Charles Baylis

Not a lot is known about Charles Baylis’s short life. He was baptised in 1803 in Barnstaple, the son of Charles Baylis, a linen-draper from Bristol, and Agnes née Hunt, born in Stoke Rivers, North Devon. In 1828, when aged 25, he worked as a doctor in Bow for a year. That year he married Charlotte, daughter of William Flexman, a surgeon in South Molton (who three years later also worked for a short period as the doctor in Bow).

Baylis had an annual contract with the Bow Overseers of the Poor to provide medical and surgical care of the poor of the parish for the sum of ten pounds. (Midwifery and vaccination against smallpox attracted additional fees.)

Their daughter Charlotte Agnes Ann Flexman Baylis was born in Bow in 1829. Shortly afterwards they moved to Combe Martin in North Devon.

Samuel Budd took over for another two years. 

There are entries in the books of the Bow Overseers of the Poor that refer to a Chas Baylis having to pay bastardy payments of two shillings a week between 1833 and 1836, and some of the expenses incurred.

(The child was probably Abraham, illegitimate son of Mary Ann Moore. He was baptised in 1831 and died in 1836.)

October 1833                                                                                                                                    £  s   d

Pd William Casely for summonsing Charles Baylis                                                                           1 15 0

Pd Mr Gould for Baylis order and constables’ charge for serving it                                                   0  9  0

Journey to Linton and summons for Baylis and journey to South Molton

And the constable of Linton as per bill                                                                                               1  1  0

Journey to Linton Mr Casely                                                                                                                  7  6

This is almost certainly the same Charles Baylis. In 1840, he died aged 37 in South Molton. His wife survived him by 30 years.

Their daughter went on to marry solicitor John Hill Milton Sanger of Bampton, who had recently served his articles of clerkship in Exeter with Mr Robert Wreford of Bow.  (John Sanger the solicitor also died aged 35.)

It is of interest that Charles Baylis's aunt Mary Hunt married Rev John Blackmore (later Rector of Combe Martin) and was the grandmother of RD Blackmore of Lorna Doone fame.