Updated May 2024
Elizabeth (Betsy) Berry was baptised on 8th January 1826. Her date of birth hasn’t been confirmed but likely to be late 1825. As a young woman she worked as a farm servant for Henry Moule in Parracombe.
George Moule was Henry’s brother and on the 21st of March 1845 Betsy and George were married. Betsy made her mark – an X – and therefore ‘of age.’ George signed his name on the marriage certificate. He was 33 and noted as a widower.
The couple had several children between 1845 and 1866 and their places of birth show that the couple moved around north-west Devon as George took work on different farms: James born 1845 at Ranscombe, Mary born 1847 at Cherry Bridge, George born 1850 at Hoar Oak Cottage, Henry born 1852 at Ranscombe, John born 1855 at Dene in Lynton, William Berry Moule born 1859 at Dene, Frances Agnes born 1863 at Dene, Helena Bessie born 1866 at Lynton.
The 1851 census records the couple living at Hoar Oak Cottage with George working as an agricultural labourer – perhaps for the Vellacotts at nearby Furzehill with Hoar Oak Cottage as their tied cottage. Son James, aged 5, is described on the 1851 census as a “scholar” which is slightly surprising as it is almost certain that no Hoar Oak child ever travelled from the cottage to school until the 20th century. However, memories from the Vellacott family[1] tell us that around this time John Vellacott, a schoolmaster, ran a school at Folly -a little farm just north of Hoar Oak Cottage. Once schoolmaster at Brendon John’s little school at Folly was, apparently, for the children of farmers working for the Vellacotts, in and around the farms of Furzehill, Ilkerton and Sparhanger. Hoar Oak to Folly would be a manageable walk, in good weather, and it could be that five year old James Moule was attending the little school at Folly in 1851.
Betsy Moule’s mother was Agnes Delbridge Grimshire who had a twin sister, Betsy Delbridge Grimshire, who was married to Richard Lancey. In 1837, Richard and Betsy Lancey were living at Hoar Oak Cottage with their daughter Mary. Richard Lancey was a labourer – it is unclear if he was a general or agricultural labourer – but it is likely he too was employed by the Vellacotts and had Hoar Oak as a tied cottage. More on this link Saunders and Lancey – hoaroak (hoaroakcottage.org) https://hoaroakcottage.org/saunders-and-lancey/ Note: the name Lancey sometimes appears as Launcey.
In the mid-1800s, most Hoar Oak occupants are generally only publicly recorded in census or in church records of births, marriages and deaths – where they are still available. But in 1864 Betsy Moule can be found in a newspaper[2] report, (image below) which tells of an altercation she had with an Ann Berry, said to have launched an unprovoked attack on Betsy. The judge advised them ‘to go home and live peaceably’ and fined Ann Berry 2s 6d plus expenses. The report is of interest, however, as it gives an insight into Betsy’s life. In it we learn that she explained to the magistrate that on the day of the attack she ‘went to a certain pond for some water to cook her husband’s breakfast’ and so we learn that Betsy had no running water in the house and would no doubt have to boil all the pond water used for drinking and cooking. Also, of interest is that Betsy’s assailant is an Ann Berry – which readers may recall is Betsy’s maiden name.
[1] The late Jim and Mabel Vellacott of Bampton, North Devon.
[2] North Devon Journal 7th July 1864. Newspaper image © The British Library Board. All rights reserved. With thanks to The British Newspaper Archive www.britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk.
The 1881 census records the Moule family living at Zephyr Cottages in Lynton. George is a labourer, son John is a blacksmith and daughter Frances is a dressmaker. Betsy is recorded in the census as a shopkeeper. The Trade Directory records show George Moule as the shopkeeper but it may be the Trade Directory preferred to list the man’s name even if his wife was the shopkeeper. We do not know which shop Betsy Moule was keeper of but Lynton was expanding fast in 1881. Old farm sites within the village were being cleared to make way for houses and hotels and shops and the building of the Cliff Railway was underway. There were discussions about building a pier for tourists arriving on paddle steamers and there was a steady influx of tourists and new residents. Betsy may well have kept one of the many new shops being built in Church Hill near the Valley of the Rocks Hotel.
George Moule died in 1889, following a seizure in his garden. He was 77. The 1891 census shows that Betsy is living in Cardiff where four of her children, George, William, James and Frances (now Mrs Oxenham) are all living next door to each other on Penarth Road. By 1901 Betsy was back in Lynton, living in Cross Street as housekeeper to widowed William Lord. She was 77 years old. Also in Cross Street was Betsy’s son, John Moule whose daughter Harriet, a made in the Valley of the Rocks Hotel, was horribly burned and died in an accident involving curling tongs[1]. The inquest completed its inquiries into Betsy’s granddaughter’s death by expressing sympathy to her family but also recording that, ‘in their opinion restrictions should be placed on the sale of methylated spirits’ the fuel used to heat the tongs.
[1] Totnes Weekly Times 22nd September 1900. Newspaper image © The British Library Board. All rights reserved. With thanks to The British Newspaper Archive www.britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk.
Betsy Moule died on 4th April 1908 at Cross Street, Lynton. There is some confusion about her age at death. The original burial record says she is 87 but this has been crossed out and replaced with 77 and the death certificate says 74. Betsy was born before birth certificates were issued but it seems likely she was between 81 and 83 when she died. George and Betsy Moule are buried in Lee Road Cemetery in Lynton.
The chapter on Betsy Moule nee Berry in “The Women of Hoar Oak Cottage – An Untold Story” contains more details about Betsy and her life. To get a copy go to Books4Sale – hoaroak (hoaroakcottage.org) https://hoaroakcottage.org/books4sale/
