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Ancestral Searches

January 2024

I’m at the early stages of researching my family and have just come across your amazing website.

As far as census records can help I’ve established that my great grandfather (on my mother’s side) - Mark Wiscombe - had a carpenters shop either in Marsh or Yarcombe in the 1860s and was also a wheelwright and coach & wagon builder.   I believe his own father (William Wiscombe) may have started this business.   There also seems to be a link somewhere with Sherborne where he may have lived previously.

Mark appears to have married a Jane Turner from Stockland in the 1860s with whom he had several children including Alben (my grandfather) - born in 1869 who went on to establish A & F Wiscombe (Builders) in Lyme Regis where he was also mayor for several years in the early 1900s.

Mark was born around 1805.

Specifically, I would appreciate any help you can offer with the following:

Many thanks,    Nick Raison

Peter Tarrant replies:   There are references to Wiscombe in Ancestral Search 23 and 37.

Steve Horner replies:   Nick, I hope the following information will set you on the trail of your ancestors. Mark Wiscombe was born 22nd June 1842 in Yarcombe.   His parents were William, 1808-1892 and Mary Ann Knight, 1813-1882. He married Jane Turner in Stockland in 1860.   In 1861 the family were living in Chapel Yard Yarcombe.   From the way the Census was composed it is almost certain this was part of the group of buildings adjacent to the Baptist Church which is situated on the A30 just above Crawley Bridge. 

At that time the family are recorded as: William Wiscombe aged 57, Farm Labourer;  Mary Wiscombe, 47; Mark, 19, Carpenter;  Rose, 16;  Joseph, 10; & James, 7. 

In the 1871 census Mark and his family had moved to Greenhill Stockland:  Mark, 28, Wheelwright;  Jane, 30;  Lucy, 9, born Stockland;  Walther, 5, born Stockland;  Alben, 2,  born Sherborne;  Frank, 3 mths, born Sherborne.   From this we can deduce Mark was a skilled craftsman who moved around to find work. 

Mark died 5th February 1890 and is buried in Lyme Regis.   My guess would be he moved with his family to Lyme Regis again in search of work, Lyme being a port of some importance at that time.   I can be almost categoric in stating there is no connection with Wiscombe Park. I hope this helps, there is certainly information on the web to help you go back further in time.

Nick Raison responds:   Thank you so much for taking the time to enlighten me.   It has helped enormously to have confirmation of my research so far, as a result of which I think I’m on much firmer ground.   I’m guessing that although Mark was a craftsman, most towns & villages at that time would have had their own forges/blacksmiths & wheelwrights, so he probably had little option but to look further afield. I’m also guessing that Sherborne was one of the larger towns where his skills may have been in demand.   Any particular reason for your certainty about a Wiscombe Park link??

Steve Horner replies:   It's a pleasure to be able to help you, please keep us informed of any further links you may find to Yarcombe.   I am never convinced there is a direct link between a surname and a place name unless it's back in the mists of time pre-1500.   From memory Wiscombe Park is a grand Victorian mansion that was built with Iron Founders' money. 

Nick Raison responds:   In your initial reply to my post you mentioned that the 1871 census showed that Mark (presumably with his family) had moved to Greenhill. Do you know or do your records show where this is and if it is - or was - a property or just a general area?   Any clarification appreciated. 

Steve Horner replies:   My apologies.   The 1871 census shows Mark and his family living in Greenhill Sherborne Dorset about 15 miles east of Yarcombe with his wife Jane, Lucy 9 born Stockland, Walter 5 born Stockland, Alban 2 born Stockland, and Frank aged 3 months born Sherborne.

The 1881 census shows he had moved back to Yarcombe and was living in the hamlet of Marsh with Alban 12 born Sherborne, Frank 10 born Sherborne, Lilly 7 born Sherborne, 5 born Yarcombe, Jessie 2 born Yarombe and Fred aged 5 months born Yarcombe.

From the above you can work out Mark and his family moved around this area.   I hope this helps.

Nick Raison comments:   Belated thanks for the clarification.   Mark seems to be more of a traveller than I thought … particularly lugging the whole family around with him.   I’m left wondering how he managed to be a wheelwright given such a nomadic lifestyle … or perhaps he was just a ‘jack of all trades’ as seems to have been the case with many people at the time trying to supplement meagre farm labour wages.   I’ve come across other articles suggesting that Nether Compton on the outskirts of Sherborne  seems to have been a bit of a training ground for wheelwrights & blacksmiths in the 1860s.


 

December 2023

I came across your fantastic website whilst researching my Spiller ancestors.   I was particularly taken by Ancestral Search 13, wherein Steve Horner describes the occupation of North Waterhayne Farm in the 17th century by Zachary Spiller and his family and also by Robert Spiller.   These are direct ancestors of mine on the maternal side of the family.   My grandmother was Elizabeth Spiller, born in South Shields on 16 October 1902.   She was the daughter of Oliver Jennings Spiller Jnr b 1858 at South Shields, and granddaughter of Oliver Jennings Spiller Snr b 1825 at Axmouth, Devon.   Oliver Jennings Spiller Snr was in the merchant navy and came to the north east in his twenties.   He obviously settled here and married Eleanor (Ellen) Mallaburn on 14 March 1854 at Christchurch, Tynemouth, Northumberland.   I have traced their ancestral line back to Robert Spiller, born May 1578 at Colyton, Devon who married one Margere Collier in 1604 at Yarcombe, and to his father John Spiller, born 1528 at Yarcombe – died 1582 at Yarcombe.

I was visiting near Exeter last week, with members of my family, and took the opportunity of visiting North Waterhayne Farm on the afternoon of 7th December with my son.   It was a very narrow window of opportunity to make the visit, and we had only a short time to spend as we had a flight to catch later that afternoon.   The weather was atrocious, with torrential rain and flooded roads, but undeterred, we found the farm and met the present tenant Jim.   What a splendid man he is!   He told us how the old house had accommodated evacuee children during the second world war and how the present tiled roof of the house had been erected directly on top of the thatched roof.

We then drove to Yarcombe and visited the wonderful church of St John the Baptist – again in torrential rain.   In the churchyard, just close to the side entrance of the church, my son Stephen spotted three headstones side by side of: Thomas Spiller, Robert Spiller and Robert Spiller.   We took photographs of the headstones and on returning home I did further research and found that the two Roberts were in fact father and son – both tenants of ‘Peterhayes Farm’ during the 19th century – they are both listed on various census returns.   The headstone of Thomas Spiller was difficult to read but I have since found a better and clearer image along with a transcription which someone fortuitously made some time ago.   Thomas was born in 1693 and died in 1783.   His wife was called Honor.   Thomas Spiller was the Great Grandfather and 2x Grt Grandfather of the two Roberts.   Although not direct ancestors of mine, they can be traced back to William Spiller (1614 -1663) and Joanne Warren (1617 -1658), both of Yarcombe, who are my direct ancestors and therefore there is a close family connection.

How truly wonderful to have been able to visit both a farm, where an ancestor once lived and worked, and a place (Yarcombe) where many of our Spiller ancestors also lived and worked.   All thanks to your superb website!   More power to your elbow!   Many thanks and very best regards,   Doug Oliver

Mike Morris comments:   Hi Doug, I am just finding my way around the Yarcombe.net site but noticed your post mentioning William & Joanne Spiller who I believe are also my direct ancestors, although I only had a tentative date for Joanne’s burial.   The Spillers married into the Knights (in at least two generations) and Ann Knight then married John Stone, my maternal gx3 grandfather.   Mike Morris (see Ancestral Search 95)

Mike Morris

November 2023

Hello.   My name is Kevin Ford and I had ancestors in Yarcombe - I was wondering if you may have any information, I would find interesting?   My great, great, great grandfather, William Wright (b. 1801) was married to Mary (Raddon) Dommett in Offwell in 1839.   Their son, Thomas Wright (b. 1840 Offwell) married to Mary Hutchins was Farmer & Inn Keeper at the Yarcombe Inn.   The 1871 census shows his occupation as Bailiff.   The 1891 census shows address as: 6 Fore Street, Yarcombe.   1871 census shows William Gill living with them - we don't know who he was.

Thomas and Mary had 2 children: Harry (Henry) Wright b. 1870 and Cora Polly Wright b. 1877.   Harry moved away at some point in time and became Inn Keeper at the Railway Hotel, Stoke st. Gregory, Somerset.   He had 3 children including my grandmother, Lilian May Wright b. 1905 at Stoke St. Gregory.   Cora married Robert William Wyatt in 1903 in Yarcombe and the 1911 census shows them living at Hillhouse, Yarcombe (at that time my grandmother, Lilian May was also living with them - she was 6 years old - we don't know why, and my mother was never told this).    Hope you can help!   Kind regards, Kevin Ford

Steve Horner replies:   Very many thanks for these fascinating additions to the history of our parish.   It would seem to me that your family history has been very well researched from William Wright born 1801, either by yourself or a close relative.   Clearly it is Thomas Wright who has a very close connection to Yarcombe.   In the 1881 census he was living with his wife Mary (nee Hutchins ) in the Yarcombe Inn with his children Harry and Cora Polly and his brother-in-law William Hutchins (widower) and niece Vida.   In the 1891 census he is recorded as living in Fore Street which as you will note from the Village Centre plan is a cottage just opposite the Yarcombe Inn.   In the 1901 and 1911 census he is back living in the Yarcombe Inn.   I feel certain you will have seen photos of this wonderful ancient building on our website.

You also mention Thomas' daughter Cora Polly b 1877 who married Robert Wyatt in 1903 and in the 1911 census you state they were living in Hill House Farm, although the census document does not state the name of the farm it is more than probably correct as the form does show the building had 10 rooms.   How do you know this name?   Probably family tradition perhaps?

Below are some historical details of Hill House Farm which you may find of interest.   This is taken from a most wonderful history of Yarcombe “From Monks to the Millennium“ written by Ruth Everitt an electronic copy of which may be purchased from Miranda Gudenian who is copied on this e-mail.

I hope these few details are helpful to you and I do hope you will continue to provide us with more details of your ancestors who lived in Yarcombe.

Kevin Ford writes:   Thanks so much for your quick response.   It was great to see everything you sent.   It all seems to match with my research so far - I have done a lot of research over the years - on that side of the family I haven't gotten back further than 1800 yet.   As Thomas and family had such a close and long connection to Yarcombe and the Yarcombe Inn I wonder if anyone in Yarcombe has more information or photos - that would be exciting!   Regarding Hill House Farm I have looked at my records again and frustratingly, I cannot find the mention of Hill House Farm which I'm sure I have seen written somewhere!   My mother says that Cora told her once that she lived on a farm, but not where it was located.

I have had a good look at yarcombe.net and was really interested to see all the postings.   I will certainly keep you up to date if I find any more information.

December 2023

Kevin Ford adds:   Hi again, I found this 1903 wedding announcement.

Steve Horner replies:   This all falls neatly into place.   The wedding notice dated May 1903 from the Exeter and Plymouth Gazette mentions Robert Wyatt of Pilhayne farm, in fact a misspelling of Pithayne Farm another farm about ½ mile outside the centre of the village also owned by the Yarcombe manor estate where Robert had a tenancy.   Thus by 1911 Robert and Polly must have taken the tenancy of Hill House farm which I believe was on a long leasehold from the Diocese of Exeter.

On our Yarcombe Inn page there are some old photos - one shows the estate tenants in 1900 outside the Yarcombe Inn and lists Sam Wyatt of Pithayne.

On our Village Hall page there is mention of a Tom Wyatt a local farmer and driving force to build the hall.

I hope this helps - a few more connections for you to follow up.   Keep in contact.

Kevin Ford replies:   Thanks for that. Very interesting to see both Robert and Sam in the photo.  Samuel Bertie Wyatt was Robert's brother.  The 1901 Census records Sam as 20 years old and assistant on the farm at Little Pithayne.

 

October 2023

I’m trying to get hold of a copy of From monks to the millennium.   Wondering if you can help me?   I have a particular interest in the Beer family circa 1800 to 1900.   Many thanks,   Phil Read

Peter Tarrant writes:   See the History page on how to order a copy of Ruth Everitt's book.   If you would like us to carry out any research for you please let us know.
 

October 2023

I am investigating my family history and have found the Yarcombe village website very helpful in my search for the Loosemore, Byrne and Lenthall families who are my direct ancestors on my maternal Grandmother’s side.    My partner and I visited Yarcombe last year.   I am interested in how you may be able to help me obtain a copy of the Monks to the Millenium ebook?   I’m sure it will be an interesting read and will provide some great background for my family research!   Best wishes and kind regards,   Nancy Wright

Peter Tarrant writes:   See the History page on how to order a copy of Ruth Everitt's book.   If you would like us to carry out any research for you please let us know.

October 2023

Dear Admin, I wonder if someone can help.   About 20 years ago I visited Yarcombe with my late mother in law.   Her Grandfather, Arthur Trott (born about 1862), was born in Yarcombe, the son of Thomas Trott and Sarah (nee Pike).   We signed the visitors book in the church and explored the churchyard.   I wonder if the visitors book from the early 2000s still exists?   If so is it possible that someone could kindly photograph our entries?   My mother in law would have signed herself Mrs G Edgar with an address in Burnham on Sea.   I can`t recall if we found any Trott headstones in the churchyard.   Is there a list of them available?

Following our visit we were contacted by a distant cousin who had seen the entries and since then a great deal has come to light about Arthur's later life;  Policeman, Publican, Sales Rep and more.   Thanks for any help.   Regards,  Les Herbert - Romsey , Hampshire

Steve Horner replies:   Thank you so much for visiting yarcombe.net website and our Ancestral Searches page.   From the small amount of information that you have provided to us I am having difficulty in connecting your Trott/Pike ancestors to our records especially the census records, certainly Trott and Pike are local names.  We would certainly like to record more about Arthur and his family whom it would appear were born in our parish, and thus if you can supply as many details as possible we would be grateful.   As for graves, I looked at the burial records (there is a link at the top of this page) and found two possible :   Sarah Trott 1828 - 24 May 1888,   Thomas Trott 1829 -18 January 1907.   I look forward to hearing from you.

Les Herbert writes:   Thanks for your very prompt response.   On reflection I realise I should have put more detail in my query so apologies.   The detailed work has been done by my sister-in-law and in outline she has the following.   She starts with William and his wife Grace (married 1772) and then their son James (b Dec 1782).   These were the Baptist Trotts.   James and his wife Ann had son Thomas (b 1829) and in 1871 Thomas and Sarah were at Brick Cottage, Beacon (now named Linton).   Their two eldest children were born at Chardstock, 5 more born at Upottery and Sydney at Yarcombe.   Also a granddaughter Laura born Yarcombe. In 1881 the family were at Tilery Cottage, Yarcombe.   Arthur was now a policeman in London and married Annie Stevens later in 1881. Things then get complicated!

Steve Horner adds:   I now have a real rock solid connection to Yarcombe.   Thomas Trott born 1829 was the estate builder whose trade was a mason.   In the book From Monks to the Millennium Ruth Everitt mentions Thomas built The Belfry, our village school, in 1870 and he also built for himself Tilery cottage now called Hillside and interestingly in 189x and 1896 he repaired the lime kilns here at Woodhayne where I now live.

His life immediately springs into focus.   In the 1841 census Thomas was a boy aged 10 living with his parents Thomas (b c 1782) and Ann at Newcott just across the parish boundary in Upottery, his father Thomas was also a mason.   In 1851 Thomas jnr. was living in Chardstock with his wife Sarah (nee Pike) with their first born son William, his place of birth being recorded as Yarcombe, and Sarah was born in the adjoining parish of Whitestaunton.   In 1861 the family was now back living at Newcott in Upottery , this time as the head of the family, and Arthur was a boy aged 5 having been born in Upottery parish.   In 1871 as you mention Thomas and his extensive family including Arthur who is shown as a scholar from which I conclude he did not leave school at the age of 14.   In 1881 the family were living in Tillery cottage Yarcombe which I believe he built himself.   In 1891 Thomas was still living at Tillery cottage although by this time he is married to Mary aged 47 so sadly Sarah his first wife must have passed away in the intervening period.
 

I have also fund that in 1861 Thomas Trott senior and his wife Ann were living at Lower Newcott so perhaps a new house was built close by as a home for the elderly parents.   I am almost certain Thomas passed away on 18th January 1907 and is buried in the churchyard of St John The Baptist church Yarcombe.   James Trott senior b 1783 died 16 October 1863 and his wife Ann Knight Trott b 1786 and died 5th July 1870 are buried at the Baptist Church Yarcombe where their headstone can still be viewed (right).

I hope this helps to fill in some more detail about your family and their connections to this parish, I do hope you can provide more details to this site for others who may have family connections to read in future years.
 

August 2023

Hello, I am newly researching the Bellet/Billet family in Yarcombe and in particular Joseph Ballet, born 1684 in Exeter who married Susannah Omsley/Owsley in Yarcombe in 1716 and then had children with her in Yarcombe.   The children’s names were: Joseph b.1725 (who went on to marry Elizabeth Stevens in Tiverton), Katherine b.26th May 1717, Anne b.1719 both born in Yarcombe and lastly Jane who was b.1720 in Upottery.

A Joseph Billet is listed on the Land Tax Registry as paying tax on land owned by Mr Heath and Mr Tuckfield Esq in 1798 and they may be related?   I note that Billet and Ballet feature in the graveyard in Yarcombe including two Josephs.   Can you tell me anything about this family?   Joseph senior is my 6th Great Grandfather through my paternal line.   I have recently moved to Devon so this is an exciting find for me.   Many thanks for your attention,     Anna Gregory     Lockhart Farm

Steve Horner replies:   A most interesting enquiry, perhaps I can add a few more details to your quest for your ancestors.   We are fortunate in that there is a very detailed case inn The Chancery division of the High Court dated 1600 Drake vs Major.   This case details each person, and the name of the property, who are liable to pay tithes in the entire Parish.   This document does not list the name Billet or Bellet.

The church rate of 30th October 1707 mentions Joseph Billet due to pay 3 pence, one of the smallest amounts shown on the list so we can assume Joseph Billet was a man of very modest means.  Incidentally how do you connect Bellet with Billet in your lineage?   You mention you have noted Joseph Billett paid a Land Tax in 1798 to Mr Heath and Mr Tuckfield.   If you have a copy of this document i would very much like to add it to my collection please.

Just to recap, you mention your Joseph Billet b Exeter 1684 married Susannah Owsley in Yarcombe in 1716, I note a burial of a Susannah Billet Widow on 18 November 1770 in our burial records so this seems to fit.   There is also a burial of Joseph Billet snr on 12th June 1709, perhaps the father of your Joseph Billet b Exeter B 1684?

I have looked up both names in our standard parish history “From Monks to the Millennium“, sadly there is no record of these names contained therein.   I hope this helps you, please keep in contact and fill in more details for our own knowledge as you find them.

August 2023

My goodness what an amazing site this is.   I have just spent the afternoon reading through the enquiries and the comprehensive help afforded them.   My own enquiry comes after a somewhat surprise.   My paternal grandfather’s family were an enigma to our family until I began research a few years ago.   Having now retired I have taken up the reins again in an effort to find the parentage of my two times great grandfather Jacob Lock.   I know all of his movements around Churchstanton, Monkton etc.   (He was a dairyman.)   I have copies of his marriage to Ann Quick at Upottery and then I requested a copy death certificate.   I found that he had died at Yarcombe (Beacons?) in 1890 and that the informant was a brother Samuel Lock who lived at Sparks cottage Yarcombe.   This is the first I had heard of a brother who it was said was born at Yarcombe.   (My 2 xs Great G lists his birthplace as Churchstanton.)   Indeed he was buried at Churchstanton.   I write in the hope that there is someone who is also researching the Lock family from the area and would be grateful for any information which might help.   Sue Williams

Steve Horner replies:   I have spent a little time looking at the records, I picked up the fact that Jacob Lock was buried in Churchstanton on 31st October 1890 aged 73, giving his year of birth as 1817.   From his marriage to Ann Quick in Upottery I was able to find his father`s name as William and given you mention Jacob's brother's name was Samuel I was able to find the family living in Yarcombe Stopgate Yarcombe in the 1841 census.   (Stopgate is on the junction of the B3170 and A303.)   In the 1851 census William is still living at Stopgate aged 66 so he was born in 1785 at Symondsbury Dorset near Bridport.   The records also indicate William married Elizabeth Trott on 31st March 1812 in Yarcombe.   I would be interested to see the death certificate of Jacob and the Connection to the Beacon Yarcombe.   I hope this helps.

Sue Williams writes:   Thank you Steve.   A very prompt and thorough reply.   Yes these are the conclusions I drew from his marriage cert and his death cert, which gave me Samuel as a brother  (informant).   I saw Samuel’s father was also a William and started to make tentative links.   I have Jacob on the 1841 census as living in Upottery on Langbridge Farm owned by the Cooks.   He was older than Samuel so obviously moved out of the family home by 1841 sadly or I would have found my link on the 1841 Yarcombe entry.   I think I need to try to trace William and Elizabeth marriage and search baptisms from where the first settled.   I just need that definitive link although things are looming far less bleak than before I obtained his death certificate (below).    Thank you very much for your help massively appreciated.

Steve Horner replies:   He was living at Stopgate Cottage in 1871 census, The Beacon covers a wide area.   The info I've provided all fits into a pattern and makes sense.   I subsequently traced the baptism of William Lock, 12th August 1787 in Symondsbury, his parents were John and Ann.   The 1841 Yarcombe census is difficult to interpret, however I am certain my reading is correct.   There is no record of a Lock burial in Yarcombe which seems odd, William does not have a wife recorded at his home so I can only assume his wife Elizabeth died between the date of their marriage and 1841.   I am certain this will be a breakthrough you need.   Good hunting!

Sue Williams writes:   Yes, the 1841 census is indeed difficult but at least I can now see a sister Charlotte etc even if Jacob isn't there.   So lots of new leads.   Thank you so very much for all your patience and effort Steve.   Your very generous help enables people to make sense of their past and in some cases I’m sure, inform their future.

Steve Horner replies:   Thanks, please keep us posted if you are able to uncover more of your family history.   It is very gratifying to learn we have been of some help, in certain instances we try our best and never receive a response or a note of thanks.   Asi es la vida.

Sue Williams writes:   You are a star!   By convincing me to keep researching in the area I was all but writing off, I have found the link I heeded to ascertain the next generation on my paternal Grandfather Jacob Lock’s line.   It was a process of long elimination as always, but with finding the family links to Beacon and Sparks Cottage 1871/1881 I am happy that that was why my 2x’s GG died there in 1890.    Don’t you just love those eureka moments?   It has,as always, raised many more questions which my nosey disposition needs the answers to but hey … that’s the draw of ancestral research of course.   Sorry Yarcombe, a dizzy old blond woman will be yomping quietly around your lovely village soon.   Initially to see the places I now feel I have a link to and also in homage to a dear friend whom I have recently lost.   Her father was head of Yarcombe Primary school for many years.   Thank you once again.

Steve Horner replies:   Delighted to have been of assistance.   Please let us know when you are coming to see the land of your Fathers, perhaps we can add some more to your family history.   I have some information about Spark`s Cottage now called Heavens Mouth if you so require.   Oh and by the way please let us have some more information about the man who was head of Yarcombe school for many years.


 

August 2023

Hello,  I have been searching for the burial place of my grandfather William Garland Hicks.  He was born 1877 in Southill, near Liskeard in Cornwall.   He moved to a farm in Brixham in about 1937 after his wife died.   His final address is Queen Street in Honiton (according to the death certificate) and he died in Honiton hospital 24th November in 1960.   We know he is not buried in Honiton or Yarcombe C of E church but a family member can remember going to a funeral in Marsh.   Someone has suggested that there was a Baptist church in Marsh in 1960 although it may have since been converted to a private house?

