Ralph Herbert Ponting
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Skeate, Speck and Ponting Families:
Merger of Three Box Families Ralph Herbert Ponting, 1991 Ralph Herbert Ponting was fascinated by his family history and wrote extensively about it: often to relatives, particularly his second cousin, Victoria Corbett (nee Ponting), to whom we are indebted for this article and photos. His research is impressive, the more so since he worked before the internet was readily available and information involved trips to Kew, county record offices and parochial church records. Ralph was a language teacher who spoke fluent Russian. He went to Box School, moved to Sutton Coalfield and was buried in Box after his death in 1997. We believe he would have been delighted to know his efforts have reached a much wider audience than he ever imagined. |
Background to the Speck Family
The first time that the Speck family were recorded as living in Box was between 1855 and 1859 when James Speck replaced Richard Shewring, as owner and landlord of the Queen's Head Hotel, Box. The Speck family wasn't local to Box; they probably came from Devon and Somerset originally.
James Speck was born on 12 September 1808, son of William and Elizabeth of Chudlay (now Chudleigh) which lies a few miles to the north of Newton Abbott, Devon. He was seven years old when the Napoleonic war ended and hard times followed as men came crowding back from military service. Soon after the age of twenty, James left Chudleigh and moved north in search of work as a domestic servant or gardener.
It may be that James did not begin his travels until the spring of 1833, by which time the turmoil and violent rioting in Bristol that preceded the Reform Act of 1832 had died down. It is likely that in Bath he met a young woman, Sarah Veale, who came from Queen Charlton, a very small village about a mile south of Keynsham.
James Speck and Sarah Veale
They were married at St Swithins Church, Walcot, on Thursday 9 May 1833. The next year James is recorded as living and working in Swainswick, a little way up the Gloucester Road from Bath.
The first time that the Speck family were recorded as living in Box was between 1855 and 1859 when James Speck replaced Richard Shewring, as owner and landlord of the Queen's Head Hotel, Box. The Speck family wasn't local to Box; they probably came from Devon and Somerset originally.
James Speck was born on 12 September 1808, son of William and Elizabeth of Chudlay (now Chudleigh) which lies a few miles to the north of Newton Abbott, Devon. He was seven years old when the Napoleonic war ended and hard times followed as men came crowding back from military service. Soon after the age of twenty, James left Chudleigh and moved north in search of work as a domestic servant or gardener.
It may be that James did not begin his travels until the spring of 1833, by which time the turmoil and violent rioting in Bristol that preceded the Reform Act of 1832 had died down. It is likely that in Bath he met a young woman, Sarah Veale, who came from Queen Charlton, a very small village about a mile south of Keynsham.
James Speck and Sarah Veale
They were married at St Swithins Church, Walcot, on Thursday 9 May 1833. The next year James is recorded as living and working in Swainswick, a little way up the Gloucester Road from Bath.
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This christening mug of Sarah's hides a mystery. It is dated 1832, which means that she was probably not baptised at birth and was christened specifically to legalise her marriage ceremony with James Speck.
On 21 December 1834 his first child, Frederic John, was christened in Swainswick. Two years later came a daughter, Jane Jemima, (probably named after Jemima Gill, one of the witnesses at the Specks' wedding). Jane Jemima was christened at Bathford, possibly implying a change of job for James. Against each of these christenings the occupation of gardener is ascribed to him. The next two children of James and Sarah were christened within a month of their being born, entered simply as boy and girl. A very accurate address is found on both certificates: 110 Prior Park Place, Widcombe, Bath. The boy (William) was born on 27 August 1839; the girl (Eliza) on 1 May 1841. |
So the Specks had moved again and now
lived in that large, partly hillside parish that is known as Lyncombe
and Widcombe. In the 1841 census James is curtly described as agricultural labourer.
By the time of the birth of their fifth child (James Henry) in 1843 the Specks had moved to Babington; but there is no means of knowing just when the move occurred. We know that they remained there until 2 February 1852, for that is the date of birth of their youngest child, Bertha.
Wyndham Knatchbull
In the census of 30 March 1851 the family lived under the roof of Wyndham Knatchbull, landowner and Captain in the Third Dragoon Guards, who was also a Justice of the Peace in Bath. Their role was as domestic servants. The Knatchbulls were once a family of some importance, one time barons in Rochester, Kent. Captain Knatchbull's father was a churchman, the Rev Wadham Knatchbull (1794 - 1876) of Cholderton Lodge, Hants who was Prebendary of the Cathedral of Wells.
