The paternal grandmother of my mother, Mary Lillian Almas, was Mary Jane Lambshead, eldest child of Josiah and Mary Jane (nee Partridge) Lambshead. Mary Lambshead married James Almas. Their son, Ernest Hayes Almas, was my mother's father.
Josiah Lambshead was born 9 February, 1847, in Paignton, Devon, UK - the son of Josias Lambshead and Elizabeth Manning.
His name was spelled Josias on his birth certificate, though he was known as Josiah in Canada. The birth was registered in Totnes, Devon (District 232, Vol. IX, p. 504).
He married Mary Jane Partridge (born 4 April, 1847, Christow, Devon) on 7th April, 1868, District of Newton Abbot, Devon. Josiah's residence at the time of the marriage was 'Sandy Gate, Kingsteignton, Devon - farmlabourer.' Witnesses to the marriage were William Lambshead and Samuel Lambshead. Mary Jane was the daughter of John Partridge and Mary (Henley) Partridge.
Josiah Lambshead (Sr.) died 20 February, 1922 at Homewood Hospital, Guelph, Ontario and he was buried in Burlington at the Greenwood Cemetery. His wife, Mary Jane, died 20 October, 1931, Burlington, ON and is also buried in Greenwood Cemetery.
(Mary Jane Partridge's birth was registered at St. Thomas, Devon (Vol. X, p. 251, District 4.) Her residence at the time of her marriage was 'Whiteway, Kingsteignton, Devon.' She made her mark with an X.
In the 1851 UK Census of Christow, Devon, Mary Partridge is shown as having been born at Christow, and living with her parents at Kinnock Cottage. In the 1871 census, she is at Christow with her parents - John and Mary Partridge.
In the 1871 UK Census, Josiah is listed with his wife and wife's parents as living at Kinnick (or Kennick) Cottage, Christow, Devon. The Kennick Resevoir was completed in 1884. This may have been related to the family's making plans to come to Canada about that time.
Family story has it that Josiah Lambshead worked his way back and forth across the Atlantic, several times, on a 'cattle boat' in order to earn the complete fare for his family. (Interestingly, he worked together with James Potter who is related by way of my paternal father. James Potter married Mary Jane Willoughby, the maternal great-aunt of my father, Freeman Barber).
Josiah had moved his little family to Lancaster, close to Liverpool for this time of earning passage money. More children were born there, the family living in the village of Burnley Lane, Lancaster. The whole family moved to Canada in 1884.
1. Mary Jane Lambshead - born 21st of March, 1869 - died 22 September, 1950; wife of Newman James Almas (1866 - 1930).
2. Josiah Lambshead - born 18 July, 1872, Newton Abbot, Devon - died 25 February, 1931, Burlington, ON, Canada; buried in Greenwood Cemetery. Husband of Ina Catherine Ghent (1877 - 1932).
3. Elizabeth Ellen Lambshead - born 29 August, 1874, Devon - died 5 November, 1880, Devon. Little is known about this child.
4. John Lambshead - born 29 September, 1876, District of Burnley, Burnley Lane, Lancaster - died 31 December, 1966, Burlington, ON; buried Greenwood Cemetery, Burlington; husband of Mae Lindley (1876 - 1932) - married in 1899, Burlington.
5. Lillian Partridge Lambshead - born 24 November, 1881, Burnley Lane, Lancaster. A wonderful poet; never married.
6. James Edward Lambshead - born 30 May, 1883 - died 29 December, 1962, Burlington. He was a market gardener. On 17 April, 1912, in Burlington he married Georgina Mae Cannom.
7. Frederick Thomas Lambshead - born 21 June, 1886 in Burlington - died 26 December, 1895. He was passing a Christmas tree in his nightie and a candle caused the Christmas tree to catch fire, and he was badly burned. The death certificate indicates that he died 12 hours later, on the 26th of December, 1895.
8. Albert Nelson (Net) Lambshead - born 12 November, 1889, Burlington, ON - died 18 February, 1959 at Canso, Nova Scotia. He was a market gardener and lay pastor, one of the founders of the Associated Gospel Churches of Canada and Freeman Gospel Tabernacle, Freeman's Corners (Burlington, ON). He was married to Ethel Thompson Job (25 April, 1893, Burlington - 16 March, 1976, Burlington) on 17 December, 1913, Burlington, ON.
The 1891 Census of Halton County (Nelson Township), Ontario - Division #1, shows Josiah residing in that area. He is 44 - 'born England, Methodist, farmer.' His wife, Mary, is 44, Mary Jane is 22, son Josiah is 18, John is 14, Lily is 9, James is 7, Frederick is 4 and Nelson is 1.
Josiah and Mary Jane Lambshead at a Freeman Gospel Tabernacle Sunday School picnic - held at lakefront park, Bronte, Ontario.
Josiah was a fruit and vegetable grower, living roughly across from Job's Feed Mill, on the Plains Road, Burlington, not far from Ross Peart's.