A House History from Yeovil: Part 3

 Welcome to the last post in my series about the history of my own house in Yeovil. So far, we have travelled back through time to the 1930s when a solicitor’s accountant (Barton Wey) lived in my house. Then we visited Albert Bollen who owned the land the house was later built on for a brief period in 1894, before his death a year later. A Yeovil man, he rose from a labouring background to becoming a solicitor himself. This time, we meet the men who were involved with the same land in the 1840s; the owner and the tenant.

Wonderful tithes...

The beginning of this story is not a baptism or birth, but a map. The 1848 Tithe Map for Preston Plucknett to be precise. Before Yeovil grew to its current size, there were many small villages on its western outskirts. Places like Thorn, Brympton, Lufton and of course Preston (or Preston Plucknett), were villages in their own right. Now of course, these villages are slowly being consumed by Yeovil as it expands ever closer to the larger villages of Odcombe and Montacute. This link to Google Maps will give you some idea of the area today.

Back in the 1840s however, Preston was its own separate village. Its history is too great to go into in this post, but local historian Bob Osborn has some excellent information here. The 1848 Tithe Map (found at KnowYourPlace-Somerset), shows that my house was in fact a field at that time. It was part of plot 137 and you can see the track that would later become Preston Grove. The accompanying apportionment[1] contains a wealth of detail. It tells us that the owner of plot 137 was one Robert Tucker and the occupier was one Joseph Roberts. The two men were also owner and occupier of plots 132-134, 136-139 and 141-148. Plot 135 was owned by Robert Tucker but occupied by one Gouly de Chaville. More about him another time!

These plots of land occupied by Joseph Roberts made up a total of 105 acres, 2 rods and 5 perches. Not a bad size and worth £5 5 shillings and 6 pence to the local vicar. For more information on how tithes worked, see my previous blog post on the subject. Altogether, this land was farming land and a part of Preston Lower Farm. The majority was pasture and meadow land, with plot 137 named as ‘Second Close’- this was also pasture. An additional aspect I would like to research in future is whether this was land for sheep or cattle.

A current view of Tithe Plot 137. Once a field, this is now a residential street considered to be a part of Yeovil. © 2020 Shersca Genealogy.

Who were the people?

Robert Tucker

So the tithe map has told us who owned and occupied the land, but what more is there to know? As you might imagine, the owner Robert Tucker was quite a well to do gentleman in Yeovil. Both he and his father (another Robert Tucker!) appear in the Somerset Electoral Register of 1832 for Yeovil Parish. They both lived in Hendford (another part of Yeovil) and both held a freehold house each, Robert senior in Milford and Robert junior in Hendford. This was what qualified them to be able to vote.[2] Robert senior died on 16 October 1841 (in Yeovil) at the age of 75. He was a ‘gentleman’ according to his death certificate.[3] Robert junior died 26 years later on 27 October 1867, at Hendford in Yeovil. He was 65 and a ‘landed proprietor.’[4] This certainly has airs and graces, but describes him quite accurately!

From what I have discovered, Robert junior was one of the many Yeovil glove manufacturers. He contributed to his community as Churchwarden, Town Commissioner and later Mayor of Yeovil (1858-1860). You can find this information and much, much more on Bob Osborn’s Yeovil website.

Joseph Roberts

But what about Joseph Roberts? There is certainly no handy biography of him to be found. But it turns out that Joseph was another man who elevated himself above his initial station in life.

Joseph was born to James and Jane Roberts in Marston Magna, Somerset. His baptism took place on 29 May 1806 in Marston.[5] Joseph’s obituary states that he began his business life at the ‘early’ age of 18 and was connected for many years with his brother-in-law George Hart. George was a well-known auctioneer and valuer in Yeovil and Martock.[6] The marriage of Joseph and George’s sister Mary took place on Christmas Eve of 1829 at Martock parish church. George was in fact, one of the witnesses.[7]

The move to Preston

A mere two years later in 1831, Joseph and wife Mary moved to Preston Plucknett and occupied Preston Lower Farm. According to the obituary, Joseph also farmed a large holding in Tisbury at the same time (on the Pyt House Estate).[8] This may explain why Joseph had moved from Preston to West Tisbury by the time of the 1861 Census. The rest of his family moved with him and they may have moved as early as 1855. Joseph was included in Kelly’s Directory for Wiltshire as being a farmer of West Tisbury for that year.[9]

Before the move though, Joseph and Mary farmed Preston Lower Farm for about twenty years, whilst their family steadily grew. From the various census records found,[10] [11] Joseph and Mary had nine children during their time together: Jane, James, George, John, Francis, Joseph, William, Thomas, William and Mary Anna. Following up with all of these children is a project for another day!

By the time of the 1851 Census,[12] Joseph was employing seven labourers on Preston farm. After the move to Tisbury and Pythouse farm,[13] the size of Joseph’s farming land increased significantly to 440 acres. I am not surprised that Joseph needed to employ ten labourers and three boys to help him work the land! The most important piece of information on the 1861 Census though, is that Joseph is now calling himself a ‘landed proprietor’ as well. This certainly signals a rise in status, but the size of the farm also tells us that he had the funds for a holding that large. Even if it was rented, he must have had the means to pay that rent.

A rise in social status

But Joseph did not stop there. By the time of the 1871 Census,[14] not only had the family moved again, but Joseph was reporting a further change of occupation. The family were living at Jackley House in the village of Wyke, near Axminster in Devon (in Dorset at the time). From the looks of things, son William (to be determined which William!) was farming 200 acres and employing five men and two boys to help. His father Joseph was calling himself a ‘surveyor and landowner,’ which suggests that he had made the move from farming and renting land (as he had Preston Lower Farm from Robert Tucker) to owning land that others farmed.

This is borne out by various newspaper appearances that Joseph makes in his later years. In 1878, Joseph was named an umpire for a dispute over farming land,[15] a referee for a similar case in 1886[16] and a named evaluator of farming land in another similar case of 1887.[17] The latter article calls Joseph ‘a land surveyor of over 50 years’ experience.’ It is probably not surprising to learn that his obituary mentions that he valued land in 14 counties and a high value was placed upon his judgment in the matter of land surveying. Perhaps the early contact with his brother-in-law paved the way for Joseph in the world of land surveying.

The monument for Joseph Roberts, his wife Mary, son George and grandson Harold. Located in the churchyard of St. James' Church, Preston Plucknett. © 2020 Shersca Genealogy.

A return to Preston

From 1872, Joseph moved back to Preston where he apparently ‘carried on the business of an estate agent and auctioneer.’ His son William was involved too for a time. Joseph also founded the company Roberts, Son & Tory.[18] This company is certainly something that warrants further research. Sadly, Joseph’s wife Mary died on 09 March 1877 of bronchitis.[19] According to her death certificate, Mary was 73.

Mary's age is rather interesting though, as she died twenty years before her husband. Looking for a baptism of a Mary Hart in about 1804 in her birthplace of Martock, returns a curious result. The only baptism in the right place and at the right time was for a girl named Mary Hart who was aged 10 years old when she was baptised on 29 May 1805.[20] Her parents were Joseph and Sarah Hart and Mary was baptised with her siblings Ann (aged 16), Thomas (aged 13) and Avis. If this is correct, then Joseph’s wife Mary was a good ten years older than her husband and ten years older than every age she gave on every record found! This deserves some further research, but if correct, Mary must have looked amazing for her age!

For most of the rest of Joseph’s life, he lived in Preston Plucknett,[21] [22] although not at Preston Lower Farm again. This time around, he could afford to live in a ‘private house’ (the exact address is not clear). He could also continue to pay to be included in the local directories. For both the 1889[23] and 1895[24] editions, he can be found under the list of private residents of Preston Plucknett. At some point before his death, Joseph moved back to Marston Magna, to live with his son William, at Marston Court. Joseph’s obituary records that he had apparently always wanted to end his life in the place it began. Joseph Roberts died at Marston Court on 28 March 1897 at the grand old age of 90.[25]

An impressive monument

One further wonderful discovery made during the research for this post (of which there is much more to perform), is that Joseph was buried in St. James’ Church in Preston Plucknett and has a rather impressive obelisk shaped memorial![26] This memorial also marks his wife Mary (supposedly born on 14 April 1804), their son George and their grandson Harold (a son of William Roberts). If that is not a mark of elevated status, I do not know what is!

A close up view of one side of Joseph's memorial, showing Joseph, his wife Mary and their son George. © 2020 Shersca Genealogy.

And finally...

We have finally reached the end of the journey into the history of my house, at least as far as this blog is concerned. There are many more stories that did not make the final posts and much more to discover besides. I have thoroughly enjoyed discovering Barton Wey, Albert Bollen and Robert Tucker and Joseph Roberts. I hope you have enjoyed their stories as much as I have!

© 2020 Shersca Genealogy.

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[1] Tithe apportionments. England. Preston Plucknett, Somerset. 1848. TUCKER, Robert (Owner) and ROBERTS, Joseph (Occupier). Plan number: 137. Collection: Diocese of Bath and Wells; Tithe Maps and appotionments; Tithe appotionments. D/D/rt/A/475. Somerset Heritage Centre, Taunton, Somerset, England.

[2] Electoral listings. England. Yeovil Parish, Stone Hundred, Somerset. 1832. TUCKER, Robert, the younger and TUCKER, Robert, the elder. Nos. 5498-5499. p. 120. In: Raymonds Electoral Registers (1996) The Somerset Electoral Register Western Division 1832. Exeter: S. A. & M. J. Raymond.

