Thomas Folland (and Catherine Pococke) born 1681

Thomas Folland was baptised in Dolton, Devon on 9 October 1681. His parents were Michael and Anne, and it would appear that they were generally known as Folly, rather than Folland. During Thomas’ life his name changed from Folly to Folland! Michael and Anne baptised another son, George in Dolton on 7 August 1687, but otherwise nothing more is known about his childhood. On 3 June 1701 when Thomas was 19, he married Catherine Pococke in Saint David, Exeter, Devon, England. Pococke is a rather interesting surname, and derives from the early medieval English “pecoc” or “pecock” (peacock) originally used as a nickname for someone who liked bright colours or clothes.  Because there are so many variations of spelling, there are not a lot of ‘Pocockes’ recorded: and there are very few in Devon. Sometimes this means that a birth entry is easier to find, but this is not the case with Catherine and so the names of her parents or her birthdate are not known. The fact they married in Exeter may mean that this was where Catherine was living at the time. The Clergy of the Church of England Database notes that at the time the Vicar of Morwenstow in the Parish of Exeter was Thomas Pocock, who could have easily been a relation.  It is believed that Catherine was born in Brushford, a very small village about 50 km north of Exeter and about 40 km east of Dolton.

Catherine and Thomas then spent the next 20 living in, or close to, Dolton. They baptised at least six sons in the Parish Church.  The children were:

John – baptised 8 July 1702

Thomas – baptised 18 January 1703 (really 1704)

Will – baptised 22 March 1708

George – baptised 20 August 1711

Michael – baptised 18 February 1717

Henry – baptised 10 July 1720.

It is possible, obviously, that there were other children who were baptised elsewhere, or even in Dolton but with a weird spelling alternative! But nothing more is known of this couple…