[HOME][Introduction][Horrabridge tree][John WINGATE (1742-1823)][John WINDEATT(?1778-1851)]Richard H. WINDEATT(1817-94)

Richard Hutchings WINDEATT, Jeweller

THIS PAGE: [Family Tree] [About Richard] [Parents] [Wives] [Children] [Census] [Link to Messages] 
      More
         |
         |
 Richard Hutchings WINDEATT  = (1) Maria CHAPMAN                         =(2) Leah EDWARDS
                                          |                                        |
   _______________________________________|____________________                    |
   |                     |	          |                   |                    |
John C. WINDEATT   Edwin A.WINDEATT  Susan M. WINDEATT  Mary A. WINDEATT   Leah(illegitimate)
   |
   |
More

NOTE 1:  You may need to scroll to the right to see all his children and his second wife. 
NOTE 2:  Linked names (usually blue and underlined) lead to more information further down the page.  The arrows should lead you to the next section of the tree on another page.

Richard Hutchings WINDEATT  (baptised as WINGETT) was the fourth of the seven surviving sons of John Windeatt, mason and plasterer (see the seven brothers tree).   

His second baptismal name, HUTCHINGS, was the maiden name of his grandmother, "Margarett WINDATT of Horrabridge", who was buried on the 15th January 1832, aged 88 in Buckland Monachorum parish. 

The family moved from Horrabridge to Exeter probably after the death of Richard's grandfather in 1823.  His father and older brothers were all in the building trade and probably moved from Dartmoor to take advantage of the a brief housing boom when the district of St. Sidwell's was built.   In 1834, his elder sister, Mary Anne,  married George TURNER  who was a jeweller and watch-maker, and it seems highly likely that Richard and his youngest brother, Thomas, were apprenticed to their brother-in-law. 

   For a time Richard seemed to be doing fairly well.  In 1861 he had set up his own business in West Teignmouth and was employing two adults and two boys.  Then things appeared to have gone downhill and he was back in Exeter working as a journeyman in the cramped conditions of the western side of the city.

In trouble with the police?

In about 1874 Richard, appears on the index to the City of Exeter police charge sheets.  And then twice more at roughly ten year intervals  he appears again.  Unfortunately there are no further details so we don't know what he was charged with nor the verdict but the charge books are available in the Devon Record Office for researchers to examine.

Baptism Register for Sampford Spiney in the Year 1817

When baptized Child's Christian Name Parents Names Abode Quality, Trade or Profession By whom the 
Ceremony was performed
1817 December 21 Richard Hutching son of  John & Tamesin WINGETT Harrabridge Mason Samuel W. Pearce, Minister

Death Certificate - Exeter Eastern sub district - 1894

When & Where Name Sex Age Occupation Cause of Death Signature, description and residence of informant When registered
4th January 1894, City Workhouse  Richard WINDEATT Male 74 A Jeweller Journeyman of Exeter Cardiac failure Certified by John Woodman MD L. WINDEATT
Daughter in attendance
Trefusis Terrace, Exmouth		 5th January 1894

Parents and Siblings

He was the son of John WINDEATT and Thomazine HOSKIN and had eight surviving siblings.

Wives

Wife (1) Maria CHAPMAN (?1821-1871)

On 29th August 1840 Richard married Maria CHAPMAN at St. Pancras, Exeter.

In 1851 the census reveals that the family had moved from Exeter to the coast.  This time to Fore Street, West Teignmouth  where Richard  was working as a jeweller.  Several other members of the family had moved to the coast - presumably to make the most of the growing tourist trade.  His father had also moved to West Teignmouth and was working as a greengrocer (a business Richard was to take over very shortly after his father's death) and his older brother, John, had an eating and coffee house.    In 1861 he appears to have had his own jeweller's business but in 1871, Richard and his family were back in Exeter living at Catherine Street, St. Sidwell, Exeter.  His wife Maria died the same year of 'Pericarditis' and  Richard described himself on the certificate as "a Jeweller Master".  

Maria died on 9.11.1871 aged 50, which, if correct, would have meant she was only 20 when she got married (and not quite of 'full age').

