More people and family trees for our block 1900 – 1950

the christopher hotel 1844 300x191
The Christopher Hotel 1844

I continue to add family trees. Here are more family trees for the owners and occupants of Claremont House and 113 – 117 Church Road in the period 1900 – 1950.

List of family trees

(These ttrees have been deleted and where possible incorporated into the family maze. The originals are still available on Ancestry for anyone interested.) NOTE BY RICHARD HILL ON 1 FEBRUARY 2024.

As usual the families are all middle class – farmer, vicar, hotel keeper (the Robinson family ran the Christopher hotel), colliery manager, bank manager, company director, naval officer.

There are still a number of trees to do for the period and it really is a “labour of love” doing the family trees!

I do them because I believethat family history is an important part of local history and vice versa. People shape how areas change over time and the type of people who lived in an area is crucial. 

Much local history has been concerned with the ‘descent of the manor’ and the pedigrees and houses of the landed classes, but the lives of ‘ordinary’ people who made up most of the population is often ignored and, arguably, it’s more important.

Family history and local history can converge to produce a more complete picture of an area.

Related Images:

More family trees for Owners & Occupants 1850 to 1900

I continue to add family trees.

Here are more family trees for the owners and occupants of Claremont House and 113 – 117 Church Road in the period 1850 – 1900.

Interesting points

Amongst them are some interesting discoveries. 

List of family trees

the le feuvre family in august 1895 courtesy simon jenkins 300x193
The Le Feuvre family in August 1895 (courtesy Simon Jenkins)
Left to right: Charlie, Annie, Ithiel, Jane, Arthur, Samuel, Gertrude, Edmund, Vincent. Photographer: W.G. Lewis, 1 and 2, Seymour Street, Bath

As one might expect, the families are middle class but with a wide range of trades and professions from butcher to solicitor, council health inspector to carpenter, police superintendent to school teacher.

(Please note that these family trees have been deleted and where possible incorporated into the family maze. The originals are still available on Ancestry for anyone interested.) NOTE BY RICHARD HILL ON 1 FEBRUARY 2024. 

Related Images:

More family trees for Owners & Occupants to 1850

philip nowell by james warren childe 1778 1862 209x300
Philip Nowell by James Warren Childe (1778 – 1862)

I continue to add family trees.

Here are more family trees for the owners and occupants of Claremont House and 113 – 117 Church Road in the period to 1850. 

Unsurprisingly it’s not been possible to gain information for some of these people and it’s quite scant on some of the others. Or, maybe the families really did just die out.

Anyway, some information is available for the following:

(Please note that these family trees have been deleted and where possible incorporated into the family maze. The originals are still available on Ancestry for anyone interested.) NOTE BY RICHARD HILL ON 1 FEBRUARY 2024.

There is nothing startling about any of the families. Royal naval officer, lodging house keepers and quarry masters.

All are middle class, though some are somewhat higher up the social hierarchy of the time than others and there’s no surprise in that. 

Philip Nowell was clearly well off, I have just discovered some information in The Gazette which hints at his wealth:

