Friday, February 28, 2020

The Ward family of "Langridge", Crediton, Devon, England and the New Zealand Connection.

Grandparents 
Paternal: William & Ann (nee Pope) Ward 
Maternal: George & Elizabeth (nee Tremlett) Huggins
 Parents
Father: Thomas Ward, gentleman, of ‘Langridge” farm, near themarket town of Crediton, 
Devonshire. He was born ca 1783 and died at Crediton 10.2.1838 

Mother: Elizabeth nee Huggins (1-11-1785 to 12-8-1831) 
Thomas & Elizabeth married at Crediton, Devon,  on 24 November 1808,
Both were buried at the Sandford Cemetery, near Crediton, in Devon.  
Their respective parents were for Thomas, William & Ann (nee Pope) Ward.
William Ward, gentleman of the parish of Dalton, Devon married Ann Pope of this parish at Sandford 27.11.1779) 

and for Elizabeth, George & Elizabeth (nee Tremlett) Huggins  George married Elizabeth Tremlett
on 8.9.1784 by licence. .He was from Down St Mary and she was of Sandford, where they married. 

This is where the Ward-Tremlett-Huggins  links come in. 
Elizabeth Ward nee Huggins had a sister Mary who married at Crediton 2.11.1812 to
John Norrish of Zeal Monachorum, Devon. by licence,  and this is where the Ward-Norrish 
link comes from.  It was at John & Mary (nee Huggins) Norrish’s home in Zeal Monachorum
that Edward & Elizabeth Fearon and Elizabeth’s sister Emma Ward were staying in 1841.
Four of Thomas & Elizabeth (nee Huggins) Ward’s children emigrated to Nelson, New Zealand
- Elizabeth, Mary, John & Thomas Jnr.

Complete list of the family of Thomas & Elizabeth (nee Huggins) Ward
1)  Elias Tremlett Ward born 3.4.1810 bapt 2.12.1811, see further info below

 2) Elizabeth Ward born 4.11.1811 bapt 2nd Dec. 1811, (see further info below)
3)  William Ward born June 1813, bapt. 21.3.1815 
Bcame a wine merchant living at Marlborough Terrace, Kensington, London, with an 
import/export business based in London. Apparently never married. Died at “Langridge” 31.3.1851
after a long & painful illness, and was buried at Sandford 5.4.1851.

On their  mother’s side, Tremlett, Huggins &Norris families were closely ssociated with Sandford
so this could have been a burial at a family plot.  Note that parents Thomas Ward & Elizabeth nee Huggins were both buried at Sandford as well.
 4) Twins Thomas & Mary Ward
Thomas Ward bapt 21.3.1815 (see further info below)
 His twin sister Mary died 11.9.1816
5)  The second Mary Ward (named for the earlier twin  Mary who died) baptized 12.2.1817 (see  further info below)
 6) John Ward born 22.1.1818 bapt 10.3.1819, (see further info below)
 7) Ann Ward born 27.12. 1819, bapt 24.2.1820 
Ann is recorded as living/staying with her brother William  in London at his Marlborough, Kensington Terrace address in 1851 married Willam’s friend/business contact Jonathan Henry Price  at Camberwell, Surrey, on 16 Oct 1851 Ann died at her residence, Burstead House, Billericay, Essex, in 1861. She gave birth to 2 sons – Henry Ward-Price (1854-1894) & George Ward-Price (1856-1883)


8) George Huggins Ward born 25th Nov 1822, bapt 17.6.1824
George Ward was the youngest son . He is recorded at school in Crediton in 1841 but by 1851 he is in London working as a wine merchant, visiting at Church Street St Margaret Lothbury.
1861 sees him at Perry Hill Lewisham still unmarried, employing 23 men in his wine business and with one maid Maria Bigley age 23. 
By 1881 he has retired and is lodging with an Irish couple, the O'Connors, at 212 Pavillion Road, ,Chelsea, London. He apparently never married. 

Died 1st qtr 1891, registration district St George Hanover Square, London.

