On Combe Down 1850 – 1900

Combe Down

Combe Down

In ‘Rambles about Bath’, Tunstall says about Monkton Combe:

“In 1780, it paid £103 poor rates, its population being 280; in 1841, from the great increase of the village of Combe Down, its population was 1,107. This is steadily increasing.” 

In 1831 Samuel Lewis put the population of “Combe (Moncton)” at 855.[1] Looking at the census allows us to chart the population growth.

Properties & Population on Combe Down 1841 to 1901 from census reports (see Census summaries)

  1841 1851 1861 1871 1881 1891 1901
Properties 294 339 375 421 444 554 527
Males 758 829 803 886 955 1,192 1,186
Females 862 909 959 1,059 1,120 1,375 1,256
Total population 1,600 1,738 1,762 1,945 2,075 2,567 2,372

It’s clear that the rate of growth was fastest before 1840 and then steady.

Unfortunately, the census boundaries for each enumeration district change census by census and so whilst it is theoretically possible to look at Monkton Combe village, Combe Down Village and the areas on Greendown separately, to do it with any real accuracy would be a major task.

By 1850, the stone quarries, the reason for Ralph Allen to establish Combe Down village in the first place, were in decline[2] with the quarries having been fairly well worked.

Meanwhile vast quantities of good quality Bath stone had been discovered at Box when Brunel built the Great Western Railway.

This stone was also, of course, right beside the new railway, making transport simple. In these new quarries the total quarried area is approximately 2 miles long and a mile wide and has some 15 miles or more of tunnels.[3]

Roman Villa

Roman Villa

1852 saw the discovery of Roman remains on Combe Down. In 1822 Henry Mingden Scarth wrote:

“Two Stone Coffins were found near Burnt House Turnpike Gate (in the line of the Foss Road), and previously to this two others near Claremont Place, Combe Down.[4] 

……It was discovered while making a garden to a new villa, and served as the covering stone for the lower part of a Stone Coffin, in which was a perfect skeleton. This spot has since proved to have been the site of a Roman villa, and many objects of interest which have been discovered there, are carefully preserved by the owner. Five Stone Coffins have been found on the spot, besides urns containing burnt bones, and a stone box containing the head of a Horse. The Inscription, which is not deeply cut, is difficult to read, owing to the decomposition of the stone. It is as follows: ‘For the safety of the Emp. Cms. Marcus Aurelius, Antoninus, the pious, fortunate, invincible Augustus, Naevius Freedman of the Emperor, and assistant of the procurators, restored the chief military quarters which had fallen to ruin’."[5]

The words “while making a garden to a new villa” indicate Belmont House as the likely site as it was being constructed at this time, which is reinforced by the article in the Chronicle. In 1867 it was felt that the villa may have been a ‘Sanatorium’:

Roman Villa a Sanatorium, Bath Chronicle, Thursday 31 January 1867
Roman Villa a Sanatorium, Bath Chronicle, Thursday 31 January 1867

Allotments

Allotments

Allotments introduced on Combe Down - Bath Chronicle and Weekly Gazette - Thursday 22 January 1852
Allotments introduced on Combe Down – Bath Chronicle and Weekly Gazette – Thursday 22 January 1852

Allotments on Combe Down were introduced by Rev G W Newnham in 1852.

The allotments were in the area bounded by North Road and Combe Road as shown on the map.

This is the area to the South of Westerleigh Road, above Combe Road Close and to the West of Rock Lane. There were some 40 – 50 allotments of about 1/8 of an acre and the rules from 1884 were published in Around Combe Down by Peter Addison.

Area of Combe Down allotments from 1892 - 1905 map
Area of Combe Down allotments from 1892 – 1905 map
Combe Down allotments 1884 rules
Combe Down allotments 1884 rules
Combe Down allotments - Bath Chronicle and Weekly Gazette - Thursday 16 October 1856
Combe Down allotments – Bath Chronicle and Weekly Gazette – Thursday 16 October 1856

There were allotments in the Westerleigh Road area until 1938 when there was a story in the Bath Chronicle and Weekly Gazette, Saturday 8 October 1938 stating that tenants had been given notice to quit.

This left some allotments in the area the junior school’s log cabin now stands that were there from the early 20th century.

The current allotments between Hancock’s quarry and Monkton Combe school were certainly there by the turn of the 20th century – as the map below illustrates.

Detail from OS map, Combe Down revised 1902 published 1904, showing Upper Lawn Quarry allotments
Detail from OS map, Combe Down revised 1902 published 1904, showing Upper Lawn Quarry allotments
History of allotments

Allotments have been in existence for hundreds of years. Under the feudal system the open field system, a furlong was split into strips, of about half an acre. Each peasant had several strips allocated at a public meeting at the start of the year. They were scattered to prevent one person getting all the good land.

Peasants also had common land for grazing, fuel etc. As the population grew, the lack of land made it difficult to maintain the system and, from the 16th century, enclosure started to occur, as landowners saw they could make more money by having larger farms where they would decide the arable or livestock farming and the farming practices. In addition there was a growing population which lead to pressure on the open field and common land system.

Combe Down allotments - Bath Chronicle and Weekly Gazette - Thursday 25 April 1895
Combe Down allotments – Bath Chronicle and Weekly Gazette – Thursday 25 April 1895

When enclosing some landowners were unscrupulous and just evicted tenants, but if they could prove documentary evidence of their open field and common land rights some received an allotment of land in compensation. Enclosure lead to the agricultural revolution and a prosperous group of landed gentry but a many more landless and hungry poor.

Over 3,500 Acts of Parliament were passed between 1700 and 1860 to enclose over 5 million acres of common fields and land and less than 12% of people who worked on the land owned any. As enclosure increased, and the industrial revolution grew, more people moved into towns. It soon became clear that both rural and city poor needed something to help alleviate their poverty. Allotments were one answer but were strongly resisted by many farmers and landowners.

Dig for Victory
Dig for Victory

The food shortages experienced during the Napoleonic Wars led to some changes in thinking and the Select Vestries Act 1819, gave churchwardens and Poor Law Overseers authority to purchase or lease up to 20 acres of land and let it to the poor and unemployed of the parish as allotments.

The Swing Riots of 1830 and 1831 and fear of further unrest and Labourer’s Friend Society promoted extension to 50 acres, achieved by three acts passed in 1831 and 1832.

The General Inclosure Act 1845 required that the landless poor be provided with ‘field gardens’ as the rural land was enclosed. This helped in the countryside but city folk had no access to land. They began to push for allotments and urban allotment development began.

More progressive landowners, employers and clergy recognised that allotments could improve living standards and with the Allotment Extension Act 1882 that required trustees holding charity land for the use of the poor to set aside part of that land for use as allotments; the Allotment Extension Act 1885 allowing allotments to be let at the same rate as surrounding farmland and Allotment Extension Act 1887, that enabled Sanitary Districts to provide allotments by the compulsory purchase of land.

By 1890 County Councils were required to have an Allotment Committee responsible for holding inquiries if a Sanitary District failed to provide allotments.

At the beginning of the 19th century there were roughly 250,000 allotments.

In 1908 the Small Holdings and Allotments Act came into force and local authorities had to provide all the allotments demanded.

During WWI the number of allotments rose to 1.5 million.

After the war to help returning service men the Land Settlement Facilities Act 1919 was passed.

Allotment holders rights were strengthened through the Allotments Act 1922 and the Allotments Act 1925.

The latter established statutory allotments which local authorities could not sell or convert without ministerial consent. Under the Local Government Act 1929 agricultural and allotment land became non-rateable. There were 819,000 plots in 1939, 80% of which were urban plots, which increased 1.4 million during WWII with the Dig for Victory campaign, but the number fell to 300,000 by 2009.

Combe Down allotments 2019
Combe Down allotments 2019

An extract from “God speed the spade”: The History of Combe Down’s Allotments by Jacqueline Burrows

Jacqueline has been researching the history of Combe Down’s allotments since recent planning applications have revealed how little is known about their heritage, exposing the ease with which such cherished village assets can be threatened. She hopes to publish their complete story soon.

In 1851, Rev Newnham (1806-1893) developed the field garden allotment system “for the benefit of the labourers of Combe Down”, with yearly rents due each Michaelmas quarter day (29 September).

Tenants paid their sixpences at an annual allotment supper in the village schoolroom at which, amidst much excitement, they were waited on by the Vicar and his second wife Catherine, together with the schoolmaster and some of the local gentry.

This happy event can be traced over the next twenty-five years, until reports cease shortly before Revd Newnham retired in 1877. By October 1855, the Bath Chronicle tells us there were at least 31 allotments in Combe Down, managed by a committee.

Allotmenteering soon spread down the hill to Monkton Combe and in 1857, gardeners from both villages joined the annual meeting in the schoolroom. Rents paid and the Committee’s report read, a “comfortable hot supper” was served to the 44 tenants who were again waited on by Rev and Mrs Newnham and some of the local gentlemen.

A “small exhibition of large vegetables” took place.In October 1860, the coldest and wettest year on record, most of the 39 tenants in Combe Down made it to the annual event in the large new schoolroom, although fewer than half of the 17 Monkton Combe tenants ventured up the steep, muddy hill in the dark.

The meal was – as always – beef, with allotment vegetables and coffee to follow, with some “fine samples” of produce on show. After paying their sixpences, tenants were each given a penny halfpenny back to make up for the failure of the important potato harvest.

Then, as now, everyone went home hoping for better returns in 1861, when the tenth anniversary supper took place.

It didn’t take long to include a prize competition.

In 1863, rents were “for the most part, punctually and cheerfully paid” and a prize fund collection raised £8. Half was awarded to growers whose vegetables “would have done credit to Sydney Gardens”.

Everyone voted that the balance be spent on providing half-price steel forks for all, then went home at 9pm in “happy harmony.

Sadly, 1863 was to be the last joint supper: Monkton Combe’s allotment land was required for a grand new vicarage (now Westfield).

In 1865, the show was extended to include entries from private gardens. ‘It is hoped that this wholesome rivalry in honest labour and skill may tend to raise the character of the labourers, while the prizes offered by their richer neighbours proves their interest in the work.’

The supper was a grander affair too, with waiters being sent across from the vicarage. However, Rev Newnham didn’t come; Catherine had died a few months earlier giving birth to their sixteenth child.

He missed the 1866 supper too: he was in Weston Super Mare getting married for the third time!

By 1868, the show was taking place in the daytime and included entries from across the Down, including grasses and wildflowers from local schoolchildren, and the rent supper had become a separate evening affair.

By 1871 the annual show had become a major event, with the Vicar putting up his own money for larger cash prizes, attracting entries from a wide range of professional growers, gardeners and ‘cottagers’. It was even reported in the Bristol newspapers.

At the rent supper in 1872, the tenants presented Rev Newnham with the traditional inkstand, “in thanks for his kind services to them for twenty-one years”.

October 1875 saw the last report of a Combe Down allotment rent supper, at which the meal was “presided over” by Rev Newnham, now approaching his seventies. In 1877 he left Combe Down after 35 years as its vicar and retired to Corsham.

By 1895, responsibility for the village allotments had been taken over by Monkton Combe Parish Council and the annual rent collection had become an administrative task, carried out by a councillor without ceremony.

Perhaps the allotment supper on the Down with a small show of “fine vegetables” is a village tradition that could be resurrected, once we’ve all emerged from the complications of COVID19!

Jacqueline Burrows, Plot 8A2, Combe Down, 8 July 2020

Wesleyan Chapel

Wesleyan Chapel

New Wesleyan Reform Chapel, Combe Down
New Wesleyan Reform Chapel, Combe Down

Behind Glenburnie and adjacent to Gladstone Road is the Wesleyan Chapel which. according to Around Combe Down by Peter Addison was started in August 1854 and is confirmed by a cutting on the Bath in Time website.

It seems it was not a chapel for long becoming the coach house for Alma Villa (now Glenburnie). From 1922 when Edward Dudley (1847 – 1922), who had owned Glenburnie, died.

Glenburnie was then owned by Monkton Combe Junior School and the chapel became a dining hall. In WWII it was used as a food store then, after the war, as a playroom.

In March 1952 when Bryan Morris became Headmaster he felt that Monkton Combe Junior School ought to have its own chapel and in March 1952 the old Wesleyan chapel became a church once again and was dedicated by Bishop Bradfield of Bath and Wells.

By 2020 it had been converted into a private home.

St George's Chapel, previously the Wesleyan Reform Chapel, Combe Down
St George’s Chapel, previously the Wesleyan Reform Chapel, Combe Down

Brewery

Combe Down Brewery

Combe Down Brewery 1862
Combe Down Brewery 1862
Combe Down brewery closes - Bath Chronicle and Weekly Gazette - Thursday 17 October 1889
Combe Down brewery closes – Bath Chronicle and Weekly Gazette – Thursday 17 October 1889

In 1851 the Hulonce family, who were quarry masters, sold the remainder of their 99 year lease, which included the Lyncombe & Widcombe side of Ralph Allen Yard, to Henry Morrish (1804 – 1892), a Bath wine and spirit merchant, who paid off the £413 15s. 2d mortgage the Hulonces owed.