Marriage solemnized by banns in the parish of St. Pancras, Exeter

READ FIRST
Date Name & Surname Age Condition Rank or Profession Residence at the time of Marriage Father's Name and Forename Rank or profession of Father Witnesses
29/08/1840 Richard Hutchings WINDEATT full Bachelor Goldsmith St. Pancras St. Exeter John WINDEATT Deceased Plasterer Susan DURHAM 

Samuel FLOOD
Maria Chapman full Spinster Dressmaker St. Pancras St. Exeter Arthur CHAPMAN Lath Maker

All signed the certificate.

Maria CHAPMAN's parents

And here are her mother and father in the 1841 census living in George's Square just round the corner apparently in a house to themselves.  Her mother, Honor CHAPMAN, was later to act as an informant for the death certificate of little Edwin Arthur.

Name Age Occupation Born in County DOB?
Arthur CHAPMAN 40 Lath Cutter Yes 1798
Honor CHAPMAN 50 Laundress Yes 1820
Charlotte CHAPMAN 15 Seamstress Yes 1821

Death Certificate - St. Sidwell, Exeter

READ FIRST
Date Where died Name Sex Age Occupation Cause of Death Signature, description and residence of informant When registered
9/11/1871 Catherine Street Maria WINDEATT Female 50 years Wife of Richard WINDEATT, Jeweller Master Pericarditis, Certified Richard WINDEATT in attendance, Catherine St. Exeter 10/11/1871

Wife (2) Leah EDWARDS (?1846-?)

After his first wife's death Richard married again three years later on 12th December 1874 and to a much younger wife, Leah EDWARDS aged 28.   They both appear nine years later in the 1881 census living at 10 Guinea St. Exeter.  His wife is now aged 34 and, unusually, attributed with an occupation (non-domestic cook).  His age is given as 35 but this is obviously a misunderstanding or a mistranscription because he would have been 65 by then.  The third member of the family was a daughter also called Leah (aged 9).  This nine-year-old Leah was almost certainly his wife's illegitimate daughter. 

Thanks to information received from another researcher, it is possible that Leah EDWARDS is the Leah who was born Leah PHILLIPS and that her daughter, Leah, is the Leah PHILLIPS who was born in the June quarter of 1871 in the St. Thomas District of Exeter [Ref 5b 77].  Whether she was Richard's daughter or not, we don't know, but by marrying her mother he presumably legitimised her?  When he died twenty years later in the City Workhouse, Exeter on 4.1.1894, one "L. WINDEATT Daughter in attendance) was the informant and Richard's occupation was given as a "a Jeweller Journeyman of Exeter". 

Marriage Certificate - Register Office, Exeter

READ FIRST
Date Name & Surname Age Condition Rank or Profession Residence at the time of Marriage Father's Name and Forename Rank or profession of Father Witnesses
12/12/1874 Richard Hutchings WINDEATT 56 Widower Jeweller Catherine Street, Exeter John WINDEATT Deceased Hellier & Plasterer Robert ?FOYALE

Clara MITCHELL
Leah EDWARDS 28 Spinster - Queen Street, Exeter John EDWARDS Hotel Keeper

There is an Inn Keeper called John EDWARDS in Somerset whose birthplace was Devon according to the 1861 census and there are two children called Leah Edwards who were born in Somerset (in 1866 and 1889 so not these two but they could be related?).

Children

STOP PRESS:  Free BMD reveals that a Richard WINDEAT died in Exeter in the March quarter of 1850.  Could this be another son?  I had wondered why he hadn't called one of his sons, Richard.

1. John Chapman WINDEATT (1841-88)

John Chapman WINDEATT led a curious life - moving up and down the country doing a variety of labouring jobs.  He had numerous children and has his own page with more details [More . . . although it currently needs updating] 

2. Edwin Arthur WINDEATT (1842-1843)

Infant Mortality

Poor little Edwin Arthur died aged 10 months of measles - his grandmother, Honor CHAPMAN, was present at the death.  By all accounts Stepcote Hill, where they were living at the time, was a very poor, insanitary and overcrowded part of Exeter with a very high infant mortality rate.