It is reasonable to hope to find Speck's two farming sons working land belonging to the Knatchbulls, who appear to have owned nine farms locally. The Knatchbull family, as a whole, would have been able to offer farm work in many other places than Babington.
Sarah and Bertha Speck were both born at Babington, but fairly soon after 1851, James, Sarah and their three daughters moved to Box and the Kelly's Directory for 1859 shows Speck as the landlord of the Queen's Head. In the official census for Box of 1861, Speck and family are given as living at the Queen's Head, the daughters' ages being given as 19, 11 and 9 respectively. After Bertha came two more boys. At this point we leave the Speck family and look at another Box clan, the Pontings.
By the time of the birth of their fifth child (James Henry) in 1843 the Specks had moved to Babington; but there is no means of knowing just when the move occurred. We know that they remained there until 2 February 1852, for that is the date of birth of their youngest child, Bertha.
Wyndham Knatchbull
In the census of 30 March 1851 the family lived under the roof of Wyndham Knatchbull, landowner and Captain in the Third Dragoon Guards, who was also a Justice of the Peace in Bath. Their role was as domestic servants. The Knatchbulls were once a family of some importance, one time barons in Rochester, Kent. Captain Knatchbull's father was a churchman, the Rev Wadham Knatchbull (1794 - 1876) of Cholderton Lodge, Hants who was Prebendary of the Cathedral of Wells.
It is reasonable to hope to find Speck's two farming sons working land belonging to the Knatchbulls, who appear to have owned nine farms locally. The Knatchbull family, as a whole, would have been able to offer farm work in many other places than Babington.
Sarah and Bertha Speck were both born at Babington, but fairly soon after 1851, James, Sarah and their three daughters moved to Box and the Kelly's Directory for 1859 shows Speck as the landlord of the Queen's Head. In the official census for Box of 1861, Speck and family are given as living at the Queen's Head, the daughters' ages being given as 19, 11 and 9 respectively. After Bertha came two more boys. At this point we leave the Speck family and look at another Box clan, the Pontings.
Pontings in Box Village
The Ponting family first appear in Box somewhere before 1860 when John Edward Ponting, eldest son of Edward and Elizabeth Ponting of Whitley, near Melksham, is recorded in the village. The father, Edward Ponting (1813 - 1878), was described as accountant on the marriage certificate of his third child, Jane to Isaac Smith, in 1862. This profession contrasts with the usual one of farmer or yeoman in the family tree. Possibly it implied that the family had acquired some status and wealth. A few words about Edward Ponting have come down to us from his daughter-in-law, Bertha Speck, although she was only 26 when Edward died. Bertha said that her father-in-law was something of a farmer, an accountant and a solicitor.
From another source we learn that Edward liked wine, women and song. He made a will in 1858 leaving everything to his wife. By 1867 Edward had left Whitley and in 1876 his address was given on a document as 61 Regents Park Road, Middlesex. There was not much time left for Edward to cut a dash in the famous park. He died after a painful accident in which his elbow was fractured on 27 August 1878 at the age of 65.
Edward and Elizabeth had seven children, including John Edward Ponting and Ralph Skeate Ponting. In the census of 1861 John Edward was already defined as Draper and Head of Household. He was then 23 and his household consisted of his younger brother Ralph, given as being 16, and their sister Ann, said to be 15. Their address was the Village.
Ralph and Ann spent their very earliest years at the worst phase of the great potato famine which affected England as well as Ireland. Britain's population at this time was about 20 million, of whom 2 million normally lived largely on potatoes. These were the Hungry Forties. In his old age Ralph often spoke of the Hungry Forties which he had experienced, when, in the course of a few years, a million Irish died.
Box, being a fast growing community, had some advantages for young people starting up in business . During the construction of Box Tunnel in 1841, much valuable building stone was revealed and stone-quarrying became the dominant local industry. The railway itself was the main line from London to Bristol and the communications of Box were therefore better than those of Melksham which was on a branch line that had opened in 1848. Although Chippenham was also on the main line, a new business would have much more competition there than in Box, Chippenham being the chief market town of the district.
Were there earlier Pontings or relatives who had traded in the neighbourhood of Box and who could have advised John Edward where to set up? According to the Universal British Directory of 1793-98, there was a Mrs Ponting who was a baker and maltster in Chippenham. There was also a John Skeatts in Chippenham, a saddler and collar maker. But that was a long time before John's parents were born.
