The History of Ford Cottage, Featuring Joyce and Edwin (Eddie) Smith
Title
The History of Ford Cottage, Featuring Joyce and Edwin (Eddie) Smith
Subject
Description
The top photograph was taken in September 2020 of Joyce Smith, standing in the well-known garden of Ford Cottage. Ford Cottage is just southwest of the village of Timberscombe, alongside the A396, previously known as the Dunster Road. The cottage got it's name from the nearby double arched Ford Bridge, crossing the River Avill as it flows from Timberscombe and then alongside Bickham Manor and Farm. The entry to Bickham is at the bridge. In 2020, Joyce had been at Ford Cottage for over 62 years, coming here with her husband Edwin (Eddie) C. H. Smith, after he had begun working at Bickham Farm. Mr. Smith is seen sitting on the Ford Bridge parapet in the second photograph, second from the left, photographed in 1965 and donated in 2020 by Joyce Smith.
It is probably more correct to call the slate roofed red sandstone and local rubble house "Ford Cottages", as it was built as two semi-detached dwellings, apparently always used as lodging for workers at Bickham Farm. Ford Cottage and Bickham were part of the Knowle Estate, acquired by the Hole family, owning a third of the land of the Timberscombe parish by the mid 19th century (1). In the second photograph, standing to the left of Edwin Smith, is George Henry Thomas Elford, also working at Bickham Farm. He and his wife, Evelyn May Elford, had lived at the more northern cottage, No. 2 Ford Cottage, since at least 1939. Edwin and Joyce Smith lived at the roadside cottage, to the right, No. 1 Ford Cottage (2). It's porch is visible on the top photograph.
Ford Cottage does not appear on the 1843 Timberscombe Tithe Map. A drawing of an orchard is indicated on the map at this site and an orchard remains on the northern side of the cottages, where Joyce Smith has apple trees and where she keeps her chickens (and formerly her quails). Ford Cottage does appear on the 1844-1888 Ordnance Survey Map, looking much as it does in modern times. On the eastern side of Ford Cottage is a tall stone wall, the same length as the back of the house with rear entrances to small courtyards behind each cottage. Depicted on the 1844-1888 map is a shorter stone wall on the northern side of Ford Cottage, connecting the dwelling area and the back wall. A similar connecting wall will later be added on the southern side of Ford Cottage, running alongside the road.
On the 1843 Tithe Map, an earlier building does appear between the current site of Ford Cottage and the Ford Bridge, that has disappeared by the time of the 1844-1888 map. And although Ford Cottage is not depicted on the 1843 map, on the 1841 Census, two cottages labeled "Ford" are listed --although not next to each other.
The 1841 Census was England's first official census and dwellings were not listed in any obvious order by location. If in the centre of Timberscombe, building's names or addresses were rarely specified. Buildings on the outside parameter of the village, usually associated with farms, are more often named, but again often in no obvious order of location. One dwelling labeled "Ford" is on page 8 of the census, listed between an unnamed village home and "Burrow", which is west of Timberscombe. Living at this "Ford" was Michael Thorne, aged 65, an Agricultural Labourer, with his wife, Christian Thorne, aged 55. Also identified as "Ford", was the home of John Quick, also an Agricultural Labourer, and Martha Quick, both 50 years old, but on page 12 of the census, placed between another unnamed village listing and "Turnpike House"--which was on the northeastern edge of Timberscombe (3). Joyce Smith is certain that her home was always two dwellings, inhabited by men working at Bickham Farm--which is likely the case with Mr. Thorne and Mr. Quick. Also residents of Forge Cottage on the 1951 Census have certain connections to these 1841 residents.
By the 1851 Census, both Ford Cottages are nicely listed side by side. Living here was Nicolas Cowlin, a shepherd, who was a great-nephew of Martha Quick, on the 1841 Census. She had been born in Wootton Courtenay, c. 1781, as Martha Cowlin, a daughter of Nicolas Cowlin and Jane (nee Poole) Cowlin and the older sister to their son, Nicolas Cowlin born in 1782. He left Wootton Courtenay in 1802 to marry Mary Coles of Timberscombe. On the 20th of January 1805, their son, the next Nicolas Cowlin was baptized at St. Petrock's Church in Timberscombe (4). This younger Nicolas is the shepherd at Ford Cottage in 1851 with his wife, Jane (nee Burton or Burtin) Cowlin, who was born c. 1790, also in Timberscombe (5). Interestingly, living with Mr. and Mrs. Cowlin was Christian Thorne, now 71 and the widow of Michael Thorne.
Next door to the Cowlin's was George Flew, a Farm Labourer, mistakenly listed on the census as 77 years old (he is about 28), with his wife Mary (nee Woolway) Flew and their 9 month old daughter, Elizabeth. Lodging with them is Alice Woolway, aged 50, presumably Mary's mother.
