Thanks to the work of congregation member Coral van der Kamp we are beginning to find out more about the histories of occupants of our graveyard.
Below you will find details of
- The Clapp Family: 1791-1881
- The Whatley Family: 1851 to 1901
The Clapp Family: 1791-1881
William Clap married Anne Parsons on the 8th October 1811 in Blunsdon.
Both were unable to write their own names, so some entries in later records spell the surname with two PPs. The marriage record does not state their father’s names, nor does it state the occupation of the groom. This data comes a little later in record keeping. In 1837 the formalisation of record keeping was introduced in the United Kingdom. Prior to this date it was up to individual churches to record data. Christening records from St Andrews, however, tell us that William was a Labourer.
The marriage record states that William Clap came from Blunsdon St Andrew Parish.
Records in St Andrew’s church show the baptism records for the following children.
4th July 1813 Thomas Clap
31st July 1814 Edith Clap
31st March 1816 Mary Clap
1st March 1818 Sarah Clap died 1826 Buried 15/11/1826. No Plot Number.
29th April 1821 Samuel Clap
8th June 1823 John Clap
2nd March 1828 Joseph Clap No father’s name recorded against his birth. Died 1831
23/8/1831. No Plot Number.
All the above entries have a single P.
It’s only the Baptism records that tell us about the composition of the family unit as this is before the first Census records were taken.
As we have a death record for William Clap buried 2/1/1824 at St Andrews, it would appear that Joseph was not his son, but named after the mother. This would account for the missing father’s name in the baptism records.
There is not a Plot number associated with this burial record, nor for the two children stated above. A lot of headstones have fallen over and are stacked against the wall, and are no longer legible. These people are buried in our grounds somewhere, but the where cannot be identified in 2025. This record is therefore their testimony to the lives that were lived and some of the highs and lows experienced. To have two young children die in their infancy must have been very hard. Then to become a widow at the age of 33, was yet another blow.
I have no idea how Ann survived from 1824 to 1838, when she remarried. She was a widow, left with six children aged 11 to 1 year of age, and later had another baby in 1828. Perhaps her oldest children were able to earn a little money, and she most definitely would have worked. Maybe she worked the land, or perhaps took in washing, anything to make ends meet. Her 10 year old daughter may have been left at home to look after the younger children, to allow her to earn money to keep the family together. Whatever she did, it would have been a hard life with one wage and 7 people to keep.
1838 Anne Clap’s Marriage to Charles Young
This marriage only came to light when I found the 1861 Census return for her son Samuel.
Anne married Charles Young on the 8th November 1838. The marriage took place in Stratton St Margaret. She is listed as a Widow. He is listed as a Batchelor. Her father has been listed as William Clapp on the certificate. This is obviously a misunderstanding as William Clap was her first husband.
There is a birth record for an Anne Parsons born in 1791 in Purton, with her father being William and her mother being Edith. This might be her, and it would certainly account for the error. Name of your father? William. The Vicar simply added her current surname! I can see how it could have happened. At the moment, I’m not sure its her birth record, as the years don’t tie up with the census returns. However her first daughter is called Edith, which could be after her mother. So a couple of coincidences which give a little credence to the record, plus Purton had a small population at that time. In 1831 it had 1,778 people, so still small some 30 years later, and I’ve not found any other birth records from Purton around the late 1790s for an Anne Parsons.
Being illiterate, she would not have noticed the mistake on the marriage record. Both her and her husband signed the register with a X. Both the witnesses signed the register with their mark, so they wouldn’t have noticed either. A John and an Elizabeth Iles were their witnesses. His father has been recorded as Thomas Young a labourer.
At what point, Anne moved to Stratton St Margaret, isn’t known, but as her son was buried in 1831 in St Andrews, she can’t have moved before this date. So the move took place at some point between 1831 and 1838.
1841 Census
This lists Charles as being 35 years of age, and Anne as 45 (1796) years of age. There are no others living in that household. Both are listed as working as Labourers. Place of birth is not recorded in this document nor is their address. They are living in Stratton St Margaret. Her youngest child, Joseph has already died by this point, and so has her daughter Sarah.
1851 Census
This census lists her place of birth as Purton. She is now aged 57 (1794) and he is 45 and born in Lambourne, Berkshire. They are still living in Upper Stratton and both are still working as Agricultural Labourers. There is no one else living at home.
1861 Census
This has the inclusion of her 40 year old son, Samuel, listed as a step son. We know from his records that he has been pensioned off from the army two years earlier. Charles is aged 63 and Anne is aged 68 (1793) both still working as Agricultural Labourers and still in Stratton St Margaret.
