Robert Reader was a gardener, aged 42, living in Hardington village in 1861.

Early life at East Coker

Robert, the eldest son of John and Hannah Reader, was born at East Coker in about 1818. He was baptised with two sisters and one brother on 19 May 1822. His father, a farm labourer, died in August 1839. By June 1841, Robert was a farm labourer, residing with his widowed mother, Hannah, and two siblings, Mary and John, at Shearcroft, near North Coker House.

On 17 October 1841, Robert married Susan Sartin of East Coker. Susan signed the marriage register with a cross. In March 1851, they lived in Burton Lane, and Robert worked as a farm labourer. His brother, John, lodged with them. His mother, Hannah, lived in one of the almshouses.

Hardington

Between 4 January 1857 and 1 May 1859, Robert, Susan and nine of their ten children moved to Hardington, where Robert worked as a gardener (their eldest girl was a nursemaid at Parsonage Farm, Pendomer). Robert’s employer was the Rev. William Vassall, who was instituted as rector of Hardington on 27 September 1857.

Their eleventh child was born at Hardington in March 1861, and their twelfth and last child was born at Crewkerne in 1865.

On 3 July 1861, Elizabeth Delamont summoned Susan Reader for assault. The Yeovil magistrates ordered Susan to pay the costs.[1]

Crewkerne and Yeovil

Between 5 May 1861 and 12 November 1865, Robert and his family moved to Crewkerne, where Robert worked as a gardener. By May 1870, they had moved to 140 Belmont Street, Yeovil, from which address Robert advertised his services as a jobbing gardener in the Western Gazette.[2] Unfortunately, Robert’s whereabouts after April 1871 remain unknown.

Three of their children died while they lived at Belmont Street: Henry in December 1870, aged 9; Catherine in July 1871, aged 29; and Herbert in September 1871, aged 18. A fourth child, Frederick, died at Hendford Hill in March 1880, aged 22.

In April 1881, Susan and her youngest daughter, Alice, lived at 65 Huish, Yeovil, in the home of Thomas Knight and his wife, Fanny. In April 1888, Susan was one of ten women applying for a vacant position in the Corporation Almshouse. She was unsuccessful but received 1s 6d as a consolation prize.[3] She died in June 1888, aged 66.

References

[1] Sherborne Mercury, 9 July 1861, p.5.

[2] Western Gazette, 20 May 1870, p.4.

[3] Western Chronicle, 13 April 1888, p.5.