The mystery deepens and I’m lost as to why he has any connection to Marsh; possibly he lived there before moving in to Honiton?   Or perhaps there were other Hicks in the area (he was a farmer by background).   I can’t seem to find any reason for him to be in Honiton or Marsh.   So any clues as to why he might have had a funeral in Marsh would be great and also, if the funeral service was in Marsh but perhaps no graveyard; where would he have been buried?   Thank you for any information.   Dawn Ogilvie

Steve Horner replies:   Unfortunately I am not certain we can help much.   There is no record of a burial of William Garland Hicks in either the Yarcombe church or chapel burial grounds.   There was a chapel in Marsh which closed in the 1970s, I asked Thelma about this and she referred the matter to the trustees as she seems to have been “de-platformed” from the Baptist chapel.

 

August 2023

I am researching my great great grandmother who was born Elizabeth Sparke/Sparkes born in Yarcombe about 1838.   I am trying to find out who her parents were.   In 1851 she was working as a servant at Crawley Farm Membury for the Bond family.   Many thanks if anyone can help,   Julie Perry

Peter Tarrant reports:   Julie, I hope you will connect here to see this message as we are unable to reply to you via the email address you used.   The problem seems to be linked to a known error which corrupts the email address we see for you, perhaps owing to an error in your email settings (see here).   If you can't fix it you can continue to send emails to us in the same way but will have to come back to this page to see our replies.   Alternatively use a different email address, or include your email address somewhere in the text (without the @ sign) and we may be able to get around the problem manually.

Steve Horner replies:   Can you give me some more information please?   I think i have picked up your Elizabeth Sparks in the 1861 census living in Sidbury as a servant.   I cannot find her in the 1851 census, can you give me any more details was she a servant?

Crawley farm is very close to the border of Yarcombe it lies in the parish of Membury Devon.   Have you looked at the burial records of Yarcombe?   There is a link on this page (above).   There are a whole host of the Sparks family buried in our churchyard.

One clue perhaps, there is a Susan Sparke died 6th January 1839 aged 25, perhaps Elizabeth`s mother who died when Elizabeth was aged one and she was shipped out to live at Crawley farm??   Just an idea !
 

May 2023

Looking for information from 1841 Census on The COOKE family.   ELIZABETH COOKE, head of household, widow, age 45, farmer of 60 acres, Yarcombe, Devon.  Questions: Would anyone know who her deceased husband was?   Was sixty acres considered a large farm?   Her maiden name?   I would appreciate any help.   Actually anything on any of this family.        Marcia Ladd

Steve Horner replies:   Marcia, I have had a quick look at your enquiry and so far I have drawn a blank.   I cannot find Elizabeth Cooke in 1841 census records for Yarcombe.   Can you send me a screen print or a copy of the entry please or perhaps more details of those living at the same address?   I looked at The Tithe Schedule of 1832 and there is no record of a Cooke on that, and finally a look at our burials and again there is no mention of Elizabeth Cooke.   Thus to progress this I need some more details please.   I guess you must be related to one of her children in which case I may be able to help if you provide me with full details of that person.

 

April 2023

Hello - Happened on your website whilst searching for some answers which I am hoping you may be able to help me with?   Trying to establish a marriage between Brigitt Dabinott & Peter Sopper/Soper/Soaper.   Brigitt was baptised 31st March 1560 Yarcombe, daughter of Thomas Dabinott and Rawlin Mansfield.   Copy of Baptism below.

I have found a record which I believe is a second marriage for Brigitt with William Tucker Yarcombe 25th Jan 1590.   I also have entry for apparently birth of a daughter Joane Sopper 1585 Widworthy to a Peter Sopper & Bridgett?   Also a marriage of said Joane to Robert Moore 1609.   Daughter that union Ann More marriage Branscombe 1624 to Richard Bartlet.   Richard Bartlet baptism Yarcombe 1596.

Below is bit of a hop potch of names, dates and places.   Would appreciate any help in finding the marriage of Brigitt to Peter.   Other researchers have shown Brigitt as dying as a child (no dates), I have looked and cannot establish a death date.

Regards,    John George,    Bethlehem, Tauranga, New Zealand

Steve Horner writes:   John, you certainly have been working hard on your ancestor Brigitt Dabinot who was baptised in our Church way back in the reign of Queen Elizabeth.   Have you looked at our burial records - see link at the start of this page - for some of the names you mention.   These records are we believe complete and accurate.   If you do have success please let us know so we can record this for others on our site.   Good luck.
 

March 2023

Good day, I would like to enquire if the Newberry family from Yarcombe were connected to the Newberry's in Stockland?   My 6th great grandfather was Joel Newberry 1684-1741, from Stockland married to Elizabeth Knowles.   I have his father as John Newberry 1644-1717 married to Elionor Troke, but I am not sure if this is correct, unfortunately I am struggling to find the father of John, that is why I am wondering if there was some connection to Yarcombe.    Any assistance will be appreciated.   Kind regards,    Sharleen Nell      South Africa

Steve Horner writes:   I have read your enquiry with great interest and can confirm with certainty that the Newbery family from Yarcombe were undoubtedly connected to the Newbery family you mention from Stockland, in fact i would venture to say the Yarcombe Newberys were the more established.

The Newbery family all lived and owned property in the southern end of our parish which is adjacent to the parish of Stockland.   Elsewhere on the website you will find much information about the Newbery family, use your browser function (ctl+f) to search.   I would also recommend you obtain a copy of Ruth Everitt`s local history “From Monks to the Millennium” an electronic version of which may be purchased from Miranda Gudenian.

Please let me know if I can assist further and in any event please tell us if you do establish a connection with our parish which we can then record for others to find.

Sharleen Nell replies:   Thank you for your reply to my query, it is great to hear that the two families are connected.   I have read the information on the website regarding the Newbery family and found all the comments very informative.   I have just two more questions please, if you can advise:

Steve Horner adds:   Sharleen, I have copied Bryan Drew who is the local historian who covers Stockland who may be able to help you.   First lets try and work on the “Will “ again.   In fact this document is a form of Bond or Obligation, dated 6th March 1741, which requires the three named parties, John Newbury of Combe Raleigh, Gideon Blake of Honiton and James and Samuel Roach of Honiton for the sum of £200.00 to someone called Carew Reynold???   Where did you find this document? Is there a Will attached?   In the bottom left of the document it mentions the Will of Joel Newbery annexed grants administration of the will of Joel Newbury to john Newbury for the use of James Newbury, (son of said Joel) during his minority.   Thus to answer your query James Newbury is the son of Joel.   The obligation also confirms Joel is “late of Stockland” but this runs contrary to your statement that “Joe; Newbery's one son.   Do you mean Joel only had one son?   I am not certain how John Newbery is related to Joel and James.

Turning to your second point for which you have provided copies of the marriage records of Stockland, I do not know the reason for the use of an alias Gough, we have a similar example in the records of Yarcombe.

I hope this is helpful , please keep the discourse going - it all adds to our local knowledge.

Peter Tarrant comments:   The following entry from David Wilton was posted to Ancestral Search 59 which also contains information on the Newberry family:

David Wilton adds:   Pic from ‘Ancestors of American Presidents’ showing Thomas is the ancestor of Presidents Hayes and Ford.   Although the Bushes are related to Hayes, Ford, Bess Truman and Nancy Regan it is through multiple other descents, not the Newberrys.

David Wilton says:   Steve, I found this on line.   No idea how accurate all the claimed descendants are:

Bryan Drew writes:   Steve, I cannot find the email of the latest one regarding the Newbery family and the link to the U.S.   I have Joel Newbery from Stockland that you sent 5th April 23 but can’t find a later email.   Perhaps you would send it again.   I have given a Gwyn Summerhayes your email who is looking for his early ancestors from Yarcombe in 1500s.   Thanks, Bryan

Steve Horner replies:   When I visited your excellent exhibition in Stockland church in March 2024 I noticed that you had Newberry Wills on display in a large binder.   One listed was:- Richard 1627 The Elder.   I am not quite certain how he fits into the tree.   In the Court pleadings Drake vs Major of 1600 there are two  mentions of Richard Newberie, one occupied Powdhill (near Lower Pithayne ) and the other Haye farm.   Hopefully someone sometime may be able to draw all this information together.



 

March 2023

I feel very fortunate that I have found your website for family connections in Yarcombe.   In early June, 2023 I am planning to travel to England from the U.S. for a 4 night stay in Yarcombe to explore your beautiful town where my family originated.   I am wondering if anyone has information on my Yarcombe family listed below?   If you possibly know if any of the family homes still exist, I am interested in learning their location in Yarcombe so I could possibly view them from the street. (I promise I will not disturb the current residents).   Thank you for any information you can provide. Family names are:

I am not sure if you also have information for ancestors in Honiton but I am also interested in my following Honiton family:

Again, thank you so much for any information you can provide,   James Lauman    Fort Myers, Florida USA

Steve Horner writes:   This is going to be a tough assignment, I may be able to assist with your ancestors who lived in Yarcombe, I had a quick look at two documents I have here in my office a list of Tithes paid in 1600 and 1707 and none of the names you mention are listed; that is not to say they didn’t live in the Parish, it just indicates that they were not wealthy enough to have a holding of land on which to pay tithes.   I would certainly recommend you obtain a copy of Ruth Everitt`s history of the parish “ From Monks to the Millennium” an electronic version may be purchased from Miranda Gudenian.  The names Loosemore and Trott are mentioned therein.

Whilst you are in this part of Devon I recommend you visit the West Country Studies library which is situated in Exeter about 30 minutes drive from Yarcombe, it will be worthwhile contacting this library which has a huge store of local documents in advance and explain what you are looking for and perhaps make an appointment to visit this library.

I regret i cannot help with your ancestors who are connected with Honiton.   In the meanwhile if you can give me more details of your relatives, their spouse offspring or siblings and the dates of birth etc this may produce a further connection for me.

James Lauman replies:   Thank you so much for your insight into my ancient family in Yarcombe.   Since my original communiqué with you, I have discovered that my Trott family goes back even further in Yarcombe.   I have taken note that the names Loosemore and Trott are mentioned in Ruth Everitt’s book. It would appear that Beatrix Trott, born about May, 1709, was raised possibly by her parents Robert Trott b:13 April, 1675 and d: 1737 in Yarcombe.   Her mother, Susanna “Tratt” b: about 1675 and d: 5 June, 1712 both in Yarcombe.   It would appear from later generations of Trott family that they moved to the Axminster area in the middle of the 1700’s, possibly when the carpet industry blossomed in Axminster?   I don’t know…. Question: was it common for families to live in Yarcombe for long periods of time in the 1600’s and 1700’s without being property owners?   Very intriguing.

As for additional information, the only other connections I have to Yarcombe is Joseph Loosemore 1686 to 1734, father of John Loosemore 1730-1815 in Yarcombe.   John Loosemore married Ann Lenthall 1736 to 1815.   In years thereafter, it appears that the offspring of these families moved to Axminster and then one of them moved to America around 1874 as a child and that would be my Great Grandfather Rueben Higerty.   Unfortunately, I don’t have any additional information on their siblings, etc.

Thank you again for your work on this. I am extremely excited to come to Yarcombe in June and at least visit your beautiful area.   All the best, James Lauman – Fort Myers, Florida, USA.

Steve Horner adds:   You seem to have made excellent progress with tracing your ancestors from Yarcombe.   I believe it is fair to say that before the railways and motor cars, country folk did not move far from their birthplace, perhaps to an adjoining parish usually for reasons of marriage.

There is still a Tratt family hereabouts , I believe around Chard which is a small town about 5 miles distant from Yarcombe.   You correctly surmise about the carpet industry in Axminster which started in the mid seventeen hundreds and may have attracted local people to work in the factory in that town.

Please keep in contact - we are delighted that you have provided our web site with feedback, so often we get an enquiry to which we reply and then the trail goes dead!

James Lauman adds:   I just wanted to send you a quick update.   We arrived in Yarcombe yesterday and I can truly see why my ancestors stayed here for centuries.   What a beautiful village!   Thank you so very much for sharing the information previously.   It will be fun exploring the area.   All the best.

Steve Horner replies:   Thanks for the kind words.   I have been away this week - sorry to have missed you.   If you do find any more information about your Yarcombe ancestors please let me know.
 

March 2023

Hello from the USA.   I am hoping if anyone could add to my family history.   William H (F?) Symes was born July 10 1856 (my paternal great great grandfather) married Anna White born in Winston Summersetshire June 28, 1858.   William married Anna 1878?.   Found a document in Missouri USA BIRTH REGISTRY STATING WILLIAM WAS FROM YOUCUNBS ENGLAND - assuming it was a typo and they meant Yarcombe - oral family history stated we came from WALES.   William and Anna immigrated in either 1882 or 1885 and settled in Mulberry Kansas USA close to Missouri USA.   Wondering if anyone could help with Williams parents/siblings?       Thanks,   Susan Timko

Peter Tarrant responds:   Hello Susan, Symes is a well-know surname in Yarcombe and is referenced a dozen times in Ruth Everitt's book, "From Monks to the Millennium".   I believe it was Joy Symes who participated in village skittles matches at The Yarcombe Inn and was in my team some 25 years ago when I first moved here.   There is a strong connection to the furniture industry with Joy's son Martin working since 1973 as a Wheelwright (see his website Wheelwright & Woodturner).  I am sure more knowledgeable residents will be able to add more for you.

Susan Timko replies:   Such a quick reply.   Sometimes during genealogical research one finds disturbing news - hopefully any additions to the tree are pleasant.   Thank you!   Yes the Symes surname is quite common over the pond as they say.   Most of my ancestors worked in the coal mines in the states of Missouri, Kansas and Pennsylvania.   My great, great Grandmother's memorial  record states Anna (White) Symes was born June 28, 1858 in Winston Summersetshire.   I cannot find such a location with my internet searches.    Any help?

Peter Tarrant responds:   There is a Wincanton in Somerset.   Otherwise Winston, Wiston etc may yield Google results.

Steve Horner writes:   I will try to help you, however I have a question.   You seem to be very certain of the dates your ancestors were born.   My own data base which is very comprehensive finds no trace of the dates matching the names, can you tell me the source of your information please and give me any other clues that you may have.   Usually family verbal tradition is usually correct and it may be your family are from Wales although the use of England is confusing.   There are many villages in Wales whose name commences with Y.   I look forward to hearing from you.

August 2023

Susan Timko replies:   Hello again.   The dates of birth are on gravestone in Missouri USA and within the US census.   My great great grandmother that married William Sykes was born June 28, 1858 and through further sleuthing have found out she was born in Winsham.   Anna's date of birth: June 28, 1858.
Thanks!

Steve Horner writes:   Susan, I was delighted to read you had solved your query:  Winsham Somerset.   Persistence pays off.

October 2023

Susan Timko adds:   Update - Ancestor-William Symes (age 2) 1861 census - Mother Maria Symes (age 38) Residence Note: Marsh Birth Year 1823 Occupation Cottager Widowed had three other children Anna Symes Birth year 1851, James Birth Year 1852 and Sarah Ann Symes Birth Year 1853.   I am still looking for ancestors in Yarcombe or burial records. Help appreciated.

Steve Horner writes:   I have picked up Maria Symes (b 1823) in the 1851 census when she was living in Marsh, a hamlet in the parish of Yarcombe, with her three children Anna 1851, James 1852, Sarah Ann 1853 she was born in the nearby parish of Combe St Nicolas.   In the 1851 census she is living in the centre of the village of Yarcombe with her husband John aged 28 who was born in Chardstock just across the county boundary.   From our burial records I find John died on 6th January 1861, NB the 1861 census was taken on 6th April 1861.   I find her son James Symes in the 1871 census working at Foxenholes Farm Yarcombe and then in the 1881 census he is living in Winsham with his wife Ellen aged 33.   Given the connection to Winsham I hope this helps, however please come back to us with any further information you may uncover.

Susan Timko adds:   Thanks Steve.   The burial records you have for John, could you please specify where he is buried?   Any cause of death?   Any surrounding burials of Symes at his gravesite?   It appears at this time John may have been born out of wedlock from Chardstock Dorset parish records.   William Symes my g g grandfather was in the 1861 census.

Steve Horner writes:   I found the burial of John died 6th January 1861 in Find a Grave which record I know is based on the Burial records of St John the Baptist church Yarcombe.   I helped compile these.   I have a glitch in my database which will not give me access to our burial records at present.

The stone in this part of Devon is very soft and not many grave stones from that era have survived.   I started my research with Maria Symes in the 1861 census living with her family in Marsh whom you mention.   But in the 1851 census Maria Symes was married to John living in Yarcombe.   I have found a William Frederick Symes in the Kansas census of 1900 and 1910 married to Annie (nee White ).   They seem to have been married in about 1880 in Hackney London possibly Q1 1880.  I strongly suspect there is a connection to a baptism record I found of Ethel Elizabeth Symes born 11th April 1881 baptised May 15th 1881 in Hackney London.   This name Ethel Elizabeth Symes appears in the 1881 with her mother Annie as guest in Crow Foot Lane Chard which is about 5 miles from Yarcombe.

I hope this helps I would be pleased to follow up for you once you have analysed the above information.

Steve Horner adds:   Apologies- I may have confused you, I was tracking James son of Maria.   Yes in the 1861 census Maria was living in Marsh with her 4 children, Anne10, James 9, Sarah Ann 8, William 2.   William is certainly your William Frederick Symes.   I am now certain William Frederick Syme married Annie White in Q1 of 1880 Stepney London to gain physical proof of this you will need to apply for the marriage certificate which will show parents’ names.   In the 1881 census Willaim Frederick Symes was living at 50 College Street Stepney aged 25 married, born Yarcombe.

On the date of the 1881 census his wife Annie (born Winsham) was living in Crow Foot Street Chard as a lodger with Sarah Hilditch aged 72 a widow with her daughter Ethel Elizabeth Symes aged I month (right).

Ethel Elizabeth Symes was born in the Chard registration district on 11th April 1881 and baptised on May 15th 1881 in Hackney London daughter of Annie and William Frederick Symes (baptismal certificate right).   I have no idea why Annie was visiting this area at the time of the birth of her daughter.

Thus reverting to your previous message we know Maria Symes lived in Yarcombe although she was born in Combe St Nicholas.   She was married to John Symes died 6th January 1861 born 1824 in Chardstock.   Her son William Frederick Symes was born in Yarcombe.

That seems to me to be the end of any other direct connections to your tree although as mentioned earlier there are still members of the Symes family here in Yarcombe; however we still have the mystery as to why Ethel Elizabeth was born in nearby Chard.   Please keep in contact.

Susan Timko writes:   So kind of you to be diligent.   Genealogy slowly unfolds.   Annie Symes was living in Crow Foot with her aunt Sarah Hiditch whose maiden name was Larcombe - found this out by joining Winston Somertshire Facebook group since Annie White Symes funeral memorial service program stated she was born there-not Winsham.   I will be planning on visiting the area of Yarcombe in the future!

Steve Horner replies:   It's been a pleasure working with you and helping you record for posterity part of the history of our parish.   Yours is a fascinating family history, times must have been hard for Annie and William Frederick Symes, they must have decided to head west and set sail for the new world to find employment in the coal fields of Kansas, again very hard work ,they seem to have succeeded!

Let us know when you plan a trip perhaps we can show you parts of our wonderful countryside.   I have copied Miranda Gudenian the Editor of our parish magazine which is called Yarcombe Voices.   Keep working at your family tree and please keep us informed of any new discoveries.
 

February 2023

I was thrilled to come across your website in my family history research.   What a wonderful resource.   I am a descendant of William Spiller (details unknown) and Mary Knight (c. 1792) (m. 1814) and their son John (b. 1816) of Yarcombe.   I would love any information on the families (particularly going further back), what records are available, and any relatives still living locally.   Anything at all really!   I hope to visit from Australia in May/June.   Thanks,     Sheila Egan (nee Spiller)

Peter Tarrant responds:   Hello Sheila, There are very many Spiller & Knight references throughout the Ancestral Searches on this page and in Ruth Everitt's book, "From Monks to the Millennium".   I suggest you use your browser's find function (ctl+f) to locate these entries to see if enough existing information can be found for you.   Steve Horner may be able to add more.

Sheila Egan adds:   Further to my previous post I have now received a copy of Ruth Everitt’s book (thank you Miranda) and have been able to read through the many posts about Spillers on these pages.   I am particularly interested in the mention of a tree on the wall of the Bishopswood village hall (Ancestral Search 21) and wonder is this still exists (or photos) and if it is possible to view it?   I will be in the UK, and more specifically Yarcombe, in early June.    I have so far come to a dead end in my Spiller family research at William Spiller (m. Mary Knight 11 May 1814) but have had more luck with the Knight family - although I feel it possible to consider all from the Yarcombe area as family such were the connections between families.     Thank you     Sheila Egan (nee Spiller)

Steve Horner comments:   Sheila, The family tree to which you refer almost covers one wall of the Otterford Parish hall, it is a masterpiece.   I have used this wall chart as a source for the Willie family tree, because the Willie family owned the house, where I now live, in the late 1700s.   Please see photos below which make mention of the Spiller family and the compiler Graham Davis.

Keys to the village hall may be obtained form Mike Canham who has been passed details.   If you can give me some more expanded detail of the Spiller family I can have a quick look if and when I next pass the hall.

Incidentally you may have more luck with the Knight family - a lady called Jane Chislett has carried out a huge amount of work on the Knight family of Yarcombe.   Her researches go right back to the Manor Court Rolls at the time of Queen Elizabeth, a search of this AS web site will probably prove worthwhile.   I hope this is helpful.

Sheila Egan reports:   I have only just resumed my family history research after an absence of many years in conjunction with planning a somewhat unexpected trip to the UK.   The availability of resources online has increased enormously and my knowledge of what is available and where to look is limited.

I have worked backwards and am confident that my GGG Grandfather John Spiller was from Yarcombe but eventually settled on Guernsey and his son, William, came to Australia.   William has left somewhat confusing information mostly referring to coming from Somersetshire but on his death certificate Guernsey is mentioned enabling the Yarcombe connection to be made.   I’ve sent a direct lineage chart and a family sheet for John Spiller, see below.

I (and others who have supplied information) have made the assumption that John’s parents were William Spiller and Mary Knight who were married in Yarcombe on 11 May 1814 (interestingly one of the witnesses was Robert Willie).   This is as far as I have got with that branch of the Spiller family.   I suspect a process of elimination and educated guessing is required to go further.

I’ve been provided with extensive research on the Spiller family in Yarcombe which was compiled by Bruce Allen and refers to research by David Rogers but I have not been able to find where William may fit here.

From information supplied by others on the Knight family it seems there was another marriage between the families some generations further back (see document below).

I appreciate any further information or suggestions you may have and will look further into Jane Chislett’s Knight family research.   Thanks for your time.

Steve Horner comments:   Very many thanks for this carefully constructed research, at present all I can do is to encourage you to keep trying to find a way through your present impasse.   I do recommend however you look at Jane Chislett's work on the Knight family, I am certain you may find a link going further back into the 1600s.   Good luck and please keep in contact.

Sheila Egan adds:   Thank you for your response Steve.   I will look at Jane Chislett’s work with great interest.   I’m certainly not giving up on my Spiller research and hope to find the answers somewhere.   I’ll pass on the information when I do.   Thanks for your interest.

Mike Morris comments:   My gx4-grandfather was Joel Knight, so my gx3-grandmother, Ann Stone, and your Mary Spiller were sisters.   Although John Stone & Ann Knight are said to have eloped in 1808, a Mary Knight was one of the witnesses to their marriage in Exeter.   I did wonder if this Mary could be Ann’s younger sister, but she would have been only 16 at the time – would witnesses have to be 21?   If not her, who was this Mary Knight, I wonder.   I agree with your tree back from Joel.   Mike Morris

December 2022

Hello, I am coming over to the UK from Australia and am aware that the Wale family originates from Yarcombe.   I am just wondering if there are any of the Wale family still living in Yarcombe?   Hope you can help.  Warm regards,   Kristian Wale

Peter Tarrant replies:   Hello Kristian.   There are a dozen or more references to the Wale surname in Ruth Everitt's book, also in Ancestral Searches  3,  12,  13,  29  on this page.   I am aware of a Frank Wale who died only a few years ago and who lived to the north of the village just off the minor road connecting the A30 and A303.   Perhaps someone can add further information other than that already on the web page?

