Family
 William Ball 1) 2) 3)Born ± 1793 Somerset, England 1) 4) Died 10 Jun 1848 Dunster, Somerset, England Died age 55 of bronchitis, approximately 55 years 5) 4) 6) Buried 17 Jun 1848 Dunster, Somerset, England 4) 6) Occupation: between 10 Jun 1818 and 17 Jun 1848 Dunster, Somerset, England; Blacksmith (and farrier) 7) 2) 1) 8) 9) Residence: 1841 West Street, Dunster, Somerset, England 1) Notes: William Ball was born circa 1793, given he was 55 at his death in 1848. There is no record of his marriage to Sarah, or his baptism in the parish records for Dunster. While there is a 1793 baptism for a William Ball in Culmstock, Devon, to Richard Ball and Mary Milton, that is not this William - as shown by lesmartels. The William Ball of Culmstock/Pitminster raises his own family in the Pitminster area. He is recorded a shoemaker, as is Richard his father, whereas this William is a blacksmith - and Mary Milton appears as a widow in 1851, living with James Ball of the shoemaker Balls. William was resident in Dunster from at least 1818, when baptism records for his children start appear in the Dunster parish records. He was probably working as as a “journeyman blacksmith” for the resident Dunster blacksmiths in St George's Street, John and Thomas Weetch. Their names appear in the 1830 Somerset Directory. In the “William Bragg” Somerset Directory for 1840, William Ball is shown as a “smith” in Dunster, the Weetch pair apparently no longer in business. This is confirmed by the 1841 census which records William and Sarah with three daughters and one son at their home in West Street, Dunster. William at that time had two blacksmiths working for him. Thomas Weetch, then 70 years old or thereabouts, seems to be retired and living nearby. William and Sarah's eldest son William, then 23 years old, also a blacksmith, was married to Sarah Gay and living within his in-laws at nearby Withycombe. “The Dunster Tithe Apportionment” dated 14th October 1840 shows both the house and “smiths shop” occupied by William Ball at the bottom end of St George's Street. The landowner was William Withycombe. The second item in the “Apportionment” which sets out the details on page 27 showing the William Ball occupancy and the dimensions of their house numbered 66a - 4 perches - and smithy numbered 67 - 2 perches. On 12th January 1846 William and Sarah's oldest daughter Mary Ann married John Willicombe, a carpenter, at the Wesleyan Chapel, Dunster, witnessed by her father and mother. She remain in Dunster and brought up a family there. The year before she had had a daughter named Elizabeth who died in December of the same year. William Ball died at Dunster on 11th June 1848 aged 55 years. In order to keep their business going Sarah employed a blacksmith named James Stanbury who came from Nether Stowey. Sarah's eldest son William did not seem to be part of the family business although by 1851 he was back in Dunster but soon to move to Dulverston where he worked as a blacksmith. The 1851 census for St George's street shows Sarah Ball, then a widow, as “Head” of household aged 53. Her daughter Maria, 18, was at home, also son John, 16, a blacksmith. Living there, as well, was James Stanbury, aged 30, a blacksmith and at the time married to Sarah's second daughter also named Sarah, aged 24. They had one daughter, 4 months old. Written in the record opposite William's widow, Sarah, is the comment “employs a blacksmith” referring to James Stanbury. By March 1861 changes had occurred at St George's street smithy. Sarah and her youngest son John, then 26 years old, were employing an apprentice and apparently maintaining the business from that address. James Stanbury and his wife Sarah had moved to a “Smith's shop” in the High Street. This smith's shop, was close to the Luttrell Arms Hotel (formerly The Ship) at the top of the High Street and therefore well placed to provide shoeing facilities for coach and carriage horses using the hotel stables there. At this time they had five children at home. Back at St George's Street, Mary Anna and her husband John Willicombe