- Born: 9 August 1785 at Ditcheat, Somerset baptized 11 June 1786 as Sarah Oarm.
- Parents: Isaac Oram 1745-1802 and Elizabeth Clare 1747-1795
- Married: Lawrence Lansdown Bond 1786-1829 at Ditcheat on 17 April 1815
- Siblings: James Oram 1774 -1839 ; John Oram 1772-1802 ; William 1780- baptised Oarm; Frances Oram 1782- baptised Oarm; Melior Oram 1788- baptised Oarm
- Offspring: Thomas Bond 1816-1877 and Joseph Bond 1824-1885
- Died: Buried 22 March 1860 at Ditcheat, Somerset
Sarah’s baptism
Sarah was baptised in Ditcheat when she was about 10 months old and registered as Sarah Oarm. Was there a reason why Isaac and Elizabeth waited so long? In the parish register there is the note ‘Pauper’ by Isaac and Elizabeth’s names. At the time a tax was levied on all entries in parish registers. This was opposed by many clergy who finally had the legislation rescinded by defining ‘pauper’ beyond those who were receiving poor relief. Of the 12 on Sarah’s page of baptisms 3 are marked as paupers. So although Isaac and Elizabeth, like Elizabeth’s parents when they died were probably living in relative poverty they were not necessarily receiving poor relief.
Sarah married Lawrence Lansdown Bond 1786-1829 at Ditcheat on 17 April 1815. Labourer Lawrence had been born in High Littleton 10 miles south of Bristol in the Somerset coalfields. His father Thomas Bond who had been born in Ansford married Mary Lansdown in her home parish of High Littleton. It is interesting to see on “Isaac’s daughter Sarah branch” page how many of Sarah and Lawrence’s descendants lived in the coalfield areas in Lancashire and South Wales.
Researchers have traced Lawrence Bond ancestors born in Somerset: Bond in Ashbrittle, Bond, Speed and Francis in Ansford, Manderfield and Francis in Castle Cary, Lansdown in Higher Littleton and Kingman in Farrington Gurney. The Hooper and Rogers families lived in Ansford and Castle Cary.
Offspring
Lawrence died in 1829 after fourteen years of marriage to Sarah. During that time the Ditcheat parish registers show that they had two offspring. There are no surviving records of other offspring being born in Somerset.
- Thomas Bond 1816-1877 baptised 2 May 1816
- James Bond 1825- baptised 26 June 1825
Sarah’s widowhood
The 1841 census shows head of household and ‘washer’ Sarah Bond living in Alhampton with her sons Thomas and Joseph. In 1851 Sarah was living alone in Alhampton and described as ‘pauper (washer)’ so almost certainly receiving poor relief. Sarah died in 1860 and was buried in Ditcheat churchyard.
USE ELSEWHERE Debbie is descended from Thomas and Elizabeth Mary’s son Eli Bond born 1867 in Sutton, Somerset (according to 1891 census when he was a coal miner). On 20 September 1884 Eli married Charlotte Davies in Haydock, Lancashire.
Eli and Charlotte has seven offspring including Debbie’s grandmother who married and in 1921 emigrated to the USA living in Denver, Colorado then Salt Lake City, Utah.