TO be sold, pursuant to an Order of the High Court of Chancery, made in the matter of the estate of Philip Nowell late of Grosvenor Wharf, Lower Belgrave-place, Pimlico, in the county of Middlesex, and of Rock Hall, Combe Down, near Bath, in the county of Somerset, Esquire, and in a cause Cruse v. Nowell, with the approbation of the Vice-Chancellor Sir Richard Torin Kindersley, the Judge to whose Court the said matter and cause are attached, at the Auction Mart, in the city of London, on Tuesday th« 22nd day of May, 1855, at two o'clock in the afternoon, in two lots;: A wharf, called the Grosvenor Wharf, situate in Lower Belgrave-place, Pimlico. in the county of Middlesex, with an extensive quay abutting on the basin of the Grosvenor Canal, with warehouses, counting-house, and stabling; thereto belonging, and to messuages or dwelling-houses, being Nos. 27 and 28, in Lower Belgrave-place, Pimlico aforesaid, and two messuages, being Nos. 1 and 2, Nowell's cottages, Wilton-road, Pimlico aforesaid. And also a wharf with entrance gates from the Wilton-road, Pimlico, with an extensive quay abutting on the basin of the said Grosvenor Canal, and the warehouses, workshops, drying-rooms, anda forge thereto belonging, and six messuages or dwelling houses, being Nos. 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, and 8, Nowell's cottages aforesaid. Printed particulars and conditions of sale may be had (gratis) of Mr. Robert Pope, of No. 11, Gray's-inn-square, Holborn ; of Mr. R. G. Smith, Solicitor, No. 5, New-inn, Strand; of Messrs. Maples and Co., Solicitors, Frederick'splace, Old Jewry; and of M'ssrs. Dunn and Gibbs, the Auctioneers. No. 7, Great Tower-street; and at Mr. Smith's, No. 25, Ebury-street, Pimlico.  The messuage, No. 27, Lower Belgrave-place, may be viewed by cards only, to be obtained as above, the remaining property may be viewed with the consent of the respective tenants.
TO he sold, pursuant to an Order of the High Court of Chancery, made in the matter of the estate of Philip Nowell, late of Grosvenor-wharf, Lower Belgrave-place, Pimlico, in the county of Middlesex, and of Rock Hall, Combe Down, near Bath, in the county of Somerset, Esq., and in a cause Cruse against Nowell, with the approbation of the Vice-Chancellor Sir Richard Torin Kindersley, the Judge to whose Court the said matter and cause are attached by Mr. W. J. Stent, the person appointed for that purpose at the Bath Arms Hotel, Warminster, in the county of Wilts, on Tuesday the 29th day of May, 1855, at six o'clock ia the afternoon, in seven lots: Three freehold messuages or dwelling-houses, with the appurtenances thereto belonging, situate at Sarnbourne-hill, and in Back-street, in the town of Warminister aforesaid. Also four leasehold messuages or dwelling-houses, with the appurtenances, situate in and being Nos. 4, 5, 6, and 7, George-street, in the said town of Warminster. Printed particulars and conditions of sale may be had (gratis) in London of Mr. Robert Pope, No. 11, Gray's-inn square Holborn; of Mr. R. G. Smith, Solicitor, No. 5, New Inn, Strand; and of Messrs. Maples and Co., Solicitors, Frederick's-place, Old Jewry ; and in the country of Mr. Thick, Solicitor, Cheltenham; of Mr. Stone, Solicitor, Bath; of the Auctioneer, Warminster; and at the place of sale.
TO be sold, pursuant to an Order of the High Court of Chancery, made in the matter of the estate of Philip Nowell, late of Grosvenor Wharf, Lower Belgrave-place, Pimlico, in the county of Middlesex, and of Rock Hall, Combe Down, near Bath, in the county of Somerset, Esquire, deceased, and in a cause Cruse v. Nowell, with the approbation of the Vice-Chancellor Sir Richard Torin Kindersley, the Judge to whose Court the said matter and cause are attached, by Mr. J. W. Sient, the person appointed for that purpose, at the Langford Inn, in Churchill, in the county of Somerset, on Thursday, the 31st day of May, 1855, at six o'clock in the afternoon, in two lots: Three several closes of arable, meadow, and orchard land, containing by estimation HA. 2R. 5P., or thereabouts, situate in the parish of Churchill, in the said county of Somerset, in the occupation of Mr. Henry Dando, as a yearly tenant. And also a piece of meadow land, containing by estimation 4A. 2n. 7P., or thereabouts, situate in the parish of Wrington, in the said county of Somerset, also in the occupation of the said Mr. Dando. Printed particulars and conditions of sale may be had (gratis) in London, of Mr. Robert Pope, Solicitor, No. 11, Gray's-inn-square, Holborn; of Mr. R. G. Smith, Solicitor, No. 5, New-inn, Strand; and of Messrs. Maples and Co., Solicitors, Frederick's-place, Old Jewry; and in the country of Mr. Thick, Solicitor, Cheltenham; of Mr. Stone, Solicitor, Bath ; of the Auctioneer, Warminster; and at the place of sale.