Nicolas and Jane Cowlin remain at Ford Cottage in 1861, although she died in that same year (6). Christian Thorne had been given the sole possession of the other Ford Cottage. Apparently at Bickham Farm, a widow of a deceased worker was allowed to stay on--certainly not always the case at some farms. She was buried at the age of 89 on 12 May 1868 at Timberscombe (7).
The shepherd, Nicolas Cowlin, was still at Ford Cottage for the 1871 Census. It must be more crowded, not only because he is here with his two daughters, Sarah Cowlin, a dressmaker, and Mary Portman and her 15 year old son, Thomas. It appears there are three other families placed at Ford Cottage. Harriet Bowden, a 43 year old Labourer was listed with four sons and one daughter. Another Labourer, Thomas Calloway, with his wife, Hannah and their three sons are also on the premises. Plus there is 56 year old John Quick, the son of John and Martha Quick who were here in 1841. His 54 year old wife, Mary, his sons, Robert and Tom and his mother-in-law, Mary Court, complete his household.
The son of John Quick, Robert Quick, stayed on at Ford Cottage, becoming the head of his own household and listed as a Farm Labourer in 1881 with his wife Mary (nee Pearce), and three children, Blanch, Robert and Rhoda, respectively aged 5, 3 and 2. Fortunately, the only other family next door is a 23 year old shepherd, Charles Dennett, with his wife, Lydia, aged 25. She was born Lydia Stenner, a relation of Timberscombe's Stenner family and she and Charles, originally from Crowcombe, had married at St. Petrock's Church (8). By 1891, Mr. and Mrs. Dennett relocated to Kingston, Somerset. The Quick family moved up the road to Pitt Cottage, remaining in Timberscombe for many decades.
The 1891 Census brought two new families, headed by Agricultural Labourers. Henry Gould, 27 years old and born in Dulverton, was here with his wife, Jane, originally from Winsford. Their three children, Sarah Jane, Francis Henry and John had all been born in Timberscombe. Joseph Farmer, aged 29, born in Carhampton and his wife, Elizabeth (nee Moles) Farmer (also from Winsford) had 3 year old Abraham and Margaret, aged 1.
The Farmer family, joined by their new son, Charlie, had moved into the village by the 1901 Census (9). Joseph and Elizabeth are buried together at St. Petrocks. The Gould family remained at Ford Cottage with three more sons added, Thomas, Edward and Philip, as well as a daughter, Beatrice. Their father had altered his occupational title, now listed as "Shepherd". Listed as "Ordinary Farm Labourer", next door is Thomas Ferris, aged 24 and his wife, Eliza (nee Mitchell) Ferris. Her 23 year old brother, Sidney J. Mitchell, was living with them. Eliza died at the age of 27 and was buried at St. Petrock's in February 1904 (10).
By 1911, 49 year old William Dyer, originally from Carhampton, was at Ford Cottage with his 25 year old wife, Elizabeth, born as Elizabeth Winter in Luxbourough. Their three daughters were the florally-named Ivy Rose, 4 years old, Beatrice Violet, aged 2 and an infant, Daisy Ann.
Living next to them and also born at Carhampton, was Richard Wedlake, 26 years old, and working as a Carter. On the 3rd of March 1908, in Dunster, he had married Elizabeth Gould, apparently not a direct relation to Henry Gould. Her father was George Gould, a labourer at Dunster (11). The 1911 Census showed at Ford Cottage that Richard and Elizabeth had 6 month old baby boy, Richard George Wedlake, who had been born in Carhampton before they moved (12). With the outbreak of World War I, Richard enlisted at Taunton as a Private in the Somerset Light Infantry, the 8th Battalion (13). He served first in France, with his date of entry being the 8th of September 1915 (14). Richard Wedlake was killed in action on the 18th of September 1918 at the Battles of the Hindenburg Line, a rapid series of Allied Victories, having survived the second Battle of the Somme (15). HIs memorial is at the Vis-en-Artois British Cemetery and Memorial at Haucourt, Departement du Pas-de-Calais, France (16). At the time of his death, Mr. Wedlake was 34 years old. The bottom photograph is taken from the UK, Army Register of Soldier's Effects, 1914-1923. He had left all of his properties to his wife.
By this time, Elizabeth was living on St. Georges Street at Dunster (17). Elizabeth and Richard's son, Richard George, had died during their time at Ford Cottage, when he was one year old. The baby was buried at St.George's Church in Dunster on 23 June 1912, with Timberscombe listed as his abode on the Burial Register (18). Elizabeth Wedlake died, aged 80, at Exmoor in April 1964 (19).
