Introduction

William Lyman was a railway navvy who lived at Hardington with his family from 1857 to at least 1861. He originally came from Cullompton, where his father worked as a farm labourer. In the early 1850s, he moved to Yeovil to work on railway construction. After his marriage, he worked in Maiden Newton before relocating to Hardington. Following their time in Hardington, he and his family lived in Buckinghamshire and London before moving to South Wales. In his fifties, William became a foreman in a copperworks.

Childhood

William was born at Cullompton in about 1820, the fourth of six children born to Henry and Thomasin Leyman. His father, Henry, was a farm labourer.

By June 1841, William was lodging on a nearby farm where he worked as a labourer. By March 1851, he had taken a position as a house servant at the Railway Hotel, Cullompton.

Marriage

Over the next four years, William moved to Yeovil to work on railway construction. While working there, he came to know George Beckingham, a fellow worker from Berkshire, and through him met George’s sister-in-law, Eliza Edney. Eliza was the daughter of Samuel and Jane Edney of Long Load. Her father, Samuel, was a farm labourer, while Eliza was a glover.

William and Eliza were married on Christmas Day 1855 at St John’s Church, Yeovil. At the time of their marriage, Eliza was 23 years old, while William was about 35, although he recorded his age as 33. William signed the marriage register, while Eliza made her mark. George Beckingham was one of the witnesses.[1]

According to the marriage register, William and Eliza both lived in Vicarage Street. However, this was the street where George and Elizabeth Beckingham in, so they either resided there temporarily or used the address for convenience.

Maiden Newton

Within a few years, William worked as a railway labourer at Maiden Newton, probably engaged in building the branch line to Bridport. Their first child, James, was baptised there on 30 March 1857.

Hardington

By December 1857, William and his family had moved to Hardington. In that month, their son, James, died, aged ten months.

Their second child and third child were born at Hardington: William James in 1858 and Eliza in 1860. Both were baptised at Hardington.

The family was still residing in Hardington in April 1861, but William was away from home on census night, Sunday, 7 April.

The family’s time at Hardington overlapped with that of George Beckingham and his family, who lived there in 1858.

Quainton, Buckinghamshire

By 1865, the family had moved at Quainton, Buckinghamshire, where William probably worked on building the railway line between Aylesbury and Buckingham. Their fourth child, Caroline, was baptised at Quainton Church on 9 April 1865.

Childs Hill, London

By 1867, William and his family had moved to Childs Hill in London, where their fifth child, Tom, was born.

Swansea

By April 1871, they had settled in South Wales, in the Swansea area. William and Eliza’s daughter, Emma, was born at Landore on 15 December 1870, and their son, Samuel John, was born at Llansamlet on 1 October 1873.

William’s career underwent a significant change after this date. He was a railway platelayer when Samuel John was baptised on 27 October 1873. However, eight years later, he had risen to the position of foreman in a copperworks

By April 1881, William, Eliza and their four youngest children were living at 6 Maesy Bar, Llansamlet. Their son, William James, lived with his wife and daughter at 17 Neath Road, while their daughter, Caroline, was a servant at 723 Neath Road.

Death

William died at Llansamlet in February 1883 at the age of about 63.[2]

Eliza died in October 1890 at the age of about 58.[3]

Children

William and Eliza had four sons and three daughters, although their oldest son died in infancy.

References

[1] The other witness was James Singleton, a boot and shoe manufacturer who lived in Silver Street, Yeovil.

[2] The Death Registration Index and Llansamlet Burial register records William’s age as 52.

[3] The Death Registration Index and Llansamlet Burial register records Eliza’s age as 56.