THE BREWER FAMILY, part 1: Thomas William Brewer and Margaret Matilda (nee Knight) Brewer-- following Thomas Brewers in Timberscombe since at least 1760
Title
THE BREWER FAMILY, part 1: Thomas William Brewer and Margaret Matilda (nee Knight) Brewer-- following Thomas Brewers in Timberscombe since at least 1760
Subject
Description
When Thomas William Brewer died on 12 January 1930 (1), his obituary was headlined "PASSING OF AN OLD PARISHIONER ". It went on to say that he had "passed peacefully away, after a very short illness, in his 88th year". Pictured here in all four photographs, Mr. Brewer had been born at Timberscombe on 22 November 1842. The obituary also conveyed that he came from a remarkable family and a line of Thomas Brewers, all living in the village for at least 150 years, making note that there were "still two more to carry on an honoured name" (2). His son, Thomas William Brewer Junr., is pictured at SP-279 and his grandson, Thomas William Fletcher Brewer is featured at SP-281, the last of the Thomas Brewers. However it appears that the obituary's claim of 150 years of Thomas Brewers in Timberscombe falls a bit short. There was a Thomas Brewer in the village at least by 1760, 170 years before 1930.
Thomas Brewer, the father of the Thomas William Brewer pictured here, was born and baptised at Timberscombe in 1808. He married Fanny Baker in 1827 (3) and lived and worked at Slade Farm, where Thomas William was born, their fourth son and fifth child (4). Fanny died in 1853 (5) when Thomas William was eleven. Her husband lived until 1897 and they are both buried at St. Petrock's in Timberscombe (6).
The father of Thomas Brewer of Slade Farm (and the grandfather of Thomas William) was also Thomas Brewer, who had been born and baptised at Timberscombe in 1778 (7). He married Sarah Smith at Minehead on 30 April 1803 (8) and had died at Timberscombe in 1850 (9). He too was the son of a Thomas Brewer, buried at St. Petrock's in 1799 (10). On 21 April 1764, this Thomas Brewer had married Grace Davis of Timberscombe at St. Petrock's. Their ceremony was officiated by George Knyfton, the vicar of St. Petrock's from 1755 to 1797 (11). Grace's father, Thomas Davis, was a butcher and her new husband (whose name was spelled as "Bruer" at the time) had been his indentured apprentice, whose Register of Duties were paid off on 26 April 1760 in Timberscombe (12). Indeed young Thomas Bruer was likely in the village before then, when working for Mr. Davis. By the time he and Grace baptised their son in 1778, their surname had become "Brewer"--which 230 years after his apprenticeship was paid, became the name of Timberscombe's Village Green.
(The apprentice, Thomas Bruer was likely born in 1733 at Wellington, Somerset, the son of Jamas Bruer. After Thomas Bruer married Grace Davis, they named their other son, born in Timberscombe, James Brewer (13).)
The great-grandson of that first Thomas Brewer in Timberscombe, Thomas William Brewer, was a carpenter by trade, renowned for his cabinets and oak tables. He began work at a young age-- if his obituary is believed, which states he worked as a carpenter for over 80 years, always using wood from the Knowle Estate. His longterm association with the estate may have been a factor later in life when the Brewer family home, Sunnyside, was built.
As a young man, Mr. Brewer began playing the flute at St. Petrock's Church, remaining interested in music for life. The summer before his passing, he journeyed to Minehead several times to listen to the Gordon's Highlander's Band, a Pipes and Drum Regimental Band of the Gordon Highlanders Regimental Line Infantry of the British Army from 1881 to 1994 (14).
At the age of 23 and on the last day of 1867, Thomas William Brewer married 19-year old Fanny Palfrey in Carhampton, the daughter of William Palfrey, a farmer and Mary (nee Jones) Palfrey (15). Thomas and Fanny had two daughters, Laura Jane, born 1868 and who died in 1873 and Helena Fanny, born 1870. They were followed by Thomas and Fanny's only son, born in 1872, also named Thomas William and often identified, as Thomas William Brewer, Junr. Another daughter, Florence Jane was born in 1873. In 1879, around the age of 31 and with three surviving children under the age of ten, Fanny Brewer died and on the 8th of June, was buried at St. Petrock's (16).