Some time later he formed a partnership with Thomas Hine (1819 – 1868), landlord of the King William IV. Together they developed the Combe Down Brewery, with a large brewery above the pub and a maltings on the upper part of Ralph Allen Yard.[6]

Henry Morrish and Thomas Hine were probably related. Thomas’ father Richard Hine (1786 – 1859) had married a Mary Morrish (1797 – 1877) in 1818 and it seems likely that she was a cousin or aunt of Henry Morrish.

In January 1889 Cumberland & Green, a brewery in Limpley Stoke, bought Combe Down Brewery.

As noted in the Bath Chronicle and Weekly Gazette of Thursday 18 July 1889 they sold themselves to the Bath Brewery Company which was expanding and taking over smaller brewers. Combe Down Brewery was a casualty and closed, though, of course, the King William IV continued as did the malting yard.

By 1910 James D Taylor & Sons maltsters had taken over the maltings. They remained in operation until 1923 when they and the Bath Brewery Company were acquired by the Bristol Brewery (Georges & Co Ltd.). The company had begun acquiring its smaller rivals in and around Bristol from 1889 up until the 1950s, its last great acquisition Bristol United Breweries Ltd., in 1956.

Take over of Combe Down brewery - Bath Chronicle and Weekly Gazette - Thursday 10 January 1889
Take over of Combe Down brewery – Bath Chronicle and Weekly Gazette – Thursday 10 January 1889

In 1961 they, in turn, were acquired by Courage, Barclay & Simmonds Ltd. Its name was simplified to Courage Ltd. in October 1970. Courage was taken over by the Imperial Tobacco Group Ltd. two years later.

The maltings and yard were taken over by the local authority after the brewery was sold in 1923 and seems to have been used as stores until the outbreak of WW2 when it became a base for the ARP.

In 1968 it was still being used as a Council Depot.

In about 1970 the yard became known as Gammon’s Yard as Gammon Plant Hire took over ownership using the maltings for storage and the yard for heavy plant machinery.

It has now become Ralph Allen CornerStone and housing.

King William IV tokens
King William IV tokens

Public Lighting

Public lighting on Combe Down

Gas gets to Combe Down, Bath Chronicle, Thursday 26 October 1865
Gas gets to Combe Down, Bath Chronicle, Thursday 26 October 1865

In 1818, an Act of Parliament was obtained for lighting Bath with gas. The gasometer was located near the Upper Bristol road and over eighteen miles of pipe were laid; general lighting of the city started on 29th September 1819.[18]

By Thursday 2nd September 1830 the Bath Gas Company was extending the work and laying pipes in Lyncombe and Widcombe according to the Bath Chronicle. Over the years attempts were made to get the gas mains extended to Combe Down but the cost seemed to be prohibitive.[19]

It would take an Act of Parliament in 1865 to allow the Bath Gas Company to expand its capital, use rail transport instead of the Kennet & Avon canal and thus expand to include Bathampton, Bathford, Monkton Combe, Claverton, Englishcombe, Newton St. Loe, Corston, Saltford, Kelston, Weston, Box and Ditteridge.[20]

By 26th October 1865 the mains had been extended to Combe Down and public lighting was switched on.

Catholic Cemetery

Perrymead Catholic cemetery

Consecration of new Catholic cemetery, Bath Chronicle, Thursday 3 June 1858
Consecration of new Catholic cemetery, Bath Chronicle, Thursday 3 June 1858

Perrymead Catholic cemetery at Pope’s Walk, off Perrymead, is adjacent to Bath Abbey cemetery.

It was consecrated in 1858. It has a mortuary chapel and the foundation stone for the chapel was laid on Thursday 2nd September 1858.[21]

It has a separate chapel for the Eyre family, members of which are buried in its crypt.[22]

The architect for this was Charles Francis Hansom and the chapel was built following the death of John Eyre (d.1861) who was a Count of the Holy Roman Empire.

The chapel was consecrated, on 13th October 1863, by the Roman Catholic Bishop of Clifton.

The Count’s two sons, Monsignor Vincent Eyre, Rector of Hampstead, and Father William Eyre SJ, assisted the Bishop at the ceremony. The vault under the chapel is still used for family burials.[23]

Omnibus

Combe Down Omnibus

An omnibus is a public transport vehicle carrying many passengers generally quite short distances.

John Greenwood ran the first English omnibus service in 1824 on the Manchester to Liverpool turnpike. He had a horse and a cart with several seats and offered a service that was different from a stagecoach as no booking was necessary and the driver picked up or set down passengers anywhere on request.

In 1829 George Shillibeer started operating a horse drawn omnibus service from Paddington to the City of London.[24] Omnibus services had started in Bath by 1840:

“Mr. Lane of the White Lion coach office, Mr. Reilly, of the York House, Mr. Pickwick, of the White Hart, and Mr. Clarke, of the Greyhound have started omnibuses, &c, to convey passengers to and from the Railway Station at 6d. each this judiciously making the best of circumstances, and getting all they can out of their gigantic rival.”[25]
Combe Down bus horses, Bath Chronicle, Thursday 11 February 1892
Combe Down bus horses, Bath Chronicle, Thursday 11 February 1892

The ‘gigantic rival’ was the railway.

A service was operating to Combe Down by 1866.

The horse drawn service continued until the advent of the electric trams in 1904. But the service was not without its problems. Horses could only work limited hours, had to be housed, groomed, fed and cared for and produced large amounts of manure, which the omnibus company had to dispose of. Probably ten or more horses were needed to work each bus in a day. Ill treatment of the horses was a problem.

“George Head of 3 Isabella Cottages, Combe Down, a driver in the employ of the Bath Road Car and Tramways Company  was summoned for ill treating a horse, by working it in an unfit state and was fined £2 2s and costs.”[26]

There was much sympathy for the horses as letters to the Bath Chronicle show.[27] In 1892 it seems that the fare was 9d. down and 1s. up though Mr. T. Gould, who had, it seems, sold his business to the Bath Road Car Company says that when he ran it, it was only:

 “……one shilling to and from Bath, with much cleaner and better accommodation than at the present time.”[28]
Combe Down omnibus timetable from The Bijou Guide to Bath, 1890
Combe Down omnibus timetable from The Bijou Guide to Bath, 1890

Monkton Combe School

Monkton Combe School

Rev Francis Pocock
Rev Francis Pocock

Monkton Combe School was founded in 1868 by the vicar of Monkton Combe at the time, the Rev Francis Pocock (1829 – 1919).

There were six pupils for the Lent term who were taught in his home.

In 1875 Rev Pocock became vicar of St. Paul’s in Poole[29] and the Rev Henry Wright ‘acquired the interest of the school’[30] which then had 18 pupils. He also purchased the advowson of the St Michael’ s church and conveyed it to the Oxford Churches Trust making it the church patron and affecting the appointment of the vicars of Monkton Combe for many years.

Henry Wright (d.1880) was Honorary Clerical Secretary of the Church Missionary Society and well off – he left £120,000 in his will[31] after he drowned in Coniston Lake having leapt from a boat but, becoming exhausted, failed to reach the shore.[32]

He appointed Rev Reginald Guy Bryan (1819 – 1912) as headmaster.

Rev Bryan was the Perpetual Curate at Fosbury, Wiltshire, where he had been for some 20 years and brought some of his pupils to the school. He was soon advertising for more pupils.

By the prize day reported in the Bath Chronicle in 1878[33] the school had 65 pupils.

Over the years the school has grown to over 350 pupils.

The Junior School was established with four pupils in 1888 in a private house in Church Road, Combe Down by Mrs. Howard (the daughter of the senior school principal Rev Reginald Guy Bryan) and moved into its current premises in June 1907.

Monkton Combe School advert, Bath Chronicle, Thursday 30 December 1875
Monkton Combe School advert, Bath Chronicle, Thursday 30 December 1875

The school chapel was opened in 1927.

The pre-prep was added in 1929[34] and moved into new premises in 2016.

Over the years the school has used many buildings in the area: Combe Grange, Combe Lodge, Combe Ridge, Scott House, Southfield, Glenburnie inter-alia.

Tunnel

Combe Down Tunnel

Combe Down tunnel, Western Gazette, Friday 3 July 1874
Combe Down tunnel, Western Gazette, Friday 3 July 1874

The Somerset and Dorset Railway (S&D) was formed in 1862 by the amalgamation of Somerset and Dorset Central Railways.

In 1870, plans were made to build an extension to create a direct link between Bath and the Midlands with the South coast.

Work started in 1872. It cost £400,000 to build 26 miles and although it was successful the Company, which was not strong anyway, went into receivership and in 1875 it became jointly owned by the Midland Railway and the London & South West Railway.

On 20th July 1874 the Combe Down tunnel for the S&D opened to regular traffic.

The tunnel is 1,829 yards (1,672 metres) long and was the UK’s longest without intermediate ventilation. Combe Down tunnel was closed in 1967 but was reopened in 2013 as the two tunnels greenway walking and cycling scheme.

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Convalescent Home

Combe Down Convalescent Home

Start of Combe Down convalescent home building, Bath Chronicle, Thursday 8 January 1880
Start of Combe Down convalescent home building, Bath Chronicle, Thursday 8 January 1880

The Combe Down Convalescent Home was founded in 1870[35] but soon proved inadequate in size.

Many bazaars and concerts were held over a number of years to raise the money to build a larger home.

By 1880 enough money for a 12 person home had been raised, though fundraising continued. An acre of land was donated by Mr. Vaughan Jenkins of Combe Grove.[36]

The foundation stone was laid on Thursday May 27th 1880 by the Mayor of Bath[37] and was open for business in 1881.

Convalescents had come to Combe Down since the late 18th century, but the changing nature of medicine in Victorian times – more medical training and doctors, nurses and hospitals to go along with the scientific advances based on Louis Pasteur’s work on germ theory and Joseph Lister’s introduction of antiseptic processes – meant that more and more people actually survived illness and surgery and needed to convalesce.

Those with enough money wanted to do so in pleasant surroundings with trained staff. Over the years the convalescent home expanded to treat over 400 patients a year.

According to Dr David Carr the home was taken over by the RAF during WW2.

Combe Down Convalescent Home - Bath Chronicle and Weekly Gazette - Saturday 28 June 1947
Combe Down Convalescent Home – Bath Chronicle and Weekly Gazette – Saturday 28 June 1947

After the war it reopened as a private home for women patients but with the founding of the NHS on 5 July 1948 it began to take in post operative convalescent cases, mainly from uterine surgery, from the Birmingham area NHS.

As the NHS and medical practices progressed convalescence became less of an issue and numbers began to fall.

In the 1960s Bath Association for Disabled People were looking for somewhere to buy so that they could offer respite to carers and holidays for the disabled. They bought Combe Down Convalescent Home from the RAF and set up Combe Down Holiday Home for the Disabled.

It was not a great place to bring the disabled being a 3 storey Victorian building with doors that were too narrow for wheelchair access. The building burnt down in 1971.

Luckily it was insured and Dr Sandy Neill and like minded colleagues ensured that a modern building with all the necessary facilities for disabled access atc was built.

It had about 20 rooms and provided excellent holiday/respite care.

The home operated with success for 20 years, but changes in Local Government funding and increasing costs forced the Trustees to review the management of the home.

Combe Down holiday home 1978
Combe Down holiday home 1978

By the 1990s they decided to sell the home and invest the proceeds and seek a different role based on the holiday/respite care principle.

In 1993 the Trust was reconstituted as Combe Down Holiday Trust with the sole aim of providing holidays, short breaks and respite care for disabled people and/or their carers who live within the Bath & North East Somerset area.

The site was sold for development in 1996.

In 1999 Linden Homes built Quad Villas on the site.

Quad Villa
Quad Villa

Waterworks

Combe Down Waterworks

Most people used shared wells with the well shafts passing through quarries below. The water from wells was often boiled first for use as drinking water. People also collected rainwater from their gutters, collecting it into a tank for domestic use, though not as drinking water.

Harry Patch says that:

“Apart from the wells, there were two iron water butts in Combe Down fed from the mains. When a handle was turned on the side of the butt a chain ran down over a pulley and opened a stopcock at the base, bringing water out of an ornamental lion’s mouth. One butt was just outside the church, the other opposite the pub, the Wheelwright Arms. If you didn’t have access to a well in the garden, you could draw water from there. Behind both butts was a wooden trough into which water was poured for horses to drink from.”[38]
Bath and District High Level Waterworks Company Ltd., Bath Chronicle, Thursday 8 December 1887
Bath and District High Level Waterworks Company Ltd., Bath Chronicle, Thursday 8 December 1887

The mains supply was from the Combe Down (Bath) and General Waterworks Company.

