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Mary Guy

MARY GUY (my maternal great- great- great grandmother)

Born 1822 St Kew Cornwall.

Her parents Thomas Guy (bap 7 Mar 1798, Padstow), occ Sailor and Jane Webber.

They were married 4th Dec 1819, St Kew Cornwall.

Thomas parents were William Guy and Mary Gard, they married 29th Nov 1789.

St Kew is a village in Cornwall. It is the name of the civil parish which includes the church town St Kew and nearby St Kew Highway. There is a 15th century church St James the Great. Nearby there are the hamlets of Trewethern, Trequite and Trelill.

Padstow is a town, civil parish, fishing port, on the west bank of the River Camel.

Ten miles north west of Bodmin.

During the mid 19th century ships from Canada (Quebec City ) carried timber to Padstow.

It was also a means of cheap travel for those in Cornwall who wished to emigrate to Canada.

 

On 20th December 1846 Mary gave birth to a base born son (illegitimate), John Webber Guy

District Bodmin Cornwall, Vol 9, page 33, name of parent Guy.

He was baptised John Webber Guy, 29th December 1846, mother Mary Guy. He was always called Isaac.

The 6th April 1850 Mary age 28 spinster is married to William Pryor (Prior) age 68, Widower, occ Husbandman. Both living at St Kew.

The wedding was at the Register Office, District of Bodmin, County of Cornwall.

Witness  Richard Standlake (Greenwich Pensioner) and Elizabeth Webber Guy.

District Bodmin, County Cornwall, Vol 9, page 59.

Williams is forty years older than Mary.

The 1851 census shows that William Prior b 1781, age 70, occ Ag Lab.

Mary Prior b 1822 ,age 29.

Isaac Guy b 1843? age 8.

Jane Guy b 1800, occ Nurse, lodger, widow.

They are living in the parish of St Kew.

The registration district of Bodmin.

1851 Mary gives birth to a son Reubin Prior. Baptised 22nd July in Chapel Amble, parents William and Mary Prior.

Why did Mary marry a man so much older than herself?

Her illegitimate child Isaac was four years old when she married.

Chapel Amble is a picturesque village 3 miles from Wadebridge, North Cornwall. There are a number of quaint cottages and a pub The Maltsters Arms. The River Amble runs through the village to join the River Camel. Past times barges sailed up to Amble.

The 1861 census shows that Mary is living with her mother.

Jane Guy age 62, occ Nurse.

Mary Prior age 37.

Reubin Prior age 9.

Jane and Mary are both widows.

They are still living at Amble, the parish of St Kew, registration district Bodmin. The house or cottage is situated between the public house and the grocers shop.

Mary's son Isaac, b 1846, age 15 would have left home to work.

In 1866 Isaac Guy married Annie Hornabrook, They marry in the parish church Padstow on the 10th May. Isaac occ Sailor (father Isaac Guy, occ Farmer?)

The 1871 census shows Mary Prior, age 47, occ Shopkeeper.

Reubin Prior, age 19, occ Sailor.

Living at Amble(Chapel Amble).

The parish of St Kew.

Registration district Bodmin.

The census in 1871 shows that Mary's son Isaac and his wife Annie live at Padstow.

 Annie is shown as a Merchant Seaman's wife. They have one son William John Guy b 1869.

Baptised William John Webber Guy, 25th August 1869, Padstow, Cornwall, England, Parents Isaac and Annie Guy.

Later that year 1871 a second son was born Thomas Guy.

Baptised 13 Jan 1872, Padstow.

So Mary had two grandsons and they did not live too far away.

1874 Isaac and Annie had a daughter Alice Jane, baptised 2 Sep 1874, Padstow. Mary now had three grandchildren.

On the 21 Dec 1873 Reubin Prior married Louisa Rabey in Padstow.

They eventually had four children, Janine, Reubin, Louisa and Marion.

 Mary had in total seven grandchildren.

Mary had an illegitimate child.

Married a man forty years older than herself.

Gave birth to a second son.

Became a shopkeeper.

Had two daughter-in-laws and seven grandchildren.

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