Robert and Elizabeth Taylor (nee Clapp) of Sidbury and Sidmouth, Devonshire

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ROBERT TAYLOR (great, great, great grandfather) born October 19th 1810 (according to a family Bible in the
possession of the descendants of Elizabeth Jane Taylor). In the 1851 census he gives Sidmouth, Devon as his birthplace and in the 1861 census gives Aylesbeare, Devon. Which was it?.

On June 12th 1859 his daughter Mary Ann Taylor married George Herbert at St James, Holloway, Islington, London. On this certificate she gave her father's occupation as Farmer.

Robert died August 21st 1862 at Sidmouth, Devon after an accident where he injured his foot and he died about two days later of Septacemia. Was there an inquest? His daughter Elizabeth nursed him and was present at his death. He was the son of UNKNOWN TAYLOR (possibly Robert) TAYLOR and UNKNOWN TAYLOR (possibly Mary) TAYLOR (nee UNKNOWN). I am certain he is a member of the local Taylor families which have been in the area for hundreds of years. I would like to know more about the people whose name I have inherited.

Taylors of Devon

In 1834 he married ELIZABETH CLAPP daughter of JOHN CLAPP and MARY CLAPP (nee IRISH) of Harcombe, Sidbury, Devon. (according to his daughter Elizabeth Jane Wise's family Bible) at Sidbury, Devon which isn't correct. Did they marry? where did they marry? Sidmouth? not at all?

According to the IGI a Robert Taylor was baptised 25th December 1810 at Aylesbeare, Devon son of Wiliam and Mary Taylor But, they then have a later son Robert Taylor 29 August 1813 Aylesbeare, Devon. So they can't be his parents. Although this couple are living in Sidmouth in 1841

1 ROBERT TAYLOR b: 19 Oct 1810 Sidmouth, Devon
.. +ELIZABETH CLAPP b: 08 Dec 1813 Sidbury, Devon
........2JOSEPH TAYLOR b: 13 Mar 1838 Harcombe, Sidbury, Devon
.......... +ELIZABETH FARRANT b: 17 Jul 1833 Rockebeare, Devon
............. 3 ROBERT GEORGE TAYLOR b:1863 Bristol.
................. +MATILDA LUKE b: 1862 Clifton, Bristol
...................... 4 SIDNEY GEORGE TAYLOR b: 14 Feb 1895 Bristol
.......................... +LILIAN GIBBONS b: 07 Mar 1897 Bristol
.............................5 NORMAN SIDNEY TAYLOR b: 30 Dec 1926 Bristol
................................ +JOAN MARGARET CREESE b: 1931 Bristol
................................ 6 PAUL b: 1963 Bristol

Buckton Hill and Farm © Derek Harper Source

There several interesting buildings in the parish. The Porch House in Sidford is dated 1574, and there are other
houses worth looking for in this village, and on the road to Sidbury village. Manstone Farm has some considerable
remains of old work, some of medieval date. Sand Barton, 1 m. NE. of the church, is first mentioned c. 1175.
The present house was built by Rowland Huyshe in 1594-1600 and is a good example of a late Tudor mansion.
Court Hall has some Elizabethan work. Buckton and Harcombe farms are both mentioned c. 1200 in the and
chapter archives at Exeter. Source

At 54 Old Fore St there is a Catherine Taylor aged 68 a fish dealer born Cornwall.

1851 the description of the area the Taylors were living in.

All that part of the parish of Sidmouth which lies west of Fore St Road from Cawsey's London Inn to Mill Cross and south of the
road leading from Mill Cross to Mr Carslake's to the London Inn .......... Church St including ..... Seafield Place, Old Forestreet,
Ebdon's Court, Church Lane and Coburg Terrace.

Why does he give Aylesbeare this census return? - he has previously said Sidmouth, Devon the two parishes are close(ish)

On the next page of the 1861 Census about three households along is a very possible contender for father of Robert Taylor another Robert Taylor and Elizabeth his wife is his second wife. This Robert is a widower in 1851 living with a niece with the surname Bennett.

Children of ROBERT TAYLOR and ELIZABETH TAYLOR (nee CLAPP) are:

(1) Mary Ann Taylor
Born August 16, 1835, Greenhead, Sidbury, Devon. In 1841 she was living at Sidbury with her parents and brother Joseph.Mary ann was the blind gt aunt that my gt aunts and grandfather Sidney Taylor knew so well as children in the 1890's and early 1900's in Clifton Wood, Bristol.

Mary Ann could identify people by the sound of their footsteps as they walked up the hall (at 5 Southernhay Crescent, Cliftonwood). She was blinded so the story goes by looking at the sun whilst helping a neighbour put out her washing in London (sometime between 1851 and 1861 as by 1861 census she is described as blind). Mary ann probably died in Cliftonwood, Bristol. What is perplexing is that the aunts always called her Mary ann Wise. Actually she was Mary ann Herbert.

On June 12th 1859 at St James, Holloway, Islington she married George Herbert a Coachman and son of John and Hannah Herbert of Hatfield, Hertfordshire (his father was a carpenter)

Their witnesses were William Pain and Mary Bailey It was Mary ann's sister gt aunt Elizabeth Jane Taylor who had married into the Wise family. The aunts did own a bible which had been given to a Mary ann Wise by a Mr. Robinson in Bristol in the 1850's which further adds to the mystery.

Mary ann Herbert (nee Taylor)

The same street as her parents are living. Could these Farrants be related to Mary ann's future S in L gt, gt grandmother
Elizabeth Taylor (nee Farrant)?