[3] Deaths (CR) England. Yeovil, Somerset. 16 October 1841. TUCKER, Robert. Entry no. 313.

[4] Deaths (CR) England. Yeovil, Somerset. 27 October 1867. TUCKER, Robert. Entry no. 374.

[5] Baptisms (PR) England. Marston Magna, Somerset. 29 May 1806. ROBERTS, Joseph. Collection: Somerset, England, Church of England Baptisms, Marriages, and Burials, 1531-1812. http://www.ancestry.co.uk : accessed 26 November 2020.

[6] Obituaries. (1897) Western Gazette.02 April. ROBERTS, Joseph. p. 6c. Collection: British Newspapers, 1710-1965. www.findmypast.co.uk : accessed 26 November 2020.

[7] Marriages (PR) England. Martock, Somerset. 29 May 1806. ROBERTS, Joseph. Collection: Somerset, England, Church of England Baptisms, Marriages, and Burials, 1531-1812. http://www.ancestry.co.uk : accessed 26 November 2020.

[8] Obituaries. (1897) Western Gazette.02 April. ROBERTS, Joseph. p. 6c. Collection: British Newspapers, 1710-1965. www.findmypast.co.uk : accessed 26 November 2020.

[9] Directories. England. (1855) Post Office Directory of Hampshire, Wiltshire & Dorsetshire. London: Kelly & Co. p. 119 [464]. Collection: UK, City and County Directories, 1766 – 1946. www.ancestry.co.uk : accessed 26 November 2020.

[10] Census records. England. Preston Plucknett, Somerset. 06 June 1841. ROBERTS, Joseph [head]. PN: HO107/958. FL 4. BN 7. ED 10. p. 2. http://www.ancestry.co.uk : accessed 26 November 2020.

[11] Census records. England. Preston [Plucknett], Somerset. 30 March 1851. ROBERTS, Joseph (head). PN: HO107/1930. FL 233. SN 61. ED 4. p. 14. http://www.ancestry.co.uk : accessed 26 November 2020.

[12] Ibid.

[13] Census records. England. West Tisbury, Tisbury, Wiltshire. 07 April 1861. ROBERTS, Joseph (head). PN: RG9/1321. FL 58. SN 166. ED 3. p. 27. http://www.ancestry.co.uk : accessed 26 November 2020.

[14] Census records. England. Axminster, Dorset [Devon]. 02 April 1871. ROBERTS, Joseph (head). PN: RG10/2033. FL 37. SN 2. ED 2. p. 1. http://www.ancestry.co.uk : accessed 26 November 2020.

[15] Southern Times and Dorset County Herald. (1878) In the Court of the Queen’s Bench on Wednesday last…[Emas Shutler v. Alexander Osborne]. Southern Times and Dorset County Herald. 29 June. p. 5c. Collection: British Newspapers, 1710-1965. www.findmypast.co.uk : accessed 26 November 2020.

[16] Shepton Mallet Journal. (1886) Important case under the Agricultural Holdings Act. Shepton Mallet Journal. 16 July. p. 5d. Collection: British Newspapers, 1710-1965. www.findmypast.co.uk : accessed 26 November 2020.

[17] Western Times. (1887) A Farmer’s Appeal against Rates; Important decision. Western Times. 29 January. p. 3e. Collection: British Newspapers, 1710-1965. www.findmypast.co.uk : accessed 26 November 2020.

[18] Obituaries. (1897) Western Gazette.02 April. ROBERTS, Joseph. p. 6c. Collection: British Newspapers, 1710-1965. www.findmypast.co.uk : accessed 26 November 2020.

[19] Deaths (CR) England. Preston [Plucknett], Somerset. 09 March 1877. ROBERTS, Mary. Entry no. 27.

[20] Baptisms (PR) England. Martock, Somerset. 29 May 1805. HART, Mary. Collection: Somerset, England, Church of England Baptisms, Marriages, and Burials, 1531-1812. http://www.ancestry.co.uk : accessed 26 November 2020.

[21] Census records. England. Preston Plucknett, Somerset. 03 April 1881. ROBERTS, Joseph (head). PN: RG11/2393. FL 102. SN 13. ED 10. p. 17. http://www.ancestry.co.uk : accessed 26 November 2020.

[22] Census records. England. Preston Plucknett, Somerset. 05 April 1891. ROBERTS, Joseph (head). PN: RG12/1899. FL 114. SN 54. ED 11. p. 10. http://www.ancestry.co.uk : accessed 26 November 2020.

[23] Directories. England. (1889) Kelly’s Directory of Somersetshire. London: Kelly & Co. p. 314 [346]. Collection: UK, City and County Directories, 1766 – 1946. www.ancestry.co.uk : accessed 26 November 2020.

[24] Directories. England. (1895) Kelly’s Directory of Somersetshire, Gloucestershire and the City of Bristol. London: Kelly & Co. Limited. p. 352 [370]. Collection: UK, City and County Directories, 1766 – 1946. www.ancestry.co.uk : accessed 26 November 2020.

[25] Deaths (CR) England. Marston Magna, Somerset. 28 March 1897. ROBERTS, Joseph. Entry no. 488.

[26] Monumental Inscriptions. England. St. James’ Church, Preston Plucknett, Yeovil, Somerset. ROBERTS family. Transcribed by Rhiannon Lloyd, 29 November 2020.

A House History from Yeovil: Part Two

 Welcome to the next instalment of my series of blog posts about the history of my own house in Yeovil, Somerset. In the previous post I discovered more about the Wey family who lived in my house in the late 1930s and most of the 1940s. You may remember that the story of Barton Wey ended quite unhappily, but the records found show that Barton was well respected as an accountant. He worked for the Yeovil firm of solicitors Newman & Paynter and he was also involved with his community. This next instalment goes back in time even further- before Barton Wey bought my house. This is the story of Albert Bollen.

Humble beginnings

Albert Bollen was born on 13 January 1840 in Yeovil.[1] His parents were Thomas and Elizabeth Bollen (formerly Elizabeth Roscilly) and he also had a sister named Frances. Albert seems to have lived in Yeovil all his life, specifically in the Kingston area. From the census records available, it is often difficult to pinpoint exactly where Albert lived. But on the 1891 census, Albert is living at 13 Kingston.[2] This is next to Kingston House on the census, which later became part of the Park School.[3] This is the area of Yeovil near where the hospital is now located. Today, it is about a 20 minute walk from where my house now stands.

A view of part of Kingston in Yeovil. Now occupied largely by Yeovil Hospital, Albert Bollen lived in this area for a large part of his life. © 2020 Shersca Genealogy.

On the 1841 census,[4] both of Albert’s parents have recorded their occupations as servants. It is not really clear what their occupation was or who they worked for from this, but on Albert’s birth certificate Thomas states his occupation as a leather dresser. This was someone who dressed and finished leather hides after the tanning process.[5] Not a surprising occupation given the long history of the leather and gloving industries in Yeovil and the surrounding area. But by 1861 Albert’s father Thomas was a private lodging house keeper.[6] This is again in the Kingston area. From looking at some of the surrounding families in the census records for Albert, it is clear that Kingston was a mixed area. Some households were in the gloving trade, there were others who were tailors and yet others who were solicitors. Perhaps this last trade influenced Albert or perhaps solicitors in the area were looking for employees. By 1861, Albert had become a solicitor’s clerk and this was an area of work he pursued until his death in 1895.

A social climb

Before Albert’s marriage in 1867, there is evidence of him working as the local agent for an Assurance Society. In 1859 (aged only 19!), Albert was the Yeovil agent for the Wesleyan and General Assurance Society, whose head office was in Birmingham.[7] They placed an advert in the Sherborne Mercury, in which they were offering good rates for life and sickness assurance.[8] Albert was working out of the Emigration Office and was also the agent for the Cattle and Fire Insurance Offices too. Then, throughout 1861 and 1862 he acted in a similar capacity for the Indisputable Life Assurance Company of Scotland. The first reference found was an advert (again in the Sherborne Mercury) on 17 December 1861.[9]

Only a few years later in 1865, Albert appears in the newspapers again. This was only the beginning of many appearances in the local newspapers. In 1865 however, Albert was reported to have been first on the scene of an accident on the road between Sherborne and Yeovil.[10] I particularly enjoyed reading this article for all of the period references! Apparently Albert (now aged 25) and some companions had been to see a performance of ‘The Creation’ by Handel in Sherborne. This of course would have been very ‘high-brow’ and gives an indication of the sort of circles that Albert moved in [Note: this reference also appeals to my musician side, as I once played in a performance of ‘The Creation’ many years ago!]. To come from a family of humble origins (servants and leather workers), to being able to afford to see an opera was quite a social leap.

On the return journey from Sherborne, a horseman passed the opera-goers on the wrong side of the road, travelling at a furious speed. Albert remarked that they might have to ‘pick him up’ before too long and he was proven correct. They found the man (later named as Mr. Knott of Lyde Farm), lying in the road between Sherborne and Halfway House. Albert lifted the man into his own ‘conveyance’ and, on the advice of a Dr. Garland that the party met on the way to Sherborne, took the man home. The article finishes by saying that Mr. Knott was recovering. Sometimes when researching, I forget that Victorian travel was largely by horse and carriage (at least for those who could afford it). Articles like this really bring the era to life!

