Introduction
William Hallett was the tenant of Romsey Farm, Hardington, in the 1840s. The son of a farmer, he spent his childhood at Sydling St Nicholas and Rampisham. After marrying in 1810, he resided at Barwick for about 19 years, possibly working for his father. Following his father’s death, he farmed at Wheathill before moving to Romsey Farm. In 1851, he took a smaller farm at South Perrott before retiring to Drimpton. His life story includes the tragic and harrowing death of his daughter, Caroline.
Childhood
William Hallett was born in about 1787 at Sydling St Nicholas, the only child of William Hallett and his second wife, Catherine (nee Randall). His father was a farmer.
William had twin half-brothers, Robert and John, from his father’s first marriage to Susan Birket, who died in 1779.
In about 1791, the family moved to Rampisham.[1]
When William was fifteen years old, his mother, Catherine, died at Rampisham in July 1803. The following year, his father married Dorothy Peach.
Marriage
On 30 April 1810, William married Mary Garrett at Barwick. At that time, both William and Mary were about 22 years old. William signed the marriage register, while Mary made a mark. Her brother, Nathaniel Garrett, was a witness.
Mary and Nathaniel were the children of George and Mary Garrett of Trent. Both George and Nathaniel worked as thatchers.
Barwick
William and Mary remained at Barwick until about 1828, where William worked as a labourer.
During their time there, they had ten children. In 1827, their sixth child, Ann, died at the age of six.
Inheritance
William’s father died at Rampisham in February 1827. His estate included land and buildings at Rampisham, Chilfrome and Stoford. William was appointed as one of his three executors and obtained probate.
His father left his estate to his executors to hold on trust, allowing his widow, Dorothy, to live in his house for life, use the household effects and furniture, and receive an annual income of £10. He also directed them to:
-pay £10 per annum each to William and his half-brother, Robert,
-invest and accumulate the remaining income for four years and then pay off his mortgages,
-divide £50 among the five children of his dead son John when the youngest reached 21,
-divide the remainder between William and Robert equally.[2]
Wheathill
The £10 annual income from his father would have enabled William to service borrowing of about £200 and consequently rent a farm.
By 7 November 1830, William and his family were living at Wheathill, where he was a farmer. Wheathill was a small village of about five houses, located halfway between Yeovil and Shepton Mallet.[3]
While living there, William and Mary had two more children.
The family lived at Wheathill until at least June 1834.
Hardington
During the 1840s, William was the tenant of Romsey Farm, Hardington. The jury lists from 1841 to 1848 record William as a farmer at Romsey Farm. The voters’ lists from 1842 to 1851 record him as the occupier of land at Romsey Farm. The 1843 tithe survey shows him occupying 64 acres owned by Benjamin Cox.
William and Catherine moved to Romsey Farm with eight children.[4] The first to leave home was George, who married at Hardington Church in 1838, followed by Catherine, who married there in 1840.[5]
In about 1841, Jane had an illegitimate son, Jonathan Herbert, but she may have remained at home until her marriage in January 1846, after which Jonathan was raised by his grandparents.
The mid-1840s were overshadowed by Caroline’s severe illness. In about June 1846, she developed paralysis, which two years later led to tuberculosis. She died on 14 December 1848, at the age of 23.
In 1849, Kezia had an illegitimate daughter, Clarissa Elizabeth, who was also cared for by the family.
William and his family remained at the farm until Lady Day 1851.[6]
South Perrott
By March 1851, William and his family had moved into South Perrott village, where he farmed 30 acres and employed one labourer.
Drimpton
By the time his youngest daughter, Matilda, married on 15 April 1857, William and his family had moved to Drimpton.
Death
William died at Drimpton on 10 October 1857, at the age of 71.[7] His body was taken to Hardington to be buried in the grave of his daughter, Caroline.
Mary’s later life
Mary remained at Drimpton with her two grandchildren, Jonathan and Clarissa. When Jonathan married in 1863, Clarissa was her sole companion.
Mary lived long enough to see Clarissa able to support herself by working as a domestic servant. She died at Drimpton on 1 April 1867, at the age of 80. Like her husband’s, her body was taken to Hardington for burial.
Children
William and Mary had five sons and six daughters:
- Catherine (married Charles Green, a farmer of Hornblotton);
- William (emigrated to the United States in 1857);
- Samuel (emigrated to Canada in June 1857);
- George (became a shoemaker at South Perrott; married three times; died after April 1881);
- Eliza (married twice; she married her second husband, William Croll, an artist brushmaker, at the parish church of St Giles in the Fields in 1854; she died in London in 1904);
- Jane (married James Collins, a Chard tin worker; she died in Widnes in October 1889);
- Ann (died at age six);
- Caroline (died at the age of 23);
- Kezia Ann (married Henry Hicks, a widower and servant; she died at Twerton, the home of her daughter, Clarissa, in 1921);
- John Solomon (became a shopkeeper; he died in Widnes in October 1890);
- Matilda (married Richard Luxton, who pursued various occupations, including shoemaker, licensed victualler of the Arch hotel, Viaduct Street, Exeter, foreman at an alkali works, and roadmaker; she died at Leftwich, Cheshire, in April 1894);
- Thomas (became a dairyman at South Perrott; died at the age 35).
The will of William Hallett of Drimpton in the parish of Broadwindsor, Yeoman[8]
Executors: Thomas Hallett of Drimpton, Yeoman, John Hallett of Drimpton, Yeoman, Charles Green of Hornblotton, Yeoman, and John Little of South Perrott, Yeoman.
To my dear wife, Mary: an annuity of 6s a week for life and the use of a cottage for life. Also, such household goods and furniture as she may require for her private use.
To Catherine Green: £40.
To Keziah Hallett: £30
To Matilda Luxton: £30.
To Jane Collins £30
To Eliza Croll: £30
To Samuel Hallett: £10
To George Hallett: £10
To William Hallett: £50.
To John Hallett: £50.
To Thomas Hallett: £50
To Jonathan Herbert Hallett: £10.
The remainder to my trustees upon trust to covert to money and stand possessed of the money on trust to pay my debts, expenses and legacies, and after the death of my wife, divide the same equally between my children, except Jonathan, at age 21.
Wit: John M Templeman, Solr, Crewkerne
A N Delafosse MA, Curate of Broadwindsor.
References
[1] Land Tax Returns.
[2] The will of William Hallett of Rampisham, yeoman, dated 16 January 1827, proved in London on 16 June 1827.
[3] British History Online.
[4] Their sons, William and Samuel, lived at West Lyford, while their daughter, Eliza, may have been in London.
[5] The Hardington marriage register describes George as a “sojourner of this parish,” which may mean that his wedding predated the family’s move to Romsey Farm.
[6] Dorset County Chronicle, 26 September 1850 p.1.
[7] The Hardington burial register recorded William’s age as 71.
[8] The will of William Hallett, dated 2 October 1857, proved in London on 11 December 1857.