The death of other young local men in World War I was likely a factor in the break-up of the The Knowle Estate, including Bickham Farm and Ford Cottage. The estate was now the property of Jesse May Battersby, the widow of Worsley Battersby. A merchant and shipowner (20), based in London, Mr. Battersby had purchased the Knowle Estate, c. 1885, from Mary (nee Hole) Wynch, the surviving heir of the Hole family (21). Mr. Battersby died in 1896. When the war began, all four of Mrs. Battersby's sons had enlisted, with her third son, Eric May Battersby almost immediately killed in action during the October of 1914--(her youngest son, Philip Worsley Battersby, died in 1919). Mrs. Battersby and the Trustees of the Knowle Estate decided to sell (22). On Thursday, July 20th, 1916, the immense estate was divided into 67 lots and offered at public auction.
Lot 23 was headlined "A Pair of Well-built Freehold Modern Cottages, known as "FORD COTTAGES" with good Gardens and small Orchard and adjoining the main Dunster Road". Each cottage was further described as containing (as written): "Kitchen, Back Kitchen with furnace, Wash House, Back Yard and Three Bed Rooms" (23).
The sale of Ford Cottage perhaps impacted this property less than most of the other farms and houses sold on the same day. It was purchased by Mr. William Gibbs Morel, born in 1871 in Cardiff, Glamorgan, Wales and his wife Mary Edith (nee Jacks) Morel, born 1885 at Bristol, Glamorgan, Wales (24), after bidding £350. They also paid £760 for the surrounding water meadow and orchard. And Mr. and Mrs. Morel bought Bickham Manor, including Bickham Farm, for £7100 (25), continuing to farm the land, with some of its workers continuing to live in the Ford Cottages.
On the 1939 England and Wales Register, Ernest George Ferris, a Farm Carter and his wife, the former Eliza Cowlin, occupied No. 1 Ford Cottage. They had married in Wootton Courtenay in 1910 (26). She has no obvious connection to Nicolas Cowlin, the shepherd who lived here from at least 1851 to 1871, being born in Wellington and working as a servant by the age of 14 in Exford (27). However Eliza's husband, Ernest was a cousin of Thomas Ferris, who lived at Ford Cottage at the beginning of the century. Ernest's father, George Ferris was the younger brother of the father of Thomas Ferris, Thomas James Ferris (28). Lodging with Mr. and Mrs. Ferris was Mary Land, the Supplementary School Teacher at the Timberscombe School since 1925. Born in 1907 and still living at Withycombe (29), boarding at Ford Cottage was certainly an easier commute for Miss Land. In 1946, Mary Land married William Schofield, a longtime member of the school's Board of Governors (30). Also staying in the same cottage with Mr. and Mrs. Ferris and Miss Land in 1939 was Frederick Wells, a 13 year old schoolboy, evacuated to Timberscombe from West Ham at the beginning of World War II (31).
As seen standing to the left of Edwin Smith in the second photograph, is George Elford, the occupant of No. 2 Ford Cottage. Listed on the 1939 Register as a Road Labourer, Mr. Elford was born in 1903 at Portsmouth (32) but was living at Timberscombe by the time of the 1911 Census. He married Evelyn May Clatworthy in October 1931 (33). Joyce Smith used to call Mrs. Elford "Morning" because she always said "Mornin" to Jennifer, the daughter of Joyce and Eddie, when they would see each other in the garden. At the time of his retirement, Mr. and Mrs. Elford moved to Orchard Bungalows in Timberscombe. He died in 1990 and she died in 1989. They are buried together at St. Petrock's Churchyard (34).
Edwin (Eddie) Smith was born 9th of July 1932 at Winsford, which is where he first met Joyce Ridd, born in 1936. He was in the Winsford upper school and she in the lower (35). His parents moved to Timberscombe when he was 9, where they lived at The Gardens on Brook Street (36), later divided and renamed Garden Cottage and Brook Cottage.
In 1950, at the age of 18, Edwin's mother bought him to Bickham to meet the new owners, Alexander Bernard Dru and Gabriel Mary Hermoine (nee Herbert) Dru. Mr. Morel was at the Mount Royal Nursing Home in Minehead (where he died in 1951) and Mrs. Morel had sold Bickham to Mr. and Mrs. Dru (37), continuing to live at the nearby Bickham Cottage until her passing in 1970 (38). Edwin was hired as a cowman and tractor driver, later taking charge of the sheep at Bickham Farm.
