Daniel Bailey PITCHER (abt. 1810 - 1896)

Daniel Bailey PITCHER was born in Uley, Gloucestershire, in about 1810. He was most likely named after his great-uncle, Daniel BAILEY, who was the husband of his paternal grandmother's sister (see Daniel BAILEY'S biography for more information).

According to the International Genealogical Index (IGI), Daniel was baptized at Coaley, Gloucestershire on 25th June 1810. Coaley is very close to Uley, where Daniel's parents kept a farm called Hodgecombe Farm.

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Daniel married Mary Ann FRYER, daughter of his sister, Ann's, husband, Richard FRYER by his first wife, Ann JONES, on 12th May 1835 in St Mary's Church, Arlingham. The parish records show the following...

Daniel Pitcher of the Parish of Uley in this County, Bachelor, and Mary Anne Fryer of this Parish, Spinster, were married by License this 12th day of May in the Year 1835 by me John Sayer, Vicar. In the Presence of Thomas Fryer and Hannah Fryer.

...The witnesses, Thomas and Hannah FRYER, were possibly Mary's half uncle and aunt, half brother and sister of her father, Richard FRYER. By now, Richard may have moved away.

Photographs of the church at Arlingham can be seen in the Gallery section of this web site.

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The couple's first child was baptized four months after their wedding so it would appear that Mary was possibly pregnant when they married.

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The 1841 census shows Daniel living in Overton, Arlingham, Gloucestershire, registration district; Wheatenhurst, sub-registration district; Frampton. He was aged 30 and was living with his wife Mary, three of his children, three more people by the name of FRYER, relatives of his wife, and a person called Betsy GOLDING. John and Henry FRYER were Mary's brothers and George was her first cousin, son of her uncle and aunt, John and Prudence FRYER. Below is a list of those living in the household at that time...

Name, Estimated Age
George Fryer 15
Henry Fryer 20 
John Fryer 20 
Betsy Golding 12  
Benjamin Pitcher 5 
Daniel Pitcher 30 
John Pitcher 3 
Mary A Pitcher 25
Mary Pitcher 1

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The 1851 census shows Daniel and his family were still living in Arlingham, Gloucestershire, registration district; Wheatenhurst but the sub-registration district was called Haresfield. The name of their farm was Meadowland (spelt Medland Farm on the census) and by then, Daniel and Mary had four more children. His occupation was recorded as Farmer of 36 (or 56?) acres employing his own family at home. It appears that his eldest son, Benjamin was working with his father. Those living in the household at that time were...

Household Members: Name, Age 
Sarah Ann Butt 13 (Servant)
Benjamin F Pitcher 15 
Daniel B Pitcher 3 
Daniel Bailey Pitcher 41 
John Pitcher 13 
Joseph Pitcher 1 
Mary A Pitcher 10 
Mary Ann Pitcher 35 
Richard T Pitcher 6 
Sarah E Pitcher 9

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Also, in 1851, Daniel and Mary had another son but sadly William died the following year. Their youngest daughter, Fanny, was born in about 1854.

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The 1861 census shows Daniel living in Overton, Arlingham, Gloucestershire, registration district; Wheatenhurst and the sub-registration district was Frampton once again. He was still a farmer, by now with 58 acres and employing 2 men. Daughter, Mary Ann and sons, Benjamin and Richard appear to have left home and Fanny was registered at her boarding school in Frampton on Severn. Three people by the name of FRYER were staying with the family; Sarah and Caroline FRYER were referred to as servants and Benjamin FRYER was described as a nephew. These were more than likely half-siblings of Daniel's wife, Mary, children of her father Richard FRYER and his second wife, Ann Bailey PITCHER (Caroline’s age is unclear on the census). Because Ann was Daniel's sister, this connection would also mean these individuals were Daniel’s nieces and nephews...

