Eliza Ann OLDRIDGE

Notes:

1841 census - aged 10 at home with parents.

1851 census - aged 21 at home with mother, as AgLab.

Held in the Devon Record Office are the crumbling papers which record the attempt of the Guardians of the Poor of Plymouth to remove Edwin and his family.

The clerk to the Guardians, whose job it was to make the complaint and put it all on paper was a John Williams MATTHEWS. The first recorded 'complaint' is dated 22nd December 1865 and that 'Edwin OLDRIDGE and Trypheny his wife and four children, namely Henry, Matilda, Elizabeth Ann and Emma have lately come to inhabit and are now inhabiting in the said parish of St. Andrew, endeavouring to settle there contrary to law, not having resided or inhabited in the said parish for three years next ...'.

It is interesting that Edwin's 'wife' is Emma. I have not found any evidence of a marriage service having taken place. This citation refers to her as Tryphena - a family name of the WOODMAN's. Edwin's mother was Tryphena WOODMAN and if Emma was also a WOODMAN (a suggestion based upon other evidence) then she may well have had an aunt or great aunt called Tryphena. This was the first occasion whereupon her identity is confused. The marriage registers at the GRO have been searched from 1837 to 1857 but no marriage has yet been found.

In the 1861 census she is recorded as being 23 years old and living with her parents-in-law - John & Harriet OLDRIDGE. This is unless the Emma recorded in the census and this one are different people. Emma was, after all, their niece by marriage, her in-laws being William & Tryphena OLDRIDGE in Newton St Cyres.

It is also interesting to note that Henry is shown on the 1861 census as being the son of John & Harriet OLDRIDGE, aged 5. Edwin and Emma may well have claimed Henry as a settlor, attempting to enhance their claim to stay.

Upon examination by the Guardians it is shown that they were actually chargeable to the parish and that Edwin believed himself as to having been from the parish of Newton St Cyres about 38 years ago and that his parents were William & Tryphena OLDRIDGE. William is reported as having been apprenticed by the parish officers to a Mr Lane of Broadgate in Newton St Cyres.

Edwin's claim also states that his wife is Emma WOODMAN and that he married her 14 years ago. If this is correct, the Emma quoted as daughter-in-law in the 1861 census cannot be this Emma. The ages are incompatible, in 1865 the Emma Woodman would have needed to have been about 35 years old, being 14 years married; the Emma in the census was 23 in 1861, making her about 28 now. Edwin's claim now cites the children as being Matilda, Emma, Eliza and Edward - all of whom were present at the hearing. Quite what happened to Henry and where Edward suddenly appeared from is another anomaly. They did have a child Edwin who was born in 1856 - why this one (the oldest) should suddenly be recorded as an afterthought is confusing. When Edwin himself dies, the death is recorded as the death of Edward OLDRIDGE and the informant is his wife Emma. It seems they may well have called themselves Ed and left the rest to the imagination of any literate recorder. It is more reasonable to record Edward for Ed than to record Edwin.

At the end of his examination Edwin signs to say that his wife and children are receiving relief from the parish of St. Andrew by making his mark, an 'X'. The examination was before a Richard HICKS and a man called BROWN, who after the examination record the fact that 'Edwin & Tryphena his wife (yes! Emma's name has changed again - this would happen if the scribe referred to the front page of the complaint rather than to the recorded information during the examination) and their said family are now residing chargeably to and receiving relief from the said parish of Saint Andrew in Plymouth. The said Edwin OLDRIDGE is permanently ill.' This piece of evidence was offered by one William Edwin PENNEY who signed his own name. The surname is indistinct and this is my best effort, and is a compromise between the clerk's hand writing his name and the signature of the man himself. Messrs HICKS and BROWN record the fact that this was all heard before them on the 22nd of December 1865 at the Guildhall in Plymouth and ascribe their names.

Following this examination of their circumstances the Justices of the Peace then decide to remove him back to Newton St Cyres, not being convinced of his poor health ... 'Edwin OLDRIDGE and Tryphena his wife and their four children namely Henry aged 9 years, Matilda aged 6 years, Elizabeth Ann aged 2 years (3 in March) & Emma aged about 5 months, have come to inhabit and are now inhabiting in the said parish of St Andrew ...and that the parish of Newton St Cyres in the County of Devon is the place of their last legal settlement ... the said Justices ... do adjudge the complaint to be true, and that such relief is not made necessary by the sickness of the said Edwin OLDRIDGE which we are satisfied will produce in him permanent disability and that the place of legal settlement of the said Edwin OLDRIDGE is in the parish of Newton St Cyres.'

