Boyce Family
Part 1.1 The Cockington era
There are no records of Boyces at Cockington before John Boyce’s marriage to Eleanor Goad in 1772. They were married by licence on 26 April 1772 at Cockington
The witnesses were Jane Goad (Eelanor’s siter) and Charles Humphery.
We have been unable to find any convincing evidence for John’s ancestors. Presumably they came from nearby and there are Boyce records from Paignton that is less than 4 miles from Cockington but none that appear to relate.
Eleanor Goad was baptised bap 15 Sep 1727 daughter of Thomas Goad and Elizabeth Neild who married on 27 Feb 1719 at Tomorham. For more on the Goad family see Section 1.1
Elanor was 27 years older than John and was 45 when she married. There is no evidence that John and Elanor had any children and after 30year’s of marriage Elennor Boyce wife of John Boyce was buried on 1 July 1802 at Cockington. Just 6 weeks later John Boyce, widower, married Elizabeth Hawkins by licence on 15 Aug1802 at Cockington.
The witnesses were John Hawkins and William Humphrys.
The Devon Heritage Centre record the event as Marriage of John Boyce of Cockington, schoolmaster, widower to Elizabeth Hawkings of Cockington, spinster, 14th August 1802 see here. Elizabeth Hawkins was daughter of John Hawkins a miller of Diptford as see Part1.2
Ex Charles Combs from the Boyce archive
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John Boyce would have been about 56 when he married Elizabeth Hawkins, and she would have been 27. Given a 30-year interval the signatures in the parish marriage register are not dissimilar but the earlier is clearly neater.
1772
1802
However, neither signature is similar to that in John Boyce’s account book that is hard to reconcile. The Johns are relatively consistent, but the Bs and Ys are not.
1776
The difference in the 1776 signature was noted by the Archivist who suggested it might have been of a John Boyce senior
Given John Boyce’s second wife Elizabeth was 46 years younger than his first wife Eleanor it is tempting to assume there were two John Boyces a generation apart so another John Boyce married Eleanor had a son John whose birth around 1775 cannot be found who married twice but whose first marriage cannot be found and whose death is not recorded either. We are left with having to invent him. The evidence points to one John Boyce who firstly married Eleanor Goad and secondly to Elizabeth Hawkings as much more likely despite the age differences. The Boyce Account Book clearly establishes the link between John Boyce and the Goad Family and shows that it was later used by Elizabeth Boyce (nee Hawkings) and her daughter Ann so there is a definite link between John Boyce who married Eleanor Goad and John Boyce who married Elizabeth Hawkings.
The Devon Record Office holds three documents relating to tenancies granted to the Boyces by the Mallock family who owned the Cockington Estate. These establish that John Boyce was a miller who leased land, two water mills and a house in 1779.
A) Ref. 48/13/3/1/114. Creation date: 12 December 1779. 20 George III
Counterpart Reversionary Lease for 99 years determinable as below.
(1) Samuel Mallock of Trusham, clerk.
(2) John Boyce of Cockington, miller.
Messuage, tenement and 2 water Grist Mills called Fulfords* otherwise Herrings… and a dwelling house lying on the other side of the way over against the said messuage and mills, a meadow and 2 little closes of arable land and pasture and 1 piece of land or meadow called Russells Mead and one parcel of land called Fulfords Mead containing 4 acres lying near Chilston (Chelston in 1870s), and lately in the possession of Joan Winsor but now of the said John Boyce.
For life of James Boyce.** Term to commence on deaths of Jane Good and Eleanor Boyce.
Consideration: £31. Rent: 40s. 4d. and 4 harvest days’ work or 2s. 4d.
Herriott: fat capon and best beast or 41s.
*Fulford’s mill survived until 1878, its buildings lying both sides of Old Mill Road. It is recorded as Cockington Mills on the First Edition OS County Series 1:2500
** there is no evidence of a James Boyce, and this may be a mistramscripton.
B) Ref. 48/13/2/2/9 – date: 17th Century?
We present the death of Thomas Goad, and John Boyce and Jane Goad to be taken as tenants in his stead.