Miranda Gudenian replies:   Hello Kristian, Frank Wale was my neighbour and friend. who lived at Emmetts Farm almost all his life, having moved there at the age of three with his mother and father.   His mother died tragically young, of cancer.   Frank occasionally spoke about his cousins, one of whom was called Mary if I recall correctly, and when he died they inherited the farm and duly sold it a auction.   I may possibly be able to find the telephone number or address of one of them for you.   Meanwhile, here is a photograph of Emmetts Farm.     Warmest good wishes,   Miranda Gudenian

September 2022

Hello, I have forebears who lived in Yarcombe – Willey & Sparkes are two of the surnames.   Regards,   Tony Bartlett

Peter Tarrant comments:   There are references to Sparks/Sparkes in Ancestral Searches 45 & 68, and to Willey/Willie in 1,  11, 23,  24,  34  &  55.

April 2022

Hello, I was told our ancestor, William Zane lived at a place called Woodhayne, Yarcombe, Devonshire.   Do you have any info on this?   Any pictures?   Thanks,   Jerry Cohen

Peter Tarrant comments:   There are references to the surname Zane in Ancestral Searches 8 and 51.

Steve Horner writes:   In answer to your question about Woodhayne farm and the Zane family here is a short article I wrote some years ago about this connection.   However in return may I enquire how you may have established the connection between your family and the Zane family of Yarcombe?

The Zane Family from Woodhayne Farm:

Last summer two persons from the United States who were researching their own antecedents, the Zane family, who originated in the parish of Yarcombe, contacted Ruth Everitt.   This connection had been made because the name Zane occurs in Ruth’s book, `From Monks to the Millennium`.   Ruth passed the enquiry to me because the family were known to be resident at Woodhayne in the period from 1580 to 1600.

I was able to send photographs of Woodhayne to Diane Nichols in America and as a consequence, I entered into a most interesting correspondence with her.   It is very apparent that she has spent an enormous amount of energy in carrying out her research and it is symptomatic that her e-mail address is “thatzanelady!”

We are fortunate in Yarcombe that because Thomas Drake, the brother of Sir Francis was locked in a court case with the vicar of Yarcombe, Thomas Major we know the names of all the householders in the Parish in the year 1600 from Court records.   It is from these records that we know that Alice Zane, widow, was living at Woodhayne, then called Woodend, and that Robert Zane was living at Stowte and Crokham.

From an abstract of the will of William Zane, who died in 1592, we have discovered that Alice Zane was his wife and to whom he left all his household goods and stock.   It is also interesting to learn from this abstract that William must have been a man of some substance possessing at the time of his death a calyver (a type of harquebut or early musket with a smoothbore and flared barrel), a musket perfourmed, an Allmayne Ryvetts (Light flexible riveted armour), a Byll (a kind of spear with a wooden shaft) and a bowe and sheafe of arrows.

There is also an abstract of a will of John Zane of Yarcombe who died in April 1583 and an inventory of his wife Johane (Joan) who died in August 1595.   It is fortunate that these abstracts or summaries, made by some local academic, are still available in the Devon County Records Office; bombs dropped on Exeter by the German Luftwaffe in the last war destroyed the original Wills of the Ecclesiastical Courts of Devonshire.

From the very extensive, and copyrighted, documents sent to me by Diane Nichols (thatzanelady) I know that she has traced her family back to one Simon Zane who was baptised in Yarcombe in 1584.   The grandson of Symon Zane was Robert Zane who was baptised in Yarcombe in 1642.   Joan Nichols states categorically “He and his family were among the very early Quakers and fled to Ireland during the Quaker persecutions in England in 1656 when Robert was 14 years of age”.

In 1673, Robert and his son Nathaniel set sail for America.   It appears that Robert was sent ahead as an advance guard to locate a suitable settlement site in West Jersey for John Fenwick’s colony that was to arrive in 1675.   Robert Zane died in 1695 in Newton Gloucester County, New Jersey.   The Quaker records in Dublin record Robert Zane as being a serge weaver and there is strong evidence to suggest that he crossed the Atlantic three times in helping to establish early settlements in America.

Diane Nichols speculates that the Zane’s immigrated from Venice, Italy to England sometime in the early 1500s.The Zane or Zani as it was known in Italy, were well known in Venice, being among the Doges there.

John Webb enquires:   Hi Jerry, just saw your entry on the website.   I have recently come across a Zane connection in my tree, and was wondering if you have any information that could help my research.   Elizabeth Zane and Josias Lockyer, married 29th April 1700 in Honiton, they are my 9th great grand parents.   Regards, John Webb
 

February 2022

Hello, I'm doing some family history research and have found a link to Yarcombe via the Northam family.   My (great times 4) uncle was James Harris (1810 - 1891), who married Hannah / Anna Northam (1816 - 1888) in 1852 in the Chard district.   Hannah was born in Otterford, just up the road from Yarcombe.   This was her 2nd marriage; her first was to William Gillett (unknown birth location, circa 1818 - 1846), whom she married in 1839 in the Chard district.   Hannah's parents were Thomas Northam (born 1795, Yarcombe) and Mary Walters (born 1798, Sherborne).

James and Hannah had 5 children and moved to Sydling St Nicholas in Dorset around 1853.   Their 3rd child was Thomas Northam Harris (born 1856 in Sydling).   Thomas' middle name was, presumably, a nod to his mother's maiden name.   Thomas married Caroline Northam (born 1856 in Yarcombe) in Sherborne in 1889.   Caroline's parents were William Northam (born 1817, Yarcombe) and Hannah (born 1816, Curry Mallet, surname to be identified).   This was Caroline's second marriage - her first was to George Pike (born 1859, Yarcombe).   George and Caroline had a daughter, Ann, (born 1878, Bristol) who died in her mid-20s in Wales.   It seems like George was alive up until 1923, so I'm not sure what the story was there.

I haven't identified a familial link between Hannah and Caroline Northam but I'm guessing there must be somewhere.   I also like to think that Thomas and Caroline married in Sherborne as a nod to Thomas' grandmother, Mary (nee Walters), who was born there.   Thomas and Caroline moved to Wales around the turn of the century. In the 1911 census, they're living in Llanwonno,   Pontypridd with Caroline's grand-daughter Dorothy May Pike (late daughter Ann's illegitimate child, born in Ynysybwl, Pontypridd in 1898).   I've yet to find when Thomas died but Caroline lived to age 78 and died in Neath.

So: quite an interesting story, with lots found but several loose ends still to investigate.   Best wishes,   Mark Harris

Steve Horner writes:   I have had an initial look at your family tree and its connection to Yarcombe.   I can find Thomas Northam, baptised Yarcombe 27th December 1795, buried Yarcombe 28th July 1851, married Mary Walters 15th June 1815.   In the 1841 census, which is very indistinct, I find the following living at Mutters:  Thomas Northam 45, Mary 43, James 16, Rachel 11, Abraham 9, Samuel 6, Eli 4 and Martha 76.    There is a wood now called Mutters Wood in the north east of Yarcombe.

See below a note about Northam`s cottage from Ruth Everitt`s book, From Monks to the Millennium: 

Northam`s still exists; its name is now Bramble Cottage, its adjacent to Mutters Wood.   I am thus fairly confident we have the correct family group.   However it is Hannah who I cannot identify as belonging to this group, although in the 1851 census in an adjacent cottage on North Common there is one Hannah Northam aged 33 married to William Northam.

In the 1841 census in the adjacent cottage to Thomas and Mary (Mutters) I find the following individuals:  Simon Northam born 1793. Mary born 1794, William born 1818, Ann born 1828, Henry born 1831.   It may be that Thomas and William are brothers?   And Martha, born 1765, is possibly a Grandmother.   I hope this helps ,please come back to me if you need further local information.

Mark Harris responds:   Many thanks to Steve for this.   My thoughts for him:   It looks like Martha was Thomas Northam's mother; there is no father listed on Thomas' baptism.   The family were obviously having a tough time of it in the 1851 census because they were listed as receiving parish relief.   I've found a baptism for William Northam that suggests his parents were Simon Northam (1793, Yarcombe - 1883, Chard) and Mary (nee Hutchings, 1792, Combe St Nicholas - 1875, Chard).   So it's possible that William and Thomas were not brothers.

In the 1841 census, wife Hannah/Anna (nee Northam) and husband William Gillett can be possibly seen living separately, both in Combe St Nicholas.   William was an agricultural labourer, Hannah was a servant.   In 1851, Hannah is a servant and widow at Chard Farm in Chard; her birthplace given as Otterford.   Son William Gillett junior, seen living with his grandparents in 1851, moved to London, married, and became a stevedore at the docks.   He became paralysed at aged 50 and can be seen in 1911 in the workhouse in Sherborne, Dorset (another Sherborne connection!).
 

January 2022

This entry is local information which may be of interest or assistance to residents and enquirers:

Hello, I would like you to put all these photos etc ion the Yarcombe website.   Henry Derryman was my great grandfather, he died when I was about 11 years old.   Irene jessie Rich was his daughter and she was my Gran.   Frank Rich was my father.   Robert Rich was my great grandfather.     Regards,    Willy Rich

Peter Tarrant comments:   I notice the group photo also appears in Ancestral Search 34 !   Also see more from Willy on the WWII page.

The Rich family 1922/23 Broadley Farm Yarcombe

Phyllis Denning, whose mother is Millie in the photograph below and whose family lived at Woodhayne between 1932 and 1970, reports that the original photographs were taken by Pulmans Weekly , as a result of her mother's sister Dorothy winning a prize for a writing competition set by the newspaper.   The journalist who came to interview her was impressed by the milking scene and commissioned a photographer to visit the farm and take pictures.
 

Milking the Cows

left to right:   Lydia Mary Rich (later married Charlie Mear, lived at Green Dragon pub Combe St Nicholas),

Looking East to Livenhayes Gate

Old Roadman Jim Doble. Once lived at Rower. At this time 1922/23 living in Lees Cottage. One of his sons Sid Doble was a great friend of Fred Long Rich.

January 2022

Hi, I have just come across your excellent website.   My family tree contains many connections with Yarcombe and I am going through the Ancestral Searches to see if any of the families mentioned are ones in my tree.   I have also looked at the World War One page with some interest.   It includes mention of Harry Doble, who was married to my mother's cousin.   In March 2015 I visited the Somme, including Harry's grave at Combles.   If you are interested, I have photos and other information that you might like to add to the website.    Kind regards,     Chris Salter

Peter Tarrant comments:   Thanks for contacting us and for your kind offer.   We are very interested in any information and photos you may have that are relevant to our village and previous occupants and would be delighted if we can publish them here.

Chris Salter responds:   Hi Peter,  Although Harry Doble was married to my mother’s cousin, I only learnt of him in 2006 when I was contacted by his great-granddaughter Tracy Carroll (née Doble) and at that time I did some research to help Tracy find out more about her ancestor Harry.   Years later, in March 2015, during a family visit to the battlefields of Flanders and The Somme, I visited the cemetery at Combles to see Harry’s grave.   Having previously researched his story for Tracy it seemed especially appropriate that I should pay my respects to him on her behalf.

I have included a summary of what I know of Harry, along with some photos and other records relating to him, some of which might be suitable for inclusion in your website’s World War One page.   My family tree, like others, includes many that died in that terrible war.   They were not just names; they all had a story to tell.   Perhaps there are others in Yarcombe or elsewhere who can add more to Harry’s story.

Peter Tarrant adds:   Read Harry Doble's story here on the WWI page.   Thanks again Chris.
 

The entry in the marriage register at Musbury for Harry’s marriage to Minnie Rockett in 1909
The 1911 census record for Harry and Minnie at Peterhayes Cottage in Yarcombe

January 2022

Hi,  I am relatively new to the world of ancestry hunting and have hit a dead end in Yarcombe.  My family tree is as follows:

Around here it gets a little tricky, with Richard Lee 1795 and Joan Bowditch 1790 of Yarcombe being suggested, followed by Samuel Lee and Sarah Royffe, Kent?   However these are unclear and I wondered if a little local knowledge might help shine a light on things.   Family lore is that we were related to a famous horse thief, however this may have been simply due to a shared surname.   Anyway help would be appreciated along with pointers to local old photos to support a visit one day!      Thanks,       Peter Lee-Thompson

Steve Horner writes:   This is a most fascinating enquiry and I would very much like to help you, although there seem to be some inconsistencies in the data you have provided to us,   I started my search with Henry Edward Denning Lee 1864-1915.   Henry was baptised in Buckland St Mary Church, just across the border in Somerset from Yarcombe which is in Devon on 4th September 1864 son of Abel and Mary Lee.   This family according to the 1871 census were living in Bishopswood, a small village just across the valley from Buckland St Mary in the Parish of Otterford,   Abel`s age is recorded as 40, his place of birth being Yarcombe and Mary is aged 41, Harry aged 10 so this is the same family.   It is the third Christian name of Denning that springs out at me, the Denning family are a well known local family who once lived in my farm here, so another possible clue.   I can also find the baptism record for Abel Lee, Yarcombe 14th August 1833 Father Richard Lee Mother Joan so this again ties into your records.

Now another possible clue:  At the Devon Assize on 31st December 1844 one Richard lee aged 49 was sentenced to 3 months in jail for Larceny - is this the horse thief lurking in the background?   In order to help you further I would be grateful of more precise information about the ancestors you briefly mention in your first message, give me as much as you have, dates births deaths etc.

I assume you now live in Australia so details of when your family headed south would also be helpful.   I am certain we can also help with photos of where your family lived in the 19th Century.

Peter Lee-Thompson writes:   That’s fantastic, I am very grateful to Steve for looking into this for me.   My Grandfather, Henry A Lee emigrated to Australia with his young family as £10 poms in late 50s / early 60s.   My mother grew up there with memories of aboriginal ceremonies on the lawn and a drunk living in a bath tub, they built a farm and house near Bendigo, however the heat did not suit my grandmother and the family moved back about 10 years later.   My uncle having come of age and married, stayed and ran a publishing house which went bust during the dock strikes.   Being infertile from the mumps as a child they adopted a Cambodian refugee who married an aboriginal man.   My Uncle has remarried 6 times since.

They returned via family (Reginald J Morfett) who was a poacher, ivory and diamond smuggler in Rhodesia.   Here she acquired a pet monkey. Harry got a cyst on his head healed by a local medicine man who got him drunk and whacked it with a burning plank.   Her exciting childhood continued here in Norwich with reports of other uncles tipping over an ice cream van which impinged on local cafe trade in Gunthorp, and meetings with a young crown prince of Bahrain.   Gold bars were seen on occasion.   My grandfather had been travelling for some time to Belgium for work where he was secretly also living with Yvonne, a lady he had fallen in love with during the French liberation of WW2, leaving them when my mother was about 14. He returned to near us in the late 90s.   I am still trying to piece some of this together from other family members but the stories seem to fit if a little hazy.   As a teen she was very much part of the swinging 60s attending festivals and meeting famous musicians.   She eventually met my father and they eloped to Wales, living the good life as house sitters on a remote hill farm where I was born in 1985.

Back to the earlier family…

Harry A Lee - 1914-2003, B 18/01/1914, Coxley/Wells.        I can only find the birth index not full details.
D October 2003, Carmarthen His mum died when he was 6 and father remarried. His step mother (Heron) would lock them him in the attic with no food or bed.
He lived in Sudbury 1939 where he was a builder/joiner.
Wife: Mava Violet Morfett. B Sudbury 1922 - 1996 Colchester
War time photos (below) by pyramids and wailing wall in Jerusalem . I don’t know his regiment or war record:
William H Lee -  B Hemyock 18/11/1887   D Bridgwater July 1942     1891 recorded at Pitminster William Govier head Sarah A wife Harry Lee son in law William H Lee grandson. In 1911 he lived in Illogan with Mother Nellie Lee and father Harry Edward Lee Married Emily Lucy Brickham 12/2/1912 in Norwich Can’t find info on Keward, Wells, cabinet maker census and only family history of him flying in sopworth camels for recon and dropping bombs by hand. No idea of regiment.
Harry Edward Denning Lee B Jan 1864-1915 Upworthy/Chard D June 1915 Redruth Baptism Buckland st Mary’s 4th September 1864 Mum - Mary Lee Father - Abel Lee 1881 census ag lab with parents Abel and Mary at whisk/whites farm Pitminster 1901 census dairyman with wife at millers farm west Buckland 1911 census recorded as Farmer at Hasbury hill farm Chard?
Abel Lee -  B 1831 Yarcombe,   D 28/6/1903 Witts farm, Blagdon hill 1851 aged 19 farm tenant and farm servant at Northhams for the Billings? 1861 living with wife Mary or Priscilla from upottery at Fryers? Pears? Next door to Dennings it seems. Dennings may be a nickname if he worked closely with the family? 1901 farming at Morrishs with wife Edith? Not Mary? ... wife Priscilla Mary Rowland - 1826-1883 Upottery.
Census searches

That is about all I have. I haven’t managed to get much on Abels parents, seem to be getting into a generational mix up.   I hope that helps, and thanks for the possible horse thief story, that may shine a light.   The other possibility was right do’or Lee which seemed a bit far fetched, and only reached by loose internet suggestions, although given some other family history may be unsurprising!   Feel free to pass on my details if this is more convenient.    Thanks.

Steve Horner responds:   Firstly many thanks for all the information about your family, some of which is quite colourful.   Secondly may I assume from your reply that you live in East Anglia?   I can now provide you with some further details of your family and photos of where they lived in this area.

Abel Lee Born 1831 Yarcombe

The census records show that their adjacent neighbours were the Denning family who lived at Martins farm.   This perhaps explains the reason Denning was a first name of Harry Edward Denning Abel born 1864.

You then go on to correctly trace Abel and his family who lived in various farms in the locality, mainly near Pitminster Somerset.

I hope these photos of interest to you.   Now I will pick up the life history of Harry Edward Denning Abel.   He was baptised in Buckland St Mary church on 4th September.   Please note Buckland St Mary church is the nearest church to Bishopswood about ½ mile as the crow flies, thus it would be natural he be baptised in that church.   However you state he was born in Offwell.   This seems odd, because his parents were living in Otterford 1861 Frys Moor and Bishopswood in 1871 - can you confirm this?   I hope this information about Yarcombe is of interest to you.   Perhaps one day yo will be able to visit our village.
 

December 2021

I am interested in the Stickland family of Yarcombe and was wondering if "From Monks To The Millennium - A History Of Yarcombe" had any information of interest.   It would be great to have a digital copy of the book.     Thank you,     Theo Carr-Brion

Peter Tarrant comments:   There are references to the Stickland/Strickland name in Ruth's book and on this web page In Ancestral Search 10.

Theo Carr-Brion writes on his website Who was Harry Carr-Brion (tcarrbrion.org.uk):   Who was Harry Carr-Brion?   I have often wondered where my surname came from.   I always assumed it was from two people marrying and joining their names together.   In 2002, when the 1901 census became available, I decided to try and find out.   My grandfather died when I was a young child and I do not remember him.   The only information I had is what my father and his sister could remember.   My grandfather went by the name of Harry Carr-Brion and said he was born on 8th July 1888 in Boston, Massachusetts and was educated at Hele's School in Exeter, Devon.   He said his father's name was William Francis Carr-Brion and his mother's Minnie Strickland.   He also mentioned the names of his brothers and sisters.   My father produced the following list: Francis, Eric Winston, Kenneth Garfield, Hugh Page, Dorothy, Gladys and Ethel.   The other clue we had came to light when my grandfather retired.   He had no birth certificate and had to swear before someone to give his date of birth.   One of the letters that came back from the social services of the time had a mysterious middle name that my father remembered as Dulai or Dulay.

The first thing I found was a complete absence of anyone with the surname Carr-Brion.   I also searched the GRO indexes for a marriage of Minnie Strickland and found nothing that looked plausible.   There was also no record of any Carr-Brions ever living in the United States.   The earliest record of my grandfather that we could find was his marriage to his first wife in 1914.   As the were no Carr-Brions anywhere I decided to look for the family under a different surname.   Searching the 1901 census index without a surname was difficult.   A search was only allowed with the first two characters of the surname followed by a wildcard.   Luckily, there were some unusual first names to look for.   I picked Kenneth and Hugh as the least common.   They are also the names of my father and his brother.   I limited my search to the Exeter area of Devon.   I search for every possible two letter combination at the beginning of the surname until I found a family with a Kenneth and a Hugh.   This led me to the following family:

This looked very close to my father's list of names and had to be right.   Later investigations showed there was also an Ethel who had left home.   Eric's middle name was Garfield, the same as my father's.   Cedric's middle name was Duley and presumably he was my grandfather.   The mother's maiden name was Stickland which is why I could not find Strickland.   I later got additional confirmation from members of the Kingwell family.   They said Cedric disappeared during the first world war and no one knew what had happened to him despite attempts to find him.   He never did have a birth certificate.   His birth was not registered to avoid vaccination.   I also received a photo of the painting of Cedric as a child showing his red hair.   DNA testing has also shown that the Kingwell family was correct.   I still do not know what made him change his name and abandon his family.   It appears to have happened about the time he got married so the two events may well be connected.

Steve Horner writes:   I notice that you have found the Yarcombe website and the section that concerns Ancestral Researches, I hope by now that an electronic copy of Ruth Everitt`s book From Monks to the Millennium is on its way to you.   We have also noticed that the Stickland ( Strickland ) branch of your family have connections to East Devon in which the parish of Yarcombe lies.   If you do find a connection between the Sticklands of this parish, there are several of that name who lie in our graveyard and your own family.   We would be very pleased to receive the results of your research.   If we can help further with local place names or photos of the area please let us know.   Good luck with your researches and we wish you a prosperous new year.

 

December 2021

I came across your excellent web site while looking for more information on my ancestor Robert Pike.   Robert was baptised in Upottery in 1768 to Richard Pike and Sarah Salter.   In 1782 he was apprenticed to James Spark by the Overseers of the Poor.    In 1791 Robert married Ann Livermore at Ottery St Mary but his place of residence was given as Yarcombe.   He seems to have been buried there in 1808.   In 1793 Robert & Ann baptised a son Robert in Ottery St Mary but said they were resident in Yarcombe.   When this Robert married Elizabeth Bending in 1812 in Ottery St Mary he also gave his residence as Yarcombe.   Ann Pike nee Livemore appears to have had an interesting life: she was baptised in Ottery St Mary in 1765 and as well as the child she had with Robert Pike she also had Sarah Livermore baptised Ottery St Mary 1790 - in 1891 she was sentenced to a year in Bridewell for refusing to name the father.   She then had William baptised in Ottery St Mary but born in Yarcombe in 1800, possibly another William baptised in Yarcombe in 1803 "when separated from her husband Robert" and James Pykes born in Yarcombe but baptised in Ottery St Mary in 1803, in each case no father was named at the baptism.   I have access to the parish registers but would be delighted to have any other information on the Pike and Livermore families in Yarcombe and in particular Robert and the wayward Ann!       Many thanks,   Siân Plant

Steve Horner replies:   This is a tough one but none the less fascinating for a family historian!   Your research has clearly been very detailed and has been complicated by different spellings of surnames, Pike and Pyke, Livermore and Livermoore.   As you state Ann Pike nee Livermore had clearly been over the guns a few times, to use a local expression.   And as such she must have been a problem to the Parish overseers of the poor, both in Ottery St Mary and Yarcombe.   As regards Yarcombe although the parish lies in Devon the parish seems to have been part of the Chard Union which lies in Somerset.   However from what I can glean from records available to me I note that Ann Livermore`s first born child was Sarah born 1790 and was baptised in Ottery St Mary on 5th November 1790, the Mother being shown as Sarah or Ann Livermore.   The next event is Ann married Robert Pike in Ottery St Mary on 17th January 1791.   I note Robert Pike`s Mother was called Sarah and was married to Richard Pike, perhaps the dual claim to be mother of Sarah was the family covering up the birth out of wedlock?   The next event is the birth of Robert who was born 4th February 1793 and was baptised in Ottery St Mary 22nd May 1793 so this date line seems to fit well with a happy marriage and production of offspring.   Incidentally this Robert whom you note married Elizabeth Bending went on to produce 10 children during their marriage.   The next two children you show for Sarah Livermore in 1800 and 1803 are both named William, the first born in Yarcombe and baptised in Ottery St Mary in 1800 and the second baptised in Yarcombe in 1803, perhaps the first William died in infancy although I can find no record of his burial in Yarcombe.   The last recorded birth is James Pykes born 1803 when separated from her husband Robert.  The Yarcombe burial records ( Burials at Yarcombe Church ) are we believe complete and show two burials for a Robert Pike at about this time 7th February 1807 and 26th January 1809.   I am sorry I cannot be more helpful however I really would be grateful if you can add to this record as time goes by.