( At the time she was born, Fanny's father, William Palfrey had worked at Slade Farm (17) so he and Fanny's mother, Mary Palfrey, would have known Thomas Brewer, the father of her husband. As stated above, Fanny's husband's mother, the also-named Fanny Brewer, had died in 1853. William Palfrey had died in Carhampton on 24 June 1865 (18). His wife, Mary, was fifteen years younger than him. On 11 April, 1868, the widowed Mary Palfrey married the widower, Thomas Brewer (19), making Thomas William Brewer's former mother-in-law now his stepmother. The new Mary Brewer joined her new husband at Slade Farm, where they remained the rest of their lives (20). As stated above, he died in 1897 and she died in 1891 (21). Mary is also buried at St. Petrock's (22).)
Twenty years after the death of Fanny and at the age of 57, Thomas William Brewer married 52-year-old Margaret Matilda Knight, seen in the lower three photographs. Mostly using the name of Margaret (it is the one name on her gravestone), she had been born in Cold Ashton, Gloucestershire to William, an agricultural labourer and Ann (nee Millener) Knight in 1847, the 5th of at least eight children (23). For most of her life, Margaret had worked as a domestic servant for two families at Chipping Sodbury, Gloucestershire and Walcot, in the borough of Bath (24). Her marriage to Thomas was her first marriage, on 19 December 1899, held at Christ Church in Kensington and Chelsea, London. That might seem a surprise but at the time Thomas was listed as a Carpenter living at 88 Redesdale Street, Chelsea and Margaret's address was 11 Rossetti Gardens (with "Mansions" added to the address in modern times) also in Chelsea, just around the corner from Thomas (25).
It is not clear when the newlyweds returned to Somerset but around 1904, the right end of Cowbridge Mill was converted into a residence, then known as Mill House, later called Higher View. Thomas and Margaret were the first occupants (26). On 24 April 1905, the son of Thomas, Thomas William Brewer, Junr., now 32-years-old, was in Warmley, Gloucestershire marrying 27 year-old Maud Kate Fletcher --the niece of his stepmother, the now-named Margaret Matilda Brewer (27). Maud Kate was the daughter of Mary Jane (nee Knight) Fletcher, a younger sister of Margaret(28). The newlyweds also returned to Timberscombe, eventually moving into the house called The Dell, one building away from Cowbridge Mill and Mill House. The first child of Thomas and Maud Kate, Florence Mary Brewer was born in 1906 , soon to be followed by Thomas William Fletcher, Margaret (Maggie) Bessie, John Thomas and Ellen Kate (Nellie)(29).
Both Brewer families would have leased their homes, as Cowbridge Mill and The Dell were both part of the Knowle Estate, which included over a third of the land of Timberscombe Parish by the mid-19th century (30). On the 20th of July 1916, the Knowle Estate was divided into 68 lots, to be sold at a public auction held at the Luttrell Arms Hotel in Dunster--which included the Brewer homes. Adjoining the western end of the lot containing The Dell were two more lots, listed as Nos. 31 and 32. Both were described in the Sales Particular, with No. 32 being "valuable Water Meadow Land". Lot 31 consisted of a "Close of Freehold Water Meadow", with a small orchard and frontage along the Old Dunster Road, which connected Dunster and Timberscombe. The listing also reported that this lot was currently being rented at 10 shillings a year by "Mr. T. Brewer, Junr.". On the day of the auction, neither lot was sold (31).
Likely a deal had already been made. On the 29th of September 1916, the Trustees of the Knowle Estate officially sold Lots 31 and 32. Both Thomas Brewers. would have been known to them. The elder had used Knowle Estate timber for carpentry during his entire career and his son was currently leasing the land. The purchaser however was their wife and stepmother, "Mrs. M.M. Brewer" who had paid £710, in Minehead on 16 October 1916 (32). Shortly afterwards both Thomas William Brewers began construction on the house that would be called Sunnyside, the home of the Brewer family for the rest of the century. Sunnyside can be seen on the second photograph, looking much as it does in modern times, with Margaret Matilda Brewer at the gate, looking every bit the proud owner.
Her husband continued his carpentry to the end, while also enjoying shooting, winning a silver cup that was much prized by the Brewer families and attending most Timberscombe cricket and football matches. Mr. Brewer was also remembered as a fine cook, who always helped prepare the annual dinner of the Timbercombe Friendly Society's annual Club Walk (33).