It had a forerunner, the Bath and District High Level Waterworks Company which had been set up in 1887 after the death of the Right Reverend Monsignor Dr. Charles Parfitt (1816 – 1886) of Midford Castle who had set up the original waterworks at Midford Springs.

Dr. Parfitt had inherited Midford Castle from Mrs. Jane Conolly (1798 – 1871), the widow of Mr. Charles Thomas Conolly (1791 – 1850) who was the son of Charles Conolly (d.1828) who had bought Midford and funded William Smith’s quarry.

Soon after taking over Dr. Parfitt started the Combe Down and District Waterworks to take water from the Midford Springs. The water was pumped by a water wheel using the water from the Whittaker springs to carry water from the Midford sands.[39]

He was soon supplying the Workhouse and Bath Town Council considered buying the waterworks.[40]

By 1883 the Rural District Council were informed that:

“Combe Down is also more largely supplied from Dr. Parfitt’s private source and many of the wells in the neighbourhood have been closed.”[41]

By February 1886 Bath Town Council had agreed to buy Combe Down and District Waterworks.[42]

A new main from Tucking mill to Entry Hill was laid,[43] and the water supply turned on.[44] #

Storage was by the Combe Down elevated tank standing opposite what is, now, the Forester & Flower. It was a cast iron tank on 8 cast iron legs with a capacity of 40,000 gallons with a roof of iron sheets.[45]

However, Dr. Parfitt became unwell and died in June before the agreement to purchase the waterworks could be completed.

The Old Water Tank, Combe Down
The Old Water Tank, Combe Down

When Dr. Parfitt died his trustees did not want to continue managing the waterworks[46] and a new joint stock company, the Bath and District High Level Waterworks Company Ltd., was incorporated with a capital of £20,000 in shares of £10 each.

In 1890 the Hampton Down reservoir was constructed on land leased for 99 years. It was a stone structure approximately 61’ by 20’ 6” with a capacity of 100,000 gallons.[47] The Bath and District High Level Waterworks Company Ltd. ran until 1901 but was then put into receivership.

Once again the council considered buying the waterworks but decided not to do so.[48] However in 1902 they reconsidered and took powers to purchase the concern.[49]

Bradford Road water tank in Combe Down 1950s
Bradford Road water tank in Combe Down 1950s

It was not to be. The receiver put the business up for sale as a going concern. It was bought for £7,000[50] along with the Somerset Coal Canal, which had fallen into disuse and disrepair and had complaints of being in an “insanitary state”.[51]

By 1902 a liquidator for the Somerset Coal Canal Company had been appointed.[52] The canal, as well as being an asset in its own right was to be used to supply more water to the Combe Down Waterworks Company.[53] He sold the coal canal soon after though to the GWR for their Camerton and Limpley Stoke line.[54]

Both businesses were bought by Edward Herbert Bayldon D.L., J.P. (1854 – 1912), who was High Sherriff of Devon in 1905.[55] He had interests in South African gold mines before turning his attention to Dartmoor tin mines in the late 1890s.[56]

He soon gained agreements with Bath Corporation to supply water to areas the council could not as the council was in short supply of water.[57]

In 1906 a 6” main was laid from Tucking Mill to Hampton Down.[58]

From about 1905 there was a move to close wells due to poor water quality and by 1928 the Combe Down (Bath) and General Waterworks Company Ltd. supplied 337 of the 440 houses in the parish of Monkton Combe with 53 being supplied by the Rural District Council.[59] Presumably the other 50 were still relying on wells etc.

The Hayeswood Reservoir was constructed in 1927. It was a reinforced concrete covered tank with 8’ thick walls and a 37’ diameter and held 100,000 gallons.[60]

By the 1950s the staff included a chief inspector and 3 shift workers and was pumping 268,000 gallons per day.[61]

In 1954 the Bath Corporation Water Order, under the Water Act 1945, transferred Combe Down Waterworks to Bath Corporation.

Under the Water Act 1973, the Wessex Water Authority was created in 1974. In 1989 the water boards were privatised and in May 2002 YTL Power International of Kuala Lumpur acquired Wessex Water and hence the waterworks at Tucking Mill etc.

Combe Down waterworks plate on Bradford Road
Combe Down waterworks plate on Bradford Road

Hospital

Bath Statutory Hospital

Many towns had some form of isolation hospital from the eighteenth century, usually a ‘pest house’, where infectious people were treated.

It was not, however, until the late nineteenth century that the formal treatment of infectious diseases, such as scarlet fever, typhoid, diphtheria, measles, tuberculosis and smallpox, was considered.

The Poor Law Amendment Act 1868 dealt briefly with the subject, since most patients with infectious diseases found their way into the workhouse infirmaries because voluntary hospitals could and did refuse to admit them.

The Public Health Act 1875 enabled any local authority to provide hospital accommodation for the treatment of patients with infectious diseases paid for by the rates.

In 1877 the Bath Statutory Hospital was established at the corner of Brassknocker Hill. By 1880 it was being used, along with the Workhouse Union Hospital, to cover a smallpox outbreak and taking 21 cases [62]

The hospital occupied a site of about 8 acres near the top of Brassknocker Hill. A house and a gardener’s cottage were purchased in 1876. The first patient was admitted in October 1876 suffering from scarlet fever. Two small and two large wooden pavilions were added on the south side of the house providing a total hospital accommodation for 70 patients together and some resident staff. By 1877 it had three large wooden blocks for patients, an administration block, a small discharging block, a laundry and a cottage.[63]

Statutory hospital rules 1925
Statutory hospital rules 1925

In 1930 work started on a new hospital in two phases. In 1931 the new hospital was first used and in 1932 the new purpose built hospital was officially opened on the site as the old hospital had:

“woodwork that was seen to be perishing and...lighting…of a very inferior order…Fifty years ago they were expected as a temporary expedient by Mr. Charles Wibley. They were erected in a panic, and in a piecemeal and temporary fashion, and the amazing thing is that the hospital has done such good work over such a long period.”[64]

The second stage was opened in 1934.

In the early days, admissions were largely for cases of scarlet fever and diphtheria. Between 1895 and 1899, there was annual average admission rate of 137 of which 78% were patients with scarlet fever and 22% diphtheria. Only 7 out of 137 were for other conditions, for example smallpox. Before 1900, many doctors did not always insist on admission of infectious cases to the hospital but attitudes changed in the early twentieth century. Between 1895 and 1900, only 41% of known diphtheria cases were admitted whereas between 1940 and 1945, 97% were removed from home to hospital.

The development of antibioticssulphonamides became available in 1935, penicillin in 1944 and streptomycin in 1947 – led to the closure of many isolation hospitals soon after the Second World War but the Bath Statutory Hospital was taken over by the NHS in 1948 and renamed Claverton Down Hospital. For some years it continued in its role as an infectious diseases hospital and treated many children with polio during the epidemics of the early post war years. The hospital purchased a number of Drinker respirators, popularly known as iron lungs. After the introduction of polio vaccination, there were no further cases fell the artificial respirators were removed.

Bath Statutory Hospital became associated more with chest infections and convalescence and closed in 1986. The site lay derelict until 1997 when Wessex Water acquired the site.

City of Bath Isolation Hospital, Bath Chronicle, Saturday 9 January 1932
City of Bath Isolation Hospital, Bath Chronicle, Saturday 9 January 1932
Isolation hospital buildings
Isolation hospital buildings
Isolation hospital wooden tents made by the Berthon Boat Company
Isolation hospital wooden tents made by the Berthon Boat Company
Isolation hospital nurse and children
Isolation hospital nurse and children
Isolation hospital 20 horsepower Austin ambulance1932
Isolation hospital 20 horsepower Austin ambulance1932
Isolation hospital aerial view aerial
Isolation hospital aerial view aerial
Isolation Hospital buildings before demolition
Isolation Hospital buildings before demolition
Isolation Hospital buildings before demolition
Isolation Hospital buildings before demolition
Isolation Hospital buildings before demolition
Isolation Hospital buildings before demolition

Monkton Mill

Monkton Combe Mill

Monkton Combe Mill © Copyright Derek Harper and licensed for reuse under this Creative Commons Licence
Monkton Combe Mill © Copyright Derek Harper and licensed for reuse under this Creative Commons Licence

Monkton Combe has two mills listed in the Domesday Book – Monkton Combe Mill and Tucking Mill. Beside the Midford Brook there are sluice gates and a millpond for the Monkton Combe mill.

From at least 1884[67a] it was owned by the Freeman family, who also had mills at Freshford and Avoncliff.

It was run by Thomas Richard Freeman (1860 – 1920) and later his sons Charles Henry (1889 – 1947) and Thomas Leonard (1892 – 1947).

The Freshford and Avoncliff mills were run by his brother William Osbourne Freeman (1855 – 1913), who seems to have been a poor business man as he was bankrupted in 1897, owing his brother and his brother’s wife – Sarah Ann Mountstevens (1860 – 1947) – £700 between them as well as loans from a money lender at 40%[67b].

The mill at Monkton Combe was by the station and used the railways to to import the raw material of old clothes from the rag and bone trade.

This was turned into flock, from the Latin floccus meaning lock or tuft of wool, for use in the upholstery trade stuffing mattresses, sofas, pillows, bolsters and other furniture items.

Water power drove the turbine operating the “devils” which broke up the rags.

Freeman letter to Board of Trade, 1903
Freeman letter to Board of Trade 1903
Freeman brother's wills - Bath Chronicle and Weekly Gazette - Saturday 25 October 1947
Freeman brother’s wills – Bath Chronicle and Weekly Gazette – Saturday 25 October 1947

Reports to The Local Government Board Reports on Rag-Flock, HMSO, 1910 describes the process:

"Rags may be imported in bales from abroad or collected in this country. In this country rags are bought by rag and bone men from private houses. They may also be collected by rag-pickers from the roads and streets, from city refuse heaps, or wherever they can be found. Generally, they are sold by the rag-pickers or rag and bone man to the small marine store dealer, and by him to the wholesale rag merchant, by whom they are sorted into grades, particular grades being sold to the flock manufacturer...Disinfection of rags before sorting appears never to be done...Linen and cotton rags are sold for the manufacture of paper; woollen and mixed rags for that of shoddy, and of flock...Rags of mixed wool and cotton...are subjected to a process called ‘carbonizing’ for the purpose of extracting the wool...In the wet way the rags are steeped in sulphuric acid somewhat diluted, at a temperature of 160 - 190° F., then rinsed in water and dried in a stove. In the dry way the rags, spread out on racks, are heated for some hours in a stove in an atmosphere of hydrochloric acid gas, evolved by pouring sulphuric acid on common salt in an iron retort, or by heating the crude hydrochloric acid...By one or other of these processes the cotton fibre is destroyed, being converted into a powdery matter, probably glucose, which flies off as dust when the rags are beaten, but the wool, being unaffected by the acid, remains, and undergoes further processes for conversion into shoddy...the parts of garments which are used for flock by the shoddy-maker are just those parts which are most liable to harbour excremental and other filth, vermin, and parasites...is only exceptionally washed or cleansed...the lowest and cheapest grade of rags, sometimes known technically as “lanns” because it used to be cast on the land as manure...difficult to exaggerate in describing the filthy nature of the above material...Old trousers, often badly stained with urine and faeces, are among the commonest of the articles which I have seen passed unwashed into the tearing-machine in many flock factories...Several foremen and workpeople who have been many years in the trade have assured me that they have not infrequently seen surgical bandages and dressings and even sometimes stained ‘‘towels” torn up unwashed for flock...The tearing-machine used in the manufacture of flock is known in the trade as a "devil”. In this machine the rags are passed on an endless band into the grip of fluted steel rollers which hold them under the teeth of a rapidly revolving wooden cylinder studded with steel nails. The torn flock falls out at the other end of the machine, and the dust is sucked out by a fan. The number of teeth on the cylinder varies in different specimens; I have seen from 9,000 to 16,000. The cylinder revolves at a rate of about 700 revolutions a minute...into which the torn fiock is drawn by suction and willowed to remove the dust...To reduce the loss by dust...manufacturers employ oil, which is allowed to trickle from a can over the feed of the machine, while some even work up the rags with the oily waste from tanyards for the same purpose..."

It was not a pleasant process and there were frequently fires[67c]. After Charles Henry and Thomas Leonard Freeman died, in 1947, within a month of each other and only a month or so after their mother, and, with more modern bedding becoming preferred, the mill was put up for sale in 1951. Eventually it was turned into retail premises.

