Sarah
Hawkins Genealogy Site
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Articles
Somerset
County Herald and Taunton Courier Saturday 16 Oct 1943
Page 4
Column 3 & 4
NOTES & QUERIES
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NOTES
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A QUESTION OF AGE.
Reading 18th century Annual Registers rather gives the impression that 110 years was quite an average span of life in those days. One woman is even recorded as being with child at the age of 80 or 90. There was a miscarriage, however, because a boy frightened the woman by telling her that she was bewitched. He was probably right.
In 1855 there was buried at Pitminster one Elizabeth OATEN, of Adcombe, who died aged 108. Her marriage is entered in the register for 4th October, 1775.
On a stone near the chancel steps of Churchstanton Church appears this inscription:-
“GEORGE POPHAM, A.M.,
the last surviving Son of Francis POPHAM, of Wellington, died on the 11th day of February, 1781. Aged 164 Ys. His three brothers, John, Francis, and Alexander having died long before him and without Issue.
“He married Catherine Eldest Daughter of Henry GAPPER, Vicar of Pitminster, by whom he had no Issue.
“He was Rector of this parish and of Buckand St. Mary in Somerset, and also Vicar of Blishington near Bristol: The former he held for the Space of 39 Years, the two latter some few Years only before his death.”
L.H. DOPSON.
I am much obliged to Mr. DOPSON for kindly bringing to my notice the claim that the Rev. Geo. POPHAM lived to be 164 years old. For many years past I have been collecting information with regard to Somerset centenarians and have carefully indexed notes relating to more than 200 men and women in some way connected with the county, whose age exceeded 100 years, but I had never before heard of the Rev. Geo. POPHAM's claim to 164 years. I have so far been unable to learn anything further about him, and should be grateful to any reader of these notes who may be able to give me any information with regard to this extraordinary claim.
In the meantime here are a few notes on some other Somerset centenarians:-
GAMMA JENNETT, AGED 109 ?
The Worle registers contain an entry:- “1742. - Old Gamma JENNETT buried May 19th, aged 109 years.”
EMMA COATE, NEARLY 109.
Mrs. Emma COATE, of North Curry, died on November 15th, 1939, within four days of her 109th birthday. She was born on November 19th, 1830, and at the time of her death was the oldest woman in England. A few weeks before her death she went for a car ride, and certainly up to within a year or two she read the newspapers regularly, listened to the wireless and took a walk down the village to chat with old friends. When she was 107 she shook hands with the King and afterwards said “He's a very nice gentleman.”
MRS. MARY GILLARD, NEARLY 109.
Mrs. Mary GILLARD died at Yeovil on the 23rd of December, 1890, within a fortnight of her 109th birthday, she having been born near London on January 8th, 1782. To the last her faculties were by slightly impaired, her memory was exceedingly good, and she took a very lively interest in everything around her. Her eldest son, then aged 78, attended her funeral.
ELIZABETH HANBURY, AGED 108.
The Taunton Courier for November 6th, 1901, recorded the death on Thursday, October 31st, of Mrs. Elizabeth HANBURY, at the remarkable age of 108 years 144 days. She was the widow of Mr. Cornelius HANBURY, formerly of the firm of Allen & Hanbury, London, and subsequently resident near Wellington, Somerset, who died in 1869, aged 73. Mrs. HANBURY was the daughter of John SANDERSON, of Armthorpe, Yorkshire, and came of the same stock as the Bishop SANDERSON, of the times of Charles I, and II. Her father removed to London and she was born in the parish of All Hallows, London Wall, in the City of London, on June 9th, 1793, her birth being duly recorded in the admirable register kept by the Quakers at the time. Early in life Elizabeth HANBURY became associated with Mrs. FRY in her Newgate prison work, and for many years habitually visited the convict ships for women before their departure from the Thames. Mrs. HANBURY also threw herself energetically into the anti-slavery movement. She was deeply attached to the Society of Friends, and was one of its recognised ministers. She was remarkably free from illness and could see to read and write at the age of 100. She was a total abstainer, by preference, from early womanhood before pledges on the subject were thought of. Until about the middle of her 106th year she rose and dressed and spent the latter part of each day in her sitting-room. After this time she found that dressing was too great an effort, and remained for the most part in bed.
Until 1887 she lived at “The Firs,” about three miles from Wellington, but in that year at the age of 93, she found life there too secluded for her and her daughter alone, and she then moved to Richmond to live with her sons. Up to the time of her leaving Somerset she could still enjoy a walk of several miles and regularly on Sunday morning she would drive down three miles to Wellington to attend the Friends' Meeting, in which she frequently took an active part.
ELIZABETH OATEN, AGED 108.
Elizabeth OATEN of Feltham, Pitminster, died in 1855, aged 108. One of her daughters, Betty (married name WESCOMB) died in 1876, aged 100, having been 79 at the time of her mother's death.
FRANCIS HILL, AGED 108.
The Western Flying Post for June 14th, 1784, reported:- “Lately died at Wiveliscombe, in Somerset, Mr. Francis HILL, aged 108 years. It is somewhat remarkable that the above person had three brothers who lived, the first to 96, second to 98, and youngest to 95 years.”
SARAH TAPSON, AGED 108.
JARMAN, in his History of Bridgwater, says “On May 15th, 1887, a Bridgwater centenarian, named Sarah TAPSON, died in a ward of Chelsea Workhouse. She had reached the age of 108.”
JOHN TAYLOR, AGED 108.
Many years ago the late Mr. Charles TITE, of Taunton, gave me the following copy of a newspaper cutting which he had in an old scrapbook:- “Lately, in East Reach, Taunton, in his 109th year, Mr. John TAYLOR, butcher. He regularly attended the markets of Taunton, Wellington and Wiveliscombe upwards of 60 years. He had left two sons, the eldest of whom is 87 and the youngest 64.”
I understand there was nothing to show from what paper the cutting was taken, but it was dated 1824, and from what followed there was reason to believe that death occurred in the latter part of March or early in April of that year. I have searched the files of the Taunton Courier and of the Western Flying Post for some weeks before and after the date suggested but have found no reference to John TAYLOR.
A. S. MACMILLAN.
<NOTES: Mrs Emma COATE is Emma
TATTLE, daughter of James Webber TATTLE and Mary MILLER, married
Henry COATE
Elizabeth OATEN is Elizabeth or Betty SEYMOUR, married
George OATEN
Betty WESCOMBE is Betty OATEN daughter of George
OATEN and Elizabeth or Betty SEYMOUR, married John WESCOMBE>