Christian Names

Richard, his father, seems to have gone against the family naming traditions in calling his second son Edwin.  It was a family name - his next youngest brother was Edwin - but normally the family named their sons in a fairly consistent order . . . father's name first then the father's siblings in birth order.  Richard is very unusual in that he does not appear to have a son named Richard?  

Arthur is an unusual name for a WINDEATT family but it is the name of Richard's father-in-law, Arthur CHAPMAN.  Richard's eldest son, John Chapman WINDEATT, seems to have called his eldest son Arthur as well. 

Stepcot Hill, near Westgate, Exeter : J.Gendall , 1834.
© Copyright Devon County Council, 2002.

Birth in the District of St. David, Exeter - 1842

READ FIRST
When & Where Name Sex Name and Surname of Father Name, surname and maiden surname of mother Occupation of father Signature, description and residence of informant When registered
10th December 1842, St. George Edwin Arthur Boy Richard Hutchings WINDEATT Maria WINDEATT formerly CHAPMAN Working Silversmith R.H. Windeatt
Father
Stepcote hill		 21st December 1842

Death in the District of St. David, Exeter - 1843

READ FIRST
When & Where Name Sex Age Occupation Cause of Death Signature, description and residence of informant When registered
29/10/1843
St.George		 Edwin Arthur WINDEATT Male 10 months
3 weeks		 Son of Richard Hutchings WINDEATT, Silversmith Measles X The mark of Honor CHAPMAN present at the death
Stepcote Hill 		 31/10/1843

3. Susan Maria WINDEATT (?1849-?)

Susan Maria was presumably born in 1849 or 1850 since she appears as a one-year-old in the 1851 census.  She married in James BERRY in Exeter in 1866 and must have been much younger than the 19 years she claimed to be on the certificate.  Her father was a witness but they married in the Register Office so one might guess that it was a shotgun wedding.

Marriage solemnized at the Register Office in the District of Exeter in the County of Exeter

READ FIRST
Date Name & Surname Age Condition Rank or Profession Residence at the time of Marriage Father's Name and Forename Rank or profession of Father Witnesses
30/6/1866 James BERRY 20 Bachelor Whitesmith Poltimore Square, Exeter James BERRY Whitesmith Richard Hutchings WINDEATT
Catherine PARSONS
Susan Maria WINDEATT 19 Spinster - 20 Longbrook Street, Exeter Richard Hutchings WINDEATT Jeweller

All signed including both the Registrar and the Superintendent Registrar.

4. Mary Ann WINDEATT (?1855-?)

A Mary Ann appears aged 6 in the 1861 census and again in 1871 aged 17.  A Mary Ann Turner WINDEATT was born in the June quarter of 1855 in the Newton Abbott registration district.  This is likely to be her.  Richard would have called her Mary Ann Turner after his sister who must have been instrumental in getting him an apprenticeship with her husband, the jeweller, George Turner.  

5. Leah WINDEATT (?1872-?)

Leah, born about 1872. b. 1872 (age 9 in Census) She was the illegitimate daughter of Richard's second wife, Leah Edwards, whom he married in 1874.  A daughter described only as "L. Windeatt" was present at Richard's death and we can only speculate as to whether he was her real father or step-father.  See also the section above on her mother [. . . More].  She appears in the 1901 census. aged 27, still single and working as a domestic cook for a large extended family of PERKINS and KINGs at 29 St. Sidwell St., Exeter.

Census Transcriptions

1841

Richard and Maria have now moved from St. Pancras St. where they were both living at the time of their marriage in 1840 and are now living in St. Mary Arches parish possibly in [?illegible] Square off Fore St.  They were living in one house with two other households (but only four people:  Thomas and Salome ABEL both 35 and of independent means with (I assume) their daughter Harriet, aged seven; and William NORRIS aged 25 a "Brush M.").  Their eldest son John Chapman WINDEATT was born here a few months later.

Name Age Sex Occupation Born in County
Richard WINDEATT 23 M Jeweller Y
Maria WINDEATT 21   Dressmaker Y

1851 (taken 30th March 1851)

By 1851 he had moved down to West Teignmouth - presumably he had served an apprenticeship as a jeweller with his uncle by marriage George TURNER.  His brothers: John and Henry were also living in West Teignmouth and his parents were also living in the same street: Fore Street.  Was Elizabeth GILDING a servant who happened to be lodging with them or was she actually employed as their servant?