T R Freeman
T R Freeman

Combe Down School

Combe Down School

Combe Down School was founded by William Franklin (1852 – 1921) in 1886. Based on the 1891 census the school was in 2 properties (Combe Villa, which is now Scott House, and Southfield Villa) and had 40 pupils, 4 assistants, a butcher, school matron, 2 domestic servants and a pantry boy as well as William and Emily Franklin and her daughter and grand daughter.

Combe Down School advert - Bath Chronicle and Weekly Gazette - Thursday 4 January 1894
Combe Down School advert – Bath Chronicle and Weekly Gazette – Thursday 4 January 1894
Combe Down School advert - Bath Chronicle and Weekly Gazette - Thursday 2 March 1893
Combe Down School advert – Bath Chronicle and Weekly Gazette – Thursday 2 March 1893
Combe Down School advert - Bath Chronicle and Weekly Gazette - Sunday 11 April 1896
Combe Down School advert – Bath Chronicle and Weekly Gazette – Sunday 11 April 1896
Clarence School, Weston super Mare
Clarence School, Weston super Mare

Combe Down School moved to Weston super Mare in 1896, having grown too large for Combe Down, and was renamed Clarence School.

The purpose built buildings were in Clarence Park South.

In 1923 Clarence School with its headmaster and 100 boys moved away from Weston to Wimborne, becoming Canford School.

This was orchestrated by Rev Percy Ewart Warrington, Vicar of Monkton Combe from 1918 – 1961. He was “the world’s greatest schoolmaker”, though his machinations were to end in tears.

Warrington and Canford - Sheffield Daily Telegraph - Monday 18 December 1922
Warrington and Canford – Sheffield Daily Telegraph – Monday 18 December 1922

There is a good description of the development of the school in an article written for Old Canfordian by Richard Knott in 2012:

William was a member of the Plymouth Brethren by the time he arrived at Monkton. There is some evidence that Emily’s family were as well, so William may have converted after he met her, but the Brethren had been based in Bath since at least 1837. Willie Ball-Acton, sadly to die of meningitis after only one term as a pupil at Monkton Combe, gives us a glimpse of William Franklin in his letters home. One of only five or six masters at the school, Franklin was described as ‘a very good master and teaches excellently’. Willie had been promoted from the third form where discipline was lax and ‘you could hardly learn anything there as the master is not very good; he talks about punishing but never does hardly. Franklin is very strict, but it is a good thing’.

Although William was fully part of the school when, in 1886, he took the decision to leave the security of Monkton and set up his own school, many at Monkton were pleased that the school had lost its non-conformist element.

William named his new establishment Combe Down School, despite there being a primary school of the same name in the village. Within five years, it had over forty pupils from across the globe. At least four other teachers lived in the school, including the obligatory French master, and there were others who did not live in.

In around 1893 Emily’s younger sister, Isabel, sent three of her sons to Combe Down School, a significant decision for Canford as it turned out. Isabelhad married George Macnutt, an Irish-Canadian whose family were important members of the Prince Edward Island community. George was a polymath who had arrived in England as a Baptist minister but immediately set about training as a doctor. He had two children in different parts of Canada, then eight more as he moved from Islington to Brighton, the Isle of Wight, Wimbledon and then Barnet, where John Stewart Macnutt, destined to be Canford’s first headmaster, was born in 1880.

William Franklin decided that the school had outgrown its present site and needed to move. Weston-Super-Mare had grown from a tiny village at the start of the century to a thriving seaside resort. Several private schools were being set up there as it became fashionable to send= children to seaside boarding schools. In 1895, Combe Down School moved into large buildings overlooking Clarence Park, which had opened only yards from the sea in 1888, and was renamed Clarence School. Like all other schools on the coast, Franklin’s prospectus made much of the healthy air and its benefits for delicate children. The school was, he said, ‘open to the invigorating breezes of the Atlantic. The air, impregnated with iodine and ozone is pure and bracing and less humid than that of most seaside places’. Franklin’s public ambitions for the school seemed modest: even twenty years later the school prospectus said that with ‘... Protestant and Evangelical principles there is every prospect that the school will continue to grow till, in time, it takes rank among the smaller public schools of the country’, and preparing pupils for entrance to other, more prestigious schools was included in their advertising. Clarence School was genuinely comprehensive: a number of bright pupils left for more academic schools, but many others remained.

Although religious teaching was advertised as ‘strictly scriptural and evangelical’, it was also stated that ‘Pupils attend Church of England or Non-conformist services as desired by parents.’ The result was that on Sundays, two crocodiles of boys made their way to church, one moving towards the Plymouth Brethren assembly and one to Holy Trinity church.

As the First World War started, there were just over eighty boys in the senior school and twenty more in the prep department. The Clarencian records the names of 62 former pupils who volunteered to fight as war broke out, many of whom were amongst the 56 on the memorial stone that was later unveiled for the OCs who had lost their lives. As the war ended, Franklin’s ‘lifelong bodily weakness and suffering’ was becoming more of a problem. The school had been made into a company in 1913, with a small board of directors overseeing operations, and Macnutt was now the joint principal and presumably doing the lion’s share of the work.

Franklin died on 14th June 1921 and eighteen months later, his wife, Emily, followed him. His obituary said that, although there had been a ‘touch of the austere’ about him, he had mellowed in old age. His legacy is, of course, Canford School. The links between Combe Down School and Clarence School were clear, with the latter including the former’s name in its prospectus, and pupils from both considering themselves as part of a common past. The same was essentially true when the school moved to Canford: the pupils, staff and motto were much the same, and the first Canfordian suggested that it was a relocation rather than a new birth. In smaller ways, too, continuity was assumed: the sports calendar listed some who had been awarded rugby colours from 1921 to 1923, including therefore their time at Clarence and Canford.

Why, then, did we not celebrate the 125th anniversary of the school in 2011? Michael Rathbone asks and answers this question in his history: Canford was intended to be a different type of school. Clarence was a private, proprietary school, but Canford was to join the ranks of the public schools. It has certainly done that but, when the centenary is celebrated in 2023, let us not forget the two men who had spent nearly forty years preparing the way for its birth."

Magdalen Hospital School

Magdalen Hospital School at Rockhall

Rock Hall House
Rock Hall House

Around 1100 a deed of gift was made by Walter Hosat, who gave his house and the Chapel of the Blessed Mary Magdalene at ‘Holeweye’ to the Abbey Church of St Peter, Bath. Its isolation, 500 yards from the city walls and across the River Avon, was an ideal location.

It is said that in 1212 Hugh, Bishop of Lincoln, made a bequest to the lepers outside Bath and a small hospital for lepers was founded close to the Chapel to be cared for by the Abbey’s monks. An undated deed in the Bath Cartulary records a grant of land by John Wyssy to the master, brethren and sisters on condition that their chaplains should celebrate in his private chapel at Bath. Bishop Ralph in 1332 granted an indulgence to those who supported the hospital of Holy Cross and St. Mary Magdalen at Bath, and it occurs from time to time as the recipient of legacies.[68]

Bath waters were still attracting lepers in the 16th century. Although leprosy was no longer prevalent, those who contracted it came to Bath in search of a cure by the waters. John Cantlow, Prior of Bath, petitioned the Pope in 1486 to unite the hospital of St Mary Magdalen to Bath Priory. The hospital was ruinous, impoverished and in debt. No brothers were living there and only two or three poor people. Prior Cantlow promised that he would repair its buildings and did so. Bath Priory was dissolved in 1539 and the hospital hospital survived the Reformation. However the Master, Simon Sheppard, took the revenues and provided no support. An investigation into these abuses in occurred in 1559 and by 1560 there was a bequest to the poor lazar people of St Mary Madgalen.

But leprosy was dying out and the hospital building was demolished in the 18th century, by which time St Mary Madgalen itself had become a home for the mentally handicapped and its endowments were being diverted from their original purpose.[69]

In 1856 ‘A Bill Intituled an Act for Confirming a Scheme of the Charity Commissioners for Saint Mary Magdalen Hospital Near Bath’ was passed and the Bath Municipal Charity Trustees took over.[70]

In 1846 Harriette Helen White (1820 – 1889), the third wife of the Rev George William Newnham (1806 – 1893) who was perpetual curate of Combe Down from 1842 – 1877, had set up a school for mentally deficient children with her sister Charlotte, inspired by the work of Johann Jakob Guggenbühl.

It opened in April 1846 in two rooms with a resident matron and three pupils. It was unique amongst the Idiot Asylums in being managed by women.

In 1849 this became the Institution for Idiot Children and those of Weak Intellect, which later moved from 5 Walcot Parade to 35 Belvedere and then, in March 1887 to Rockhall House[71] which had been built by quarry master Philip Nowell (1780 – 1853).

By 1891 it was renamed as Magdalen Hospital School for Idiot and Imbecile Children having been merged with St. Mary Magdalen Hospital under the Bath Municipal Charity Trustees. It was later known as Rockhall House School which then became part of the NHS and closed in 1980 and Rockhall House became sheltered housing.

1984 letter about Rock Hall House etc
1984 letter about Rock Hall House etc

Fullers Earth

Fuller’s Earth Company

Midford accident, Bath Chronicle, Thursday 8 May 1884
Midford accident, Bath Chronicle, Thursday 8 May 1884

There is evidence of Fuller’s earth mining in the Bath area from Roman times.[72]

Fuller’s earth resembles clay but is actually an absorbent silicate, mostly composed of silica, magnesium, iron, and aluminium. It has been used (and still is with many other modern uses as well) for thousands of years to absorb dirt and oil.

The name comes from its use in cleaning wool, when a fuller or tucker would pound the woollen cloth to remove dirt and oils before the cloth was finished. The words tucker and tucking come from the old English tūcian ‘to punish or ill-treat’.

So Tucking Mill shows that the presence of Fuller’s earth was well known in the area.

By the 1880s Tucking Mill was leased by George Dames and his brother Charles Richard Dames from the Midford Castle estate and had opened a mine and processing works for Fuller’s earth. The mines extended nearly 20 acres (8.1 ha) through four adits.[73]

In 1884 an explosion burst a tank, but in 1885 at the International Inventions Exhibition held in South Kensington they won a bronze award for improvements in the preparation of Fullers’’ earth.[74] However it seems that the explosion had probably cost them more than they admitted and by December 1885 the company was in liquidation and up for auction.

It was purchased by Henry Newson Garrett. He was the son of Richard Garrett IV (1829 – 1884) proprietor of Leiston Works in Suffolk, which was established in the year 1778 as an iron foundry, sickle and general agricultural implement manufactory.[75]

He was left his father’s firm in 1878. Henry Newson Garrett (1841 – 1912) also became a director of the City of Bath Electrical Lighting and Engineering Company[76] set up in 1891 to run the public lighting under a contract with the corporation.

He was married twice and had ten children. His first wife died in 1900 and he remarried in 1907. In the meantime he had taken as his mistress Miss Alice Mary Sauvarin, who was a nurse; they had met in September 1904 and had an affair until September 1905.

He had introduced his son Alec to her as a patient in September 1906. On Friday 1st April 1907 Alec Garrett and Mary Sauvarin married.

They went to Weston super Mare for 2 days honeymoon. On 5th April he disappeared. His body was found at on 2nd May in the river Avon at Kensington Meadows.

At the coroners inquest there was conflicting evidence about whether his father wanted him to marry or did not. A verdict of suicide was returned.[77]

Some months after Alec Garrett’s death his father was in court asking for £200 from a £500 life policy that he had paid for on his son, the proceeds of which had been paid to his estate, which was administered by his wife, after he died. He lost and the judge was really quite vicious:

The Judge’s view, Bath Chronicle, Thursday 19 December 1907
The Judge’s view, Bath Chronicle, Thursday 19 December 1907
Tucking Mill about 1905 showing the Fuller;s earth factory beside the cottage
Tucking Mill about 1905 showing the Fuller;s earth factory beside the cottage

Institute

Combe Down Institute and Combe Down Rugby Football Club

Combe Down Institute, Bath Chronicle,Thursday 10 September 1896
Combe Down Institute, Bath Chronicle,Thursday 10 September 1896

In 1896 there was a proposal to form the Combe Down Institute.[78] Church and other institutes were popular as they brought wholesome entertainment and sport to an area.

The Institute at Combe Down was formed and a (rugby) football section started. It seems likely that Combe Down RFC evolved from Combe Down Institute. By 1902 it appears in the letters of the Bath Chronicle.

At the AGM at the Church Rooms (at that time in Tyning Road) for 1904 it was stated that they were to play in green and white hoops, income was £31 15s 9d, expenditure £19 13s 5½d thus leaving a surplus of £12 12s 3½d. There were new players including H. Shore, a Welsh half back, and the club had “rosy prospects”.[79] The colours of black and amber for the club were adopted in 1907.[80]

All seems to have gone well for some years, but something went wrong as a new club, was formed to replace the old club, which had “never been properly dissolved”, in 1912.[81] Quite what the issue was I have not established though it sounds like finance was part of the problem.