By chance, in 1952, Edwin Smith met Joyce Ridd again in Dulverton, where they had both gone on separate outings (39). On 25th August 1956, the day before Joyce's 20th birthday, they were married at St. Mary Magdalene Church, Winsford. Among Joyce's bridesmaids were her sisters, Lorna Ridd and Sheila Ridd. (Sheila later came to Timberscombe, living at Hillcrest Cottage on Great House Street). Mr. Geoffrey Prole was Edwin's best man and the organist at the wedding was Walter John Copp (40). A lifelong friend, Mr. Copp, is the gentleman to the right of Edwin Smith in the photograph. Joyce Smith believes the man on the right end was a relative visiting Mr. Copp in 1965. After the wedding, a reception was held at the Winsford Village Hall and then Edwin and Joyce had their honeymoon at Blackpool (41).
For the first 18 months of married life, Mr, and Mrs. Smith lived at a flat at Bickham but then were able to move into No. 1 Ford Cottage. Here, 61 years together, is where they raised their children, Jennifer and Kevin (who was born at Ford Cottage) and kept their own pigs, geese and chickens. Their garden was consistently known for the largest prize- winning vegetables and a giant Father Christmas lit up on their roof year after year. Edwin died February 18th 2018. At his funeral, Bernard Dru, the son of Alexander and Gabriel Dru (who passed away respectively in 1977 and 1987), gave Edwin's eulogy, recalling a man of "great kindness, generosity and good humor", and who had a great laugh (42).
Joyce tended the Timberscombe Village Hall for over 30 years and chaired the Timberscombe Flower Show for 25 years. She and her sister, Sheila, could always be counted on to be at hand when needed. On the 16th of June 1989, when Princess Margaret came the Timberscombe to officially open the housing development called Village Court, Joyce was the one with the courage to see how she wanted her tea and then serve it to her. Joyce Smith also photographed. It seems that for every important event that happened in Timberscombe, Joyce can come up with a photograph she took---for which this archive is beholden. Ford Cottage will remain the home of Joyce Smith for life, a guarantee by the Bickham Estate almost unique in modern life --and perhaps a historic footnote in the history of Timberscombe.
It is probably more correct to call the slate roofed red sandstone and local rubble house "Ford Cottages", as it was built as two semi-detached dwellings, apparently always used as lodging for workers at Bickham Farm. Ford Cottage and Bickham were part of the Knowle Estate, acquired by the Hole family, owning a third of the land of the Timberscombe parish by the mid 19th century (1). In the second photograph, standing to the left of Edwin Smith, is George Henry Thomas Elford, also working at Bickham Farm. He and his wife, Evelyn May Elford, had lived at the more northern cottage, No. 2 Ford Cottage, since at least 1939. Edwin and Joyce Smith lived at the roadside cottage, to the right, No. 1 Ford Cottage (2). It's porch is visible on the top photograph.
Ford Cottage does not appear on the 1843 Timberscombe Tithe Map. A drawing of an orchard is indicated on the map at this site and an orchard remains on the northern side of the cottages, where Joyce Smith has apple trees and where she keeps her chickens (and formerly her quails). Ford Cottage does appear on the 1844-1888 Ordnance Survey Map, looking much as it does in modern times. On the eastern side of Ford Cottage is a tall stone wall, the same length as the back of the house with rear entrances to small courtyards behind each cottage. Depicted on the 1844-1888 map is a shorter stone wall on the northern side of Ford Cottage, connecting the dwelling area and the back wall. A similar connecting wall will later be added on the southern side of Ford Cottage, running alongside the road.
On the 1843 Tithe Map, an earlier building does appear between the current site of Ford Cottage and the Ford Bridge, that has disappeared by the time of the 1844-1888 map. And although Ford Cottage is not depicted on the 1843 map, on the 1841 Census, two cottages labeled "Ford" are listed --although not next to each other.
The 1841 Census was England's first official census and dwellings were not listed in any obvious order by location. If in the centre of Timberscombe, building's names or addresses were rarely specified. Buildings on the outside parameter of the village, usually associated with farms, are more often named, but again often in no obvious order of location. One dwelling labeled "Ford" is on page 8 of the census, listed between an unnamed village home and "Burrow", which is west of Timberscombe. Living at this "Ford" was Michael Thorne, aged 65, an Agricultural Labourer, with his wife, Christian Thorne, aged 55. Also identified as "Ford", was the home of John Quick, also an Agricultural Labourer, and Martha Quick, both 50 years old, but on page 12 of the census, placed between another unnamed village listing and "Turnpike House"--which was on the northeastern edge of Timberscombe (3). Joyce Smith is certain that her home was always two dwellings, inhabited by men working at Bickham Farm--which is likely the case with Mr. Thorne and Mr. Quick. Also residents of Forge Cottage on the 1951 Census have certain connections to these 1841 residents.