Name Relationship Mar Age Sex Occupation Birthplace Possible DOB
Richard WINGETT Head M 33 M Working Jeweller Horrabridge-Devon 1817
Mary WINGETT Wife M 31 F --- Exeter-Devon 1819
John WINGETT Son - 10 M Scholar Exeter-Devon 1840
Susan WINGETT Daur - 1 F --- Teignmouth-Devon 1849
Elizabeth GILDING Serv - 17 F House Servant Torquay-Devon 1833

1861 (taken 7th April 1861)

Richard was doing well in 1861.  He had moved to West Teignmouth and was living in Regent Place where he had his own business employing four people.  His brothers, John, Henry and Thomas had also moved from Exeter to the coast by this time. His son, John Chapman, was still living at home and working as a jeweller - probably still serving his apprenticeship.

Name Relationship Mar Age Occupation Birthplace
RICHARD WINDEATT Hd. Md. 43 Jeweller employing 2 boys, 1 man, 1 woman Devon, Exeter
MARIA WINDEATT Wife Md. 42   Devon, Exeter
JOHN WINDEATT Son U 19 Jeweller Devon, Teignmouth
SUSAN WINDEATT Dtr.   11   Devon, Teignmouth
MARY ANN WINDEATT Dtr.   6   Devon, Teignmouth
JOHN HOLMES Workman Md. 27 Workman Devon, Tiverton
MARY HOLMES Workman's wife Md. 23 Workwoman Devon, Tiverton

(RG9/1400 Folio 85, page 26, Household 136)

Richard was probably living in Regent Place, four years earlier when his mother died there in 1857.  But some time in the next few years they moved back to Exeter.  From the elder two children's marriage certificates the family were living in Longbrook Street, Exeter in the mid 1860s and they had moved again but still in Exeter by 1871.

1871 (taken 2nd April 1871)

Here in 1871 they are living at number 10, Catherine Street, St. Sidwell's but in a house to themselves.  But why had John Chapman, his son, left the family business and joined the Militia and then taken up unskilled labouring work?  Why did John and Maria leave Teignmouth?  Did the business fail?  Was Maria ill and needed to be near family in Exeter?  She died of Pericarditis a few months after this census was taken. 

Name Status Marr Age Sex Occupation Birthplace
Richard WINDEATT Head M 51 M Jeweller Horrabridge, Devon.
Maria WINDEATT Wife M 50 F   Exeter, Devon.
Mary Ann WINDEATT Daur U 17 F   Teignmouth, Devon.

1878-9

Richard was listed as a watchmaker living in Catherine St.,  (Cathedral Close)  7 Martin Street, according to the 'History, Gazetteer & Directory of Devon, 1878-79', so presumably he was still working on his own account at this time.

1881 (taken 3rd April 1881)

Here he is back in Exeter,  at 10 Guinea Street, St. Mary Major parish and married to Leah.  His age has been mistranscribed.  He would have been about 63.  Perhaps he gave his age to the enumerator as 55 (he had claimed to be 50 at his wedding 6 years earlier) and this has been mistranscribed as 35.

Name Status Marr Age Sex Occupation Birthplace
Richard WINDEATT Head M 35 M Jeweller Exeter, Devon, England
Leah WINDEATT Wife M 34 F Cook (N D) Exeter, Devon, England
Leah WINDEATT Daur U 9 F Scholar Exeter, Devon, England

1891 (taken 5th April 1891)

Living at 6 Victoria Place, St. Paul's Exeter and still working as a jeweller.

Surname First name(s) Rel Status Sex Age Occupation Where Born
WINDEATT Richard Head M M 72 Jeweller (Employee)  Devon - Exeter
WINDEATT Leah Wife M F 47   Devon - Alphington

RG12/1691,  Folio: 76 Page: 23 Schedule: 192

Richard died a couple of years later in January 1894.  See death certificate above.

 

NOTE: If you can correct or add to any of the information on this page I would be very grateful.  Please leave a message on the Message Board.