The First World War interrupted things and after the war the club was revived.[82] Combe Down RFC still, of course, exists in 2014. In 1957 a long-held ambition was realized and the club was able to buy the ground at Holly’s Corner which it had tenanted since 1922. In 1966, The Combe Down RFC Club house was officially opened.[83]

Combe Down RFC - Bath Chronicle and Weekly Gazette - Saturday 16 October 1920
Combe Down RFC – Bath Chronicle and Weekly Gazette – Saturday 16 October 1920

Disastrous Fire

DISASTROUS FIRE ON COMBE DOWN. A HOUSE BURNT DOWN.

DISASTROUS FIRE ON COMBE DOWN.

A HOUSE BURNT DOWN. TWO LIVES LOST. A LADY INJURED.

John Cunningham
John Cunningham

News reached Bath early on Tuesday that a fire of a serious character had broken out Combe Down about daylight, but the reports which came mto the city did not give any adequate idea of the shocking nature of the catastrophe.

We regret to have to state that not only did the fire consume a quantity of valuable property but that two young lives have been sacrificed, while a lady is suffering greatly as result of the outbreak.

The” scene of the conflagration is well-known to those’who have any acquaintance with Combe Down. Some years ago Mr. T. D. Clarke erected by the side of theroad running from the top of Prior Park to just the right hand side of the lane known Entry Hill just on the rifght side of a lane known as Foxhill two villas. The houses are one block, and would be described as semi-detached villas.

They have rooms on the basements level with the road; on which is the principal entrance, gained by a sloping raised pathway; and above that a second door The basement is entered a side door, above which juts out a small conservatory supported on iron.

Both houses are exactly alike or, it would be more correct to say “were” as one is now a complete wreck. That is the house thay you face to the right as you face the front or the one farthest from Fox Hill. This was occumed by Mr. Jolm Cunningham, a retired merchant, his wife four children, and two servants. Mr. Cunningham’also owned the house, which was named Southview The adjoining villa, known as St. Ellen’s, the home and property of Mr. Samuel Crisp, who recently came into prominence as one of the victims of the infernal machine.

How the fire which has caused so much damage and sorrow originated at present a mystery and probably will remain so.

Mr. Cunningham states that about ten o’clock on Monday night there were family prayers. According to the daily rule, and Mrs Cunningham and the two servants retired to bed. Mr. Cunningham at first intended to do the same, but there being a nice fire in the drawing-room he took up a book and sat reading until half past eleven. He then went over the house to see that everything was safe, and being satisfied in that respect went to bed.

All the household were sleeping on the top floor. In the principal front bedroom, over the drawing room, were Mr. Mis Cunningham and their youngest child, a baby boy of three, who occupied the crib by their bedside. In small bedroom adjoining also out in front, were the two servants Eliza. Gerrish, aged 18, and Emily Jordan, aged 15 In one bedroom at the back were two little boys, the eldest 10 years of age, and in another bedroom at the rear a, little girl who usually had her sister, Mr Cunnmghams eldest child, for companion, but she happened to away.

Early the morning, between five and six oclock, Mr Cunningham was awakened hearing the boys the back room cry out, and he told his wife he would go to them. She said, ” You had better tell them you are coming,” and their father did so.

When Mr. Cunningham opened his bedroom door he says the heat was intense but there was no smoke or flame. He gave the alarm to his wife at once, and hastened into the boys’ bedroom, carried the children down the stairs, out of the front’ door. He returned, and also brought out the bttle girl, and his wife having picked up the baby, gave him to her husband, and managed also to get the youngest child out in safety.

But he could not return upstairs again, for this time the fire, which seems to have developed all at once, had burst out the passages and the smoke was dense. As it was Mr. Cunningham, in bringing down the children, was badly singed about the head. He was only in his night attire, and the children were on the roadside in their nightfrowns.

How it is Mrs. Cunningham did not come down with her husband when he took out the baby is not quite clear She tried to come down the stairs.but was driven back the flames, and her forehead bears bums, showing that it was then impossible to make a way down. She then went to the window, and obeying the frantic shouts of her husband and of Mr. Crisp, who had come from his house, she stepped from the window slid over the roof of the drawing-room bay and jumped into the garden below, a depth of 25 or 30 feet.

Her husband and Mr. Crisp with help carried the unfortunate lady into the basement room of the adjoining house. She had evidently alighted on her elbow, and one arm was broken. Subsequently Mrs. Cunningham was kindly sheltered Mr T. Bodman, of the Foresters’ Arms, and later in the day was taken to the Nurses’ Home, Rivers-street.

How the servants became aware of their peril is not quite certain, but they seem have flown to the window which is situated immediately over the front door. Had they dropped from the window on to the pathway leading to the entrance it would only have been a matter of 12 feet or so to fall. They were implored Mr. Crisp and others who had now arrived on the scene to jump out, but they were too terrified to do so.

A quarryman named George Nowell, made a heroic attempt to reach them through the back of the house and reached the door of their bedroom, only to find it locked. He tried to force it open but failed, and had only just time to retreat with his life. How he acted will be described fully in an interview with him Evidently the poor creatures soon became overpowered and suffocated by smoke for they seem to have suddenly disappeared from the window and were lost to sight.

Ihe fire raged so furiously and the structure offered soslight a resistance to its ravages that before six o’clock the roof had fallen and the place was practically gutted. Everything it contained was destroyed except a tew articles thrown out of a back window by Nowwell.

Mr Crisp and one of Nowell’s sons seem to have been the first to go for thebrigade or police. Young Mr.Crisp who is about 20 years of age says he ran own Entry-hill fast as he could, and when he got to the Bear Brewery smashed the fire alarm there, then ran down into the city and aroused tho Fire Brigade attheir quarters the Terrace-walks.

Mr. Crisp, with the help of neighbours, before the police or brigade arrived saw lt , was a question of saving his own property. There were in his house beside Mr. Crisp and his eldest son Mrs Crisp, Miss Cook, a servant, and seven children.

With out waiting to put on any clothes they all once left St. Ellen’s, and it was well they did for th flames soon found their way into that house.In the top bed room and drawing-room the effect of the fire onl Mr- Crisp’s house is most apparent. Great holes were.burnt through the dividing wall the walls and are blackened, and what was left in the rooms is destroyed by fire and water. Furniture was dragged out pell mell and piled in the front and back garden, and on the road side.

The police arrived first with their appliances, apparently about half-past six and were shortly after wards followed by the Brigade. Then they could not get water, the difficulties this direction being great. How these arose will endeavour to show later on.

From large rain water tanks at the back of the premises and from the ordinary taps buckets were filled and emptied in Mr. Crisp’s house to prevent the fire trom destroying his premises. This was difficult duty, tor the smoke was overpowering, and those at work were beaten back by the fumes and heat. At last, about eignt o’clock they were aided by water from the Fire Brigade hose.

The fire in South View practically burnt itself out. It was a risky thing to go near to the burning premises, for the falling debris from the roof and walls was a source of great danger, and the greenhouse at the side fell through with a tremendous crash.

Mrs. Cunningham, is a sister of the Rev. R. Nelson Howard, the Vicar of Combe Down; one child was taken there and three to St. Kilda, the residence of Mrs. Stanley Howard, sister-in-law of Mrs. Cunningham. Mrs. Crisp and her family proceeded to an empty house not far distant, where such articles as were urgently needed were taken for their use.

To add to the misery of the situation drenching rain began to fall, and the belongings of Mr. Crisp which were littered about the gardens, suffered from the down pour. When our representative arrived at the scene of the fire smoke was still issuing from the debris the bottom of the gutted house, and the Brigade were pouring water upon it. It appears that both Mr. Cunningham’s house and furniture were insured, but Mr. Crisp, who had many valuables residence, does not think his loss will be covered by insurance.

The remains of one of the poor girls were discovered in the debris near the side door by and Captain Bright, of the Fire Brigade. As of a human body it hardly recognizable being only a burnt fragment. Mr. Eddolls. Master of the Workhouse who was early on the scene, sent from that institution a wooden shell, in which it was placed. At first it was lying in the back garden of South-view with one of the broken doors covering it, but subsequently the was taken to a room in St. Ellen’s, and locked up.

MR. CRISP’S STATEMENT.

When our representative saw Mr. Crisp on Tuesday he was engaged in picking up ornaments, articles personal attire, etc., from the garden, where they had been saturated. Naturally he was in an excited state, after the terrible experiences of the early morning. He stated that he went to bed in the top room at the back of the house, about ten o’clock. Waking up in the night once or twice he fancied he smelt smoke, and even looked out of the window, but could notice nothing. Just about daylight he heard, through the dividing wall, Mr. Cuningham’s little boy crying “Dada.”

Thinking something was amiss Mr. Crisp ran out the front door and saw flames in the drawing-room of South-view, and Mr. Cunningham was at the door in his night shirt with his children, who were crying. Mr. Crisp had aroused his son, who having put on his trousers also rushed out.

The Crisp” family having been made aware of their danger Mr. Crisp, with Mr. Cunningham, did his best to save the lives of Mrs Cunningham and the servants. He urged Mrs. Cunningham to jump out, which she did, wearing only her nightdress, and he also shouted at the girls to do the same. Mr. Cunningham entered Mr. Crisp s house and tried to get to the servants from a window at the back, but found it impossible. It was so quick about, Mr. Crisp says, that there was no time to think of much, South View seeming to come down with a rush in a few minutes.

Mr. Crisp was helped by Mr. Bodman, junior, the Messrs. Russell, White, the waterman of the High Level Water Company, and many other neighbours to save his goods. Carpets were torn up in the lower rooms, but on the top floor the fire was so much possession that but little could be saved from that part of the house. A pile was made on the grass the roadside and covered over with etc Mr Crisp said his house was insured for and its contents for £300, hut this did not represent their value as he had costly pictures and ornaments as well as quantity of jewellery and prizes won his son in swimming contests in the house. His insurance was with an office of which Mr. Edwards, of Burtonstreet, the agent.

GEORGE NOWELL’S NARRATIVE.

We have referred to the gallant effort made by George Nowell to save the lives of the two servants. Nowell, who is about 50 years of age, lives at 1, Greendown-cottages and in an interview with our representative he said; “About five o’clock this morning, when passing Mr Cunningham’s house, I saw a light, in the drawing room and knew at once the house was on fire. Mr. Cunningham some children were outside with Mr Crisp and his son, all in their night clothes, shouting to the top front windows jump out. I knew there was a ladder, 25-rung ladder, down at Charlie Evans’s, and I ran to fetch it. On my way I woke up my sons, shouting out to them For Christ’s sake along to Mr. Crisp’s, it’s all on fire.”

They, I believe, woke up Mr. Bodman, young Mr. Bodman being one of the first here. When I got the ladder Davy Morris came along with me. We went with it into the back garden and I got up to the back window Morris gave me stone with which I smashed the glass and undid the bolt. This was at tho top. Morris came up after me and we got into the room. I could hear moaning in the front room and I went across though the fire and smoke were terrible bad. The door was locked. I put my knees against it and pushed with all my might but it would not open. Then I said to Davy ” It’s too hot here I can’t stand it,” and we got out of the window agaiu and down the ladder. I did not see the lady jump out but when I got round to the front again she had been taken into Mr. Crisp’s. The girls were not to be seen If I had only had something to break open the door with I believe I could have saved them.” Nowell then went on to describe how he helped preventing the flames spreading in Mr. Crisp’s house and in saving his furniture.

CHIEF INSPECTOR NOBLE’S INTERVIEW

It should be stated that the part of Combe Down , where South View is situated lies within the city. Chief Inspector Noble, of the Bath Police Force, although wet through and badly wanting rest, kindly gave our representative some information of the fire as he knew it.

He said “The intimation we had at the Central Police Station of anything wrong was att 6 o’clock. I was on duty hen the bell from the private telephoe from The Workhouse rang. I got up and answered it but no one replied.I rng up The Wokhouse but they sid they had not rung. Shortly after this Isaw some firemen running across the south side of Orange-grove.. I called out to them and theyn told m there was a bad fire on Combe Down. I had just dismissed the night men, but on hearng this I detained several, and we set out our large hose truck which we took down to Mr Cutting, fly proprietor, in Railway-street who horsed it. Sergt.. Clothier, Sergt. White, Sergt. Whippey, and several constables were with me.

We came up Entry-hill, but some of the men came across the fields to get there sooner. We took the hose to, near the weighing engine (close to the High Level Tank) we could connect there, but we found it was an old ratchet arrangement and we could not connect, was no hydrant nearer at all than that by Crosswaycottages at the top of Etnry-hill, and it was such a long distance we had not sufficient hose to reach tne fire The Brigade came soon after we were here and connected the tank. When we arrived the roof had fallen in and South View was past hope.