Sadness and sucess

The next stage in Albert’s life was likely a rollercoaster of emotions. He was married to Mary Anne Jessop on 29 August 1867, not in Yeovil, but in Radipole Church, in Dorset.[11] The couple did not have any children and a mere ten years later, Mary Anne sadly died. Her death was announced in the Taunton Courier and Western Advertiser on 10 October 1877. She had died on 30 September.[12] Albert never remarried, perhaps due to his grief or perhaps he never met another woman that he wanted to marry. We will likely never know his reasons.

A current view of what was Albert's office in 75 South Street, Yeovil. The Globe and Crown (a pub and hotel) now takes up 73-74 and 75 would have been next door, in what is now retirement apartments. © 2020 Shersca Genealogy.

Despite the sadness of his wife’s death, the decade after his marriage was also when his working career really took off. He made a fair number of appearances in the Western Gazette (a local Yeovil paper), as an executor or administrator involved with various probate cases. A notice from 1870 for those claiming debts against Richard Gale (deceased) is one such notice. Administration of Richard’s estate was granted to his brother Henry Gale of Ilminster and Albert Bollen of Yeovil on 19 October 1870.[13] In 1872, Albert makes the paper again, when the Western Gazette published a notice of his success in passing the preliminary examinations of the Incorporated Law Society that November.[14] A further notice was published in May 1876, stating that Albert had passed the final examination at the hall of the Incorporated Law Society in London. He was only waiting upon receipt of his certificate to practice as a Solicitor. This notice also says that Albert had been a clerk to Mr. W. Glyde.[15] William Glyde was one of various solicitors that practised in Victorian Yeovil,[16] although I do not yet know how long Albert worked for him.

Albert’s own premises were located at 75 South Street, Yeovil[17] and he was also included as a private resident, living at 13 Kingston in the 1889 Directory of Somerset.[18] His practice (according to the 1889 directory) was specifically as a ‘solicitor & commissioner to administer oaths in the Supreme court of judicature.’ There were various divisions of the Supreme Court of Judicature, which had been created between 1873-1875 after a reorganisation of the higher court system. It is not certain exactly what role Albert held from looking at the Directory entry, but it could be that he was involved with cases for the new Probate, Divorce and Admiralty division.[19] Many of his newspaper appearances are concerned with probate cases.

My connection to Albert

Albert lived at 13 Kingston until the end of his life, although on the 1891 Census, his sister Frances was also in the same household.[20] Albert had lived with Frances and her farmer husband George Wills for part of 1881, at Combe Farm, Crewkerne.[21] You may also be wondering how all of this relates to my house? The connection came late in Albert’s life, as the land which would later become my house was conveyed from George Willey Vincent and James Bernard Paynter to Albert Bollen on 31 December 1894.[22] This was a mere six months before Albert’s death on 10 June 1895 at his home of 13 Kingston in Yeovil. He was relatively young, aged only 55.[23] What happened to the land after Albert’s death is still a point that needs further investigation. From my last post, we know that by 1937, brothers Reginald Henry Ralph Lucas and Clifford Neatham William Thomas Lucas sold the house (as it had been built by then) to Barton William Henry Wey.

Whatever happened to the land after Albert’s death, my research into Albert and his life has discovered a man who rose up the ranks from working class leather workers, to the higher rank of solicitor. His personal life (perhaps like Barton Wey’s) may have been unfulfilled and tinged with sadness, but Albert’s career seems to have been very successful. He may not have been a part of any of the large 'solicitor dynasties' of Yeovil, but his story is still an impressive one.

Join me next time for the final post in this series. Going further back in time again, we meet a Mayor and a farmer.

© 2020 Shersca Genealogy.

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[1] Births (CR) England. Yeovil, Somerset. 13 January 1840. BOLLEN, Albert. Entry no. 211.

[2] Census. 1891. England. Yeovil, Somerset. PN: RG12/1898. FL 30. ED 2. p. 5. http://www.ancestry.co.uk : accessed 09 July 2020.

[3] Osborn, Bob. Kingston House, Kingston. http://www.yeovilhistory.info/kingstonhouse.htm : accessed 10 November 2020.

[4] Census. 1841. England. Yeovil, Somerset. PN: HO107/958. FL 35. BN 10. p. 26. http://www.ancestry.co.uk : accessed 09 July 2020.

[5] International Institute of Social History: HISCO database. Leather currier [inclu. Leather dresser], no. 76150. https://historyofwork.iisg.nl/list_micro.php?keywords=76150&keywords_qt=lstrict : accessed 05 November 2020.

[6] Census. 1861. England. Yeovil, Somerset. PN: RG9/1643. FL 30. SN 51. ED 2. p. 10. http://www.ancestry.co.uk : accessed 09 July 2020.

[7] Wesleyan Assurance Society. Wesleyan's history - 1841 to today. https://www.wesleyan.co.uk/about-us/history : accessed 10 November 2020.

[8] Sherborne Mercury. (1859) The Wesleyan and General Assurance Society. Sherborne Mercury. 19 April. p. 4c. Collection: British Newspapers. www.findmypast.co.uk : accessed 01 October 2020.

[9] Sherborne Mercury. (1861) Indisputable Life Assurance Company of Scotland. Sherborne Mercury. 17 December. p. 1d. Collection: British Newspapers. www.findmypast.co.uk : accessed 01 October 2020.

[10] Taunton Courier and Western Advertiser. (1865) Sherborne; Serious Accident. Taunton Courier and Western Advertiser. 27 December. p. 3b. Collection: British Newspapers. www.findmypast.co.uk : accessed 01 October 2020.

[11] Marriages (PR) England. Radipole, Dorset. 29 August 1867. BOLLEN, Albert and JESSOP, Mary Anne. Collection: Dorset, England, Church of England Marriages and Banns, 1813-1921. http://www.ancestry.co.uk : accessed 09 July 2020.

[12] Death announcements. England. 1877. Taunton Courier and Western Advertiser. 10 October. BOLLEN, Mrs. p.4e. Collection: British Newspapers. www.findmypast.co.uk : accessed 01 October 2020.

[13] Western Gazette. (1870) Re Richard Gale, Deceased. Western Gazette. 09 December. p. 4e. Collection: British Newspapers. www.findmypast.co.uk : accessed 01 October 2020.

[14] Western Gazette. (1872) Yeovil. Western Gazette. 29 November. p. 7b. Collection: British Newspapers. www.findmypast.co.uk : accessed 01 October 2020.

[15] Western Gazette. (1876) Miscellanceous District News; Yeovil; Success. Western Gazette. 12 May. p. 5d. Collection: British Newspapers. www.findmypast.co.uk : accessed 01 October 2020.

[16] Osborn, Bob. John Glyde & Family. http://www.yeovilhistory.info/glyde-john.htm : accessed 05 November 2020.

[17] Directories. England. Yeovil, Somerset. 1889. BOLLEN, Albert. Kelly’s Directory of Somerset, 1889. London: Kelly and Co. p. 443. Collection: Historical Directories of England & Wales. https://leicester.contentdm.oclc.org/digital/collection/p16445coll4/id/124601 : accessed 10 November 2020.

[18] Ibid., p. 442.

[19] UK Parliament. The Judicature Acts of 1873 and 1875. https://www.parliament.uk/about/living-heritage/transformingsociety/laworder/court/overview/judicatureacts/ : accessed 10 November 2020.

[20] Census. 1891. England. Yeovil, Somerset. PN: RG12/1898. FL 30. ED 2. p. 5. http://www.ancestry.co.uk : accessed 09 July 2020.

[21] Census. 1881. England. Crewkerne, Somerset. PN: RG11/2387. FL 125. ED 8. p. 4. http://www.ancestry.co.uk : accessed 09 July 2020.

[22] Land Registry, UK. Register Entry. 111 Preston Grove, Yeovil, Somerset. Title no. ST110662. https://www.gov.uk/government/organisations/land-registry : accessed 15 January 2018.

[23] Deaths (CR) England. Yeovil, Somerset. 10 June 1895. BOLLEN, Albert. Entry no. 75.

A House History from Yeovil: Part One

 In true ‘A House through Time’ style, welcome to my next set of blog posts about the history of my own house. When I was beginning to write these posts, a thought did occur about how best to present them. Should I start at the very beginning and work forwards like many house histories? Or should I try a different approach? In the end, I decided upon the usual genealogical approach: working backwards through time. But there is one small difference. Instead of looking at every single owner and family, I have decided to write about three to begin with. Also, out of respect, I decided it would be best not to include anyone who is still living.

My own house in Yeovil (in Somerset, England), was not built until the 1930s, so some of the characters in my story did not physically live in the house, but owned the land at some point before it was built. There are a variety of people, from different parts of society, who worked in different sectors. This first post begins not long after the house was built in the 1930s. It has needed some delicate treatment, as the story is not altogether a happy one. Please be aware that there is a particularly difficult event in this story and bear that in mind if you read on.

The current view from the back of Barton's House, looking towards Westland's airfield- no doubt it would have been different in Barton's time. © 2020 Shersca Genealogy.

The Wey family

On 26 February 1937, one Barton William Henry Wey bought what is now my house from Reginald Henry Ralph Lucas and Clifford Neatham William Thomas Lucas (nice long complicated names!).[1] The house is near the former village of Preston Plucknett, which has now been consumed by Yeovil. Barton lived in the house until 1947, but that is the end, not the beginning. There is much more to discover.