An entry in Robson's Commercial Directory of 1839 showed: William and Humphrey Skeath, linen drapers, High Street, Chippenham. The entry appeared again in 1844, except that the name was spelt Skeate and the drapers were woollen and linen drapers. And so we get to the third family, the Skeates.
The Ponting family first appear in Box somewhere before 1860 when John Edward Ponting, eldest son of Edward and Elizabeth Ponting of Whitley, near Melksham, is recorded in the village. The father, Edward Ponting (1813 - 1878), was described as accountant on the marriage certificate of his third child, Jane to Isaac Smith, in 1862. This profession contrasts with the usual one of farmer or yeoman in the family tree. Possibly it implied that the family had acquired some status and wealth. A few words about Edward Ponting have come down to us from his daughter-in-law, Bertha Speck, although she was only 26 when Edward died. Bertha said that her father-in-law was something of a farmer, an accountant and a solicitor.
From another source we learn that Edward liked wine, women and song. He made a will in 1858 leaving everything to his wife. By 1867 Edward had left Whitley and in 1876 his address was given on a document as 61 Regents Park Road, Middlesex. There was not much time left for Edward to cut a dash in the famous park. He died after a painful accident in which his elbow was fractured on 27 August 1878 at the age of 65.
Edward and Elizabeth had seven children, including John Edward Ponting and Ralph Skeate Ponting. In the census of 1861 John Edward was already defined as Draper and Head of Household. He was then 23 and his household consisted of his younger brother Ralph, given as being 16, and their sister Ann, said to be 15. Their address was the Village.
Ralph and Ann spent their very earliest years at the worst phase of the great potato famine which affected England as well as Ireland. Britain's population at this time was about 20 million, of whom 2 million normally lived largely on potatoes. These were the Hungry Forties. In his old age Ralph often spoke of the Hungry Forties which he had experienced, when, in the course of a few years, a million Irish died.
Box, being a fast growing community, had some advantages for young people starting up in business . During the construction of Box Tunnel in 1841, much valuable building stone was revealed and stone-quarrying became the dominant local industry. The railway itself was the main line from London to Bristol and the communications of Box were therefore better than those of Melksham which was on a branch line that had opened in 1848. Although Chippenham was also on the main line, a new business would have much more competition there than in Box, Chippenham being the chief market town of the district.
Were there earlier Pontings or relatives who had traded in the neighbourhood of Box and who could have advised John Edward where to set up? According to the Universal British Directory of 1793-98, there was a Mrs Ponting who was a baker and maltster in Chippenham. There was also a John Skeatts in Chippenham, a saddler and collar maker. But that was a long time before John's parents were born.
An entry in Robson's Commercial Directory of 1839 showed: William and Humphrey Skeath, linen drapers, High Street, Chippenham. The entry appeared again in 1844, except that the name was spelt Skeate and the drapers were woollen and linen drapers. And so we get to the third family, the Skeates.
The Skeate Family
Kelly's Directory for 1855 informs us that one William Skeate was licensed to sell stamps, and was a draper and grocer in the village of Box. The Skeates had lived in Slaughterford for most of the 1700s and probably came to Box in the mid 1800s.
It is not far-fetched to suppose that the Pontings were helped to set up in business by their Skeate relations, including William Skeate, the draper of Box. The advantage of being a Skeate was not at the disposal of Edward Ponting for he had merely married into the family, but his children were born Skeates. This is why their mother took care to see that as many as possible of them bore the Skeate family names. Several Ponting children had two first names (a practice that was by no means universal in the 1800s), including Jane Skeate Ponting and Ralph Skeate Ponting.
There are sound commercial reasons for bearing an eminent name: it gets you known. In the Index of the General Record Office at St Catherine's House, London it was precisely these Skeate names that enabled me to identify my kinsfolk. There the Ponting of Ralph Skeate Ponting is mis-spelt as Pontin; but it is our man. Also the clerk who handwrote Skeate for Jane forgot to cross the T, giving Skeale. But the combination Jane Skeale correctly turned out to refer to our kinswoman.
William Skeate, the draper of Box named in Kelly's of 1855 did not appear again in the 1859 edition. But Kelly's in 1865 showed a new grocer and draper: John Edward Ponting (1836 - 1890). On 6 September 1880 a William Skeate was buried in Box at the age of 56. If this was the former draper we may note that his age in 1855 would have been 24, whilst that of John Edward Ponting was 18. William Skeate may have had to retire early because of poor health and would have had no difficulty in finding a successor. It is even possible that John Edward Ponting had worked for him since leaving school.