The third photograph depicts Thomas and Margaret Brewer in the earlier years of their marriage and the fourth is in the later years. All four photographs were shared in 2020 by Mrs. Jo Atkins of Minehead, the grand-daughter of Florence Mary (nee Brewer) Hensley (her married name and who is featured at SP-280).
Margaret remained the clear owner of Sunnyside. In her will, dated 1925, she bequeathed "the house, Sunnyside to my niece, Maud Kate Brewer and her children", but with the condition that it "shall be of the use of my husband, Thomas Brewer, as long as he lives"(34). Margaret Matilda Brewer died 24 February 1928, predeceasing Thomas William Brewer a little less than two years. They are buried together in the St. Petrock's Churchyard, along with his first wife, Fanny Palfrey Brewer (35).
Thomas Brewer, the father of the Thomas William Brewer pictured here, was born and baptised at Timberscombe in 1808. He married Fanny Baker in 1827 (3) and lived and worked at Slade Farm, where Thomas William was born, their fourth son and fifth child (4). Fanny died in 1853 (5) when Thomas William was eleven. Her husband lived until 1897 and they are both buried at St. Petrock's in Timberscombe (6).
The father of Thomas Brewer of Slade Farm (and the grandfather of Thomas William) was also Thomas Brewer, who had been born and baptised at Timberscombe in 1778 (7). He married Sarah Smith at Minehead on 30 April 1803 (8) and had died at Timberscombe in 1850 (9). He too was the son of a Thomas Brewer, buried at St. Petrock's in 1799 (10). On 21 April 1764, this Thomas Brewer had married Grace Davis of Timberscombe at St. Petrock's. Their ceremony was officiated by George Knyfton, the vicar of St. Petrock's from 1755 to 1797 (11). Grace's father, Thomas Davis, was a butcher and her new husband (whose name was spelled as "Bruer" at the time) had been his indentured apprentice, whose Register of Duties were paid off on 26 April 1760 in Timberscombe (12). Indeed young Thomas Bruer was likely in the village before then, when working for Mr. Davis. By the time he and Grace baptised their son in 1778, their surname had become "Brewer"--which 230 years after his apprenticeship was paid, became the name of Timberscombe's Village Green.
(The apprentice, Thomas Bruer was likely born in 1733 at Wellington, Somerset, the son of Jamas Bruer. After Thomas Bruer married Grace Davis, they named their other son, born in Timberscombe, James Brewer (13).)
The great-grandson of that first Thomas Brewer in Timberscombe, Thomas William Brewer, was a carpenter by trade, renowned for his cabinets and oak tables. He began work at a young age-- if his obituary is believed, which states he worked as a carpenter for over 80 years, always using wood from the Knowle Estate. His longterm association with the estate may have been a factor later in life when the Brewer family home, Sunnyside, was built.
As a young man, Mr. Brewer began playing the flute at St. Petrock's Church, remaining interested in music for life. The summer before his passing, he journeyed to Minehead several times to listen to the Gordon's Highlander's Band, a Pipes and Drum Regimental Band of the Gordon Highlanders Regimental Line Infantry of the British Army from 1881 to 1994 (14).
At the age of 23 and on the last day of 1867, Thomas William Brewer married 19-year old Fanny Palfrey in Carhampton, the daughter of William Palfrey, a farmer and Mary (nee Jones) Palfrey (15). Thomas and Fanny had two daughters, Laura Jane, born 1868 and who died in 1873 and Helena Fanny, born 1870. They were followed by Thomas and Fanny's only son, born in 1872, also named Thomas William and often identified, as Thomas William Brewer, Junr. Another daughter, Florence Jane was born in 1873. In 1879, around the age of 31 and with three surviving children under the age of ten, Fanny Brewer died and on the 8th of June, was buried at St. Petrock's (16).
( At the time she was born, Fanny's father, William Palfrey had worked at Slade Farm (17) so he and Fanny's mother, Mary Palfrey, would have known Thomas Brewer, the father of her husband. As stated above, Fanny's husband's mother, the also-named Fanny Brewer, had died in 1853. William Palfrey had died in Carhampton on 24 June 1865 (18). His wife, Mary, was fifteen years younger than him. On 11 April, 1868, the widowed Mary Palfrey married the widower, Thomas Brewer (19), making Thomas William Brewer's former mother-in-law now his stepmother. The new Mary Brewer joined her new husband at Slade Farm, where they remained the rest of their lives (20). As stated above, he died in 1897 and she died in 1891 (21). Mary is also buried at St. Petrock's (22).)