Railway beginnings

Barton William Henry Wey was born on 05 May 1893, in Down St. Mary, Copplestone, Devon.[2] You may ask how he ended up living in a house in Somerset? Well, Barton’s mother Harriett may have been born in Devon, but his father George was a railway porter, who initially came from Crewkerne, Somerset. Barton’s two brothers John and Stanley were also born in Crewkerne, so it is quite likely that Barton and his brothers were born in places where George Wey worked. There seems to have been a substantial amount of travel back and forth Devon and Somerset too. The family lived at Viney Bridge, South Street in Crewkerne in 1901[3] and 5 Temple Way, Larkbeare in Exeter in 1911.[4] George Wey’s employer (the London and South Western Railway), had stations in both Exeter and Crewkerne. The Crewkerne station opened on the LSWR’s Salisbury-Exeter line in 1860.[5] For George, who was born about the same time as the Salisbury-Exeter line opened, this might have been quite an attractive job prospect. I can imagine the excitement that some rural residents felt when the railways came through.

The marriage of Barton Wey and Florence Styles was announced in The Western Times on 16 June 1916.[6] They were married on the 11^th of that month at St. Leonard’s Church in Exeter.[7] Both Barton and Florence were living in Exeter at the time and it seems that Barton’s family had settled at 5 Temple Way. Barton’s job as a librarian in 1911,[8] may have prepared him well for what was to come next.

The accountant and the bread theft

Barton began a job as an accountant with the Yeovil Solicitor’s firm of Newman, Paynter and Co. of Hendford in about 1919.[9] This means that Barton and wife Florence must have moved to Yeovil sometime after their marriage and before Barton started his new job. Who knows, perhaps he followed the railway line? But still, Barton was not living in my house. The earliest address for Barton in Yeovil is from 1920, the year of his son’s birth. Gordon Barton Wey was born on 26 August that year at 5 Peter Street, Yeovil.[10] This is yet a different address to the address that the Western Chronicle attributes to Barton on 21 April 1923. He appears in an article that we might think of as pretty un-newsworthy these days. It deals with an event which many might scoff at as being news at all! Barton Wey was the witness in a bread theft!

In April of 1923, Leonard Alfred Weale of 3 Quidham Place, Yeovil, was accused of stealing a loaf of bread from a baker’s van. The van belonged to Fred Bond of Tintinhull and was parked outside of Messrs Neale and Williams on Middle Street. Barton (of 26 Mitchelmore Road), said,

“…that he was passing the van and saw the accused and a companion take a loaf of bread from it. He then went into the shop to warn Mr. Bond. The men disappeared, the companion towards the station and the accused up Vicarage Street, then Silver Street….”[11]

According to Leonard Weale, he had not really stolen the bread, only pretended to. This was because he already had some in his coat. Whatever the outcome of the case, Barton Wey was the material witness to a heinous crime!

The current view of Middle Street in Yeovil where Barton was witness to a bread theft! Many of the shops have changed hands and the area is pedestrianised. © 2020 Shersca Genealogy.

A difficult time

I make light of this bread theft, because life got harder for Barton and his family. He purchased what is now where I live in 1937, but in 1939, he underwent an operation to remove a malignant growth.[12] The stress and worry must have been immense. But things seemed to be getting back to normal, as Barton, his wife and their son Gordon were living in the house later that year when the 1939 Register was taken. Barton was still a solicitor’s accountant and Gordon was a bank clerk. Other newspaper articles show snapshots of their lives throughout the 1940s. In February of 1944, they placed an advert to sell a black sheepskin rug and a brass fire screen.[13] In the Autumn of 1946, Barton was the representative of his employers, Newman & Paynter, at a local funeral. This took place at the Abbey in Sherborne for one Joseph Williams Burt.[14]

But only a year later, Barton Wey had died. According to the death certificate, his death occurred ‘between the fourth and fifth’ of August 1947[15] and the circumstances are very sad and frankly, difficult to read about. There were a couple of newspaper reports written at the time and they both reported that Barton was found dead in his office chair, at No. 12 Hendford.[16] [17] The official statement was that he had committed suicide. The newspaper articles recorded the opinions of various people who knew Barton. The general consensus was that he had had good health since his operation in 1939. His work colleagues said that he was an excellent workman but one William George Hutchinson of 108 Mudford Road, did think that he had been depressed from time to time in the past two years. This seems to have been due to a worry that his health would deteriorate again, although his son Gordon had never detected any suicidal thoughts.

A telling opinion

For me, the most telling opinion was that of Hubert Frederick Gould of South Petherton, a partner in the solicitor’s firm that Barton worked for. Mr Gould noted that Barton had been employed since 1919 and had been in charge of their Yeovil branch accounts department. It seems he made a point of saying that Barton was ‘perfectly honest.’ The coroner even remarked upon his own gladness concerning Mr Gould’s remarks- Barton’s family could then be spared any gossip. This goes to show that there was a real worry that Barton’s suicide may have meant that he was doing something illegal with the firm’s accounts. Thankfully for Barton and his family, this does not seem to have been the case.

The newspaper reports do give us some other information about Barton. The report from the Taunton Courier and Western Advertiser notes that Barton was the vicar’s warden at St Andrews Church. This would have been the nearest church to where Barton lived in Yeovil. It also says that he was interested in the Co-operative movement and was on the management committee of the local society. This information paints the picture of a man who was well liked, hard-working and involved with his community. As with cases of illness and mental health today, Barton seems to have been deeply affected by his health even when it seems that whatever malignant growth he had would not return.

Next time...

As I said at the start, Barton’s story is not altogether a happy one. It really brings it home when I think that he lived in the same rooms that I do, although his death took place at his office and not in the house. But his story is still part of the story of my house and needs to be remembered just as much as the stories of the other owners, perhaps even more so.

Next time, we go back to before the house was built and learn about a Yeovil man who grew from nothing into something.

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[1] Land Registry, UK. Register Entry. 111 Preston Grove, Yeovil, Somerset. Title no. ST110662. https://www.gov.uk/government/organisations/land-registry : accessed 15 January 2018.

[2] Births (CR) England. Down St. Mary, Copplestone, Devon. 05 May 1893. WEY, Barton William Henry. Entry no. 66.

[3] Census. 1901. England. Crewkerne, Somerset. PN: RG13/2295. FL 79. SN 134. ED 04. p. 19. http://www.ancestry.co.uk : accessed 01 July 2020.

[4] Census. 1911. England. Exeter, Devon, 271. PN: RG14/ 12688. ED 20. SN 152. http://www.ancestry.co.uk : accessed 01 July 2020.

[5] Historic England. Crewkerne Railway Station. https://historicengland.org.uk/listing/the-list/list-entry/1345931 : accessed 09 October 2020.

[6] Marriage announcements. (1916) Western Times. 16 June. WEY, Barton H. and STYLES, Florence M. p. 4f. Collection: British Newspapers. www.findmypast.co.uk : accessed 06 July 2020.

[7] Marriages (CR) England. Exeter, Devon. 11 June 1916. WEY, Barton William Henry and STYLES, Florence May. Entry no. 309.

[8] Census. 1911. England. Exeter, Devon, 271. PN: RG14/ 12688. ED 20. SN 152. http://www.ancestry.co.uk : accessed 01 July 2020.

[9] Taunton Courier and Western Advertiser. (1947) Yeovil man’s sad end; Found dead in Solicitor’s office; Coroner and health anxieties. Taunton Courier and Western Advertiser. 09 August. p. 3e. Collection: British Newspapers. www.findmypast.co.uk : accessed 06 July 2020.

[10] Births (CR) England. Yeovil, Somerset. 26 August 1920. WEY, Gordon, Barton. Entry no. 124.

[11] Western Chronicle. (1923) Loaf Stolen from Baker’s Van; An expensive “Bit of Fun”; The Disappearing “Foot”. Western Chronicle. 04 May. p. 5c. Collection: British Newspapers. www.findmypast.co.uk : accessed 06 July 2020.

[12] Taunton Courier and Western Advertiser. (1947) Yeovil man’s sad end; Found dead in Solicitor’s office; Coroner and health anxieties. Taunton Courier and Western Advertiser. 09 August. p. 3e. Collection: British Newspapers. www.findmypast.co.uk : accessed 06 July 2020.

[13] Western Gazette. (1944) For Sale. Western Gazette. 04 February. p. 4f. Collection: British Newspapers. www.findmypast.co.uk : accessed 08 July 2020.

[14] Western Gazette. (1946) The Late Mr J. W. Burt; Funeral Service at the Abbey. Western Gazette. 08 November. p. 2f. Collection: British Newspapers. www.findmypast.co.uk : accessed 06 July 2020.

[15] Deaths (CR) England. Yeovil, Somerset. Between 04-05 August 1947. WEY, Barton William Henry. Entry no. 189.

[16] Western Daily Press. (1947) Yeovil man took own life; Worried over health. Western Daily Press.08 August. p. 2e. Collection: British Newspapers. www.findmypast.co.uk : accessed 05 July 2020.

[17] Taunton Courier and Western Advertiser. (1947) Yeovil man’s sad end; Found dead in Solicitor’s office; Coroner and health anxieties. Taunton Courier and Western Advertiser. 09 August. p. 3e. Collection: British Newspapers. www.findmypast.co.uk : accessed 06 July 2020.