After his death his will led to a case in Chancery:

CRUSE V NOWELL

Exparte: Philip Nowell late of Grosvenor Wharf, Lower Belgrave Place, Pimlico, Middlesex and of Rock Hall, Combe Down near Bath, Somerset, esq.
Document type: Administration summons.
Application made by: Anne Barnard Cruse, Emma Nowell Cruse, Edward Nowell Cruse and George Frederick Cruse, infants by Edward Cruse their next friend of 70 Cambridge Street, Ecclestone Square, Pimlico, Middlesex, professor of music.
Short title: Cruse v Nowell.
Plaintiffs: Anne Barnard Cruse, Emma Nowell Cruse, Edward Nowell Cruse and George Frederick Cruse, infants by Edward Cruse their next friend.
Defendants: Philipp Nowell and Arthur Nowell.
Date: 1853

His sons Philip and Arthur had received £10,000 (worth about £1 million now) in trust for his daughter Mary and, in the event of here death his other children.

Mary died, but so did another of his children, Catherine, who died while he was still alive and the question was about whether this meant her ‘share’ lapsed. It was decided it did.

Related Images:

More family trees for mortgagees

In December 2015 I added Family Trees on Prior to Now and I have now added more family trees.

The first ones were of the gentry who owned the large houses in the area – Prior Park, Combe Grove, Midford Castle and the other early movers in the development of Combe Down.

This batch are for the Owners of 109, 113, 115 & 117 Church Road, Combe Down before 1850 or, at least, those that I can identify with some level of certainty and then find some of the details of their families.

deed dated 8th day of august 1862 1024x849
Deed dated 29th October 1862 for 115 Church Road, Combe Down, Bath for 115 Church Road, Combe Down, Bath

Those concerned, where I have been able to establish something of their family tree, are:

The Owners of 109, 113, 115 & 117 Church Road, Combe Down before 1850 were the mortgagees but they were, in reality, nominal owners as long as the mortgage interest was paid.

In the 19th century there were no building societies as we know them today. Property was still a good and secure investment, even though possession of land and its economic and political importance was diminishing as trade became more important. Like today, however, buying a house outright was beyond the means of most people. Mortgages were arranged privately and a mortgage was, primarily, a way of raising money (for the mortgagor or debtor) and investing money at interest (for the mortgagee). 

Even so, one might assume that the balance of power was weighted heavily in favour of the mortgagee, especially when looking at the wording of deeds for mortgages and property. These show that mortgagors gave ownership of land to the mortgagee until he repaid a debt the owed by a certain time. If he repaid the debt the mortgagee would re-convey the land to the mortgagor. If the mortgagor failed to repay the debt by the time that was specified in the mortgage, the land became the mortgagee’s.

However from the 16th century onwards the English equity courts intervened on the side of the mortgagor. Equity gave the mortgagor a right to redeem the land by paying the amount that was owing, even after he had defaulted on the debt, so long as he did so within a “reasonable time.” In order to clear their title to the land after the mortgagor had defaulted, mortgagees brought actions in equity to foreclose the mortgagor’s “equity of redemption.” In a foreclosure, equity gave the mortgagor a right to the proceeds of the sale of the land to the extent that the sale realized more than the outstanding amount of the debt. Legislation in the 19th century extended the mortgagor’s right to redeem to a fixed period after the mortgagee had foreclosed.

So, whilst the Owners of 109, 113, 115 & 117 Church Road, Combe Down before 1850 were indeed the owners they were not landlords. If they ‘wanted out’, then they would assign their interest in a mortgage to another person, who would pay him the money he was owed. Now the mortgagor had a new person to deal with, to pay interest to every year, and eventually, to repay the capital sum. This can be seen in the deeds.

