Blackdown
In the 1881 Census John and Mary Pomeroy have moved back to there roots. In the Parish of Broadwindsor, not in Cole's Cross where this story began, but 5 minutes North in Blackdown. Blackdown was in the ascendance and is currently found on maps, whereas Coles's Cross frequently is not.
The church in the photo is a chapel of ease dedicated to the Holy Trinity that was erected in 1840, aiding the growth of Blackdown.
The marker on the OS 25" is still in the Cole's Cross location and Holy Trinity Church is at the top of the page. This map was revised 1900 and published in 1902. About 20 years from the 1881 Census with John and Mary in Blackdown.
Click on the map to see the map in a new window, and it is clear that there are not many buildings in the area.
The surrounding area has Blackdown Grammar School, Hurst Farm, Blackdown Hill and Gravel Pit, Causeway, Blackdown Cottage, and the larger Blackdown House and Estate.
I am not able to identify which property John and Mary were in and the date was too far advanced to use the tithe map to identify by plot.
John and Mary are in the second building annotated Blackdown, coming from Newgate which is on the county border. John is still working as an agricultural labourer even though he is 72 years old. Newgate is also very close to Kittwhistle. That place has been found before in relation to a Robert Bowditch and a John Bowditch living on the edge of Broadwindsor Parish near Childhay, at Kittwhistle.
At this point it is worth remembering that Mary Pomeroy's maiden name was Mary Ann Bowditch.
Proximity is an important consideration in a low mobility society of the early 19th Century. John and Mary were quite adventurous as they had moved home a number of times, up to 20 miles away from their original home. For some people at that time, that is a long way.
Both John and Mary had long lives with John going first, being buried on 17th March 1890, at the age of 80. Mary survived him by 4 months and was buried on 18th July 1890 at the age of 79.
