The Timberscombe Team at the West Somerset Primary Schools' Athletic Sports Event, 1957
Title
The Timberscombe Team at the West Somerset Primary Schools' Athletic Sports Event, 1957
Subject
Description
On the 26th of June 1957, the young Timberscombe School athletes in this photograph participated in the annual West Somerset Primary Schools' Athletic Sports, held that year in Porlock. They not only participated, they brought home the Kendall Cup, awarded to the school, with less than sixty students on their roll, that gained the largest number of points after a day of flat races, jumps, relays, hurdles and the throwing of cricket and rounders balls. Likely Timberscombe beat out Carhampton, Allerford and Sellworthy, Withycombe, Exford, Luxborough, Stogumber, St. Teresea of Minehead and West Quantoxhead (1).
The athletes and a few parents had left Timberscombe at 1 PM in George Burnell's coach, coming from Wootton Courtenay. During the games, "Boys" and "Girls" competed separately but they are certainly photographed here as a unified team. A dinner was held after the conclusion of events and then the children were "brought home with great glee"--or so their Head Teacher, Mrs. Kathleen A Willis, wrote in the school's Log Book (2).
In 2022, three of their classmates (at various times), Joy (nee Land) Booth (having returned to the village in 2008), Trevor Ball ( still of Timberscombe) and Jennifer (nee Bond) Hansford (living in Dorchester) helped in identifying some of the competitors.
Sitting on the left end of the front row is June Eileen Baker, the daughter of Billy and Muriel Annie (nee Huxtable) Baker. Born in 1948, June was admitted to Timberscombe School on 31 August 1953 when her address was given as Brook House (3), the home, for at least 170 years, of the Huxtable family (4). It was (and is) located at the curve of Brook Street when it turns toward the centre of the village and was previously known as Pump Cottage and in the 1980's became Tiki Cottage. In 1959, June transferred to Minehead Second Modern and in 1974 she married Steven M. Creech of Allerford, where they settled (5).
Past three boys next to June, the small blonde girl is Elizabeth Slade, the daughter of Walter J. and Ivy (nee Delbridge) Slade. At the age of 5, Elizabeth began school on 18 July 1955, although on the 28th of November she ran away from Timberscombe School, back to her home at Meadow View. Her mum returned her. Turning 14, Elizabeth also transferred to Minehead Second Modern (6). She married Kenneth G. Holloway in 1972 at Bathavon, Somerset (7).
The dark haired girl to the right of Elizabeth is Jean Stenner and Jenny Hansford identified the girl kneeling behind her (to Jean's right) as Jean's sister, Sheila Stenner. The Stenner family had been in Timberscombe since at least the mid-17th century (8) and the girls' father was Sam (Sammy) Stenner and their mother was Contance (nee Burns) Stenner (9). When Sheila and Jean enrolled at Timberscombe, respectively in 1951 and 1952, they lived at No. 5 Willow Bank and in 1958, they both went to Minehead Second Modern (10). Jean married Edward Kent in 1969 and they moved to Exford and Sheila married Leslie J. Rush in 1967, going to Washford (11).
The blonde girl kneeling to the left of Jean Stenner is Shirley Ann Prole. Born in 1947, she entered Timberscombe School on the 3rd of March 1952, with her address given as the South Lodge, the former front gateway to the Knowle Manor (12). On the 25th of June 1958, Shirley was one of ten candidates (also including Jean Stenner and Trevor Ball) chosen to take the Allocution (Intelligence) Examination . After taking the test, it was revealed that the answers had been previously printed in the daily newspapers and the children were notified they would have to take a "fresh" test on 18 February (13)--which must have been excruciating. In 1965, Shirley Prole married John Fry (14). In the early 1970's, Shirley Ann Fry lived at No. 7, the Glebe in Timberscombe, while her young sons, Richard, David and Kelvin attended Timberscombe School. In February 1974, the family moved away (15).
A sister and brother, Olwen Mary French and William (Bill) Murray French began at the school on 29 August 1955, having arrived from Ealing and now living at Stowey Cottage on Stowey Farm (16). Born in 1948 at Ealing, Middlesex, Olwen (17) is seated on the right end of the front row. Later, she transferred to Minehead Grammar School and in 1973, still in Exmoor, Olwen married Anthony J. Bond (18).
Bill French stands on the right end of the back row. He was born at Hammersmith, London in 1946. A little more than a month after this photograph was taken and having turned 11, in September 1957 Bill was old enough to transfer to Sexeys, an all-boys boarding school in Bruton, Somerset--it became co-educational in 1977 (19). He appears to have married Margaret Burkill at Cambridge in 1968 and continued to reside at Stapleford, a village four miles away from Cambridge (20). At this time Bill French is the only boy securely identified. Guesses and suppositions can be made about some other children in the photograph and if any further athletes can be named, please contact us.
