In 1644, the Mid Devon town of Tiverton was a bustling settlement thanks to its position as a crucial hub in the blossoming wool trade.
Largely untouched up until that point by the Civil War that was raging across England, the town was flourishing, trade was booming and money was lining the pockets of local businessmen.
But that all changed in the autumn of that year as a terrifying illness swept through the town, subjecting hundreds to a rapid, brutal and inexplicable death.
In all, 443 people died - a significant chunk of the town's population.
Devon Record Office 5234M-0/T/1 and 2 1822
Contents:
Lease and release
1. Francis Besly of Wells, druggist, surviving devisee in trust of the will of William Besly late of Tiverton, merchant, deceased, devisee in fee of the will of John Besly of Tiverton, sergemaker, deceased
2. John Hall of Tiverton, gent.
3. Henry Hewett of Tiverton, maltster, trustee for 2.
Premises: one messuage and dwelling house and the dyehouse adjoining, formerly in the occupation of Spurway Patey deceased, lying at the east end of the town of Tiverton bounded with the river Lowman on the east, the lands formerly of John Maunder, merchant, on the south, the lands formerly of John Cock clothier on the west and the King's highway on the north, also one garden formerly a plot of ground on which stood the malthouse of John Pepper but which was burnt down, and afterwards purchased by Spurway Patey, and also two dwellinghouses formerly in the occupation of William Bryant and John Salter as tenants to Spurway Patey, all adjoining the messuage dwelling house and dyehouse. The premises were purchased by William Besly in 1749, inherited by John Besly his eldest son, who bequeathed them to his son William. William left the property to his cousins Francis and Bernard Besly in trust.
Consideration: £560.
[no title] 213 M/T/74 20 June 1783
Contents:
Copy of Marriage Settlement.
[Attached to 213 M/T/73]
1. John Besly, merchant, Tiverton
2. William Besly, son of 1., Tiverton
3. Ann Lichigaray, spinster, Tiverton
4. As 2. of 213 M/T/73.
Premises as 213 M/T/70
Reversion of the uses to 2. after 1. and 3. have married, and to 4. on the death of 2.
Conditions: to preserve contingent remainders and the recited limited estates.
John probate 26 April 1793 merchant of Tiverton
William Besly m. Ann Lichigaray 23 Feb 1783 Tiverton William
purchased property 1749
I
John - oldest son
I
William - cousins Francis & Bernard
William Besly John Besly
merchant sergemaker
Tiverton Tiverton
b. abt 1754
d. 8 Apr 1819 dec pre 1822
assumed father John or William b abt 1700
Mr Mrs
Bernard Besly m. Sarah Land
abt 1734 10 Aug 1763
d. 1794 Topsham d. 1800
bur. 13 Mar bur . 24 Feb rest c. Tiverton
______________________________I_____________________________________________________________________________________
I I I I I Mr I I
Catherine Mary Land John Christian Francis William Bernard
b. 24 May 1765 b. 8 Dec 1767 b. 22 Nov 1769 presumed b. 1771 b. 15 Sep 1773 b. 12 Jun 1771 b. 14 Dec 1777
c. 17 Aug 1768 c. 17 Aug 1768 c. 25 Aug 1774 c. 25 Aug 1774 c. 25 Aug 1774 c.13 Mar 1778
St. Mary Arches & St Olave
Exeter
d. 1828 d. 1771 d. 1845 d. Jun 1821
bur. 24 Apr bur. 17 Aug bur. 28 Jun
Tiverton Tiverton Tiverton
m. 8 Oct 1796 m. 14 Jul 1796 m. 3 Nov 1796 m. 20 Jun 1808
Tiverton Tiverton Tiverton Tiverton