Related Images:

Family trees on Prior to Now

I have introduced a Family Trees Centre to Prior to Now to help to sort out who was who and their relationships one to another. 

Some of the more important families and people in the story of Combe Down from 1700 – 1900 have been added so far and a list of the trees and some of the individuals is shown below.

I have used a different link colour and rollover for Family Tree links and introduced some Family Tree links into the text within the pages too.

Something else that comes out of it, if you are interested in history and genealogy as I am, is the ‘shape’ of families – it’s strange how similar patterns seem to repeat in each family, with some branches thriving and others dying out.

What’s also interesting is the way some families have stayed prosperous over many centuries.

Other things also emerge such as the builder of Midford Castle, Henry Woolhouse Disney Roebuck (1733 – 1796) having ancestors that include: Edward I, King of England (1239 – 1307) 13th and 14th great grandfather, Edward II, King of England (1284 – 1327) 13th great grandfather, Edward III, King of England (1312 – 1377) 12th great grandfather.

ZeeThe fact that the Bennet family, of Widcombe Manor, and the D’Isney (Disney) family of Midford Castle came together when Maj Philip Bennet (1837 – 1875 ) married Barbara Sophia Harriet Disney (1838 – 1929) the cousin 3 times removed of Henry Woolhouse Disney Roebuck (1733 – 1796).

Combe Grove Manor

Battell family tree. Owner of Combe Grove Manor, Rev William Batell (abt 1692 – 1750).

Vaughan Jenkins family tree. Owners of Combe Grove Manor and other land, William Davies (abt 1725 – abt 1798), William Vaughan Jenkins (abt 1752 – 1818), William Vaughan Jenkins (1813 – 1876), Frederick Vaughan Jenkins (1817 – 1892).

Prior Park

prior park 300x218
Prior Park

Allen, Bennet, Maude family tree. Owners and occupiers of Prior ParkRalph Allen (1693 – 1764), Gertrude Tucker (abt 1727 – 1796 ), Rt Rev Dr William Warburton Bishop of Gloucester (1698 – 1779), Ralph Allen Warburton (1756 – 1775), Capt. William Tucker RN (abt 1728 – 1770), Philip Allen (1695 – 1765), Jane Bennet (1704 – 1767), Mary Allen Lady Maude (1732  – 1775), Cornwallis Maude 1st Viscount Hawarden (1729 – 1803), Thomas Ralph Maude 2nd Viscount Hawarden (1767 – 1807), Anne Isabella Monck Viscountess Hawarden (1759 – 1851), Cornwallis Maude 3rd Viscount Hawarden (1780 – 1856), Cornwallis Maude 1st Earl de Montalt (1817 – 1905).

Thomas family tree. Purchasers (and subsequently sellers) of Prior Park and other land from Thomas Maude 2nd Viscount Hawarden (1767 – 1807) and Cornwallis Maude 3rd Viscount Hawarden (1780 – 1856). John Thomas (abt 1752 – 1827), John Ovens Thomas (1778 – 1836).

Midford Castle

midford castle 300x232
Midford Castle

Disney Roebuck family tree. Builder of Midford Castle, Henry Woolhouse Disney Roebuck (1733 – 1796). [Ancestors include: Edward I, King of England (1239 – 1307) 13th and 14th great grandfather, Edward II, King of England (1284 – 1327) 13th great grandfather, Edward III, King of England (1312 – 1377) 12th great grandfather].

Conolly family tree. Owners of Midford Castle, Charles Conolly (abt 1759 – 1828), Charles Thomas Conolly (1791 – 1850), Charles John Thomas Conolly (1818 – 1871), Louisa Lucy Margaret Catherine Brancaccio Marchesa di Sant’Agata (abt 1823 – 1899).

