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Salcombe baptisms

Posted by Paul Jackson on 17/8/2026, 1:38 am

An entry in transcripts of the baptism Parish Register for Salcombe shows a baptism taking place on 24 February 1828, for Elizabeth Bassett, and that her parents were James (a mason) and Elizabeth. I can find no other traces of the parent Elizabeth (across many databases) although there are several other baptisms in Bigbury and Salcombe about this period for children of James Bassett (a mason) and Mary. Census records for Bigbury (and later, Plymouth) only find a family headed by James (a mason) and Mary. I wonder if you might be able to check microfilm/the original of the Salcombe register for Elizabeth’s baptism in 1828 and verify if the mother’s name was indeed Elizabeth?

Re: Salcombe baptisms

Posted by Judith on 17/8/2026, 1:26 pm, in reply to "Salcombe baptisms"

I think this is a mistake by the vicar, not uncommon. He has the fathers name, and asks the father , mothers name? and the father says Elizabeth meaning his own mother, not the babys mother which is what the vicar wants to know. I think I spotted her marriage in Jersey, where she gives fathers name as James, and occupation a mason.
James is the son of Richard and Elizabeth, baptised Bigbury 1785.

Re: Salcombe baptisms

Posted by Judith on 17/8/2026, 1:42 pm, in reply to "Re: Salcombe baptisms"

I think Jersey must have been the place to elope to in those days, Elizabeth married William Balston of Broadmayne, in St Helier 2.12.1844. In Jersey they put the place of birth as well, she says Salcombe and he Broadmayne. Hope this helps.

Re: Salcombe baptisms

Posted by Paul Jackson on 19/8/2026, 9:59 pm, in reply to "Re: Salcombe baptisms"

Hi Julie and other members - thinking about the situation, Elizabeth Bassett must have met William Balston sometime before their marriage, in St. Helier, at the end of 1844, and birth of their first daughter in the same town, early the following year; so at the latest in the Spring of 1844. This leaves me with the unanswered question of how the son of an agricultural labourer from Broadmayne in Dorset met the daughter of a mason from Bigbury in Devon; their villages being separated by around 100 miles. Elizabeth was in Bigbury and William was in Broadmayne as late as the Spring of 1841 (when the Census was taken); so, we have a window of 3 years before they married in St. Helier. By 1851, the Bassett family lived in Plymouth. If the Bassetts had moved from Bigbury after 1841, did Elizabeth go with them and meet William Balston there? I would think it more likely that William Balston was living away from his family than Elizabeth. What might he have been doing in Plymouth? Looking for work? Did they go separately and meet in St. Helier; a place where work was available? Did they elope together? I found another marriage for Richard Bassett of Bigbury (the the son of a mason called James Bassett), just before Elizabeth's. Did she follow a brother to St. Helier. Any thoughts?

Re: Salcombe baptisms

Posted by Judith on 22/8/2026, 7:52 pm, in reply to "Re: Salcombe baptisms"

If she followed her brother and joined him in St Helier, he may have taken her out and about and she could have met William socially perhaps in the park when band played? on the bandstand at weekends on their days off.
Plymouth to St Helier not far on the ferries, if a little choppy! I have found in the past a lot of Devon people going over for work, or with employers?
I am still trying to work out how my great grandparents met. He was working near Honiton, and she was from Bovey Tracey. All I can think of is that he had a job where he went to France with his employers, who had connections with Dinard. He was a groom at the time. we inherited an old album, presented to him when he left his employes, inside was a mystery photo which took years to identify, of Dinard. I think she went to work for someone in Tavistock, and perhaps travelled with her employer to Dinard at the same time? Met on the boat? corresponded by letter, married in her parish which was Highweek, where her parents had moved to. Dinard was the Riviera of the north in the late 1800' apparently!!
We shall never know, but I am glad they did!! They were married for 61 years before he died.

Re: Salcombe baptisms

Posted by Paul Jackson on 22/8/2026, 10:42 pm, in reply to "Re: Salcombe baptisms"

Hi Judith - sounds very plausible and thankyou for the background on your searches. Paul

Re: Salcombe baptisms

Posted by Paul Jackson on 18/8/2026, 8:44 am, in reply to "Re: Salcombe baptisms"

Thanks for the insight Judith - making this assumption helps clear up a brick wall for me. Elizabeth and William Balston married just before their first daughter (my gg grandmother) was born in St. Helier. The family then moved to Melcombe Regis and I can follow their story. Paul

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