The Weddings of Lily Stenner and Bessie Stenner at St. Petrock's, in 1908 and 1915
Title
The Weddings of Lily Stenner and Bessie Stenner at St. Petrock's, in 1908 and 1915
Subject
Description
The top two photographs offer striking views of the closing ceremonies of early 20th century weddings at St. Petrock's Church in Timberscombe. The brides are sisters, which surely accounts for some of the similarities in the photographs but cannot predict the differences in the futures of these young women.
The upper photograph is the wedding of Lily Jane Stenner and Thomas Willy on 25 November 1908 (1). The photograph below it depicts the wedding on the 30th of November 1915, of Elizabeth Ann Stenner and Walter John Copp (2). Both couples, leaving the church after their vows, are at the bottom (or near the bottom) of the cobblestone steps that lead up to church, where St. Petrock's tower can be seen looming above. Not surprisingly the 18th century cottage to the left of the steps is called Church Steps Cottage (3). At both marriages, on and at the top of these steps are family and guests, some with garlands.
The most obvious difference in the photographs is the horse and carriage awaiting the second couple, now wedded and called Elizabeth Ann and Walter John Copp --although she was always known as Bessie to everyone. The parents of both brides were Samuel and Jane (nee Hale) Stenner, who were the proprietors of The Lion, the public house located immediately across the street and where both young women lived at the time of their marriages (4). Lily's husband, Tom Willy (yes, she was now Lily Willy) was born in 1884 at South Petherton, Somerset and at the time of his marriage was living at Haselbury Plucknett, Yeovil, Somerset (5). Lily and Tom look to be walking straight over to the pub, no doubt for their reception. Walter Copp was a tailor, born in 1889 at Wootton Couteney, where he still lived and worked (6). It is possible they were going to be driven there, although it seems likely Mr. and Mrs. Stenner would also be having a reception for their youngest child at The Lion. Tom Willy was a young farmer from another region. Likely the carriage for Bessie and Walter had more to do with the fact that the Stenner and Copp families were two of the oldest and most established families of Timberscombe and Wootton Courtenay (7).
Bessie and Walter's approach to the carriage from the church steps may have been a bit staged. The bottom photograph shows the couple exiting the churchyard from it's northwestern gate. A young man, perhaps with some sort of instrument or equipment on his back, is almost bowing in front of Walter, who appears to be dropping something into his hand. Guests are observing Walter and Bessie from St. Petrock's North Porch, where they would have exited the church. The path from the North Porch to the northwest gate curves and slopes easily. If it was rainy--which the foreground of the bottom photograph suggests is possible--the cobblestones on St. Petrock's Church steps were (and are) notoriously slick. And Bessie is certainly not wearing flats. It would also be interesting to know what Walter has on his head.
(Also seen in the bottom photograph, is another boy in front of a lamp that no longer exists. This is where a red telephone box, constructed in the original design of Sir Giles Gilbert Scott, will later be erected and in 1989, will be Grade II listed.) (8)
Lily was the third child of Samuel and Jane Stenner, who also had three sons, Samuel, who died in his first year (9), John Hale, known as Jack (10) and Samuel James (11). Lily was 22-years-old when she married. A closer photograph, taken of her and Tom when they were engaged, is at SP-XXX. After the wedding, Lily returned to Yeovil with her husband, where they lived at South Farm in West Coker (12). They had two children, Aubrey Vincent S. Willy, born in 1911 and Dorothy Lily Willy, born in 1917 (13). The young family can be seen at South Farm at SP-XXX.
Sadly, Lily died in 1919, a victim of the Spanish influenza (14). Her death was recorded as being in the Lambeth district of London (15), likely being taken there in hopes of treatment that might save her. The rest of Lily's family survived, with Aubrey and Dorothy included in later photographs taken among their cousins, the children of Jack, Samuel James and Bessie. Tom Willy died in 1972 at Haselbury Plucknett (16).
Bessie was 24-years-old when she married (17). A closer photograph of her and Walter on their wedding day is at SP-292. They had two sons, Leonard, born in 1917 and Cyril, born in 1918 (18). Leonard died in 1922 during an outbreak of Scarlet Fever (19). After their marriage and while Walter was serving during World War I with the Army's Labour Corps, Bessie was living at Great House Farm on Church Street, which her father also farmed (20). Great House Farm is where Leonard was born (21). His loss may have prompted Bessie and Walter to relocate into the newly built No. 5 Council (22) on the road probably still called Addison's Folly. The road later became Bemberry Bank, with the house renamed No. 5 Bemberry Bank. Bessie's brother, Samuel James died at the age of 38 in 1926 (23), possibly from complications of a later Scarlet Fever epidemic. His widow, Adelaide Julia (nee Carter) Stenner moved next door to the Copp family, along with her four children. Her family was at No. 6 Bemberry Bank for three more generations (24).
Walter Copp passed away at No 5 Bemberry Bank in 1970 (25). Bessie outlived him and all of her siblings. Jack Stenner, who had lived for a time with Lily and Tom Willey at South Farm (26), had married May Trott of West Coker in 1912 (27). With their two children, they moved back to Minehead by 1939 (28). Jack worked as a dairyman and died in 1964 (29). In her later years, Bessie Copp moved to 3 Hareback Terrace in Alcombe, dying on 9 April 1982 (30). She was buried at St. Petrock's Churchyard (31).
The upper photograph is the wedding of Lily Jane Stenner and Thomas Willy on 25 November 1908 (1). The photograph below it depicts the wedding on the 30th of November 1915, of Elizabeth Ann Stenner and Walter John Copp (2). Both couples, leaving the church after their vows, are at the bottom (or near the bottom) of the cobblestone steps that lead up to church, where St. Petrock's tower can be seen looming above. Not surprisingly the 18th century cottage to the left of the steps is called Church Steps Cottage (3). At both marriages, on and at the top of these steps are family and guests, some with garlands.
The most obvious difference in the photographs is the horse and carriage awaiting the second couple, now wedded and called Elizabeth Ann and Walter John Copp --although she was always known as Bessie to everyone. The parents of both brides were Samuel and Jane (nee Hale) Stenner, who were the proprietors of The Lion, the public house located immediately across the street and where both young women lived at the time of their marriages (4). Lily's husband, Tom Willy (yes, she was now Lily Willy) was born in 1884 at South Petherton, Somerset and at the time of his marriage was living at Haselbury Plucknett, Yeovil, Somerset (5). Lily and Tom look to be walking straight over to the pub, no doubt for their reception. Walter Copp was a tailor, born in 1889 at Wootton Couteney, where he still lived and worked (6). It is possible they were going to be driven there, although it seems likely Mr. and Mrs. Stenner would also be having a reception for their youngest child at The Lion. Tom Willy was a young farmer from another region. Likely the carriage for Bessie and Walter had more to do with the fact that the Stenner and Copp families were two of the oldest and most established families of Timberscombe and Wootton Courtenay (7).
Bessie and Walter's approach to the carriage from the church steps may have been a bit staged. The bottom photograph shows the couple exiting the churchyard from it's northwestern gate. A young man, perhaps with some sort of instrument or equipment on his back, is almost bowing in front of Walter, who appears to be dropping something into his hand. Guests are observing Walter and Bessie from St. Petrock's North Porch, where they would have exited the church. The path from the North Porch to the northwest gate curves and slopes easily. If it was rainy--which the foreground of the bottom photograph suggests is possible--the cobblestones on St. Petrock's Church steps were (and are) notoriously slick. And Bessie is certainly not wearing flats. It would also be interesting to know what Walter has on his head.
(Also seen in the bottom photograph, is another boy in front of a lamp that no longer exists. This is where a red telephone box, constructed in the original design of Sir Giles Gilbert Scott, will later be erected and in 1989, will be Grade II listed.) (8)
Lily was the third child of Samuel and Jane Stenner, who also had three sons, Samuel, who died in his first year (9), John Hale, known as Jack (10) and Samuel James (11). Lily was 22-years-old when she married. A closer photograph, taken of her and Tom when they were engaged, is at SP-XXX. After the wedding, Lily returned to Yeovil with her husband, where they lived at South Farm in West Coker (12). They had two children, Aubrey Vincent S. Willy, born in 1911 and Dorothy Lily Willy, born in 1917 (13). The young family can be seen at South Farm at SP-XXX.
Sadly, Lily died in 1919, a victim of the Spanish influenza (14). Her death was recorded as being in the Lambeth district of London (15), likely being taken there in hopes of treatment that might save her. The rest of Lily's family survived, with Aubrey and Dorothy included in later photographs taken among their cousins, the children of Jack, Samuel James and Bessie. Tom Willy died in 1972 at Haselbury Plucknett (16).
Bessie was 24-years-old when she married (17). A closer photograph of her and Walter on their wedding day is at SP-292. They had two sons, Leonard, born in 1917 and Cyril, born in 1918 (18). Leonard died in 1922 during an outbreak of Scarlet Fever (19). After their marriage and while Walter was serving during World War I with the Army's Labour Corps, Bessie was living at Great House Farm on Church Street, which her father also farmed (20). Great House Farm is where Leonard was born (21). His loss may have prompted Bessie and Walter to relocate into the newly built No. 5 Council (22) on the road probably still called Addison's Folly. The road later became Bemberry Bank, with the house renamed No. 5 Bemberry Bank. Bessie's brother, Samuel James died at the age of 38 in 1926 (23), possibly from complications of a later Scarlet Fever epidemic. His widow, Adelaide Julia (nee Carter) Stenner moved next door to the Copp family, along with her four children. Her family was at No. 6 Bemberry Bank for three more generations (24).