These two documents are on thick parchment. I suspect the date of document B) is actually around 1770 and Jane Goad is probably the one who died in 1786 (Jane Goad buried 05/04/1786 at Cockington).
The most significant is the third document and it transpires it was donated by Charles Coombs a direct descendant of John Boyce.
C) Ref. 6128 M/F 1 – date: 1775-1841 See also as NRA 7028 (see A2A National Archives). Account book kept by John Boyce, miller, of Cockington
Scope and Content: John Boyce late became a schoolmaster and moved to Tormoham c.1809. After his death in 1815, the book was used by his wife Elizabeth, and/or his daughter Ann. The accounts include references to leases of property and financial investments, sales of barley and wheat, and of pens, ink, paper and spelling books.
The account book was established by John Boyce the miller who had married Eleanor Goad a few years earlier in Cockington. He died in 1816 and not 1815.
It is a hard covered notebook about 25 x 10cms. At one end there are entries:
Vincent Goad was married September 30 1765
Eleanor Goad was married April 26 1772.
These dates agree exactly with the Cockington Parish Register that show Vinciente Goad married Elizabeth Candish on 30 Sept 1765 and Eleanour Goad married John Boyce on 26 April 1772.
Below this is a list of entries such as: 1781 June 15th cow went to bull; July 1 sow went to boar. At the other end of the book is written: John Boyce his book and further down the page is the date 1776. The account book then gives a series of entries concerning transactions of barley e.g. a quarter bag of barley 2s 6d. These occur every few days to about 1789.
John Boyce is recorded as a freeholder in Cockington in the Devon Freeholders Book for 1799 along with George Ley, Nicholas Browse, John Woodley, John Ashford and Thomas Mudge. He may have moved to Tormoham a few years later and he was buried there in 1816.
John was witness to the will of Thomas Winded in 1812:
In the Name of God Amen I Thomas Winded of Torquay in the parish of Tormohan in the County of Devon Yeoman Considering the uncertainty of this mortal life and being of sound and perfect mind and memory blessings to Almighty God for the same Do make and publish this my last Will and Testament in manner and form following (that is to say) principally and first of all I give and recommend my Soul into the Hand of Almighty God that gave it and my body I recommend to the Earth to be buried in decent Christian Burial at the discretion of my Executrix hereinafter named nothing doubting but at the Year of Resurrection I shall receive the same again by the mighty power of God And as touching such worldly Estate wherewith it has pleased God to bless me in this life I give devise and dispose of the same in the following manner and form First I give to Susan BEDLAKE the daughter of Edward and Susanna BEDLAKE one Bureau Bed and Writing Bureau and Clock Six Silver Tea Spoons Sugar Tongs and Milk Cup Punch Ladle Ten Table Spoons all Silver marked S. B. one Mahogany Dining Table and Tea Table and Tea Chest one large Looking Glass and Swing Glass one Chest of Drawers and a large Chest And lastly as to all the Rest Residue and Remainder of my personal Goods and Chattles of what kind or nature soever I give and bequeath the same to the above Susanna BEDLAKE wife of Edward BEDLAKE Mariner whom I hereby appoint to be Executrix of this my last Will and Testament hereby revoking all former Wills by me made In Witness whereof I have hereunto set my Hand and Seal this fourth day of April in the year of our Lord One Thousand Eight Hundred and Twelve
Signed Sealed and published and declared by the above
Thomas Winded to be his last Will and Testament in the)
. . . have hereunto subscribed our Names as)
John BOYCE
Sam CROCKWELL Junior
The above contains a true Copy of the Original Will of Thomas WINDED late of Torquay deceased the same having been carefully Examined therewith by us
Francis Henry? ) Clerks to Walter Prideaux Deputy Registrar
Nicholas GIDLEY) of the Archdeacons Court Totnes
As it is a copy we cannot see John Boyce’s signature.