Combe Down Village

Layton, Hadley family tree. Purchasers of land and buildings from Thomas Maude 2nd Viscount Hawarden (1767 – 1807) and Cornwallis Maude 3rd Viscount Hawarden (1780 – 1856) and owners of the Hadley Estate. Edward Layton (abt 1730 – 1805), Nathaniel Hadley (abt 1760 – 1849), Nathaniel Hadley (1786 – 1864), Nathaniel Layton Hadley (abt 1819 – 1870), Clara Emma Hadley (abt 1813 – 1890), Eliza Stapylton Hadley (abt 1815 – 1899).

Wingrove, Vivian family tree. Attorney to and purchaser of land from Thomas Maude 2nd Viscount Hawarden (1767 – 1807), Cornwallis Maude 3rd Viscount Hawarden (1780 – 1856) and John Thomas (abt 1752 – 1827). Benjamin Belmont Wingrove (1773 – 1840).

Related Images:

Unknown perhaps extraordinary Combe Down cousin coincidence

It was the sort of strange coincidence that seems to call for an alliterative mass market magazine headline, something like “Mattingley makes Maria match” or “Strange Scammell story sensation” but ‘Combe Down cousin coincidence’ got the vote.

You may be wondering what I’m on about, or, even, what I’m on?

Actually, it’s quite simple but a bit strange. I discovered, quite by chance after we have lived here for 31 years, that my (half) brother Phil Scammell’s 1st cousin 4 times removed, used to live next door, at 117 Church Road Combe Down, in 1870/71.

Not only that but her son, Robert Henry Mattingly, was born there in 1870 and her husband, Robert George Mattingly, died there in 1871.

Strangely, I wrote about them, Robert and Maria Mattingly, in my book and on this site, saying “Robert (b.1841) and Maria Mattingly (1841 – 1921) lived at 117 in 1871. Robert had been a joiner but no more has been discovered about them.”

That was because I didn’t know then that Maria was Maria Scammell (1840 – 1901).

That I discovered when David Gardner, an expert on the Scammell family tree, contacted me to gently point out some errors in the family tree I publish and update from time to time.

He also commented ‘Maria c 1841 who died 1901 Barnet her spouse was Robert G Mattingley’. At the time a very soft chime went off in my head, but I did not, then, make the connection.

Then about a week later, considering what to post about for Prior to Now this month, I was paging through the site and saw Robert and Maria Mattingly. The surprise and the connection were instant and, after doing some more digging into the family tree on Ancestry I was able to confirm that they are, indeed, the same people. It’s a bit weird somehow.

Maria was the daughter of Joseph Scammell (1801 – 1875) and Maria Slade (1805 – 1895), who were both born in Edington, Wilts.

Joseph had been a farmer in Ringwood according to the 1841 census, a rail timekeeper at Eling St Mary in the 1851 census but who, by the 1861 census gave his occupation as a “farm bailiff of 160 acres employing 4 men and 2 boys” and was living at 26 Bearfield, Bradford on Avon. Maria had been born whilst he was at Ringwood and in 1864 married Robert George Mattingley (1841 – 1871) in West Derby on Merseyside.

Robert had been born in Chippenham, was a joiner and had, presumably, found work up there. He died aged only 30 at 117 Church Road, Combe Down.

Robert and Maria had 3 sons, Henry Nelson Slade Mattingley (1865 – 1946), George Elliot Mattingly (1867 – 1887) and Robert Henry Mattingly (1870 – 1895).

george elliott mattingley bath chronicle and weekly gazette thursday 13 august 1885
George Elliott Mattingley – Bath Chronicle and Weekly Gazette – Thursday 13 August 1885

We know that George Elliot Mattingly was born in Liverpool and attended the Bath Government School of Art and Science from an entry in the Chronicle for 1885.

The school was then at 33 Paragon, opposite The Star Inn and later came under the umbrella of the Bath Technical Schools and is now Bath School of Art and Design part of Bath Spa University. Unfortunately he died just 2 years later at the age of 20.

Robert Henry Mattingly was born at 117 Church Road, Combe Down and died when he was only 25. He was an auctioneer’s assistant and lived at 23 Milsom Street, the ground floor of which was Lloyds Bank. He left £127 6s according to probate, a considerable sum for such a young man.

