The Other Shepard Children
When the Census was taken in April 1891 Reginald Shepard was five years old and living in West Stafford (4 miles East of Dorchester) where his father was a Dairyman. Two months later on 11th June1891 his mother died, at the young age of 35, leaving six children the youngest of whom was only three months old. he had two older brothers Jack (John Wesley Barter1880) and Arthur (Marmaduke Arthur 1881), two older sisters Ethel (Florence Ethel 1882) and Mabel (Mabel Ann 1885) and a younger sister Kit (Sabina Kate 1891). After his mothers death it is probable that the family moved to Stratton (three miles North West of Dorchester), where other members of the Shepard family were living. Just over a year later his father died in Stratton on 19th August 1892 aged 49 from Tuberculosis. Reginald was then six years old and an orphan as were his five brothers and sisters. Their father’s brother Amos had only one child and he and his wife brought up the three boys in Stratton which is where two of them were in 1901.
The three girls were brought up in Ottery St. Mary, Devon by Henry and Sarah Davis who was a Baptist Minister and is believed to have run a school. To date research has not proved whether either of them is related to the Shepards although there are strong indications that religion, in particular non-conformist faiths, provided the link.
Nothing is known of my grandfather’s upbringing although his daughter Doreen says that she heard her father had a ‘falling out’ with his uncle when he was 15 and left his house. He probably left school at 14, as most children did in those days, but the only clue to his early employment is a card sent to his sister Mabel in Feb.1908 from 19, Ranelagh Grove, Buckingham Palace Road, London in which he says, ‘I suppose you will be surprised to know I am here for three weeks learning the motor work.’ Another undated card sent to his future wife at 20, Monmouth Road, Dorchester says, ‘I have had two days at the garage. It is like going to school it is hard work. I went down Piccadilly this dinner hour.’ The picture on the card is of Burlington House, Piccadilly so the garage must have been fairly close by.
The three girls were brought up in Ottery St. Mary, Devon by Henry and Sarah Davis who was a Baptist Minister and is believed to have run a school. To date research has not proved whether either of them is related to the Shepards although there are strong indications that religion, in particular non-conformist faiths, provided the link.
Nothing is known of my grandfather’s upbringing although his daughter Doreen says that she heard her father had a ‘falling out’ with his uncle when he was 15 and left his house. He probably left school at 14, as most children did in those days, but the only clue to his early employment is a card sent to his sister Mabel in Feb.1908 from 19, Ranelagh Grove, Buckingham Palace Road, London in which he says, ‘I suppose you will be surprised to know I am here for three weeks learning the motor work.’ Another undated card sent to his future wife at 20, Monmouth Road, Dorchester says, ‘I have had two days at the garage. It is like going to school it is hard work. I went down Piccadilly this dinner hour.’ The picture on the card is of Burlington House, Piccadilly so the garage must have been fairly close by.
The quote above is from Nigel's research and I am pleased that since this was written I have been able to produce evidence of the relationship between the Davis and Shepard families which goes some way to explaining why the girls were relocated to Devon following their fathers death