Great x4 Grandmother Mary Yeo (nee Manning)

My Great x4 Grandmother Mary Yeo (nee Manning) (1799 - 1886) was a dressmaker, laundress, housewife, and mother of seven.

Mary Manning was born around 1799 in West Down, Devon to Hugh Manning (about 32), an agricultural labourer, and Elizabeth 'Betty' Manning (nee Menhinnit) (about 26).

Mary was baptised on 9th August 1799 in West Down.

Mary was the third of five children (three daughters and two sons):

• Mary 1795 - 1796 (1 years old)
• John  1797 -
• Mary  1799 -
• Anne  1802 - 
• William  1805 - 

Mary was the second of her name, being named for her elder sister who had passed away, aged only one years old, in 1796, three years before our Mary was born.

On 31st August 1822, Mary (22), a dressmaker, married Thomas Yeo (26), a farm labourer, in her native West Down. Mary was about five months pregnant when she married.

Mary and Thomas had seven children (four sons and three daughters):

• James  1822 -
• William  1825 -
• Marianne  1827 - 1838  (10 years old)
• Emma  1830 -
• Thomas  1832 -
• George  1834 -
• Anne  1836 -

All seven were born in West Down,

Mary's eldest daughter, Marianne, passed away, aged only ten years old, in 1838, in West Down.

1841 Census:

In 1849, when Mary was about fifty, her father Hugh passed away, aged about eight-four, in West Down. He was buried on 9th September 1849 in West Down.

1851 Census:

It's interesting that Mary and her family's abode in the 1850's was called Manning's House. Manning was Mary's maiden name - perhaps it was her family's home.

The 1851 Census also showed Mary's daughter Emma worked as a dressmaker, like her mother Mary. Did Mary teacher her daughter to sew and dress-make?

In her fifties, Mary began working as a dressmaker for the Huxtable family in Ilfracombe. Her employer, Richard Huxtable, ran a tailors and outfitters.

Mary moved about four miles north from West Down to Ilfracombe in the 1850's to live with and work for the Huxtables. Her husband Thomas and children stayed in West Down.

An advertisement placed in the North Devon Journal in May and June 1854 by Richard Huxtable for his tailors and outfitters. It is likely Mary made or helped make the clothes advertised.

Another advertisement placed by Richard Huxtable for his tailors and outfitters. This one was placed in Bright's Intelligencer and Arrival List, a local Ilfracombe newspaper from June to September 1860.

Another advertisement placed by Richard Huxtable for his tailors and outfitters. This one was placed in Bright's Intelligencer and Arrival List, a local Ilfracombe newspaper, from June to September 1860. The picture shows the building where Mary lived and worked.

1861 Census:

1871 Census:

Mary worked as a dressmaker for Richard Huxtable into her old age.

Interestingly in the 1860's, her husband Thomas, along with their daughter Anne and grandson George (Anne's illegitimate son), moved to Ilfracombe as well. Perhaps to be closer to Mary.

In the 1870's, Mary lived in Montpelier Road only a few streets away from her family in Downs Cottage, Fore Street, Ilfracombe. Mary soon reunited with her husband Thomas and maiden daughter Anne. The couple, in their eighties, settled in Ilfracombe. Yet they still worked - he as a gardener, and she as a laundress. Interestingly, they were able to keep a servant. (Normally my ancestors are the servants)

Meanwhile, in late 1872 and 1873, tragic illness struck Mary and Thomas' son George and his family. First George's daughter Emily Ann passed away, aged only five, around November 1872; followed by George himself in January 1873, and George's wife Ann, around April 1874. Unless relatives or friends took them in, George and Ann's five surviving children (aged 0 to 9) would likely have ended up in the workhouse. Indeed, in the 1881 Census, their youngest daughters Ellen and Harriet can be found at the Okehampton Union Workhouse; whilst the older children were out living and working as servants on local farms. Did Mary know about the tragic fate of her son and grandchildren? Could she not help them?

1881 Census:

In 1884, when Mary was eighty-four, her husband Thomas passed away, aged eighty-eight, in West Down. He was buried on 12th May 1884 in West Down.

Two years later, in 1886, Mary herself passed away. She was buried on 4th November 1886 in Ilfracombe.

Great x4 Grandfather Thomas Yeo

My Great x4 Grandfather Thomas (1795 - 1884) was a husbandman, farm labourer, gardener, and father of seven.

Thomas Yeo was born around 1795 in Atherington, Devon, to John Yeo (?) and Elizabeth Yeo (nee Punchard) (26).

Thomas was baptised on 1st December 1795 in Atherington.

