Holy Cross Church, Slapton
The lynchgate
Here, right, is the memorial to John Tearle b22 Dec 1824 in Dagnall, the son of Abel 1797 of Stanbridge, and Hannah nee Frost. He married Sarah Bishop of Oxon and died aged only 42. I have added a picture of the full headstone below right so you can find it, if you ever go to this part of Bucks. John is of the branch Thomas 1737.
John was also the father of Jabez b1856, Slapton. He is well-known to the Australians, and is buried in Forbes, NSW.
This memorial, left, is to George 1855 Dagnall and his wife Edith Jane nee Hing. George was the son of Joseph 1855 Dagnall, one of the sons of Thomas 1830 and Jane nee Draper, whose headstone we saw in Edelsborough. Thomas 1830 and John 1824 were brothers, so this George is grandson and grand-nephew.
The John d 1867 of the headstones in the Slapton Churchyard above died aged just 42. He was John Tearle 1825 (actually Dec 1824) son of Abel 1797 and Hannah nee Frost. Abel, son of the famous Fanny, is the grandfather of several families in Australia.
In 1851, John is a servant, a malt maker, in the house of Mary Gurney in Slapton, Bucks. She describes herself as a Maltster & Victualler, but I can't find a street address for her. I suppose she possibly runs a pub or an inn. Just two doors away is young Sarah Bishop, 22, from Milton, Oxon, and she is a servant in the house of Thomas Ginger a farmer, originally from Edlesborough.
In 1861 John and Sarah are married and living, as far as I can tell, at an address called The Bury Farm, but I'm not completely certain since the address is about 3 pages before John and Sarah's house, and I only have the margin numbering to go by. The family is as follows:
1861 John 1825 Dagnall Sarah 32 Oxon William 8 George 6 Jabez 5 Sarah A 3 Louisa B 1
Young Jabez there goes to Australia, marries Ann Gordon, and dies in Forbes, NSW, 1936 leaving Australian descendants.
In 1871, Sarah 1829 is by herself, a widow, a victualler, and her family is as follows:
1871 Sarah 1829 Oxon Jabez 16 Sarah A 13 Anna F 7 in Slapton.
Louisa B is on the last page of the Slapton census returns, a servant in the household of Alfred Gurney, a maltster.
In 1881, Sarah 1829 is a publican and grocer and her household has:
1881 Sarah 1829 Oxon Sarah A 23 Louisa B 21 Ann T 17 in Slapton
Sarah is a dressmaker, Louisa B is back home with Mum and is also a dressmaker, while Ann is a pupil teacher.
In 1881, Slapton also welcomes Joseph 1856 from Dagnall, labourer, and his wife Mary. Joseph is John's nephew because Joseph is the son of Thomas Tearle of Dagnall and Jane nee Draper, and Thomas is John's brother.
In 1891 Sarah 1829 is living in the Public House and Shop on Leighton Rd, Slapton. She calls herself inkeeper and grocer, so she must be running the pub. We now find out that Sarah A is Sarah Ann, she is single and still a dressmaker.
Joseph 1856 Dagnall is now a brewers labourer and lives in a block of 6 cottages in Slapton called "The Row." Their family is:
1891 Joseph 1856 Dag Mary 35 George 12 Frederick 11 John 8 Sarah 7 Annie Naomi 5 Alfred 1 I guess there is more than one pub, so Joseph does not necessarily work for Sarah, but the possible connection is interesting.
I'm afraid there is no sign of Sarah 1829 or Sarah A in Slapton in 1901.
However, in 1901 Mary 1856 Edels is a widow, so Joseph has died, and her family is:
1901 Mary 1856 Edels wid George 23 John 18 Alfred 11 in Slapton - so that is how I found out the identity of George of the headstone died 1953 - with Edith Jane died 1967, below.
And one more thing you will really, really like. Have a look at the photo I took in Edlesborough of the headstone of Jane, wife of Thomas Tearle of Dagnall. She was Jane Draper and Thomas re-married and is buried in Dunstable. Joseph 1856 of Dagnall is their son. He married Mary Reeve. George 1878 of the headstone below is Joseph’s son, and Jane nee Draper was his grandmother. Very nice.
