Birth

Esau, the sixth child of John and Mary Bird, was born at Batcombe in about 1819.

His father, John, was a farmer who, near the end of his working life, farmed 90 acres at Batcombe and employed four labourers.

Marriage

In 1844, Esau married Grace Clarke Dawe, the daughter of Thomas Bodley and Mary Dawe, at East Chinnock.

Hardington

Esau began married life as a dairyman at Hardington.[1]

Batcombe

By October 1846, Esau and his family lived at Batcombe, where Esau farmed for about thirty-five years.

In March 1851, Esau farmed 80 acres and employed one labourer. Ten years later, he farmed 126 acres and employed three men. By April 1881, he farmed 400 acres.

Inheritances

In 1852, Grace inherited £5 from her mother.[2]

In 1864, Esau’s father, John, died, leaving an estate valued at “under £300.” He bequeathed £80 to his son, Henry. He directed his executors to give his son, John, the option to buy his cottage on Leigh Common for £50. He also directed them to divide the remainder of his estate into seven equal shares, one part for each of his children.[3] John, therefore, inherited about £30.

Podimore

On 5 March 1880, a 327-acre farm at Batcombe occupied by Esau Bird was advertised as available to let from Lady Day next.[4] Esau was still at Batcombe in April 1881, but he left within the next two years as by April 1883, he was a churchwarden at Podimore Milton.[5]

Esau occupied 329 acres at the Higher Farm, Puddimore, until 1888.[6] He held farm sales on 25 September 1888 and 27 November 1888.[7]

Pendomer

Esau moved to Manor Farm, Pendomer, which he ran with his sons, George and Nathan.

Esau occupied the 290-acre farm for about five years. He held his farm sales on 1 March and 9 March 1894.[8]

Grace’s death

Grace died at Frensham in Surrey on 17 February 1899, aged 79.[9] What she was doing in Frensham is as yet a mystery.

Esau’s later life

Esau’s son, George, became the landlord of the Half Moon Inn, West Chinnock, and Esau and his daughter, Elizabeth, lived with him for a time.

Esau had a wealthy brother, Nathan, who by 1900 was living at Higher Lillington. After Nathan’s wife died in 1900, Esau’s daughter, Elizabeth, lived with Nathan until she died on 29 September 1902.

Nathan Bird died at Higher Lillington on 18 February 1903. He left his niece, Mary Dawe Bird (John’s daughter), an annuity of £60 for so long as she looked after his deaf and dumb son, Edmund Arthur, and £400.[10] Mary began caring for Edmund as a young woman and continued doing so until he died in 1919.

Death

After Nathan’s death, Esau moved to Higher Lillington to live with his daughter, Mary. He died there on 13 December 1905, aged 86.[11]

References

[1] Hardington baptism register.

[2] The will of Mary Dawe, dated 21 November 1851, proved in London on 8 November 1852.

[3] The will of John Bird of Batcombe, yeoman, dated 11 July 1864, proved at Blandford on 24 September 1864.

[4] Western Gazette, 5 March 1880, p.4.

[5] Western Gazette, 13 April 1883, p.6.

[6] Western Gazette, 4 May 1888 p.4.

[7] Western Gazette, 14 September 1888, p.5; 16 November 1888, p.5.

[8] Western Gazette, 23 February 1894, p.1; Pulman’s Weekly News and Advertiser, 6 March 1894, p.5; Pulman’s Weekly News and Advertiser, 17 April 1894, p.1

[9] Western Gazette, 24 February 1899, p.8.

[10] The will of Nathan Bird, dated 1 February 1892 and codicil dated 7 February 1903, proved in London on 26 March 1903. The codicil increased Mary’s legacy from £200 to £400.

[11] Western Chronicle, 22 December 1905, p.1.