The Napper Family
The Napper Family - contributed by Frank Napper
The earliest record I can find of my paternal side of the family starts with my great, great, great, great grandfather Thomas who was born in Somerset in 1770. On the 17th of July1798 he married Betty Hutchings in St Michaels Church, Seavington St.Michael. At the time of his marriage his occupation was given as a Husbandsman which is an early name for an agricultural worker. I know they had at least five children, John born 1799, Betty born in 1801, Thomas born in 1804, William born in 1806 (My great, great, great grandfather) and Jonah born in 1813. William was an agricultural labourer, he married Priscilla Burgess on the 3rd of August 1830 at St.Mary’s Church Seavington St.Mary. They had nine children, including Thomas b.1837 (my great, great, grandfather).
William died in February 1859 at the age of 53 and was buried in Seavington St.Mary. This left Priscilla with a large family to support, the youngest child being only six at the time. In 1861 she was a washerwoman, presumably taking in other peoples washing to do at home. At this time all the children are working, the girls are Glovers and even 10 year old William is a labourer on a farm.
Later on in 1871 Priscilla is listed as being a laundress. One of her daughters Elizabeth has had an illegitimate daughter called Susan and they are both living with Priscilla. Also living at home with her is her daughter Susan aged 40 who is a dressmaker and Joseph and William who are farm labourers.
On the 1881 census Priscilla is a annuitant charwoman, living with her is Joseph (32) and her granddaughter Susan (17). Susan’s mother Elizabeth having got married six years previously to George Old a pensioner and widower. Priscilla died aged 87 and was buried on 5th February 1887 at St.Mary’s Church Seavington St.Mary, after what I feel was a very hard life.
William and Priscilla’s fourth child Thomas, my great, great, grandfather like most of the Napper’s was an agricultural labourer when he met and married my great, great, grandmother Emma Ash. This marriage took place in St.Michaels church, Seavington St.Michael on the 24th of September 1859. They had eight children including William (my great grandfather) born 1863.
On the 1881 census Thomas is living at Malt House Seavington St.Mary with Emma, six of his children and his Uncle Thomas (annuitant) and his wife Sarah who are in their seventies. Their eldest daughter Amelia aged 21 is a Collar Stitcher, William aged 18 and Charles aged 13 are agricultural labourers. Eva and Tom are at school.
The 1891 census shows Thomas and Emma are now living with Eva aged 22 now married to Tom Garrett, her daughter Ada aged 2 months and her sisters Flora aged 20 who is a collar maker and Ada aged 10 who is at school.
By the 1901 census Thomas aged 63 is now living at Upton Seavington Abbott, with him is his wife Emma and his two daughters, Lena aged 22 and Ada aged 19. The two girls are working as shirt collar machinists.
Emma died on the 11 May 1909 in St.Mary Abbott and Thomas died on the 21st June 1919 in Lopen at his daughter Flora’s home.
Thomas and Emma’s second child my great grandfather William married my great grandmother Hannah Garrett on Christmas day 1886 in the parish church at Shepton Beauchamp. At the time of his marriage, William is listed as an agricultural labourer but for the rest of his working life he was a carter. William and Hannah had 10 children, William b. 1887, Charles b.1889, Dorothy Susan (Cissie) b. 1891, Edmund Thomas (my grandfather) b.1894, Flora Mabel b. 1895, Henry b. 1898, Herbert John b.1900, Ada Ruth b. 1902, Edward George b. 1904 and Annie May (Nance) b.1907. Their first child William was born at Shepton Beauchamp, they then they moved to a hamlet just outside Curry Rivel called Redhill. Here the remainder of their children were born and they were christened at St.Andrews church Curry Rivel.