The first indication of the whereabouts of John Edward's business is the census of 1871, when it is located in the Parade, Box. John was said to employ two men and a boy, whilst still being assisted by his brother, Ralph Skeate Ponting (1843 - 1923). There were other connections. In Kelly's Directory of 1875, in addition to being named as grocer and draper, John Edward Ponting was described as coal merchant. It bears out the traditional account, in our family, that John was supplied with coal by some cousins, the Skeates.
Kelly's Directory for 1855 informs us that one William Skeate was licensed to sell stamps, and was a draper and grocer in the village of Box. The Skeates had lived in Slaughterford for most of the 1700s and probably came to Box in the mid 1800s.
It is not far-fetched to suppose that the Pontings were helped to set up in business by their Skeate relations, including William Skeate, the draper of Box. The advantage of being a Skeate was not at the disposal of Edward Ponting for he had merely married into the family, but his children were born Skeates. This is why their mother took care to see that as many as possible of them bore the Skeate family names. Several Ponting children had two first names (a practice that was by no means universal in the 1800s), including Jane Skeate Ponting and Ralph Skeate Ponting.
There are sound commercial reasons for bearing an eminent name: it gets you known. In the Index of the General Record Office at St Catherine's House, London it was precisely these Skeate names that enabled me to identify my kinsfolk. There the Ponting of Ralph Skeate Ponting is mis-spelt as Pontin; but it is our man. Also the clerk who handwrote Skeate for Jane forgot to cross the T, giving Skeale. But the combination Jane Skeale correctly turned out to refer to our kinswoman.
William Skeate, the draper of Box named in Kelly's of 1855 did not appear again in the 1859 edition. But Kelly's in 1865 showed a new grocer and draper: John Edward Ponting (1836 - 1890). On 6 September 1880 a William Skeate was buried in Box at the age of 56. If this was the former draper we may note that his age in 1855 would have been 24, whilst that of John Edward Ponting was 18. William Skeate may have had to retire early because of poor health and would have had no difficulty in finding a successor. It is even possible that John Edward Ponting had worked for him since leaving school.
The first indication of the whereabouts of John Edward's business is the census of 1871, when it is located in the Parade, Box. John was said to employ two men and a boy, whilst still being assisted by his brother, Ralph Skeate Ponting (1843 - 1923). There were other connections. In Kelly's Directory of 1875, in addition to being named as grocer and draper, John Edward Ponting was described as coal merchant. It bears out the traditional account, in our family, that John was supplied with coal by some cousins, the Skeates.
Merger of Speck, Skeate and Ponting Families
The connection between the three families came through the marriage of neighbours in Box. The premises of John Edward and Ralph Ponting in the Parade, Box were within two hundred yards of the Queen's Head, run by James Speck. The two Ponting boys (John Edward, and Ralph Skeate) and the three Speck girls (Eliza, Sarah and Bertha) must have come to know each other early in the 1860s. In 1861 their ages were as follows: John 24, EIiza 19, Ralph 17, Sarah 11 and Bertha 9.
I have no information about Eliza but the other four were still single when the census was taken in 1871. John Edward Ponting acquired the draper's shop in the Market Place because of John Edward's association with the Skeate family. He married Sarah Speck in 1874. Ralph Skeate Ponting left his brother's shop and took over the Queen's Head when he married Bertha Speck in 1879.
To follow the story of the of these people see The Ponting Family.
The connection between the three families came through the marriage of neighbours in Box. The premises of John Edward and Ralph Ponting in the Parade, Box were within two hundred yards of the Queen's Head, run by James Speck. The two Ponting boys (John Edward, and Ralph Skeate) and the three Speck girls (Eliza, Sarah and Bertha) must have come to know each other early in the 1860s. In 1861 their ages were as follows: John 24, EIiza 19, Ralph 17, Sarah 11 and Bertha 9.
I have no information about Eliza but the other four were still single when the census was taken in 1871. John Edward Ponting acquired the draper's shop in the Market Place because of John Edward's association with the Skeate family. He married Sarah Speck in 1874. Ralph Skeate Ponting left his brother's shop and took over the Queen's Head when he married Bertha Speck in 1879.
To follow the story of the of these people see The Ponting Family.
Skeate Family Tree
John Skeate (1730 - 1806) married in 1764 Jane Little (1740 - 1832). They lived at Slaughterford.