Mary Theresa Shaw Susanna Raddon Joanna Shaw Elizabeth Ann Dunsford
31 Mar 1784
Independent Tiverton
d. 1807 d. 3Q 1856
I Tiverton St Peters Yard, Tiverton
bur. 14 Oct bur. Jul 1856
I
I
Francis John
b. 29 May1795 b. 9 Apr 1800 I
Somerset c. 21 Aug 1800 I
Indep., Tiverton I
d. 17 Apr 2Q 1868 I
Tynemouth I
m. I
Frances I
abt 1794 I
Bristol I
d. 19 Jan 1861 I
East Stonehouse I
I
___________________________________________________________________________________________________________________I
I I I I I I I I
Margaret Francis Elizabeth Ann Henry Bernard Henry Bernard Samuel Peter Lichigaray Elizabeth Ann Sarah
b. 12 Mar 1809 b. 14 Dec 1810 b. 19 Aug 1812 b. 12 Feb 1814 b. 12 Jun 1815 b. 5 Jul 1817 b. 15 Jul 1819
Tiverton Tiverton c. Cripplegate, London c. Cripplegate, London
d. 25 Dec 4Q 1873 d. 3Q 1859 d. 1813 d. 8 Jun 1814 d. 4Q 1838 d. 1854 d. 4Q 1872 d. 1853
Tiverton Lambeth Tiverton Cheltenham Tiverton
bur. 30 Dec bur. 2 Aug bur. 6 Jan bur. 12 Jun bur. 6 Oct bur. 9 Dec
Tiverton Tiverton Tiverton Tiverton Tiverton
m. 16 Nov 1835 m. 8 Oct 3Q 1842
Hatherleigh Langham. Westminster, MDX
Mary Roberts Emma Milligan
abt. 1811 abt. 1819
Hatherleigh d. 4Q 1848
d. 4Q 13 Nov 1874 St Marylebone, Westminster
Lambeth bur. 18 Nov
I___________________________
I I I I
I Elsie Burrow Bernard Charles James
I 1Q 1844 b. 14 Dec 4Q 1845 2Q 1847
I Pancras Pancras St James
I b. 14 Dec 1843
I c. 15 Jun 1849
I Tiverton
I d. 31 Jan 1892
I Capri, Italy To Australia
I all b. Shebbear
_________________I______________________________________________________________________________________________________________
I I I I I I I I I
Sarah Elizabeth Francis Bernard William Henry John Mary Caroline Jane George Harris Annie Charles Thomas
2Q 1838 b. 20 Jul 1839 b. 10 Jan 1Q 1841 b. 29 Dec 4Q 1842 3Q 1844 3Q 1846 3Q 1848 4Q 1850 8 Aug 1853
c. 14 Jun1838 c. 1 Feb 1843 c. 1 Feb 1843 c. 1 Feb 1843 c. 2 Aug 1844 c. 25 Jun 1846 c. 16 Sep 1848 c. 3 Jan 1851
Shebbear Shebbear Shebbear Shebbear Shebbear Shebbear Shebbear Shebbear
d. 2Q 1867 d. 15 Mar 1Q 1909 d. 31 Jan 1889 d. 1Q 1851 d. 12 May 2Q 1865
St Germans St Geo Han Sq Islington Shebbear Lambeth
Cornwall bur. 7 Jan
16 Sep 1918
Stoke Canon
m. m. 5 Oct 1871 m. All Saints, Kingston
Surrey
Elizabeth Henry Thomas Mary Melville
Caroline White Wallis Dickson
abt 1858
London
I I
I _______________I
I I I
Frances Dorothy Mary John Francis
Elizabeth 4Q 1879 2Q 1881
Dulwich Lambeth
Camberwell
NOTES:
BERNARD BESLY 1777:Died aged 43 yrs.
Wife ELIZABETH ANNE DUNSFORD 1784: Daughter of George Dunsford (1751-1822) and Margaret Lichigary (1748 France - 1815). Elizabeth's maternal grandfather was Samuel Peter Lichigaray of Ester (a native of Orthis, Bearne, France). 1841 - 55 yrs, dwelling Gold St Tiverton with adult daughters, Margaret and Elizabeth , a servant and 20 yr old Frances Dunsford. 1851 - 62 yrs, widow, landed property, dwelling Bampton St, Tiverton with 2 adult daughters. Also in residence is 12 yr old niece Penelope Dunford, Sarah Ware 70 yrs widowed sister-in-law (landed property). Died aged 72 yrs.
BERNARD BESLY 1845: 1851 - Bernard Besley, 5 yrs, at Nurse along with Charles James 4 yrs in household of Elizabeth Langlois, Southampton St., Clerkenwell. Both children b. Camden Town. 1861 - 15 yrs, warehouse assistant dwelling Friday St, St Matthew, London.
