Introduction

Mary Matthews was a farmer’s widow who lived at Hardington during the 1830s and 1840s. Her son, Thomas, was a butcher in the village from about the 1830s until close to his death in 1880.

Early life

Mary Hounsel was born in about 1780, possibly at Wootton Fitzpaine, Dorset. On 22 November 1802, she married Richard Matthews at Stockland. Their first child, Thomas, was born at Membury, Devon, in about 1803, followed by two more children born at Stockland, Devon, in about 1806 and 1808. The family may have moved to Whitchurch Canonicorum in about 1810.

Richard died in January 1831 and was buried at Pendomer.

Hardington

After Richard’s death, Mary and her family moved to Hardington. By June 1841, she was living as an “independent” at Hardington Moor with her sons, Thomas, Richard and George, and daughter, Eliza.

Mary died in December 1849 and was buried at Pendomer alongside her husband.

Children

Following Mary’s death, her children, Thomas, Richard, and Eliza, moved into a house in the High Street at Hardington, while her son, George, moved away. The 1851 census recorded Thomas as a butcher, Richard as a farm labourer, and Eliza as a seamstress.

Thomas remained in the village until he was admitted to the Yeovil workhouse in his seventies.[1] Richard became a pub servant in Yeovil, but later returned to Hardington, while Eliza moved away permanently. Another sibling, William, moved in with Thomas during the 1870s and is recorded as an annuitant in the 1881 census.

References

[1] Death certificate of Thomas Matthews.