 

October 2021

I am researching my family tree and have come upon a Daniel Civil (sometimes spelt Siffel of Sivil) who I believe was married at Yarcombe on 1 April 1717 to Mary Pavey.   I believe Mary's parents were Medad and Jane (nee Pine).   Medad died on 6 March 1726.   All this so far is not proven but if you can confirm or correct I would be grateful.   I would really like to know if you have any records of Daniel Civil's parents as I have drawn a blank so far.   I have a date of 1650 for Daniel's birth.                  Regards    Trevor Civil

Peter Tarrant comments:   There are references to the Pavey name on this web page In Ancestral Searches 10,  15,  16.  23,  30,  38 & 49.

Steve Horner replies:   Thank you for your enquiry,   As has been pointed by our web master out there are very many references to the Pavey family.   If you look at Burials at Yarcombe Church there are 164 members of the Pavey family laid to rest in the churchyard.   Civil is not a name I have come across before although there are only 5 Civils recorded in the burial records, all shortly after the recorded marriage of Daniel Civil and Mary Pavey in 1717:

Perhaps these are children of Daniel and Mary ?

I have however noted on Ancestry the following tree for your Pavey family, all from Yarcombe.   I have not completed this in detail, showing all the children of each marriage, that would be a massive task, however I do suspect there is a direct link right back to Symon Pavey:

I have however noted that you record Daniel Civil as having been born c 1650 - although his marriage to Jane Pavey in 1717 is possible, he would have been aged 67 at the time.   I would be most grateful if you would kindly provide me with your tree providing some additional information about Daniel Civil, where he came from and perhaps which of his children lived to create your own line.   I do encourage you to continue your research as the Pavey family name shows up many times in our records.

Trevor Civil writes:   Unfortunately most of my information comes from other people's trees which I am not able to corroborate.   Hence the link to my known family tree is a bit tenuous.   I will continue to work on it - I note that you have had correspondence with Martin Webb who I came across some time ago - I will contact him again to check if he has any more recent updates.   In the event that I can confirm the link to Yarcombe, can you tell me if there is a parish register of marriages in 1715 for Yarcombe - that might tell me which village Daniel came from.   The Civils appear to have deserted Yarcombe in the 1730s and headed for the Isle of Wight which is where most of today's Civil's come from.   Many thanks for getting back to me and I will update you if I find anything new.

Steve Horner replies:   My assumption is that the marriage records for Yarcombe are in existence and stored at West Country Records Office in Exeter.   The marriage to which you refer Daniel Civil:Mary Pavey Yarcombe 1717 appears to have been found by the church of the latter day saints and has been microfilmed by that organisation.   I wish you every good luck in your search, keep at it!   Let us know if you make the connection.

Trevor Civil writes:   My earlier information about Daniel's birth date was probably wide of the mark.   I think that information came from another's family tree.   However going through the Yarcombe burials the best I can come up with is: Daniel Civil b 1678 d 1748 (listed as Sevill but misspellings are common even today).   Marriage to Mary Pavey was 1 April 1717.   Mary (listed as Cevill) died 1855.   My direct relative Samuel Civil (4 x great grandfather) was baptised in Yarncombe in February 1717.   I am left to wonder if there was any stigma attached to that.   Unfortunately to date I have not been able to get any further back than Daniel.

Steve Horner responds:   Many thanks for the update, from our own records I am afraid I cannot provide you with any more information.   As you have discovered reliance on family trees complied by others is notoriously inaccurate, wild guesses seem to be the order of the day rather than careful analytical research.   I have been working on my Horner tree for well nigh 60 years and have gently and carefully worked my way back to the early 1500s, some links being made by professional genealogists.   I can only suggest that you ask the West Country Records office in Exeter for a copy of the entry in the marriage register of Daniel Civil and Mary Pavey in 1717, that may provide you with further information.   Good luck in your hunt and keep in contact.

Trevor Civil writes:   As we are now on a trip to Cornwall to try to get more information on my wife's family we decided to stop off in Yarcombe next Saturday night.   It is not with any real intent that we are stopping there, although we will have a look around the graveyard, but more to get a feel of the place.

Steve Horner responds:   I am delighted to learn that you will be visiting the village where your ancestors once lived.   If you are passing Exeter you really should make an effort to drop into the West Country studies unit which is just off a motorway exit.   Please keep in contact.

Trevor Civil writes:   Good to meet you last week.   As you warned, the church yard did not give up any secrets.   The trip was mainly to find more information on Sue's ancestors which was fairly successful.   This did not allow any time to visit the West Country studies unit.

Trevor Civil writes:   As you suggested I followed up by contacting Devon Archives etc but with limited success.   The link between my 3rd great grandfather William Civil and the Samuel Civil who was baptised in Yarcombe in 1717 is a bit tenuous.   So even though your records house the earliest mention of the name of Civil (that exact spelling) I do not think they are direct descendants of mine.   The researcher did however point me towards another possible line of enquiry.   It was good to meet up with you and many thanks for your efforts in helping to trace my ancestors.   I attach some records (below) that the researcher sent to me that are relevant to Yarcombe.   Regards Trevor Civil

Steve Horner replies:   As with most Government entities it keeps changing its name.   At one time it was also called Devon County Record Office.   The Devon Heritage Centre in Exeter is the main archive.   It has a branch office, the North Devon Record Office in Barnstaple, which is the repository for records broadly relating to North Devon.   Wikipedia Address:  Great Moor House/Bittern Rd, Exeter EX2 7NL,  Phone: 01392 888700.   Good luck with your researches and please let us know the outcome.
 

September 2021

Being interested in military history and having connections with Buckinghamshire I purchased a British War Medal and Victory Medal to Thomas Batten Oxford & Bucks Light Infantry (OBLI).   He had two service numbers, namely 4689 and then 266836.   Sadly Thomas was killed in the war and my researches showed me he came from Yarcombe and led me to your website.   I found it very informative , thank-you.   In particular I noticed the photo of his Death Plaque ("Dead Man's Penny") which looks wall mounted. Is this on display in the village?

I thought you would be interested to know that his medals are still out there.   Two of his brothers married girls with the surname Doble and from the occurrence of this name amongst those from Yarcombe who served in WWI I would guess this was/is another local surname.   Martin Keys

Peter Tarrant comments:   See the World War 1 page for more about Thomas and the Batten family.

Martin Keys responds:   As you say the original 4 figure service number Thomas was allocated indicates a pre-war regular or most likely territorial service pre-war.   When the whole British Army was renumbered in 1917 he was then allocated his six figure service number.   I had seen a head shot photograph of Thomas on-line but that had obviously just been 'cropped' from the larger image, that you sent me.   When I got your e-mail (and having read your website) my immediate thought was to agree to your request and sell you the medals for exactly what I paid for them.   However on only slightly more reflection I decided that wasn't the best solution so I have decided to give them to the Baptist Chapel to reunite them with his Death Plaque.   My wife and I are planning on coming down to Devon next year to visit various friends who live there (dates not yet confirmed) I am proposing that we bring the medals with us and make a trip to Yarcombe to hand them over to you.(at a mutually convenient day/time, to be agreed).   This will avoid any chance of damage or loss in transit which would be a tragedy at this stage; given the medals and plaque have probably been separated for many years.   I wonder who donated his plaque to the Carillon Museum in 2002, was it a family member?   This will mean they won't be with you quite as quickly but I hope the fact that they are coming your way and will be there in due course will make up for any slight disappointment at the delay.   Does that all seem acceptable to you?

Steve Horner replies:   Martin, what a wonderful gesture, I have already spread the word in the village and the Chairman of the Parish Council, Clive Stone has already indicated that your gift will be a wonderful addition to our heritage.   I might also add that Miranda Gudenian who is Editor of Yarcombe Voices who lives in the same house where Thomas Batten and his family lived has also asked me to pass on her personal thanks to you.   As yet the committee of the Baptist church have not formally replied but I feel certain they will want the medals to join the plaque once again.   Your proposed visit to our community is indeed an excellent idea and one which we can plan as time and COVID permits.   As for the original source of the plaque we have no idea, we only know it was surplus to the requirements of the museum.   We look forward to meeting you and your wife next year and once again many thanks for your generous gift.

July 2022

Clive Stone adds:   I have an interest in the Boer War and the 1906 Natal Rebellion and having learnt about Thomas Batten’s WW1 medals being kindly gifted to Yarcombe, l asked Steve Horner if had been anyone from the parish who served on the Boer War.   Following his response that Thomas' brother John had indeed served, l decided to post the following on the Anglo Boer War website, hoping for more details of John Batten’s service in Prince Albert’s Somerset Light Infantry, but as of today nothing more has come to light.

With help from daughter Anna searching census records and Jonathan Spiller descended from another Yarcombe family, l pieced together the article below, which you are most welcome to include on your ancestry website.

Miranda confirmed that the Batten family did live in her house but only in the south part of the property until sometime in the 1930s and the roses grown by Mrs Batten, who according to Bill Doble, she sold at market, were to be found growing in all gardens in Beacon.
———

The Batten brothers from Yarcombe, 2nd Bn Prince Alberts Somerset Light Infantry ….

What started out as part of First World War research, then involved the same family in the Boer War, sadly with one fatality from the same family in each war.

During the preparations for the commemoration of the Great War, the village of Yarcombe in East Devon, received out of the blue, a large bronze Death Plaque or Widows Penny, one of 1,355,000 issued.   This had originally been sent to the family of Thomas Batten and had then found it’s way to the Carillon War Memorial Museum, who in 2019 kindly donated it to our village.

Out of the population of a small Devon parish, ninety three enlisted and eleven did not return. All the names are recorded on a collection of mounted brass plaques in the Baptist Chapel.   There are also six members of the Spiller family recorded, one of whom did not return.

Thomas Batten had enlisted at Dorchester into the 21st Battalion Oxfordshire and Buckinghamshire Light Infantry.   He appears to have enlisted early in the war as his original service number of 4689 was replaced by 266836 in 1917.   He was killed age 28 on April 1st 1918 and is remembered on the Pozieres Memorial as having no known grave.   He is also commemorated on a headstone just outside the entrance to the Baptist Chapel.   This headstone also commemorates father Eli, wife and mother Mary Jane and their sons John and Thomas Batten.

We had also been offered Thomas Batten’s medals, the British War Medal and the Victory Medal, both generously gifted by Martin Keys who had previously purchased them.   Along with a photo of Thomas Batten, there is now a comprehensive collection to the memory of John and Thomas.

The village website has, as of July 2022, a detailed record of seventy four ancestral searches, but does not appear to feature any Boer War connections, unlike nearby Honiton, which has a memorial dedicated to nine former pupils from nearby All Hallows School, Rousdon.

On enquiring if there was anyone from the village who served in the Boer War, l learnt that there was one person, John Batten, who was an elder brother of Thomas.   From the 1891 census it appeared that Thomas did not have an elder brother and the family were living at Beacon Farm, now occupied by a prominent local historian.

On further investigation of the 1891 census, Thomas did have an elder brother John, who was living at a different address in the village, earning his keep as a ten year old servant at Waterhayne Farm.   It was not unusual in those days to send children out to other families if their parents could not afford to feed them or possibly helping to support their parents.

In the 1911 census, Thomas Batten was living at The Beacon in Yarcombe, recorded as a farm labourer, working elsewhere, while his sister Louisa was recorded as Housekeeper working at home.  
On her death in 1963, she is noted as Louisa Batten Spiller, hence the link between the Batten and Spiller families and the previous mention of the Spiller names also recorded on the Baptist Chapel memorial.

John Batten’s life would appear to have been one of being born into a working agricultural family, with very little chance of improving his life.   His maternal grandfather had been a shoemaker, a trade not taken up by his son Eli.   The occupations given by the ‘heads of houses’ of the six dwellings in Beacon in the 1891 census, were five agricultural labourers and one woodsman.

Whether it was as a result of the agricultural depression of the 1870s, which tragically impacted on my own paternal family, or the prospect of regular pay, improved conditions, potential promotion or the chance to see some more of the world with the comradeship of fellow soldiers, we will never know his motive for leaving his family, village and agriculture behind.

The next major chapter in John Battens life is that he had joined the 2nd Battalion Prince Albert’s Somerset Light Infantry nr 5065.

His QSA medal is in the possession of a descendant of his sister Louisa and l have been able to locate a picture of John Batten’s medal, which also has clasps for Relief of Ladysmith, Tugela Heights, Cape Colony, Orange Free State and Transvaal.

During his relatively short life, John must have seen plenty of action, most probably all of it during his relatively short military service, for which his very rural upbringing had not been a particularly helpful preparation.   It may however have given him some countryside skills he found useful in contributing to him surviving well known actions as demonstrated by his clasps, then only to die from disease.

John Batten died on 30 December 1900 and is buried at Springfontain Military Cemetery, although his headstone is misspelt as Batton.

I do not know if his medal has always been in the family or if it was subsequently purchased by them, either way it is where it deserves to be.

After their losses in the two wars, Eli and Mary Jane Batten still had two girls and three boys, several of whom are thought to have married into local families, with their descendants still living in the locality, although shortly after 2015 there were no Batten family names thought to be still living in the parish of Yarcombe.

Quite a story from a Manor owned by Sir Francis Drake and with family descendants there to this day.   Perhaps this will bring another family to search their family history and discover a Boer War connection.

The pictures and confirmation of the marriage connection between the two families, was courtesy of Jonathan Spiller and his cousin, via Ancestry.

I look forward to hearing of any further information about John Batten, which will be forwarded to his family and our enthusiastic local family historians.

Clive Stone

July 2021

Hi, I am hoping a local person might be able to help with some not so ancient Yarcombe history..   My deceased grandfather’s birth certificate states he was born at Little Crawley, Membury in 1916, however I understand at that time his father owned Lower Crawley cottage and a small holding next to the river Yarty (now Bridge Meadow).   There is currently a Little Crawley further to the East, close-by where Crawley Cottage once stood.   Might anyone local be able to tell me when this Little Crawley was built as it does not appear on maps of 1916 for the Chardstock Estate sale when my grandfather bought Lower Crawley but is on a 1936 map.   Was there yet another place with the same name?   Might Lower Crawley and Little Crawley actually be one and the same place in about 1916 and might the current Little Crawley have been built a while later?    Many thanks,   Joe Bin

Edwina Wakley comments:   I am not sure that I can shed much light on Little Crawley but this was passed to me by Steve Horner who lives in the parish of Yarcombe as he knew that I lived there very many years ago.   My parents bought Little Crawley in about 1959 - the house was clearly not that old but was in an 'old style'.   It always seemed to have had a sad history.  The people that they purchased from had had 'something' in their lives and they had to leave there but were heartbroken so to do.   They told my parents that there had been some sadness with the house and that a former (not sure when) person would not sleep in the house but would only sleep under the loggia.   They inferred that this person had fallen from an upstairs window and broken her back - now whether that was when she left there I don't know and certainly don't have any dates to put with it.   There was a small 'shed' in the grounds but that may well have been a tiny cottage at some time.   Little Crawley's address is Yarcombe but I was married from there and we had to have our banns called both in Yarcombe and Membury as the property seems to have straddled both parishes.   My parents left Little Crawley in about 1967 - again it was a situation that they would not have chosen - in tidying up to move, tucked away in a lean-to loft I found a piece of paper and on it was written - 'I have escaped by the window'.   Make of this what you may - it certainly was a bit puzzling.   The people who then moved there after my parents, had a similar 'unhappy' time, I think one of them dying within a comparatively short space of time.   I do hope that this 'curse' ended and that others have enjoyed it.   Sorry I cannot be more helpful.       Edwina Wakley

Steve Horner writes:   Just as a closure to this interesting enquiry, I have carried out some research into the death of Henry Archer Neild of Little Crawley Membury who according to the article committed suicide on 9th July 1928.   Henry Neild lies in the churchyard of St John Baptist Yarcombe, according to the probate records he died a wealthy man, his estate amounting £3,830 17s 7d which equates to about £400,000 in today's money, his executor was the Public Trustee.   There is also mention in the article that his bank manager surmised he was speculating in the shares of Rubber companies and my research shows that as a result of the Rubber Export Restriction Scheme dated March 1928 that small investors in such companies had lost considerable sums of money.

Edwina Wakley adds:   We rather thought that - as I have said before, that house did seem to attract some sad and interesting stories - yet to be discovered is, who was the person who left the note in the loft saying - ' I have escaped by the window'.   It wasn't exactly where one would be looking for a note and we were told of the person who had fallen from a window and broken their back (one and the same?) and the other person who would not sleep in the house.   Personally, we didn't ever feel a 'presence' !

June 2021

I am researching my maternal grandparents Edward and Martha Scarisbrick, who were teachers in Yarcombe during World War 1.   Edward trained at Chester and Martha in Liverpool in the closing years of the 19th century.   They married in 1906 and their son Edward was born in 1907 and died aged 3 in 1910.   Their daughter Marjorie Scarisbrick, my mother, was born in 1911 and they moved to Yarcombe where Edward taught at the school, the family living at the school house.   The Exeter and Plymouth Gazette reports, on 4th February, 1916, that Edward, together with the elderly vicar of Yarcombe, Rev. E J Meredith, went to the assistance of a motorcyclist, Mrs Hunter, who had an accident and died a few hours later.   Subsequently, Edward was conscripted into the Army Supply Corps, was taught to drive and saw action and sadly that seemed to be final.   Meanwhile, his wife, Martha Scarisbrick taught at Yarcombe school until she was appointed head at Willand in 1926/27.   Their daughter Marjorie was, as a teenager, a keen contributor of messages of cheer and good humour to the young people’s column of the Crediton Courier, despite the tragic family events.   From Yarcombe, she went on to Kenilworth College in Exeter to learn shorthand and typing, keeping a friendly contact with the Principal, Mr J E Webster and his family, even after they moved to Crosby in Lancashire due to Mr Webster’s failing health.   I hope this narrative will stir memories for readers of your fascinating Ancestral Searches, who may be able to give more detail of the Scarisbrick contribution to Yarcombe education.   I'm optimistic this will provide some interesting additional data from the good folk of Yarcombe!       Keith Andrews

Peter Tarrant comments:   Thanks for your enquiry and the fascinating information.   If you haven't already done so, have a look at the website’s Photograph pages where there are several picture of the old school, teachers and pupils from the last century.  If you manage to identify anyone, please let us know!

Keith Andrews writes:   Thank you for your response.   I have looked at your website photo pages.   My mother was born in 1911 and all the girls in the Yarcombe school group photos can, I think, be ruled out as older.  Your photo taken around the time of WW1 has a male teacher top right.   We have two photos of my grandfather Edward Scarisbrick dated 1899 and none later.   It is hard to tell but I cannot say the he is definitely the teacher.   I presume there were two teachers at the school at that time, with infants (Miss Bagg) and juniors (the head teacher).

Keith Andrews adds:   I have shared your school photograph pages with my son in Newmarket, who holds our family photo archive.   We now think that the teacher in the school group photo on Photograph Page 6 is my grandfather Edward Scarisbrick and that his daughter, Marjorie Scarisbrick, my mother (below, right) is the girl two away from him, second row down.   The hair bows and open mouth are quite distinctive.   Edward Scarisbrick is in the centre of the 1899 Chester Teacher Training College group photo extract (below left).

Edward Scarisbrick (centre)		Marjorie Scarisbrick

June 2021

Posted as an item of interest:

Steve Horner writes:   I recently purchased on eBay two envelopes from the 19th century (above), one of which was written by Bishop George Pelham to the then Vicar of Yarcombe dated 1823.   The second by Bishop John Kaye to Lincoln College dated 1834.   Several points of interest attracted my attention:   Each sender signed the front of the corresponding letter;  both men were at the time of writing appointed as Bishop of Lincoln hence each signed J Lincoln and G Lincoln which practice I was unaware having never corresponded with a Bishop myself!   My query concerns my interpretation of the name of the vicar of Yarcombe at that time about whom I would like to learn more.   I interpret the name as being Rev.Dr.Palmer not Paland as shown on the sales ticket on eBay.   Is there any record in the church of past vicars of the parish?    Perhaps the transcript book may reveal this man`s initials which would give me further clues for my researches.   Ruth Everitt in her book mentions a Rev W Palmer on several occasions, one of which states that Rev W Palmer paid a hair powder duty of £1.3s.6d in 1818!   I suspect he lived on the parish for a long period of time and may have been succeeded by Michael Ford`s Grandfather.

Geoffrey Berry replies:   Very interesting, your enquiry about Revd William Palmer D.D.  Vicar of Yarcombe from 1800 until he was succeeded by Percy Gilpin in 1854.   I have a copy of Whites Directory of Devonshire dated 1850 and it states that he was also Vicar of Ilton, Somerset where he resides.   He may have been buried there or somewhere in a family vault.   I also have a copy of The History of Devonshire by the Revd Richard Polwhele dated 1793.   He says the Vicar is William Palmer junior.   Mortimer Ford came after Percy Gilpin in 1866.   It was during his incumbency that the Vicarage burnt down.   He was succeeded by George Watson in 1900.

Steve Horner writes:   Very many thanks for your helpful insights, I had no idea that Bishops signed in this manner.   Also thanks to Peter Tarrant who directed me to the Church section of the Yarcombe website where there is a photo of the board which displays the names of all past vicars of our parish.   This permitted me to find the following information:

With the Christian name and date of death I was able to track down the wills of the three William Palmers which had been proved by the Prerogative Court of Canterbury which is fortunate because this Court had to prove all wills where the value of goods was over five pounds and property held in more than one diocese.   Devon wills of less wealthy individuals were held in Exeter which records were destroyed in a bombing raid carried out by the Luftwaffe in World War 2.   These wills contained information that proved these three William Palmers were respectively Grandfather Father and Son, all very wealthy individuals, and from Ancestry I was able to construct the following family tree, and add great Grandfather William Palmer 1:

None of these individuals appear on the burial records of Yarcombe and I can only assume they were interred in a family vault perhaps in Combe Raleigh.   I am intrigued by this information, I know little about how vicars of Yarcombe were and still are appointed save Ruth Everitt states in her book that the advowson (right to appoint a vicar) of Yarcombe is vested in the Crown.   Given that the vicar of a parish had the right to collect tithes I can only assume that an individual wishing to be appointed as vicar would curry favour or indeed perhaps pay the owner of the right of advowson to gain this office.
 

June 2021

I have been delving into my Family History for about 35 years and never got back further than mid 1800s on the Bright Family.   Recently have managed to get back earlier having had my DNA searched out with the Ancestry site with several links coming back that we are related with the Bright Family that lived in Yarcombe.   The relatives are, working back, as follows:

If you could share this information locally to see if anyone knows anything about this family would be much appreciated.   Kind Regards, Dennis Bright

Steve Horner replies:   Very many thanks for your enquiry.   I can confirm your family have long connections with this Parish, in fact Ruth Everitt in the index to her book “From Monks to the Millennium” shows 8 references to your family and it will be a hard slog to connect each reference back to your family tree, but like any jig saw puzzle I feel it is soluble and that you may be able to go back at least one generation further.   An electronic copy of the book is available if you would wish to make a donation to Yarcombe Voices.   I have copied Miranda Gudenian who is editor of this publication and who owns the copyright.   Incidentally the land tax records of Yarcombe for 1727 show Benjamin Bright being the occupier of Cornhill.   He was a substantial land owner or at least had an interest in three properties, Moorhayne, Underdown and Sellwood which indicates Benjamin Bright was a wealthy man and therefore there is a good chance you will find his will either in the Devon Record office or more probably in the Prerogative Court of Canterbury list of wills.   Good hunting.

