John Bishop
(1795-1868)
John Bishop was the second of the eight children of Joseph Bishop and his wife Elizabeth Clements of Soham, Cambridgeshire, England.
John married Elizabeth Simpson of Soham and the couple had three children before Elizabeth died. Elizabeth was buried on the same day as her baby daughter was baptised, suggesting that she may have died during or as a result of childbirth. Within a few months, the baby died as well.
John's bad luck did not stop here. Six months later, he remarried to Elizabeth Saunders, but once again, his wife is buried on the same day as their baby daughter is baptised. And once again, the baby died a few months later.
The year after that, John marries for a third time, this time to Sarah Leonard. The couple had four children - two sons (who both appear to have survived) and two daughters (both of whom died as infants). Eight years into their marriage, Sarah dies in 1836.
John re-married for what would be his fourth and final time, to Martha Earith in 1837, but within 8 months, she also died, in April 1838.
John appears on the Soham census of 1841, living at Hanst Drove (now known as Hasse Drove) with his elderly parents Joseph and Elizabeth. There is also his son William nearby, and also on Hanst Drove, is his 10 year old son Henry Bishop, living as a servant.
By 1851, John's father has died, and he appears as an agricultural labourer at Hasse Drove with his son William and his mother Elizabeth - who is at the age of 84.
Despite the short lifespan of his four wives, John lived to the age of 72 years.
Life Events
Born
- 1st May 1795 at Soham, Cambridgeshire, England.
Baptised
- 24th May 1795 at St. Andrew's Church, Soham, Cambridgeshire, England
Married
- Elizabeth Simpson (1793-1826) on 21st August 1818 at St. Andrew's Church, Soham, Cambridgeshire, England.
- Elizabeth Saunders (1793-1827) on 18th January 1827 at St. Andrew's Church, Soham, Cambridgeshire, England.
- Sarah Leonard (1810-1836) on 8th February 1828 at St. Andrew's Church, Soham, Cambridgeshire, England.
- Martha Earith (1812-1838) on 7th August 1837 at St. Andrew's Church, Soham, Cambridgeshire, England.
Children:
- Simpson Bishop (1818-?) married Elizabeth Taylor (1818-1860), and later to Elizabeth Ellinor (1826-1868), and Sarah Brown (1829-?)
- John Bishop (1823-?)
- Elizabeth Bishop (1826)
- Elizabeth Saunders Bishop (1827-1828)
- Henry Bishop (1829-?) married Elizabeth Pearce (1832-?)
- Mary Bishop (1830-1831)
- William Bishop (1832-?) married Ellen (1841-?)
- Sophy Bishop (1834)
Census and Residence
- 1841: 46yrs, Hanst Drove, Soham, Cambridgeshire, England.
- 1851: 56yrs, Hasse Drove, Soham, Cambridgeshire, England.
- 1861: 70yrs, Hasse Drove, Soham, Cambridgeshire, England.
Employment
- 1861: Agricultural Labourer
- 1868: Landed Proprietor
Death
- May 1868 at Soham, Cambridgeshire, England, aged 75yrs.
Burial
- 23rd May 1868 in grave H1350/443/ at Soham, Cambridgeshire, England.