Searching for a Stourton Connection... Part 2

 A few months ago, I wrote a post about the search for a connection in my family to the Stourton family of Wiltshire. Anyone who has been to Stourhead may know that it was the site of the family seat for some time. Although, there was the tricky business of being Catholics in a Protestant country and therefore fleeing England for a time. It was sold by the family at some point too. If you visit the Church, there are memorials to the Stourton family. [Note: This post was written in September 2020, please check current restrictions and guidelines before travelling or visiting anywhere]

There is a theory in my family that we are related to the Stourtons via the Sydenham family (also quite a prolific Somerset Medieval family). My last post on the subject talked about the History of Parliament Online and how it can aid in the search for Medieval ancestors. My search is still ongoing for that elusive connection, but in the process of my research, I have come across some further resources that are definitely worth exploring.

Local publications

Sometimes the results of a Google search, or something from those results, can prove enlightening. One of my Google searches for a particular place associated with my Sydenham family in the late 1500s, proved just that. It led to an online version of a Somerset Record Society publication, itself a publication of an earlier work. This work was entitled “The Particular Description of the County of Somerset” and was thought by the editors to have been drawn up by Thomas Gerard of Trent in 1633. This particular work is interesting to me because it contains descriptions of places and partial histories or coats of arms associated with those places. It is much like a Victorian Gazetteer, but from the 1600s. It doesn’t give me the exact answers I am looking for, but it does give me some more clues which I can add to those I already have. I do feel that Medieval genealogy can be like a jigsaw, but with a partial (or no) picture! You collect pieces of information and then try to work out how they fit together.

This Somerset Record Society publication gave me further terms to search for and in one of those searches, an online volume of Notes & Queries for Somerset & Dorset popped up. Again, it didn’t give me all the answers, but it did give me some more clues. I have now searched the Somerset Heritage Centre’s online catalogue and come up with various documents that may give me more pieces of the puzzle.

The SRS Somerset Wills publications- I was left these by a relative! © 2020 Shersca Genealogy.

Somerset Record Society (SRS)

So why am I mentioning these publications? My point here, is to say that published editions of local historical records and journals are well worth searching, especially if the ancestors you are looking for are of the more Medieval persuasion. The Somerset Record Society have published over 97 volumes since 1886. They concern a variety of records relating to Somerset and they are published with the aim of making these records available in print. This is especially helpful for records that could be more difficult to access or are no longer available. The poor survival rate of Somerset Wills is well known, but the SRS have two volumes containing abstracts of Somerset Wills made before the destruction occurred. These are part of a small group of invaluable documents relating to Somerset Wills.

But the SRS has published much more than just Wills. Searching an old version of the list of their volumes, the records range from Medieval Feet of Fines, to 17^th Century Quarter Sessions records, to some non-conformist records. The emphasis does seem to be on records ranging from the Medieval, up until the 1600s. These are generally harder to access for the public at large and are perhaps thought more valuable to commit to print.

It is not just Somerset however, that has a Record Society. The Royal History Society website has a list (linking to websites) of English Regional History and Record Societies. There are both county and town/city based societies, as well as a link to the Société Jersiaise in Jersey. It is certainly worth exploring what societies exist for your county or area. General history sources are just as useful as genealogical ones. Firstly, it gives you an idea of the history of the area you are researching and secondly, you might just get lucky enough to find your ancestor.

Notes & Queries for Somerset and Dorset

Notes & Queries for Somerset and Dorset is also a long running publication, having been in print since 1888. It differs from the SRS as it publishes articles more than actual records. But these articles take in a wide range of topics, including those of historical and genealogical interest. There might be articles on architecture or local dialect, just as long as it relates to Somerset or Dorset. Again, this set of journals have a twofold use for genealogists and family historians, i.e. the information they can give you about an area and about the people that lived there. Although, you do have to remember that sometimes it is the more notable people tend to end up being studied.

British Association for Local History (BALH)

Another notable source for local history, is the British Association for Local History (BALH). They produce a journal four times a year, which contains articles about various aspects of local history. Their journal might be a little more general than a county or regional society may be, but you never know what you might find. Looking at the contents of volumes from the last few years, the topics are very diverse. All different parts of the country are represented, as are a variety of time periods and aspects of social history. At the time of writing (September 2020), the BALH have made all but the most recent issue free to download due to the current pandemic. I can certainly see myself browsing the titles soon!

Stourton Church, Wiltshire. Memorials to the Stourton family can be found here. © 2020 Shersca Genealogy.

Where can they be found?

As for access to the SRS publications and Notes & Queries, they are more easily accessible than you might think. The societies themselves obviously sell copies and may have specific deals for members. But local libraries and institutions will often have copies too. The Somerset Heritage Centre has copies of both SRS and Notes & Queries. Notes & Queries has a helpful section on their website which lists where you can find the publications. For access in a time like this where travelling is not so easy, Notes & Queries has some versions digitised on both FindMyPast and the Internet Archive (www.archive.org). The SRS also has some digitised copies on the Internet Archive. Don’t forget to check online with institutions like The Hathi Trust too.

If Somerset societies and publications are online, then there are likely to be others for other counties. There are likely various societies and local journals that relate to your county or area of interest. There are probably many more relating to Somerset that I couldn’t fit in this blog post!

As for the Stourtons, the saga continues! I now have more puzzle pieces, so the search goes on….

© 2020 Shersca Genealogy.

The Symons family: Part 5, Another Wandering Symons?

 We have finally reached the end of our Symons journey. This is the final post in the Symons Family story. Previously, we discovered the family’s humble beginnings with William Symons. We then discovered how he went on to found a brick and tile making company that was very much a part of the Symons family for at least one hundred years. William’s son, William, played a short part in the company, whilst the descendants of William’s daughter Mary Ann remained within the company for three generations. We found out about the family’s trial’s and tribulations, as well as their successes. The sad story of Muriel Toogood and the business triumph of William Elstone Peirce. We gained an insight into family life and relationships. Who could forget the seven needlework pictures of Mary Ann Symons or the falling out with James Cook (husband of Ellen Symons)?

And through all of this, in the background has been the brick and tile making company of Colthurst, Symons & Co. The company that supported many of my ancestors and the house that provided both a workplace and a home: Midway House. This final chapter tells the story of the final generation to be involved with both the company and the house. This is the story of Ernest John Toogood.

The Final Symons

Ernest was born in 1897, likely at Midway House as the local directory records this as the residence of his father (in the capacity of brickyard manager) in that year.[1] [Ernest’s birth certificate is still on the way at the time of writing.] He was baptised on the 17 March that year in Burnham, which is another good indication of his place of birth.[2] He was one of the seven Toogood children mentioned in the last post (born to John Jeffries Toogood and his wife Blanche). They were Grace Darling, Muriel Gwendoline Doris, Ellen Mai, Cecil George, Ernest John, Vera Blanche and Leo Elstone.

Family tree for Ernest John Toogood. © 2020 Shersca Genealogy.

The 1901[3] and 1911[4] Census records both tell us that Ernest likely spent his childhood at Midway House in Burnham. His sisters Muriel and Mai were both dressmakers and his brother Cecil was an ironmonger’s apprentice. Prior to this point, no daughters living in the house had undertaken any sort of work. This could signal the need to rely on other sources of income as well as Colthurst & Symons. I have already said that Ernest’s grandfather William Elstone Peirce, seems to have enjoyed a higher status in the company than Ernest’s father John. This may have been the start of a downturn for the company and the family at Midway House.

The War years

Like so many men, Ernest served in the Army in the First World War. Unfortunately, I have been unable to find his service record. It was probably one of the many that were destroyed during bombing in the Second World War, but Ernest’s Medal Card does survive. It does not give a lot of information, but it says that he was entitled to the Victory and British Medals.[5] With the help of this medal card and an interesting newspaper article from 1962 (more on this later), we know that Ernest was in the Royal Engineers during the War. They were specifically a part of tunnelling operations at that time.[6] This may be what Ernest was involved with.

After the end of the War, he married a French woman in Paris in 1919.[7] She was Anna Aimée Eymard and was born on the 12 July 1897, (in Mariol, Allier, France) to Marius Alphonse Ernest Eymard and his wife Marie Madeleine Auroux.[8] A cousin who remembers the family says that Anna was for some reason always known as Maddy. Perhaps that was because it was her mother’s middle name? Who knows, perhaps it was decided that Maddy was easier on English tongues! The amount of genealogical detail in her birth record puts British ones to shame! If anyone was wanting to trace Maddy’s family further, her birth record gives both of her parent’s names and ages, as well as the names and ages of her grandfather and her great-grandfather! They happened to be witnesses when the birth was registered with the state at the local Mairie (town hall). Most helpfully, it also notes her marriage to Ernest in Paris. Ernest and Maddy’s daughter Simone was also born in Paris on the 24 December 1917.[9]

You may have noticed that this was before her parent’s marriage. It seems that Simone was initially born out of wedlock but her birth record has an entry in the margin for her parent’s marriage in 1919 with a note that seems to legitimise the birth in the eyes of the law. Paris (and France in general) must have been very difficult during the First World War. ‘Very difficult’ probably cannot begin to describe the experiences of soldiers and civilians alike. If French attitudes to illegitimacy were anything like British ones, having a child out of wedlock with a British soldier cannot have been easy. Simone’s birth record says that her mother Maddy was a ‘femme de chambre’ (chamber maid) at the time, so she may not have had much financial security.

Return to England

In any case, Ernest and his new family did not stay in France. The family moved back to England at some point after 1919. I don’t yet know exactly where they lived after the War (bring on the 1921 Census next year!), but some letters written by Ernest do survive from the 1920s.