1957 was a good year for sports at Timbercombe school with resurfacing being made to the existing playground and the laying out of a new playground (21). Plans were made to hold a first annual Timberscombe School Sports afternoon at the Timberscombe playground on the 11th of June 1957, commencing at 2:30 PM. Mr. Willis, the husband of Mrs. Willis, carefully planned and laid out the fields for various sporting events. Unfortunately, rain began at midday, postponing the activities to the next day. On the 12th, the rains were even heavier and the first annual Timberscombe School Sports was cancelled (22).
Nevertheless when the next West Somerset Primary Schools' Athletic Sports rolled around on 2 July 1958, this time held at Dunster, Timberscombe School again brought home the Kendall Cup (23).
The athletes and a few parents had left Timberscombe at 1 PM in George Burnell's coach, coming from Wootton Courtenay. During the games, "Boys" and "Girls" competed separately but they are certainly photographed here as a unified team. A dinner was held after the conclusion of events and then the children were "brought home with great glee"--or so their Head Teacher, Mrs. Kathleen A Willis, wrote in the school's Log Book (2).
In 2022, three of their classmates (at various times), Joy (nee Land) Booth (having returned to the village in 2008), Trevor Ball ( still of Timberscombe) and Jennifer (nee Bond) Hansford (living in Dorchester) helped in identifying some of the competitors.
Sitting on the left end of the front row is June Eileen Baker, the daughter of Billy and Muriel Annie (nee Huxtable) Baker. Born in 1948, June was admitted to Timberscombe School on 31 August 1953 when her address was given as Brook House (3), the home, for at least 170 years, of the Huxtable family (4). It was (and is) located at the curve of Brook Street when it turns toward the centre of the village and was previously known as Pump Cottage and in the 1980's became Tiki Cottage. In 1959, June transferred to Minehead Second Modern and in 1974 she married Steven M. Creech of Allerford, where they settled (5).
Past three boys next to June, the small blonde girl is Elizabeth Slade, the daughter of Walter J. and Ivy (nee Delbridge) Slade. At the age of 5, Elizabeth began school on 18 July 1955, although on the 28th of November she ran away from Timberscombe School, back to her home at Meadow View. Her mum returned her. Turning 14, Elizabeth also transferred to Minehead Second Modern (6). She married Kenneth G. Holloway in 1972 at Bathavon, Somerset (7).
The dark haired girl to the right of Elizabeth is Jean Stenner and Jenny Hansford identified the girl kneeling behind her (to Jean's right) as Jean's sister, Sheila Stenner. The Stenner family had been in Timberscombe since at least the mid-17th century (8) and the girls' father was Sam (Sammy) Stenner and their mother was Contance (nee Burns) Stenner (9). When Sheila and Jean enrolled at Timberscombe, respectively in 1951 and 1952, they lived at No. 5 Willow Bank and in 1958, they both went to Minehead Second Modern (10). Jean married Edward Kent in 1969 and they moved to Exford and Sheila married Leslie J. Rush in 1967, going to Washford (11).
The blonde girl kneeling to the left of Jean Stenner is Shirley Ann Prole. Born in 1947, she entered Timberscombe School on the 3rd of March 1952, with her address given as the South Lodge, the former front gateway to the Knowle Manor (12). On the 25th of June 1958, Shirley was one of ten candidates (also including Jean Stenner and Trevor Ball) chosen to take the Allocution (Intelligence) Examination . After taking the test, it was revealed that the answers had been previously printed in the daily newspapers and the children were notified they would have to take a "fresh" test on 18 February (13)--which must have been excruciating. In 1965, Shirley Prole married John Fry (14). In the early 1970's, Shirley Ann Fry lived at No. 7, the Glebe in Timberscombe, while her young sons, Richard, David and Kelvin attended Timberscombe School. In February 1974, the family moved away (15).
A sister and brother, Olwen Mary French and William (Bill) Murray French began at the school on 29 August 1955, having arrived from Ealing and now living at Stowey Cottage on Stowey Farm (16). Born in 1948 at Ealing, Middlesex, Olwen (17) is seated on the right end of the front row. Later, she transferred to Minehead Grammar School and in 1973, still in Exmoor, Olwen married Anthony J. Bond (18).
Bill French stands on the right end of the back row. He was born at Hammersmith, London in 1946. A little more than a month after this photograph was taken and having turned 11, in September 1957 Bill was old enough to transfer to Sexeys, an all-boys boarding school in Bruton, Somerset--it became co-educational in 1977 (19). He appears to have married Margaret Burkill at Cambridge in 1968 and continued to reside at Stapleford, a village four miles away from Cambridge (20). At this time Bill French is the only boy securely identified. Guesses and suppositions can be made about some other children in the photograph and if any further athletes can be named, please contact us.
1957 was a good year for sports at Timbercombe school with resurfacing being made to the existing playground and the laying out of a new playground (21). Plans were made to hold a first annual Timberscombe School Sports afternoon at the Timberscombe playground on the 11th of June 1957, commencing at 2:30 PM. Mr. Willis, the husband of Mrs. Willis, carefully planned and laid out the fields for various sporting events. Unfortunately, rain began at midday, postponing the activities to the next day. On the 12th, the rains were even heavier and the first annual Timberscombe School Sports was cancelled (22).
Nevertheless when the next West Somerset Primary Schools' Athletic Sports rolled around on 2 July 1958, this time held at Dunster, Timberscombe School again brought home the Kendall Cup (23).
Creator
Anonymous
Source
Date
1957
Language
English
Identifier
1957 Timberscombe Schoolchildren participating in the West Somerset School Sports / Porlock
Acquisition Date
2019
Acquisition Method
Gift
Category
SPORTS / Timberscombe
PEOPLE : Named / Timberscombe
PEOPLE : Named / Timberscombe
Condition
Good
Condition Notes
entered by Tom Sperling
Condition Date
2022
Dimension Type
W X L
Dimension Units
cm
Dimension Value
11.5 X 14
Institution Name
St. Petrock's History Group
Notes
(1) programs for WEST SOMERSET PRIMARY SCHOOLS' ATHLETIC ASSOCIATION, ATHLETIC SPORTS at the Recreation Ground, Minehead, June 10th, 1964 and WEST SOMERSET PRIMARY SCHOOLS' ATHLETIC ASSOCIATION, ATHLETIC SPORTS at the Memorial Ground, Williton, June 29th, 1960 (2) Timberscombe School LOG BOOK, 21 April 1947 to 2 April 1968, page 160 (3) Timberscombe School ADMISSION REGISTER, 1944 to 2012, No. 842 (4) the Huxtable family has lived at this property since at least the 1841 England Census, when occupied by James and Maria Huxtable to the summer of 2021 when it was sold by Roger and Marion (nee Huxtable) Fewlass (5) England & Wales, Civil Registration Marriage Index, 1916-2005 (6) Timberscombe School ADMISSION REGISTER, No. 866 and Timberscombe School LOG BOOK, page 122 (7) England & Wales, Civil Registration Marriage Index, 1916-2005 (8) TIMBERSCOMBE PARISH REGISTERS, transcribed by T.L. Stoate, Harry Galloway Publishing, 1995 (9) England & Wales, Civil Registration Birth Index, 1916-2007 (10) Timberscombe School ADMISSION REGISTER, Nos. 812 and 800 (11) England & Wales, Civil Registration Marriage Indexes, 1916-2005 and UK, Electoral Registers, 2003-2010 (12) Timberscombe School ADMISSION REGISTER, No. 813 (13) Timberscombe School LOG BOOK, pages 169 and 170 (14) England & Wales, Civil Registration Marriage Index, 1916-2005 (15) Timberscombe School ADMISSION REGISTER, Nos. 1074, 1089 and 1119 (16) Timberscombe School ADMISSION REGISTER, Nos. 868 and 867 (17) England & Wales, Civil Registration Birth Index, 1916-2007 (18) England & Wales, Civil Registration Marriage Index, 1916-2005 (19) Timberscombe School ADMISSION REGISTER, No. 867 and Sexeys.Somerset@ sch.uk (20) England & Wales, Civil Registration Marriage Index, 1916-2005 and UK, Electoral Register, 2003-2010 (21) Timberscombe School LOG BOOK, page 155 and Timberscombe School MINUTES BOOK, 3 April 1930 to 4 June 1974, page 204 (22) Timberscombe School LOG BOOK, page 161 (23) Timberscombe School LOG BOOK, page 179
Storage Location
St, Petrock's History Group Archive
Storage Date
2022
Storage Notes
St. Petrock's History Group PHOTOGRAPHS
Item Reference
SP-085
Technique
Copy
Citation
Anonymous, “The Timberscombe Team at the West Somerset Primary Schools' Athletic Sports Event, 1957,” St. Petrock's History Group, accessed May 18, 2024, https://stpetrockshistorygroup.omeka.net/items/show/3522.
Comments