Yeovil's Virtual Museum

Richard Vining (1)

Brickmaker 

 

Those researching Richard Vining (1) on the internet, and there are several, all seem to have made the same mistake - one of the joys of plagiarising the work of others. The originator of this internet mess found that Richard Vining died in Yeovil in 1815 aged 63 and therefore assumed, without checking, that he was born in Yeovil in 1752. Having checked every entry in St John's parish registers (and several other neighbouring parishes) for baptisms, marriages and burials for any member of the Vining family between the 1630s and the 1780s. I am confident that the Vining family did not originate in Yeovil, but Wincanton. I believe that Richard Vining (1) was the first of the family to settle in Yeovil and was the progenitor of the Vining family of Yeovil.

Richard Vining, born in Wincanton in 1754 and baptised on 2 November 1754, was the second of the (at least) four children of John Vining (b1736) and Betty née Wadham (1734-1788). The children, all born in Wincanton, were John (b1750), Richard, Sarah (b1756) and another John (b1759). We know that Richard had some schooling, as he was able to sign his name.

It is likely that Richard moved to Yeovil when he was a young man and on 8 April 1776, he married Maria Smith (1753, Yeovil - 1839) at St John's church. Richard and Maria were to have six children, all born in Yeovil; Mary (b1777), Ann (b1779), Charles (1780-1855), Robert (1784-1822), Richard (1787-1787) and another Richard (bap Oct 1788).

Richard was a brickmaker and had an extensive brickyard in Lower Kingston (today's Kingston) close to Fiveways (see Map), where he also lived with Maria and their children. He also later had a brickyard in Mudford.

Richard Vining died in Yeovil in 1816, aged 63. After his death, the brickmaking business was inherited by his eldest son Charles who was a mason and master builder. Presumably eschewing the brickmaking business (although this was later taken up by his own son Richard Vining (2)), Charles built the Regency-style, Kingston House, on the site of his father's old brickyard. Kingston House became the home of his son James Tally Vining, and later still became part of the Park School.

 

For the Vining Family Tree - Click Here

 

Richard Vining's signature from his marriage register entry.

 

 

An extract of Edward Bullock Watts' Yeovil map of 1806 showing Richard Vining's home and brickyard, at centre bottom, in Lower Kingston (today's Kingston). At top left is Fiveways.

 

 

The entry of Richard's baptism of 8 November 1754 in Wincanton's parish register.

 

The record of the 8 April 1776 marriage of Richard Vining and Maria Smith from St John's parish register.

 

The entry of Richard's 13 January 1816 burial in St John's parish register.