Thomas and Hannah Maria
My records begin in c.1785 with the birth of Thomas Bigwood in Warminster Wiltshire. He married a girl called Hannah Maria and they had four children, Thomas, born 16 June 1809, Joseph, born 11 July 1811?, Edward, born 10 Sept 1811? and Alfred, born 8 July 1814.
Joseph and Eliza (Rich)
In around 1832 Joseph left home for a new life in a busy, fast growing, West Country port Bridgwater. With him he brought his young family with a view to settling.
He soon started his own business - Bookbinding.
They lived in a small house on Coffee House Lane, within a few hundred yards of the bustling riverside of Bridgwater's life line, the River Parrett. Census information from 1841 shows that the family were located there and that there were 5 people in the household - Joseph, 31, his wife Eliza from Frome, 29 and children Henry, 9, Alfred, 8, Elizabeth, 3 and Edward, 11 months.
By 1851 there were 10 people in the household. Joseph now aged 40, Eliza aged 37, and children Henry 19, Alfred 18, Elizabeth, 13, Edwin 10, Jane 8 Ellen 6, Joseph 4 and Susan 10 months.
Joseph died on 18 Sept 1867 aged 55
Alfred and Jane (Dyer)
By the census of 1861 Alfred had left home and was married to Jane (née Dyer) aged 29 from Bridgwater. They had two sons, William, 4 and Walter, 7 months. Alfred's occupation was given as printer. Joseph meanwhile had moved to Queens Street with the rest of the family and had now acquired a servant, Ellen. Eliza ageing mother, Susan Rich, 65, from Batcombe, Somerset was now living with them. His occupation was also given as printer.
Alfred's business must have become quite successful as by 1881 they had moved to 2 Quantock Villas, a considerably larger house. He was still listed as a printer, but his eldest son William (now aged 24) had joined him in the family business. By this date Alfred and Jane had two additional children Albert Edward, 14 and Florence, 7. In 1897 they were living at 3 Washington Road, Bridgwater. Alfred died in April 1902, Jane survived until Jan 1912.
Alfred and Jane outside the front of their house (c.1895).
Albert Edward and Sarah (Hembrow)
Albert Edward, born 20 Nov 1867, married Sarah Hembrow of Stoke St Gregory, Somerset. He did not seem to follow his father in the printing business but was listed as a commercial traveller.
They had five children, Beatrice Annie (Beatty), Alice Maud (Cis), Doris May (Dinger), and twins Reginald Percy (Perce) and Florence Mabel (Flo) born on 9 Sept 1901. In 1897 they were living at 19 Washington Terrace, Bridgwater. Certainly later in life they lived on Victoria Road in the Newtown area of Bridgwater.
He died on 25 May 1930, aged 63. Sarah survived to 1958.
Albert at a wedding (1892)
Reginald Percy married Jessie Lillian Date on 26 May 1925. At this time his occupation was Omnibus Conductor. In total they had 11 children, 9 of who grew up and raised families of their own. For most of their family life they lived at 46 Kidsbury Road in Bridgwater, Somerset.
Sons and Daughters (minus one) (c. 1985)
Emma Bailey, Elizabeth Tucker, Jessie Date and Joan Bigwood. (c. 1919)
Colin married Elizabeth Mary Bowering in 1958. They had two children, Jonathan and David Andrew.
Jonathan married Sally Abbott in 1990. They have a daughter, Katie born in 1997 and son George, born June 2000.
Return to Home
Jon Bigwood, Aug 1996, Updated July 2000.