I can’t locate any further records for Ann or Charles after this Census return.
THE CHILDREN.
Whilst I have found records for some of their children and can proceed with certainty, for the others, there were insufficient points of reference for me to be confident that I had found them. So I have only recorded the lives of two of them, as those lives have been charted as far as I can go.
EDITH CLAPP
Edith married William Garner 14th October 1839 at the parish church of Stratton St Margaret. At the time of their marriage both of them are living in Upper Stratton. William is a baker by trade and of full age at the time of marriage. His father, John Garner is a Worsted Manufacturer. Her father is William Clapp, a Labourer. He has not been annotated as being deceased. He has signed his name, she has left her mark. Their witnesses were John Stiles and Rebecca Garner.
1841 Census
Both living in Upper Stratton. He is listed as a Baker. There are no children yet. His age is 30, hers is 25.
1851 Census
Now living in Stratton Green. They have a daughter, Mary Ann aged 6 and a lodger called Jane Hyde who is aged 30 and working as an agricultural labourer. William is aged 41, working as a Baker and born in Cricklade. She is aged 36 and born in Blunsdon. Their daughter was born in Stratton. Edith has no occupation assigned against her entry.
1861 Census
William’s surname has now been spelt as Gardener. He is aged 51, she is aged 46. His occupation is a Baker and their places of birth match that given in 1851, so I believe this is their record. They are both living in Upper Stratton, but their daughter is missing in this return. She should be 16, so perhaps out in service somewhere. Their next door neighbour is a John Isles. Their witness at their marriage clearly signed Stiles. Perhaps another misheard name on behalf of the returning officer or perhaps the same person that signed her mother’s marriage record in 1838? There are no other people listed at this address. I therefore assume they only had the one child.
1871 Census
A complete change of occupation for her husband aged 62. He is now listed as a Gas Fitter! As their ages and places of birth match (she is now listed as Blunsdon St Andrew) I am confident that this is their record, even though they are living in Swindon, presumably to be better placed for his new job. Surname has reverted to the Garner spelling. No one else living at that address.
1881 Census
Has them living in Highworth. He has formerly Baker against his name. The address states Hyde, Blunsdon Road. He is 74 and she is 69. Cricklade and Blunsdon as their places of birth. No one else at that address.
No more records found at the moment.
SAMUEL CLAPP
I can’t locate him in 1841.
1851 Census has Samuel listed as a Private – Soldier in a Manchester Institution that is full of soldiers. Doesn’t state what type, ie army barracks etc. He is aged 30 and states he comes from Swindon, Wiltshire. It looks as if the return from this place is covered in blood. Perhaps it was a hospital?
1st November 1859 Royal Chelsea Hospital record states he is 39 years old, born in Little Blunsdon, Swindon, Wiltshire. That he was in the 28th Foot, and that he is receiving a pension. This supports the record above, and the statement about being a pensioner in the 1861 census return below.
1861 Census has Samuel listed as a step son, aged 40 and a Pensioner living with his mother Anne, and step father Charles Young. Charles is an agricultural labourer. They are living in Upper Stratton. States he was born in Blunsdon and is unmarried.
1868 Electoral Roll listed with two Ps and living in Stratton St Margaret.
1871 Census states he was born in Blunsdon St Andrew aged 51 and working as a Farm Labourer . He is married to Elizabeth born in Rodbourne Cheney aged 44, with children Charles Clap aged 15 working as a farm labourer, and Emily Clap aged 10 and at school. Both children are born in Statton St Margaret. As there is no mention of his wife or son Charles in the 1861 census, it’s possible that Charles is Elizabeth’s son from a previous marriage. Haven’t been able to find his marriage record yet either. The family are living in Stratton St Margaret.
1881 Census he is still living in Stratton St Margaret, with his wife Elizabeth. No children are living at home with them. He is still working as an Agricultural Labourer. Places of birth haven’t changed since the previous entry.
The Whatley Family: 1851 to 1901
PLOT 44
This is a family grave, and it is shared by five members of the same family. Most of the sons called Edward in this family, are actually called Edwards. All documents back up this spelling where it’s used. The probate record for Samuel Whatley states his date of death to be the 14th August 1890. As this headstone was probably done in 1948, this might account for the date variation. The actual date of the burial was 19th August, and his funeral was conducted by the Rev. H. W. Banfather, whose grave is Plot 50. He also officiated at Elizabeth’s funeral too, a few months later.