Henry Nelson Slade Mattingley was also born in Liverpool but was baptised in Chippenham. In the 1881 census his occupation is Apprentice Bookseller. He married Edith Mary Butterfant (1866 – 1946) in 1890 and in the 1891 census when he was living in Lakenham his occupation was given as ‘Manager, Fancy Goods Dept.’.

He moved to Barnet by 1901 and became a Commercial Traveller. When he died at Middleton on Sea in 1946 he left £9,919 14s 6d worth between £367,500.00 (commodity value) and £1,846,000.00 (income or wealth value) today, depending on how it’s calculated.

He and his wife had 2 children Nelson Robert Eric Mattingley (1899 – 1986) and Geraldine Mattingley (1900 – 1976). Nelson Robert Eric Mattingley is shown as a schoolboy boarder at Monkton Combe Junior School, Combe Down, Bath in the 1911 census.

Maria died in 1901, leaving £747 8s 8d. She had home in Bath, at 3 George Street, and in Barnet, presumably to be near her remaining son Henry Nelson Slade Mattingley.

So, there you go, nothing earth shattering just a coincidence but one I, at least, found quite interesting.

Related Images:

John Thomas, the forgotten man of Prior Park

One of the owners of Prior Park has been almost forgotten.

Ralph Allen, Gertrude Tucker, Viscount Hawarden and Bishop Baines are all reasonably well known, but John Thomas (1752 – 1827) is not. He was a Quaker who owned Prior Park for over 15 years between 1809 and 1827 and certainly deserves to be better known.

He did not own Prior Park ‘by accident’: he paid £10,000 in 1809, which at today’s values is:

  • historic standard of living value: £648,000.00
  • economic status value: £11,550,000.00
  • economic power value: £41,450,000.00

Even though the Viscounts Hawarden had not been able to sell it for some years and he probably got something of a discount so that they didn’t have to concern themselves with Prior Park anymore it’s still a lot of money.

So, from where did he get his wealth?

john thomas kennet and avon canal 300x196
John Thomas, Kennet and Avon Canal

https://www.hungerfordvirtualmuseum.co.uk/index.php/36-themes/transport/826-building-the-kennet-avon-canal

There were, apparently, rumours that he might have obtained the money from his work as Superintendent of Works for the Kennet and Avon canal, working with John Rennie (1761 – 1821) who was the engineer.

This may have arisen, like many rumours seem to because the cost of the canal spiralled by 450%. It was originally budgeted to cost £213,940 (about £1.8 billion in 2014 pounds) in 1790 but this increased to £377,364 by 1792 when John Rennie made changes to the canal’s route and rose even further after the French Revolution’s ‘Reign of Terror’ in 1793, so that when on 17 April 1794, the Kennet & Avon Canal Act received Royal Assent, the company was authorised to raise £420,000 (by 3,500 shares of £120 each).

When it was actually completed in 1810, having met many delays having to buy land, build the Bruce Tunnel, deal with water supply using pumping stations and build aqueducts the canal had cost £979,314 7s 9d (about £3.7 billion in 2014 pounds). His work on the canal is commemorated with a plaque on the Dundas aqueduct.

His obituary in Gentleman’s Magazine and Historical Review 1827 firmly rejects the view that he made anything other than his salary from his work on the canal. 

Family wealth

In fact, John Thomas had made his money as a grocer starting John Thomas, Sons & Co., which was trading as late as 1938 at 17 and 18 Redcliffe Street, Bristol,  and his family had been inventive and hard working.

His grandfather, also called John Thomas, had worked with Abraham Darby (1678 – 1717), the ironmaster and was responsible for helping him to perfect sand casting iron pots using re-usable patterns.

