Introduction

In April 1861, John Bishop, a 70-year-old dairyman, lived at Hardington Moor with his wife, Hannah, and his stepson, Benjamin. John had briefly worked as a dairyman in his youth but, due to some misfortune or miscalculation, lost his business and spent much of his life working as a farm labourer at Broadwindsor. After marrying Hannah, his third wife, in 1860, he managed to regain his former stature as a dairyman.

A notable aspect of his life is that he was married three times, while his second wife was married three times, and his third wife was married twice. This reflects the relatively high mortality rates of the time, which often led to serial marriages.

Childhood

John was born around 1791 at Hooke, the son of Daniel and Charity Bishop.

First marriage

On 10 May 1814, John married Susannah Swaffield at Whitchurch Canonicorum. When their first son was born the following year, John was a dairyman at Beaminster.

However, his time as a dairyman was short-lived as, by April 1817, he was a labourer at Broadwindsor.

John and Susannah’s other six children were all born at Broadwindsor.

Susannah died in May 1845, aged 53.

Second marriage

On 10 July 1850, John married Elizabeth Naile at Chideock. She was a widow who had been married twice before. The couple continued to live in Broadwindsor until Elizabeth’s death in August 1858, when she was 65 years old.

Third marriage

On 10 July 1860, John married Hannah Hallett, a widow, at Burstock. Her first husband, Joseph Hallett, who had passed away thirteen years earlier, was a farm labourer. Her father, John Aplin, had worked as a dairyman, which probably meant that Hannah had dairying skills.[1]

With Hannah’s support, including possibly financial assistance, John was able to return to his work as a dairyman, a role he had lost 43 years earlier. By April 1861, he and Hannah were living at Hardington, along with her son, Benjamin Charles Hallett.

Their stay at Hardington was likely short-lived. By September 1863, Benjamin was living at Coronation Buildings, Yeovil, working as an engine cleaner.[2] John and Hannah eventually returned to Broadwindsor, where John died in March 1870, aged 78.

After John’s death, Hannah lived with two sons from her first marriage for the rest of her life. In April 1871, she lived with her son, Richard Hallett, at Misterton. She died in March 1880 at the age of 81, while residing at Victoria Buildings in Yeovil with her son Benjamin, who had, by then, become an engine driver.

References

[1] Burstock marriage register.

[2] Yeovil Holy Trinity marriage register.