It is interesting to note that Henry's name has been restored and Edward's has disappeared. The judgement continues '... order you, the said Guardians ... of St Andrew ... to remove and convey the said Edwin OLDRIDGE and Tryphena and their said children from and out of your said parish to the said parish of Newton St Cyres and them to deliver, together with this order ... at the workhouse of such last named parish or of any Union of which the parish belongs, or unto the Churchwardens and overseers of the Poor of the said last named parish ... who are required to receive and provide for them according to the law'.

It is then signed under their seals as Justices of the Peace at the Guildhall in Plymouth by Rich. HICKS and H BROWN on the 22nd December 1865. Following the judgement the matter of Edwin's health was considered and it is recorded 'that the therein named Edwin OLDRIDGE is unable to travel by reason of sickness and infirmity of body, and it would be a danger to him so to do; We the said Justices do suspend the execution of the order of removal until we or any other two of Her Majesty's Justices of the peace for the said Borough of Plymouth, are satisfied that it may be safely executed without danger'.

This was sealed again by the same two justices on the same day. The Grounds for Removal are then recorded for the benefit of the receiving parish ... 'As to the removal of Edwin OLDRIDGE, his wife and family. To the Churchwardens and Overseers of the Poor of the parish of Newton St Cyres in the County of Devon - Take notice that the above named pauper now residing in the parish of St Andrew in ... Plymouth has, with his said family become and is now actually chargeable to, and is receiving relief from the said parish of St Andrew and that an order under the hands and seals of Henry Brown and Richard Hicks Esquire ... has been obtained for their removal to your parish of Newton St Cyres as the place of their last legal settlement'.

The grounds for the removal and particulars of settlement are then repeated for the benefit of the Newton St Cyres officials restating that 'relief being made necessary by the sickness of the said Edwin OLDRIDGE which will produce in him permanent disability. That the said Edwin OLDRIDGE was born in the parish of Newton St Cyres about 38 years ago; that the said Edwin OLDRIDGE is the lawful son of William OLDRIDGE & Tryphena his wife; that the said William OLDRIDGE was duly apprenticed by the parish officers of Newton St Cyres to one Mr Lane of Broadgate in the said parish of Newton St Cyres and that he served with his said master throughout his his apprenticeship and resided during the whole time at Broadgate in Newton St Cyres; that the said Edwin OLDRIDGE married Emma Woodman his present wife about 14 years ago; that the children Henry, Matilda, Elizabeth Ann & Emma mentioned in the annexed order are the lawful children of the said Edwin OLDRIDGE and Emma his wife; that the said Edwin OLDRIDGE is permanently ill; that the said Edwin OLDRIDGE and Emma his wife and their said children have not resided in the parish for three years last past. That the said Edwin OLDRIDGE, his wife and family are now residing in, chargeable to and receiving relief from the said parish of St Andrew aforesaid, and are not irremovable'.

The officers of Newton St Cyres are then given 21 days to lodge any appeal they may before removal is carried out. The document is dated 28th December 1865 and signed by Wm ADAMS, Henry HEATHER and Josiah JOHNSON, being three of the Incorporation of the Guardians of the Poor of the town of Plymouth.

On the sixth of January 1866 a letter is written from Frankfort Chambers in Plymouth to the overseers of the poor in Newton St Cyres which is poor in quality but seems to reads as follows:- 'Sirs re:-OLDRIDGE The overseers have nothing to do with and <...> the deposition herein. <...> <...> <...> nothing more than <...> <...> <...> <...> order I believe:- If you have any reason to doubt the settlement I shall be happy to hear the grounds as it will be useless for either of the parties to be incurring unnecessary expense <...> <...> <...> <...> case as the pauper is now beyond <...>. I believe the settlement to be undoubtedly in your parish. <...> <...>

On the 14th of January 1866 Edwin OLDRIDGE died of phthisis (TB). The twenty one days had not expired and it became necessary to lodge a further complaint, given the changing circumstances of the family. It becomes apparent that they would prefer to remain where they were and have already fabricated some stories to place credence to their staying in Plymouth; such fabrications are to continue. The next complaint on the 8th February 1866 is registered against 'Emma OLDRIDGE and her three children, namely Matilda aged 6 years Eliza Ann aged about three years and Emma aged about five months' in the same terms insofar as they were receiving relief from St Andrews without legal settlement and were the responsibility of their last place of settlement, Newton St Cyres. The order was signed by Chas. BARDEN and Thomas HICKS (Mayor). The grounds for removal were cited as 'to the removal of Emma OLDRIDGE and her family to the churchwardens and overseers of the poor of Newton St Cyres in the County of Devon, take notice that the above named pauper now residing at Neswick Street in the parish of St Andrew ... with her family ... an order ... has been obtained for their removal to your parish of Newton St Cyres as the place of their last legal settlement'.

