and John were able to sign their name. They married in the presence of Sarah Bennett (likely a relative of John) and John Godsland (likely Jane's brother).

Signature of Jane Godsland, 1827

Their first child Mary was baptised in August 1827, meaning Jane was about four months pregnant when they married.

Jane and John had eight children (three daughters and five sons):

• Mary  1827 -
• John  1829 -
• Jane  1831 -
• William  1834 -
• Robert  1836 -
• Emma  1839 -
• James  1842 -
• Samuel  1845 -

Around 1828, Jane and her family moved, over twenty miles south, from South Molton to Hatherleigh. Their children John, Jane and William were baptised there. The family moved again, around 1835, about twenty-five miles east, from Hatherleigh to Upton Pyne. Their younger children Robert, Emma, James and Samuel were baptised there.

1841 Census:

1851 Census:

In 1855, Jane passed away, aged about fifty-one, at Upton Pyne. She was buried on 29th April 1855 in Upton Pyne.

Great x4 Grandfather John Bennett

My Great x4 Grandfather John (1792 - 1859) was a ropemaker and father of eight.

John was born on 3rd April 1792 in South Molton, Devon, to John Bennett, a ropemaker, and Mary Bennett.

John was privately baptised two days after his birth, on 5th April 1792; however, he was later, alongside his next younger sister Lydia, received into the church on 26th December 1794, in South Molton.

John was the eldest of seven children (five sons and two daughters)

• John  1792 -
• Lydia 1794 - 1795 (about ten months old)
• Lydia  1796 - 1806 (9 years old)
• Henry  1799 -
• Charles  1800 -
• Giles  1802 -
• Robert  1805 - 1806 (about 20 months old)

Interestingly, John and his sisters (both called Lydia) were privately baptised a few days after their birth, then later received into the church. And John's next three younger brothers were baptised together on the same day in 1803.

Sadly three of John's younger siblings passed away in childhood. In August 1795, when John was three years old, his younger sister Lydia passed away, aged only about ten months. Lydia was buried on 28th August 1795 in South Molton. In April 1806, when John was fourteen, his next younger sister Lydia passed away, aged about nine years old. Lydia was buried on 23rd April 1806. In October 1806, his youngest brother Robert passed away, aged only about twenty months. Robert was buried on 26th October 1806 in South Molton.

On 15th March 1827, John (about 35), a ropemaker, married Jane 'Jenny' Godsland (about 23) in his native South Molton. Both John and Jane were able to sign their name. They married in the presence of Sarah Bennett and John Godsland, likely relatives of groom and bride.

Signature of John Bennett, 1827

Their first child Mary was baptised in August 1827, meaning Jane was about four months pregnant when they married.

John and Jane had eight children (three daughters and five sons):

• Mary  1827 -
• John  1829 -
• Jane  1831 - 
• William  1834 - 
• Robert  1836 - 
• Emma  1839 - 
• James  1842 - 
• Samuel  1845 - 

Around 1828, John and his young family moved, over twenty miles south, from South Molton to Hatherleigh. Their children John, Jane and William were baptised there. The family moved again, around 1835, about twenty-fives miles east, from Hatherleigh to Upton Pyne. Their younger children Robert, Emma, James and Samuel were baptised there.

1841 Census:

1851 Census:

In 1855, when John was sixty-three, John's wife Jane passed away, aged about fifty-one, at Upton Pyne. She was buried on 29th April 1855 in Upton Pyne.

A few years later, in 1859, John himself passed away, aged sixty-seven. He was buried on 22nd Mary 1859 in Upton Pyne.

Great x3 Grandfather James Bennett

My Great x3 Grandfather James (1842 - 1872) was a manservant, railway labourer and packer, and father of two.

James Bennett was born around 1842 in Upton Pyne, Devon to John Bennett (about 50), a ropemaker, and Jane 'Jenny' Bennett (nee Godsland) (about 38).

James was baptised on 17th April 1842 in Upton Pyne.

James was the seventh of eight children (three daughters and five sons):

• Mary  1827 - 
• John  1829 - 
• Jane  1831 - 
• William  1834 - 
• Robert  1836 -
• Emma  1839 -
• James  1842 -
• Samuel  1845 -

1851 Census:

In 1855, when James was about thirteen, his mother Jane passed away, aged about 51, at Upton Pyne. A few years later, in 1859, when James was about seventeen, his father John passed away, aged about 67, also at Upton Pyne.

Young James left home and found work as a manservant for the Hodge family, headed by dairyman William Hodge, in Exeter.

1861 Census:

On Christmas Day 1864, James (22), then working as a labourer, married Sarah Ann Andrews (20) in Heavitree, near Exeter. Whilst Sarah Ann was able to sign her name on their marriage certificate, James left only his mark, implying he could not write. The young couple married in the presence of James' older siblings Robert and Emma.

James and Sarah Ann had two children:

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

The young couple moved about five miles south-east from Heavitree to Ebford, where their eldest child, William, was born in 1868.

James soon found work as a labourer and packer for the railway, which took the young Devonian family just over the boarder to Somerset, where daughter Emma was born in 1871. Did James name his daughter Emma after his older sister?

1871 Census:

On Monday 19th August 1872, James' life was cut tragically short. He passed away, aged thirty, from injuries received in an accident at work. In his role as a packer for the Bristol and Exeter Railway Company, he aimed to unload a truck. Alas he attempted to get into the truck while it was still in motion; he missed his step and his leg got entangled in the wheel!

From the Western Gazzette on 23rd August 1872:

James' sudden death left Sarah Ann a widow, far from home, with two infant children, and with no obvious means of support. The small family were soon paupers and Emma sought relief in Exeter. Sadly, they were not welcomed by the city, and its justices sought to have them legally removed to South Molton. Census records imply Sarah Ann soon remarried, and her young children gained a step-father in the form of Scottish veteran of the Crimean War James Clapperton. So young when their natural father died, did William and Emma have any memory of him?