Birth

Matthew, the son of Matthew and Joan Bartlett, was born at Chedington in about 1777.

Marriage

On 12 December 1802, Matthew married Elizabeth Webber at Merriott.

Their first child, Harriet, was baptised in Crewkerne on 26 June 1803, when she was three weeks old.

Hardington

By 3 March 1805, Matthew and Elizabeth lived at Hardington.

Matthew was initially a baker. By 1826, he was also a farmer. A jury list of 1848 describes him as a baker. The 1851 census describes him as a farmer of 40 acres employing four labourers.

The tithe survey shows Matthew occupying a farmhouse, outbuildings, yard, garden, and brickyard on the site of the later New Inn. He also occupied 43 acres owned by Lord Portman and a field of one acre, one rood, 37 perches named Small Brook.

Although Matthew probably kept an inn, no direct evidence has yet been found.

Death

Matthew died on 21 December 1853, aged 76, leaving an estate valued at “under £300.” By his will dated 22 December 1851, witnessed by Robert Bartlett and Robert’s sons, Edwin Robert and Thomas Francis, Matthew bequeathed everything to his wife.[1]

By this time, Elizabeth was in her late seventies and had no desire to continue her late husband’s farm or oversee his property. On 30 January 1854, she engaged the auctioneers, Messrs Hart and Palmer, to hold a sale of Matthew’s live and dead farming stock, corn, hay, cider and household effects. They also sold his three leasehold cottages at East Chinnock, occupied by Thomas Denty and his freehold field named Small Brook.[2]

Elizabeth’s death

Elizabeth died on 11 February 1855, aged 79, leaving an estate valued at “under £200.”

The will of Elizabeth Bartlett

Executors and trustees: Robert Bartlett of West Coker and William White of Hardington Mandeville.

To my daughter, Grace Purchase: my clothes, bed and bedding.

The remainder equally to my two sons and four daughters: 

Harriet Farnham

William Bartlett

Honor Delamont

Mercy Warr

Matthew Bartlett

Grace Purchase

Elizabeth put a cross.

Wit: Robert Bartlett, James Poole, Thomas F Bartlett.[3]

Children

In addition to the six children named in Elizabeth’s will, Matthew and Elizabeth had two other children:

Sarah, Abraham Genge’s wife, who died on 21 August 1846;

Anne, Joseph Bartlett’s wife, who died in August 1835.

References

[1] The will of Matthew Bartlett, dated 22 December 1851, proved at Wells on 18 March 1854.

[2] Sherborne Mercury, 24 January 1854, p.2.

[3] The will of Elizabeth Bartlett, dated 13 March 1854, proved at Wells on 23 March 1855.