His grocery business certainly seems to have mad the family wealthy, when his son George Thomas (1791 – 1869) died he left £200,000 which at today’s values:

  • historic standard of living value: £16,500,000.00
  • economic status value: £173,900,000.00
  • economic power value: £360,900,000.00

His family history is given below:

John Thomas’ family

“John Thomas, the ironmaster and co-inventor with Abraham Darby of casting cooking pots in iron, was born near Welshpool in 1690. He was the second of the five sons of Robert Thomas, "who was not a Friend but a sober man," and his wife Priscella Evans. The wife was "a fair Latin scholar and for a while in the service of the Countess Conway."

Her parents were Edward and Katherine Evans, said to be natives of Radnorshire, but residing in Welshpool. They were imprisoned in November, 1662, for declining to take the Oath of Allegiance, where Edward Evans "being an infirm man and unable to bear the Filth and Dampness of the Place, laid down his Life, the unwholesome Confinement there having hastened his death." He was buried in St. Mary's Churchyard, Welshpool. His wife was imprisoned for five years.

John Thomas was first employed by Thomas Oliver, Coedcowrid, Dolobran, Meifod, "a Minister among Friends." Later he was shepherd to Charles Lloyd, the ironmaster of Dolobran. Here he succeeded in rescuing a flock of his master's sheep from a snowdrift, and late in the spring of the same year, during heavy rain and melting snow, he swam the Vyrnwy to fetch home a herd of mountain cattle. These he collected and drove to the river, but the ford had now become a boiling torrent. He nevertheless crossed it on the back of an ox, and brought home the whole herd in safety. As a reward for his courage his master presented him with four sheep for himself. He sold their wool in order to buy better clothing and afterwards disposed of the sheep so that he might obtain money wherewith to travel to Bristol to seek his fortune.

This was in 1704. Afraid of being taken for a soldier if found in Bristol out of work, it being the time of the Duke of Marlborough's wars, he requested his master to recommend him as an apprentice to a relative, Edward Lloyd, a wine merchant, who was one of the partners of the Baptist Mills. The boy was accordingly sent into the brassworks until he should procure employment.

As he was looking on during the trials of the Dutch workmen to cast iron, he told Abraham Darby that he thought he saw how they had missed it. He begged to be allowed to try, and he and Abraham Darby remained alone in the workshop the same night for the purpose. Before morning they had cast an iron pot. The boy Thomas entered into an agreement to serve Abraham Darby and keep the secret. He was enticed by the offer of double wages to leave his master; but he continued nobly faithful, and afterwards showed his fidelity to his master's widow and children following the untimely death of Abraham Darby. From 1709 to 1838 the Thomas family were confidential and much valued agents to the descendants of Abraham Darby.

For more than one hundred years after the night in which Thomas and his master made their successful experiment of producing an iron casting in a mould of fine sand, with its two wooden frames and its air-holes, the same process was practiced and kept secret at Coalbrookdale, with plugged keyholes and barred doors.

John Thomas married Grace Zeane in Bristol in 1714, and died in 1760. Their son Samuel settled at Keynsham as a wire drawer, and married Esther Derrick in 1746.

They had a son John, born in 1752, who commenced business as a grocer on the Somerset side of Bristol Bridge, the business being still carried on under the name of John Thomas, Sons and Company. In 1776 John Thomas (the second) married Elizabeth Ovens, of Bristol and they had ten children. The chief interest of this John Thomas's life was the promotion of waterways for the facilitating of trade, especially the Somersetshire Coal Canal, and the proposed Kennet and Avon Canal to connect Bath with London. John Thomas retired in 1812 and purchased Prior Park near Bath, where he died 3 3mo. 1827, aged seventy-five.

The fifth son of John and Elizabeth Thomas was George Thomas, the noted Bristol Quaker Philanthropist. He was born 1791 and died s. p. 1869.”

From: Gibson, Charles R.: The Romance of Coal. London, Seeley Service Co., 1923. Journal Friends Historical Society, Vol. 17, 1920, pp. 19-32. Pamphlet by J. F. Nicholls, Bristol City Librarian, c. 1870.