By the 1851 Census, both Ford Cottages are nicely listed side by side. Living here was Nicolas Cowlin, a shepherd, who was a great-nephew of Martha Quick, on the 1841 Census. She had been born in Wootton Courtenay, c. 1781, as Martha Cowlin, a daughter of Nicolas Cowlin and Jane (nee Poole) Cowlin and the older sister to their son, Nicolas Cowlin born in 1782. He left Wootton Courtenay in 1802 to marry Mary Coles of Timberscombe. On the 20th of January 1805, their son, the next Nicolas Cowlin was baptized at St. Petrock's Church in Timberscombe (4). This younger Nicolas is the shepherd at Ford Cottage in 1851 with his wife, Jane (nee Burton or Burtin) Cowlin, who was born c. 1790, also in Timberscombe (5). Interestingly, living with Mr. and Mrs. Cowlin was Christian Thorne, now 71 and the widow of Michael Thorne.
Next door to the Cowlin's was George Flew, a Farm Labourer, mistakenly listed on the census as 77 years old (he is about 28), with his wife Mary (nee Woolway) Flew and their 9 month old daughter, Elizabeth. Lodging with them is Alice Woolway, aged 50, presumably Mary's mother.
Nicolas and Jane Cowlin remain at Ford Cottage in 1861, although she died in that same year (6). Christian Thorne had been given the sole possession of the other Ford Cottage. Apparently at Bickham Farm, a widow of a deceased worker was allowed to stay on--certainly not always the case at some farms. She was buried at the age of 89 on 12 May 1868 at Timberscombe (7).
The shepherd, Nicolas Cowlin, was still at Ford Cottage for the 1871 Census. It must be more crowded, not only because he is here with his two daughters, Sarah Cowlin, a dressmaker, and Mary Portman and her 15 year old son, Thomas. It appears there are three other families placed at Ford Cottage. Harriet Bowden, a 43 year old Labourer was listed with four sons and one daughter. Another Labourer, Thomas Calloway, with his wife, Hannah and their three sons are also on the premises. Plus there is 56 year old John Quick, the son of John and Martha Quick who were here in 1841. His 54 year old wife, Mary, his sons, Robert and Tom and his mother-in-law, Mary Court, complete his household.
The son of John Quick, Robert Quick, stayed on at Ford Cottage, becoming the head of his own household and listed as a Farm Labourer in 1881 with his wife Mary (nee Pearce), and three children, Blanch, Robert and Rhoda, respectively aged 5, 3 and 2. Fortunately, the only other family next door is a 23 year old shepherd, Charles Dennett, with his wife, Lydia, aged 25. She was born Lydia Stenner, a relation of Timberscombe's Stenner family and she and Charles, originally from Crowcombe, had married at St. Petrock's Church (8). By 1891, Mr. and Mrs. Dennett relocated to Kingston, Somerset. The Quick family moved up the road to Pitt Cottage, remaining in Timberscombe for many decades.
The 1891 Census brought two new families, headed by Agricultural Labourers. Henry Gould, 27 years old and born in Dulverton, was here with his wife, Jane, originally from Winsford. Their three children, Sarah Jane, Francis Henry and John had all been born in Timberscombe. Joseph Farmer, aged 29, born in Carhampton and his wife, Elizabeth (nee Moles) Farmer (also from Winsford) had 3 year old Abraham and Margaret, aged 1.
The Farmer family, joined by their new son, Charlie, had moved into the village by the 1901 Census (9). Joseph and Elizabeth are buried together at St. Petrocks. The Gould family remained at Ford Cottage with three more sons added, Thomas, Edward and Philip, as well as a daughter, Beatrice. Their father had altered his occupational title, now listed as "Shepherd". Listed as "Ordinary Farm Labourer", next door is Thomas Ferris, aged 24 and his wife, Eliza (nee Mitchell) Ferris. Her 23 year old brother, Sidney J. Mitchell, was living with them. Eliza died at the age of 27 and was buried at St. Petrock's in February 1904 (10).
By 1911, 49 year old William Dyer, originally from Carhampton, was at Ford Cottage with his 25 year old wife, Elizabeth, born as Elizabeth Winter in Luxbourough. Their three daughters were the florally-named Ivy Rose, 4 years old, Beatrice Violet, aged 2 and an infant, Daisy Ann.
Living next to them and also born at Carhampton, was Richard Wedlake, 26 years old, and working as a Carter. On the 3rd of March 1908, in Dunster, he had married Elizabeth Gould, apparently not a direct relation to Henry Gould. Her father was George Gould, a labourer at Dunster (11). The 1911 Census showed at Ford Cottage that Richard and Elizabeth had 6 month old baby boy, Richard George Wedlake, who had been born in Carhampton before they moved (12). With the outbreak of World War I, Richard enlisted at Taunton as a Private in the Somerset Light Infantry, the 8th Battalion (13). He served first in France, with his date of entry being the 8th of September 1915 (14). Richard Wedlake was killed in action on the 18th of September 1918 at the Battles of the Hindenburg Line, a rapid series of Allied Victories, having survived the second Battle of the Somme (15). HIs memorial is at the Vis-en-Artois British Cemetery and Memorial at Haucourt, Departement du Pas-de-Calais, France (16). At the time of his death, Mr. Wedlake was 34 years old. The bottom photograph is taken from the UK, Army Register of Soldier's Effects, 1914-1923. He had left all of his properties to his wife.
By this time, Elizabeth was living on St. Georges Street at Dunster (17). Elizabeth and Richard's son, Richard George, had died during their time at Ford Cottage, when he was one year old. The baby was buried at St.George's Church in Dunster on 23 June 1912, with Timberscombe listed as his abode on the Burial Register (18). Elizabeth Wedlake died, aged 80, at Exmoor in April 1964 (19).
The death of other young local men in World War I was likely a factor in the break-up of the The Knowle Estate, including Bickham Farm and Ford Cottage. The estate was now the property of Jesse May Battersby, the widow of Worsley Battersby. A merchant and shipowner (20), based in London, Mr. Battersby had purchased the Knowle Estate, c. 1885, from Mary (nee Hole) Wynch, the surviving heir of the Hole family (21). Mr. Battersby died in 1896. When the war began, all four of Mrs. Battersby's sons had enlisted, with her third son, Eric May Battersby almost immediately killed in action during the October of 1914--(her youngest son, Philip Worsley Battersby, died in 1919). Mrs. Battersby and the Trustees of the Knowle Estate decided to sell (22). On Thursday, July 20th, 1916, the immense estate was divided into 67 lots and offered at public auction.
Lot 23 was headlined "A Pair of Well-built Freehold Modern Cottages, known as "FORD COTTAGES" with good Gardens and small Orchard and adjoining the main Dunster Road". Each cottage was further described as containing (as written): "Kitchen, Back Kitchen with furnace, Wash House, Back Yard and Three Bed Rooms" (23).
The sale of Ford Cottage perhaps impacted this property less than most of the other farms and houses sold on the same day. It was purchased by Mr. William Gibbs Morel, born in 1871 in Cardiff, Glamorgan, Wales and his wife Mary Edith (nee Jacks) Morel, born 1885 at Bristol, Glamorgan, Wales (24), after bidding £350. They also paid £760 for the surrounding water meadow and orchard. And Mr. and Mrs. Morel bought Bickham Manor, including Bickham Farm, for £7100 (25), continuing to farm the land, with some of its workers continuing to live in the Ford Cottages.
On the 1939 England and Wales Register, Ernest George Ferris, a Farm Carter and his wife, the former Eliza Cowlin, occupied No. 1 Ford Cottage. They had married in Wootton Courtenay in 1910 (26). She has no obvious connection to Nicolas Cowlin, the shepherd who lived here from at least 1851 to 1871, being born in Wellington and working as a servant by the age of 14 in Exford (27). However Eliza's husband, Ernest was a cousin of Thomas Ferris, who lived at Ford Cottage at the beginning of the century. Ernest's father, George Ferris was the younger brother of the father of Thomas Ferris, Thomas James Ferris (28). Lodging with Mr. and Mrs. Ferris was Mary Land, the Supplementary School Teacher at the Timberscombe School since 1925. Born in 1907 and still living at Withycombe (29), boarding at Ford Cottage was certainly an easier commute for Miss Land. In 1946, Mary Land married William Schofield, a longtime member of the school's Board of Governors (30). Also staying in the same cottage with Mr. and Mrs. Ferris and Miss Land in 1939 was Frederick Wells, a 13 year old schoolboy, evacuated to Timberscombe from West Ham at the beginning of World War II (31).
As seen standing to the left of Edwin Smith in the second photograph, is George Elford, the occupant of No. 2 Ford Cottage. Listed on the 1939 Register as a Road Labourer, Mr. Elford was born in 1903 at Portsmouth (32) but was living at Timberscombe by the time of the 1911 Census. He married Evelyn May Clatworthy in October 1931 (33). Joyce Smith used to call Mrs. Elford "Morning" because she always said "Mornin" to Jennifer, the daughter of Joyce and Eddie, when they would see each other in the garden. At the time of his retirement, Mr. and Mrs. Elford moved to Orchard Bungalows in Timberscombe. He died in 1990 and she died in 1989. They are buried together at St. Petrock's Churchyard (34).
Edwin (Eddie) Smith was born 9th of July 1932 at Winsford, which is where he first met Joyce Ridd, born in 1936. He was in the Winsford upper school and she in the lower (35). His parents moved to Timberscombe when he was 9, where they lived at The Gardens on Brook Street (36), later divided and renamed Garden Cottage and Brook Cottage.
