The 1861 Census
(RG9/1461 Folio 77 Sch 42) shows Richard Raymond and his family living
at Okel Tor No. 17.
Richard aged 36, is shown as a farm labourer, but it is
believed he was a labourer at the mine. He had been born in Whitchurch
in Devon. His wife Agnes aged 32 was born in South Sydenham, Devon.
Their eldest son Frances who was only 12 years old was working as a
copper miner, presumably at Okel Tor mine. Richard and Agnes had three
other children at that time Isaac aged 6, Bessy Jane aged 4 and William
Henry aged 2.
This couple were to have a further three
children whilst living at Okel Tor – Charles Richard born in 1861;
Frederick George born in 1863 and Samuel Edwin Lewis born in 1865.
The family moved north to County Durham in 1866 and settled in a coal
mining village called Murton. Regrettably Samuel E.L. Raymond died aged
4 and his father Richard died of typhoid in 1870 aged 47.
In later life Frederick George Raymond was to have a
son, George Frederick Raymond, it was sad to learn that he was killed in
a mining accident at Murton – he was 14 years old.
