This is probably the oldest family I can trace with some degree of certainty. With a lot of help, I got the line back to 1300, to the parish of Thrustleton, Devon. Here are a couple of interesting people in the line.

Robert Wolcott (1633-), son of Edward Woolcot, was baptized at Exeter St. Sidwell in 1633. Robert Woolcott married Sarah Trueman at St. Sidwell 1648. Robert Wollcott of Exeter St. Paul’s parish married Ann Teddar of Exeter St. David at St. David’s 1655.

Next is William Woolcott (1777-1842). He is mentioned in Exeter in the parish of Saint Kerrian in the militia lists.

“The Exeter Militia List of 1803 is a very important document for this period.  It lists 3,102 men in the city between the ages of 17 and 55 who were liable to duty I the militia. This compares with a total male population in the census of 1801 of 7,320. Most of those not listed were in exempt age groups (and we have to make some allowance for population ages and mortality between 1801 and 1803). Thus, we have a very good and near complete record of the adult males in the city at this date. William Woolcott is listed, as follows: Saint Kerrian, William Woolcott, Schoolmaster, Class 4, aged 32.

He had 9 children and their details are for a later project. The main one of interest is Robert Woolcott. (1799-1867). He is mentioned in the Woolcott family bible which June had a copy of. He was born in St. Kerrian, Exeter and was a school master. Exeter has several parishes in a small area. Many have disappeared since the 1800’s and this includes St Kerrian. The church is described as follows: St Kerrian Church listed in 1200 was demolished in 1878 due to general dilapidation. It was said that the church was “dark and gloomy, and from its not being used for divine service, little attention is paid to its interior part; the tower, which is over the entrance, is low and contains one bell and a clock, with a dial fronting onto the street”.The gloominess could not have been helped by the fact that there were buildings on three sides of the church. The chancel measured 18 by 18 feet with the nave at 30 by 18 feet. The West gallery was of painted Italian work, and there was a screen between the nave and the chancel also of “once gaudy Italian work”. There was apparently no font.

Robert married Prudence Underhill and they had 8 children all but one survived infancy. The family bible mentions one who went to Australia, but in fact after research I can confirm three actually went there. It is probable that this was not the first member of our family to go there. One possibility is as follows: a John Woolcott was tried at Exeter, Devon on 18 July 1785 for burglary with a value of 427 shillings. He was sentenced to transportation to Australia for life having been originally sentenced to death, and left England on the Charlotte aged about 47 at that time (May 1787). He had no occupation recorded. He died in 1788. Notes: Report from Dunkirk hulk was “at times troublesome”.

Anyway back to Robert’s children. Henry Charles (1836-1901), Thomas Hugh Augustus (1849-1895) and Frank Albert (1855-1926) all emigrated to New South Wales, and had families there. George William (1844-1870) stayed in Exeter. The three daughters, Ann Louisa (1837-1887), Emily Marianne (1839-1919) and Rose Alice (1851-?).all moved to various parts of London. We pick up with Emily.

Emily Louisa Woolcott married Henry Francis Ebdon. In her early life she was a Milliner in Exeter. Later she is listed as a confectioner. She obviously was helping out her husband in his trade. We know about her story from there on from the previous chapter.

That just about concludes the Woolcott’s. It’s an amazing family, from Lords of the manor to prisoners, it’s all there. There is a great deal of information in Exeter about them and I have a bit on file here. However it’s all a bit remote and for another time.