The inscription reads
Sacred to the memory of
Samuel Whatley
Died August 19th 1890
Aged 75 years
Also of Elizabeth Whatley
Wife of the above
Died December 3rd 1890
Aged 64 years
Also of Elizabeth Whatley
Daughter of the above
Died January 29th 1932
Aged 68 years
Also of
John Edwards Whatley
Son of the above
Died June 23rd 1938
Aged 77 years
Also of
Edward Whatley
Son of the above
Died April 9th 1948
Aged 83 years
Until the dawn breaks
LIFE STORY
Born in Seend, Wiltshire, which is in the Melksham area, to parents John Edwards Whatley and Mary Ann Whatley (nee Tucker) Samuel was the son of a farmer. The family farm was called Inmarsh Farm and Census returns state that it was of 127 acres in size.
Samuel, their first born, was baptised on the 29th December 1816 at the Chapelry of Seend. His father was also baptised in the same Chapelry on the 30th September 1792. His mother, also native to Seend, was baptised on the 1st October 1792. His parents were married at the Chapelry on the 28th November 1815, so it is probably safe to say that this Chapelry played an important part in his young life.
His brother Thomas, was born in 1822, as was his sister Lucy Whatley. It’s not clear from records if they were twins, or simply born in the same year, but both were baptised at the same time on the 26th June 1822, at the Chapelry. This becomes confusing as Lucy’s age in the 1851 census meant that she was born in 1825. We have gone with the Baptismal records for her date of birth.
His brother, baptised as Daniel Edwards Whatley on the 8th January 1833, seems to be known as Edwards, or Edwards Daniel from subsequent records. On Probate records for his father, he is known as Edward Daniel, and his own death record records him as Edward Daniel Whately living in Cricklade at the time of his death in 1871, aged 39.
1851 CENSUS
There are two entries, one for Inmarsh Farm in Seend, which shows his mother Mary Ann Whatley aged 57 and her son Thomas aged 29 living at the farm. Above this entry is the comment that her husband is not at home at the time of the Census.
The other entry is in Blunsdon, showing Samuel aged 30 as the Head of Grove Farm, with his sister Lucy aged 26 and described as Housekeeper, and brother Edward aged 18, described as a farm labourer, living with him. There is a John E Whately aged 58 described as a visitor, which we have taken to be his father. Grove Farm is 300 acres in size, employing 12 labourers. It might be that his father is here helping him to establish the farm. Samuel has three live in servants, two of whom were born in Seend. One, called Charity Tucker aged 30 is a dairy maid. She might be a relation of his mother’s.
His father dies in 1857 and is buried on 30th September in Seend.
MARRIAGE
On the 27th March 1860, Samuel marries, Elizabeth Wilkins in her parish church at Potterne, Devizes. His sister Lucy Whatley is a witness to this marriage. Her father is John Wilkins also a farmer, so we can assume Elizabeth is well suited to her new role as a Farmer’s wife.
It would appear that this was a double marriage with her sister Catherine Wilkins, who married John Benger, as it appears as a second entry in the marriage register. Lucy Whately also acted as a witness to this wedding, again suggesting that it was probably a double wedding.
1861 CENSUS
Samuel and Elizabeth now have a 2 month old son, John Edwards Whately, who was baptised at St Andrews on the 5th May 1861. The Rev S F Auchmuty performed the baptism. Rev Auchmuty is also buried in this graveyard, Plot 33.
There is a James Jennings, a groom, living with them, but no one else.
His brother, Edward Daniel Whatley (27) is now living with their sister Lucy (36) running a 232 acre farm called Lower Widhill Farm. Its situated just off the A419 between Blunsdon and Cricklade, and appears on modern OS Maps.
His mother, now a widow and his brother Thomas are still running Inmarsh Farm, in Seend.
OTHER CHILDREN
1n 1863, their daughter Elizabeth was born, and in 1865 their second son, Edward was born.
None of his children get married, and all three of his children are buried in this family grave.
1871 CENSUS
Still living at and running Grove Farm. His children, John aged 10, Elizabeth aged 7 and Edward aged 6 are being taught by a residential governess called Mary aged 24 born in Cricklade. There are two live in servants aged 28 and 16. Samuel has increased the acreage of his farm from 300 acres to 315 acres and he employs 10 labourers.
His mother aged 79 and brother Thomas aged 49 are still running Inmarsh Farm in Seend.
His brother Edward Daniel is still running Lower Widhill Farm with his sister Lucy. He too has increased his acreage to 244 acres. He employs 6 men 1 boy and 4 women. They have living with them, a milkmaid, a dairy maid and a general house servant.
Sadly his brother Edward Daniel dies in December 1871. Probate records show his brother Thomas Whatley a farmer living in Seend, (ie at Inmarsh Farm) and Joseph Craddock, Hotel Keeper in Cricklade were his executors. He left an Estate of under £2,000. Lucy then spends the rest of her life living with her brother Thomas.
