Person:William Scriven (7)

William Scriven claimed to have been born around 1804 at Crewkerne in Somerset, son of a labourer and gardener named Joseph Scriven. However, William's first confirmed sighting is not until 4th November 1828, when he was married at Crewkerne to Elizabeth Prince. They appear to have had at least two children together. Elizabeth died in 1839.

Later that year, William married again, with his second wife being Mary Hutchings. She was from Crewkerne, but they married about twelve miles to the south at Allington in Dorset. After their marriage they returned to Crewkerne, where they appear in the 1841 census living at West Street, with William working as a shoemaker. William and Mary had two children together, but in 1844 both the younger child and Mary died, leaving William a widower for a second time.

In 1850, William married for a third time. His third wife was a widow called Mary Jeans, formerly Hart. She appears to have been nearly 20 years his senior. William described himself as an innkeeper on their marriage licence. They married at South Petherton, where they also appear in the 1851 census. William's three surviving children were back in Crewkerne living at the Castle Inn with an Anna Scriven, who was presumably a relative.

By 1861 William had returned to Crewkerne and was the innkeeper at the Castle Inn on West Street. His wife Mary was not listed at the Castle Inn on census night, but she was very close by, working as a housekeeper at Goulds Barton, which practically backed onto the Castle Inn. In 1871 William was still living on West Street, but now described as a retired innkeeper. Again, Mary was nearby, living in a different house on West Street.

William died on 8th November 1878 in Crewkerne. He was probably in his mid 70s. Mary died a few months later, in March 1879. William left a will, for which his son Joseph acted as executor, proving the will the week after his stepmother's burial.

1.   .

   The Crewkerne parish registers include a number of children of Joseph and Ann Scriven baptised around the first decade of the 1800s, but there is no obvious baptism of a William. However, there is a gap in Joseph and Ann's children between 1803 and 1807 which roughly coincides with when William claimed to be born.

2. ↑ 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 940; Book 3; Folio 45; Page 23, 6 Jun 1841.

   Address: West Street, Crewkerne, Somerset
   William Scriven, male, 35 [1801-6], Shoe M., born in county
   Mary Scriven, female, 35 [1801-6], born in county
   Eliza Scriven, 6 [1834/5], born in county
   Joseph Scriven, male, 4 [1836/7], born in county
   Mary Scriven, female, 2 [1838/9], born in county
   Adolphus Scriven, male, 3m [1841], born in county
   Hannah Scriven, female, 50 [1786-91], born in county
   George Newberry, male, 20 [1816-21], Harness maker, born in county
   Mary Hutchings, female, 8 [1832/3], born in county

3. ↑ ^3.0 3.1 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 1929; Folio 298; Page 4, 30 Mar 1851.

   Address: Droveway, South Petherton, Somerset
   William Scriven, head, married, male, 47 [1803/4], Shoemaker, b. Crewkerne, Somerset
   Mary Scriven, wife, married, female, 59 [1791/2], b. Martock, Somerset

4. ↑ ^4.0 4.1 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 1637; Folio 71; Page 2, 7 Apr 1861.

   Address: Castle Inn, West Street
   William Scriven, head, married, male, 56 [1804/5], Innkeeper, b. Crewkerne, Somerset
   Joseph Scriven, son, unmarried, male, 25 [1835/6], Butcher, b. Crewkerne, Somerset
   Adolphus Scriven, son, unmarried, male, 20 [1840/1], Cooper, b. Crewkerne, Somerset

5. ↑ ^5.0 5.1 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 2407; Folio 81; Page 4, 2 Apr 1871.

   Address: West Street, Crewkerne, Somerset
   William Scriven, head, married, male, 66 [1804/5], Retired Inn keeper, b. Crewkerne, Somerset
   Elizabeth Webb, servant, unmarried, female, 43 [1827/3], General Serv[ant], b. Crewkerne, Somerset

6. ↑ Deaths index, in General Register Office. England and Wales Civil Registration. (London: General Register Office).

   d. William SCRIVEN, December Quarter 1878, Chard Registration District, Volume 5c, page 309, aged 75 [1802/3]

7. ↑ England. National Probate Calendar (Index of Wills and Administrations),1858 onwards. (Ancestry.com).

   1879
   SCRIVEN William.
   Personal Estate under £300.
   25 March. The Will of William Scriven late of Crewkerne in the County of Somerset Cordwainer who died 8 November 1878 at Crewkerne was proved at Taunton by Joseph Scriven of Crewkerne Butcher the Son the sole Executor.

8.   Diocese of Bath and Wells.
   On the twenty sixth Day of April 1850.
   Appeared personally William Scriven of Crewkerne in the County of Somerset, Innkeeper, a Widower of the age of 21 years & upwards and prayed a Licence for the Solemnization of Matrimony, in the Parish Church of South Petherton in the County Somerset and Diocese of Bath and Wells, between him nad Mary Jeanes of the Parish of South Petherton in the County of Somerset, a Widow of the age of 21 years & upwards and made Oath that he believeth that there is no Impediment of Kindred or Alliance, or of any other lawful Cause nor any suit commenced in any Ecclesiastical Court, to bar or hinder the Proceeding of the said Matrimony, according to the Tenor of such Licence. And he further made Oath, that she hath had her usual Place of Abode within the Parish of South Petherton aforesaid, for the space of Fifteen Days last past.
   William Scriven
   Sworn on the same day before me} Charles Penny, Surrogate