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Russell Family Part 1

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My Father’s maternal grandmother, Mary Russell was the matriarch of the family who lived through the great family migration from rural Somerset to the great Metropolis of London. Mary’s parents were William and Rosanna (Nee Garrett) Hutchings. They had been married at St. Bartholomew’s church Crewkerne, 28th May 1825. Unable to write their name, they simply signed the register with an “X”, At some point after William and Rosanna were married, they went to live in the Channel Islands, just off the coast of France. Mary was born in Guernsey in 1834. Her younger brother William, was also born in Guernsey. However, after each birth, the family returned to Crewkerne to have their children baptised. Mary was baptised at St. Bartholomew’s on the 31st August 1934. William was born 13 April 1836 in Guernsey, but Christened in Crewkerne 9th July 1836. It seems that the family then settled in Crewkerne. Through Mary’s mother, Rosanna, It is possible to trace Mary’s Ancestry bac
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Russell Family Part 2

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On the 5 th September 1859, my Great Grandmother, Mary Hutching married Joseph Russell at St. Bartholomew’s church, Crewkerne. Joseph was the grandson of William Russell. Nothing is known of William’s ancestry except that he was born in Somerset C 1771 and that he was married to a Sarah Jane. They were living in Crewkerne when their eldest son was born in 1801 They first appear in official records in 1841. By now Williams was aged 71, but still working as a farm labourer. Their children had all left home and William and Sarah were living in the first house in Curriott Hill, Crewkerne. Sarah passed away aged 67, 8 th November 1843. 8 years later, at the ripe old age of 80, on the10 th February 1851, William died in Chard Union Workhouse: a   home for an assortment of 100 “paupers”, “lunatics”, “imbeciles” and “idiots”. William and Sarah were blessed with 5 children.   Harry was born in 1803 followed by Elizabeth and Mary in 1805. Their third daughter Ann was
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Russell Family Part 3

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On the 5 Sep 1859 my great grandparents Mary Hutchings were married St Bartholomew’s Church in Crewkerne. The newlyweds set up home together at “Witherleaze” A collection of houses on Folly Farm. It was here that Joseph worked as an Agricultural Labourer. 7 of their children were born here. By 1871, Joseph had changed jobs and was now living and working at Lodge Farm, Crewkerne. His job title is more specific and he is employed as a “Carter”. I.e. he drove a horse and cart. It was here that two more children were born. My great Uncle Tom and my grandmother, Sarah. With both parents aged 40, Sarah was to become the youngest in the family. By 1881 Joseph and Mary at back at Witherleaze, Folly Farm. Living and working alongside Joseph’s Brother William. In 1884, when my grandmother was just 10, her father passed away. He became the 4 th  member of my family to die in Chard workhouse: a home for an assortment of 100 “paupers”, “lunatics”, “imbeciles” and “idiots”
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Russell Family Part 4

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My Great grandmother, Mary was left a widow aged just 50. She continued to live at Witherleigh / Folly farm for the next few months. Having lost her husband, tragedy struck again and on the 9th January 1885 her 16 year old daughter, Rosa, died. It was soon after this that Mary left the farmhand’s cottage at Folly Farm and moved back into Crewkerne to Oxen Lane, where her in-laws had live those many years before. Mary, together with her sons, Williams, Samuel & Tom, and my grandmother Sarah, lived in the last house at the Middle Lane end of Oxen Lane. Mary, now a widow was forced to find employment. This came in the form of being a char lady, cleaning other people’s homes. It was during this period that Mary’s children were flying the nest and making their way in the world. It was my great Uncle Joseph who led the Russell exodus from Crewkerne, along the recently completed London and South Western Railway to London to found a Russell enclave around Vauxhal
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