Dennis Bright writes:   Thanks for your information on the Bright Family.   I have emailed Miranda requesting access to an electrical copy of From Monks to the Millennium.   My wife and I booked a 3 day break in Yarcombe a little while ago so we can explore the area and I was hoping that I might be able to get information from the church on the layout of the cemetery and whether the Bright Family had maybe a family grave.   I did notice the church is open Wednesday afternoons, we are staying Monday to Thursday morning, so we will be able to visit church on the Wednesday.   Would you know the best person to contact regarding the Church and Cemetery Layout?   Thanks again.

Steve Horner responds:   I am pleased to learn of your interest in our Parish where your ancestors lived so many years ago.   The Book “From Monks to the Millennium” contains not only some historical references to your family and the places they owned but also maps showing their location so you will be able to enjoy walking around the countryside to inspect these old buildings.   I have copied Geoffrey Berry our Churchwarden who knows much about the history of our church and may be able to help you, however we do not have a plan of the grave yard.   Have you tried looking up Burials at Yarcombe Church ?   Also Find A Grave website has a complete record of all grave markers together with a photo which are at present in the grave yard, the local stone is quite soft and many of the old tomb stones have disappeared over time.   If you do have time to post a detailed record of your family tree that would enable us to record this, hopefully for posterity, here on our web site.

June 2021

Hello, I am in Canada and it was a fluke that I found your informative site.   One of my family lines (Abraham Phillips Bricknell who just disappears) is a link to Sir Francis Drake’s sister so that item was interesting reading.   I would be interested if you can offer any insights on the following:

I am looking at the 1841 Census (below) and I am not sure if Robert Lee is married to Elizabeth or perhaps her spouse is John who is maybe out of order at the bottom.   Or is she a widow back living with her father & John is her sibling (close in age)?   Perhaps Robert was the parent of the two-month old child (b. Apr based on the date of the census.), but there is no birth reg at GRO to discern the mother’s surname.

Also, I suspect the Ruth Lee on the 1851 Census (born “Dommett”) may be connected to #14 regarding this family name.   In 1851 Ann ,the niece, is noted as being born in Yarcombe so don’t know if they will link up.  But who was Ruth’s spouse (based on Ann’s birth, possibly a “Lee” from Yarcombe) and is there a connection to the 1841 family shown below?         C.M.Hanson  

Steve Horner replies:   Thank you for your enquiry about your ancestors who have a connection to Yarcombe.   The reason for the slight delay in replying to you was because I wanted to check with an expert on the life of Admiral Sir Francis Drake concerning your mention that Sir Francis had a sister.   The answer was he only had 11 brothers, so you may have a fact in your possession that needs to be carefully researched.   This is important because Elizabeth 1 Queen of England rewarded Sir Francis with a moiety of the Manor of Yarcombe in 1582, and we value his connection to our Parish.   It would help me to understand if you can explain in detail your family lines - Abraham Phillips Bricknell who “just disappears” and the link to Sir Francis Drake sister.   Regarding your more detailed enquiry about Robert Lee b 1766 and his family and a possible connection to Ruth Lee nee Dommett shown on the Farway census of 1851 as set out below.   My comments in red:

On the next page of the Farway census I find John Dommett age 47 a sailor born Chardstock living with his wife Jane.   This leads me to the firm conclusion that Ann Lee nee Dommett who was a widow in 1851 and her children Ann and Samuel went to live in Farway with her unmarried sister Ann who had a son John.   I have also inspected the Yarcombe census for 1841

This is the first page of the census enumeration the preface of which states from Holywater on the left hand side of the road past Sheafhayne to Yarcombe Village (Sheafhayne being the manor house) the census states the family were living in a house called Mareyhayne ???    According to Ruth Everitt’s excellent book “From Monks to the Millennium” (available as a soft copy for a small donation) the tithe apportionment act of 1832 mentions Robt Lee senior owns/occupies Woodeys Cottage Elscombe, so there is a possibility Ruth Dommett was married to a son/grandson of Robert Lee which would support the fact that Ann Lee b 1842 was born in Yarcombe.   Elscombe lies just down the valley from my farm and is in the parish of Yarcombe.   However I feel that you should concentrate on the nearby parish of Chardstock which appears to be the centre of gravity for the Dommett family and I can put you in touch with the local historian who covers that parish if you so require.   I hope this helps, however in any event please let me know more about Sir Francis Drake`s sister.      Steve
 

May 2021

Hello Yarcombe, I am a direct descendant of Jonas Woodrough (Woodrow) born Yarcombe 1683 died/buried Yarcombe March 1732.   Our family line has been traced back to Jonas but to my knowledge no-one has been able to go any further back.   I think this is because the online parish records only go back as far as Jonas.   But I can see from the Yarcombe burial records that there are Woodrough burials recorded at Yarcombe which are older than Jonas.   This seems to indicate that some of those earlier burials may be of Jonas's parents and so we may be able to go back at least one more generation.    Is anyone in Yarcombe able to help with establishing the relationship between Jonas b1683 d1732 and the earlier burials?   Frank Woodrow born Ottery St Mary, Devon 1857 died Brisbane 1948 was my great, grandfather.   He emigrated to Queensland, Australia in 1883.   There are many descendants of my great, grand-father, but unfortunately only a small number of the living descendants carry the Woodrow surname.   An interesting issue is when the surname changed from Woodrough to Woodrow. It appears to be after 1703 but before 1732.   On our next visit to England, we will visit Yarcombe.   It looks delightful and worthy of a stay of 3 or 4 days.   We have been to Devon a couple of times but that was before delving into the family history.   On our first visit, the Elm trees were still standing at Exeter Cathedral.   Now only the stumps remain and the character is quite different.   Any help with the earlier Woodrough's will be much appreciated.      Regards,     Peter Woodrow

Steve Horner replies:   Thank you for your enquiry.   As you rightly state there seems to have been a flush of Woodrough/Woodrow burials in Yarcombe Church yard between 1681 thru 1805 which suggests that the family were present in the Parish at that time.   However I had a look at the Yarcombe Church Rate made 30th October 1707 which lists the head of each household and his/hers contribution.   I am not an expert however there is no mention of Woodrough/Woodrow in this list nor is there mention of the family in Ruth Everitt’s excellent history of the Parish in her book ,”From Monks to the Millennium”.  This set me thinking because at that time there was an enclave of the Parish of Membury within the Parish of Yarcombe centred on Birch Oak Farm.   My guess would be that it would be natural from persons dwelling in the enclave to be buried in the nearest local church but perhaps marriages would have been conducted in their home church of Membury.   It’s a long shot, perhaps an enquiry of Jenny Beaman who is secretary of the Membury Local History Society, might produce some more information.   Personally I feel that there must be a connection between Jonas Woodrow baptised 1683 back to earlier Woodrows who now lie in our Churchyard.   In any event please keep in contact and when this terrible Corona Virus is more under control perhaps we can welcome you to the wonderful valley in which we live.

Peter Woodrow responds:   Thanks for your quick reply.   Appreciate your looking into this and your suggestions.   Another trip to England is high on our priority list, as soon as we are allowed to travel out of Australia.   That looks like being around this time next year!   Frustrating as that is, it is the closed borders that have kept Australia largely free of Covid so most people accept it.   We certainly intend to visit Yarcombe on our next trip.

August 2023

Peter Woodrow adds:   In 2 days time we are heading to England for our first trip there since the emails above in May 2021.   We have organised our itinerary so we will have 3 nights in Yarcombe so I can see where my Woodrow/Woodrough ancestors lived.   It would be great if while we are there we could meet some of the locals, who could perhaps suggest key points of interest.   We are in Yarcombe from 10-13 Sept.

Steve Horner replies:   Great to hear from you once again.   Did you follow through with my suggestion that you contact the Membury Local History Society?

Peter Woodrow writes:   Thanks for your quick reply.   I did email Jenny Beaman (in May 21) as you suggested but didn't get a response so didn't go any further with that.   I will try again now.

Steve Horner replies:   Peter, I feel certain the answer lies in Membury.   I believe there is also a Membury history society.   Please remind them the area of Yarcombe where I think your ancestors may have lived was until about 1850 an outlying part of the parish of Membury.   Good hunting.

 

May 2021

I am wondering if you have any information on Thomas Major who was vicar of Yarcombe from 1580?   He appears to be my 11th great-grandfather through the Turner family.   His grand-daughter Eleanor married John Turner alias Harner in Yarcombe in 1640.   Best regards,    David Wilton

Steve Horner replies:   This is a most interesting enquiry and I can state without doubt we do have information about Thomas Major.   To explain as you may know Sir Francis Drake acquired the manor of Yarcombe as a result of a complex transaction, possibly an early form of money laundering as a reward for pillaging the Spanish Main, which in turn considerably increased the treasury of Elizbeth 1.

Sir Francis died in 1596 at sea and is buried in Nombre Dios bay off Panama.   He did not have any children and left the manor of Yarcombe to his brother Thomas, and with it a series of complex legal cases as others in the family squabbled over the wealth, and debts, left by the Old Sea Dog.   Thomas Drake was himself litigious and brought a law suit to obtain an injunction in the Court of Chancery against the reverend Thomas Major, vicar of Yarcombe.   This case concerned the tithes payable in kind to the vicar which was a difficult process to administer given locals might well try and hide new born animals and amounts of grain and hay grown from the said vicar.   So Thomas Major devised a scheme whereby such tithes might be monetised (to use a modern financial expression).   The case is interesting and very helpful to local historians because it lists in great detail each and every holding in the Parish, the names of each occupant and tithe paid, I have a transcript and a typed copy, the original Bill is marked as having been filed on 23rd November 1600, there does not appear to be an answer from the court to the original pleadings.

Somewhere in my papers I have a note that the widow of Thomas Major lived at Rosshayne farm, and it is therefore not surprising that his granddaughter Eleanor stayed in the locality and married Thomas Harner in 1640.   Thus if you can send me more details from the family tree this would be a most useful document to have available in our archives.   In turn I will try to carry out some more detailed research for you.

David Wilton responds:   Thank you for the very quick reply.   I have attached a couple of shots from my family tree on Ancestry.com (below).   I will put a caveat on this that while I try to be careful to validate links with original sources, it is all too easy to make mistakes.   If you want to look at the tree on Ancestry it is public: 888dew

Steve Horner replies:   I have been able to spend some time looking at your tree on Ancestry.   In particular I focussed on the marriage Eleanor Major (1622-1659) to John Turner als Harner.  I had a brief look see at John's PCC, Will obviously a wealthy man, I am now certain he lived at Higher Pithayne, which is a grade 2 listed building now occupied by David Meyrick, Lord of the manor.   I need your guidance please as I have not come across Als in a name which seems to have been in use for several generations of the family, I had interpreted this to be Alias. meaning an assumed name, often used by one person for one generation.   Clearly your family have deep roots in Yarcombe and the surrounding parishes, I would be pleased to send you information that I have on Rev Thomas Maior.   Incidentally have you gathered other information on said Reverand, I assume he was a graduate of either Oxford or Cambridge and took Holy Orders so there should be further information on this man.

David Wilton replies:   If you have a photo of Higher Pithayne I would be interested to see the house.   The family appear to have used either Harner alias Turner or Turner alias Harner for several generations, but use is also erratic.   For example:

This is the only alias name I have come across so I have no idea what is normal or even how this sort of name comes about.   The only similar thing I have found is a case in the mid 1700's of illegitimacy where the couple never married but had a son who was given both surnames, which later generations hyphenated.   The only thing I have found on the Rev Thomas Major is his entry in the directory of Oxford alumni, which does not give anything on his background.

David Wilton adds:   I just found the attached case from 1610 in the Court of Chancery.   I think the defendant is most likely Thomas Turner alias Harner (1580-1625), the father of John.

As yet I do not have any further information about the 1610 Court of Chancery proceedings; however if I do receive any further information I will pass this on to you.   I am most grateful to you for the wealth of information you have provide about your ancestors who lived in Yarcombe in the late 16th early 17th century, and I would ask for your approval that our web master Peter Tarrant posts these onto the Ancestry section of our web site.   If you find out any more or require any further information please do not hesitate to contact me.

David Wilton adds:   Thank you very much for this and please thank Mr Podbery for me.   You are welcome to use anything I have sent you on your website.   You piqued my curiosity about 'alias' names and after digging around on the web found that as you thought, they were mostly only used in one or two generations.   There was a case cited from Cornwall however of a family with used an alias name over a span of 200 years, from the mid 1500s to the mid 1700s, much like the Turner alias Harner's.       Best regards,      David

Steve Horner replies:   I have just returned Andy Podbery`s photos, he is pleased to have been of assistance.   Here is the reply I have received from Bryan Drew the local historian who covers Stockland.   Not much additional information I am afraid but every little helps:

Keep in contact - yours is a fascinating family history.

Steve Horner adds:   Overnight I had another thought about John Turner alias Harner 1607-1685 and this concerns his PCC Will.   Have you transcribed this document?   I know from experience that this is a long and painstaking business!   It would perhaps help me understand his land holdings and therefore I would appreciate a copy of any transcription you may have.

David Wilton replies:   I do not have a transcript of the will, sorry.   I read the wills for the names to check relationships and the names are usually legible enough that I can get by without transcripts.   Ruth Everitt's book mentions that the Rev. Thomas Major left a Tremelins bible in his will and speculates he may have been preaching in the fields.   This would make Yarcombe fertile ground for recruiting early emigrants to America.   Do you know where I might get a copy of Rev. Major's will?

Steve Horner replies:   I have had a quick search for Rev Thomas Maior`s will but with no luck so far, and sadly Ruth Everitt is no longer with us to lead me to the source of her knowledge about the Tremelins bible.   I do recall an ancient bible was stolen from the church some 15 years ago however the thief clearly did not consider this to be of much value and dumped it in a hedge, perhaps this Holy Book is indeed the Tremelins (correct name Tremellius) bible and may contain some inscription or notes.   I will ask the church warden Geoff Berry if he has any knowledge of this matter.   Turning to your other thought process, indeed Yarcombe was an early recruiting ground for emigrants to your country.   If you look at Ancestral Search 51 there is a wealth of information contained therein and there it states Thomas Newbury b 10th November 1594 set sail in 1634 from Weymouth on board The Recovery bound for the new world.   I hope that this may help your researches.

Steve Horner adds:   I was greatly impressed with your Latin motto, which roughly translates to “He who wants gets”.   Many years ago when I sat the exams to gain entry to Oxford  (which I failed !) a paper in Latin was compulsory, fortunately I had  taken Latin as a subject to the age of 16 so I had to dust off my old text books and greatly enjoyed the subject.
 
I have now located the will of Thomas Maior, it's in the Devon Archives:

Will of Thomas Maior 1627 of Yarcombe from the Devon Wills Index 1163-1999

Source MOGA;         Ref       Vol 13   p.4416-8 

There is a two month back log to obtain copies although if I have a moment  I will try and arrange a personal visit and make a copy which I will send to you in due course. 

Steve Horner adds:   I have consulted the web and found the following reference to this scholar whose work may have been one source for the scholars who produced the King James Bible:

David Wilton adds:   I have attached the family of the Rev Thomas Major as revised using the information in the Will.   Are any of these names - Markes, Clement, Slade, Davie, Coles, Asshe - local names?

Steve Horner writes:   In a previous email you asked why Dorothy Maior wife of Rev Thomas Maior was living at Rosshayne and not in the vicarage.   On page 6 From Monks to the Millennium (of which you have a copy) Ruth Everitt mentions “From Henry VIII reign to that of James 1 the rectory and small acreages is shown in the records as being let to various lay people probably to further the Protestant cause”.   You have set out a list of names, I assume because they are shown in your family tree.   Apart from Davy these names do not appear in the records I have to hand for Yarcombe.   However Rosshayne at that time is recorded as being owned by Bartholomew Frye, I assume Thomas Maior and his wife being tenants of part thereof.   One clue you might follow up is on Page 83 of Ruth`s book, at this time the daughters of Giles Martin who was a land owner in Yarcombe married into a Davy family of Exeter.   Perhaps this family provided another son who married Thomas Maior`s daughter Dorothy b 1583?   I apologise I cannot be of much assistance, however please keep in contact it is quite amazing how new leads produce results.

David Wilton replies:   Thanks Steve.   I will look at the references.   The names are those of the husbands of Thomas Majors daughters and in one case a grand daughter.  From what you say they did not marry locally.

Steve Horner writes:   The names you gave me are not in the records of land ownership in Yarcombe at that time.   I have just had a quick look at the burial records and there is nothing that fits to your names which suggests they married away from the parish, although both Thomas and his wife Dorothie are recorded therin.

David Wilton adds:   Post-covid I am back to traveling frequently and with no social life in the evenings I amuse myself with Ancestry.com.   I discovered that Mary Newbery who married John Turner alias Harner in 1730 is the 4th great grand daughter of John Newbery who died in 1588, who is the common ancestor of the Newberys who emigrated to the USA.   This piqued my interest in the emigrants, and I have been tracing their descendants in the USA.   I have only scratched the surface, but as they arrived early and were successful their descendants are an interesting lot!   They include: 

You can trace this on my tree on Ancestry.com  888dew. 

Steve Horner responds:   I was most fascinated to read your two latest e-mails to me demonstrating the links between Yarcombe and several of the prominent characters in the history of your great nation. 

We have recorded your ancestors under Ancestral Search 59, however the link between your Mary Newbery who married John Turner in 1730 now overlaps a huge amount of information on the Newberry family to be found at Ancestral Search 51 from which I quote: 

Just to recapitulate may I enquire if all the American Newberrys who seem to have been a very prolific and substantial family can all trace back their ancestry to this Thomas Newberry ? 

David Wilton writes:   Americans seem to have had a binge on ancestry in the late 1800s and early 1900s and there are a lot of publications from those periods which have reasonably well researched trees which I want to reference.   As a starting point I have ordered a book by the New England Historical Genealogical Society on the ancestry of the Presidents of the US and will look at this when I get home at the end of March.   From what I have seen on their website I think the two President's Bush are also Newberry descendants.   I do not think all US Newberry's are descended from Thomas and Richard Newberry.   There will have been many others of the name emigrate over the decades.

Thomas seems to have emigrated about 10 years before his 2nd cousin Richard, and from what I can see so far was much more prominent.   I have hardly made a start on tracking Richard's descendants as the data is comparatively sparce.   Thomas's line on the other hand has a lot of information as his children married into some of the top families of movers and shakers of the time - Russells, Walcotts, Allyns, Clarks, Griswolds - and this pattern is repeated to some extent in each succeeding generation as Griswold's marry Gardeners of Gardiner's Island who marry Tylers (son of President John Tyler) and Russells marry Sturges's who marry Codmans and Cabots.

Thomas' case is an unusual one of having been near the top of the tree at the inception of a great enterprise.

David Wilton adds:   The Newbery connection in the US has become crazy - I have found that two of my friends in Philadelphia are 12th cousins!   I have come across another Newbery connection in Stockland, which from memory Jacob Newbery thinks is 'Newbery Ground Zero'. I am descended from the Tytherleigh's who married one of the Frye's of Yarty, so I went looking at them and found the attached entry from the 1620 Visitation of Devon. It shows the Fryes married an heiress of Robert Newberie of Stockland and quartered the Newbery arms: a black shield with a silver bar with wavy edges across the center, between three silver stars (I am translating out of armorial-speak).  The visitation does not provide dates, but another source suggests that Robert Newbery might have been born in the early-to-mid 1500s.

David Wilton adds:   Pic from ‘Ancestors of American Presidents’ showing Thomas is the ancestor of Presidents Hayes and Ford.   Although the Bushes are related to Hayes, Ford, Bess Truman and Nancy Regan it is through multiple other descents, not the Newberrys.

 
 

May 2021

Hi, I’m researching my CIVIL family and have traced one family back to Yarcombe c 1700.   Daniel Civil married Mary Pavey in 1717.   I’d like to take some photos of their gravestones and wondered if you would know whereabouts they are in the churchyard.   Also, do you have any records showing where the CIVILs came from before their Yarcombe ‘period’?      Kind Regards,    Martin Webb

Peter Tarrant comments:   There are references to the Pavey name on this web page In Ancestral Searches 10,  15,  16.  23,  30,  38, 49 & 67.

Steve Horner replies:   Martin, you have given me very little information about your family.   If you look in Burials at Yarcombe Church you will find that there are very many members of the Pavey family in our graveyard.   As to the Civil family there are 5 in 1720-1730 all the children I suspect of Daniel and Mary.   I cannot find an entry for Daniel although I suspect Mary was buried in 1756.   There are no existing gravestones for either Daniel or Mary in the churchyard.

The Pavey family have a long association with Yarcombe:

If you explain to me how you are related to Daniel Civil I may be able to help further.   I hope this helps.

Martin Webb reports:   Hi, I visited the church only to find your email later about the lack of headstones!   Never mind, I got some nice photos of the church and graveyard.   I wondered if there were any church records showing who was buried where?   My later question related to settlement records.   I just know that movements between Parishes had to get an OK from the receiving Parish.   I don’t know for what period of time these settlements records were requisite.   I hoped to find some record of the CIVILs arrival in Yarcombe.   I would add that my Mum was a Civil.   I think Daniel was 8xGrandfather.   Martin Webb
 

April 2021

Hello from Australia.   My brother, Ralph Anthony Rosewell, was born at Yarcombe on 9 August 1938 to Kenneth John and Ida Eva Rosewell (nee Coles).   Ralph died recently and my sister Jean Mary Brown (nee Rosewell) would like to know his date of baptism presumably at St John’s Church.   I was born in Wellington and baptised there within a few months of my birth.   The Devon Record Office has baptism records only up until 1915 so I am unable to seek assistance from them.   I would be pleased if you could ask someone with access to the Church Register to search for the baptism of Ralph Anthony Rosewell up to 6 months after 9 August 1938 and let me know the date.   Best wishes   Colin John Rosewell   Gunnedah NSW Australia

Steve Horner replies:   Colin, So far we have drawn a blank, although perhaps with some more information about your family we can continue the search.   Our Churchwarden Geoff Berry has kindly searched the Baptismal records of St John the Baptist church here in Yarcombe and has sent me the following response:

However I had a quick look at the Ancestry web site and have found the following information which may give you some clues as to where to look next.   Your father Kenneth John Rosewell was born on 20th March 1917 at Awliscombe, and your mother Ida Eva Coles was interestingly born at Luppitt on 15th April 1915 and they were married in Honiton on 2nd June 1937, theirs was a fruitful marriage I believe they had 16 children.   At the start of World War 2 the Government prepared the 1939 Register to provide information to prepare identity cards ration books etc and your parents were recorded as living on 29th September 1939 at Ardwin estate, Swans Lane, Wellington and your father gives his profession as a dairy farmer.   Certainly your family have close connection to this part of East Devon and across the border into Somerset, if you can you give me any idea where they may have been living in Yarcombe at the time your brother was born, this may lead me to another local church perhaps in Stockland or Otterford.   I look forward to hearing more of your family.

Colin Rosewell responds:   Thank you for your prompt and comprehensive reply.   It is disappointing that Ralph was not baptised at Yarcombe but thank you for your suggestions for further searches.   I am pleased to provide more information but first would you please thank Geoff Berry for searching the Baptismal records.   Is or was Geoff from Churchstanton? I have a record of a Geoff Berry of Churchstanton corresponding with my good friend Marlene Hoskin (nee Wyatt) of QLD Australia.   Marlene told me about it as I have Wyatt / Berry families in my Rosewell ancestors and Wyatt in my Coles ancestry.   Anyway, back to my family that I have been researching since 1980 – yes, I am old!  I have received much assistance from Grahame Smith of the Luppitt LHG and Margaret Lewis OPC for Honiton.   I have met them both a couple of times.   My ROSEWELL and COLES Family Trees are on www.luppitt.net under Information | Family Trees (after Grahame Smith’s data).   My mother, Ida Coles, is the young baby under Resources | Photos | Image 3.  My father, Kenneth Rosewell, is the youngest boy in Image 35.   All the Rosewell children are in Image 35.   You will find some of my posts in the Forum.

