Stone in Bideford?

[AsH62]

Hi. I am researching an artist called Louisa Thomasine Smith who lived in Topsham, Devon. She was born in 'Stone' Bideford in 1876 and her father, Thomas William Smith was a retired perfumer from London. I have Googled Stone but it just comes up with Stone Farm and that doesn't seem right for a perfumer. Please can anyone tell me anything about Stone, anything at all.
Thank you
Alison

[ShaunJ]

https://maps.nls.uk/view/136630952#zoom=5&lat=1747&lon=6148&layers=BT



https://maps.nls.uk/geo/explore/side-by-side/#zoom=18&lat=51.01266&lon=-4.16528&layers=168&right=ESRIWorld

[AsH62]

Hi ShaunJ

Thank you, it looks from this map as if Stone was just a farm which is puzzling but at least i know
Alison

[Mowsehowse]

I have Googled Stone but it just comes up with Stone Farm and that doesn't seem right for a perfumer. Please can anyone tell me anything about Stone, anything at all.
Thank you
Alison

I have searched Genuki but I can't come up with another place called Stone in North Devon.
Speculative scenario...... Thomas could have been the younger of several sons, and would not inherit anything so he left home to seek his fortune, eventually returning to the family farm after not many siblings left?  ........
Have you looked at the census returns trying to find Thomas, or the residents at the farm?

[AsH62]

Good thinking Mowsowse, I will start looking through census returns
Alison

[Mowsehowse]

Father Thomas, born London. Thomas was 67 when Louisa was born? Possibly his second or subsequent marriage.
Mother Louisa born Grantham, Lincolnshire.
As at 1881 the family have Elizabeth Marsham with them who was born around 1803 in Woodbury Devon.
Suggest this person could be Louisa T's Aunt? or grandmother (?) perhaps having married more than once?  Woodbury is in East Devon, but at least here is a Devon connection to ponder. 
ADDED: The census says she is a Lodger, and she may have been unrelated, with her rent helping swell the coffers, but I would bet some sort of familial relationship.
Topsham museum has a lively family history section, and you might get some help there if you make an enquiry.

This all makes nonsense of my speculation in previous post, except that looking at the census returns can be very helpful, and lateral thinking around a conundrum throws up questions to work on.

[AsH62]

A Devon connection, brilliant, there is so much to unpick here. The populations of Woodbury and Topsham are always mixing because it is only a four mile divide.

I know that Thomas was married before and I got his will to see if he left anything to former children but they are not mentioned if they ever existed. Thomas died in Topsham but is not buried there unlike his wife, daughter and daughter's friend/partner.
I will start to Look into Elizabeth Marsham, for some reason I hadn't considered her and so am very grateful to you casting a fresh eye over my problem.
Thank you
Alison

[ShaunJ]

The Smiths seem to have been well known in the area, judging by this rather terse birth announcement in the North Devon Journal (23 March 1876):

March 19, at Stone, near Bideford, Mrs. Smith, of a daughter

Is there any connection to the Stapledon family who owned the Stone estate? Miss Mary Stapledon, the residuary legatee of Richard Stapledon, seems to have been still resident at Stone Farm in 1875.

[Daisypetal]

Hi,

I think this could possibly be the Bideford connection. Through Louisa Thomasine's maternal grandmother,


Marriage
04 Sep 1834
All Saints, Leamington Priors, Warwickshire

William ARMES
Frances CHAPPELL

Both of this parish.
By Licence



Birth
Louisa Jane ARMES    Jun Q 1839    Grantham    14  371
mmn:  CHAPPEL 


Baptism
09 April 1839,  Grantham, Lincolnshire
Louisa Jane daughter of Wm and Frances ARMES, Grantham, Gent



Burial
William ARMES
07 Jun 1839,  St Wulfram, Grantham
Age:  63



1841    Grantham, Lincolnshire
South Terrace

Frances ARMES    40    Ind    Y
Louisa        "            2              Y



Marriage
Frances ARMES    Sep Q 1847    Grantham,  Lincolnshire    14  573   
John BARFETT


North Devon Journal 16 September 1847
Marriages
At the Indepenent Chapel, Grantham on the 14th inst. By the Rev.H.L.ADAMS of Newark, the Rev. John BARFETT to Mrs ARMES of Wellington St. Leamington and of South Terrace Grantham.



1851  Ware, Hertfordshire
Musley Villas, in Bourne Hill

John BARFETT    Head    50    Independent minister High St Chapel??y    Bideford Devon
Frances                 Wife    47     Independent House Property              Newmarket, Cambridgeshire
Sarah SMITH    Servant    2?    Cook             Ware Herts



1851 Cheshunt, Hertfordshire
Waltham

Thomas   HILL    Head    34    Independent minister of cross brook chapel    St Leonards,
Mary Ann     "        Wife    34      Superintendent ladies school   Camberwell, Surrey
Louisa Jane ARMES        11   Pupil    Grantham, Lincolnshire
+ many more people


I lose Louisa Jane ARMES after this until her marriage in 1874 to Thomas William SMITH.



So at the end of this very long post, it seems that Louisa Thomasine SMITH's mother Louisa Jane ARMES had a step-father John BARFETT who was born in Bideford 


Regards,
Daisy