Sunday's Obituary: Albion and Elizabeth Charlotte HAYWOOD 1913

The Western Times, 16 April 1913: Sad Occurrence: Bovey Funeral Followed by Widow's Death

The funeral took place on Monday of Mr Albion Haywood, of Pottery [my ggg uncle].  Deceased was carried into the Baptist Chapel and interred at the cemetery.  The chief mourners were Mr Norman Haywood, Mr Edgar Haywood (sons), Mrs French (sister), Mr John Haywood, Mr H Haywood (brothers), Mrs J Haywood, Mrs H Haywood (sisters-in-law), Mr and Mrs Clampitt, Miss Vera Haywood, Miss Pearse and Mr Boyne.  A good number of club members attended to show their last token of respect.  Rev. J R Way conducted the service.  There were several beautiful wreaths.

The widow, Mrs Albion Haywood, died yesterday morning.  Much sympathy is expressed for the two sons in their double bereavement in less than a week.

Fearless Females 2013: Day 10: Religion

I am participating in the Fearless Females theme to honour National Women's History Month.  Today we were asked what role religion played in our families; as far back as I have researched on the MURCH line, women either married into a Nonconformist religious atmosphere, or were searching for the truth themselves.  Here they are in Ottery St Mary, Bovey Tracey, and Chudleigh (all in Devon), beginning with my 6th great-grandmother::

• Elizabeth Bastin: bap 1720, married Gideon Murch 21 July 1744
• Margaret Marshall,: b abt 1749, mar Samuel Murch, previously married Richard Littley (very religious family who appear regularly in the Nonconformist records) on 26 December 1774
• Eleanor Bending: bur 1834, married to Samuel Murch 14 March 1791 (2nd wife after Margaret died)
• Mary Bending: baptised on Boxing Day 1785, married Samuel Murch 16 September 1799
• Johanna Yeates married Samuel Murch 5 August 1828
• Johanna Murch and John Haywood, married 30 September 1869 in Independent Meeting House, Ottery St Mary, Devon, UK.

This post originally appeared in Fearless Females 2011 on this blog.

Once again, in honour of National Women’s History Month, Lisa Alzo of The Accidental Genealogist blog presents Fearless Females: 31 Blogging Prompts to Celebrate Women’s History Month.  I know this is really US-centric - but that's not going to stop me honouring my own Fearless Females...

Fearless Females: Generations of religious women in Devon, UK

I am participating in the Fearless Females theme to honour National Women's History Month.  Today we were asked what role religion played in our families; as far back as I have researched on the MURCH line, women either married into a Nonconformist religious atmosphere, or were searching for the truth themselves.  Here they are in Ottery St Mary, Bovey Tracey, and Chudleigh (all in Devon), beginning with my 6th great-grandmother::

Elizabeth Bastin: bap 1720, married Gideon Murch 21 July 1744
Margaret Marshall,: b abt 1749, mar Samuel Murch, previously married Richard Littley (very religious family who appear regularly in the Nonconformist records) on 26 December 1774
Eleanor Bending: bur 1834, married to Samuel Murch 14 March 1791 (2nd wife after Margaret died)
Mary Bending: baptised on Boxing Day 1785, married Samuel Murch16 September 1799
Johanna Yeates married Samuel Murch 5 August 1828
Johanna Murch and John Haywood, married 30 September 1869 in Independent Meeting House, Ottery St Mary

Fearless Females: Rosamund and Loveday

I am participating in the Fearless Females theme for 

National Women's History Month

3 March - Do you share a first name with one of your female ancestors? Perhaps you were named for your great-grandmother, or your name follows a particular naming pattern. If not, then list the most unique or unusual female first name you’ve come across in your family tree.

Rosamund Gwendoline HAYWOOD (20 June 1927-16 March 1943) was my aunt.  My father’s eldest sister.  Everyone called her ‘Gwennie’, and apparently she was some sort of saint.  She died of diphtheria in 1943, aged only 15.  Family legend has it that her boyfriend was so distraught, he threw himself off a cliff and is buried beside her.  Unfortunately, the cemetery which housed their graves has been covered over and is now a car park.

My parents always maintained that I was not named after her. But where else did my name come from?  I can only think of a couple of other Rosamunds that were around at that time: Rosamund John (the actress) and Rosamunde Pilcher (the authoress, born in Cornwall).  So I will have to claim the distinction of being unique.  I think.

The most unusual name I have come across in my family history research – one that I loved instantly and have used as both username and password from time to time over the years – is 'Loveday'.  Loveday Anna French (born 1870 in Bovey Tracey, Devon) was my first cousin three times removed; her father died when she was only three years old, and her mother, an earthenware painter, lived with Loveday's grandparents, John and Eliza HAYWOOD. 

Way Back Wednesday: Robert MURCH 1687

Robert MURCH, my 7th great grandfather, was born in 1687 in Ottery St Mary, Devon, UK.  In the 17^th century, the population was swept up in the incidents relating to the Civil War between the supporters of the King (Charles I) and Parliament (Oliver Cromwell).  Names of battles at Nottingham, Edge Hill, Marston Moor, and Naseby were familiar to most.  But the Civil War was not only fought in faraway counties; it was also fought in Devon.  Royalist regiments under Lord Wentworth were camped at nearby Bovey Tracey, with Parliamentary forces under General Fairfax at Crediton and Moreton, and on 9 January 1646 was the Battle of Bovey Heath.

Plagues such as the Black Death and the Great Sweat, together with bad harvests and outbreaks of cholera which had previously been the biggest killers, were as nothing compared to the up-to-10% that were killed in the Civil War battles in the country.

But in 1688, there was a revolution in England of a different kind.  This was a revolution of religions.  In 1689 the Declaration of Rights confirmed that Catholics were barred from the throne of England.  The Toleration Act allowed 'Dissenters...to hold services in licensed meeting houses and to maintain their own preachers (if they would subscribe to certain oaths) in England and Wales.' (The Victorian Web, David Cody, Associate Professor of English, Hartwick College).

Maritime Monday: Blond Hair, Blue Eyes

Here's a surprise!  My HAYWOODs came from Cornwall (traditionally dark hair and dark eyes) - all the HAYWOODs I have known (including my own father) were moderately tall, had dark hair, dark eyes.  Then I found the service record of Edmund John (great great uncle) and his colouring? Fair hair and blue eyes (and only 5' 5")... 

Edmund John was born 1870 in Bovey Tracey.  This is where suddenly the family breaks from being Cornish through and through - they originated from Devon! (further delicious hints suggest they came from Warwickshire before that).  He joined the Navy when he was 12 in 1891, first serving aboard HMS Indus, then serving on various ships until he was discharged in 1903.  But he had not had enough, and re-enlisted, serving until 1919 and receiving a Good Conduct Badge (and a war gratuity). 


I still have to work out why his service record says "Run" in 1897 (later this was expunged from his record) and why his 1901 record says that he 'entered from gaol'.  Could this mean that Edmund John was a bit of a rebel?