The ROSEWELL family came from Bradford-on-Tone, Somerset via Churchstanton and COLES came from Churchstanton via Washfield, Devon.   Here are some notes about Kenneth John Rosewell (1917-1994):

Notes about Ida Eva Coles (1915-2001):

Ken and Ida were married 2 Jun 1937 at the Honiton Registry Office.   The first child Mervyn Rex was born 1 Jul 1937 and died 11 Aug 1937.   Ralph Anthony was born 9 Aug 1938.   Ken lived at Chaffhayes, Yarcombe and worked for his father at Woodhayes, Luppitt until his father, William Rosewell (1882-1962) sold Woodhayes on 2 Oct 1937 with vacant possession on 28 March 1938.   I assume that it was March 1938 when Ken and Ida had to find a living elsewhere and moved to Wellington.   IF Ralph was baptised I had bet on it being in the 6 months living at Chaffhay where they had family and friends whereas there would have been none at Wellington.   Now my search will move to Wellington but I am of the opinion that, at that time, baptism of a child would have been a low priority! I will let you know what I find.

Ida’s father was Samuel Disney Coles (1876-1962).   Farmer at Chaffhayes, Yarcombe 1922-1939.   Clearing Sale by Greenslade & Co on Wednesday 22 February 1939.   I have a copy of the Sale Notice.

Ken’s father, William Rosewell (1882-1962):   Born at Highly Farm, Upottery, 1882.   Scholar at Croakham Farm, Yarcombe 1891.   Some of his siblings married, lived, or died at Yarcombe.

A branch of the COLES of Churchstanton moved to Uppottery and a Henry (1788-1858) and Martha Coles (nee Pym) lived at Hares Farm, Chardstock (but close to Yarcombe).  Their youngest children were baptised at Yarcombe 1829-1831.   Descendants live in New Zealand and I am helping them to record their Devon history.

I made the mistake once of sending a distant relation a Gedcom file on the Rosewell family. He uploaded it to Ancestry. I take no responsibility for the accuracy of the information on Ancestry.

Steve, I have tried to cover all the points made by you and Geoff Berry.   Thank you again and if there is anything that I can send you for your records or for the Yarcombe web site please let me know.   I have written books on the ROSEWELL and COLES families.   Best wishes,   Colin

Steve Horner comments:   A tremendous response, a wealth of information here about Yarcombe and its connections to other parishes in the area.   This is a real nugget of Australian gold that will take me some time to absorb.

Steve Horner adds:   Very many thanks for all this detail.   You seem to have been very assiduous with your researches and well informed about this part of Devon and Somerset, it`s great to receive feedback from enquiries which we always try to answer.   As you probably know Chaffhay lies at the southern edge of the Parish of Yarcombe and it's just possible that Stockland church may have been a more convenient place of worship to conduct the Baptism, although this is a long shot.   Between Chaffhay and Yarcombe Church lies a Baptist Church, is it just possible your family may have considered such would be suitable - I can ask the lady in charge, Thelma Clarke, if she can search her records.   I am not certain if you have a copy of Ruth Everitt`s book “From Monks to the Millennium” which is the best source of information on local history.   There is little in the book about Chaffhay, see extract below:

The reference to Lord Heathfield`s ownership in the late 18th century means that it was part of the Yarcombe estate who at one time owned almost all of the land in the Parish.   We do not know when this farm was sold away and therefore a copy of the Greenslade clearing sale particulars of 1939 would be much appreciated.   I would be pleased to continue to assist you with this enquiry.   Incidentally did you manage to find copies of War Ag records?   The records seem few and far between.
 
 

April 2021

I just discovered your Ancestral Search page and would like to ask for your assistance.   I am the great grandson of John Northam who emigrated to Australia in 1870.   He was born in 1847 and appears as a 4 year old on the 1851 census living at Shorthayne Farm.   I visited Yarcombe in 2014 and the owners kindly showed me through the farmhouse and I stayed at the old school, now a b&b.   John is no longer at Shorthayne in 1861 but I believe is at Corfe as a 14 year old Ag. Lab.   John's father (also John) born 1819 died 1893 (appears in every census till 1891) outlived his son who died in New South Wales Australia in 1892.   My research has his father as Simon born 1793 and his father also Simon born 1757 died 1826 and his father Robert born 1735.   I am Donald Robert Northam so carry on the name.   If it's not too difficult can you verify this research.   I would love to have a copy of "From Monks to the Millennium" by Ruth Everitt and am happy to make a donation.   Yours Sincerely.   Bob Northam

Steve Horner replies:   I was delighted to read your note about the Northam family, they certainly have long associations with our Parish.   If you look at our burial records, there is a Link on this webpage, you will note that over the centuries 63 Northams have been laid to rest in the churchyard.   The earliest Northam in our records is Alice, a widow who occupied Stoute Farm in 1600; this is probably the same Alice who died in 1616.

I hope by now you will have received an electronic copy of Ruth Everitt`s book from which you will note that there is a farm in the parish which bears the name Northams farm.   I was also fascinated to learn that John Northam 1819-1893 was living at Shorthayne farm as shown in the 1851 and 1861 census records.   Shorthayne is situated just down the valley from where I live at Old Woodhayne farm, (aka Woodend farm) and in the 1861 census Woodend and Shorthayne appear on the same page of the records.

I have located your John b 1847 in Ancestry who died Mudgee New South Wales on 28th April 1892, and I suspect I can fill in a few more details for your own family tree, but check my work, it's early days, although I hope this helps:

Please let us know if you find further connections to our Parish and if we can help further, perhaps a photo of the wonderful countryside in which we live, please do not hesitate to ask.

Bob Northam writes:   Thanks for your quick reply.   I have found all the Northams in your Burial Records and discovered quite a few from the 1500s that have somehow been sorted after the Northcotes so the Northam name does go back quite a few centuries.   I have a will for a Simon Northam from 1743 in which his wife Mary inherits but have not found a family link to this Simon.   My family tree is "donald northam" in Ancesty.com.au if you would like to have a look at where i'm up to.   I am looking forward to Ruth's book arriving in my emails soon.   I visited Northam's farm in 2014 and have a photo of the sign.

Bob Northam adds:   Ruth's book arrived and I must say it is a great read and a wonderful resource for those of us who can trace our forebears back to Yarcombe.   It is interesting that we have a "Northams Farm" but no mention of which Northam it may have been named after.   We have plenty of Northams in the Census from 1841 through to 1891 but other than John at Shorthayne farm they tend to be Ag. labourers.   Cheers,   Bob N
 

February 2021

I think I'm descended from the Willie (Willey) family of Yarcombe - I definitely descend from Ruth Willey, daughter of Richard and Joan/Jane Willey of Upottery.   Her father Richard was born about 1762 and there is no Baptism for him that I could find.   He uses the surname Willey/Willie during his life and for his children.   I did find a baptism of Richard Newton the base child of Mary Newton baptised at Yarcombe at just the right time.   I had already found a marriage of Mary Newton and William Willie in Upottery on the 15th Feb 1767.   Their son Henry was baptised on May 31st the same year.   They went on to have at least 2 more children, John 1775 and Ruth 1777 in Yarcombe.   I think Richard’s use of the name Ruth proves a connection to the earlier use of the name.   In 1841 Richard is living in Chardstock then in Dorset now in Devon saying he was not born in Dorset,   I found the will of Henry Willie of Yarcombe and he leaves a bequest to Richard Willie otherwise Newton.   This Richard inherited property in Upottery   I think there is evidence stacking up that Richard Willie (father of my Ruth Willey) was the illegitimate child of William Willie and Mary Newton and therefore a grandchild of the Henry Willie who died in 1792 in Yarcombe.   I would be interested to know if anyone else has made similar connections or if there is any other evidence to confirm my ideas.    Best wishes,    Joan Smith     Exeter

The following persons are mentioned in Henry`s will:

I conclude this Richard Willie (born 1762 Upottery) must be the base child of Mary Newton who had been taken into the Willie family when his mother Mary married William.   You are probably correct William was his father!   However I now need your help to provide more details of Ruth Willie baptised 1777 in Yarcombe and buried possibly Otterford 2nd May 1790.     With kind regards,    Steve

Joan Smith writes:   I have 2 Ruth Willie/Willey’s in my family tree.   My direct ancestor is Ruth Willey who was baptised on the 24th May 1795 at Upottery (found on Family Search).   She sometimes gives her birthplace as Stockland or Upottery.   She was my 3x great grandmother.   Her parents I believe were the aforementioned Richard Willie (otherwise Newton) and his wife Joan or Jane Hawkins who married at Yarcombe on the 31/10/1785 found on Findmypast witnessed by William Saterley and David Trott?   I cannot prove Richard’s identity except for the mention in the will and the fact that William and Mary did not seem to be able to live together in harmony, Ruth Willey married John Lugg at Axmouth, when Ruth is described as of the parish of Lyme.   They had 8 children all baptised in Wootton Fitzpaine or Whitchurch Canonicorum Dorset.   John’s death was registered in the Bridport area in 1854.   Ruth lived until 16th Jan 1891 aged 96 also registered in the Bridport area.   The other Ruth Willie was baptised 19/1/ 1777 at Yarcombe, daughter of William and Mary and buried on 2/5/1790 at Otterford found on Ancestry so I think she was Richard Willie/Newton’s sister.   I hope that helps!   I would like to see the Family tree on the Village Hall wall.

February 2021

I am looking for any information about the Flood family of Yarcombe:

George Flood might have been born Plymouth - 1672 Yarcombe  m Florence?   On Genuki Yarcombe History there is a John Flood at Knights Mill 1785

Many thanks,     Pam Williams

Steve Horner replies:   Pam, have you checked the Yarcombe Burials record?    There is a link above.   Both George Flood obit 1716 and John Flood Obit 1682 are shown there.   In fact there are 27 Floods buried in our churchyard so they were a well-established family hereabouts.   You do not explain how George Flood and John Flood are related - possibly father and son?   Keep in contact, we will do all we can to help you.


 

January 2021

Hi, I live in New Zealand and my 10th great grandparents are buried at St John the Baptist Church, Yarcombe.   I was told by a man named Archie from this area who you may know that you might be able to help me locate plot info for my ancestors and hopefully pictures of their graves if any have been taken.   I have downloaded the list of names and dates buried in Yarcombe from the Yarcombe Parish Church website.   I was also wondering if there is a graveyard Map of the Cemetery online at all?

Any help really appreciated.   Linda Summerhays

Steve Horner replies:   Linda, many thanks for your enquiry, in the first instance try findagrave.com - this site is we believe up to date.   There are over 5,500 persons who are recorded as having been buried in our churchyard over the past 500 years, there are very few ancient grave stones still to be seen, certainly there is no plan of the graveyard.   Also on this webpage's introduction you can access our burial records which again we believe are up to date.   Obviously your family have very strong connections with our Parish and we would be most grateful if you could share your family tree with us so we can record this on our web site.   It may be that we can tie an ancestor to a particular house or farm and send you a photo of where the family lived.   We would also appreciate any anecdotes as to when your family left these shores to travel to the opposite side of the world.   If we can help further please let me know.

Linda Summerhays writes:   My 2 x great grandparents came to NZ in 1875 from the UK for a new start.

John Gollop writes:   Hi, this is a message for Linda Summerhays.   I saw your post on the Yarcombe website.   Thomas Summerhayes was my 9th great grandfather and his line goes back into English history.   I won’t go into detail in case this email is not read but please contact me if you would like to know more.            John Gollop       Cornwall UK

Linda Summerhays replies:   Really great to hear from you.   Yes, I would love to know more about the family.   I have been researching the family for years but didn't really go beyond my 3rd Great Grandfather until contact from a relative from Australia who solved a stumbling block between two Summerhays men with the same first name and the same birth year.   Note the e was never in our name while in NZ and not in baptism records 200 years ago in Stockland, Devon where many of my ancestors lived.
 

January 2021

Roger Pring, a friend of my dear neighbours David and Penny Reynolds at Linton Cottage, has contacted me with regard to North Waterhayne Farm.   Roger's father, who is about to celebrate his 100th birthday on 8th February 2021, was born at Waterhayne and the family are gathering together all kinds of strands of family history to present to Roger's father on his momentous day.   I have given Roger your details so that he can contact you as I suggested to him that you would be fascinated to hear more about the Pring family and that you might be able to assist him with more details about North Waterhayne.     Miranda Gudenian

Steve Horner replies:   Thank you so much for this exchange of information, every scrap adds to our knowledge of Yarcombe.   If you look at Ancestral search 51 we are now working in conjunction with two members of the Newberie family and we are looking at information disclosed in the Court of the Star Chamber in 1580 and the Yarcombe Manor Court rolls, the script is scarcely decipherable and its written in Latin!   I am just hoping the Pring family records are more easy to read an of course photos would be even better.

Roger Pring replies:   Miranda, Steve and Lorna (and Penny & David who unleashed all this goodwill):   Thank you all for kindly helping me in the quest for more information about North Waterhayne Farm.   The story as it concerns my father is that his grandfather John Pring was the farm tenant in the latter part of the 19th century.   His son Dick, b.1897, took over the tenancy and married Dorothy Mary Madge of Forton, Chard, in 1920.   My father Richard John Pring was born there on February 8th 1921.   The family left North Waterhayne in 1929, moving to Lower Severalls Farm, Haselbury Plucknett, Somerset, where subsequent Prings are still farming, and installing swathes of solar panels.

Ninety years on and my father now lives in Brundall, Norfolk, mobile and in good health, and has just been vaccinated while waiting patiently for his telegram.   He attributes his longevity to washing in a tin bath in front of the range at North Waterhayne.   Miranda, I just relayed to him your details about the interesting interior toilet arrangements, and he maintains that he never knew of such luxury, obliged to process up the garden to the privy.   However, he does remember going to Sheafhayne Manor, in his father’s air-cooled Rover.

Lorna, thank you for helping. I’d very much value a photo of the front of the house, in fact I’m bold enough to wonder whether I could get a shot of a bedroom where Dr Robert Fawcus* of Chard delivered my father. Maybe a view of the Yarty.   I imagine the privy has been deleted by now.

*Dr Fawcus appeared on This is Your Life on Feb 6th 1961, almost exactly 40 years after delivering my father. The programme had been pre-recorded as a reserve in case the usual celebrity balked at being surprised by Eamonn Andrews. Dr Fawcus’ moment came when Danny Blanchflower (footballer) refused to co-operate.

This is my father, specially tricked out for the occasion:

With many thanks and best wishes from Chiswick      Roger Pring

Miranda Gudenian adds:   Many thanks for your fascinating message and lovely to see a photograph of your father.   There is a photograph somewhere - probably on the village website run by Peter Tarrant - of The Yarcombe Inn on Lady Day in the early part of the 20th century with the Estate tenants lined up to pay their rent (it may have been in the Thirties in which case no use as your family left the village in 1929).   Peter and Steve will correct this information if I'm mistaken.   But if I am right then there is a high possibility that your grandfather is in that photograph.   It would be wonderful if your father could write down his memories of his childhood in Yarcombe and memories of the farm. It all adds to the rich history of the village which, if not recorded, will be lost forever to future generations.   On a personal note, I would so love to publish your father's memories in Yarcombe Voices!

Peter Tarrant responds:   The photograph Miranda refers to is this one on Photograph Page 6.

Miranda Gudenian adds:   It occurred to me that that your grandfather might have spoken to your dear father about life in Yarcombe during World War One.   Steve has been painstakingly researching the lives of those from the village who served in the war and any information about those years would be most valuable to add to our knowledge.   I do hope you received the bank details for Yarcombe Voices so that I can send you Ruth Everitt's book From Monks to the Millennium.

Steve Horner writes:   Roger, here is a copy of the Yarcombe 1901 census, which clearly shows your family in residence at North Waterhayne farm at that time.   I thought this might be of interest to you and your father.   I notice John Pring and his wife Bessie were both born in Yarcombe and if you were interested I would be pleased to try and find more information about your family, however this is sometimes sensitive, and you may consider this to be intrusive so until I receive word from you we will not go public.   I noted in a previous exchange mention of Sheafhayne Manor which also appears in those days called Sheafhayne House, occupied Lionel Patton who had served in the Somerset military and was a JP, he lived by himself in the huge House save for a young Lady`s Maid.   I hope this helps.

Helen Matthews writes:   Roger, I grew up at North Waterhayne Farm during the late sixties, seventies and up to mid eighties.   My parents, John and Barbara Salter moved there in 1960 and farmed it until they left in the early nineties.   My dad sadly passed in 2018 but my mum still lives in Yarcombe and has many photos and memories.   If you want me to ask her to forward anything , please let me know.   Helen Matthews

Roger Pring replies:   Helen, Thanks for your message.   You have probably gathered that I’m looking for photographs and information of North Waterhayne Farm to present on my father’s 100th birthday on February 8th this year.   His family (Pring) were the tenants in the latter part of the 19th century and finally left in 1929, buying a farm on the outskirts of Crewkerne.   Miranda has asked me to provide Yarcombe Voices with any anecdotes that pop up when I gently quiz my father after his birthday.  He was only 8 when he left Yarcombe but has a keen memory.   Maybe there’s a fuller history of North Waterhayne to be created with the help of you and your mother.   Meanwhile, if you have pictures of the house as it was during your family’s tenure, I’d be very grateful to see them.



 

December 2020

While reading the History page, I noticed a statement that there was a history of the town, From Monks To The Millennium, and that a digital copy can be obtained from you.   What is necessary to receive a copy?   Some of my ancestors -- the Newberrys, Matthews and Dabinots -- lived in Yarcombe in 16th Century, and I am curious about what I might learn of them in the town's history.   I appreciate your help.   Mark E. Dixon, Wayne, Pa., U.S.A.

Peter Tarrant comments:   Ancestral Search 59 contains references to the Newberry name.

Steve Horner responds:   Mark, you may have noticed that having an interest in both local and family history I try to make helpful comments to all the enquiries we receive, thus I was delighted to read yours especially as it comes from the USA.   I was aware members of the Newberry family that emigrated to your country, and was perhaps expecting a visit or certainly an enquiry during 2020 which is the 400th anniversary of the sailing of the Mayflower from the nearby City of Plymouth.   Sadly this celebration was cancelled due to Covid although there are plans to revive this festival next year.

There are still members of the Mathews family living hereabouts although the name Dabinot is new to me.   If you look at our recently completed record of burials (see link above) one Mary Dabinet was buried in the churchyard in 1744.   I would be delighted if you can share your connections with our village with me, especially any references to those from the parish who set off to the New World as early settlers.

If you need further help or perhaps photos of buildings with which your family have associations I would be pleased to provide these for you, in these troubled times my wife and I take long walks into our glorious countryside where your ancestors once lived and worked.   See below recent photos.

Mark Dixon replies:   Hello, Steve, and thank you for responding so quickly.   The Newberry has been the subject of a lot of "chatter" among medieval genealogists because an early 20th Century genealogist claimed that the immigrant, Thomas Newberry (ca. 1594-1636) had royal ancestors.   That claim was passed along for decades, but has now been debunked -- for lots of sensible reasons with which I won't bore you.   So, I think my Newberrys were likely ordinary farmers.   I've attached the most-relevant page from my family tree.   The line currently ends with the parents of Richard Newberry (#8), who were William (d. 1596) and his wife, Ellen (d. 1609).   Both, I suppose, lie somewhere in the churchyard of St. John Baptist.   I've also attached a short biography of immigrant Thomas Newberry, which includes some background on the Dabinotts.   I hope this helps.

(Images to follow)

Steve Horner replies:   I am delighted that finally we have proof positive that the Newberry family from Yarcombe were very early settlers in your great country.   My initial reading of the information you have provided to me would suggest they may have been on passengers on the Mary and John which sailed from these shores in 1630.   I am certain we will be exchanging more e-mails over the coming months.   To whet your appetite I include an excerpt from the book “From Monks to the Millennium” (below) which covers an entry for Livenhayes farm, one of the oldest buildings in the parish which was owned by the Newberry family in the 17th century.   I will also try and locate a photo of the farmhouse for you.   In fact you are correct the Newberrys were certainly farmers although would probably have described themselves as Yeomen.

Mark Dixon replies:   Our earlier correspondence caused me to dig a bit deeper, and with better, more complete sources, than previously.   The line now looks like that outlined on the two attached pages -- with a yarcombe.net photo (thanks again.)   According to the New England Historic Genealogical Society's "Great Migration" project however, Thomas Newberry came on the ship Recovery.   However, it may be a distinction without a difference since the Recovery's passengers were part of the same movement that included the Mary & John.   I have an eight-page profile of Thomas Newberry.   Would you like me to send it?   FYI, my sources seem to agree that, while Thomas was baptised at Yarcombe, he lived at Marshwood, Co. Dorset.   His youngest child was baptised at Whitchurch-Canonicorum.

(pages mentioned above to follow)

Steve Horner adds:   This is really very exciting, I have a busy day ahead however I will try to reply in more detail this evening.   I really would appreciate a copy of the eight page profile of Thomas Newberry.   Herewith a recent photo of Livenhayes (right), which is probably in the same sort of condition as it was when the Newberry family owned the it in the 17th century.   The photo was not taken specifically to feature Livenhayes but as part of a recent footpath survey.  The thatched building nestles into the hillside looking down the Yarty valley.

Mark Dixon replies:   I should probably make clear up front that I am no genealogical scholar.   What I do (that many seemingly don't) is read the literature.   In this case, that means I found Ancestral Roots of Certain American Colonists by Frederick Lewis Weis.   Weis died in 1966, and the pages #243 and #244 below are from the 8th edition, published in 2004.   In any case, Weis had apparently accepted the work of an early 20th Century researcher named Bartlett who had concluded that immigrant Thomas Newberry was of royal descent.   In the course of reading around, I found that Bartlett work is now dismissed as "fraudulent" by modern genealogists.   Apparently, he just plugged the immigrant's father, Richard, into an armigerous family with a similar name.   I've also attached a copy of a 2011 post to the Google group soc.genealogy.medieval by Douglas Richardson that lays out Bartlett's genealogical crimes.   Thank you for the photo and the book page describing Livenhayes farm, though I don't yet see a connection between the farm's Newberry owner and immigrant Tom.

Bartlett	Title Page	Page 235	Page 236	Page 237	Page 238	Page 239	Page 240	Page 241	Page 242	Page 243	Page 244

Steve Horner adds:   Very many thanks for all the information that you sent me which has taken me some time to read and understand.   Indeed the Douglas Richardson post of 30th October 2011 lays bare the slipshod work of one Mr Bartlett who was I believe a functionary of the College of Arms in London.   I am not an expert genealogist, however my instinct and local knowledge of place names suggests that your ancestors more than probably owned or lived at Livenhayes, and given time we may probably forge a connection between your Thomas Newberry (the immigrant) and Samuel Newberry whose name is shown on a plaque in Livenhayes farm dated 1662.

To me as an inhabitant of Yarcombe the important fact we can now demonstrate is that Thomas Newberry, who was baptised in the parish church of St John Baptist on 10 November 1594 and who set sail in 1634 from Weymouth to the New World as a passenger on board the Recovery, was prominent among the settlers and his genes are deeply embedded in the present population of the United States of America.

I speculate Thomas` first wife Joane Dabinett, who was baptised in Yarcombe in 1600 and died in 1629, was probably the source of his wealth, in fact an inheritance from her father Charles Dabinett that gave Thomas the opportunity to improve himself from a yeoman farmer to the merchant who set out in1634 on his voyage to the New World.   I have noted that Thomas Newberry`s second wife Jane went with him to Dorchester Massachusetts in 1634.