Emma bapt 26.10.1825, see further info below

Further information

Elias Tremlett Ward (1810-1874)
The first-born. Born 5 April 1810, bapt. 2 December 1811. Married Sarah Kingdon at Crediton on 4 December 1832. Sarah (b. Crediton 1 January 1808) (only her mother Sarah listed on birth cert  - unmarried or a widow?)  Died on 17 Sept 1834 “after painful illness patiently borne, age 25 years” - not long after the birth of their only child Elizabeth, born 20.8.1833  & bapt at Crediton 5.3.1834  
(This daughter Elizabeth married a Rev.Luxford). 
As a widower Elias lived at “Langridge” with his uncle William Ward listed as the head of household, but after William died in 1842, Elias took over running “Langridge” himself.  In 1871 he was recorded as head of household at “Langridge” Farm”, described at that time as being 284 acres in size and employing 14 labourers. 
Note that Uncle William Ward does not appear to have married. The farm passed to his nephew Elias and he left his money to Elias’ daughter, Elizabeth Luxford (nee Ward).
Although the Tremletts were mostly associated with Sandford, Elias Tremlett Ward was likely named for his maternal gt-grandfather,
Elias Tremlett of Crediton (!733-1797)  known as Elias of Elston.
Elias Tremlett Ward’s death at Crediton was registered July 1874.
Note: His cousin Charles Norrish and brother John Ward were the
executors of Elias T. Ward’s will.
Elizabeth Ward (1811- 1901) Born 4 Nov 1811, bapt 2 Dec 1811 at Credition. Devon. 
Married master mariner Captain Edward Fearon on 11 February 1840 at St Olave Hart Street, Crutched Friars, London, She likely met Captain Fearon through her brother William Ward who was in the wine import and export trade in London.  She may well have visited William or even stayed with him at his Marlborough Terrace home in Kensington as her sister Ann did later – perhaps because he was unmarried his sisters took turns at looking after his household.  

Elizabeth emigrated to New Zealand on the barque “Thomas Sparks” with her husband Captain Edward Fearon and brothers John & Thomas Ward, arriving at Nelson on 26 February 1843. Her first child, daughter Elizabeth Ludwig Fearon, was born during the outward bound voyage. A few months later the Fearons settled at the nearby settlement of Motueka. Her brothers jointly bought land at Stoke, just outside the city of Nelson and named this property
"Langridge" after their home in Devon.. 
Children of Elizabeth nee Ward and Captain Edward Fearon


1) Elizabeth Ludwig (Lizzie) Fearon 
(b. 1842 on the ship "Thomas Sparks during the outward bound voyage from England, 
never married and died at the fearon family home, “Northwood’, Motueka, 1907,

2) Mary (May) Fearon (1845-1901) married Richmond Hursthouse

3) Emma Fearon (1847-1913) married John Chaytor of “Marshlands”,  Marlborough, 

4) John Hodgson Fearon (1849-1860) died young during a diphtheria epidemic

5) Sara Frances (Fanny) Fearon (1851-1913) married Fred Thomas of ‘Dehra Doone”, Riwaka, 

6) Edward Fearon Jnr (1853-1880). Died in the Nelson Asylum following a psychotic episode
Both the Fearon sons died young; the elder, Edward Jnr, was unmarried at the time of his death..
Elizabeth Fearon (nee Ward) died at her home, “Northwood”, Motueka, New Zealand, on 1 January 1901 and was buried with her husband and sons at the St Thomas Churchyard in Motueka.
See obituary published in the Colonist newspaper at the time of her death.

Mary Ward  (1817-1886) The second child of that name) bapt 12 Feb 1817 at Crediton, Devon – 
Emigrated via ship “Bernicia” arriving at Nelson NZ (aged 31 and single) on 6 November 1848, along with her brother John Ward and his bride Caroline (nee Micklem). Mary Ward ived with the Fearon family at their home, “”Northwood”, Motueka, NZ and married one of their neighbours, Charles Thorp of Motueka, at St Thomas’ Anglican Church, Motueka, on 11 April 1850 – the Rev Thomas.L. Tudor officiating.
Charles Thorp and Mary nee Ward had Three children,

1) Charles Herrick Thorp (1852-1873)), 

2. Mary Dyott Thorp (1854-1867) 
and

3) Frederick WilliamThorp, known as William, (1861-1911) Only William survived his parents.
He married Helen nee Gillad (1865-1946) in 1891 and had 2 daughters, Ethel Mary Thorp (m Samuel Arnold Atkinson) & Helen Dyott Thorp (m. George Arthur Tillson)
Mary Thorp nee Ward died at her home, “Burton Farm”, Motueka, on 8 Aug 1886 and is buried at the old St Thomas Churchyard,
now Pioneer Park on Thorp Street, Motueka. 