were still there. Maria Ball, the youngest daughter, was now married to William Yeandle, an agricultural worker, and they had three children." William's widow, Sarah, died at Dunster on 5th March 1864. She was then 66 years old. She is buried in the churchyard, along with William, in a grave situated prominently next to the path leading tothe South door of the church. A photograph said to have been taken circa 1865 shows quite clearly the memorial headstone in place. On it is inscribed “Sacred - In memory of William Ball who died June10 1848. Aged 55 years. Sarah Ball wife of the above wife of the above who died March 5 1864. Aged 66 years.”. The headstone stands outside the row of homes facing the church where the family lived and, although somewhat less upright, now remains well preserved. Married/ Related to:  Sarah Unknown 10) 11) 12) 2)Born ± 1798 Bampton, Devon, England 10) 11) 12) 4) 13) 9) Died 5 Mar 1864 Dunster, Somerset, England, approximately 66 years 14) 4) 13) 9) Buried 12 Mar 1864 Dunster, Somerset, England 4) 13) Occupation: 1851 66 St George's Street, Dunster, Somerset, England; Employs a Blacksmith 10) Residences: 1841 West Street, Dunster, Somerset, England 12), 1851 66 St George's Street, Dunster, Somerset, England 10), 1861 St George's Street, Dunster, Somerset, England 11) Notes: A Sarah Frost, daughter of John and Ann Frost was baptised at Bampton on 1st January 1799 which may be this Sarah, however, given no further evidence has been identified to support this claim, it is not shown here. See William Ball for further details on Sarah. Children: 1. William BallBorn ± 1818 Dunster, Somerset, England 2. Mary Ann BallBorn ± 20 Jul 1820 Dunster, Somerset, England 3. Sarah BallBorn ± 1826 Dunster, Somerset, England 4. Maria BallBorn ± 1832 Dunster, Somerset, England 5. John Ball 15) 16)Born ± 1835 Dunster, Somerset, England 10) 11) 17) 18) 2) 19) Baptised 5 Apr 1835 Dunster, Somerset, England 2) Died 31 Jan 1868 Dunster, Somerset, England, approximately 33 years, death cause: Phthisis Certified 17) 19) Buried 9 Feb 1868 Dunster, Somerset, England Age: 33 19) Occupations: 1861 St George's Street, Dunster, Somerset, England; Blacksmith employing 1 boy 11) 3), between 1866 and 1868 Dunster, Somerset, England; Blacksmith 15) 16) Residences: 1841 West Street, Dunster, Somerset, England 18), between 1851 and 1861 66 St George's Street, Dunster, Somerset, England 10) 11) Notes: The “Dunster Castle stable Account Book” now in the Somerset Record Office, Taunton, for the period 1867-69 shows that “J. Ball” and “Jane Ball” together with “James Stanbury” were all engaged on shoeing work for the castle stables during these years. It would seem a full set was charged £1-0-0 at the time (approximately £32 in 1994”. Originally John Ball's blacksmiths was located where the brick faced house now stands at the bottom of St George's street near “Parkham Corner”. That home was erected after 1840 at which time it seems the smith shop was moved inside the yard behind the archway between two houses in St George's Street. The far wall adjacent to the churchyard was, at one time, incorporated into the Smith's Shop and today it remains smoke blackened from former times. | |||
Sources
1) Source: 1841 England Census Record for William Ball. Reference: Database online. Class: HO107; Piece 936; Book: 4; Civil Parish: Dunster; County: Somerset; Enumeration District: 10; Folio: 24; Page: 17; Line: 3; GSU roll: 474595. (Data from secondary evidence)2) Source: Somerset, England, Church of England Baptisms, 1813-1914 Record for John Ball - 1835, Dunster. External Link
http://search.ancestry.co.uk/cgi-bin/sse.dll?db=SomersetParishBirths&h=1866697&indiv=try. Reference: Somerset Heritage Service; Taunton, Somerset, England; Somerset Parish Records, 1538-1913; Reference Number: D\P\du/2/1/6 (Data from direct source)
3) Source: Somerset, England, Marriage Registers, Bonds and Allegations, 1754-1914 Record for Jane Woolcott. External Link