I note from your tree Thomas` parents Richard and Grace (nee Mathew) also had connections to Yarcombe.   Richard died in Yarcombe and Grace was baptised in Yarcombe in November 1558 and died in Yarcombe in June 1609.   Richard was the son and heir of William Newberry who was I suspect baptised in the adjoining parish of Membury in 1544 and married Ellyne Smith in about 1564.

I apologise for repeating much of the information that is already known to you, however it is the strong connections of the Newberry family to our parish of Yarcombe that I wanted to put into print.   There is obviously much more research required to establish a complete ancestral tree of the Newberry family when they lived hereabouts in the 16th and 17th century, however I will certainly be working on this over the coming months.   Please let me know if I have made any errors and I should be grateful of further information you may have.

Mark Dixon replies:   Steve, I don't "know" that you've made any errors.   However, you've made a couple of statements for which I've seen no evidence.   Of course, being a complete amateur, I would probably have missed it.   First is that William Newberry's wife was Ellyn Smith.   Several sources note her given name - most importantly, her husband William's will.   But Smith is new,   Where did you get that?   Second, why do you think William Newbury was baptised in Membury?   Richardson seems to dismiss a Membury connection.   The Newberrys of Livenhayes who are mentioned in that page scan above lived a couple of centuries after those we are discussing.   Are you guessing that I'm descended from a younger brother who did not inherit, and therefore left to find his fortune elsewhere?   What makes this family of interest to you?   Are there still Newberrys in Yarcombe?

Steve Horner adds:   Mea Culpa, you are right, I should have marked my finds "possibles".   However we know Samuel Newberry lived in Livenhayes in 1662 - there is a plaque to prove it.   It is possible Samuel was about 50 years of age when he worked on the building.   That gives a date of birth of 1610 or thereabouts.   Your Thomas was born 1594 died 1636 so with luck and patience we may be able to bridge the gap and find a connection between your Thomas and our Samuel!

Steve Horner responds:   Very many thanks for sending me this most interesting document, although my initial analysis suggests the connection between your Thomas Newbery and Richard Newbery is somewhat tenuous.   It is however like the Curate`s egg, good in parts!   I comment as follows:

I believe that I have mentioned to you in previous correspondence there exists a document relating to the case Drake versus Major dated 23 November 1600 in which the then Vicar of Yarcombe Thomas Major sets out his case against Thomas Drake (Brother and inheritor of the estate of Sir Francis Drake) claiming the tithes of the Parish of Yarcombe.   The pleadings list every farm tenement or field in the parish and the names of the corresponding tenants or occupiers.  It is very helpful because many of the place names remain the same today and the places are listed in a logical order as might be undertaken today in a perambulation around the Parish.

On page 11 attention is drawn to a case in the Court of Exchequer dated 1586 in which William Newberie and his son Richard were granted a tenement called Powedhill in Yarcombe on 3rd March 1580.

The case of Drake vs Major reveals Richard Newberie was the tenant or was in occupation of two holdings in the parish.

Incidentally I drew your attention in an earlier note to an ancient farmhouse called Livenhayes, in the Drake vs Major case this farm is called Leven.

I hope the above observations are helpful to your research into the Newberie family, I have certainly enjoyed writing this note to you whilst we are “locked down “ at home due to the wretched virus COVID which draws ever closer.

Bryan Drew writes:   I have read the information with interest on the Newbery family.   I do have several wills and inventories on the family and will show names on the earlier ones

All the other wills are from the 1700s and 1800s so not relevant.   There does seem to be members of the Newbery family everywhere locally.   The Stockland Muster Roll of 1534 names Xpo’fer Newbery able bylman, Willym. Newbery a bowe, 1 sheff of arrowes, John Newbery a bowe and sheff arrowes.

Monmouth Rebellion 1685.

Stockland Napoleonic Home Guard 1803

Court Rolls of Stockland 1547.

Northern Tithing 1548.

I have the baptisms from 1638 for Membury where Susanna daughter of John Newbury bap. 1st July 1638 is the first of 17 Newbery’s named. 
Marriages from 1651 in my possession start with John Nubery who married Mary Harper of Stockland 8th July 1651.    Bryan & Rowena Drew

Steve Horner responds:   This is fantastic information.   If you keep an eye on this Ancestral Search (51) a lot more information has come in over the last few days from the USA Newberie family.   Are you in fact connected to the Newberie family or have you collected this whilst researching the history of Stockland?

Mark Dixon writes:   I'm adding Jacob Newbury - the author of the paper I shared earlier - to the conversation.   I'm sure that he'll respond after he has time to look over your comments (below).   I'll also forward to Jacob the will of William Newberry, in case he hasn't seen it.

Jacob Newbury writes:   Hi Mark and Steve, Thank you for the notes.   First I feel like I should point out that to the outsider/people who do not know of how vast the amount of Newberys/Newberrys/Newburys that lived in Stockland, Membury, Yarcombe, Shute, Dalwood, Upottery, and the surrounding parishes - there were a lot of them.   As far as I can tell I might be the only person to be thoroughly studying all of them, which I have been doing for at least two years now, with the ultimate hope of connecting as many as I can;  however there will still be quite a few left standing.   Between the early 1500s and the 1760s, there were upwards of 552 individual Newbery/Newbury/Newberrys lived in this area.   Not to mention the many more moving further away, let alone a couple of parishes away.   In addition, there are 39 surviving wills of people in these families until 1800, many more which are now lost however were abstracted before they were lost, not to mention more than 25 more wills from relatives/friends/etc of the Newberys/Newburys/Newberrys.   Before I logistically gathered everything it was a complete mess with no immediate remedy in sight.   There have actually been a handful of attempts to research all of these people in the past 120 years or so, however they all fall short, which prompts me more to do this more comprehensively while citing and noting evidence.

I have been fortunate enough to connect quite a fair number, however still persist to connect more with evidence.   I have been looking thoroughly at this 'contingent' (as I call them) via context (geographically, background, etc), their smaller familial wealths, statistically and in various other ways. 
There are two very important points I have found to be very consistent, and I always have to consider when studying these people are;

• Although the "Newbery" lot are spread around the Devon area and small branches going into Somerset due to the close county border, Stockland is, without a second of doubt, the main hub of the Devon Contingent.

• Although families may live in, or be "of" a town that has its own church or one close by, families have been found may, (at many times incessantly), travel up to 10 miles to a specific church for baptisms, marriages or burials.

Reply Notes;
1. The evidence found that the said William's father was named "John Newberye of Membury", was found by the College of Arms after extensive research back in the early 1920s.   Others, as well as myself have attempted to obtain evidence or notes from the College of Arms, however, there are two problems: a) looks like they didn't keep any citing notes from where they found this, however it is assured and was checked by various heralds, and b) despite the college of arms having a library and archive of material, they aren't open to the public and don't freely give out information - however I have been assured by heralds of point (a) - that this finding was certain.   (Will have to take their utmost professional work).
2. I decided to make note of these marriages as it would be foolish to note that 'William was first of the Newberry family to move to Yarcombe' (or some such note) as this is not technically true.   It was more of a future proofing paragraph so that peers don't pull me up on it.
3. Please refer to the two above noted bullet points, as well as understanding one very major reason why it is difficult to connect these families is that not all the local registers dated back as far as one would like them to.   The register for Stockland, for example, (being the epicentre of these families), only survives from 1640 onward, and 1649 for burials.
4. The will for William Newbery of Yarcombe dated 1596 was not destroyed in the archives at Exeter but rather is recorded within the Prerogative Court of Canterbury and can be found easily via the National Archives or Ancestry.
5. I am unsure of where you have interpreted that I refer to Osmore as a manor?   If you are regarding the note "...was an official copy of the reversionary grant of the manor", this is true.   Osmore was owned by the manor of Membury and thus held the official reversionary grant - which the family who were tenants of Osmore would have had a copy of as by right.
6. I'm unsure what you are noting in this point.   The earliest mention of the Newbery family in Stockland is in 1387.   The earliest Newbery will was written in 1580, with 27 wills by Newberys written before the will you mention by Robert Newbery in 1688 was written.

I hope that can help you out.

Additionally, I can also provide some help with looking into Samuel Newbery of Levenhayes as I have been able to connect him and his family to my larger network of families.   This Samuel was a son of Robert Newbery of Yarcombe and Ann Davy.   Robert was born in 1600 in Yarcombe, he was the brother of Thomas Newbery - one of the two early settlers.   Kind regards and happy new year,   Jacob

Mark Dixon writes:   Thank you, Steve, for your comments, and Jacob, for your responses.   As someone who doesn't have Steve's understanding of the local scene, or Jacob's experience of immersion in Newberry names and records, I feel at a disadvantage.   However, I've always found listening to more-informed people to be a useful path to wisdom, genealogical and otherwise.   So, please keep talking, and I'll listen.   As for the identification of William Newberry's father as "John Newberye of Membury," what form does that evidence take?   A letter?   A footnote in a book?

Steve Horner responds:   Mark and Jacob, I am absolutely delighted that all this information has come flooding in, it will take me some time to assimilate the additional information and Jacob`s answers to the points I raised.   Overnight Brian Drew a local historian who has written a book on the history of Stockland has also provided a long list of members of the Newberie family (above) which he has fond during his own researches.   I am certain that there will be some information that Brian has sent to me that will be unknown to Jacob.   For my part I am working on the location of Pouwdhill which holding now seems to have disappeared which is mentioned in the will of William Newbery 1596.   This certainly provides me with plenty to do during the period when our country has been shut down.

Jacob Newbury writes:   I would definitely appreciate any more information about the Newbery families! It all helps!   In the long run, I'm looking to connect up as many families as I can and comprehensively put all the info together into a piece of writing/book with a family tree.   However, if you would like information about specific Newbery individuals please let me know and I'll send what I can.

Steve Horner replies:   Jacob, I am delighted to be able to offer what little help I can to your worthwhile project.   I believe I forwarded to you the information that Brian Drew, a local historian who lives in Stockland, sent to me recently, may I enquire if his note contained any information on the Newberie family not previously known to you?   I am sure that you are also aware that we have also updated the burial records for Yarcombe which can be accessed through a link on the Yarcombe web site (above).   You will be aware that in the records of Yarcombe there are several mentions of Pouwdhill, one of which is shown in the will dated 1596 of by William Newberie; sadly no building exists in this area although the local land owner tells me that there ancient foundations on the other side of the hill.   I am almost certain that this tract of land lies to the east of Yarcombe village, we now call this hill the `ump, the h having been dropped in the local vernacular.   There is a pond unusually situated about half way down which was I suspect a marl pit which would have been dug out in ancient times so that the red soil (marl) could be extracted and spread on the more acid soils in the parish.

Here is a photo of the area; the top of the hill lies at about 2 o`clock to the farmhouse in the foreground on which a light coloured crop called miscanthus is growing.   The pond is identified by a small clump of trees lying in a depression further down the slope.

I am most interested in your mention of the case entered into the Court of the Exchequer dated 1586 (page 11 of your document), which relates to a grant by John Haydon of the tenement of Powedehill to William and his son Richard on 3rd March 1580 at Yarcombe Court, which court records may perhaps be contained in the Yarcombe Manor Court rolls.   A copy preferably transcribed of the relevant records of the Court of Exchequer and the Manorial Court would be much appreciated.

Jacob Newbury writes:   I'll definitely send along the transcribed pages from the 1586 case, I just looked over the files to send them and realised that I haven't translated the obligatory Latin page accompanying the case which basically describes it concisely.  I'll do that in the next few days and will send it all along.   Thank you for the photo!

Steve Horner replies:   How on earth do you manage firstly to transcribe the written word from a Tudor document and then translate from Latin into English?   I look forward to receiving the document in due course.   Have you ever researched the Yarcombe Manor Court Rolls ?

Jacob Newbury writes:   For the most part, I am already familiar with most of the info however there are four wills mentioned that I would definitely be interested in seeing or knowing where I can find them:

I have similarly abstracted details about people mentioned in those wills however the wills themselves or at least more info from them including tenements or land noted would be helpful.   As for the transcribing and translating documents written in medieval Latin, for a long time medieval Latin looked like not only another language but completely undecipherable but during the last Great Lockdown around March last year I finally started learning how to read, transcribe and translate it.   Although I have a very fair number of documents translated, I'm definitely not as good as I want to be.   I have attached three transcription word documents from the 1586 case.   I'll keep working on the Latin doc but it's proving harder than I had initially thought.   By the way some of the transcriptions are limited due to the documents having unfoldable folds to them and a small group of words being too faded.  I was planning to go back to the National Archives to look at more documents and speak with someone about somehow seeing the rest of the documents (unfolding carefully) however covid hit and well... that's it.   I've looked at a few Stockland, Dalwood and Membury Court Rolls but not any Yarcombe yet.   Do you have any translated Yarcombe Rolls or pictures of them?   I could always have a go at translating them  - If you would like I could send along a handful or so of Common Plea Cases relating to Yarcombe?

Steve Horner adds:   Bryan, Jacob Newbury obviously has a huge amount of information about the Newberie family which he is very happy to share with me , as yet I have only glanced at his transcription of the case of the Court of Exchequer dated 1586.   To me it is quite incredible that anyone can read the script from Elizabethan times let alone translate Latin into English.   You will seeabove that he would appreciate more information about the four wills he sets out below, I am not quite certain what form they take, however every little will help him.

Bryan Drew writes:   Steve,  Not much more on the transcripts of the four wills regarding residence etc. but I will have another look.

Steve Horner writes:   Jacob, Bryan Drew has kindly supplied more detail which may be of assistance to you which can be found in the string below.  
Please remind me, do you have a copy of the book “From Monks to the Millennium” written by Ruth Everitt which is in effect the best available history of Yarcombe?   From the index the following entries may be of interest:

I am still trying to absorb the detailed records of the Court of Exchequer dated 1586, however at first reading it would appear that there was a dispute over the occupation of a tenement called Powdhill, the defendant William Newberry`s right thereto stems from the award by the manor court of Yarcombe, the complainants Richard Drake Esquire and John Wood claim this is in dispute and the occupation of the tenement is by right John Patison of William Patye and his wife Isabell Patye.   I am assuming Richard Drake and John Wood were powerful men in the area and took up this suit on behalf of John Patison on the basis he had been wronged.   I suspect that this Richard Drake of Ashe near Colyton purchased the Manor of Yarcombe Robert Earl of Leicester in 1581, then in July of the same year the estate was sold to Sir Francis Drake for the enormous sum of £5,000.   Sir Francis describes Richard as his cousin, which is a I believe indicates a term of familiarity rather than kinship.   There is some confusion perhaps mystery about this transaction, I suspect some Tudor skulduggery or early form of money Laundering!

I was delighted to read that one of the deponents, I assume all elders of the area, was one William Zane aged 78.   From William Zane`s will of 1592 we learn that he left his household goods and stock to his wife Alice, and we know for certain that said Alice was occupier of Woodend in 1600.  Woodend, now Woodhayne, is the house where we have lived for the past 30 odd years.

Peter Tarrant comments:   There are references to the surname Zane in Ancestral Searches 8 and 74.

Steve Horner adds:   Jacob, I have spent some short time reading through the papers of the Court of Exchequer 1586 that you sent to me , and I have been somewhat distracted or perhaps better said diverted into researching the names mentioned therein.   In particular I have focused on the questions to be asked of John Haydon esquire who it would appear was the Lord of the Manor in 1580 - or is it 1581?

I am slowly learning perhaps your greater knowledge can help me out on these two queries.   Earlier you asked me if I have any knowledge of the Yarcombe Court Rolls and the answer is in the affirmative.   Jane Chislett who also found our website sent me documents in which there is mention of Samuel Newbery who is recorded as having died in 1697 which accords with the Yarcombe burial records.   (See Ancestral Searches 47)

Ruth Everitt records in her book that Samuel Newbery was the tenant of Livenhayes aka Leven which is one of the oldest properties in the parish wherein there is a wall plaque dated 1662 which carries Samuel's initials.   Do you have in your records any further details of this Samuel Newbery and any proof he may be a descendent of William Newbery obit 20 May 1596?   I have taken the liberty of copying Mark Nixon with whom I have previously corresponded with regard to the Newberie family.

Jacob Newbury writes:   Calculating the actual year from how people used to write it is sometimes too confusing which is why I use this proven online calculator site.   Plugging in the date, the number of the year and selecting the monarch it notes it to be 1580/1.   This reflects Old Style dating and only occurs between January 1 and March 24 in every year until 1752.   The Christian year and the Legal year are two different things, which results in the double-year noting. I choose to simply put the legal date.   In regards to line 43, that question (question 8 beginning on line 40), notes that a court was held at Yarcombe manor on the Purification of the Blessed Virgin Mary and at said court surrendered the estate of Alice Papis unto John Haydon.   Following that, another court held at the manor on the third of March, John Haydon granted the said estate to William Newbery, his son Richard Newbery and to John Smith (John Smith was William Newbery's step-son).

As for Samuel, he is first noted as being baptised in Yarcombe as the son of Robert Newbery and his wife Ann(e) nee.Davy (Ann is not noted in the parish register entry), on the 11th December 1631.   Robert Newbery being a son of Richard Newbery who died in 1639, Richard being the son of William Newbery who died c. 1596.   He is later mentioned within his father's will dated 1677 as Robert's younger son.   Samuel's older brother, named Henry Newbery who died in 1695, in his will dated 1692 he notes of how his "now wife" (second wife) was called Grace.   Well, in Samuel's will dated 1697 one of the witnesses was a Grace Newbery which gives rise to the thought that this person was one and the same as Henry's wife, being Samuel's sister-in-law.   It also aligns with the fact that she, Henry's wife Grace, died and was buried in 1699.   It's at this point that I should point out that the rest of my conclusion that this Samuel is the same as the one mentioned in Robert's will of 1677 is through accounting for Samuels at this time in Yarcombe.   You see I have tabulated all the parish records of the area of recordings of Newberys.   Through this, I have an easy-to-view way of accounting for all the Newberys and not mismatching them, also (in this instance) seeing a collection of children born to a man named Samuel logically at the time when Robert's son Samuel would have come of age - leading me to connect the two definitely.  Samuel's family was pretty well off in Yarcombe but as he wasn't going to inherit the lands of his father he, of course, had to make his own way - having his own land to build his family on.   By the way I have few Common Plea cases dating from the 1400s and into the 1500s regarding Yarcombe if you would like them?   Some mention John Haydon.

Steve Horner adds:   Very many thanks, you are a good tutor and I am slowly beginning to understand these old documents and customs of the Court which are revealed therein.   For example I opened the regnal year link and input the 35th year of the reign of Henry VIII (mentioned in the questions on behalf of the Complainant) and up comes 1543/4, this is thus a most useful tool.   My next question is who exactly is John Haydon?   In the document he is described “then Lorde or former of the said mannnor ….”.   Perhaps he was the Reeve or Steward to the Lord of the manor who I believe was at that time either Richard Drake of Ashe one of the complainants, or possible Sir Francis Drake who purchased the estate in July 1581.   I really would appreciate sight of the Common Plea cases which mention John Haydon, firstly this would provide me with more exposure to the functioning of these medieval courts, secondly would provide me with more information about John Haydon.

Jacob Newbury writes:   The way John Haydon is described in the document is a bit confusing especially like you say the fact that Francis Drake purchased the estate beforehand.   Maybe John Haydon was made a sub-tenant of the manor, otherwise called a Mesne Lord.   Or maybe like you say he was the steward or held at least a high role in the manor.   Below are 7 cases regarding Yarcombe entered into the Court of Common Pleas.  I realised that only one includes John Haydon however does give a better idea of his person - it notes that he is a Gentleman (so descended from a noble/higher ranking family), also his attorney in the case is also called John Haydon.   These two people are certainly two different people otherwise the case would have been written differently.   The interesting thing is, is that John Haydon in the Powdhill case could be either one.   'John Haydon, Gentleman' may have also studied law and thus also an Esquire, however, the second John Haydon is specifically noted as his attorney meaning he definitely studied law - making him an Esquire.   So either one could be the John noted in the Powdhill case.   Nevertheless, the two Johns would have definitely been related in some way, meaning no matter which one is which they both descend some way from a noble/higher ranking family.   Let me know if there is anything else!

Steve Horner adds:   Jane, at present as part of our Ancestral Searches there is a lot of information coming in about the Newburie family who were a well-established family hereabouts in the time of Elizabeth 1 and were in fact some of the early settlers in the New World.   I attach pleadings from a case in the Court of Common Pleas dated 1586, which throw some light on the proceedings in the Manorial Court of Yarcombe, and your insight and knowledge of these courts might help me understand more of the history of our Parish.   It would appear from the questions on behalf of the defendant that one John Haydon Esq who in the document is described “then Lorde or former of the said mannnor ….”   Line 43 … in the Manor Court of Yarcombe held on third March 1580/81 awarded to Richard Newberie a demise and grant of the tenement known as Powdhill.   It is also noteworthy that the complainants were Richard Drake Esq and John Wood.   It’s the role of John Haydon which I find curious, I attach proceedings from the Manor Court of Yarcombe dated 1571 in which John Haydon also features.   On pages 6 and 7 of “From Monks to the Millennium” it would appear Sir Francis Drake purchased the manor of Yarcombe in July 1581 from his cousin Richard Drake (see above Complainant) for the sum of £5,000.   The Manor had been given previously by Elizabeth to the Earl of Leicester in the same year.   I surmise that John Haydon may have been Lord of the Manor in 1571 when he “managed” the Court on behalf of the Queen.

From another source I have a note that Sir Francis arrived back in Plymouth 26th September 1580 after his circumnavigation of the World, and in the next two years he was a very busy man!   It does appear maybe I have become confused by the year date 1580/81, and I also suspect the year in which Sir Francis acquired the Manor was 1582.

One final question, it seems to me that Sir Francis paid his cousin Richard a huge amount of money (£5,000) for the Lordship of the manor, is this perhaps a case of medieval money laundering?   Your thoughts and wisdom would be much appreciated.

Jane Chislett writes:   From the depositions it appears that Alice PAPYS surrendered the tenancy she had acquired when her husband died.   She probably wanted a more favourable agreement.   Sometimes tenants ‘surrendered’ land back to the lord, to be re-granted on more favourable terms.   This would often include a named series of successors within the family, or a surrender to the use of a will so that the tenant could pass the land freely to his nominated successor.   The terms of the will would be recorded in the roll for reference, particularly useful if a will no longer exists, as is the case for Devon.   Why the tenancy was then given to William NEWBERY I cannot comment.   Perhaps the actual court rolls from this time would provide more details.   You say the 1571 proceedings were from the Manor Court, they are in fact another case from Common Pleas.   John HAYDON was at one time steward of OSM manor, and I would think he became steward of Yarcombe, and as you say "managed the manor".   By the time of the 1586 case I would guess that John WOOD was steward, hence him being named as a complainant.   As you also say £5000 does seem a great deal of money, but Sir Francis had paid £3400 for Buckland in 1581.   When Francis bought Yarcombe, in the summer of 1582, Richard DRAKE was having financial difficulties.   I imagine part of the money was for the Manor, the remainder as a sort of loan, particularly when Francis' will required Richard and his son Francis to pay £2000 to inherit Yarcombe manor.   See below. (Surrey Archaeological Society, Surrey archaeological collections Guildford, 1858 archive.org accessed 02 Feb 2021).   Hope this may help a little.

Steve Horner writea:   Jane, I am most appreciative of your comments especially the confirmation of the John Haydon was at one time Steward of the manor of Ottery St Mary.   Your explanations also help me to understand how the system worked in Elizabethan times.   I have found the following notes about John Haydon of Ottery St Mary -see below – and I surmise it is entirely probable that he was involved with the managing and trading of the Manor of Yarcombe in the decade between 1570 and 1580.   The Manor of Yarcombe together with a small holding of land was no match for Buckland Abbey which cost £3,200 and therefore I subscribe to the theory the sum of £5,000 was a way of moving money around various influential persons at that time.