The Toogood family c. 1919. Back row: L-R, Ernest, Muriel, Cecil, Leo, Vera. Front row: L-R, Mai, John Jeffries, George Bishop and his mother Grace Toogood. © 2020 Shersca Genealogy.

By this time, his sister Muriel’s mental health was deteriorating. He even sends his best wishes to her via her husband Harry in a letter from 1923.[10] This letter and the others written to his brother-in-law Harry, are all written from Midway House. At this time, Ernest’s father John is getting older and it would be quite possible that Ernest and his family are living at Midway House in order to support his father. Indeed, the difficult topic of my grandfather’s care is raised. Ernest writes to Harry in September of 1923 that:

“…as regards having the baby down here it is quite impossible at the present time as I dare say you know Dad has been under the doctors, and he has to keep very quiet, and Mai as you know is far from well, …it is more than my wife can do to look after the house and the children, without any more to look after…”[11]

The children that Ernest is referring to is not only his own daughter Simone, but Harry and Muriel’s other child (my grandfather’s sister), who was already staying with them and being looked after by Muriel and Ernest’s sister Mai. Not long after this, we know that Muriel entered an asylum and my grandfather entered an orphanage. It seems that there was a great strain on the family at the time, coming from various events. Even so, it does not seem that Ernest was being unkind. To me, it feels more that his household could not take anyone else. At this time, Ernest may have taken on the role of brickyard manager, especially if his father was getting older and in the midst of an illness. That would mean that Ernest was likely the only worker bringing in any money for the household. With a possible six occupants to support, Ernest must have really felt a weight on his shoulders.

The final journey

By 1939, Ernest and Maddy were the only occupants of Midway House and perhaps it is no surprise that Ernest was a brick and tile works manager.[12] Ernest’s father John had passed away in 1934[13] and his sister Mai had by this point moved to Stoke-sub-Hamdon (Somerset). We know that my great-aunt grew up in Stoke with Mai and Mai’s husband, Arthur Grinter. I will need to do a little more research to find out exactly when the other siblings (Cecil and Vera) left Midway House. To go from so many family members in the house to so few must have been quite strange. The 1911 Census tells us that Midway House had 8 rooms. Perhaps Ernest and Maddy felt lonely living there on their own. Their daughter Simone does not appear with them on the 1939 Register either.[14]

Eventually, the last Symons to live in Midway House emigrated to Australia.[15] Ernest and Maddy left in 1962, after Ernest had retired from Colthurst & Symons. The Western Daily Press even ran an article on the couple’s emigration in February of that year. They were interviewed and said that it was something they were looking forward too and had wanted to do for a long time.[16] That was because their daughter Simone emigrated in 1951[17] with her husband Harold Johnson and their two children. Ernest and Maddy’s departure also coincided with the closure of the final Colthurst & Symons brick yards in the 1960s.[18] As the Western Daily Press said, this ‘severed the 100 year connection of his family with the Burnham brick and tile firm of Colthurst, Symons & Co.’

The end of the story?

Ernest and Maddy with their daughter Simone, 

c. 1920s. © 2020 Shersca Genealogy.

From researching Ernest’s life, there are echoes of the transitory life of his great-uncle, William Symons, b. 1827 (brother of his grandmother Mary Ann). Both men saw their share of travel, although Ernest’s was a little more exotic! This last Symons was also involved in Colthurst, Symons & Co. more than his great-uncle. Ernest took over the family occupation of manager of the Burnham brick and tile yard and took over residency of Midway House. But change is a part of life and all things come to an end. It has been a fascinating journey for me, to be able to travel through the decades with one family who were so involved with a company and a house for so many years. Being able to collate all sorts of different sources and information to build up a fuller picture of the family and their lives has been wonderful. The other good thing is that I know there is still more to find!

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[1] Directories. England. (1897) Kelly’s Directory of Somerset. London: Kelly’s Directories Limited. p. 160.

[2] Baptisms (PR) England. Burnham, Somerset. 17 March 1897. TOOGOOD, Ernest John. Collection: Somerset, England, Church of England Baptisms, 1813-1914. www.ancestry.co.uk : accessed 02 September 2020.

[3] Census. 1901. England. Burnham, Somerset. PN: RG13/2322. FL 62. SN 247. ED 13. p. 34. http://www.ancestry.co.uk : accessed 23 January 2018.

[4] Census. 1911. England. Burnham, Somerset. PN: RG14/14565. SN 212. ED 4. http://www.ancestry.co.uk : accessed 23 January 2018.

[5] Army Medal Office (Great Britain). WW1 Medal Index Card. TOOGOOD, Ernest. Regimental

number: 269162 (WR/271340). Collection: UK, British Army World War I Medal Rolls Index Cards, 1914-1920. http://www.ancestry.co.uk : accessed 03 September 2020.

[6] Ministry of Defence. Corps of Royal Engineers: Corps of Royal Engineers Timeline. https://www.army.mod.uk/who-we-are/corps-regiments-and-units/corps-of-royal-engineers/ : accessed 03 September 2020.

[7] Marriages (CR) France. Arrondissement 04, Paris, Île-de-France. 02 December 1919. TOOGOOD and EMARD. Entry no. 1455. 4M 262. [p. 25] Collection: État civil de Paris: Actes d'état civil. Paris Archives. http://archives.paris.fr/r/124/etat-civil-de-paris/ : accessed 03 September 2020.

[8] Births (CR) France. Mariol, Allier, Auvergne. 12 July 1897. EYMARD, Anna Aimée. Entry no. 7. 2 Mi EC 172 5. [p. 170] Collection: Les Registres Paroissiaux, D'état Civil. Archives départementales de l’Allier. http://recherche.archives.allier.fr/ark:/84133/a011519373573L8QeyR/1/1 : accessed 03 September 2020.

[9] Births (CR) France. Arrondissement 13, Paris, Île-de-France. 24 December 1917. EYMARD (TOOGOOD), Simone. Entry no. 3364. 13N 236. [p. 6] Collection: État civil de Paris: Actes d'état civil. Paris Archives. http://archives.paris.fr/r/124/etat-civil-de-paris/ : accessed 03 September 2020.

[10] Toogood, Ernest. (1923) Letter to Harry and Doll, [date unknown]. Topic: Regret to hear that Doll (Muriel) is unwell, as well as news about his family (including daughter Simone). Digital copy of an original letter in the possession of Nina Griffiths.

[11] Toogood, Ernest. (1923) Letter to Harry Morgan, 08 September. Topic: The question of the care of Harry and Muriel’s baby and how it would be impossible for the baby to come to Midway House. Ernest’s father and sister are both unwell and his wife is looking after everyone. Digital copy of an original letter in the possession of Nina Griffiths.

[12] 1939 Register, England. Burnham-on-sea, Somerset. TOOGOOD, Ernest J. 29 September 1939. Schedule 271/1. RG101/7024I/002/40. National Archives (Great Britain), Kew, England. Collection: 1939 Register. www.findmypast.co.uk : accessed 23 January 2018.

[13] Deaths (CR) England. Burnham-on-Sea, Somerset. 26 May 1934. TOOGOOD, John. Entry no. 174.

[14] 1939 Register, England. Burnham-on-sea, Somerset. TOOGOOD, Ernest J. 29 September 1939. Schedule 271/1. RG101/7024I/002/40. National Archives (Great Britain), Kew, England. Collection: 1939 Register. www.findmypast.co.uk : accessed 23 January 2018.

[15] Passenger list for the S.S. Stratheden arriving Fremantle, Western Australia, Australia [Sydney noted as the disembarkation point]. TOOGOOD, E J. March 1962. National Archives of Australia, Parkes, ACT, Australia. Collection: Fremantle, Western Australia, Passenger Lists, 1897-1963. http://www.ancestry.co.uk : accessed 07 September 2020.

[16] Western Daily Press. (1962) The New Life of Ernest Toogood. Western Daily Press. February. [Page and column unknown] Copy of an article in the possession of Alison Black.

[17] Board of Trade (Great Britain). Passenger list for Strathmore departing London for Sydney, NSW, Australia. 07 June 1951. JOHNSON, Simone. Collection: UK and Ireland, Outward Passenger Lists, 1890-1960. www.ancestry.co.uk : accessed 07 September 2020.

[18] Tweedie, Andrew. Colthurst, Symons and Co. https://www.gracesguide.co.uk/Colthurst,_Symons_and_Co : accessed 06 July 2020.

The Symons Family: Part 4- A Family Home

 n the previous post in this series, I talked about William Elstone Peirce and his wife Mary Ann. She was the daughter of William Symons of Colthurst, Symons & Co, the Bridgwater brick and tile makers. Their story was intertwined with that of Midway House in Burnham on Sea. The company also played a large part in their lives, with William Elstone Peirce contributing to the patent of an important product.

The next generation

The next chapter in the story of Midway House is also the story of John Jeffries Toogood and his wife Blanche. Those of you who are particularly observant, may have noticed these names in the previous post. Blanche, the wife of John Toogood is mentioned in the will of Mary Ann Peirce. She inherited one of Mary Ann’s needlework pictures (“Weighing the Deer”). Blanche was indeed Mary Ann’s daughter with husband William Elstone Peirce and was born on the 24 September 1858, at Crossway Villa, North Petherton, Somerset.[1] Her birth certificate records that her father William was still a cabinet maker, although Crossway was also the site of a Colthurst, Symons & Co. brickyard where William’s brother-in-law John also lived and worked. Have a look at the previous post for more details about this.

