I am satisfied that this pair are/were my g-g-g-grandparents, after marrying in St.Andrew's church, Plymouth, which seems to have specialised in naval marriages. They came from neighbouring villages in mid-Somerset and may have been childhood sweethearts, for her to have made what would have been a longish trip to Plymouth (she was baptised in 1782).
The first child I have found for them appeared in 1814, when Thomas was still a 'seaman', and possibly still serving at sea. Four years later my direct ancestor Ann was born, and Thomas has become a blacksmith in the next hamlet, where there seems to be another - possibly a cousin - of the same name. Their last child was born in 1820 when Thomas had settled in Alford as an 'ag.lab', which he remained.
Sophia died aged 55 in late 1837 ('husband a labourer'), and two years later Ann married James Allwood/Allard (both parents still unable to sign). In 1843 Thomas married his recently-widowed neighbour, where he appears in 1851. He died in 1857, and is recorded not as an ag.lab, but a Greenwich Pensioner, confirming his naval identity.
I have had no joy searching for his Marines history - can anyone suggest a pointer?
