Introduction

Richard Genge began his career as a farmer and later became a baker at Hardington Moor. Many of his children possessed an adventurous spirit, with two of his sons emigrating to Canada, another moving to Tintern and later to Bristol, and a daughter relocating to Jersey. Additionally, some of his children showed an interest in business; one became a shopkeeper in Bristol, another an innkeeper in Chiselborough, and a third took over Richard’s bakery business with her husband.

Birth

Richard Genge, the son of Robert and Mary Genge, was born at Hardington in about 1776 and baptised there on 23 May 1778.

Marriage

On 25 February 1802, Richard married Edith Eastment at Hardington. Her father, Roger Eastment, was a farmer.

Inheritance

In 1812, Richard acted as his father’s executor and inherited a bed, one guinea and three teaspoons.[1]

Occupations

From 1813 to 1823, Richard’s occupation was recorded as “farmer” in the baptism register. The 1841 census recorded his occupation as a baker.

Residence

The 1836 voters’ list recorded him owning a freehold house at Hardington Moor. The tithe survey shows that the house and garden covered an area of 21 perches at the foot of Pig Hill (number 153 on the tithe map). He also occupied a small plot owned by Lord Ilchester (number 446) and co-owned with Lord Ilchester a house at Lyatts occupied by Gabriel Purchase (number 80).

Death

Richard died in December 1850 at the age of 75.

Edith’s later life

After Richard’s death, the bakery business passed to his youngest daughter, Anne, and her husband, John Yeandle. Edith lived with them until her own death in November 1862 at the age of 82.

Children

Richard and Edith had nine children;

1802- Robert (married Temperance Brown from Tintern at Yeovil in 1830; lived at Yeovil, where he worked as a carrier; in about 1840, moved to Tintern, where he worked as a farm labourer; and then to Bristol, where he ran a small shop by April 1861; died in 1872);

1804- Edward (married Harriett Symes at East Coker in 1829; worked as a carpenter; emigrated to Canada in about 1841);

1805- Edith (married John Griffin in 1841; resided at Hardington, and, after her husband’s death in 1855, at Chiselborough, where she kept the New Inn);

1808- Richard (married Elizabeth Griffin at Pendomer in 1842; emigrated to Canada, where he died in 1872);

Circa 1811- Mary (married Samuel Gifford, a cooper, in 1835; moved to Jersey, where she died between 1851 and 1861);

Circa 1813-Hester (married George Rendell, a weaver, in 1827; resided at Hardington; died about ten years later);

Circa 1815- George (probably died young);

Circa 1821- Nathaniel (probably died young);

1823- Ann (married John Yeandle, a baker and grocer, in 1848; resided on Jersey and at Hardington, Yeovil and Stoke-sub-Hamdon; died in 1887).

References

[1] The will of Robert Genge, dated 2 August 1808.