Family tree for John and Blanche Toogood. © 2020 Shersca Genealogy.

Blanche Peirce was associated with Midway House for a number of years, as she lived there from the time her parents moved in, in 1875,[2] until at least 1881.[3] There seems to be a short gap for the first years of her marriage and then again from about 1901 until her death in 1915.[4] We know that her father, William, began as brickyard foreman, then manager when he moved to Midway House and finally a Brick and Tile Merchant’s Director by the time of his death in 1905. Perhaps Blanche’s husband was hoping for something similar eventually.

John and Blanche

This husband was John Jeffries Toogood. He was born on the 03 August 1840, in Huntspill, Somerset.[5] His parents were John Toogood, a yeoman, and Caroline, formerly Caroline Jeffries. When he married Blanche Peirce on the 07 April 1883, he was a farmer residing in Bridgwater and was seven years her senior.[6] So perhaps his marriage to Blanche was a social step up for John. It may be that he was looking for more financial security and as Blanche’s family were involved with a prominent Bridgwater trade, perhaps he thought he would get that. There is a strange family story about John. After his marriage, he supposedly went to New Zealand without Blanche and farmed sheep for six years. Unfortunately, the name John Toogood is pretty common, so I haven’t been able to say whether this story is true yet. I suppose it may go some way to explaining the gap between John’s marriage to Blanche and the birth of their first child, Grace in 1890.

It seems that the couple did not take over Midway House until 1897. From that year, John is the brickyard manager for Colthurst, Symons & Co. who is recorded in the local directories.[7] The 1911 Census is in agreement, but it also gives a clue as to how big Midway House was. Each household was required to write down the number of rooms in the house on that Census and John Toogood writes that Midway House had 8 rooms, excluding things such as bathrooms and sculleries.[8] With the children that are living with John and Blanche, Midway House is no longer merely the brickyard manager’s house, but a family home. There were seven Toogood children in total: Grace Darling, Muriel Doris Gwendoline, Ellen Mai, Cecil George, Ernest John, Vera Blanche and Leo Elstone.

The family letters

A whole set of letters were found when my maternal grandfather’s house was cleared about fifteen years ago now. My Mum and Aunty had persuaded my grandparents to move house and these letters were found in their garage. They are dated between 1921-1928 and are largely written from Midway House.[9] Sadly, by this time Blanche had passed away. It was rather an unfortunate coincidence that she died on the 09 September 1915,[10] in the same year as her mother Mary Ann (d. 05 April 1915[11]). From the content of some of the letters, Blanche’s death was keenly felt by the family, especially as John and Blanche’s daughter Muriel developed mental health problems and it seems that John was unable to cope with this.

John Jeffries Toogood and wife Blanche. Some in my family think the woman could actually be Blanche's mother Mary Ann. © 2020 Shersca Genealogy.

John wrote some strongly worded letters to Muriel’s husband Harry, telling him that Muriel was now Harry’s responsibility and not that of the residents of Midway House. As John and Blanche’s eldest daughter Grace was absent from the household from at least 1911 (she actually married her husband Albert Edward Bishop in 1916[12]), the role of woman of the house fell to younger sister Mai, which in turn would have impacted her life. This was due to Muriel’s health problems, as Muriel was the next eldest after Grace. Whatever our own thoughts about John Toogood’s attitude towards Muriel, we have to remember that times were different. Issues surrounding mental health were not often understood at the time and carried a large stigma too. John’s letters were also only a snapshot of what he felt. We don’t know what other conversations were had in the family.

None of the letters found concern business matters relating to Colthurst, Symons & Co. Perhaps this is not surprising as it seems that John Jeffries Toogood did not enjoy the same status in the company as William Elstone Peirce had. The final time that John was mentioned by name is in the directory of 1906.[13] From then on, it is only the house that is mentioned by name and not the person living in it.

John Jeffries Toogood outlived his wife for a good few years and died at Midway House (called Half Way House), on the 26 May 1934. He was a retired Foreman of a Brickyard.[14]

Muriel's story

The story of John and Blanche’s daughter Muriel is particularly sad, as after she had her second child in 1923, she was admitted to an asylum in Gloucester and we are still not completely sure why. There are various theories surrounding post-natal depression or even schizophrenia. A memory of my great-aunt’s told of an ‘episode’ that Muriel had in a café long before her marriage. Her husband Harry had been born in Eastington (near Stonehouse) in 1881[15] and the couple were married at the Register Office in Gloucester in 1920 (it is still a mystery as to how they met!).[16]

Even sadder still, her eldest child (a daughter) grew up partly in Midway House and partly in Stoke-sub-Hamdon, Somerset, being looked after by Muriel’s sister Mai. Her second child (my maternal grandfather) grew up in an orphanage in Gloucester. It is something he rarely (if ever) talked about and so we still do not know much about that period of his life. To be honest, it has been emotionally daunting to think about too. From the letters found, other documents and family recollections, it seems that Harry was quite an absent father and perhaps did not possess the financial means or experience to look after either of his children during his wife’s illness. It was an illness she was perceived never to have recovered from as she spent the rest of her life in the asylum, dying in 1985.

Midway House, circa. 1920, with John Toogood and some of his family. © 2020 Shersca Genealogy.

This next chapter in the family’s life was not altogether a happy one, although the company and the house were still constant. Theirs is a story which reminds us that every family has difficulties as well as successes. As much as we research and learn, there is still going to be a certain amount that is lost to the passage of time. We must also not forget changing attitudes. Sometimes, as a genealogist I have to distance myself a certain amount. If I didn’t, I would not be able to report some of the sadder events a family has experienced. But these events are still a part of their history and these discoveries in my own family have really reinforced that statement. Even though they are hard to deal with, we would not be who we are without them.

Next time comes the final post in the series. Midway House sees its final Symons descendants and the company sees its final days.

Copyright © 2020 Shersca Genealogy

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[1] Births (CR) England. North Petherton, Somerset. 24 September 1858. PEIRCE, Blanche. Entry no. 92.

[2] Directories. England. (1875) The Post Office Directory of Somersetshire. London: Kelly And Co. p. 345.

[3] Census. 1881. England. Burnham, Somerset. PN: RG11/2418. FL 25. ED 9. p. 44. http://www.ancestry.co.uk : accessed 23 January 2018.

[4] Deaths (CR) England. Burnham, Somerset. 09 September 1915. TOOGOOD, Blanche. Entry no. 87.

[5] Births (CR) England. Huntspill, Somerset. 03 August 1849. TOOGOOD, John. Entry no. 258.

[6] Marriages (PR) England. Bridgwater, Somerset. 07 April 1883. TOOGOOD, John and PEIRCE, Blanche. Collection: Somerset, England, Marriage Registers, Bonds and Allegations, 1754-1914. http://www.ancestry.co.uk : accessed 25 January 2018.

[7] Directories. England. (1897) Kelly’s Directory of Somerset. London: Kelly’s Directories Limited. p. 160.

[8] Census. 1911. England. Burnham, Somerset. PN: RG14/14565. SN 212. ED 4. http://www.ancestry.co.uk : accessed 23 January 2018.

[9] Toogood family. Letters to Harry, Muriel and Leslie MORGAN. 1921-1928. Collection formerly owned by Harry MORGAN, originals now held by Nina Griffiths.

[10] Deaths (CR) England. Burnham, Somerset. 09 September 1915. TOOGOOD, Blanche. Entry no. 87.

[11] Deaths (CR) England. Bridgwater, Somerset. 05 April 1915. PEIRCE, Mary Ann. Entry no. 354.

[12] Marriages (PR) England. St. Matthew Moorfields, Bristol. 09 September 1916. BISHOP, Albert Edward and TOOGOOD, Grace Darling Collection: Bristol, England, Church of England Marriages and Banns, 1754-1935. http://www.ancestry.co.uk : accessed 08 July 2020.

[13] Directories. England. (1906) Kelly’s Directory of Somerset. London: Kelly’s Directories Limited. p. 166.

[14] Deaths (CR) England. Burnham-on-Sea, Somerset. 26 May 1934. TOOGOOD, John. Entry no. 174.

[15] Births (CR) England. Eastington, Wheatenhurst, Gloucestershire. 23 August 1881. MORGAN, Arthur Henry Lewis. Entry no. 233.

[16] Marriages (CR) England. The Register Office, Gloucester, Gloucestershire. 15 December 1920. MORGAN, Arthur Henry Lewis and TOOGOOD, Muriel Doris Gwendoline. Entry no. 134.

The Symons family: Part 3- Enter the Peirce family

 We left the story of the Symons family with the death of William Symons, son of the William Symons who began Colthurst, Symons & Co. in Bridgwater, Somerset. They were one of various brick and tile makers in an area which was particularly suited to that trade. In the first post in this series, I mentioned that it was not William’s eldest son (William junior above) who carried on the business but his other sons James, John and Clifford. But William and his brothers were not the only siblings to have an involvement in the business. Their sister Mary Ann was to prove just as important, especially for a house I mentioned in my last post.

Midway House

This house was Midway House in Burnham on Sea, Somerset. As I mentioned in my previous posts, one of the myriad brick and tile manufacturing companies in the area was Colthurst, Symons & Co. They owned at least seven brick and tile works including one at Burnham/Highbridge where Midway House is located.^[1] It is difficult to say exactly when the house was built, as its first appearance in documents found so far is the 1871 Census when William Symons junior lived there [at the time of writing no deeds have yet been located]. Luckily, this was just the beginning of the story.