His mother, Mary Ann Whatley dies in 1876. Whilst she is buried in Seend, the record shows that she died in Cricklade. His brother Thomas was married on 30th April 1874. He married Martha Anne Smith, who was born in Upton Lovell. She was baptised on the 5th May 1839. Her baptism record says her father, Joseph was a wool sorter. From subsequent records, it would appear that his wife is usually called Annie. He was 52 years old when he married, his wife was 36. Her father is still doing something in the wool trade, but its not clear what. Thomas’ address on his marriage certificate said Cricklade, so it would appear that their mother moved with her son Thomas and her daughter Lucy, when they relocated from Seend to Cricklade, somewhere between 1871 and 1874. Their mother was 83 when she died.
1881 CENSUS
Still living at Grove Farm, with his wife and three children. Samuel is now 64, Elizabeth 55, and children John Edwards, 20, Elizabeth 17 and Edward aged 16. They have one live in servant described as Housekeeper.
In 1881, his sister Lucy aged 60 is living with his brother Thomas (59) and his wife Annie (40). This new farm is 242 acres in size and is Seven Bridges Farm. OS Map shows this to be the next farm off the A419 heading towards Cricklade. It could be that Thomas and sister Lucy and mother Mary Ann Whatley have been living here since the early 1870s, with his wife Annie, joining them in 1874.
1890 DEATH of SAMUEL AND WIFE ELIZABETH
Samuel dies in 1890. Rev Banfather conducted his burial service which took place on 19TH August 1890. Shortly afterwards, his wife Elizabeth dies and is buried on 3rd December 1890.
Samuel’s estate, worth £5,254 was left to his two sons. Probate states them both to be farmers.
WHAT HAPPENS NEXT
1891 CENSUS
Lucy is still living with her brother in the 1891 Census, which states that Thomas, aged 69, is now a retired farmer. The census has them living in Blunsdon St Andrew. There are no children of Thomas and Annie listed on this return.
Grove Farm has been taken over by Samuel’s two sons, John Edwards and his brother Edward. They have an Elizabeth Hibblewhite as a housekeeper aged 37, and Selina Fisher 20, domestic servant.
Their sister Elizabeth does not appear on this census return. Instead we find her living in Potterne with her aunt on her mother’s side, John and Catherine Benger. Remember the double wedding? Elizabeth is now 27 years old. Her Uncle works for Wiltshire County Council as a surveyor to Devizes Rural Sanitary Authority. They are living at Wick House. Both her aunt and uncle are 60 years old. They have three daughters of their own, Catherine (30), Elizabeth (23) and Ellen aged 19, so she has some female companions. She may have moved there to improve her chances of marriage now that she no longer had a mother to chaperone her, when out and about.
1901 CENSUS
We do know that marriage for Elizabeth (37) never happened as she moves back home to Grove Farm and appears here in the 1901 Census along with her brothers John Edwards (40) and Edward (36). Elizabeth Hibblewhite aged 46 is still the housekeeper.
Thomas now aged 79, and his wife Annie aged 68 are still living in Blunsdon St Andrew. Lucy is no longer living with them, as she died on 13th August 1898. Her estate of £184 was left to her brother Thomas.
At some point the two brothers John Edwards and Edward, left Grove Farm and moved to Manor Farm, Bishopstone, near Shrivenham. The earliest record for them is a directory in 1911, and another in 1920 still has them both at this farm. Probate records also link in with this address. When their uncle, Samuel’s brother Thomas dies, 10th February 1910, he too has an address of Manor Farm, Bishopstone. Its unclear if Thomas moves here first, and his nephews take over the farm when he dies, or if his nephews move here first, and he moves in with them.
Probate records for Elizabeth shows that she also died here on 27th January 1932. She left an estate worth £12,071 to her brother, Edward. John Edwards who died at Bishopstone 23rd June 1938 also left his estate, £30,214 to his brother Edward. When Edward died, his estate was worth £68,513. Having no one to leave it to, matters were referred to Chancery, by Lloyds Bank.
There is a newpaper clipping that says two claimants or the descendants of the two possible claimants, were his uncles Thomas Whatley and Edward Daniel Whatley. Both pre deceased him without issue. It asked anyone with a possible claim to apply to Chancery by the 30th day of March 1951 to put their case.
All three children were interned with their parents in this churchyard, as per the headstone, and none of the children were ever married. The family ran Grove Farm for over 50 years, and all three children were baptised in this church. The family saw two vicars in office, during their life time, and I am sure were regularly in attendance at this church, during their time in Blunsdon.