It appears that John Boyce’s took over a tenancy from Thomas Goad in Cockington having married Thomas’ daughter Eleanor. Jane Goad, who was to be a co-tenant of John Boyce, was Eleanor’s sister
In the Boyce Account Book, the nature of the entries changes completely after 1794 and they then relate to book and pencils and charges to various individuals (presumably pupils).
William Dashper
Daniel Wadland
John Dashper
Betsy Wadland
John Eales
William Wingett
William Wingett
William Dashper
Daniel Wadland
Eliz. Wadland
John DashperJohn Eales
Edward Burnell
There was a George Wadland who married Elizabeth Bowles 9 Jan 1776 in Cockington (DFHS) and they had several children including Daniel b 1785, Betsey b 1784. These are likely to be two of the children referred to. They also had a son William b 1776 (who married Susanna Dashper 12 Jan 1798 at Cockington DFHS), Richard b 1779, Samuel b 1788 and Mary b 1791.
There is also an item lock for the school door. This suggests the Boyces were involved in school teaching. John would be about 48. However, the marriage certificate of John Boyce’s (b 1804) second marriage to Grace Dunn in 1857 gives his father as a watchmaker and family papers show that the Boyce watch and clock business was established in 1798. If we accept the idea that John Boyce b 1746 first married Eleanor Goad and secondly Elizabeth Hawkings and John b 1804 was son of John Boyce and Elizabeth Hawkings then we have to accept that John senior started as a miller, then became a schoolteacher and finally around 1798 a clockmaker. This seems a strange career progression.
There is a reasonable chance this is where John Boyce lived and ran his school.
The Old School House, Cockington
Finally, there is an account of various domestic items eg china, bedding, cleaning rooms etc and this may be related to Elizabeth setting up as a boarding house. The accounts include at least two receipts of £12 12s from Lady Nelson who was then living in Exmouth. This could relate to Cary Buikdings.
On 5 Feb 1808 John Boyce arranged a lease on 1 Cary Buildings, Torquay with George Cary
For the life of Elizabeth Boyce (age 33), Elizabeth Boyce (age 5) and John Boyce (age 4). See the Devon Heritage Centre 4088M/T/Torquay/C/16/3 and see here . John’s daughter Mary had died in infancy 2 years earlier, but his baby daughter Ann was not mentioned.
A mortgage agreement and a receipt for insurance form the Globe Company indicates that by 1810 John Boyce, schoolmaster, had moved to 1 Cary Buildings Torquay.
Ex Charles Combs
In consideration of a mortgage on the within mentioned premises I the within named John Boyce do agree that this policy shall be for the benefit and interest of John Cowell gentleman of Torquay in the county of Devon so far as related to the better securing of the money and interest thereon lent to one the said John Boyce in case of any loss or damage by fire to the insured premises before the said debt on mortgage is fully satisfied and discharged .
Entered in the office book the ninth day of November 1809
The Cary family was very wealthy and influential and had strong associations with Cockington and Torquay.
Ex Charles Combs
John Boyce died in 1816 was buried Tormoham 9 Feb 1816 aged 70 ex FMP PR,.
He appears to have died intestate. His wife, Elizabeth, administered his estate but remarkably she was only granted the right by the Totnes court in 1833, 17 years after his death (Administration abstract TOT DDR2 IR 26/485 f.81). Such delays are not unknown and usually result from disputes between beneficiaries or difficulty in proving ownership. It appears that the estate was valued at less than £100 and it is difficult to see why there was such a long delay.
The 1841 census shows Elizabeth (Boyce) was living at the Cary Buildings, Torquay as a lodging housekeeper, aged 68 with her daughter Ann, aged 33 and several lodgers. Elizabeth was still living at Cary House as a lodging housekeeper in the 1851 census. She then was aged 76, widowed and her daughter Ann, aged 43, and born in Cockington, was still living with her. The 1851 census gives Elizabeth’s birthplace as Didford ie Diptford, about 12 miles from Torquay.
Elizabeth Boyce died on 13 Aug 1852 having made her will (Devon Record Office Ref. 1078/IRW/B/1281) four years earlier.
