Introduction

Robert Hutchings spent most of his life in Hinton St George, where he worked as a farm labourer. However, the 1881 census recorded him and his family living at White Vine Cottage in Hardington, while the 1891 census listed him as a patient in Crewkerne Hospital. He recovered and lived for another eighteen years.

Birth

Robert was born at Hinton St George in about 1832, the fourth of ten children born to Giles and Amy Hutchings. His father, Giles, was a farm labourer.

Occupation

By March 1851, Robert was employed as a farm labourer, an occupation he pursued for the rest of his life.

Marriage

On 11 February 1860, Robert married Lavinia England at Hinton St George. Robert was 27 years old, and Lavinia was 23. Both signed the register by making a mark.

Lavinia was the daughter of Robert and Elizabeth England, who lived in Church Street, Lopen. The 1861 census described Robert as a sailcloth labourer and Elizabeth as a sailcloth weaver. By the age of fourteen, Lavinia had left home to work as a house servant at the Bell Inn, Merriott.

Married life at Hinton St George

Robert and Lavina lived at Hinton St George, possibly until after Robert’s father’s death in June 1878. During that time, they had six children, though the second child died in infancy.

Hardington

Between January 1876 and March 1881, Robert and his family moved to Hardington, where they lived at White Vine Cottage. Robert worked as a carter for Adam Thomas Rendell. Their seventh and last child, Ethel Jane, was born at Hardington on 28 March 1881.

Crewkerne

By April 1891, Lavinia and four of their children were living at Furland Cottage near Furland Farm, Crewkerne. Their son, Frederick, had married in 1888 and was living with his parents-in-law, Thomas and Mary Hooper, next door to his mother, while their daughter, Ellen, was working away from home.[1]

At the time of the 1891 census, Robert was among eight inmates at Crewkerne Hospital.

Return to Hinton St George

By March 1901, Robert and Lavinia had returned to Hinton St George and were living in a four-room house in South Street. Four of their children had married in the previous decade, leaving just Ethel Jane, the youngest child, still living at home. Ethel later married in 1905.

Death

Lavinia died on 29 November 1904 at the age of about 67.[2] Robert died in May 1909 at the age of 71.

Children

Robert and Lavinia had three sons and four daughters. Their second child, Alfred, died in infancy.

References

[1] Ellen has not been found on the 1891 census; she married Charles Haines in 1901. When Frederick Hutchings married Elizabeth Hooper at Crewkerne parish church on 27 July 1888, they both gave their address as Furlands, suggesting Frederick married the girl next door. Robert’s occupation was recorded as carter.

[2] Langport & Somerton Herald, 10 December 1904, p.8; the Civil Registration Death Index. Both sources record Lavinia’s age as 64, but she was at least 67.