http://search.ancestry.co.uk/cgi-bin/sse.dll?db=SomersetParishMarriages&h=905069182&indiv=try. Reference: Somerset Heritage Service; Taunton, Somerset, England; Somerset Parish Records, 1538-1914; Reference Number: D\P\ROW/2/1/7 (Data from direct source)
4) Source: Monuments "Sacred to the memory of William Ball who died June 10 1848 aged 55 yearsSarah Ball wife of the above who died March 5 1864 aged 66 years". Reference: St George, Dunster (Data from secondary evidence)
5) Source: England & Wales, Civil Registration Death Index, 1837-1915 Record for William Ball. Reference: Database online. (Questionable reliability of evidence)
6) Source: Somerset, England, Church of England Burials, 1813-1914 Record for William Ball. External Link
http://search.ancestry.co.uk/cgi-bin/sse.dll?db=SomersetParishDeaths&h=719698&indiv=try. Reference: Somerset Heritage Service; Taunton, Somerset, England; Somerset Parish Records, 1538-1913; Reference Number: D\P\du/2/1/17 (Data from secondary evidence)
7) Source: England, Parish Registers Baptisms for William, Mary Ann, Sarah, Maria, John, Sarah Ann, Elizabeth and William Henry Ball. Reference: St George, Dunster (Data from secondary evidence)
8) Source: U.K., City and County Directories, 1600s-1900s Record for William Ball. Reference: Database online. (Data from direct source)
9) Source: Taunton Courier, and Western Advertiser "On the 5th instant, at Dunster, Mrs Sarah Ball, relict of the late William Ball, smith and farrier, aged 66 years.". Reference: Wednesday 16 March 1864 (Data from direct source)
10) Source: 1851 England Census Record for Sarah Ball. Reference: Database online. Class: HO107; Piece: 1920; Folio: 138; Page: 18; GSU roll: 221075. (Data from direct source)
11) Source: 1861 England Census Record for Sarah Ball. Reference: Database online. Class: RG9; Piece: 1602; Folio: 22; Page: 16; GSU roll: 542838. (Data from direct source)
12) Source: 1841 England Census Record for Sarah Ball. Reference: Database online. Class: HO107; Piece 936; Book: 4; Civil Parish: Dunster; County: Somerset; Enumeration District: 10; Folio: 24; Page: 17; Line: 4; GSU roll: 474595. (Data from secondary evidence)
13) Source: Somerset, England, Church of England Burials, 1813-1914 Record for Sarah Ball. External Link
http://search.ancestry.co.uk/cgi-bin/sse.dll?db=SomersetParishDeaths&h=719967&indiv=try. Reference: Somerset Heritage Service; Taunton, Somerset, England; Somerset Parish Records, 1538-1913; Reference Number: D\P\du/2/1/17 (Data from secondary evidence)
14) Source: England & Wales, Civil Registration Death Index, 1837-1915 Record for Sarah Ball. Reference: Database online. (Questionable reliability of evidence)
15) Source: Somerset, England, Church of England Baptisms, 1813-1914 Record for William Ball - Dunster Baptisms 1843-1871. External Link
http://search.ancestry.co.uk/cgi-bin/sse.dll?db=SomersetParishBirths&h=715087&indiv=try. Reference: Somerset Heritage Service; Taunton, Somerset, England; Somerset Parish Records, 1538-1913; Reference Number: D\P\du/2/1/7 (Data from direct source)
16) Source: Bristol, England, Church of England Marriages and Banns, 1754-1935 Record for William Ball. External Link
https://search.ancestry.co.uk/cgi-bin/sse.dll?db=61686&h=786865&indiv=try. Reference: Bristol Archives; Bristol, England; Bristol Church of England Parish Registers; Reference: P/St JC/R/2/c (Data from direct source)
17) Source: England & Wales, Civil Registration Death Index, 1837-1915 Record for John Ball. Reference: Database online. (Questionable reliability of evidence)
18) Source: 1841 England Census Record for John Ball. Reference: Database online. Class: HO107; Piece 936; Book: 4; Civil Parish: Dunster; County: Somerset; Enumeration District: 10; Folio: 24; Page: 17; Line: 8; GSU roll: 474595. (Data from secondary evidence)
19) Source: Somerset, England, Church of England Burials, 1813-1914 Record for John Ball - Dunster 1868. External Link
http://search.ancestry.co.uk/cgi-bin/sse.dll?db=SomersetParishDeaths&h=718227&indiv=try. Reference: Somerset Heritage Service; Taunton, Somerset, England; Somerset Parish Records, 1538-1913; Reference Number: D\P\du/2/1/18 (Data from secondary evidence)