Thomas Ward Jnr. (1815-1886) Baptised Crediton 21.3.1815-  known as Tom and travelled to NZ 
with his sister Elizabeth, brother-in-law Edward Fearon and brother John Ward on the barque ‘”Thomas Sparks”, arriving Nelson 26 February 1843.
Thomas and his brother John jointly established a farm at Stoke, just outside the city of Nelson, 
which they worked together until 1848. when John returned to England for a short visit and 
brought back his new wife Caroline.  

Both Tom and John had earlier blotted their copy books
by getting pregnant around the same time 2 daughters of local farmer, 
Thomas Dangerfield Roil,  by whom each brother had a daughter born in 1847 within 
days of each other..Thomas' daughter Lucy by Harriet Roil was born on 15 September ,1847, 
while John's daughter Annie by Mary Anne Roil was born on 28 September, 1847.
Harriet married Charles Walker in Nelson in 1849, while her sister Mary Anne
married John James in Nelson in 1854. Both of their daughters were raised by 
their mothers' husbands and took their respective surnames. It does not appear that 
either John or Tom Ward ever had any contact with their daughters by the Roil sisters

Thomas had moved to Motueka by 1848 before taking over the management of the sheep run 
in the Awatere, Marlborough, NZ, on behalf of his brother-in-law, Edward Fearon. He then acquired 
his own sheep run in the Awatere, which he named “Langridge” after thefamily farm in Crediton. 
In 1859 he sold this run to the Monro brothers, then moved to another Marlborough sheep run 
closer to Blenheim called "Valleyfield", which belonged to the Monro brothers, Alex & George.
When they bought "Langridge" from Tom Ward the Monro brothers bought a large number of cattle from Ward, but got into financial strife and unable to pay for them, used part of 'Valleyfield" as security, 
with Tom Ward as mortgagee."Valleyfield" was likely Ward's base when he was recordedas a stockowner 
in the Wairau in 1870. By 1872 Tom Ward had a coach & horsetransport service operating between 
Blenheim and Renwick.The Royal Hotel in Blenheim was its the start and finish point and 
Tom Ward took over as licensee ofthe hotel in 1877. It could be that Tom developed an 
unfortunate taste for hisown wares, as a Thomas Ward was charged more than once 
in the Blenheim Court for being drunk and incapable in the town around this time. 
Mention in a contemporary newspaper of a death in Nelson, NZ, on 10 January 1882, caught my eye, as the deceased's age matched up. Following this lead I have reached the end of Thomas Ward's story. The death certificate I obtained confirms that this was indeed "my" Thomas Ward - born at Crediton, Devonshire, and recorded as a son of Thomas Ward, gentleman, & Elizabeth (nee Huggins). He died a single man aged 67 at Nelson Hospital, the cause of death being aortic (heart) disease. He was buried the next day at the Wakapuaka Cemetry in Nelson, where a derelict tumbledown headstone marks his resting place. His death certificate confirms that he was unmarried anhd gives his occuption at te time of death as a farmer. Seeing that the notice of his death in the 'Colonist" newspaper describes him as being from Golden Bay, so clearly he must have left Blenheim and moved from Marlborough between 1877 and 1882. A Notice of Deceased Estates  published on 3 May 1882 confirms that his usual place of residence at the time of his death was Collingwood

“Colonist” 11 Jan 1882, pg 2
 John Ward (1818 –1907?), Born at Crediton 22 January 18118, bapt. 10 March 1819. 
Came to NZ with Edward and Elizabeth Fearon and brother Thomas Ward on the  ship “Thomas Sparks”, arriving in Nelson 26 February 1843, Bought land at Stoke just outside the
city of Nelson, which he farmed jointly with his brother Thomas (Tom) Ward until 1848
They named this property “Langridge” after the family farm in England. 
John travelled to England 1848 and married 22 April 1848 at Kensington, London,  to Caroline Micklem from Hurly, Berkshire.  