Thomas was also a son of Abel 1797 and Hannah nee Frost. It is very tempting, isn't it, to surmise that Joseph and Mary went to Slapton to work for Sarah, who looks like she was quite a successful pub manager?
Pat Field recently sent me these Slapton baptisms of Joseph and Mary’s family:
13 April 1884 Susan Jane child of Joseph & Mary Tearle of Slapton, Brewer's Man
24 June 1883 John aged 10m child of Joseph & Mary Tearle of Slapton Brewer's Man
24 June 1883 Fred aged 3 child of Joseph & Mary Tearle of Slapton Brewer's Man
20 June 1886 Annie Naomi aged 8m child of Joseph & Mary Tearle of Slapton Brewer's Man
If Joseph did not go to Slapton to work for Sarah nee Bishop, it looks as though once he got there, he joined her in helping to run the pub.
Here is Joseph’s death:
Joseph Tearle aged 44 of Slapton buried 21 April 1900 at Parish of Slapton St Botolph.
I am now going to have a look at the story of Sarah Bishop b1829 of Little Milton, Oxfordshire. I don't have the 1841 census return because she would have been 12 so possibly at home in Oxon and there are three Sarah Bishops there. Without the marriage certificate, I can't be sure I have the right one.
HOWEVER - in 1851, Sarah is a servant for a farmer in Slapton, Bucks and there she meets our handsome John.
1851 = Sarah Bishop 1829 Oxon servt to Thomas Ginger Slapton
In 1861 Sarah and John have a lovely family, John is a maltster and Sarah looks like she can afford to stay home and look after the children.
1861 = John 1825 Dagnall Sarah 32 William 8 George 6 Jabez 5 Sarah A 3 Louisa B 1 in Slapton
John dies in 1867 and times get very difficult. William goes to live with Uncle George in Watford (John's brother) while George becomes apprenticed to a grocer in Dunstable. By 1871 Sarah is called a victualler and has only Jabez, Sarah and Anna left at home, while Louisa is a nursemaid in the household of Alfred Gurney, a malster of Slapton. Perhaps he works for Sarah... But I suppose there is more than one pub in the village. Sarah is running the Carpenter’s Arms.
1871 = Sarah 1829 Oxon Jabez 16 Sarah A 13 Anna F 7 in Slapton
In 1881, Sarah is a publican and grocer. Another example of just how strong and determined our Victorian mothers were. It looks as though the business has grown. Sarah Ann is a dressmaker, possibly working from the store, as is Louisa, now back home with Mother. Anna is a pupil teacher. In the 1880s a pupil teacher was a teacher apprentice (sort of) and was working to get onto the teaching staff as opposed to an assistant teacher, who helped out, but would never become a teacher.
1881 = Sarah 1829 Oxon Sarah A 23 Louisa B 21 Ann T 17 in Slapton
In 1891, Sarah and dau Sarah Ann are running the business in Leighton Rd, Slapton in a property called a "public house and grocer" by the census enumerator. Sarah Ann is running her dressmaking business from the premises, probably helping Mother in busy times. Sarah calls herself an Innkeeper and grocer. She is 62, still working.
1891 = Sarah 1829 Oxon Sarah A 35 in Slapton
In 1901 Sarah and Sarah Ann are in Ivinghoe! Sarah, at 72 is now a retired grocer and Sarah Ann is still a dressmaker "on own account" meaning she is not on parish relief. They are living next door to George and Susan Ginger. He is a lock-keeper on the canal and I wonder if it is this pair who has drawn Sarah to Ivinghoe. We may never know, but Sarah has well deserved a quiet and gracious retirement.
1901 = Sarah 1829 Little Milton Oxon Sarah Ann 43 in Ivinghoe
Sarah nee Bishop 1829 Oxon
Here is the last chapter in the story of Sarah nee Bishop. Pat Field sent me this picture from the Ivinghoe Churchyard. She says:
“Have today found a Tearle Gravestone in Ivinghoe. The details on the
stone were "In Loving Memory of Sarah Ann Tearle who died Aug 19th 1910 aged 52yrs also Sarah Tearle Mother of above who died Oct 5 1915 aged 87yrs.”
She certainly did have a nice long retirement.
