Thomas Brinsmead and Emily Cock
Thomas and Emily Brinsmead's gravestone in St. Giles in the Wood Churchyard
Thomas and Emily Brinsmead were the last family carrying the Brinsmead name in St. Giles in the Wood. They both died in the parish. Their children left and scattered throughout England, Canada and Australia.
In 1841, Thomas and Emily lived in St. Giles in the Wood Village right next to Thomas' mother and father. Rachel was 6 at the time, and Henry one. Thomas' occupation is listed as a machine maker. He has an apprentice, William Tout aged 17. Fanny Cock, presumably Emily's young sister (age 12) lived with them as a servant.
In 1851, Thomas is listed as a Machine Maker and Miller. Rachel, age 16 is at home with no listed occupation. Henry (age 11) Fanny (age 8) and Thomas James (age 6) are all shown as scholars. Also present is John Clarke, 21, a machine maker and visitor, along with Edwin Folland servant and John Nance Kievill apprentice, both machine makers.
By 1861, Rachel had left home, having married Thomas Williams and moved to Ipswich. Thomas and Emily still live in the village with Henry, Fanny and Thomas. Henry worked with his father as a machinist, along with one other man and three boys. By 1871, things had changed considerably. Daughter Fanny was still unmarried, but away visiting friends in nearby Buckland Brewer. Henry had married, had two young daughters, Bernice (4) and Mary (2), but then lost his wife. Rachel too had lost her husband and returned from Ipswich to live with her parents along with her daughter Emily and two sons Arthur and Hadley.
By 1881, Thomas (age 77) is listed as a retired civil engineer. Daughter Rachel (age 43) is living with her father and mother although her children are no longer with her, having left for Canada. Daughter Fanny (age 35) is now married and generally living in Exeter as the wife of John Stockham but on census day is listed as a visitor along with her daughter Florence (age 3).
Rachel Brinsmead, born August 4th, 1834
Rachel Brinsmead married Thomas Williams in 1859, and moved to Ipswich, where he worked as Secretary to the owner of Ransoms & Sims, the agricultural instrument firm. However, Mr. Williams died at a young age, and Rachel moved back with her three young children to St. Giles in the Wood to live with her parents. Her two sons, Hadley and Alfred subsequently emigrated to London, Ontario, Canada. Late in life, Rachel joined them there, along with her daughter and their sister Emily. We believe that Hadley, then a medical student, returned to England to get them, and that all three sailed for Canada on the SS Corean arriving in Quebec City on May 14th, 1885.
Henry Brinsmead, born April 24th, 1839
Henry married Mary Penhorwood in 1866. They had two daughters, one in 1867 and the other in 1868. Mary appears to have died from the second childbirth. Soon after, Henry left St. Giles in the Wood and emigrated to London, Ontario, Canada where he remarried.
Fanny Brinsmead, born in 1843
Fanny Brinsmead moved to Exeter where she married John Stockham in 1872. They had two children and began the family line which, to this day, use the surname Brinsmead-Stockham.
Harriet Brinsmead, born in 1843
We know little about Harriet Brinsmead. If we have the birth records correct, and Harriet was indeed the twin of Fanny, it may be that she died soon after birth because she is not present for the 1851 census.
Thomas James Brinsmead, born about 1845.
Thomas James Brinsmead married Harriet Pyrke in Lambeth, London, in 1878. He spent several years in Paris. Eventually they emigrated to the Melbourne area of Australia where he owned several pharmacies. Later he moved into Gipsland and became a local magistrate. Thomas died in Australia in Fitzroy South, Melbourne in 1916.