George Loosemore 1819 – 1910
The first census record in which we find George Loosemore is that of 1841 where he is shown as being 20 years of age. He was actually born in 1818 in Witheridge. Ten years later in 1851 he is shown as being 32 so there is a slight discrepancy in his age as recorded.
George Loosemore married Maria Browning on 1st April 1845 at the “Collegiate Church of the Holy Cross and the Mother of Him who Hung Thereon” otherwise known as Crediton Parish Church recorded as Crediton Q2 1845 vol 10 page 111. The marriage certificate shows that at the time George was a husbandman aged 25 and Maria was 22 years of age and a dressmaker. It also confirms that her father was Israel Browning a Shoemaker. One of the witnesses to the ceremony was Robert Dicker the Parish Clerk while the other was a Richard Browning. I am not aware of either a brother or uncle of that name although it is more than likely that he is her brother. I have included some details in the Browning of Devon family section.
Maria Browning was probably born in Crediton in 1823.
In 1841 Maria age 15 is living her older sister Mary who is married to George’s brother Robert in Thelbridge. Again we have age discrepancies making her birth year somewhere between 1823 and 1826. In 1851 she is 28 and in 1861 she is 37. Taking these last two as most likely to be correct then in 1841 she was probably 17 giving a year of birth of 1823.
The census for Thelbridge 1841 is shown on the photographs page.
In 1851 George and Maria appear in the census with two children, George and William.
In 1861 the family were resident in Exeter Road Crediton and consisted of George and Maria with 5 sons and 1 daughter the youngest being Thomas age 5 months. In 1871 after George had married Emma there is also a daughter Ellen shown who is aged 8 and so would have been born in 1862 prior to the marriage of George and Emma. We can therefore assume that she is Maria’s last child. George’s first marriage must have come to an end between 1862 following the birth of Ellen and before 1871 when Edward James was born. There is a marriage recorded between George Loosemore and Emma Dart in 1869 so it is reasonable to assume that Maria died between 1862 and 1869.
The census for 1861 is shown under Harry Loosemore 1856 – 1932
It has taken quite a lot of research to find the death record for Maria Loosemore. I knew that it should have been between 1862 and 1869 in order to allow George to remarry at the end of 1869. Finally I located the entry recorded as Maria Loonkmore age 45 in Crediton Q1 1869 vol 5b page 303. The death certificate shows that Maria the wife of George Loosemore Farmer died age 45 at Back Gate Crediton on 27th January 1869. The death was registered by Eliza Newcombe who was present at the death and was residing at the White Hart in Crediton. I have checked to see whether Eliza was in any way related to Maria but it seems not. She was Eliza Prickman the wife of Richard Newcombe who married him in 1840. She was three years older than Maria and in 1861 her family lived on Four Mill Road Crediton. Richard was an agricultural labourer and two of her children were a coach painter and a miller. In 1871 the Newcombe family lived next door but one to Maria’s brother in Park Street only a few hundred yards from the Loosemore household. In all probability Eliza and Maria were friends and neighbours. The White Hart no longer exists in Crediton but it is possible that it was on Back Gate which similarly has now disappeared.
The census for 1861 is shown under Harry Loosemore 1856 – 1932
It has taken quite a lot of research to find the death record for Maria Loosemore. I knew that it should have been between 1862 and 1869 in order to allow George to remarry at the end of 1869. Finally I located the entry recorded as Maria Loonkmore age 45 in Crediton Q1 1869 vol 5b page 303. The death certificate shows that Maria the wife of George Loosemore Farmer died age 45 at Back Gate Crediton on 27th January 1869. The death was registered by Eliza Newcombe who was present at the death and was residing at the White Hart in Crediton. I have checked to see whether Eliza was in any way related to Maria but it seems not. She was Eliza Prickman the wife of Richard Newcombe who married him in 1840. She was three years older than Maria and in 1861 her family lived on Four Mill Road Crediton. Richard was an agricultural labourer and two of her children were a coach painter and a miller. In 1871 the Newcombe family lived next door but one to Maria’s brother in Park Street only a few hundred yards from the Loosemore household. In all probability Eliza and Maria were friends and neighbours. The White Hart no longer exists in Crediton but it is possible that it was on Back Gate which similarly has now disappeared.
