In April 1881, John Wakely was a haulier, living at Lyatts.

Childhood

John Wakely, the son of John and Anne Wakely, was born at Hardington in 1840. His father was a weaver who lived in Lyatts Lane.

His mother died on 3 November 1848, aged 35.[1] His father died on 1 March 1859, aged 59, after falling into a burning lime kiln.[2]

Marriage

On 24 March 1860, at Odcombe, John married Emma Brake, the daughter of George Brake, a carter. Their first child, Julietta, was born on 15 May 1860 (two months after their wedding). They would have six more children.

Occupations

Three of John’s children were baptised at Odcombe and the other four at Hardington. All the baptism entries, except the last, recorded his occupation as a labourer. When his youngest child, Carlton Sealey, was baptised at Hardington on 4 August 1878, John gave his occupation as a tenant farmer.

The 1861 census recorded his occupation as a lime burner; the 1871 census, as a farmer of 18 acres employing three men and one boy; and the 1881 census, as a haulier.

By February 1886, John was a road contractor. At their meeting on 15 February 1886, the Yeovil Highway Board accepted various tenders to repair roads for the ensuing three years, including tenders from John Wakely for Pendomer, Sutton Bingham and West Coker.[3]

The voters’ lists for 1888/89 show him occupying land at Kit Hill, Pendomer, and owning land at Lyatts.

Shocking Death

Disaster struck just as he was breaking through into business success. On 8 March 1889, while walking home from the New Inn, West Coker, he fell into a ditch and drowned in fourteen inches of water. He was only 49. The newspaper account of his death described him as a road contractor.[4] His last words, said to an acquaintance, were that he wanted to get home quickly to do some writing.

Emma’s later life

The censuses of 1891 and 1901 described Emma as a farmer.

On 10 June 1893, Emma was fined £50 and 5 guineas costs for sending deceased meat to London’s Central Market.[5]

Emma’s daughter, Beatrice, married and left home in 1885. By April 1891, three more of her children had moved away, leaving only the three youngest at home. However, Emma’s niece, Rosina Marsh, also lived with her at that time.

After Emma’s daughter, Rosina Wakely, married in 1900, only her sons, Leonard and Carlton remained. Carlton died six months before his mother; Leonard outlived her.

Emma died on 28 September 1926, aged 88, leaving an estate valued at £25, which she left entirely to her son, Leonard.[6]

Children

John and Emma had three sons and four daughters:

1860 Julietta

1862 Beatrice Helena

1864 Cornelius

1866 Wilhelmina Dorcas

1870 Leonard

Circa 1873 Rosina

1878 Carlton Sealey

References

[1] Memorial inscription in Hardington churchyard.

[2] Pullman’s Weekly News and Advertiser, 8 March 1859, p.2.

[3] Western Gazette, 19 February 1886, p.6.

[4] Western Gazette, 15 March 1889, p.6.

[5] Cambridge Daily News, 11 June 1902, p.2.

[6] The will of Emma Wakely, dated 24 May 1921, proved at Taunton on 31 December 1926.