Introduction
William Marsh spent much of his adult life as a coal merchant at Hardington Mandeville. Operating from the family home, he ran a small business that probably served the village and its surrounding area.
Childhood
William was born in 1873 at Hardington Mandeville, the tenth of twelve children born to Joseph Marsh and his wife Harriet (née Pike).[1] The family lived in the High Street next to the Bible Christian chapel. Six of the children died before reaching the age of six. Joseph initially worked as a farm labourer, but by 1891, he was farming on a small scale.
Coal merchant
After initially working as a labourer, William had become a coal merchant on his own account by the age of 27, working from the family home. He continued in that occupation for the rest of his life. Like other small rural coal merchants, he probably obtained coal from nearby railway stations or larger merchants before distributing it locally.
Later life
William continued living with his parents into adulthood. His mother died in 1903, followed by his father in 1908. After their deaths, William continued living in the family home with his siblings Mary Jane, Jesse and Emma, along with Emma’s illegitimate son, Frank. By 1911, Emma was working as a charwoman, while Jesse was employed as a farm labourer.
Emma died on 7 January 1913 from heart disease at the age of 47, and William registered her death.[2] William died on 8 March 1916, from bronchitis and heart failure, at the age of 42, and Jesse registered his death.[3]
Conclusion
William spent most of his adult life in Hardington, living in the family home while earning a living as a coal merchant. Although his business was small, it filled a specific niche in the village economy and probably offered greater rewards than working as a farm labourer.
References
[1] Civil registration birth index; family reconstitution.
[2] Death certificate of Emma Marsh.
[3] Death certificate of William Marsh.