The examination commences with the usual statement that they are chargeable to St Andrews and sickness or accident does not inhibit removal and 'that the said Emma OLDRIDGE is the lawful child of John OLDRIDGE and Harriet his wife; that the children mentioned in the annexed order namely Matilda aged about 6 years, Eliza Ann aged about three years and Emma about five months are the illegitimate children of the said Emma OLDRIDGE; that the said John OLDRIDGE the father of the said Emma OLDRIDGE was born in the parish of Newton St Cyres about 57 years ago; that the said John OLDRIDGE when about 12 years of age was bound an apprentice of the churchwardens and overseers of the parish of Newton St Cyres to Mr Osmond of the said parish of Newton St Cyres and served as such apprentice with the said Mr Osmond until he was 21 years of age and during his servitude he resided with the said master in the said parish of Newton St Cyres aforesaid and acquired a settlement by apprenticeship in the said parish of Newton St Cyres; that the said Emma OLDRIDGE and her said children have not resided in Plymouth for three years last past free of parochial relief; that the said Emma OLDRIDGE and children now residing in chargeable to, and receiving relief from the said parish of St Andrew aforesaid and are not irremovable'.

This was signed by Wm ADAMS, Henry Heather and <...> Solomon.

The final document in this bundle is the bill for the expenses incurred and is addressed to The Churchwardens and Overseers of Newton St Cyres, being sent by their counterparts in Plymouth, St Andrew. The heading is difficult to read following the disintegration of the paper but the rest is an invoice dated January 1866:- <...> <...> <...> deposition and <...> 7 6 Expenses attending there [sic] journey to Crediton (4 miles from Newton St Cyres) to make certain enquiries as to settlement of said paupers 10 6 Horsehire from Newton St Cyres to Exeter 4 miles and back Fare by train from Exeter to Plymouth and back 15 8 Other out pocket expenses in connection with last mentioned journey 5 0 For journey from Newton St Cyres to Plymouth and back 1 0 0

Settled March 24th Thomas <...> 3 3 8

Stamp to be affixed.

Edwin died from phthisis (TB) at 6 Granby Street, Plymouth, Emma being present at his death w

Edwin married Emma OLDRIDGE about 1851 in Plymouth, Devon, England. Emma was born in 1838 in Exeter, England; and died. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Notes:

Present at death of husband. The 1861 census records an Emma OLDRIDGE as being at the home of John & Harriet OLDRIDGE in Amity Place, the said Emma being shown as their daughter in law. She has a tendency to simulate a relationship according to need, as demonstrated in the removal papers of 1865/6. Described in this census as the wife of a mason; her birthplace is shown as Exeter. The age given on the 1861 census indicates she was about 18 when her first child was born. No marriage yet found.

Notes:

Apprenticed by parish officers to Mr Lane of Broadgate, Newton St Cyres.

Witnesses to marriage were Edward Woodman, Ann Oldridge and Mary Woodman; all made a mark - n

At baptism of son William, recorded as husbandman.

1841 census - aged 50 AgLab @ NSC with wife & Wm, Mary, Eliz, Thos, Edwin,Mark

1851 census - not showing as being at home with wife.

William married Tryphena WOODMAN on 26 Dec 1809 in Brampford Speke, Devon, England. Tryphena was born on 22 Nov 1789 in Newton St Cyres, Devon, England; died on 12 Feb 1855 in Newton St Cyres, Devon, England; was buried on 18 Feb 1855 in Newton St Cyres, Devon, England. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Notes:

At Tryphena's marraige to William her sister Mary WOODMAN and her father witnessed the marria

Witnessed the marriage of her sister, Sarah Woodman to Abraham Mitchell.

1841 census aged 50, see husband.

1851 census - aged 61 (born NSC), at Pidsley, NSC with only Edwin & Mark. She was described

Died aged 64, consumption, Mary Yard present at death, signed 'X'.

Notes:

Married 1795 as widower (pr). Banns read for marriage to Betty Roach in Newton St Cyres church 25\\7\\1779. 1\\8\\1799 & 8\\8\\1799.

John married Elizabeth _____ before 29 Mar 1786. Elizabeth died in 1792; was buried on 25 Dec 1792 in Newton St Cyres, Devon, England. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]