Thomas was the second of three sons:

• John  1793 - 
• Thomas  1795 - 
• James  1799 -

On 31st August 1822, Thomas (26), a farm labourer, married Mary Manning (22), a dressmaker, in West Down, which is about fifteen miles north of Thomas' native Atherington. Mary was about five months pregnant when she married.

Thomas and Mary would have seven children (four sons and three daughters):

• James 1822 - 
• William  1825 -
• Marianne 1827 - 1838 (10 years old)
• Emma  1830 -
• Thomas  1832 -
• George  1834 - 1873 (39 years old)
• Ann  1836 - 

All seven were born in West Down.

Sadly their eldest daughter Marianne passed away aged only ten, in 1838, in West Down.

1841 Census:

1851 Census:

From the 1850's, Thomas' wife Mary lived and worked as a dressmaker in Ilfracombe, four miles north of West Down.

1861 Census:

Interestingly and lovingly, it seems Thomas took in his youngest daughter Anne's illegitimate son George.

In the 1860's, Thomas, his youngest daughter Ann and her son George moved to Ilfracombe. There they lived only a few streets away from Thomas' wife Mary.

1871 Census:

Photograph of Fore Street, Ilfracombe, c 1906

Painting of Fore Street, Ilfracombe
by Henry Bowser Wimbush (1906)

Thomas and his family lived there around 1870.

In late 1872 and 1873, tragic illness struck Thomas' son George and his family. First George's daughter Emily Ann passed away, aged only five, around November 1872; followed by George himself in January 1873, and George's wife Ann, around April 1874. Unless relatives or friends took them in, George and Ann's five surviving children (aged 0 to 9) would likely have ended up in the workhouse. Indeed, in the 1881 Census, their youngest daughters Ellen and Harriet can be found at the Okehampton Union Workhouse; whilst the older children are out living and working as servants on local farms. Did Thomas know about the tragic fate of his son and grandchildren? Could he not help them?

Whilst his young orphan grandchildren were in the workhouse, Thomas reunited with his wife Mary, and the couple, in their eighties, settle in Ilfracombe. Though elderly, they still worked - he as a gardener, and she as a laundress.

Interestingly, they were able to keep a servant. (Normally my ancestors are the servants)

1881 Census:

Thomas passed away aged eighty-eight, in 1884. He was buried on 12th May 1884 in West Down.

Great x3 Grandfather George Yeo

My great x3 grandfather George (1834 - 1873) was a farm servant, quarry labourer, and father of six.

George Yeo was born in 1834 in West Down, Devon, to Thomas Yeo (38), a husbandman and farm labourer, and Mary Yeo (nee Manning) (34), a dressmaker.

George was baptised on 2nd June 1834 in West Down.

George was the sixth of seven children:

• James  1822 -
• William  1825 -
• Marianne  1827 - 1838 (10 years old)
• Emma  1830 -
• Thomas  1832 -
• George  1834 -
• Anne  1836 -

All seven siblings were born in West Down.

In 1838, when George was three years old, her older sister Marianne alas passed away, aged ten, in West Down.

1841 Census:

As a teenager, George worked as a farm servant for the Menhinnit family in Braunton, which is about four miles south of his native West Down.

1851 Census:

On 26th March 1862, George (27), an agricultural labourer, married Ann Gliddon (24), a single mother of one, in Okehampton. They married in the presence of Ann's brother John Gliddon.

On their record of marriage, Ann left only her mark, but George was able to sign his name:

George Yeo's Signature, 1862

George and Ann had six children (one son and five daughters):

• Thomas 'Tom'  1863 - 1904  (40 or 41 years old)
• Mary 'Mary Anne' Gliddon  1864 - 1941  (76 years old)
• Emily Ann  1867 - 1872  (5 years old)
• Annie  1868 - 1948  (80 years old)
• Ellen  1869 - 1937  (68 years old)
• Harriet  1872 - 1893 (21 years old)

George and Ann lived with their young family at Chichacott Cross, Okehampton. There George worked as a quarry labourer.

1871 Census:

In the Western Times on 2nd December 1871, George was described as 'a poor man':

Sadly, in October or November 1872, George's second daughter Emily Ann passed away, aged only five years old. She was buried on 8th November 1872, in Okehampton.

About three months later, George himself passed away, aged thirty-nine, in early 1873, in Okehampton. He was buried on 30th January 1873, in Okehampton.

And about three months after that, George's wife Ann also passed away, aged thirty-three or thirty-four years old. She was buried on 30th April 1873, in Okehampton.

I wonder if they all succumbed to the same disease.

Unless relatives took them in, George and Ann's remaning five children (aged 0 to 9) would likely have ended up in the workhouse. Indeed, in the 1881 Census, George's youngest daughters Ellen and Harriet can be found at the Okehampton Union Workhouse.