Twenty years after the death of Fanny and at the age of 57, Thomas William Brewer married 52-year-old Margaret Matilda Knight, seen in the lower three photographs. Mostly using the name of Margaret (it is the one name on her gravestone), she had been born in Cold Ashton, Gloucestershire to William, an agricultural labourer and Ann (nee Millener) Knight in 1847, the 5th of at least eight children (23). For most of her life, Margaret had worked as a domestic servant for two families at Chipping Sodbury, Gloucestershire and Walcot, in the borough of Bath (24). Her marriage to Thomas was her first marriage, on 19 December 1899, held at Christ Church in Kensington and Chelsea, London. That might seem a surprise but at the time Thomas was listed as a Carpenter living at 88 Redesdale Street, Chelsea and Margaret's address was 11 Rossetti Gardens (with "Mansions" added to the address in modern times) also in Chelsea, just around the corner from Thomas (25).
It is not clear when the newlyweds returned to Somerset but around 1904, the right end of Cowbridge Mill was converted into a residence, then known as Mill House, later called Higher View. Thomas and Margaret were the first occupants (26). On 24 April 1905, the son of Thomas, Thomas William Brewer, Junr., now 32-years-old, was in Warmley, Gloucestershire marrying 27 year-old Maud Kate Fletcher --the niece of his stepmother, the now-named Margaret Matilda Brewer (27). Maud Kate was the daughter of Mary Jane (nee Knight) Fletcher, a younger sister of Margaret(28). The newlyweds also returned to Timberscombe, eventually moving into the house called The Dell, one building away from Cowbridge Mill and Mill House. The first child of Thomas and Maud Kate, Florence Mary Brewer was born in 1906 , soon to be followed by Thomas William Fletcher, Margaret (Maggie) Bessie, John Thomas and Ellen Kate (Nellie)(29).
Both Brewer families would have leased their homes, as Cowbridge Mill and The Dell were both part of the Knowle Estate, which included over a third of the land of Timberscombe Parish by the mid-19th century (30). On the 20th of July 1916, the Knowle Estate was divided into 68 lots, to be sold at a public auction held at the Luttrell Arms Hotel in Dunster--which included the Brewer homes. Adjoining the western end of the lot containing The Dell were two more lots, listed as Nos. 31 and 32. Both were described in the Sales Particular, with No. 32 being "valuable Water Meadow Land". Lot 31 consisted of a "Close of Freehold Water Meadow", with a small orchard and frontage along the Old Dunster Road, which connected Dunster and Timberscombe. The listing also reported that this lot was currently being rented at 10 shillings a year by "Mr. T. Brewer, Junr.". On the day of the auction, neither lot was sold (31).
Likely a deal had already been made. On the 29th of September 1916, the Trustees of the Knowle Estate officially sold Lots 31 and 32. Both Thomas Brewers. would have been known to them. The elder had used Knowle Estate timber for carpentry during his entire career and his son was currently leasing the land. The purchaser however was their wife and stepmother, "Mrs. M.M. Brewer" who had paid £710, in Minehead on 16 October 1916 (32). Shortly afterwards both Thomas William Brewers began construction on the house that would be called Sunnyside, the home of the Brewer family for the rest of the century. Sunnyside can be seen on the second photograph, looking much as it does in modern times, with Margaret Matilda Brewer at the gate, looking every bit the proud owner.
Her husband continued his carpentry to the end, while also enjoying shooting, winning a silver cup that was much prized by the Brewer families and attending most Timberscombe cricket and football matches. Mr. Brewer was also remembered as a fine cook, who always helped prepare the annual dinner of the Timbercombe Friendly Society's annual Club Walk (33).
The third photograph depicts Thomas and Margaret Brewer in the earlier years of their marriage and the fourth is in the later years. All four photographs were shared in 2020 by Mrs. Jo Atkins of Minehead, the grand-daughter of Florence Mary (nee Brewer) Hensley (her married name and who is featured at SP-280).
Margaret remained the clear owner of Sunnyside. In her will, dated 1925, she bequeathed "the house, Sunnyside to my niece, Maud Kate Brewer and her children", but with the condition that it "shall be of the use of my husband, Thomas Brewer, as long as he lives"(34). Margaret Matilda Brewer died 24 February 1928, predeceasing Thomas William Brewer a little less than two years. They are buried together in the St. Petrock's Churchyard, along with his first wife, Fanny Palfrey Brewer (35).
