I am tracing the origins of my GGG grandparents William and Betty Pope. Their son, another William (my GG grandfather), was born in Langport in 1811 and baptised at the parish church there. John (1812), Mary (1815) and George (1819) were also in the records for William and Betty in Langport.
A search for William and Betty’s wedding took me to Combe St Nicholas (approx. 15 miles away from Langport) in January 1809. I couldn’t find an a more plausible option and this would make Betty's maiden name Rogers. Shortly after (December), a son Samuel is baptised. A John Pope was present at the marriage but he seems to sign as a witness in a good number of the records so I don’t know if he is related or just helped out at the church.
I have a good gap between George’s birth in 1819 and census records. In this time, William jnr signs up for the Royal Marines and moves to Plymouth in 1830.
I could not find a good fit for the 1841 census.
In 1851, William (70 from Bickenhall) and Betty Pope (76 from Huish) are present living alone as paupers in Curry Rivell which is just to the west of Langport.
Betty Pope died in June 1858 at the age of 86. She lived in Curry Rivell at the time of her death and is buried at the Curry Rivell churchyard.
In 1861, there is a William Pope (78 from Combe St Nicholas)), a widower and former sawyer who is lodging in Curry Rivell.
I possibly have the right William, who died in March 1870 at the age of 87. His occupation was a sawyer. He lived in Huish Episcopi near Langport at the time of his death and is buried in the local church yard in Huish. I was a bit surprised he was not buried with Betty but maybe his status as a pauper meant this was not possible. There do seem to be a few William Popes in the area.
I'm struggling with the birth and baptism records for Betty and William. If anyone can provide some ideas that would be very helpful thanks!