Household Members: Name, Age 
Benjaman Fryer 9 
Caroline Fryer 17 
Sarah Fryer 31 
Daniel Pitcher 51 
Daniel B Pitcher 13 
John Pitcher 23 
Joseph Pitcher 11 
Mary A Pitcher 45 
Sarah Pitcher 19

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By 1871, the census shows that Daniel and his wife, Mary, were still living in Arlingham with their 16 year old daughter, Fanny, but the rest of their children had left home. The farm is mis-spelt on the census as Medaland instead of Meadowland Farm...

Household Members: Name, Age 
Daniel B Pitcher 61 
Fanny Pitcher 16 
Mary A Pitcher 56

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According to the 1881 census, Daniel was living at Overton Lane Farm House in Arlingham with his wife, Mary, and daughter, Fanny. Meadowland is situated in Overton Lane so it is possible this is the same farm as before although there are other buildings situated on the opposite side of the road from Meadowland which might have fitted the description. Their son Joseph, who was by now widowed, was living back home with his parents together with his own son, Henry. Daniel was a farmer with 50 acres of land...

Household Members: Name, Age 
Daniel Pitcher 71 
Fanny Pitcher 26 
Henry Pitcher 9 
Joseph Pitcher 31 
Mary Ann Pitcher 65 

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The Arlingham Enclosure Act of 1801 reveals that Daniel's wife, Mary's, grandfather, John FRYER of Overton (abt. 1762-1816), was one of a few substantial landowners in Arlingham at that time. A map of the original Act demonstrates that he owned several fields adjacent to the location of present day Meadowland (formerly Meadowland Farm).

The older barn in Meadowland bears a carving in a beam, ‘JF 1791’. When Richard FRYER (abt. 1730-1792) died, his son, John (abt. 1762-1816), had married Phoebe TAYSUM the year before. Perhaps John took over the running of the farm at that time and made improvements to the barn, leaving his initials in the beam for posterity. The extension on the house, which was built later, has a carving in the bricks, ‘R 1820 F’. John’s son Richard (abt 1792-1862), quite likely moved to Meadowland in about 1816/17 after the death of his father. His first wife, Ann (nee JONES), died in 1822 and Richard and his second wife, Ann (nee PITCHER), moved away around the time that Richard’s eldest daughter, Mary, married Daniel Bailey PITCHER. This would appear to confirm that Daniel and Mary's home was a FRYER homestead for at least three generations of FRYERS and who knows how many before them and to the land itself, even perhaps before the house was built?

It is feasible there may have been a financial arrangement or a marriage settlement whereby Meadowland Farm came into Daniel’s possession. Reasons pointing to this are that Richard FRYER had moved to the Forest of Dean where he continued to farm, having started a new family with his second wife. Daniel PITCHER’S father was a yeoman from Uley but his older brother, James, later inherited his father’s farm. This would presumably have meant that Daniel would have had to make a living elsewhere. Lastly, Mary’s younger brother, John, lived very close to Meadowland, possibly on the same land, but his occupations listed on the majority of the censuses were a waterman and a gardener. He does not appear to have farmed Meadowland except for when he was living with Daniel and Mary in 1841, even though he was Richard’s eldest son.

The book, 'Arlingham - A Snapshot in Time', compiled by the residents of Arlingham for the Millenium, describes what became of Meadowland...

"...The front of the house was built in 1821; the back is 18th century or earlier. Formerly a farmhouse, it was used as a police station at the turn of the century. It now has a glass engraving studio where the St Mary's Millenium Window was created."

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The location of Meadowland can be seen on the map below.

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In 1891, Daniel was 81 years old and lived in the High Street, Arlingham with his wife, Mary. He was described as having 'No Occupation'.

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Daniel's death was registered in 1896, between April and June, in the district of Wheatenhurst, Gloucester. He lived to the ripe old age of 86.

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Photographs of Arlingham can be seen in the Photo Gallery > Collections > Places > Arlingham, Gloucestershire section of this web site and a video clip of the view overlooking Arlingham can be seen in the 'Videos' section of this site.

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