I Elizabeth Boyce of Torquay in the county of Devon widow hereby revoking all wills codicils and other testimony dispositions by me at any time heretofore made do declare this only to be and contain my last will and testament. First I direct all my just debts and funeral and testamentary expenses to be fully paid and satisfied by my Executrix hereinafter named as soon as conveniently may be after my decease and after just payments shall have been made I give one third of the residue of all my household goods and furniture chattels and personal estate and effects whatsoever and wheresoever unto my dear son John Boyce his executors administrator and assigns to and for his and their own use and benefit absolutely and I give and bequeath the remaining two thirds of my said household goods and furniture chattels and personal estate and effects unto my dear daughter Ann Boyce her executors administrators and assigns to and for her and her own use and benefit absolutely and I hereby nominate and appoint my said daughter Ann Boyce whole and sole executor of this my last will and testament. In testimony whereof I the said Elizabeth Boyce the testatrix have hereunto set my hand this eleventh day of January in the year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and forty eight.
Elizabeth Boyce Will proved 3 Oct 1854
Ex Charles Combs
Ex Chalres Combs
There is no reference to Elizabeth’s daughter Elizabeth who had married John Perring in 1828 as she had predeceased her mother (died 1828).
Elizabeth Boyce was buried at Tormoham on 19 Aug 1852 aged 78, widow ex FMP PR. Her death was registered at Newton Abbot Sept 1852 5b 98. Her death certificate states she ded of apoplexy (stroke?).
Twenty years after Elizabeth died There is another lease agreement on 1 Cary Buildings dated 23 June 1872 whereby Anne Boyce (age 58), Edmund William John Boyce (age 40), surrender the lease to Thomas Anglel see Devon Heritage Centre Ref 4088M/T/Torquay/C/16/7
Edmund William John Boyce was the grandson of John and Elizabeth. Presumably Anne was Elizabeth’s daughter, the beneficiary of her mother’s estate but she was 65 rather than 58 in 1872. Who occupied the Cary Building between 1842 and 1872 is unknown. Son John had moved to Teignmouth, daughter Elizabeth had predeceased her mother, daughter Anne was not living in Torquay in 1861 or 1871.
In 1871 Thomas Angel retired builder and his wife were living at 1 Cary Lodge
In 1891 Thomas Angle retired builder was loiving at Cary Lodge, 1, Braddons Road West, Tormoham, bit he was not there in 1881
The children of John Boyce and Elizabeth Hawkings
John and Elizabeth had four children born at Cockington:
Elizabeth Boyce born 13 Feb. 1803 and baptised 10 March. – married John Perring on 7 Dec 1828 at Tormorham Parish Church (ex FMP PR). The witnesses were John Boyce and Robert Ash. John Boyce is presumably her brother, but it could be her father.
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John Boyce’s signature the year before in his bible was more refined, perhaps as was appropriate.
Elizabeth Perring was living Park Street, Tormorham in the 1841 census: John 35, tailor and Elizabeth 35 (no children). John Perring had died in 1849 and was buried at Tomorham pn buried 4 Mar 1849, tailor aged 45 ex FMP PR. Elizabeth was not in the 1851 census and given she is not mentioned in her mother’s will in 1848 so it is likely that she had died between 1841 and 1848 and it is probable she was buried at Tormorham on 7 Sep 1845 aged 42, ex FMP PR.
No descendants have been found.
John Boyce born 20 July 1804 and baptised 10th August 1804. Cockington, son of John and Elizabeth. He is covered in Boyce Family, Part 2 Shaldon and East Teigmnouth
ex FMP PR.
Mary Boyce buried 6 May 1806 at Cockington an infant child
Ann Boyce born 5 Apr. 1807 and baptised 29 Apr 1807, Cockingtpn. She was executrix and beneficiary of her mother Elizabeth Boyce’s will. She was still unmarried in the 1851 census and probably remained a spinster. The burial of Ann Boyce of 3 Union Road, Higher Braddons, Ellacombe, Torquay at Torquay cemetery aged 67 is almost certainly her
(registered Dec 1873 Newton Abbot 5b 107 ie born about 1806.
Jottings on my Family History 