When the Tithe Apportionment was drawn up in 1839 William Tizzard was recorded as the owner of the smallest plot in the parish. He's listed as owning that single plot, described as "House", which covered just 25m². It is almost exactly a quarter the size of the second smallest plot.

It was part of a block of four plots owned by the Tizzard family in Whitecross that totalled 1,113m². Wiiliam's uncle, Joseph Tizzard, owned two of the plots described as "Cottage & Garden" and "TenementRented dwelling
or landRented dwelling
or lands & Garden" (481m²). William's father, John Tizzard, owned the other plot, "House & Garden", (607m²).

All four plots had been owned by William's grandfather Richard Tizzard who left them to his sons Joseph & John. John then made the small plot over to his son shortly after William's marriage to Eleanor (née Maber) in 1822. He eventually surrendered the larger plot to William as well, in 1843.

According to the 1841 census William and Eleanor had eight children aged 1 - 15 years so you can see why they may have welcomed some more space! All together they had ten children listed in the censuses of 1841 & 1851. William's occupation is recorded as an Agricultural Labourer until 1871 when, at the age of 72, he is listed as a Woodman. However, ten years later - in his early eighties, he's returned to General Labouring.

Eleanor is listed in the Netherbury Burials Register as having been buried on 13th Feb, 1861 at the age of 63 and in the census later that year William is recorded as a widower, still living in Whitecross but now with just their youngest daughter Emily. William's burial is eventually recorded as having taken place on 29th Oct, 1884 when he'd have been 83 although his age is recorded as 86 in the register.

This page is based almost entirely on research done by Linda le Breton, a former resident of Whitecross, for her article "The Tizzard family plot at Whitecross in Netherbury" which can be obtained from Beaminster Museum.