John Thomas is said to have met Queen Charlotte (Charlotte of Mecklenburg-Strelitz 1744 – 1818) the wife of King George III on her visit to Bath in 1817.

The health of that tough old lady, Queen Charlotte, was beginning to fail, and her physicians recommended her to go to Bath, for the waters, and, in November, thither repaired, accompanied by the Duke of Clarence.

The illustration gives an extremely graphic idea of the effects of the Water upon the afflicted Queen. It is called "A Peep into the Pump Room, or the Zomersetshire folk in A Maze".
a peep into the pump room or the zomersetshire folk in a maze

A Peep into the Pump Room, or the Zomersetshire folk in A Maze

The following anecdote of her sojourn is dated "Bath, October 28th". The Queen wishing to ride through Prior Park, the property of John Thomas, a very rich Quaker, a footman was sent forward to the house to ask leave for the gates to be opened. Mr. Thomas received the Queen very respectfully at the park gate, and addressed her as follows: " Charlotte, I hope thee is very well: I am glad to see thee in my park; thou art very welcome at any time, and I shall feel proud in opening my gates for thy pleasure. I hope thou receives benefit from the Bath waters. I wish thee well."

The Project Gutenberg EBook of Social England under the Regency, Vol. 2 (of 2), by John Ashton

from the juvenile tourist or excursions into the west of england into the midland counties with part of south wales and into the whole county of kent concluding with an account of maidstone and
From The juvenile tourist ; or, Excursions into the west of England: into the Midland counties, with part of South Wales ; and into the whole county of Kent ; concluding with an account of Maidstone and its vicinity – John Evans 1 January 1818, Baldwin, Cradock, and Joy
carlisle patriot saturday 06 december 1817
Carlisle Patriot – Saturday 06 December 1817

John Thomas also helped to develop  Prior Park Place, on two and a half acres taken from adjacent parcels of land – Forefield and Forefield Orchard – purchased from Philip Bennet VI (1771 – 1853), owner of Widcombe Manor.

Bennet put the estate up for auction in 1813 and the freehold was bought by John Thomas. Matthias Harris, a silversmith and jeweller proposed a property development scheme.

In 1818, for a ‘consideration’, John Thomas offered a 999 year lease of part of the two plots of land at an annual rent of £62 l0s to Matthias Harris. In 1820 this was changed to £85 for 1,000 years (the Harris descendants redeemed the charge in 1896 for £2,090). A deed of the following year reiterates this obligation, but proposes the selling of plots with houses upon them and Prior Park Place was built in 1821 – 1822.

The Survey of Bath and District. The Magazine of the Survey of Old Bath and Its Associates. No.16, November 2001. Editors: Mike Chapman Elizabeth Holland

 John Thomas’ life at Prior Park was, it seems, not flamboyant:

"It was afterwards purchased by Mr. John Thomas. a member of the Society of Friends, whose death we have recorded in 1827. Ostentation certainly formed no part of this purchaser's object here; for it will scarcely be believed that, on taking possession of that splendid mansion, Mr. Thomas divided it, by stone partitions, into three parts — one he occasionally let, a second he shut up. and only inhabited the third, to avoid the heavy charge of Government taxes! and he also hewed down a magnificent row of elm trees leading to the mansion, to assist in completing the purchase of the estate!

It is said, that the spirit of Ralph Allen was disturbed by that piteous outrage on the exquisite skill and taste of Wood, and " doom'd, for a certain time, to walk the night" in the unfrequented portions of the building. If, however, the frugality of John Thomas amounted, in some instances, to parsimony, he was, nevertheless, a worthy man, kind-hearted, and truly charitable."

Annals of Bath, from…1800 to the passing of the new municipal act By Rowland Mainwaring

After John Thomas’ death Prior Park was sold. It was put up for sale at £25,000 but did not reach it’s reserve and was withdrawn. In December 1829 it was sold to Bishop Baines for £22,000.

sale of prior park 1828
Sale of Prior Park 1828

Related Images: