A Blackmore Series Postcard of Timberscombe's Brook Street, c. 1950's
Title
A Blackmore Series Postcard of Timberscombe's Brook Street, c. 1950's
Subject
Description
An unsent original postcard, labeled "TIMBERSCOMBE" on the lower right corner, owned and donated by Maurice Huxtable, a lifelong resident of Timberscombe. The postcard depicts the southern end of Brook Street, at the village centre. The reverse of the postcard indicates it was produced as part of the "Blackmore Series, Minehead". This series of postcards began appearing in the 1950's and throughout the 1960's (1). In 1958, L. T. Blackmore opened a photography studio and shop at No. 9 Banck Street in Minehead, a former Quaker Meeting House built in 1903. In 1976 it reverted back to being a meeting house for the Quakers (2).
An older appearing automobile, visible on the postcard parked in the street, might suggest an earlier date than the 1950's. However the building in the centre of the postcard is Timberscombe's public house, The Lion Inn and a segment of "THE LION INN" is visible painted under a first storey window on the right. This lettering was painted c. 1955 (as seen as SP-009), suggesting this postcard does dates from that time. It was not likely photographed after 1961, as the first two buildings on the left side of Brook Street, as seen here, are probably gone after that date.
The first thatched building on the left is the former S. J. Stenner's Butcher Shop, with a shop window still visible on it' s front, just beyond the suggestion of a doorway. (This can all be seen more clearly at SP-196.) Past the window, the frontage continues, on the same level, with the facade of the semi-detached former Stenner family home that was known as Brook House, a building that may have had 17th century origins (3).
The butcher shop had been operated by Samuel James Stenner, born at Timberscombe in 1888 (4), the son of Samuel and Jane (nee Hale) Stenner, who were proprietors of the Lion Inn (5). Samuel James Stenner lived at Brook House with his wife, Adelaide Julia (nee Carter)Stenner and their children. He died there in 1926 at the age of 38 (6) and Mrs. Stenner and the children shortly moved to No. 6 Bemberry Bank, on the western end of the village. By the time of the 1939 England and Wales Register, the shop had been converted to a residence, apparently absorbed into Brook House (7).
Both of the former shop and Brook House were later demolished, as seen at SP-033. The date of the demolition is not clear. Victoria County History cites that a listed Timberscombe Cottage was demolished in 1961 but also records that the 17th century Brook House house was torn down in the 1970's. Most residents believe it was demolished earlier than that. In 2019, a photograph visible at SP-101 was donated to The Lion Inn by John Berry, the son of former proprietors, Mr. and Mrs. D. G. Barry. Parts of the former butcher shop and Brook House can be seen in the background, looking a bit rough but still standing. The photograph is stamped on the reverse with "OCTOBER 1961".
A photograph, likely from the early 1920's, is at SP-030 showing the front of Brook House with young Agnes Stenner, a daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Stenner, standing in the doorway, which only underscores the loss of this building --especially as it was replaced with a car park, which only lasted a short time (8). A new house, Rice Cottage was later built toward the rear of the property, with it 's front garden in the area of the lost buildings.
Because of the angle of the photograph seen here, a third building, semi-detached to the right of Brook House, is not visible. This cottage, later known as Ye Olde Malthouse, also has been a former butcher's shop, known as Burnell's and later as Bond's (9). Ye Olde Malthouse's origins may also be 17th century as it and the demolished properties appear on the 1843 Timberscombe Tithe Map as one large holding. Ye Olde Malthouse survived the demolition and indeed in 2021 was the long time home of Maurice Huxtable, the donor of this postcard. In 2023 its name was slightly altered to The Old Malt House.
Past The Old Malt House, are two more cottages, both visible here and both still standing in modern times. Brooklyn is seen with a gabled porch in this photograph (and with the automobile parked in front) and Butterflies is at the end of the row. These are also former shops. Early in the 20th century, Butterflies and perhaps Brooklyn were R. Poole's Shop, a Grocer, Tailor and Draper, run by Mr. and Mrs. Robert Poole (10). By the time of the 1939 Register, these were collectively known as The Stores, operated by Ethel Hyde, although at least until World War II, the people of Timberscombe still referred to them as "Poole's" (11). In modern times, Butterflies, although having been a residence for a long time, still retains a storefront-style window, as does The Old Malt House.
What is seen here of The Lion is it 's left northern wall. The pub's main entrance faces west. Public houses have been at this spot at least since the 1600's. The Boot was an alehouse on this site in 1820, which was partly rebuilt and with new owners became Lion Inn, c. 1841 (12). Two doors are visible toward the left back end of this wall, with the right door usually a work entrance to the pub. The other door has most often been the entrance to a living accommodation, affiliated with the pub. In 2019, known as Honeysuckle Cottage, a tiled porch was erected over this doorway by Malcolm and Judy Passmore, the current owners then of The Lion Inn.
On the right side of the photograph are two structures. The taller roofline is over what is addressed as No.2 Jubilee Terrace in modern times. Likely built in the late 18th or early 19th century (13), the front of this building actually straddles the right end of Brook Street and Jubilee Terrace, the street that begins at the corner and continues westward. On the Tithe Map of 1843 the lower building is set further back, a bit away from the Timberscombe stream that flows down this side of Brook Street. Like all of the structures in this photograph, these are former shops (if The Lion Inn is considered a "shop"), including a slaughterhouse at these two houses on the Tithe Map. There was also a forge at this location. By the 1844 to 1888 Ordnance Survey Map, the lower building was rebuilt, closer to the road with the bridge crossing the stream to it 's doorway.
By 1911, No. 2 Jubilee Terrace (then addressed as No. 1 Jubilee House) included a Boot, Shoe and Fancy Goods Shop, operated by Emma Williams (14). The lower building became the Grocer's and Draper's shop run by Robert and Henrietta (nee Bartram) Coles. His son, Ernie Bartram Coles lived with them, selling insurance at that time but later took over this site as a "Master Saddler and Grocer" (15). An empty sign post can be seen in front of the building. SP-196 is a Francis Frith photograph with the sign posted, reading "E. B. COLES SADDLER". At some point after the 17th century Brook House was gone, this property became known as "Brook House". Ernie Coles died in 1954 (16) and at the time this postcard was photographed, this may have been the property of his second wife, Lilian May (nee Pearson) Coles (17).
An older appearing automobile, visible on the postcard parked in the street, might suggest an earlier date than the 1950's. However the building in the centre of the postcard is Timberscombe's public house, The Lion Inn and a segment of "THE LION INN" is visible painted under a first storey window on the right. This lettering was painted c. 1955 (as seen as SP-009), suggesting this postcard does dates from that time. It was not likely photographed after 1961, as the first two buildings on the left side of Brook Street, as seen here, are probably gone after that date.
The first thatched building on the left is the former S. J. Stenner's Butcher Shop, with a shop window still visible on it' s front, just beyond the suggestion of a doorway. (This can all be seen more clearly at SP-196.) Past the window, the frontage continues, on the same level, with the facade of the semi-detached former Stenner family home that was known as Brook House, a building that may have had 17th century origins (3).
The butcher shop had been operated by Samuel James Stenner, born at Timberscombe in 1888 (4), the son of Samuel and Jane (nee Hale) Stenner, who were proprietors of the Lion Inn (5). Samuel James Stenner lived at Brook House with his wife, Adelaide Julia (nee Carter)Stenner and their children. He died there in 1926 at the age of 38 (6) and Mrs. Stenner and the children shortly moved to No. 6 Bemberry Bank, on the western end of the village. By the time of the 1939 England and Wales Register, the shop had been converted to a residence, apparently absorbed into Brook House (7).
Both of the former shop and Brook House were later demolished, as seen at SP-033. The date of the demolition is not clear. Victoria County History cites that a listed Timberscombe Cottage was demolished in 1961 but also records that the 17th century Brook House house was torn down in the 1970's. Most residents believe it was demolished earlier than that. In 2019, a photograph visible at SP-101 was donated to The Lion Inn by John Berry, the son of former proprietors, Mr. and Mrs. D. G. Barry. Parts of the former butcher shop and Brook House can be seen in the background, looking a bit rough but still standing. The photograph is stamped on the reverse with "OCTOBER 1961".
A photograph, likely from the early 1920's, is at SP-030 showing the front of Brook House with young Agnes Stenner, a daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Stenner, standing in the doorway, which only underscores the loss of this building --especially as it was replaced with a car park, which only lasted a short time (8). A new house, Rice Cottage was later built toward the rear of the property, with it 's front garden in the area of the lost buildings.
Because of the angle of the photograph seen here, a third building, semi-detached to the right of Brook House, is not visible. This cottage, later known as Ye Olde Malthouse, also has been a former butcher's shop, known as Burnell's and later as Bond's (9). Ye Olde Malthouse's origins may also be 17th century as it and the demolished properties appear on the 1843 Timberscombe Tithe Map as one large holding. Ye Olde Malthouse survived the demolition and indeed in 2021 was the long time home of Maurice Huxtable, the donor of this postcard. In 2023 its name was slightly altered to The Old Malt House.
Past The Old Malt House, are two more cottages, both visible here and both still standing in modern times. Brooklyn is seen with a gabled porch in this photograph (and with the automobile parked in front) and Butterflies is at the end of the row. These are also former shops. Early in the 20th century, Butterflies and perhaps Brooklyn were R. Poole's Shop, a Grocer, Tailor and Draper, run by Mr. and Mrs. Robert Poole (10). By the time of the 1939 Register, these were collectively known as The Stores, operated by Ethel Hyde, although at least until World War II, the people of Timberscombe still referred to them as "Poole's" (11). In modern times, Butterflies, although having been a residence for a long time, still retains a storefront-style window, as does The Old Malt House.
What is seen here of The Lion is it 's left northern wall. The pub's main entrance faces west. Public houses have been at this spot at least since the 1600's. The Boot was an alehouse on this site in 1820, which was partly rebuilt and with new owners became Lion Inn, c. 1841 (12). Two doors are visible toward the left back end of this wall, with the right door usually a work entrance to the pub. The other door has most often been the entrance to a living accommodation, affiliated with the pub. In 2019, known as Honeysuckle Cottage, a tiled porch was erected over this doorway by Malcolm and Judy Passmore, the current owners then of The Lion Inn.
On the right side of the photograph are two structures. The taller roofline is over what is addressed as No.2 Jubilee Terrace in modern times. Likely built in the late 18th or early 19th century (13), the front of this building actually straddles the right end of Brook Street and Jubilee Terrace, the street that begins at the corner and continues westward. On the Tithe Map of 1843 the lower building is set further back, a bit away from the Timberscombe stream that flows down this side of Brook Street. Like all of the structures in this photograph, these are former shops (if The Lion Inn is considered a "shop"), including a slaughterhouse at these two houses on the Tithe Map. There was also a forge at this location. By the 1844 to 1888 Ordnance Survey Map, the lower building was rebuilt, closer to the road with the bridge crossing the stream to it 's doorway.
By 1911, No. 2 Jubilee Terrace (then addressed as No. 1 Jubilee House) included a Boot, Shoe and Fancy Goods Shop, operated by Emma Williams (14). The lower building became the Grocer's and Draper's shop run by Robert and Henrietta (nee Bartram) Coles. His son, Ernie Bartram Coles lived with them, selling insurance at that time but later took over this site as a "Master Saddler and Grocer" (15). An empty sign post can be seen in front of the building. SP-196 is a Francis Frith photograph with the sign posted, reading "E. B. COLES SADDLER". At some point after the 17th century Brook House was gone, this property became known as "Brook House". Ernie Coles died in 1954 (16) and at the time this postcard was photographed, this may have been the property of his second wife, Lilian May (nee Pearson) Coles (17).
Creator
L. T. Blackmore, Blackmore Series, Minehead
Source
Publisher
Blackmore Series, Minehead
Date
c. 1950s
Contributor
Format
Language
English
Identifier
the southern end of Brook Street, c. 1950's / Timberscombe / village centre
Acquisition Date
2020
Acquisition Method
Gift
Category
PLACES: Village Streets / Timberscombe
Condition
Good
Condition Notes
entered by Tom Sperling
Condition Date
2021
Dimension Type
W X L
Dimension Units
cm
Dimension Value
10.5 X 17
Institution Name
St. Petrock's History Group
Notes
(1) postcards.wikidot.com/ publishers-series (2) "A to Z of Minehead and Dunster, Places-People-History"by Lynne Carter, Amberley Publishing Limited, 15 June 2019 (3) VictoriaCountyHistory.ac.uk and Historic Environment Record, Exmoor National Park , MSO10611 (4) England & Wales, Civil Registration Birth Index, 1837-1915 (5) 1911 England Census (6) England and Wales, National Probate Calendar (Index of Wills and Administrations) 1858-1995 (7) 1939 England and Wales Register (8) as recalled in 2019 by Wendy Hellewell of The Bracken, Hole's Square, Timberscombe (9) as recalled in 2019 by John Gratton and Mary Holcombe, longtime residents of Timberscombe (10) a 1909 photograph of R. Poole's Shop is at SP-034 (11) as written in "AWAY & HOME Somerset and Essex 1939-1945", a 2016 memoir by Pat Herniman, published by Papermill Books, Little Baddow, in association with The Little Baddow History Centre (12) VCH (13) VCH (14) 1911 England Census (15) 1939 England and Wales Register (16) England & Wales, National Probate Calendar (Index of Wills and Administrations) 1858-1995 (17) England & Wales, Civil Registration Marriage Index, 1916-2007
Storage Location
St. Petrock's History Group Archive
Storage Date
2021
Storage Notes
St. Petrock's History Group PHOTOGRAPHS
Item Reference
SP-195
Citation
L. T. Blackmore, Blackmore Series, Minehead, “A Blackmore Series Postcard of Timberscombe's Brook Street, c. 1950's,” St. Petrock's History Group, accessed May 15, 2024, https://stpetrockshistorygroup.omeka.net/items/show/3466.
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