Person:Susannah Greenslade (1)

Watchers
Susannah Greenslade
  • HWilliam May1811 - 1890
  • WSusannah GreensladeAbt 1801 - 1879
m. 26 Oct 1829
  1. Robert May1829 - 1912
  2. Ann May1832 - 1888
  3. William May1835 - 1913
  4. Elizabeth May1838 - 1883
  5. Emma May1842 - 1924
Facts and Events
Name Susannah Greenslade
Gender Female
Birth[2][3][4] Abt 1801 Shobrooke, Devon, England
Marriage 26 Oct 1829 Cullompton, Devon, EnglandSt Andrew
to William May
Census[1] 6 Jun 1841 Cullompton, Devon, EnglandKnowle
Census[2] 30 Mar 1851 Halberton, Devon, EnglandHigher Ford
Census[3] 7 Apr 1861 Tiverton, Devon, EnglandEast Barton
Census[4] 2 Apr 1871 Cadeleigh, Devon, EnglandMill, Little Silver
Death[5] 23 Aug 1879 Tiverton, Devon, EnglandYearlstone

Origins

Susannah Greenslade's origins have yet to be established. As an adult she consistently claimed to have been born in about 1801 at Shobrooke in Devon. It is quite possible therefore that she was the one baptised there on 8th February 1801. However, the evidence found to date is inconclusive - in particular there was a Susannah Greenslade who died in 1826 who is hard to identify - see further discussion on the page for the Susannah Greenslade baptised in 1801.

Adulthood

Susannah's first confirmed sighting is on 26th October 1829 at Cullompton in Devon to William May, a dairyman. After their marriage they initially moved back to her native Shobrooke, where their eldest son, Robert, was born and baptised. They then moved about ten miles east of Shobrooke to Bradninch, where they lived at a place called Downhead Farm. They had another three children born whilst living at Bradninch; Ann in 1832, William in 1835 and Elizabeth in 1838. Some time between 1838 and 1841 they moved to Knowle in the neighbouring parish of Cullompton, where they had a daughter named Emma in about 1841. William worked as a husbandman and dairyman. They appear to have regularly moved around the villages of mid Devon, and generally lived in isolated farms and hamlets rather than in the villages or towns. By 1851 they were living at Higher Ford in the parish of Halberton.

In 1859 Susannah's eldest son Robert was married in Plymouth, and her first known grandchild was born the following year. her daughter Ann and son William also married and started having children in the early 1860s. The 1861 census finds Susannah and William living at East Barton in the parish of Tiverton.

By 1871 Susannah and William were living at the Mill in the hamlet of Little Silver in the parish of Cadeleigh. On this occasion William was described as a farmer of 25 acres. Their daughter Emma in 1871 was working as a domestic servant in London. She died in London in 1872, aged about 30. Their daughter Elizabeth married in 1872 at Silverton.

Susannah died on 23rd August 1879 at Yearlstone in the parish of Tiverton, not far from East Barton where they had been living in 1861. She was in her late 70s or 80s. William survived her by just over ten years, and went to live first with their youngest surviving daughter Elizabeth and her family, and after her death in 1883 with he went to live with their son William, who lived in the same street in Plymouth as their son Robert.

References
  1. England. 1841 Census Schedules for England and Wales, Isle of Man and the Channel Islands. (
    Kew, Richmond, Greater London TW9 4DU, United Kingdom:
    The National Archives (abbreviated TNA), formerly the UK General Register Office.)
    Class HO107; Piece 225; Book 6; Folio 7; Page 9, 6 Jun 1841.

    Address: Knowle, Cullompton, Devon
    William May, male, 25 [1811-16], Ag lab, b. in county
    Susan May, female, 35 [1801-06], b. in county
    Ann May, female, 7 [1833/4], b. in county
    William May, male, 5 [1835/6], b. in county
    Elizabeth May, female, 3 [1837/8], b. in county

  2. 2.0 2.1 England. 1851 Census Returns for England and Wales. (
    Kew, Richmond, Greater London TW9 4DU, United Kingdom:
    The National Archives (abbreviated TNA), formerly the UK General Register Office.)
    Class HO107; Piece 1888; Folio 545; Page 9, 30 Mar 1851.

    Address: Higher Ford, Halberton, Devon
    William May, head, married, male, 40 [1810/1], Dairyman, b. Templeton, Devon
    Susanna May, wife, married, female, 50 [1800/1], b. Shobrook, Devon
    Elizabeth May, daughter, female, 14 [1836/7], Scholar, b. Bradninch, Devon
    Amy May, daughter, female, 9 [1841/2], Scholar, b. Cullompton, Devon

  3. 3.0 3.1 England. 1861 Census Schedules for England and Wales, Isle of Man and the Channel Islands. (
    Kew, Richmond, Greater London TW9 4DU, United Kingdom:
    The National Archives (abbreviated TNA), formerly the UK General Register Office.)
    Class RG9; Piece 1480; Folio 85; Page 17, 7 Apr 1861.

    Address: East Barton, Tiverton, Devon
    William May, head, married, male, 50 [1810/1], Dairyman, b. Templeton, Devon
    Susanah May, wife, married, female, 61 [1799/1800], b. Showbrook, Devon
    Emma May, daughter, unmarried, female, 20 [1840/1], b. Cullompton, Devon
    Elizabeth May, visitor, unmarried, female, 23 [1837/8], Dress maker, b. Bradninch, Devon

  4. 4.0 4.1 England. England and Wales. 1871 Census Schedules. (
    Kew, Richmond, Greater London TW9 4DU, United Kingdom:
    The National Archives (abbreviated TNA), formerly the UK General Register Office.)
    Class RG10; Piece 2166; Folio 58; Page 13, 2 Apr 1871.

    Address: Mill, Little Silver, Cadeleigh, Devon
    William May, head, married, male, 61 [1809/10], Farmer of 25 acres employing 1 man occasionally, b. Templeton, Devon
    Susan May, wife, married, female, 76 [1894/5], b. Shobrooke, Devon
    Mary Ridler, servant, widow, female, 50 [1820/1], General servant, b. Templeton, Devon

  5. Death certificate, in General Register Office. England and Wales Civil Registration. (London: General Register Office).
    Registration District Tiverton
    1879 Death in the Sub-district of Tiverton in the County of Devon
    No.When and where diedName and surnameSexAgeOccupationCause of deathSignature, description and residence of informantWhen registeredSignature of registrar
    87Twenty third August 1879
    Yearlstone
    Tiverton
    Susan Mayfemale86 years [1792/3]Wife of William May
    Dairyman
    Debility from Age
    Certified by John Reddness MRCS LSA
    X The mark of William May
    Widower of deceased
    Yearlstone
    Tiverton
    Twenty sixth August 1879Arthur Cruwys Sharland
    Registrar