In 1950, at the age of 18, Edwin's mother bought him to Bickham to meet the new owners, Alexander Bernard Dru and Gabriel Mary Hermoine (nee Herbert) Dru. Mr. Morel was at the Mount Royal Nursing Home in Minehead (where he died in 1951) and Mrs. Morel had sold Bickham to Mr. and Mrs. Dru (37), continuing to live at the nearby Bickham Cottage until her passing in 1970 (38). Edwin was hired as a cowman and tractor driver, later taking charge of the sheep at Bickham Farm.
By chance, in 1952, Edwin Smith met Joyce Ridd again in Dulverton, where they had both gone on separate outings (39). On 25th August 1956, the day before Joyce's 20th birthday, they were married at St. Mary Magdalene Church, Winsford. Among Joyce's bridesmaids were her sisters, Lorna Ridd and Sheila Ridd. (Sheila later came to Timberscombe, living at Hillcrest Cottage on Great House Street). Mr. Geoffrey Prole was Edwin's best man and the organist at the wedding was Walter John Copp (40). A lifelong friend, Mr. Copp, is the gentleman to the right of Edwin Smith in the photograph. Joyce Smith believes the man on the right end was a relative visiting Mr. Copp in 1965. After the wedding, a reception was held at the Winsford Village Hall and then Edwin and Joyce had their honeymoon at Blackpool (41).
For the first 18 months of married life, Mr, and Mrs. Smith lived at a flat at Bickham but then were able to move into No. 1 Ford Cottage. Here, 61 years together, is where they raised their children, Jennifer and Kevin (who was born at Ford Cottage) and kept their own pigs, geese and chickens. Their garden was consistently known for the largest prize- winning vegetables and a giant Father Christmas lit up on their roof year after year. Edwin died February 18th 2018. At his funeral, Bernard Dru, the son of Alexander and Gabriel Dru (who passed away respectively in 1977 and 1987), gave Edwin's eulogy, recalling a man of "great kindness, generosity and good humor", and who had a great laugh (42).
Joyce tended the Timberscombe Village Hall for over 30 years and chaired the Timberscombe Flower Show for 25 years. She and her sister, Sheila, could always be counted on to be at hand when needed. On the 16th of June 1989, when Princess Margaret came the Timberscombe to officially open the housing development called Village Court, Joyce was the one with the courage to see how she wanted her tea and then serve it to her. Joyce Smith also photographed. It seems that for every important event that happened in Timberscombe, Joyce can come up with a photograph she took---for which this archive is beholden. Ford Cottage will remain the home of Joyce Smith for life, a guarantee by the Bickham Estate almost unique in modern life --and perhaps a historic footnote in the history of Timberscombe.
Creator
Tom Sperling /
Anonymous /
UK, Army Registers of Soldier's Effects, 1901-1929
Anonymous /
UK, Army Registers of Soldier's Effects, 1901-1929
Date
2020
1965
1919
1965
1919
Contributor
Language
English
Identifier
Joyce Smith at Ford Cottage / George Elford, Edwin Smith and Walter J. Copp at Ford Bridge / UK, Army Register of Soldiers Effects, 1901-1929 / Timberscombe / southwest edge of the village
Acquisition Date
2020
2020
2020
2020
2020
Acquisition Method
Gift
Gift
Research
Gift
Research
Category
PLACES: Cottages / Timberscombe
PLACES: Bridges / Timberscombe
PEOPLE: Named / Timberscombe
PLACES: Bridges / Timberscombe
PEOPLE: Named / Timberscombe
Condition
Good
Condition Notes
Entered by Tom Sperling
Condition Date
2020
Dimension Type
W X L
Dimension Units
cm
Dimension Value
12 X 13.5 (SP-136A, PROPERTIES)
11.5 X 19 (SP-136B, PHOTOGRAPHS)
5 X 17.5 (SP-136C, VILLAGE HISTORIES)
11.5 X 19 (SP-136B, PHOTOGRAPHS)
5 X 17.5 (SP-136C, VILLAGE HISTORIES)
Institution Name
St. Petrock's History Group
Notes
