Introduction
William Dawe lived at Hardington from about 1869 to 1874. He was probably employed as a gardener at the Rectory. Both he and his wife came from Devon, and they returned there, settling in Plymouth. One of their sons later emigrated to Canada.
Early life in Devon
William was born at Bampton on 8 May 1840, the fourth of nine children born to James and Elizabeth Dawe.[1] His father, James, was a gardener.
William had left home by March 1851.
In the third quarter of 1868, he married Emily Elizabeth Veale at Exeter. She was the daughter of an unmarried domestic servant.
Life at Hardington
William and Elizabeth moved to Hardington shortly after their marriage. Their first child was born in the village in 1869 and was baptised at Hardington Church on 16 May 1869. Two more children followed: Henry James, born on 12 November 1870, and Sarah Stiling, born in late 1872 or early 1873.
The 1871 census recorded the family living in the High Street, along with Elizabeth’s mother and a seven-year-old niece.
Life in Plymouth
William and Emily returned to Devon between 1872 and 1875, settling in Plymouth. Their addresses in the city included 40 Looe Street in April 1881, 2 Chapel Street in April 1891, and Ham Lane in March 1901. William was a gardener throughout this time, running his own business by April 1891, if not earlier.
While living in Plymouth, William and Emily had three more children: William Veale, Ellen Brock and Armenia Annie.
Their third child, Sarah Stiling, died at the age of nine in about 1882. In the 1890s, their son, William Veale, emigrated to Canada.
Death
William’s death was registered at Plymouth in the first quarter of 1906; his wife’s death has not yet been found.
References
[1] Birth certificate of William Dawe.