The servants must have lost their lives before we got here. The telephone bell which rung in the Police-station, and spoken of Chief Inspector Noble, was evidently set motion by young Mr. Crisp breakuig the alarm at the Bear Inn. The question naturally occurred to our representative why it was that the Fire Brigade and police did not join their hose and thus reach the fire from the Entryhill hydrant, but Mr Noble stated, and Lieut. Wadman, of the Fire Brigade, who was standing by, corroborated, that the hose couplings of the police and Brigade would not fit! Thus the hose could not be joined. Lieut. Wadman explained the difficulty with which the Brigade got water for their hose. They got the steam engine into the field-at the corner of which the destroyed house is situated—and ran it along to the High Levelncompany’s tank. Then they could not get water for a long while. An iron plate, secured with dozen rusty nuts, had to be unfastened before they could tap the water from the four-inch pipe feeding the tank above.

White, the Company’s official, helped them this, and then the water was allowed to flow into a hole, from which the steam engine sucked it up. Only one delivery was possible, and the police did not play on the fire at all. It is certain that the question fire extinction means, or the want of them, on Combe Down will be warmly discussed after this deplorable incident, though it would seem that the loss of life which has happened could not well be prevented.

Tuesday no trace of the other girl had been found, and it will be impossible from the fragment discovered to say which of the poor girls it is. Both Gerrish and Jordan belonged to Combe Down, and one of their fathers was among the earliest to arrive at the scene of the conflagration.

Dr Jones, of Combe Down, is attendance on Mrs. Cunningham. It was feared first that her hip was brokenfbut this happily is not so, though one arm fractured, and the lady lies m a critical state. Mr. Cunningham found shelter the Vicarage. Though not actually injured he is prostrated by shock.

Some delay, it appears, arose getting the steam engine to Combe Down, one of the four horses provided to draw turning out a jibber.

An accident happened to the police who were returning to the fire on the hose truck. It turned over near Devonshire Arms, and the party were thrown mto the road. P.S. Moon was cut about the head and other constables were slightly hurt. Despite the wretched weather the scene of the catastrophe has been visited by many people since. the frie The police are in charge of the ruins of South View and also of the adjoining house.

CAPTAIN BRIGHT’S STATEMENT.

Mr W. H Bright has given us the following facts: he had not then drawn up an official report: — The fire Brigade was called at 5.56 by Mr. Crisp’s son, who ran down in his shirt and trousers. A start was made about 6.10 and the Brigade when they arrived at the scene found the police there and doing all they possibly could. There was great difficulty about water as there is no hydrant nearer than the Crossway House, Entry-hilL The engine was taken through a field to the high water tank. and breaking an iron plate off the up pipe feeds the tank water was obtained. This which goe-into a large hole, was utilized, but it had to be carried between 700 and 800 feet. The house was gutted when they arrived, and what was done was performed by the combined efforts of the police and the Brigade.

The servants at the house, who both lived on Combe Down, were burnt. Their names are Jordan, aged 10, and Gerrish, aged 18. They were seen alive at the window of the third storey and were called upon by Crisp, Bodman and others to jump The trunk of one of them was found in a door at the basement on the top of the debris. It is thought probably that she fell through from the top of the house Mr Eddolls the Master of the Workhouse, provided a shell for these remains. The fire cannot have been discovered much before 5.30. At 4.30 everything appeared usual to Hiscocks (Mr Spear’s bailiff), although Crisp professes to have been uneasy about it the whole night. Mr. Cunningham was removed to to the Vicarage and his wife to Mr. Bodman’s private house.

She has a.broken arm and is altogether in a very bad state.

FURTHER PARTICULARS.

Mr. B. H. Watts, Deputy Coroner for the city, has decided to open the inquest upon the remains of one of the girls burnt to death at South-view, Combe Down, at the Guildhall this afternoon. Owing to the dangerous state of the ruins no steps will be taken to search for the remains of the other victim untd the walls have been levelled..

Mrs. Cunningham had so far recovered from her terrible experience that on Tuesday afternoon she was removed from Mr. Bodman’s house to a private nursing institution in Bath. She has so far improved that she can talk about what occurred on Tuesday morning, states that she endeavoured to get down the stairs when her husband was rescuing the children, but feeling that she was being overcome by the smoke she retired into her bedroom, afterwards jumping from the window.

Mr. Cunningham has recovered from the effects of the fire. He says that he banged the door of the servants bedroom which was close to that of the room where his wite and he slept, and shouted ” Fire.” He took it for granted that they would come down while he was rushing out with the four children, but they do not appear even to have unlocked their bedroom door.

No cause can he assigned for the outbreak. The idea that it had anything to do with gas light cannot be entertained, as before Mr. Cunningham retired he saw that no light hail been left burning. The fire is more likely to have arisen from timbers a chimney becoming ignited, for an inspection of Mr. Crisp’s now desolate residence shows that the houses were constructed in a manner not calculated to withstand a conflagration, especially in the arrangement of the beams supporting the floors.

As to the lack of hydrants on the main belonging to the High Level Company, this is not a lack for which the Bath Waterworks department is responsible, hut the Urban Sanitary Authority could compel the provision of hydrants in their district, and would have to defray the costs. In the Odd Down district where new mains were recently laid under the direct.on of Mr. Gilby, hydrants are provided, but we understand they are very scarce in Combe Down.

OFFICIAL REPORT BY THE POLICE.

The following report by Chief-Inspector Noble has been entered in the police book under Tuesday’s date:

“At 6 a.m. information was received at this station that a fire had broken out at South-view, Combe Down, and having just dismissed the men from night duty, in consequence of the information received I at once took steps to recall a portion of these men, and sent Sergt. Moon to the Rainbow Stables, Upper Borough Walls to obtain horse for the large hose truck, but failed to get one; we then took the large hose truck to the Kingstonroad, where we obtained a horse from Mr. Thomas Cutting, fly proprietor, who drove the truck with all possible speed to the scene of the fire. The police who accompanied me were Sergeants Clothier, White, Whippy, Short, Moon, Acting-Sergt. Horler, Constables Nos. 19, 16, 37, 38, 39, 54, 61, and upon our arrival we found the house, South-view, in one mass of flames; we satisfied ourselves that all was out of the house that could be got out, and we directed our attention to obtain water with view of preventing the fire from extending to the adjoining house, and at once proceeded in search ot water, and took the hose near the High Level water tank, thinking we could attach, but found was an old ratchet arrangement, and useless to our hose; there was no hydrant near the scene of the fire, the nearest being Crossway-cottages, near the top of Entry-hill, and it was such a distance we had not sufficient hose to reach the fire. The Fire Brigade under Captain Bright and Lieut. Wadman soon arrived, and after great difficulty obtained a supply of water from the High Level Water tank, which is situated in front of Greendown-cottages. The house was occupied by Mr. John Cunningham, a retired merchant, his wife and four children, and two servants, named respectively Emily Jordan, aged 15 years, and Eliza Gerrish, aged 18 years, who are both natives of Combe Down, and I regret to say that both of the above-named servants were burnt to death in this serious fire; a portion of one of the bodies was found by Captain Bright and myself, and steps taken to remove it to the adjoining house, to await an inquest. The police and Fire Brigade worked well together, and Colonel Gwyn was now in attendance and took charge of the fire. It cannot be ascertained at present what is the amount of the damage or the names of Insurance Companies. A subscription has been started for the families of the poor girls who lost their lives. The mother of one of them (Gerrish) is a widow who has brought up her famdy respectably, and still has several children dependent upon her” The poor woman is so heartbroken by the loss of her daughter that she cannot go out to earn her daily bread. Mr. E. R. Dolling, of Ihe Bank, Combe Down, will be glad to receive small subscriptions for the purpose indicated”

Bath Chronicle and Weekly Gazette - Thursday 29 October 1896
Bath Chronicle and Weekly Gazette Thursday 29 October 1896

THE FATAL FIRE ON COMBE DOWN. MRS. CUNNINGHAM DEAD.

We regret that the fire at South View, Combe Down, has been responsible for another death.

The remains of the two servant girls were to be buried to-morrow, and now Mrs. Cunningham has passed away.

Mrs. Cunningham was a delicate state health at the time of the fire, and the jump which she took from the window fractured her elbow as well as causing other injuries. The excitement, too, must have had a bad effect upon one in her condition, and it was not to wondered at therefore that the daily bulletins issued after her removal to Surgical Home in Church-street showed her life hung upon thread. Since her admission this institution she had been attended by Mr. H. Terry, of Green Park, but all efforts to save her life proved futile, and her death took place at two o’clock this morning, the immediate cause of death being exposure and shock. Mr. Cunningham, who has been staying at the Vicarage, Combe Down, is affected this heavy blow, and the deepest sympathy will felt him and for his motherless little ones. Messrs. Ealand and Co. have the funeral arrangements.

THE INQUEST.

At the Guildhail on Thursday Mr. B. H. Watts, acting as Deputy for the City” Coroner, Mr. B. A. Dyer, opened inquest touching the death of a female unknown whose burnt remains were found in the debris after the fire at South View, Combe Down, on Tuesday morning. The Chief of Police, Lieutenant-Colonel Gwvn, occupied a seat on tho Bench by tho side of the Deputy Coroner. The Deputy Coroner, addressing the jury, said as at the unfortunate fire on Combe Down two” persons lost their lives, only one whose bodies had been found, he proposed to take only such evidence would justify him issuing order for the burial and then adjourn tor fortnight, during which time an examination might, made of tho ruins for the other body. The inquiry could then be resumed and evidence taken regarding the two deaths.

Mr. J. Cunningham, who was the first witness called, said he had lived at South View, Combe Down. He had no occupation. His wife, four children, and two servants lived in the same house. He last saw the two servants quarter-past ten on the night before the fire. He had not seen them since. Mr. Wm. Arthur Jones, registered medical practitioner, of Combe Down, said he was called see Mrs. Cunningham aud then afterwards saw the remains of a human body. There was only small portion left —a few ribs on either side, the vertebra;, and the thighs. The head was not to be found. That was about eight o’clock in the morning. Chief Inspector Albert Richard Noble stated that on Tuesday morning he proceeded to the scene the fire. When he reached it the roof was in and the house was nearly destroyed. Some time after, and when the fire was pretty well under, Mr. Bright and himself were together and Mr. Bright called his attention to what he found; afterwards was found to be the remains of a human body. This was the same examined by the doctor and viewed the jury. Mr. Eddolls, Master of the Workhouse, kindly sent along a shell. In this the remains were placed. The inquiry was then adjourned till 3 o’clock on Thursday, the hist., and the jury were bound over to appear on that date.

DISCOVERY OF FURTHER REMAINS.

The search of the police on Saturday in the basement at South View, Combe Down, for tho remains of the other poor girl was rewarded by the discovery of several charred bones. Had the search been delayed longer is doubtful whether these traces would have remained, as when the constables turned over the debris they found it was burning hot and smouldering, and water had to be poured on before they could proceed with their work.

The remains, with those found the morning of the fire, prove that two lives were lost. The police, by the direction of Chief-Inspector Noble, took the further remains to the Workhouse mortuary, where the shell containing the fragment found on Tuesday, was lying. But the Master, Mr. Eddolls, objected to it stopping there, and the coffin with all the remains it was brought down to the Walcot mortuary on Saturday evening in a cart.

Thousands of people wended their way on Combe Down on Sunday to view the scene of the catastrophe, and several policemen were on duty keep them off the premises. At Combe Down Church Sunday, the Vicar, the Rev. R. N. Howard, made suitable reference the painful event, mentioning that the younger of the deceased girls, Jordan, was worshipping that church last : Sunday evening. He also told the touching fact that Mr. Ctumingham’s little girl of seven, who went from her room out of the front door alone, when asked how she ‘ knew of her danger said ” God woke me.”

Mr. Dolling, who it will be remembered initiated subscription for the bereaved families, has up this time received £23 odd. This includes £1 15s. 6d. collected at the Combe Down Chapel on Sunday and £5 2s. 6d. collected by the Combe Down Football Club match on Saturday and from the visitors to the scene of the fire on Sunday.

OPENING THE SECOND INQUEST.

At the Guildhall on Monday, Mr. B. H. Watts, to enable the remains to be buried, opened an inquest concerning the death of Emily Jordan. Chief-Lispeetor Noble stated that on Saturday, in company with Sergts. Short and Bates, P.C.s Dyer and Rapsey, he searched, the scene the fire”. They turned it over very carefully, and a number of bones, which were placed in a box. later the day Mr. Fisher, the undertaker, told him the the remains were taken to the Walcot mortuary.

A Juror:

Did Mr. Eddolls give any reason,

Chief-Inspector Noble: Not to me. Mr. Fisher said he told him the remains were net removed he should have to bury them.