Marriage notice
“Nelson Examiner” 4 November 1848, pg 144
Returned with his new wife and sister Mary Ward on the ship “Bernicia”, arriving 6 November 1848 at Nelson, NZ. John Ward and his 
wife Caroline had 4 children – 3 born in Nelson and 1 in England.
Their first child, son John Micklem Ward, was born at Motueka on 5 Jan 1849 – probably at “Northwood”, the home of her sister-in-law Elizabeth Fearon nee Ward. 
See: “Nelson Examiner”, 27 Jan 1849, pg 192: Births. (John M. Ward Jnr)

John Micklem Jnr married Susan Weeks and had 1 child, a daughter. After retiring from 
the family wine & spirit business, by 1891 he had become settled on a farm at 
“Woodland”, Crediton, in Devon.  He died in 1907..
Note that “Woodland Downs” was earlier part of the “Langridge Farm” property.

Three other children were born in the Nelson district, NZ 

Emma Ward (b. 26 June 1850 -possibly 1898) born at Suburban South (now known as Stoke) just outside the city of Nelson
Birth notice “Nelson Examiner” 29 June 1850, pg 72

William Ward (1852-1899) – Note: Neither Wiiliam nor his sister Emma appear to have married & were both living at “Great Leigh Farm” of 287 acres at Crediton before their deaths .
Caroline Ward (b. 20 May 1853 –sometime after 1911) 
Born at Suburban South (is recorded here:
“Nelson Examiner”, 28 May 1853, pg 56 Births ( Mrs John Ward, a daughter)

Caroline married Samuel Snell of “Moore Farm”, Petworth, Sussex , and had 4 daughters.
and
George Elias Ward (b. 1859 at Kent Forest Hill, Surrey, England.
John Ward and his family went back to England to live in 1859.  He had served as a Nelson Provincial Councilor for 2 terms and had a substantial amount of property around Stoke and Richmond, which he advertised for sale or lease in 1858 while arranging his return to England
“Nelson Examiner” 23 January, pg 1: Landed Property
He became a wine merchant at Cushion Court, 10 Old Broad-street, London and 20 Weston-street, Bermondsey going into partnership, firstly with a Mr Crimp, then with his son John Micklem Ward from ca 1871 until he retired in 1886, leaving the business to his son.  Business styled at this time “Ward & Son, Wine, Spirit, Beer, and Cyder Merchants” at Cushion Court, 10 Old Broad-street in the city of London and 20 Weston-street, Bermondsey. (Southwark)

Notice of dissolution of partnership between John Ward and his son  
“London Gazette” Feb. 5, 1886
Query - was this linked to the same business that John Ward Snr’s older brother William had earlier owned and his younger brother George was running by 1851?  The wine and spirit business  was also involved in the import/export trade and in an ad in the “Nelson Examiner” in 1864 
John Ward “late of Suburban South” comments that he had 
“succeeded to the above old-established business”.
“Nelson Examiner”, 3 May 1864, pg 1 Merchandise: Crimp & Ward, London
John Ward Snr probably maintained a link with Crediton, but does not appear to have lived there again after returning to England, though his sons John Micklem Ward & William both did. Having transferred the wine business to his son John Jnr in 1886, John Snr was living on his own (with a couple of servants) at Withycombe Raleigh in Devon by 1891 and is possibly the John Ward whose death was registered in the parish of East Stonehouse, Devon, in 1907.

Emma Ward (1825-1891) Bapt. 26 Oct 1825. Never married and lived in Devon until  her death in 1891 at the age 66 years. Living in Zeal Monachorum Devon with  the Norrishes and sister Elizabeth (nee Ward) and brother-in-law Edward Fearon in 1841,
Living with brother Elias Ward at “Langridge Farm”, Crediton, in 1871 and recorded living with Skinner cousins in Zeal Monachorum in 1881and 1891 censuses. 
Skinners were Ward relatives via the Norrishes. 
Notice of death “Trewman’s Exeter Flying Post”
Death - March 19, at 59 St. David's-hill, Exeter, EMMA WARD, late of “Langridge”, Crediton, aged 66.

For further discussion about the Ward family see my Rootschat thread  (posting as Arachne)
Re the Wards of “Langridge”, Crediton.




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