Thank you Joy, Teresa, and Tim for your comments and suggestions.  To avoid an overly long enquiry I restricted it what I thought were the key points, but perhaps I should have added more.  John Rickard bpt 1771 Stoke Damerel was a possible but that of the John in St Teath also seemed likely given that Bridget Lane was also bpt there.  They were tempting, but I could see no reason (or evidence!) why they would have married at Stoke Damerel. Incidentally John  was then described as a 'mariner in the ordinary'.  That  was a first for me.  In the ordinary normally indicates that a naval ship was laid up/in reserve/being repaired,  but I haven't come across the term mariner used for a naval man.  In the records I have seen it has always referred to a merchant seaman. Both John & Bridget were buried at Stoke Damerel and John's address then was shown as Duke Street (Devonport).  My Bennee family also lived there at that time. Thank you for mentioning about the Will Tim.  Although I would be surprised if it were 'mine' give that the probate date is 1833 and John died in December that year.  I doubt things moved that quickly then.  Nevertheless I've written to Exeter to check.  Tim your email also reminded me that I should contact fellow members of the DFHS interested in the surname Rickard. It is remotely possible that the gravestones might have revealed more information about John & Bridget.  Unfortunately that avenue was closed when the area was converted into a 'park' and the gravestones used for paving, often with the inscriptions face down! I was at school across the road at that time and not yet interested in family history.  Apparently no record was made at the time although subsequently those visible have been. Thank you again for your responses. John in NSW On 16/11/2019 6:27 am, Tim Treeby (Genealogy) wrote: > Hi John , >    There is a John Richard (as Transcribed) buried in Stoke Damerel, > the 8th Dec 1833 aged 61. > Could be RICKARD but bot certain, but could this be your man. > > Also according to the Devon Wills Index, there is an IRW fro a John > RICKARD of Stoke Damerel, probate year 1833. > Would be worth getting a copy of this will. (Contact either Devon > Heritage Centre or Devon Family Society, both have the IRW's on > microfiche). > > Tim Treeby > DFHS : 13926. > > On 14/11/2019 00:06, Our Mail wrote: >> Elizabeth Richards married Richard Stear on 22 May 1798 in Stoke >> Damerel church, Devonport  (Family Bible and parish record).   She >> died on 17 Aug 1807 (Family Bible) and was buried at Stoke Damerel on >> 20 Aug 1897 (parish record). Richard and Elizabeth had 3 children:- >> John (2 Mar 1799 - Oct 1780), John Richards (31 Oct 1800 - ?) and my >> gg grandmother Lois Clifton (5 Oct 1805 - 26 Jan 1894), who married >> Edward Bennee in 1826. >> >> Thanks to greatly appreciated assistance of this list and that of the >> South Hams, and the discovery that one of the witnesses at the >> marriage was an aunt, I was able to trace the Stear family back a >> further 3 generations.  However I must now confess to complete >> failure in tracing Elizabeth Richards antecedents. Does anyone know >> of this lady? >> >> I would add that on the page in the bible recording the marriage of >> Richard & Elizabeth is written, at the foot of the page, Bridget >> Rickard died Oct 20th 1832 aged 53 years, John Rickard died Dec 4th >> 1833 aged 63 years.  Bridget was buried at Stoke Damerel but I >> haven't located John's. However they were married at Stoke Damerel in >> 1802.  Bridget's maiden name was Lane.  The names Rickard, Lane and >> Stear appear as middle names in some of Lois' children.  As I have >> extensive records of the Bennee family and have traced them back to >> the mid 1600's, I am as certain as can be that Lane and Rickard are >> not connected with that family.  Neither do those names occur in the >> Stear tree I have, so perhaps they are associated with the Richards?  >> I tried to explore that avenue but made no progress. >> >> Any ideas? >> >> John >> > > _______________________________________________ >