The Coroner: What is that?

Witness: Mr. Fisher told me so.

The Coroner: That’s an extraordinary statement make. He could not bury them without a doctor’s certificate or the Coroner’s order. Chief-Inspector Noble thought that Mr. Eddolls’s remark applied to the remains first found, for which Mr. Mr. Watts said in that case Mr. Eddolls was quite right, and could have buried them.

A Juror: One would have thought that at a public place which the ratepayers keep up there would be objection them remaining there.

In answer to this juror Mr. Noble said Mr. Eddolls made no objection to him when he took tiie remains to the Workhouse Saturday.

The Juror: Then for some reason unexplained he must have suddenly changed his mind?

Mr. Noble: It appears so. Mr. W. A Jones said the bleached bones formed an almost a perfect skeleton. From the lower jaw and the development the they were the remainsof a girl il aged 15.

THE FATAL FIRE COMBE DOWN. RESUMED INQUEST.

At the Guildhall on Thursday, Mr. B. H. Watts, Deputy City Coroner, resumed the inquest concerning the deaths of Emily Jordan and Eliza Garrish, who lost their lives in the fire at South View, Combe Down, on the 6th inst.

Mr. John Cunningham’s examination was proceeded with, the Deputy Coroner reading over the evidence given by him at the last hearing.

He said: My wife and servants had retired about a quarter past ten. There was a little fire the front sitting-room and I sat up, may be until half-past eleven. I then went to bed and can remember nothing until I was called by my wife saying the boys were calling.

The Deputy Coroner: Do you know what time?

—No, I don’t. It was about five to half-past. It was quite dark. I lit the candle and went towards the bedroom door. I opened it and then was struck with horror. I saw no flame or smoke but it was very hot. The whole place was like a furnace. I shrieked out ” Oh, we are on fire.” I dashed down to the half landing where the boys slept, and taking one by the hand and one in arms I rushed down the other half flight of stairs. My sitting-room door was open as I had left it overnight, and I could see as I rapidly passed the door that the fire was localised by the chimney. was crackling and beyond all hope of being put out.

The Coroner: It was blaziag well?

Witness: Oh yes.

The Coroner: Yet you saw no smoke upstairs.

Witness: There must have been smoke because the boys had been parched with the fumes.

The Coroner: Was their bedroom over the fire ?

Witness: No it was the back of the house but they were a half-landing nearer the fire than we were.

The Coroner : Was their door shut ?

Witness: Yes.

Mr. Cunningham, continuing: I rushed to the front door which I unbolted and took the two boys down the slope as far from the house as I could, leaving the front door open. Then I rushed hack again upstairs into the room where my wife was. It was all dark.

The Deputy Coroner: What had become of your candle then?

Mr. Cunningham: That I had left in the boys’ room I suppose, and it was blown out. I can’t remember anything about that. I said ” Where are you ?” She had got the youngest child out of his crib and brought it from the chimney side, the further side of the room near to the door and she gave me the little boy, the youngest. I rushed downstairs with him. I gave him to somebody I don’t know who and then I remembered that the little girl was still inside, and I shrieked out her name. “Oh Phoebe, where is she ?”

The Coroner: Was she sleeping in the same room as the boys?

Witness: No; on the same landing as ourselves and the servants in a room at the back. I heard someone answer ” Oh, she’s down here.” That was on Mr. Crisp’s side. She had gone over by herself. In answer to the Coroner the witness said their bedroom and the servants’ room occupied the front of the house on the same floor; the back, on the same floor, was the room where Phoebe was sleeping, and six or seven stairs down was the little room at the back, projecting out, where the boys slept, His wife must have moved a large duchesse dressing table from the front window to have got out. The Coroner: Why didn’t your wife come downstairs ?

Witness: I’ll tell you. When I saw her at the open window I said ” Why don’t you come and she replied ” I cannot.” There was no time for explanation. She said ‘* Shall I jump ?” and we said ” Yes if you can’t come down, jump,” and she jumped.

The Coroner: All this time the front door and the sitting-room door were open?

— Yes.

It didn’t occur you to close the sitting-room door?

—It didn’t occur to me. By that time the flames had spread from the fireplace towards the window, and from that moment she could not have got there at all.

The Coroner: Then what did you do with regard to the servants?

— Nothing beyond shouting.

As you went out of the’door to run to the children’s room could not you have knocked at the door?

—No, I didn’t. I shouted. There was of course only a small partition between the rooms, and I shouted for them as I did for Phoebe.

Yes, but I understand you shouted for Phoebe when you went out into the garden?

— When I thought of them. I shouted to all three rooms when I was out on the landing. They were all within a few feet of one another.

Was the servants’ door locked?

—l don’t know.

Was it locked from the outside ?

—I can’t say.

But you know what is your custom. If was locked from the outside you or your wife must have done it.

— There was no key on the outside.

But surely it was not your habit to lock the servants’ door?

—Oh, no, certainly not.

And so to the best of your belief was not locked all from the outside on that night?

— Certainly not.

Do you know, Mr. Cunningham, whether your servants were in the habit of locking the door themselves?

—I believe they were, but I can’t swear to it.

As soon as your wife was down what did you do?

—I rushed down to where she lay.

Who was there at that time?

There was lot of people about, and this must have taken some considerable time, I suppose?

— Very little time—not more than five minutes at the outside.

How did it happen so many people were congregated in so short a time?

—l cant tell you. Are you quite sure it didn’t take more than five minutes?

—l am quite sure, for this reason: One can in such straits what time it would take me to rush and down stairs twice. That is all I can go by

– Besides this fire in the sitting-room what others were the house on that night?

— There was fire the kitchen, and the fire in the nursery all day. The fire in the sitting-room had been lighted in the afternoon only.

What time did the children leave the nursery ?

—After tea, between six and seven o’clock.

Did anybody sit the nursery afterwards?

— No.

So that the -fire there would “not be kept up?

—lt would be out or nearly out, I should think.

You say it would be, but you don’t know as a matter of fact whether it was so or not?

— No. But I was in that room after the servants retired. I make a point of going round the house.

When did you go round the house that night ?

—I can’t swear whether it was before mv reading or not.

The Coroner: It was after your wife had gone to bed ?

—Yes.

Witness said when he went round the fire in the nursery was out, and there was very little fire in the kitchen. None of these fires were raked out on to the hearths. He carried a candle when he went on this round. The house was lighted by gas; they used no oil at all. They had ordinary burners, with the exception of one incandescent light in the room in which he was reading. He put it out before he went to bed. He was sure the fire did not arise from it, as when he passed the room with the boys he saw that the fire was over the chimney, and not the centre of the room where the gas light was.

A Juror (Mr. J. J. Young): Didn’t it occur to you to knock at the servants’ door as you went down with the children ?

—No. I didn’t.

Mr. Young :Or to try the handle?

— No. Because I had shouted in such violent way that it didnt occur to me. My first thought was that the Are was the boys’ room as the call of alarm came from there.

Young: When you went into their room you found no fire?

— No.

Samuel Crisp, of St. Ellen’s, Combe Down, repeated the evidence he gave at the inquest on Mrs. Cunningham as to how he was aroused on the morning of the fire. He do keep on saying ” Dada, dada” ana Jiliza. When he looked out of the window he saw smoke from the back of Mr. Cunningham’s house. He broke their drawing-room window with step and threw water on to the fire. After Mrs. Cunningham had jumped and he was taking her into his house he saw the girls looking out of their window, and he said to them Why don t you jump?” When he came back he saw Gerrish, the elder girl, looking out of the window Mrs. Cunningham had jumped from. He again said “Why don you jump or come down the back.” He ran round to the back, but saw nothing of her, and came back to tne tront He heard screaming, but saw nothing more of the grrls Then Nowell came along. He had been shouting out “Fire” for five minutes When he first got to Mr. Cunningham’s house he could not get past the front door. He thought all three could have come downstairs had they come down at first.

By the Coroner: He first saw both the girls the window over the front door, which was open; it was only a minute or two afterwards that he saw Garrish at the window of Mrs. Cunningham’s room. He saw the girls after he had thrown the water into the room.

By a Juror: Gerrish must have come out of her own room and gone into Mrs. Cunningham’s room for him to have seen her at the window of the large room. He was positive he saw her in that room.

By the Coroner: He thought the girls could have easily come downstairs when he told them to jump.

George Nowell, of Down-cottages, was next called. He said his Occupation was that of quarryman. He said he was passing Mr. Cunningham’s house a few minutes after five o’clock on the morning of the fire. He saw a light in the drawing-room. Mr. Cunningham, Mr. Crisp, Mrs. Crisp, aud Mr. Crisp’s son were coming from the direction of Mr. Crisp’s house. Mr. Crisp and himself tried to get in at the door, but could not do so. Mr. Crisp threw a scraper outside the door at the drawingroom window and broke it.

The witness Crisp: You weren’t there till ten minutes afterwards.

Nowell reiterated his statement, whereupon Crisp, saying I won’t listen to the man, he’s telling lies, left the Court. Nowell, proceeding, said he saw the two servants standing with Mrs. Cunningham at her bedroom window.

Asked by the Coroner if he was quite sure about Crisp breaking the window, he said: Yes, the fire would not have been so fierce if he had not done it. But he did it without a thought I daresay.

Continuing Nowell said he saw the two servants with Mrs. Cunningham at the front window. He ran back, called Mr. Bodman and his sons, going back to the fire with a ladder. His brother-in-law was with him. When they got to Mr. Cunningham’s gate Mr. Crisp said ” For God’s sake go in at the back.”

The Coroner: What was the condition of the fire at this time? —It was coming out of the windows, and the wind was taking it through the back of the house.

Was the fire in the passage?

Witness did not think it was.

They put the ladder up the back, and he got into a back bedroom. He had to move a looking-glass to get in. He felt in the bed, and there was no one there. He tried to burst open the door, but coidd not as was locked from the outside. The flames coming under the door he had to get out.

In answer to the Coroner, Mr. Cunningham said the room into which Nowell got was a spare bedroom, underneath the boy’s bedroom. It was four steps down from the drawing-room landing. So the passage must have been well alight when Nowell was in there?

Mr. Cunningham: Yes.

Nowell, continuing, said he threw some bedclothes, the looking-glass, and other things out of the window of the room he entered. When he got out of the room they went into Mr. Crisp’s house. Subsequently he carried Mrs. Cunningham to Mr. Bodman’s. Benjamin Cambourne, of Fox-hill, a milkman, said he passed these houses about ten minutes or a quarter-past five on the morning of the fire, but in reply to the Coroner stated that it was the back the houses he passed.

The Coroner said he understood the witness passed the house at the front, where he would have been bound to see any signs of fire had there been any. Otherwise he should not have called him.

George Morris, builder, of 4, Manvers-street, said he examined Mr. Crisp’s house last Tuesday company with Inspector Noble. From his examination he should say the fire originated in Mr. Crisp’s house by the fire catching the joists. As to the fire in Mr. Cunningham’s house he could say nothing.

By a Juror: The fire did not break out in Mr. Crisp’s but in Mr. Cunningham’s, and burnt through into Mr. Crisp’s.

George Nowell, re-called, said he could give no idea as to what time it was when he was at the fire.

A Juror mentioned he was at the house at a quarter to six, and no floor had fallen in then; the sitting-room floor fell in first, then the bedroom floor, and then the slate roof.

Mr. W. H. Bright, of High-street, wished to make an explanation, and so was sworn as witness.

Replying to the Coroner, who asked if he was Captain of the Volunteer Fire Brigade, he said: Fire Brigade, not Volunteer.

You were called to this fire on the morning of the 6th inst?

—Yes, when we arrived there the police had preceded us with their truck. was found to be a great distance to the nearest hydrant from the fire. The distance from the High Level Water Company’s tank to the hydrant was somewhere about 2,000 ft. That was the hydrant in Entry-hill by Crossway-cottages. Inspector Noble informed him he had not sufficient hose to reach hack to the fire, and asked him if he had any couplings, me (Mr. Bright) answered yes.” He thought, however, they would be very little use owing to the distance from the hydrant to the fire. Just at that time he was told that White, the man who looked after the tank, wanted him. He came running up to him, and said he could get plenty of water at the tank. They took the engine, but there was more difficulty than they anticipated getting the water. He wanted to explain that because of a remark which was made in the Bath Chronicle,” in which it was stated: ” The question naturally occurred to our representative why was that the Fire Brigade and police did not join their hose and thus reach the fire from the Entry-hill hydrant, but Mr. Noble stated, and Lieut. Wadman, of the Fire Brigade, who was standing by, corroborated, that the hose couplings of the police and Brigade would not fit! Thus the hose could not be joined.” He wanted to explain that the hose could not be joined, and that they carried couplings for that purpose. could quite understand such an answer might be given when the men were busy. That was not quite the time to expect the most accurate answer on matters of detail. Some time ago, he proceeded, the Fire Brigade, adopted the latest and quickest mode in hose couplings, and he showed how these acted. So as to work with the Police they also ordered lot of connectors. The method of using these things was also shown.