Walter Copp passed away at No 5 Bemberry Bank in 1970 (25). Bessie outlived him and all of her siblings. Jack Stenner, who had lived for a time with Lily and Tom Willey at South Farm (26), had married May Trott of West Coker in 1912 (27). With their two children, they moved back to Minehead by 1939 (28). Jack worked as a dairyman and died in 1964 (29). In her later years, Bessie Copp moved to 3 Hareback Terrace in Alcombe, dying on 9 April 1982 (30). She was buried at St. Petrock's Churchyard (31).
Creator
Anonymous /
Anonymous /
Anonymous /
Anonymous /
Anonymous /
Source
Date
1908
1915
1915
1915
1915
Contributor
Language
English
Identifier
the weddings of Lily Stenner and Tom Willy, 1908 and Elizabeth Ann Stenner and Walter John Copp, 1915 / St. Petrock's Church, Timberscombe / village centre
Acquisition Date
2019
Acquisition Method
Gift
Category
PLACES: Churches and Chapels / Timberscombe
PEOPLE: Named / Timberscombe
PEOPLE: Named / Timberscombe
Condition
Good
Condition Notes
Entered by Tom Sperling
Condition Date
2021
Dimension Type
W X L
Dimension Units
cm
Dimension Value
20 X 13
17 X 13
18.5 X 12.5
17 X 13
18.5 X 12.5
Institution Name
St. Petrock's History Group
Notes
(1) England & Wales, Civil Registration Marriage Index, 1837-1915 (2) England & Wales, Civil Registration Marriage Index, 1837-1915 (3) Historic Environment Record, Exmoor National Park, MEM 24590 (4) 1911 England Census (5) 1911 England Census and Somerset, England, Marriages Registers, Bonds and Allegations, 1754-1915 (6) 1911 England Census (7) examples: William Stainer (as "Stenner" was spelled) was baptised, the son of William and Joan Stainer on 30 October 1658 and in 1742 William Huxtable married Mary Copp, as recorded in "TIMBERSCOMBE PARISH REGISTERS", transcribed by T.L. Stoate, Harry Galloway Publishing, 1995 (8) Historic Environment Record, Exmoor National Park, MSO10261 (9) England & Wales, Civil Registration Death Index, 1837-1915 (10) England & Wales, Civil Registration Birth Index, 1837-1915 (11) Somerset, England, Church of England Baptisms, 1813-1914 (12) 1911 England Census (13) FindMyPast.com, England and Wales Births, 1837-1915 (14) England & Wales, Civil Registration Death Index, 1916-2007 and as recalled by Cyril Copp to the Timberscombe School, c. 1990 (15) England & Wales, Civil Registration Death Index, 1916-2007 (16) England & Wales, Civil Registration Death Index, 1916-2007 (17) 1939 England and Wales Register (18) England & Wales, Civil Registration Birth Indexes, 1916-2007 (19) England & Wales, Civil Registration Death Index, 1916-2007 and Timberscombe School LOG BOOK, 3 April 1910 to 25 March 1947 (20) 1911 England Census and UK, British Army, World War I Medal Rolls Index and Cards, 1914-1921 (where Walter Copp's Next of Kin was noted as his wife, Elizabeth Ann Copp at Great House Farm) (21) a photograph of Walter and Bessie Copp with their newborn son, Leonard, as seen at SP-291, was dated and labelled as February, 1917 at Great House Farm by the Copp family (22) 1939 England and Wales Register (23) England and Wales, National Probate Calendar (Index of Wills and Allegations), 1858-1995 (24) both the Copp family and the Stenner family were respectively at Nos. 5 and 6 Bemberry Bank in 1939 and Samuel (Sammy) Stenner, the son of Samuel James and Julia Stenner, raised his family at No. 6, as recalled in 2019 by Andy and Sarah Heard, who purchased No. 6 from the Stenner family (25) England and Wales, National Probate Calendar (Index of Wills and Allegations), 1858-1995 (26) 1911 England Census (27) England & Wales, Civil Registration Marriage Index, 1837-1915 (28) 1939 England and Wales Register (29) England and Wales, National Probate Calendar (Index of Wills and Allegations), 1858-1995 and FindMyPast.com, England and Wales Deaths, 1837-2007 (30) England and Wales, National Probate Calendar (Index of Wills and Allegations), 1858-1995 (31) UK and Ireland, Find A Grave Index, 1300s-Current
Storage Location
St. Petrock's History Group Archive
Storage Date
2021
Storage Notes
St. Petrock's History Group PHOTOGRAPHS
Item Reference
SP-066
Technique
Copies
Citation
Anonymous /
Anonymous /
Anonymous /, “The Weddings of Lily Stenner and Bessie Stenner at St. Petrock's, in 1908 and 1915,” St. Petrock's History Group, accessed May 1, 2024, https://stpetrockshistorygroup.omeka.net/items/show/3493.
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