(1) Victoria County History. ac. uk (2) 1939 England and Wales Register and UK, Electoral Records, 2003-2010 (3) the Eastern Gate House (Toll House) was situated on the junction of the Dunster Road and Cowbridge Road, at Cowbridge, on the northeastern end of Timberscombe and is pictured at SP-044 (4) England, Select Births and Christenings, 1538-1975, Somerset, England, Church of England, Baptisms, Marriages and Burials, 1531-1812, Somerset England, Church of England, Marriage Registers, Bonds and Allegations, 1754-1914 and England, Select Burials and Christenings, 1538-1975 (5) Somerset, Banns, Find My Past.co.uk and Somerset, England, Marriages, Registers, Bonds and Allegations, 1754-1914 (6) Somerset Burials Index, Find My Past.co.uk (7) Somerset, England, Church of England, Burials, 1813-1914 (8) Somerset, England, Marriage Registers, Bonds and Allegations, 1754-1914 (9) UK and Ireland, Find A Grave Index, 1300s-Current (10) UK and Ireland, Find A Grave Index, 1300s-Current and Somerset, England, Church of England, Burials, 1813-1914 (11) Somerset, England, Church of England, Marriage Registers, Bonds and Allegations, 1754-1914 (12) Somerset, England, Church of England, Baptisms, 1813-1914 (13) UK, Soldiers Died in the Great War, 1914-1919 (14) UK, British Army World War I Medal Rolls Index Cards, 1914-1920 (15) Richard Wedlake, Dunster Ancestors, dunsterancestors.co.uk/ dunster-war-memorial-richard-wedlake (16) Global, Find A Grave Index for Burials at Sea and other Select Burial Locations, 1300s-Current (17) UK, Commonwealth War Graves, 1914-1921 and 1939-1924 (18) Somerset, England, Church of England, Burials, 1813-1914 (19) England & Wales, Civil Registration Death Index, 1916-2007 (20) 1891 England Census (21) England & Wales, National Probate Calendar (Index of Wills and Administrations) 1858-1995 (22) "TIMBERSCOMBE'S FALLEN OF WORLD WAR I", compiled by Harvey Grenville, produced for St. Petrock's Church and the parish of Timberscombe to commemorate the centenary of the outbreak of World War I, 1914 (23) "THE KNOWLE ESTATE, DUNSTER, SOMERSET", PARTICULARS PLANS AND CONDITIONS OF SALE of THE KNOWLE ESTATE" by Messrs. W. R. J. Greenslade & Co., for the Public Auction on Thursday, July 20th, 1916, page 40 (24) England and Wales, Civil Registration Birth Indexes, 1837-1915 (25) a copy of "THE KNOWLE ESTATE, DUNSTER, SOMERSET', the Sales Particulars of the Knowle Estate Auction was saved by Sam Grabham (1887-1971), with the names of the purchasers and how much was bid, likely written by Mr. Grabham, on each lot, which was shared with his son, Kenneth Grabham (1920-2007), then given to Derek Poole (1942-2011) who left to his daughter, Angie Gummer, who shared it with the St. Petrock's History Group in 2019 (26) Somerset, England, Church of England, Marriage Registers, Bonds and Allegations, 1754-1914 (27) 1901 England Census (28) "The Ferris's of Stoke Pero", a history of the Ferris Family compiled by Rachel Meek and shared with the St. Petrock's History Group in 2020 (29) Timberscombe School LOG BOOK, 3 April 1910-25 May 1947 and the 1911 England Census (30) Timberscombe School LOG BOOK (31) Timberscombe School records of the World War II evacuees, the St. Petrock's History Group Archive, TIMBERSCOMBE SCHOOL (32) 1911 England Census and England & Wales, Civil Registration Death Index, 1916-2007 (33) England & Wales, Civil Registration Marriage Index, 1916-2005 (34) UK and Ireland, Find A Grave Index, 1300s-Current (35) a typed copy of the funeral elegy for Edwin Smith, as written and delivered by Bernard Dru , shared by Joyce Smith in 2020 (36) newpaper clipping (probably from the West Somerset Free Press), headlined "Wedded at Winsford Miss J. E. Ridd to Mr. E. C. Smith", shared by Joyce Smith in 2020 (37) England & Wales, Civil Registration Death Index, 1917-2007 (38) TimberscombeVillage.com/ History of Timberscombe/ Other Historic Structures/ Village Hall, written by Lesley Webb and UK and Ireland, Find A Grave Index, 1300s-Current (39) the funeral elegy for Edwin Smith (40) the newspaper clipping, "Wedded at Winsford" (41) the newspaper clipping, "Wedded at Winsford" (41) as recalled by Bernard Dru in his elegy for Edwin Smith and as recalled and shared by Joyce Smith in 2020
Storage Location
St. Petrock's History Group Archive
Storage Date
2020
Storage Notes
St. Petrock's History Group Archive PROPERTIES
St. Petrock's History Group PHOTOGRAPHS
St. Petrock's History Group VILLAGE HISTORIES
St. Petrock's History Group PHOTOGRAPHS
St. Petrock's History Group VILLAGE HISTORIES
Item Reference
SP-136
Technique
Copies
Citation
Tom Sperling /
Anonymous /
UK, Army Registers of Soldier's Effects, 1901-1929, “The History of Ford Cottage, Featuring Joyce and Edwin (Eddie) Smith,” St. Petrock's History Group, accessed May 19, 2024, https://stpetrockshistorygroup.omeka.net/items/show/3426.
Comments