KNAPMAN, Frederick & Mary to Australia 1885

[RobynD]

My g.grandparents, Frederick and Mary Knapman (nee Milton) left their farm "Tollards Farm". Heavitree, Exeter,  in 1886 to come to Sydney with their  8 children.  However, according to the UK 1881 Census, he was a farmer of 180 acres, employing 5 men and 2 boys plus a house servant.
This would appear to make them  "reasonably" comfortable off for those days. ??  Apparently the house, which was of 2 stories with an outside staircase, no longer exists and a motorway now goes through the farm.
I am wondering what would  cause my g.grandparents to leave their home and the area in which their ancestors had lived for generations.
Was their some economic farming  downturn at that time or "plague" or similar  - I guess I am trying to find  possible reasons for their leaving.   If anyone has knowledge of the area and conditions of the times, I would be very appreciate  your ideas and thoughts.
With thanks
RobynD - in rural NSW - not far from where their son, Frederick settled in 1888   

[Nimrod58]

Hi

This link is to the Heavitree local history society, who might be able to help with general info about the area.

http://beehive.thisisexeter.co.uk/default.asp?WCI=SiteHome&ID=9173&PageID=50731

Heavitree once extended from Countess Wear to Livery Dole in Exeter, the site of the executions.  The Countess Wear/Topsham Road area has been developed over the years but one road in the locality is named Tollards Road.  I will see if I can look out a plan from 1880 to see whether Tollards Farm was nearby.

Kind regards

H

[Nimrod58]

Hi

I have found a plan showing Tollards Farm and surrounding area.  If you give me your email address I will send a copy and one of the current area.

Kind regards

H

[RobynD]

Mrs. H - thank you so much for your search, and actually finding a map of Tollards Farm.  This is exciting for me, to now be able to see where my grandfather was born in 1874  and lived until he and his siblings and parents came to Australia in 1885.  My mother always said her father (my grandfather Thomas Milton Knapman) was known as "Master Tom" in the village and his father Frederick was the Village Squire.  Like all family anecdotes, one always wonders if there has been some exaggeration over the years - and makes one want to search for more specific family details.  So to see a map of the farm would be wonderful.  Thank you also for the link to the Heavitree History Society and the background of the area.  I will certainly follow that up.
My direct email address is: 

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With thanks again and best wishes
RobynD

[581hilary]

Hi Robyn,
I am interested in story about Frederick and Mary. Do you have any more information about Frederick as I have a frederick in my family tree but no information other than he was born around 1860 in Devon. Most of my family descend from the Stoke gabriel, Berry Pomeroy and Paignton areas of Devon.

Can you help

Hilary

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[arishmell]

I wonder if your Knapmans are connected to mine?  My first cousin 6x removed, Mary Ann Waycott (b. Moretonhampstead 1801) married a John Knapman and one of their 9 children was William Knapman b.1830 who emigrated to Australia in 1860 and started the W.Knapman & Son Brewery in Port Adelaide, S. Australia. So your Knapmans may have had relatives already there, although I note they are in different states.

By 1886 the Industrial Revolution had had an enormous effect on farming.  Steam powered machines were doing the work of labourers.  At the same time, people were flocking to the towns and there was pressure on agricultural land for building homes, mills and factories.  This would have been especially true of the location you are talking about, very close to Exeter.  Australia by this time was relatively 'civilised' and offered enormous opportunities to acquire vast acreages of land at very little cost.  For a man with sons impatient to strike out into the world, it must have been very tempting.

[581hilary]

Not sure about this. I have several Williams as well as Johns. Can you be a bit more specifice about dates and birthplaces. Some of my ancestors did emigrate but not sure if it was any of the Williams. I did however find a John who married a Mary(surname unknown) but they did not have a son, William.

Best Wishes

Hilary

[arishmell]

John KNAPMAN married Mary Ann WAYCOTT 5 November 1822 in Bridford, west of Exeter.  They had the following children, all born in the Bridford/Dunsford area:

Mary Ann KNAPMAN (1822- )
James KNAPMAN (1825- )
John KNAPMAN (1828- )
William KNAPMAN (1830- )
Susanna Waycott KNAPMAN (1833- )
Samuel KNAPMAN (1835- )
George KNAPMAN (1838- )
Sarah KNAPMAN (1841- )
Maria KNAPMAN (1843- )


William Knapman (the one who went to Australia and started a brewery) was born 4 Dec 1830 in Dunsford, Devonshire, England and died 24 Jun 1908 in Port Adelaide, South Australia, Australia at age 77.

William married Charlotte Bowden about 1 Jan 1853. Charlotte was born about 1 Jan 1834 and died 30 May 1892 in Port Pirie, South Australia, Australia about age 58.

Children from this marriage were:

Mary Elizabeth Knapman born 18 Aug 1854 in Adelaide, South Australia, Australia.
   
William Henry Knapman born 3 Jun 1856 in Lefevre Peninsula, South Australia, Australia and died 24 Jul 1900 in Exeter, South Australia, Australia at age 44.

I don't know any more about John Knapman but he may well have had siblings in the Exeter area.  I have more details about the Australian family though.

Regards,
Maureen

[581hilary]

Hi Maureen,

I've got a feeling that there isn't a link to my family. However, I will keep searching and if  do find out anymore I'll let you know

Happy Hunting

Hilary