Introduction

Mary Eastment spent the first third of her life at Hardington, working for part of that time as a dairymaid. After marrying a stone mason in 1888, she settled in Yeovil, where she lived for the next fifty years.

Early life at Hardington Marsh

Mary was born at Hardington Marsh in 1863, the second child of Reuben and Jane Eastment. Her father was a farm labourer.

In April 1881, Mary was a dairymaid at Lansdown Farm employed by John Griffin. Her sister, Emma, also worked there as a dairymaid.

Marriage

On 28 June 1888, Mary married Robert Mullins at Hardington.[1] He was the older brother of Annie Mullins, who married William White in 1886.

Robert’s father, James, was a stonemason who died when Robert was five years old. After his death, Robert’s mother supported her family by running a shop at Hew Hill, East Coker.

Residences in Yeovil

Robert and Mary made Yeovil their permanent home, living at various addresses over the years:

April 1891                  3b Park Street

March 1901               7 Felix Place

April 1911                 8 Woodlands Terrace

June 1921                    8 Mill Lane

1938                             8 Woodlands Terrace

Husband’s occupation

Mary’s husband, Robert, was a bricklayer who became a foreman by his thirties. The 1921 census recorded his employer as Bird & Pippard of Middle Street, Yeovil. At times, Robert worked away from home; in March 1901, he was staying at 1 Rose Terrace, Weymouth.

Children

Robert and Mary had three children: Florence May, born in 1892; Thomas, born around 1895, who died in infancy; and Eva Emily, born in 1897.

Sharing home with son-in-law

Robert and Mary’s daughter, Florence, married Alfred Stanley Woodvine Willmott, a car mechanic, in 1915, and he moved into her parents’ home. He was still living there in June 1921.

Their other daughter, Eva Emily, married Bertie Grenville Livingstone Rendell, an aircraft fitter at Petters, in 1922.

The elaborate names of the two husbands, Alfred and Bertie, may reflect a shared family ethos.

Golden wedding anniversary

In June 1938, Robert and Mary celebrated their golden wedding anniversary.[2]

Death

A few months later, on 12 October 1938, Mary died at the age of 75.[3]

Robert’s later life

In September 1939, Robert lived at 133 Roseberry Avenue in the home of his married daughter, Eva Rendell. He died on 8 August 1940, at the age of 76.[4]

References

[1] Western Gazette, 1 July 1938, p.16.

[2] Western Gazette, 1 July 1938, p.16.

[3] Western Gazette, 13 October 1939, p.12.

[4] Western Gazette, 3 October 1941, p.8.