Jane Chislett replies:   I like what you have found about John HAYDON - great, thank you.   I agree Yarcombe is somewhat smaller than Buckland Abbey, but remember Buckland was bought for Francis on the QT.   If Richard GRENVILLE had known Francis was really buying the manor I suspect the price would have been considerably higher.   Sir Francis already owned half of Yarcombe, a moiety from Elizabeth 1, so gaining the other half was worth more to him than anyone else.   Richard had become equerry to the queen and was in want of money to meet the expenses of this appointment, hence why he sold to Francis, probably regretting this a few years later.   Whether you call it a loan, money laundering, or anything else it was certainly a means of moving money around.

John Webb enquires:   Hi, I found an article on your website under Ancestral Search 51 (above) “Two early Settlers” written by Jacob Newbury in 2019.   I would very much like to contact him do you have contact details for him, and are you able to relay this message to him.   My interest is the Roger Newberys of Stockland Circa 1600.   Regards, John Webb

December 2020

I have just come across a family connection to your village.   The people I am interested are John & James Vincent, Sarah French and John Burge. . I attach a marriage certificate dated 26th November 1861 (below) between John Vincent and Sarah French both on their second marriage.  Any assistance would be gratefully received.      Nigel Vincent

Steve Horner responds:   Nigel, I am utterly and completely stumped by this enquiry.   I have tried every which way to find another reference to each and every one of the people mentioned on the marriage certificate.   Can you give me any other dates or places where these people might have lived?   I assume as your surname is Vincent you are related and a family tree back to these people would help me.   The marriage took place on 26th November 1861 when both John and Sarah state they were living in Yarcombe.   However I can find no record of either of them on the 1861 census for Yarcombe which was taken on 7th April of that year.   I do not want to give up as Vincent is certainly a local name.   I look forward to receiving your response.

Nigel Vincent replies:   Thank you for your reply.   Census 1851 list John as independent Minister of Pill Chapel, Portbury.   Census 1861 shows him as deceased but I cannot find a date of death.

Steve Horner replies:   Thanks for this snippet, however I do not believe John Vincent (1861) married in Yarcombe in November 1861 is connected to the John Vincent (1851) who appears in the Portbury 1851 census.   The reasons I have for making this statement are: (1) John Vincent 1861 is shown as a widower, profession Yeoman, whose father James was a farmer;  (2) John Vincent 1851 lists his profession as a Minister in an Independent church, such a person would I believe not set foot in a Church of England building to be married;  (3) John Vincent 1851 was married to Sarah and they had 3 children, William, John and Mary.   In the 1861 census Sarah and her three children is shown as a widow living in the parish of St Michaels Bristol.   I am sorry to be the bearer of this news, however if you can give me more information about your family this would help me.   Otherwise, keep in contact, we may one day find a link.

Archie Needs writes:   I was intrigued by the Marriage Certificate.   John Vincent and Sarah French were both married before which made it complicated.   However, I think I might have cracked it.   Check out this link on FaG.   I also spotted that various vicars forgot to change years in the burial books when they got to Jan/Feb.   I have decided to go through and check each burial and enter the full burial date on FaG, rather than just the year which it shows currently.   When I've completed this task, I will send an amended spreadsheet for the website.

July 2022

Archie Needs adds:   I am sending you an updated Yarcombe burial spreadsheet for your website.   I've added full burial dates, annotated the spreadsheet to include memo notes inscribed in the original burial registers, added some family links and amended a few spelling/transcription errors.   I'm sure I'll find a few more in the future.

November 2020

I have been working in Ancestry.co.uk for 10 years or so and with the Devon Parish record images available on FindMyPast.   My Pavey ancestors lived in Yarcombe between at least 1540-1720 and their descendants much longer.   I have built on a lot of research by cousins.   I have recently started contributing to the WikiTree project to build a single family that will stay around 'forever", free and public to everyone.   Here is the page for my earliest Yarcombe ancestor: www.wikitree.com/wiki/Pavey-564.   Feel free to ask for any specifics.   I am hoping that the book "From Monks to the Millennium" you are sending might include details on what farms the Pavey's were at.   All the best,    Rob Pavey

Peter Tarrant responds:   Thank you for sharing the links, particularly that related to your Yarcombe ancestors.   I hope Ruth's book will provide some interesting connections.   Also please take a look at Yarcombe Church's Burials (link above) where many Paveys are listed.

Steve Horner writes:   Clearly you have carried out a huge amount of very detailed research into the Pavey family and I believe there is little I can add, I am certain that there are references in “From Monks to the Millennium” written by Ruth Everitt which you will find helpful to your researches.   Clearly the Pavey family were owners or occupiers of Broadley in the early 17th century and if we can help in anyway, perhaps photos of the buildings as they exist today, please do not hesitate to ask.   Another important recent addition to our site is the transcription of Yarcombe Manor Court Rolls (see Ancestral Search 47) and the Court Roll dated 8th May 1696 mentions Jonathan Pavey to be sworn as a Tythingman.   It is clear that Sir Francis Drake, the famous admiral, acquired an interest in the manor of Yarcombe in 1582, however mystery seems to surround the transaction and mention of a quit claim to Charles Pavie by Sir Francis of a substantial acreage of land connects your ancestor to Sir Francis and if you are able to throw some light on this land deal or any connected transactions would be most helpful.

I might mention that when reading this section of Ruth`s book she suggests Yarcombe and Elscombe are synonymous, this is not correct, Elscombe is a farm in the valley which lies just below my own property whose lands run alongside the river Yarty.   I was also interested to learn of a possible family connection to London, namely Simon Pavey and his wife Rawlen who were buried in St Margaret’s church Westminster in 1561; the only other inhabitants of Yarcombe I have found were the Martin family.   In the 1600 court document featuring Drake vs Major there Is mention that “Shevehayne” (now Sheafhayne Manor) was in the tenure of George Martyn and John Martyn, gentlemen In the will of Giles Martin Mercer of London dated 1st August 1630 he gave to the Mercers Company £200 which he heartily prayed them to accept of and in lieu thereof to the poor of the parish of Yarcombe.if you ever spot reference to this Martyn family of Yarcombe whilst carrying out your researches I would much appreciate a link to the document.   I wish you every good fortune with your research and hope you will keep in contact.

Steve Horner adds:   Rob, a gentleman came by my office this morning and showed me the family tree of one branch of the Pavey family who clearly have their origins in Yarcombe (see below, click to enlarge).   This is a detailed and clearly well researched document, I was not quite certain how it came into his possession, I am however posting this within your ancestral query in the hope it may be of interest to you.   I apologise that it is not complete, I do not have an A3 photocopier.

October 2020

I've just discovered your interesting entry on your World War 1 page as I've been searching for information about my great uncle Harry Collins who died in WW1.   Over the years I've discovered that he died in September 1916 and was buried at Thiepval.   As far as I knew he'd lived in Buckland St Mary and later in Combe St Nicholas in Somerset with his wife Florence Mabel but have not found his name on any memorial or in a church there.   However, more recently I found a postcard sent from his wife to my grandmother (she kept loads of them) on 6th July 1916 indicating that they had moved to Yarcombe.

I was thinking about visiting Yarcombe to search in the church but decided first to Google "Yarcombe War Memorial" and found your article.   This lists Henry Collins which would be a match as Henry is often changed to Harry.   However in every record, even official ones, he is always referred to as Harry.   However two things suggest this is a match.   Firstly he's shown as being in the Somerset LI which is correct.   It would be expected that a Yarcombe resident would be in the Devon Regiment which two are but the rest aren't, so maybe anything is possible here!   Secondly his wife's maiden name was Wakeley and I notice from your data that a Walter Wakley also fought.   That may be a coincidence (and a typo) but Florence was actually from South Wales so he could have temporarily lived in Yarcombe.   I wonder if you have the date when H Collins died?   That would help.   I look forward to hearing if you have anything.    Regards,    Geoff Bryant

Steve Horner replies:   I was delighted that you have found our web site.   It will be a pleasure to help you with your research into Harry Collins.   Any information that you can pass back to us, for example a copy of the post card to which you refer, would add to our own store of knowledge.   I set out below all the information that we have about Corporal Harry Collins, Corporal Somerset Light Infantry 6th Battalion, who was killed in action on 16th September 1916 aged 30.   His service number was 10217.

There is a poignant note in the minutes of the Yarcombe Parochial Church Council of December 1916:

The fact that Harry Collins is recorded at the Thiepval Memorial means that he has no known grave.   We do have from the Grave Registration Reports the following information:

I have been able to locate Harry Collins, his wife Florence Mabel and a lodger Thomas William Wakeley living at Stoute Cottage Yarcombe on the 1911 census, it is signed By Harry Collins (below, left).   Also (below, right) is a copy of the marriage certificate of Harry and Mabel who were married in Churchinford on 28th March 1910.

I am almost certain Florence Mabel Wakeley was born in Hemyock and her three children were called Arthur, Percy and Florence May.   I strongly suspect that Harry's wife Florence Mabel remarried a Pidgeon (a local name) and went to live in South Wales.   I am certain we have the right man, however I await your comments and confirmation of the above information that I have managed to find in my files.

Harry (Henry) Collins' name is engraved on the war memorial in both the church and chapel and if you would be interested in can send you photos.   Please do let me have any further information that you may have.

Geoff Bryant responds:   Thanks for all that info, it agrees with what I have as well as adding to it.   I attach a copy of the postcard (below, left) from Florence Collins to my grandmother Mabel.   I also have a newspaper report and another postcard (below, centre) from Harry when he was injured and back in England also attached (with other Collins items).   Harry and Mabel were from a family of 11 children.   Another brother John also fought in WW1 and was in the RE I believe.   I live near Tewkesbury but was born in Wadeford near Chard.   I'll send more info soon when I can piece it together logically.

Geoff Bryant adds:   I have dug deep and found quite a lot of info and many questions.   It's amazing how much arises from one person (I'm leaving clear notes for my family should anyone be the least bit interested!!).   Apologies for the following being long winded:

Harry's Children:   It's interesting that you found that the 3rd child of Harry is Arthur.  

Steve Horner comments:   I found it on a pension record I hope to get the original in due course.   The marriage was in 1910 so 1911 fits as birth year of Arthur.   Please don’t forget Yarcombe is in Devon and registration district is Honiton.   The 1911 census places them in Stout Yarcombe and later the postcard states a move from Marsh to Beacon, both in Yarcombe.   The 1939 register shows Arthur born 15h April 1911 living with his mother Florence Pidgeon born 2 October 1886 in Aberdare.   I expect you may find a Percy born in 1912 and Florence May in say 1914, both in Yarcombe.   The huge mystery that I cannot at present resolve is to find the marriage Certificate of Florence Collins to …. Pidgeon, obviously she must have remarried, but why did she head off to South Wales with her three small children?   Do you have any idea?   You state "then when Harry dies, she marries another Harry".   Could this be Harry Pidgeon?   How do you know about the twins Florence E and Harry E?

Geoff Bryant continues:   As for Henry in the Parish church, just the result of “proper” English, he was always known as Harry.   Indeed Thiepval memorial is to record the names of the dead for whom no known grave exists.

There are several Arthur Collins born in Somerset between 1900 and 1917 but none are in the right region (Chard for Combe St Nicholas or Buckland St Mary) and the ones from 1911 onwards do not have the mother's maiden name of Wakeley (the other 2 children do show up with Wakeley and daughter Florence M was registered in Honiton).   However searching FreeBMD for Devon reveals an Arthur also registered in Honiton in 1911, perhaps that's him.   So they moved around a bit.   Shame it's just before the mother's maiden name gets listed.
 

This ties up with them being married in Churchinford on 28th March 1910.   How did you obtain the names of the 3 children, in particular Arthur's?

Harry's Wife:   The 1911 census shows 3 people living in a house with only 3 rooms.   That must have been cosy.   FreeBMD had given me their marriage in Taunton district so it was good that you had the certificate to narrow it down to Churchinford.   Actually the certificate says Churchstanton so would Churchinford be in the parish of Churchstanton?   It's interesting to see that my grandmother Mabel was one of the witnesses.

I'm eagerly waiting for the 1921 censuses, to confirm all children.   My mother spoke of a woman who married a family member, and I thought it was Harry, and she was from Wales.   When he died she returned to Wales and was never heard from again.   Her info may have been wrong as could my memory!!   Hemyock is in Devon but her birthplace in FreeBMD is Wellington which is in Somerset.   It's odd that a recording district should span 2 counties.

Steve Horner comments:   I am certain Florence Mabel Wakeley was born in Hemyock 3 October 1886 from census it all hangs together.   I have previously carried out research into this family and written an article recently about Walter Wakeley.  This family seem to move around the area, right on the Devon Somerset border, so further research into your family may come up with some answers.

Geoff Bryant continues:  

War Grave:   You said he has no grave yet the newspaper article says he was "buried with some more of his brave comrades".   That could be glossing over the fact that they left a load of them in the mud somewhere.   However the commonwealth war graves commission (www.cwgc.org/find-war-dead/casualty/758569/collins,-harry/) has this entry:

So does this confirm what you said, he has no grave?   I often wonder if anyone from the family visited Theipval.   I suspect not, they didn't have a lot of wealth but a brother Arthur was a tailor who moved to Aberystwyth, perhaps he did.   I planned to go this year but that couldn't happen of course.

I attach 2 more service records I found online, CollinsHarryMedalCard.jpg and CollinsHarryWW1SignOn.jpg. They are not very clear.

Photos:   I have a few photos of men in service uniforms but haven't a clue who they are.   They could be Harry or brother John but none look like the vague photo in the newspaper article.   In fact their sister May also married a Harry (and he WAS born Henry) who was gassed in WW1.   They could even be of my grandfather's family but I wasn't told that any of them fought.

One of the most intriguing photos I have is of my grandmother seated holding a booklet and her sister May.   The booklet has a photo of a serviceman and I'm tempted to think it's a staged photo of the grieving sisters holding a momento, perhaps a funeral service for Harry.   However May has a wedding ring and both were married in 1920 so long after the war.   However the photo is of someone with what looks like air force wings and hat, and the RAF didn't exist during WW1.   I attach DSCN0026r2.JPG.

We joined a WW1 war graves tour 2 years ago and it was shocking to see the numbers for who there was no grave.

Harry vs Henry:   Going back to the Henry/Harry difference, as I said he was always Harry in the records I have, 3 censuses, his FreeBMD entries, postcards, and the newspaper articles which were kept. The marriage certificate also says Harry.   This is the marriage record:

So I still wonder if Henry on the Yarcombe memorial is a typo.or an assumption.   I have a photo of a memorial in N France, Notre Dame de Lorette, and this lists 4 Harry Collins and one Henry.   There are several others with second names.

Other Names:   What is a little comical is how names associated with Harry are repeated.   He married Florence Mabel and he had sisters Mabel (my grandmother) and Florence (who died at the age of 1).   Then when Harry dies, she marries another Harry and has twins Florence E and Harry E (who died at about 6 months old).

History Notes:   As a little aside, as I said, Harry was one of 11 children and my grandmother married Ernest Jeffery who was one of 14!!!   How did they cope?   Anyway, my mother knew of all of them except one sibling in each family so I spent ages trying to narrow it down, assuming that one had died young, and was born and died between censuses.   I eventually found an Elizabeth Jeffery who died aged 7 years, and a George Collins who died aged 9 months. I found this record in FreeReg:

There was more tragedy in the family as their father William died on 16 Aug 1912, sister Edith died on 7 Oct 1912 a few weeks after surgery, and their mother Elizabeth on 27 Dec 1913 (my grandmother's 26th birthday). None had a headstone, my mother said they couldn't afford one.

Geoff Bryant continues:   I think I can answer some of your points.   Regarding Harry's enlistment, there is a Gillingham near Wincanton which I assumed to be in Somerset but I see now is in Dorset.   I see the Gillingham in Kent but also one in Norfolk.   Perhaps it's not the right Enlistment, it's a shame the corner with his address is torn off.   I also see that the signature on the enlistment is not the same as on the 1911 census.   He dates it 6th April 1915 and states his age as 32yrs 10months which would make him born about June 1882 whereas FreeBMD records him for Apr-Jun 1883.   Close but not close enough.   Also for his trade it looks like he's written Painter but in the censuses he's a farm labourer or carter.   I'd better scrap that reference then.

I see now that the record of Thiepval has the location of his name on the monument, not a grave location.   That confused me because in Google maps you can see a large number of CWGC headstones beside the memorial.

Thanks for the son Arthur's reference from 1939.   I have 2 FreeBMD records of their other 2 children with the mother being a Wakeley:

The marriage of Florence to Harry Pidgeon is also in FreeBMD:

The certificate can be obtained from this reference.   As for the next 3 children, I found this:

So they must have been twins.   Then:

How sad when one of a twin dies.   I accept that Florence Mabel Wakeley was born in Hemyock, it makes sense.   Now the origin of Harry Pidgeon is a tricky one, again the 1921 census will help but for now I have these records and I made the rash assumption that he was from South Wales which is why they returned there.   But as you say it's a local name and there's one registered in Honiton:

I'm no longer a member of Ancestry.com so all I can do is search but not view.   Doing that I can find him in Aberdare in 1939.   Actually that doesn't help as the 1939 records don't include place of birth.   So if he was local then I suspect he went to South Wales for a job in mining.   Arthur works as a colliery hauler (sounds awful) so maybe Harry worked there too.   A complete copy of the 1939 record would confirm that if you could retrieve it please.

I cannot help with any Wakely, or however it gets spelt, info but if you'd like any more Collins info I can supply it.   I still have a lot of gaps but that's the nature of family history.   I recently joined the Tewkesbury U3A Family History group which was interesting until Covid 19 struck!!   One of the missing records is Harry Collins' baptism in FreeReg, even as Henry.

Incorrect name spelling can really throw you off the scent.   I had a Strawbridge mis-transcribed as Drawbridge once which I didn't sort out for ages.   My own first name used to get all manner of spellings when I was young.   In fact my name Geoff(rey) was derived from my mother's maiden name of Jeffery.

Steve Horner replies:   Let’s start with the attachments.   Medal Card:   Undoubtedly Harry Collins;   Enlistment:   I don’t believe this is your Harry, Gillingham is in Kent;   Photo of soldier:   No stripes for either Lance Corporal or Corporal and the cap badge is not Somerset Light Infantry (Prince Albert's);   The Two Ladies:   No clue I am afraid.

Geoff Bryant continues:   Excellent Steve, where did you find that?   Only thing I notice is that the DOB of Florence is 2-10-84 whereas I thought we had 2-10-86 from somewhere,   I cannot see where right now. FreeBMD gave me this:

For the marriage certificate of Harry Pidgeon and Florence, this FreeBMD data:

As for a previous marriage of Mr Pidgeon, I've found these 2 for S Wales, one matches your finding:

2nd marriage:

I cannot find a death of Catherine Sarah Pidgeon but the Harry marriage in 1895 is a problem as there is a choice of brides.   Trying each in turn again shows no death in the 1880-1922 range.  If he did come from S Wales it does beg the question as to what he was doing in or near Yarcombe.   Here's a remote possibility, Harry's brother Arthur moved to Aberdare, I don't know when.   Perhaps she visited him and met Harry Pidgeon.   Clutching at straws really.   Though perhaps not, those newspaper articles I sent you include the death of Arthur (1955) and it says he died aged 66 and had lived in Aberdare for over 50 years.   So he would have been there in 1916 onwards.   Having said that I wouldn't imagine he and Florence would have known each other well.

Percy
There are plenty of records with errors to throw you off the scent.   For a while I've had FreeReg records which show useful Collins history.   Here's our Percy Collins I think but the parents are wrong, there's no other Percy:

A little later the son of William Collins (the brother of Harry Collins) dies in infancy:

William and Amelia were married in Buckland a few years earlier:

So it looks like the transcriber for Combe might have got records mixed up.

Steve Horner replies:   I am a member of the Western Front Association and as such I have access to Service Records on their site.   Well spotted re date of birth.   We found Florence Pidgeon's date of birth on the 1939 Register which shows 2nd October 1886.   What do you think of my theory that Harry Pidgeon originated in South Wales?   I am not going to hunt for his service record.

Geoff Bryant continues:   Well, I had a Harry Pidgeon in my files as originating from Pontypridd but followed by "???????" as I wasn't sure.   1921 data will confirm it.   There's a fine story there somewhere.   My grandmother would have known.   I wasn't interested back in my late teens, as is usually the case though I did write out all of my great aunts and uncles that she knew about.   I drew it on the back of a long computer printout that I'd produced.   I didn't know how my career would go at the time of course but I've spent most of my career in software development.   I'm still doing a little even though I'm retired, just to stop the brain from rotting!

Our emails crossed, there are several Harry Pidgeons born around the country between 1870 and 1900 so it's difficult to tell.   You'd think Pidgeon would be a more unique name.   My mother-in-law's maiden name was Flunder making research much easier.

Steve Horner replies:   Well if Harry Pidgeon born Pontypridd in about 1883 is our man we have a real story.   He married Catherine Sarah Wade on 7th may 1903 in the parish church of Llantwit Viadre.   I have found the High Court record of his divorce proceedings, lots of legal stuff about 25 pages however herewith a copy of his statement.   We learn from this that there were two children of the marriage, Arthur Haydn Pidgeon born 29th June 1906, Harry Pidgeon born 29th June 1908.   The outbound passenger lists confirm Harry left for Sydney on SS Oruba departed London 15th November 1907.   At which time one Bennett Cohen started a dalliance with Catherine Sarah.   To me I find it amazing that a humble family from south Wales should get involved in a High Court action involving considerable sums of money.   Then shortly after the decree nisi Harry is on a boat back to Australia 10th October 1913, where he must have remained until he volunteered for the AIF – I have sent you the details.   The 1911 census confirms Arthur and Harry were living with their grandparents (in Pontypridd).  
BUT do we have the right Harry Pidgeon who marries Florence Mabel Collins (nee Wakeley) in 1920 (September Q) in Taunton.   It’s a fascinating story and I am minded to purchase the marriage certificate.

Geoff Bryant continues:   It's frustrating that I cannot find the marriage in FreeReg, I think it's too late so hasn't been transcribed.   Even if I vaguely select Somerset it doesn't make a hit.   The other thing is that FreeReg doesn't give me Churchinford, Churchstanton or Hemyock.   It has Otterford but I don't know if that includes the other 3.   This (click here) also shows that the date is too late.

The Collins family created some confusion for me in the early days of my research.   Harry's father William was from Donyatt near Ilminster and in 1878 married Elizabeth Atkins (nee Fowler) from Combe St Nicholas.   They married in Donyatt which was unusual (I have the cert).   What threw me was that there were other Collins from Combe and in Chard who I suspect were not closely related.   And in FreeBMD, my main research tool at the time, all the villages come under Chard.   It pays not to have common surnames.   In 1875 Elizabeth Fowler above married Abraham Atkins (in Taunton, again unusual), had a daughter Elizabeth Susan and at the end of the year Abraham died.   There was so much tragedy in those days, TB was a frequent cause.

Steve Horner replies:   Below left is the marriage certificate of Florence Collins widow to Harry Pidgeon whose parents Frederick and Elizabeth Pidgeon come from Chard!   (Although from census records we do know Elizabeth was born in Buckland St Mary.)   There is no doubt Harry and Florence Pidgeon then headed off to South Wales where they made their home, this is proved from the 1939 register where Florence is shown living with her son Arthur born 15 April 1911.   This also records Florence's date of birth as 2nd October 1886 in Hemyock.   As you have stated to obtain further information on this family and the reason they went to South Wales - perhaps the coal mines?   Then we must wait for the 1921 census records to be opened.   I am still going to pursue one individual out of local interest, the reason being I think I can spot the signature of a witness to the marriage as being W Wakeley.   This might be the Walter Wakeley who has eluded me for so long, he is recorded on the Yarcombe War memorial as having lost his life in the Great War and yet turns up on the !939 register as living in a shed in Churchinford!   Please keep n contact if you find any more about this couple.
 

Peter Tarrant writes:   This search is the largest and most complicated one we have received so far and unfortunately communications, photographs and documents did not arrive for posting in the proper sequence.   Consequently photographs and documents may not be shown physically adjacent to the comments that relate to them.   In particular, any "homeless" items will be shown below in the hope that it will be possible to move them to their correct positions later.