I have located details of a marriage record for George Loosemore and Emma Dart in Crediton Q3 1869 Vol 5b page 747
Emma Dart was born in Crediton around 1833. In 1841 she is living in Crediton with her father William, mother Elizabeth, three sisters and one brother. In 1851 Emma Dart is no longer living at home with her parents who can now be found at Road to the Star in Crediton The Star is an Inn which no longer exists with that name. In 1861 her father, mother and youngest sister Faith are living at Browns Court Crediton and in 1871 Faith is no longer with her parents who are living at Mill Street Crediton where they seem to have remained until their deaths in 1873 and 1876. Emma’s mother Elizabeth Dart died age 80 in Crediton Q3 1873 vol 5b page 241 and her father William Dart died age 82 in Crediton Q1 1876 vol 5b page 315.
In 1851 Emma is working as a domestic servant in Crediton for a local carrier John Couldridge. The census shows her age as 20 but it is more likely that she is only 18.
In 1861 Emma is now a cook and working for a lady of means Sarah A Bennett at Postbury House in the village of Posbury 4 miles south west of Crediton.
The census for 1871 is shown under Harry Loosemore 1856 - 1932
We know that George was resident in Crediton in 1881 and married to Emma Loosemore nee Dart. The resident family in 1881 comprised George and Emma and 5 children. William, Thomas and Ellen from George’s marriage to Maria and the two children of his marriage to Emma: Edward James Loosemore 1870, Alice Ann Loosemore 1873.
Although we have no way of knowing the extent of George's farm in terms of buildings the following entry in the Western Times shows that he did have the right to evict unsuitable tenants.
In 1891 the census shows that George and Emma have moved from Dean Street and are now living in Blagdon Place with three of their children. Blagdon Place was on the corner of Blagdon and Mill Street but it has since been redeveloped and the original cottages no longer exist.
In the middle of June 1891 we hear that not only had Mr Mitchell gathered a nice bunch of wild strawberries but George Loosemore and his neighbour William Snell started their hay harvest. Big news in 1891.
The Western Times one month later in July 1891 provides us with the really sad news that George and Emma had lost their youngest son Edwin James Loosemore
Emma Dart died age 67 in Crediton Q2 1899 vol 5b page 277
The last census record which shows George Loosemore is in 1901 where he is living with his son Thomas and his family still in Crediton in Hubert Cottage Park Road. At this time he is 82 and shown as a retired farmer and widowed. Hubert Cottage still exists but has been renamed to Pringle Cottage.
George Loosemore died age 90 in Crediton Q1 1910 vol 5b page 288. His death certificate shows that he died on 22nd February 1910 and at the time was living in Mill Street Crediton. He is recorded as a retired farmer and the death was registered by his son in law John Tolley who was present at his death. John is the husband of Alice Ann Loosemore.
Although there are Loosemore headstones still surviving in the churchyard of Crediton Parish Church, unfortunately those of George and Maria are no longer in existence. I have located those of three other Loosemore ancestors and have recorded their details on the following pages.
Robert Loosemore is the older brother of George Loosemore
Robert Loosemore 1816 - 1893
George Loosemore is the oldest child of George and Maria Loosemore
George Loosemore 1846 - 1893
Elizabeth Gertrude Loosemore is the daughter in law of George and Maria Loosemore and was married to their sixth son Thomas Loosemore
Elizabeth Gertrude Loosemore (nee Tucker Zeale) 1869-1927
Robert Loosemore is the older brother of George Loosemore
Robert Loosemore 1816 - 1893
George Loosemore is the oldest child of George and Maria Loosemore
George Loosemore 1846 - 1893
Elizabeth Gertrude Loosemore is the daughter in law of George and Maria Loosemore and was married to their sixth son Thomas Loosemore
Elizabeth Gertrude Loosemore (nee Tucker Zeale) 1869-1927
A recent discovery has led me to add a page telling the story of another of George's sons
William Loosemore 1850 1893
William Loosemore 1850 1893