In April 1891, Rebecca Baker, aged 68, was a “shopkeeper grocer” at Hardington Marsh.

Rebecca was born at Hardington in about 1822, the daughter of William and Elizabeth Jeans. Her father was a weaver.

Rebecca lived at Hardington Marsh her entire life. In March 1851, she lived with her parents and worked as a canvas weaver.

She married Henry Baker, a farm labourer, at Hardington on 26 July 1860. His first wife, Elizabeth Gullidge, had died about January 1859.

The census returns of 1861 and 1881 recorded Henry as a farm labourer. The 1871 census recorded him as a railway plate layer.

Henry died in about 1891, aged 57.

Although a trade directory of 1889 lists Henry as a shopkeeper, Rebecca probably ran the shop. The 1891 census shows her living in Farm Lane, Marsh, where she kept a grocer’s shop. Her sister, Elizabeth, aged 78, lived with her.

In March 1901, Rebecca lived with her son, Matthias, and his wife, Elizabeth, in their house at Hardington Marsh. She died in 1904, aged 71.

Children

Henry and Rebecca had two children: Mathias and Elizabeth.