Birth

Joseph, the son of John and Susannah Bishop, was born at North Perrott on 26 April 1800. His father, John, died when he was thirteen.

Marriage

On 13 September 1826, Joseph married Charlotte Hodge at North Perrott.

Dairyman

Joseph was a dairyman at North Perrott until about 1828, Closworth c 1828-1841 and North Perrott in 1843.[1]

Hardington

In about 1844, Joseph and his family moved to Hardington.

In March 1847, William White and Joseph were appointed Hardington’s Surveyors of the Highways.

The 1851 census recorded Joseph, Charlotte and five of their children living in or near the High Street. Joseph farmed 70 acres and employed two labourers.

Lyatts Farm, East Coker

By August 1853, Joseph was the tenant of Lyatts Farm, East Coker.[2]

The 1861 census recorded him farming 104 aces and employing two labourers and one boy. The 1871 census recorded him farming 124 aces and employing two men and two boys.

His son, Charles, and brother-in-law, Charles Hodges, also lived at the farm.

On Sunday, 24 March 1861, three drunken louts from East Coker attacked Joseph, his son, Charles, and employee Louis Delamont as they were milking.[3]

Joseph’s son, Charles, died on 18 December 1866, aged 25.[4]

Joseph’s wife, Charlotte, died in December 1869, aged 67.

By April 1871, Joseph’s daughter, Charlotte, and her husband, Lionel Harrison, lived at Lyatts Farm with Joseph, and Lionel farmed his own holding of 80 acres.

On 5 January 1875, Cross and Son held an auction sale at the farm because Joseph was leaving. The sale included fourteen dairy cows, two cart horses and about twelve hogheads of cider.[5]

Retirement

By April 1881, Joseph lived at Naish Abbey, East Coker, with Lionel and Charlotte Harrison.

Death

Joseph died in 1883, aged 83.

Children

Joseph and Charlotte had seven sons and three daughters. Three sons died in infancy. Their daughter, Mary, emigrated to Texas with her husband, Philip Brice, in the 1870s.

References

[1] The North Perrott baptism and burial registers record Joseph’s abode as North Perrott when his son, Edward, was baptised and buried on the same day (4 January 1843).

[2] Sherborne Mercury, 30 August 1853, p.3.

[3] Sherborne Mercury, 26 March 1861, p.5.

[4] Langport & Somerton Herald, 29 December 1866, p.5 (gives age as 26); Hardington burial register (gives age as 25).

[5] Western Gazette, 1 January 1875, p.4.