At the same time her husband was in london

(2) JOSEPH TAYLOR (for more details)

Born March 13th , 1838 in Harcombe, near Sidbury, Devon. Baptised April 1^st 1838 at Sidbury, Devon. Died May 4, 1911 at Cliftonwood, Bristol; married ELIZABETH FARRANT June 30th , 1861 at St George's Brandon Hill, Bristol. In the Taylor family Bible, which is now either in the ownership of the Yeo family or the descendants of Elizabeth Jane Taylor the date is given as 1860 to cover up the slight hurry in which they married.



Joseph Taylor in his garden at Cliftonwood, Bristol

1841 Census Buckton Farm ? Sidbury, Devon

Robert Taylor 31 Ag Lab ............................................................... Born in county
Elizabeth Taylor 28 .......................................................................... Born in county
Mary Ann Taylor 5 ........................................................................... Born in county
JOSEPH TAYLOR 2 ........................................................................ Born in county
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HO107; Civil Parish: Sidbury; County: Devon; Enumeration District: 22;
Page: 9; Line: 19; GSU roll: 241304.

Also living at Buckton are James and Mary Irish who are relations of Ellizabeth's

1851 Census Old Fore Street, Sidmouth, Honiton, Devon

Robert Taylor Head M 40 M Parish Labourer ......................... Sidmouth, Devon
Elizabeth Taylor Wife M 37 F Lace Maker ................................... Sidbury, Devon
JOSEPH TAYLOR Son - 13 M Errand Boy .................................. Sidbury, Devon
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PRO Reference: HO/107/1864 Folio: 433 Page: 14 FHL Film: 0221012


1861 Census New Street, Weston Super Mare, Somerset

James Fisher Head M 75 Owner of Cottages ........................ Somerset, Wick St Lawrence
Mary Elizabeth Fisher Wife Married 64 ........................................................ Essex, Colchester
JOSEPH TAYLOR Lodger Unm Carpenter.................................................... Devon, Sidmouth
Levi Gibbs 24 ...... Lodger Unm Carpenter.................................................... Devon, Sidmouth
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RG9; Piece: 1673; Folio: 25; Page: 44; GSU roll: 542849

1861 the marriage certiicate states that Joseph is living at Woodwell Crescent, Hotwells, Bristol. Elizabeth Farrant gives her abode as
Limekiln Lane, Bristol. Both very near the bottom of Jacob Wells Road, Bristol, It appears they married in a slight hurry ! as their daughter Elizabeth
Elizabeth Ann Farrant Taylor was born soon after

1871 Census 3 Ellenborough Place, Cliftonwood, Bristol

JOSEPH TAYLOR 33 H Carpenter ............. Sidbury, Devon
Elizabeth Taylor 38 W ............................... Rockbeare, Devon
Robert G Taylor 8 S ........................................... Clifton, Bristol
Frederick W Taylor 4 S ..................................... Clifton, Bristol
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RG10; Piece: 2539; Folio: 44; Page: 7; GSU roll: 835261

1872-1875 the Taylor family are residing at 3 Ambra Vale, Cliftonwood, Bristol

1881 Census 4 Ambra Vale South, Cliftonwood, Bristol

JOSEPH TAYLOR Head M 45 Carpenter Joiner .................. Sidbury, Devon
Elizabeth Taylor Wife 48 ...................................................... Rockbeare, Devon
Robert G Taylor Son 18 Printer .................................................. Clifton, Bristol
Frederick W Taylor Son 14 Photographer ............................... Clifton, Bristol
Lilian E Taylor Dau 5 ..................................................................... Clifton, Bristol
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RG11; Piece: 2479; Folio: 66; Page: 52; Line: ; GSU roll: 1341597

1883 of 4 Ambra Vale Road South, Cliftonwood

1891 They may have been ommited from the census as I can't find them


1901 Census 5 Southernhay Crescent, Cliftonwood, Bristol

JOSEPH TAYLOR 63 H Carpenter and Joiner ....................... Buckton, Sidbury, Devon
Elizabeth Taylor 68 W............................................................. Rockbeare, nr Exeter, Devon
Lillian Emily Taylor 25 D Dressmaker ................................................. Cliftonwood, Bristol
Mary Ann Herbert 65 S ................................................ Greenhead, Sidbury, Devon (Blind)
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RG13; Piece: 2366; Folio: 79; Page: 4

(3) Elizabeth Jane Taylor

Born February 21st, 1842 at Sidbury, Devon; 1851. Elizabeth married John Wise on March 22nd 1880 at Reading, Berkshire; He was born July 12th, 1834 at Wokingham; and died six months after being knocked down by a cow, November 20th 1896.



Elizabeth Jane Wise (nee Taylor) in middle and old age with her grandson

John and Elizabeth Jane Wise (nee Taylor) had one son, Arthur Henry Wise who was born abt 1880 at Wokingham, Berkshire. Elizabeth died March 1920 at 263 Broadway, Bexley and was buried in Heath Cemetery, Bexley.
In 1841 Elizabeth seems to be living with (or staying with) John Irish aged 60 who is her great uncle (a brother of her grandmother Mary Clapp) (nee Irish) Elizabeth Jane Taylor had her own Family Bible which gave details of her parents and their birth dates and the falsified or mis-informed marriage date. The Bible is still owned by her descendants.

John Irish is brother of Elizabeth's grandmother Mary Clapp (nee Irish) seems a bit odd that she was staying at her gt uncles.
Why? poverty? was she a servant?

Robert Taylor died the next year after accidently injuring his foot which turned septic