In April 1881, John Sharman was a gardener, aged 25, living at Barry Lane, Hardington.

Early life

John was born at West Monkton in 1855. His father, James, was a gardener, and his mother, Eliza, was the daughter of a carpenter.

In April 1871, John was a gardener lodging at 13 Foundry Row, Taunton.

By May 1878, John lived at East Chinnock.[1] On 18 June 1878, at East Chinnock, he married Emily Voizey, the daughter of Thomas and Priscilla Voizey. Emily was three months pregnant. She also had an eleven-year-old daughter, Elizabeth, from a previous relationship.

John and Emily’s first child was born at East Chinnock on Christmas Day 1878.

Hardington

In 1878 or 1879, John took a position as gardener to the Rev. William Vassall at Hardington Rectory. Emily’s brother, Herbert, lived at Hardington, too.

John and his family lived in the cottage in the Barry Lane dip.

The Vassall family must have valued John’s work because when they moved to Godalming in 1883, he and his family went with them.

Godalming

John worked as a gardener at Godalming for about six years.

On 26 December 1888, he witnessed the wedding of a fellow servant, Emma Kirk Milford, to Francis George Purchase.

Willesden

Between 21 April 1889 and 5 April 1891, John and his family moved to 80 Albert House, Queens Road, Willesden. John initially worked as a gardener but then joined the electricity industry. By March 1901, he was an electrician; by April 1911, he was an electrical regulator working for the Metropolitan Electricity Supply Company Ltd. By June 1921, John worked as a Switch Board Attendant for the same company.

In March 1901, John’s address was 8 Queens Road, Willesden. In April 1911, it was 14 Shrewsbury Road, Harlesden.

Emily died in Willesden in about 1919, aged 73. Later that year, John married Annie Maria Collett, a widow.

John died in Essex in 1936, aged 81.

References

[1] East Chinnock Banns Book.