A Juryman remarking : You should send them up on Combe Down.

Mr. Bright: We had them up there. Continuing, he said, his reason for not coupling up the hose was that the hydrant was too far away. If they hat! connected at the top of Entry-hill, 2,000 ft. from the tank, and brought the water back 1,300 ft. to the burning house, the pressure would have been so little that it would have been like pouring water out of a kettle. If they had had a hydrant within a hundred yards it would have been all very well. There was a good reason for not coupling the hose because was no use. Mr. Noble knew it, he knew it, they all knew it. He thought they had 13 of these connectors. He made this explanation because it had gone forth to the public, and might have given them the idea that they were working at cross purposes, and that was not the case.

The Jury returned a verdict of ” Accidental Death.” [The explanation which Mr. Bright has offered naturally calls for some comment from us. We are glad to hear that there are means by which the hose of the police and the Brigade can be joined. It was the idea that such connection ought to be possible that occasioned our surprise the statement that the couplings did not fit. That statement was made and nobody on Thursday contradicted it. Why Mr. Bright has not made the explanation earlier we fail to understand. The paragraph he quoted appeared on the 6th October; to-day is the 22nd October, and this is the first we have heard of it. Had Mr. Bright chosen to address us a letter we would gladly have given it publicity.—Ed. B.C.]

Bath Chronicle and Weekly Gazette - Thursday 5 November 1896
Bath Chronicle and Weekly Gazette Thursday 5 November 1896
Bath Chronicle and Weekly Gazette - Wednesday 2 February 1898
Bath Chronicle and Weekly Gazette Wednesday 2 February 1898

Avenue Hall

Avenue Hall

Avenue Hall opening, Bath Chronicle, Thursday 21 October 1897
Avenue Hall opening, Bath Chronicle, Thursday 21 October 1897

Avenue Hall was the original name for what are now the Church Rooms, built and donated by Captain Oswald Borland R.N. (1820 – 1915).

Captain Oswald Borland - Bath Chronicle and Weekly Gazette - Saturday 6 November 1915
Captain Oswald Borland – Bath Chronicle and Weekly Gazette – Saturday 6 November 1915

Captain Borland was also unfortunately involved in the Maikop oil boom of 1910. Companies were set up in the UK to operate Maikop oil fields in the Southern Kuban province of the Russian empire.

In 1910, as many as 20 companies with an aggregate capital of 54,580 roubles[84] were registered in Great Britain for crude production in Maikop. The stocks of most of these companies were quoted on the London Stock Exchange. In the same year, the stocks of 13 Maikop-based Russian oil companies were listed on the LSE. In the next two years, another 14 companies were established.

By 1916 only 5 companies were still in existence.[85] It seems Captain Borland had invested but that the company was a ‘bubble’, created solely for the benefit of the promoters and he lost money. He applied for a compulsory winding up even though it was winding up voluntarily as doing that was the only way to get an investigation. He did not succeed.[86]

Avenue Hall was at the centre of village life for many years.

In 1925 the trustees agreed to sell to the church which had wanted to replace the old Church Rooms with something that was not a “disgrace to the parish”.[87]

Avenue Hall became the parochial headquarters when they were dedicated in 1926.[88]


References
[1] A Topographical Dictionary of England: Comprising the Several Counties, Cities, Boroughs, Corporate and Market Towns, Parishes, Chapelries, and Townships, and the Islands of Guernsey, Jersey, and Man, with Historical and Statistical Descriptions; Illustrated by Maps of the Different Counties and Islands; a Map of England … and a Plan of London and Its Environs … : in Four Volumes, Volume 1 by Samuel Lewis (1831‎) page 468 [2] Combe Down Stone Mines Project: http://www.combedownstoneminesproject.co.uk/subcategory/dig_deeper/article/mining_activity [3] Box Quarry Fact Sheet: http://www.nettleden.com/articles/box-quarry-facts/ [4] From Aquæ Solis, or Notices of Roman Bath by Henry Mingden Scarth (1864) page 99 [5] From Aquæ Solis, or Notices of Roman Bath by Henry Mingden Scarth (1864) page 75 [6] Historic Building Report on Ralph Allen Yard, Rock Hall Road, Combe Down, Bath, May 2010, Revised September 2011, by Kay Ross McLaughlin Ross

[7] Dublin Evening Mail, Monday 15 March 1852

[8] The London Gazette http://www.london-gazette.co.uk/issues/22149/pages/2772/page.pdf

[9] The Repertory of patent inventions (July – December 1859) page 284

[10] Reports of Cases in the Law of Real Property & Conveyancing, Volume 1, December 5,8,9 1846, Peacock v Kernot

[11] See Hampshire Advertiser – Saturday 14 July 1849, Caitlin v. Sturgess, Nisi Prius Court

[12] Before 1850 assignees were appointed by the Chancery commissioners. They were responsible for depositing the proceeds from the sale of a bankrupt’s estates into the Bank of England until creditors were satisfied and had signed a request for a Certificate of Conformity (a confirmation that the bankrupt had satisfied all the legal requirements) when the Commissioners could issue a certificate which discharged him, although dividends might continue to be paid.

[13] See Sherborne Mercury, Tuesday 28 September 1852

[14] Potter v Kernot 1861, Report of Cases in Chancery: Argued and Determined in the Rolls …, Volume 30 By Great Britain. Court of Chancery, Charles Beavan, Henry Bickersteth Baron Langdale, John Romilly Romilly (1st Baron), Chaloner William Chute

[15] From the Hampshire Telegraph July 1862, see http://www.postcards.shalfleet.net/150/July%201862.htm

[16] See Hampshire Telegraph, Saturday 9 January 1864

[17] See Bath Board of Guardians, Bath Chronicle and Weekly Gazette, Thursday 18 March 1869

[18] The Original Bath Guide considerably enlarged and improved, etc (1834)

[19] For an example see Bath Chronicle and Weekly Gazette, Thursday 13 December 1849

[20] Bath Chronicle and Weekly Gazette, Thursday 16 March 1865

[21] Bath Chronicle and Weekly Gazette, Thursday 9 September 1858

[22] Widcombe & Lyncombe Local History Society

[23] The Mausolea & Monuments Trust

[24] Discovering Horse-drawn Vehicles by D. J. Smith (1994) page 58

[25] Bath Chronicle and Weekly Gazette, Thursday 3 September 1840

[26] Western Daily Press, Thursday 13 August 1891

[27] Bath Chronicle and Weekly Gazette, Thursday 11 February 1892 and Bath Chronicle and Weekly Gazette, Thursday 12 September 1895

[28] Bath Chronicle and Weekly Gazette, Thursday 25 August 1892

[29] Bath Chronicle and Weekly Gazette, Thursday 9 September 1875

[30] Bath Chronicle and Weekly Gazette, Saturday 9 March 1912

[31] Bath Chronicle and Weekly Gazette, Thursday 18 November 1880

[32] Bath Chronicle and Weekly Gazette, Thursday 19 August 1880

[33] Bath Chronicle and Weekly Gazette, Thursday 19 December 1878

[34] Wikipedia http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Monkton_Combe_School

[35] Burdett’s Hospitals and Charities: Being the Year Book of Philanthropy by Sir Henry C. Burdett (1919) page 658

[36] Bath Chronicle and Weekly Gazette, Thursday 20 November 1879

[37] Bath Chronicle and Weekly Gazette, Thursday 27 May 1880

[38] The Last Fighting Tommy: The Life of Harry Patch, Last Veteran of the Trenches 1898 – 2009 by Harry Patch, Richard van Emden (2009)

[39] Bath Record Office Combe Down Waterworks Co. Ltd. Notes on the Company’s Undertaking Acc183

[40] Bath Chronicle and Weekly Gazette, Thursday 3 March 1881 and Bath Chronicle and Weekly Gazette, Thursday 8 October 1885

[41] Bath Chronicle and Weekly Gazette, Thursday 3 May 1883

[42] Bath Chronicle and Weekly Gazette, Thursday 4 February 1886

[43] Bath Chronicle and Weekly Gazette, Thursday 17 June 1886

[44] Bath Chronicle and Weekly Gazette, Thursday 1 July 1886

[45] Bath Record Office Combe Down Waterworks Co. Ltd. Notes on the Company’s Undertaking Acc183

[46] Bath Chronicle and Weekly Gazette, Thursday 17 March 1887

[47] Bath Record Office Combe Down Waterworks Co. Ltd. Notes on the Company’s Undertaking Acc183

[48] Bath Chronicle and Weekly Gazette, Thursday 7 March 1901

[49] Bath Chronicle and Weekly Gazette, Thursday 20 November 1902

[50] Bath Chronicle and Weekly Gazette, Thursday 15 September 1910

[51] Bath Chronicle and Weekly Gazette, Thursday 6 September 1900

[52] Bath Chronicle and Weekly Gazette, Thursday 31 July 1902

[53] Bath Chronicle and Weekly Gazette, Thursday 16 July 1903

[54] Bath Chronicle and Weekly Gazette, Saturday 21 December 1912

[55] Exeter and Plymouth Gazette, Friday 13 November 1903 and Western Times, Monday 14 November 1904

[56] Tom Greeves, MA, PhD https://www.jiscmail.ac.uk/cgi-bin/webadmin?A2=MINING-HISTORY;5cf7619d.0902

[57] Bath Chronicle and Weekly Gazette, Thursday 17 December 1908

[58] Bath Record Office Combe Down Waterworks Co. Ltd. Notes on the Company’s Undertaking Acc183

[59] Wells and Springs of Somerset, Linsdal Richardson, William Whitaker, H.M. Stationery Office (1928)

[60] Bath Record Office Combe Down Waterworks Co. Ltd. Notes on the Company’s Undertaking Acc183

[61] Bath Record Office Combe Down Waterworks Co. Ltd. Notes on the Company’s Undertaking Acc183

[62] Bath Chronicle and Weekly Gazette, Thursday 29 January 1880

[63] Bath Chronicle and Weekly Gazette, Saturday 9 January 1932

[64] Bath Chronicle and Weekly Gazette, Saturday 9 January 1932

[65] Bath Chronicle and Weekly Gazette, Wednesday 8 August 1883

[66] Bath Chronicle and Weekly Gazette, Thursday 10 April 1884

[67] Bath Chronicle and Weekly Gazette, Thursday 24 July 1884

[67a] Bath Chronicle and Weekly Gazette – Thursday 13 March 1884

[67b] Bath Chronicle and Weekly Gazette – Thursday 22 April 1897

[67c] Bath Chronicle and Weekly Gazette – Saturday 7 March 1914 and Bath Chronicle and Weekly Gazette – Saturday 6 March 1915 inter alia

[68] British History Online http://www.british-history.ac.uk/vch/som/vol2/pp152-153

[69] The Spirit of Care: The eight-hundred-year story of St John’s Hospital, Bath by Jean Manco

[70] Bath Chronicle and Weekly Gazette – Thursday 10 July 1856

[71] Bath Chronicle and Weekly Gazette – Thursday 27 October 1887

[72] A History of The Fullers’ Earth Mining Industry Around Bath by Neil Macmillen with Mike Chapman (2009)

[73] Wikipedia http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Midford and http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tucking_Mill

[74] Bath Chronicle and Weekly Gazette, Thursday 20 August 1885

[51] Grace’s Guide: http://www.gracesguide.co.uk/Richard_Garrett

[76] Bath Chronicle and Weekly Gazette, Thursday 14 May 1891

[77] Bath Chronicle and Weekly Gazette, Thursday 9 May 1907

[78] Bath Chronicle and Weekly Gazette, Thursday 21 October 1897

[79] Bath Chronicle and Weekly Gazette, Thursday 25 August 1904

[80] Bath Chronicle and Weekly Gazette, Thursday 5 September 1907

[81] Bath Chronicle and Weekly Gazette, Saturday 7 September 1912

[82] Bath Chronicle and Weekly Gazette, Saturday 19 July 1919

[83] Combe Down RFC website: http://www.pitchero.com/clubs/combedown/a/history-7525.html

[84] About £470,000

[85] The Russian Rockefellers: The Saga of the Nobel Family and the Russian Oil Industry by Robert W. Tolf (1976)

[86] Bath Chronicle and Weekly Gazette, Saturday 23 November 1912 and The London Gazette http://www.london-gazette.co.uk/issues/28659/pages/8060/page.pdf

[87] Bath Chronicle and Weekly Gazette, Saturday 26 July 1924

[88] Bath Chronicle and Weekly Gazette, Saturday 13 February 1926