Barnard Besley 24 yrs, on ship AMIE departed London, arrived Australia 10 Feb 1870.
CAROLINE JANE BESLY 1846: 1851 - 4 yrs, with parents. 1861 - 14 yrs, niece of William Roberts (bookseller and printer), 197 High St., St Petrock, Exeter. 1891 - 43 yrs, governess, dwelling 55 Charlward St, St George Hanover Sq., with cousin and domestic servant in residence. 1901 - 54 yrs., school governess, dwelling 119 Grosvenor Rd., St George Hanover Sq., with 3 boarders and 2 servants.
Probate: Besley - Caroline Jane of 119 Grosvenor Rd, MDX, spinster, died 15 Mar 1909. Probate London 8 April to Jessie Yule, spinster. Effects £239 2s.
CHARLES JAMES BESLY 1847: 1851 - 4 yrs, at Nurse along with brother Bernard 5 yrs, in household of Elizabeth Langlois, Southampton St., Clerkenwell. Both children b. Camden Town. 1861 - 13 yrs, pupil Baucrofts School, in Boarding House, Mile End Old Town, Stepney.
CHARLES THOMAS BESLY 1853: 1861 - 7 yrs, visitor in household of John Gale (59, Rector of Bradford, b. Colyton), Parsonage, Bradford.
DOROTHY BESLEY abt 1880: 1881 - 1 yrs, with parents.
ELIZABETH ANN 1812: Died aged 5 mths.
ELIZABETH ANN 1819: 1841 - 20 yrs, independent, living with mother and older sister in Tiverton. 1851 - 24??, living with widowed mother and oldest sister. 1861 - 33?? yrs, governess, living with older sister Margaret in Peter St., Tiverton. Died aged 53 yrs.
Probate: 17 Feb 1873. Effects under £200. The will of Elizabeth Ann Besly late of Tiverton in the County of Devon, spinster, who died 4 Dec 1872 at Cheltenham in the County of Gloucester, was proved at Exeter by Margaret Besley of Tiverton, spinster, the sole Executrix.
ELSIE BURROW BESLY 1844: 1861 - 17 yrs, governess, visitor in household of John P (b. Crediton) and Maria S (b. St Olaves, MDX) Hugo in Exminster, Devon. 1871 - 27 yrs, governess, in household of widow, Lucy Lord, 31 Princes Gardens, Westminster St Margarets, London.
Sole executrix of will of Aunt Margaret 1874 - Elsie dwelling Buckinghamshire.
Probate: Besley - Elsie of 12 Southwick Place, Hyde Park, MDX, spinster, died 31 January 1892 at Capri, off Naples, Italy. Administration (Limited) London 1 September Ernest Colquhoun, actuary and managerof the legal and General Life Assurance Society, London, the attorney of Bernard Besly. Effects £959 0s 9d.
FRANCIS BESLY 1773: Of Crewkerne at time of marriage, both signed their names, 1 Besley witness. 1836 - For City of Wells Land Tax Commissioners - Francis Besly. 1845 - 16 Dec - At Wells aged 70 years Francis Besly esq.
FRANCIS BESLY 1810: Blundells School register - Francis Besly, 11, son of Bernard Besly, Tiverton, Jan. 29, 1821 — Dec. 16, 1825. 1841 - 30 yrs, surgeon, dwelling Berry, Shebbear with wife and 3 children. 1851 - 40 yrs, Surgeon, general practice, dwelling Shebbear with wife and 6 children as well as 3 servants.
Wife MARY ROBERTS abt 1811: 1841 - 30 yrs, 1851 - 40 yrs.
NORTH DEVON JOURNAL 19 Nov 1874 - BESLY Nov 13 at Geneva - road, Brixton, Mary, widow of Francis Besly, Esq. late of Shebbear aged 66.
FRANCIS BERNARD BESLY 1839: 1841 - Bernard, 2 yrs, with parents. 1851 - 12 yrs, with family. 1861 - 21 yrs, assistant surgeon, in East Rudham, Norfolk. 1871 - 31 yrs, MRCSE, lodging in Reeves household, 42 Leicester Sq., St Martins in the Field.