Enter the Peirces...

Our next occupant after William was a man named William Elstone Peirce. Now, you may ask what does he have to do with the Symons family? The answer is Mary Ann Symons, the sister of the William who occupied the house in 1871. She was born in about 1832, but was not baptised until adulthood in 1877.[2] Mary Ann married William Elstone Peirce on the 01 March 1852. He was a cabinet maker at the time and his father (William Peirce) had been a boat builder.[3] Interestingly, the couple were married in the Christ Church Presbyterian Chapel in Bridgwater. There is not a great tradition in Mary Ann’s family of non-conformism, but perhaps there was in William’s family.

Family tree for Mary Ann Symons (1832-1915) © Shersca Genealogy, 2020.

The couple had eleven children during the course of their marriage, but they did not immediately live in Midway House. Firstly, in 1861, they lived at the Crossway Brickyard in North Petherton, where William was the yard foreman[4] and then in 1871, they lived at 106 St. John Street in Bridgwater. William was again a foreman at a brickyard. As Mary Ann was the daughter of the co-founder of Colthurst, Symons & Co., William was probably working for the company. The Crossway Brickyard was also where Mary Ann’s brother John lived and was foreman in 1871.[5]

Climbing the social ladder

From 1875, things took a step up for William and Mary Ann, as they moved into Midway House at Burnham and William became the brickyard manager there.[6] In the trade directory entries for 1883^[7] and 1889,^[8] both the private address and the commercial address is given as Midway House for William, with the qualification of ‘Manager’ added to the commercial listings. As he was not listed as a private resident in the 1875 directory, it may mean that his wage had increased to the point where he could afford to pay Kelly’s to include him as a private resident in these editions. This may well have increased his social standing also.

William, Mary Ann and their family lived in the house through the 1881[9] and 1891[10] Census records. In 1891, a servant is recorded in the household for the first time in the history of the house, although there is never more than one. The final time that they are recorded living at Midway House is in 1894, in Kelly’s trade directory for Somerset. As in the directories from the 1880s, William is residing at Midway House as both a private resident and as the Manager for Colthurst, Symons & Co. in Burnham.^[11] In 1901, they change the Burnham brickyard for one in Bridgwater- they are living at 1, The Willows, Taunton Road.[12] William is still the Manager of a brickyard. I wonder whether this was a promotion within the company?

An important event

Perhaps William’s status with the company can be best seen by an event that took place whilst he and Mary Ann were living at Midway House between 1890-1891. There is an entry in the Chard and Ilminster Gazette in September of 1891 recording the grant of a patent to William Elstone Peirce in conjunction with Colthurst, Symons & Co. The article reads as follows:

‘The Chard and Ilminster News, 12 September 1891. Patent Record. Patents granted and specifications published. 4,097 Colthurst, Symons & Co, Ltd., Bridgwater, W E Pearce, Midway House, Burnham, roofing tiles…’^[13]

A copy of the specification for this application survives in the documents left to me by my great-aunt, who conducted a lot of research into the Symons branch of the family. The application was made on the 28 March 1890 and accepted on the 17 May the same year. The specification is quite lengthy, but it describes the invention of ‘Roman’ roofing tiles, which were designed ‘to prevent the displacement of such tiles by heavy winds’ and ‘to render the roof rain-proof by preventing water being driven… between the tiles to leak through the roof.’[14] The tiles were designed to interlock with one another, so as to prevent leaking and make them easier to secure. There is even a detailed set of drawings showing the tile and how it works. This tile (also called a ‘double roman interlocking roof tile’) seems to have become a speciality for the company and was always handmade, right up until the closure of the company.^[15]

William Elstone Peirce died on the 12 May 1905, at Saltlands, Chilton Street, Bridgwater. He was 74 and was described as having been a Brick and Tile Merchant’s Director.[16] Quite a prestigious position in the company when compared to his brother-in-law William, who was only ever a brickyard manager and eventually left the company.

 "Joseph presenting his father to Pharaoh" made by Mary
Ann Peirce (neé Symons).
© Shersca Genealogy, 2020.

A curious bequest

Mary Ann died 10 years later on the 05 April 1915, also at Saltlands (Long Villa).[17] Mary Ann’s will makes for quite interesting reading, as I have mentioned before in my post about family heirlooms. I am of course, talking about the seven needlework pictures that Mary Ann left to her seven children as follows:

• “Weighing the Deer” to Blanche (wife of John Toogood),
• “Boaz and Ruth” to Ada Louisa (wife of William Washer),
• “Robert Burns and the Highland Girl” to Ellen Augusta (wife of Edward Jenkins),
• “Leah and Rachel” to Rolla Claude Peirce,
• “Pilate washing his hands” to Mabel Beatrice Peirce,
• “Joseph being sold to the Ishmaelites” Eustace Gustavus Adolphus Peirce,
• “Joseph presenting his father to Pharaoh” to Georgina Margharita Peirce

The implication is that she did all of these herself, although there is a story in my family that she had help from some or all of her daughters. There were also four(!) other children who had died before this will was written in 1899.[18] The other family story is that all seven of these pictures hung in Midway House. Looking at the picture I have of Midway House from the early 1900s, I am amazed that they would fit. Maybe they were hanging in Long Villa instead?

Unfortunately, I only know the whereabouts of two of these pictures now. One is with my Aunt and one is in Australia with the descendants of Ellen Augusta Peirce. My branch of the family ended up with two as Georgina Margharita died not long after her mother, in 1916.[19] We have “Joseph presenting his father to Pharaoh,” but “Weighing the Deer” seems to have vanished.

William Elstone Peirce and his wife Mary Ann seem to have done better for themselves than Mary Ann’s brother William, at least in terms of status within Colthurst, Symons & Co. They have certainly been an interesting couple to research. I can now say that an ancestor of mine held a patent! I can’t get over the vast number of needlework pictures either, especially if they were anything like the size of the one my family has now.

Next time, Midway House sees the arrival of some new (and old) occupants, as well as the beginning of a new phase of family life.

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[1] Capture Highbridge. BRICK AND TILE PRODUCTION. https://capturehighbridge.wordpress.com/industry/brick-and-tile-production/ : accessed 05 February 2018.

[2] Baptisms (PR) England. Highbridge, Somerset. 21 December 1877. SYMONS, Mary Ann. Collection: Somerset, England, Church of England Baptisms, 1813-1914. www.ancestry.co.uk : accessed 07 July 2020.

[3] Marriages (CR) England. Bridgwater, Somerset. 01 March 1852. PEIRCE, William Elstone and SYMONS, Mary Ann. Entry no. 187.

[4] Census. 1861. England. North Petherton, Somerset. PN: RG9/1622. FL 15. SN 5. ED 2. p. 1. http://www.ancestry.co.uk : accessed 07 July 2020.

[5] Census. 1871. England. North Petherton, Somerset. PN: RG10/2381. FL 22. SN 81. ED 2. p. 16. http://www.ancestry.co.uk : accessed 09 July 2020.

[6] Directories. England. (1875) The Post Office Directory of Somersetshire. London: Kelly And Co. p. 345.

[7] Directories. England. (1883) Kelly’s Directory of Somersetshire with the City of Bristol. London: Kelly And Co. p. 141.

[8] Directories. England. (1889) Kelly’s Directory of Somersetshire with the City of Bristol. London: Kelly And Co. p. 144.

[9] Census. 1881. England. Burnham, Somerset. PN: RG11/2418. FL 25. ED 9. p. 44. http://www.ancestry.co.uk : accessed 23 January 2018.

[10] Census. 1891. England. Burnham, Somerset. PN: RG12/1918. FL 100. ED 9. p. 1. http://www.ancestry.co.uk : accessed 23 January 2018.

[11] Directories. England. (1894) Kelly’s Directory of Somerset And the City of Bristol. London: Kelly And Co. Ltd. p. 162.

[12] Census. 1901. England. Bridgwater, Somerset. PN: RG13/2283. FL 43. SN 193. ED 2. p. 29. http://www.ancestry.co.uk : accessed 07 July 2020.

[13] Chard and Ilminster News. (1891) Patent Record. Patents granted and spcifications published. Chard and Ilminster News. 12 September. p. 5a. Collection: British Newspapers. http://www.findmypast.co.uk : accessed 25 January 2018.

[14] Colthurst, Symons & Co. Patent application. Roman roof tile. 17 May 1890. Application no. 4907. From family documents in the possession of Rhiannon Lloyd.

[15] Murless, Brian J. (2000) Somerset Brick & Tile Manufacturers: A Brief History & Gazetteer. [Unknown]: Somerset Industrial Archaeological Society. p. 15.

[16] Deaths (CR) England. Bridgwater, Somerset. 12 May 1905. PEIRCE, William Elstone. Entry no. 61.

[17] Deaths (CR) England. Bridgwater, Somerset. 05 April 1915. PEIRCE, Mary Ann. Entry no. 354.

[18] Testamentary records. England. 03 May 1916. PEIRCE, Mary Ann. Will. From family documents in the possession of Rhiannon Lloyd.

[19] Testamentary records. England. 15 June 1918. PEIRCE, Georgina Margharita. Principal Probate Registry. Calendar of the Grants of Probate. p. 482. Collection: England & Wales, National Probate Calendar (Index of Wills and Administrations), 1858-1995. www.ancestry.co.uk : accessed 08 July 2020.