Stook, John

Singer

Collection date: Sept 1906

Area: Somerset - Taunton District

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John Stook of Wiveliscombe (1827-1915): age 80, 7 songs (FT1005ff) on 4 Sept 1906: John Stook lived nearly all his life in Wiveliscombe, working as an agricultural labourer and carter in nearby farms. He was baptised there on 23/9/1827, son of Robert Stook, labourer and his wife Sarah. John married Ann Sully daughter of Robert Sully, labourer, in March qr 1853 (ref Wellington 5c 632). They had 7 children and lived at Golden Hill in the town centre.

Ann died in 1879 and John remarried Elizabeth Bridge in December qr 1883 (ref Taunton 5c 658). She also died in 1893 and John was shown in the 1901 census at Wiveliscombe as a ‘widower aged 75, general labourer’ in the almshouses (ref RG13/2268 f10 p12). After his meeting with Sharp, John moved away to be looked after in his daughter Emily’s home at Farmborough near Bath (1911 census). He perhaps came back to the Wiveliscombe area, however and died in Sept qr 1915 (ref Wellington 5c 313).