Marlborough Express (NZ) 1 Oct 1873 - pg 2 "On Sept 27th, accidentally drowned, Francis Bernard Besly, MRCS Eng. & Co aged 35 years, much regretted.
GEORGE HARRIS BESLEY 1848: 1851 - 2 yrs, with family. 1861 - 12 yrs, son of matron (Mary - widowed) at Royal Infirmary, 180 Waterloo Rd., Lambeth. 1881 - 32 yrs, timber merchant, dwelling 123 Cold Harbour Lane, Lambeth, Surrey, with wife daughter and two servants. Died aged 40 yrs.
Wife MARY MELVILLE WALLIS DICKSON abt 1858: 1881 - 23 yrs. 1891 - 50 yrs, widowed matron of Royal Infirmary, 180 Waterloo Rd., Lambeth with son, George. Remarried 1Q 1894 Paddington.
HENRY BERNARD BESLY 1814: Died aged 4 months.
HENRY BERNARD BESLY 1815: Found dead in bed according to parish register. Died aged 23 yrs.
JOHN BESLY 1769: Married by lic. of Teignmouth at this time.
JOHN BESLY 1800: 1841 - 40 yrs, clerk, dwelling Long Benton, Northumberland, with wife and 4 servants. 1851 - 50 yrs, married, Rector of Aston Subedge, dwelling Long Benton, Northumberland with 3 servants - wife residing East Stonehouse. 1861 - 60 yrs, widower, Vicar of Long Benton, Northumberland, visiting William Henry Besley (brother??) in Dunmore House, West St., Bradninch.
Oxford University Alumni 1500 - 1886: John s William Besly of Tiverton, Devon gent. Balliol Coll matric 10 Oct 1817 17 yrs BA 1821 MA 1826, DCL 1835 vicar of Long Benton 1830 Proctor Convocation York 1836 - 45, 1855 - 64. Died 17 Apr 1868.
The Reverend John Besley DCL.
From Tiverton in Devon, the son of the local mayor, Besley was a talented and charismatic man, educated at Balliol College (Oxford University) and always destined for a successful career in the church. After working in a prestigious but rather poorly paid role as librarian at the world famous Bodleian Library in Oxford, he was ‘presented by his college’ to the living at Longbenton near Newcastle in the north of England and finally had a vicar’s salary that allowed him to marry Eliza Kennedy, Georgiana’s elder sister. Eliza died at the vicarage in March 1834 after less than five years of marriage. Besley married again two years later.
Besley’s second wife was Frances, the widow of Robert Bint of Mount Stone, an elegant house in the Stonehouse area of Plymouth in Devon. Now a listed building of historical interest, the house was built into the steep sides of a former quarry. Mr Bint had been the steward of the Earl of Edgcumbe and like Eliza he died in 1834. Bint left his widow the house, paintings, wine, silver and his pew in the local chapel as well as enough money to keep her very comfortable. She was wealthy enough to build eight ‘almshouses’ to provide housing for local widows, donating the finances for their clothes and weekly coal, candles and bread as well as Bibles and prayer books.
The new ‘Reverend and Mrs Besley’ must have been financially able to maintain both homes and their servants because in 1841 they were living at Besley’s vicarage in Longbenton. On the evening of the 1851 census Frances was at the house in Plymouth, with four servants. She died there in January 1861 at the age of 69.
Three years later, in 1864, Besley married for a third time, once again to a lady with considerable personal capital. Charlotte Peach was 43 and single. Besley was 62. They were married at All Souls Church in Langham Place, London where she was staying at the rectory. By a remarkable coincidence, this was the church where Georgiana Molloy attended a service while staying in London just before she boarded the ship that brought her to Western Australia.
Charlotte’s father was George Peach of Dorset. Since her father’s death she had been managing the family home at Milbrook, Child Okeford, living there with her younger sister and their five servants: a coachman, a dairymaid, a lady’s maid, a cook and a housemaid. George Peach was a military doctor who, like John Molloy, had fought in the Peninsular War and when he died twelve years before Charlotte married Besley, he was a wealthy man. Charlotte had inherited enough to give her a very comfortable life; in the 1861 census she is listed as the head of the household, a ‘landed proprietor’.
