Creedy, Jim

Singer

Collection date: Aug 1906

Area: Somerset - Bridgwater Town

---

Jim Creedy of Bridgwater (1811? -1913): age 96, 7 songs 14 Aug 1906: Sharp recorded that the song ‘Rambling Sailor’ (FT1017) was sung by Tom Creedy, aged 96 at Bridgwater and that 6 other songs were sung by Jim Creedy, also 96. Supposedly both men were born in 1810. But I can find no Thomas Creedy in Bridgwater at that time. There was a Thomas Greedy (b1806) in the 1891 census, living at 46 Bristol Rd but he died in 1899 (buried at St Mary’s 8/9/1899). We are probably dealing with one man James (Jim).

We do know that James Creedy recorded himself as 100 in the 1911 census and Bob Patten notes the entry in the Bridgwater Mercury (8/3/1911) that celebrated his 100th birthday. It stated that Jim Creedy had been a teetotaller for 51 years. He was married on 14/9/1839 at St Mary’s church to Elizabeth Andrews, both residing at Gold’s Buildings and neither able to sign their names. The register stated that Jim’s father was John Creedy. The couple had 3 daughters and Jim is shown as a labourer in 1851, 1861 and 1871. In 1879 his wife Elizabeth died and in 1881 census he was a potato dealer in Bristol Road. In 1891 he was listed as James Greedy but this time as a ‘greengrocer aged 80’. In 1901 he was still in Bristol Rd with daughter Emma and granddaughter in attendance (RG13/2284 f22 p35). He probably died Dec qr 1913 Bridgwater 5c 384.