Birth
Albert, the second child of Samuel and Ann Young, was born at East Chinnock on 6 March 1820.
Father’s death
His father, Samuel, a farmer, died on 23 January 1846, aged 54. His mother, Ann, married William Carter of Odcombe three years later.
Occupation
Albert was a farmer from a young age, working with his father, and then in his own right.
Marriage
Albert married Susan Genge, the daughter of Abraham Genge, at Hardington on 25 May 1849. The marriage lifted Albert’s social status because Abraham was a substantial tenant farmer.
Albert and Susan may have been courting for at least two years because, on 16 May 1847, they witnessed the marriage of Susan’s sister, Elizabeth, to John Purchase at Bradford Abbas.
Children
Albert and Susan’s first child, Ann, was born at East Chinnock on 21 July 1850. Their remaining nine children (Samuel, Sarah, Jane, Susan, Albert, Elizabeth, William, Richard Ring and Robert) were born at Hardington.
Manor Farm
By March 1851, Albert was the tenant of Manor Farm, Hardington. The 1851 census recorded him as the farmer of 118 acres employing four labourers. In addition to his wife and daughter, his household included three servants: his sister, Harriet, 27, George Trask, 18, and Albert Voizey, 15.
The 1861 census recorded Albert as a farmer occupying 202 acres, employing seven men and seven boys. His wife, their eight children, a nurse (Jane Groves, 53) and a dairymaid (Sarah Eastment, 16) were in his household. His address was “New Manor Farmhouse.”
Parish offices
Albert was an overseer in 1853 and a churchwarden from 1855 to 1859.[1]
A dinner
On 1 January 1858, Albert laid on a dinner for fifty people.[2]
A prize-winning employee
On 13 October 1868, Albert’s employee, Henry Bartlett, won first prize in a hedging competition.[3]
Death of mother
After the death of her second husband in 1854, Albert’s mother moved to Hardington. She lived at Hardington when she made her will on 19 October 1860. She left 4s weekly to her daughter, Harriet, for life and the remainder to Albert. She died on 21 November 1867, aged 77, leaving an estate valued at “under “£200.”[4] This sum would have been barely sufficient to support her daughter’s annuity. However, this daughter predeceased her mother, so Albert would have inherited the whole amount.
East Chinnock
On 15 March 1870. Albert and Susan’s daughter, Ann, married Adam Thomas Rendell. Adam took on the tenancy of Manor Farm, and Albert and his family moved to East Chinnock.
Albert may have wanted to farm a larger acreage with his sons. The 1871 census recorded Albert as the farmer of 461 acres, employing twenty men and nine boys. The farm’s address was 5 East Street. All ten children were living at home except for Ann.
The mid-1870s was a time of change for the family. In 1875, Samuel emigrated to Australia, where he died ten years later. In the same year, Jane married Edwin Down Marden, and in 1876, Sarah married Benjamin Penny, a Yeovil draper.
On 6 June 1877, Albert had a brush with death when he was visiting Bath to go to an agricultural show. As he and many others crowded onto a pedestrian bridge over the Avon, it collapsed under the weight, plunging over a hundred people into the river. About a dozen people lost their lives, and many more were injured. Albert was taken to hospital with contusions but discharged the next day.[5]
The 1881 census recorded Albert as a farmer of 434 acres, employing 16 men, one shepherd, eight boys, and two women. By then, only three children were still at home. Richard was staying with an ironmonger at Blandford, and Robert was at school in Bridport. William was absent from home but has not been found. He died in 1887, aged 26.
The mid-1880s were another time of change. In October 1884, Elizabeth married Walter Henry Marden, the brother of Edwin Down Marden, on 3 December 1885, Susan married Arthur Rendell, the brother of Adam Thomas Rendell, and on 9 June 1887, at Hastings, Richard Ring married Alice Mary Bartlett, the daughter of Nathaniel Bartlett, a wealthy East Chinnock farmer who left an estate valued at “under £12,000” when he died in 1869. Richard and Alice emigrated to Australia but returned to England ten years later. After Alice died in 1910, Richard went back to Australia for good.
By April 1891, Albert’s address was “The Laurels.” Robert had left school and was working on the family farm with his older brother, Albert. Ann’s eight-year-old son, Maurice William, was also part of the household.
By March 1901, Ann lived with Albert and Susan. Her husband had been in a lunatic asylum near Salisbury since 1886.
Death
Albert died on 26 January 1902, aged 81. The value of his estate was £5,665 4s 6d gross and £5,050-15s 11d net.
His funeral reflected the respect in which he was held, drawing people from all around the district. The procession, which began at his house, was headed by the committee of the East Chinnock Friendly Society and included several of Albert’s employees, six of whom acted as bearers. The floral tributes included one in the shape of an anchor sent by 53 parishioners of East Chinnock with a letter of condolence to Albert’s widow.[6]
Memorial
On 31 July 1902, a service was held at East Chinnock Church to celebrate the installation of a new stained-glass window in memory of Albert, who was a churchwarden for 28 years.[7]
The administration of Albert’s estate
On 31 July 1903, Albert’s trustees held a sale at the Three Choughs Hotel, Yeovil, to sell the Mason’s Arms Inn, Odcombe, with outbuildings and two acres to close Albert’s estate.[8]
Susan’s later life
By April 1911, Susan lived at Court Farm with her sons, Albert and Robert, and daughter, Ann.
Susan died on 7 January 1921, aged 90.
Robert, Albert and Ann
On 4 May 1911, Robert married Dora Edith Brake at Limington. The daughter of Samuel Young Brake of Higher Farm, Limington, Dora was Robert’s second cousin one removed. Robert and Dora lived at Barrows Farm, East Chinnock. Their daughter, Lorna Mary, married John Frederick Booth.
Albert never married. He died at East Chinnock on 31 July 1939, aged 81.
Ann died intestate at East Chinnock on 25 May 1927, aged 76, leaving an estate valued at £116 1s 9d.
The will of Albert Young
Executors & trustees: sons, Albert & Robert, and son-in-law, Benjamin Penny
To wife, Susan: household effects & £100
To sons Albert & Robert: testator’s one-third share in the farming partnership of Court Farm, in East Chinnock, West Coker & Hardington Mandeville.
Income from residue to wife for life and then:
To granddaughter, Elsie Marden £300 [she was the only child of the late Elizabeth Marden],
To the children of deceased daughter Sarah Penny, one-fifth of the residue,
To children Ann Randall, Jane Marden, Susan Rendell, and Richard Ring Young four-fifths of residue in equal shares.
References
[1] Hardington Jury lists.
[2] Sherborne Mercury, 12 January 1858, p.6
[3] Western Gazette, 16 October 1868, p.5.
[4] The will of Harriet Carter, dated 19 October 1860, proved at the Principal Registry on 8 January 1868.
[5] Western Daily Press, 8 June 1877, p.5.
[6] Western Chronicle, 7 February 1902, p.8.
[7] Western Chronicle, 1 August 1902, p.5.
[8] Western Gazette, 24 July 1903, p.1.