John Besley died on 17 April 1868 at the age of 68, after more than thirty years as vicar of the church in Longbenton, Northumberland. The 1881 census shows that his widow Charlotte was living in Sidbrooke House, West Monkton, Somerset near her childhood home, with Besley’s niece and, once again, she was a ‘landed proprietor’ with four servants. Charlotte died there in August 1895, leaving a considerable estate of nearly £18,000.
Wife FRANCES abt 1794: 1841 - 40 yrs, with husband. 1851 - 57 yrs, married, dwelling East Stonehouse with 4 servants.
Probate: Effects under £5000. The will, with 2 codicils, of Frances Besly (wife of the Rev. John Besly Clerk, Dr of laws) late of East Stonehouse in the County of Devon, deceased who died 19 January 1861 at East Stonehouse aforesaid, was proved at the Principal Registry by the oaths of William Joseph Rafarel of Barnstaple in the county, Gentleman, and Philip Maysey Little of Devonport in the said county, gentleman, the executors.
JOHN BESLY 1842: 1851 - 13 yrs, with family.
MARGARET BESLY 1809: 1841 - 30 yrs, independent, living with mother and younger sister in Tiverton. 1851 - 35 yrs, living with widowed mother and younger sister Elizabeth Ann. 1861 - 43?? yrs, annuitant, living with younger sister Elizabeth in Peter St., Tiverton. Died aged 68 yrs!
Probate: 9 Jan 1874. Effects under £200. The will of Margaret Besly late of Tiverton in the County of Devon, spinster, who died 25 Dec 1873 at Tiverton, was proved at Exeter by Elsie Besley of Chilton, in the County of Buckingham, spinster, niece, the sole Executrix.
MARY LAND BESLY 1767:
Probate: Mary Land Besly spinster of Tiverton 27 Jun 1828.
MARY BESLY 1844: 1861 - 16 yrs, pupil in York, St Olave. Marriage - spinster, of age, banns, daughter of Francis, (surgeon) of Kingston, London. witnesses Francis Bernard and Caroline Jane Besly.
Husband HENRY THOMAS WHITE: Marriage - bachelor, of age, builder, son of George Peter (builder), of St Marys, Tothill Fields.
SAMUEL PETER LICHAGARY BESLY 1817: Blundells School Register. Samuel Peter Lichagary Besly, 11 y son of Mr. Bernard Besly (deceased), Tiverton, Aug. 15, 1828 - June 29, 1833. 1841 - 20 yrs, surgeon, dwelling Newman St., Marylebone with a female servant. Thursday 22 October 1840 - Apothercaries Hall SPL Besly, Tiverton, received certificates. Marriage registered twice - also 4Q 1842 Marylebone. Marriage - 25 yrs, bachelor, son of Bernard, (deceased wine merchant), banns, surgeon, witnesses, Thomas and Alice Milligan. 1849 referred to as London surgeon in Tiverton parish records for daughter Elsie.
Book - "Index to heirs-at-law, next of kin, legates, missing friends, encumbrances, creditors or their representatives etc" index mentions Samuel PL Besley (18122) - dated 1872.
Wife EMMA MILLIGAN abt : Marriage - 23 yrs, spinster, daughter of Thomas, (gentleman), of St Pancras. Residence at time of death - Manchester Buildings, Westminster. Died aged 29 yrs.
SARAH BESLY: Gentlemens Magazine 1853 Obits " At Tiverton, Sarah, youngest daughter of the late Bernard Besly, esq., formerly Collector of the Customs of Exeter."
SARAH ELIZABETH BESLY 1838: 1841 - 3 yrs, with parents. 1851 - 13 yrs, with family.
WILLIAM BESLY 1774: Marriage entry refers to him as Mr. William, bachelor, by licence.
Wife JOANNA SHAW: Spinster at time of marriage. Referred to as Mrs. on burial record.
WILLIAM HENRY BESLY 1840: 1841 - 6 mths, with parents. 1851 - 10 yrs, with family. Died aged 77 yrs. ??????? WRONG ONE
Probate: Besley - William Henry of Stoke Canon, Devonshire, retired farmer, died 16 September 1918 at the Honors, Stoke Canon. Probate Exeter 6 December to William Henry Besley, farmer and William Burrow Trick, clerk, to guardians of St Thomas Union, Devon. E Effects £8113 9s 2d.