Children: 1. Ralph Skeate (1768 - 1837); 2. John Skeate (1772 - 1836); 3. Sarah; 4. Ann; 5. Jane (1775 - 1861)
1. Ralph Skeate (1768 - 1832) married 1798 Mary Bethall (b 1781)
Children: John Skeate (1801 - 1839); Ann Skeate; Ralph Skeate (b 1804); Jane Skeate (1775 - 1861)
Ann Skeate married 1825 John Gay
Jane Skeate married 1840 John Moore
2. John Skeate (1772 - 1836) married 1795 Ann Painter and lived in North Wraxall
Children: Ralph Skeate (1796 - 1844); Edwin Skeate (1811 - 1907)
Ralph Skeate (1796 - 1844) married 1832 Jane Gibbs (1797 - 1866)
Edwin Skeate (1811 - 1907) MRCS of Bath
3. Sarah Skeate married 1789 Daniel Harding
4. Ann Skeate married 1793 Humphrey Tugwell
5. Jane Skeate (1775 - 1861) married 1798 William Butler (1771 - 1844)
Children: a. Humphrey Butler ( b 1811); b. Elizabeth Butler (1813 - 1906); c. William Butler (b 1815); d. Ralph Butler (1816 - 1895)
a. Humphrey Butler (b 1811): no details recorded
b. Elizabeth Butler (1813 - 1906) married 1834 Edward Ponting (1813 - 1878)
They lived in Whitley. In 1844 Edward is described as yeoman but in 1861 he calls himself accountant.
Children: Mary Catherine (b 1836) possibly required special assistance;
John Edward Ponting;
Jane Skeate (1838 - 1872) married 1862 Isaac Smith of Kellaways;
William Butler Ponting (1840 - 1879) in 1861 draper at Trowbridge;
Ralph Skeate Ponting (1843 - 1922) of Box;
Ann Tugwell (b 1844);
Robert Henry Ponting
c. William Butler (b 1815): no details recorded;
d. Ralph Butler (1816 - 1895) married Eliza (1830 - 1902)
Children: Jane Ann (b 1848); William Butler (1850 - 1880)
Speck & Ponting Family Trees
See The Ponting Family article
John Skeate (1730 - 1806) married in 1764 Jane Little (1740 - 1832). They lived at Slaughterford.
Children: 1. Ralph Skeate (1768 - 1837); 2. John Skeate (1772 - 1836); 3. Sarah; 4. Ann; 5. Jane (1775 - 1861)
1. Ralph Skeate (1768 - 1832) married 1798 Mary Bethall (b 1781)
Children: John Skeate (1801 - 1839); Ann Skeate; Ralph Skeate (b 1804); Jane Skeate (1775 - 1861)
Ann Skeate married 1825 John Gay
Jane Skeate married 1840 John Moore
2. John Skeate (1772 - 1836) married 1795 Ann Painter and lived in North Wraxall
Children: Ralph Skeate (1796 - 1844); Edwin Skeate (1811 - 1907)
Ralph Skeate (1796 - 1844) married 1832 Jane Gibbs (1797 - 1866)
Edwin Skeate (1811 - 1907) MRCS of Bath
3. Sarah Skeate married 1789 Daniel Harding
4. Ann Skeate married 1793 Humphrey Tugwell
5. Jane Skeate (1775 - 1861) married 1798 William Butler (1771 - 1844)
Children: a. Humphrey Butler ( b 1811); b. Elizabeth Butler (1813 - 1906); c. William Butler (b 1815); d. Ralph Butler (1816 - 1895)
a. Humphrey Butler (b 1811): no details recorded
b. Elizabeth Butler (1813 - 1906) married 1834 Edward Ponting (1813 - 1878)
They lived in Whitley. In 1844 Edward is described as yeoman but in 1861 he calls himself accountant.
Children: Mary Catherine (b 1836) possibly required special assistance;
John Edward Ponting;
Jane Skeate (1838 - 1872) married 1862 Isaac Smith of Kellaways;
William Butler Ponting (1840 - 1879) in 1861 draper at Trowbridge;
Ralph Skeate Ponting (1843 - 1922) of Box;
Ann Tugwell (b 1844);
Robert Henry Ponting
c. William Butler (b 1815): no details recorded;
d. Ralph Butler (1816 - 1895) married Eliza (1830 - 1902)
Children: Jane Ann (b 1848); William Butler (1850 - 1880)
Speck & Ponting Family Trees
See The Ponting Family article