Russell Family Part 1

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 back to her 5th Great Grandparents (and my 8th) Robert Garret (b 1634) and Ester Jane Garret (b. 1635 Nee Samways) Robert and Ester lived in Bradford Abbas in Dorset. Robert was buried 1 June 1659.


The family did not move to Somerset until about 1755 when Mary’s great grandfather, Peter Garrett was born in East Chinnock, being baptised 20 February 1755.

On the 4th October 1779, Peter Garret married Alice Reynolds in East Chinnock.


The family continued to live in East Chinnock until Mary’s grandfather moved to Crewkerne in the early 18th century.

Mary’s Mother, Rosanna, had been baptised at St. Bartholomew’s Church Christmas Day, 1808.
Little is known of Mary’s paternal ancestors. Her grandfather William Hutchings. married Hester Dunnell, daughter of Richard Dunnell and Mary Palfry 8th Jun 1797 in Crewkerne.

Mary’s Father was born in Crewkerne in 1798. After their travels to Guernsey, they settled in North Street, Crewkerne. He worked as an agricultural labourer.


It was in North Street that Mary’s other brothers and sisters were born.
      Esther b. 1838.
      Helen b. 1841
      Elizabeth b. 1843
      Emma b. 1843
      Esther b. 1845.

      Thomas b. 1850
      John b. 1851

By 1851 the family had moved from North Street to 12 Hermitage Street Crewkerne.




By 1861, the family had moved out of central Crewkerne a mile away along the Chard Road to the small hamlet of Roundham, where William continued to work as an agricultural labourer.



By 1871 the family had moved back into Crewkerne. William, still working as an agricultural labourer, was living in Lang Lane, just 8 houses up from the top of Hermitage Street.



They continued to live in Lang Lane until their death. Rosanna died in 1877. William continued working as an agricultural labourer into his 80s cared for by his daughter Hester, her illegitimate son, Joseph (b 1876) and my Great Uncle, Joseph Russell, who was living with them in Lang Lane. William himself, died in the Chard Workhouse in 1882.



And so, my great, great grandfather died in the care of the young Workhouse Master, Arthur Grimsey and his Matron Wife, Francis. I trust his ending was peaceful, surrounded as he was by a 100 assorted “paupers”, “lunatics”, “imbeciles” and “idiots”. 6 years later, my great grandfather, Joseph Russell, would die their too.