Spiller, Charles

Singer

Collection date: Sept 1908

Area: Somerset - Taunton District

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Charles Spiller of Pitminster (1827-1912): age 84, 1 song (FT1815) on 1 Sept 1908: Charles’ song ‘The Daughter of Peggy O’ was published by Sharp in the Folk Song Journal 5 (1916). It’s also known as ‘Ruggleton’s daughter’ (Roud 117) and is Child Ballad 277. It was selected for the Penguin Book of English Folk Songs p29 and its updated version Classic English Folk Songs (p140).Click on vwml link.

Charles Spiller was baptised at Otterford church on 20/5/1827, son of William Spiller, labourer and his wife Ann. The register states that the parents lived at Churchingford in Churchstanton. Aged 27, he married Mary Ann Glade, 23 a servant, at Taunton St James on 22/9/1857. In 1861 Charles was a ‘Dairyman’, at Lower Woodbrook, Pitminster. He had moved to Kibbear Farm, 3 miles north of Pitminster by 1871 (180 acres) and the family would run this farm for the next 40 years at least. Charles and Mary Ann had 10 children – 6 daughters and 4 sons. Mary Ann died in 1898 and Charles in 1912 (buried Trull church 26 August, aged 87). He left £1,107 in his will.