Creator
Anonymous /
Anonymous /
Anonymous /
Anonymous
Anonymous /
Anonymous /
Anonymous
Date
undated, perhaps c. 1900
possibly early to mid 1920s
possibly c. 1905
possibly early to mid 1920s
possibly early to mid 1920s
possibly c. 1905
possibly early to mid 1920s
Contributor
Language
English
Identifier
four photographs featuring Thomas William and Margaret Matilda Brewer of Sunnyside / Timberscombe / northeastern edge of the village
Acquisition Date
2020
Acquisition Method
Gift
Category
PEOPLE: Named / Timberscombe
Condition
Good
Condition Notes
entered by Tom Sperling
Condition Date
2021
Dimension Type
W X L
Dimension Units
cm
Dimension Value
to ber entered
Institution Name
St. Petrock 's History Group
Notes
(1) UK and Ireland, Find A Grave Index, 1300s-Current (2) In 2020, Mrs. Jo Atkins, the grand-daughter of Florence Mary (nee Brewer) Hensley (the grand-daughter of Thomas William Brewer), shared a newspaper clipping of Mr. Brewer's obituary. The newspaper was not identified. (3) Somerset , England, Marriage Registers, Bonds and Allegations, 1754-1914 (4) as stated in the obituary provided by Jo Atkins (5) UK and Ireland, Find A Grave Index, 1300s-Current (6) Somerset, England, Church of England Burials, 1813-1914 (7) Somerset, England, Church of England Baptisms, Marriages and Burials, 1531-1812 (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 (11) Somerset, England, Church of England, Baptisms, Marriages and Burials, 1531-1812 and a handwritten list of vicars of St. Petrock's, on display in the church (12) UK, Register of Duties Paid for Apprentice's Indentures, 1710-1811 (13) Somerset, England, Church of England Baptisms,Marriages and Burials, 1531-1812 (14) thehighlandersonline.co.uk (15) UK and Ireland, Find A Grave Index, 1300s -Current and Somerset England, Church of England, Marriage Registers, Bonds and Allegations, 1754-1914 (16) 1871 England Census, 1881 England Census, UK and Ireland, Find A Grave Index, 1300s-Current and Somerset, England, Church of England Burials, 1813-1914 (17) Somerset, England, Church of England Burials, 1813-1914 (where William Palfry is listed working at Slade Farm when his daughter, Mary, was born) (18) England and Wales, National Probate Calendar (Index of Wills and Administrations) 1858-1995 (19) Somerset England, Marriage Registers, Bonds and Allegations, 1754-1914 (20) 1881 England Census and 1891 England Census (21) England & Wales, Civil Registration Death Index, 1837-1915 (22) UK and Ireland, Find A Grave Index, 1300s-Current (23) 1861 England Census, 1891 England Census and Gloucestershire. England, Church of England Baptisms, 1813-1914 (24) 1881 England Census and 1891 England Census (25) London, England, Church of England, Marriages and Banns, 1754-1936 (26) TimberscombeVillage.com/ History of Timberscombe/ Other Historic Structures/ Cowbridge Mill, written by Lesley Webb (27) Somerset, England, Marriage Registers, Bonds and Allegations, 1754-1914 (28) 1861 England Census (29) England & Wales, Civil Registration Birth Indexes, 1837-1915, England & Wales, Civil Registration Birth Index, 1916-2007 and 1939 England and Wales Register (30) VictoriaCountyHistory.ac.uk (31) "KNOWLE ESTATE SALE, DUNSTER, SOMERSET-SALES PARTICULARS, PLANS AND CONDITIONS OF SALE of THE KNOWLE ESTATE", by Messrs. W.R.J. Greenslade & Co., of Taunton and Wellington, for the Public Auction at the Luttrell Arms Hotel on 20th July 1916, pages 47 and 48 (32) Conveyance, dated 29th September 1916, from the Trustees of Worsley Battersby, deceased to Mrs. M.M. Brewer, shared in August 2020 by Elisabeth Powls, current owner of Sunnyside (33) as stated in the obituary provided by Jo Atkins (34) handwritten "notes on Title", for Sunnyside, Timberscombe and Abstract of the Will, Death and Probate of Frederick Hawkins Knight deceased, dated 1954 by Thorne & Bowman, Minehead, included in deed and abstracts shared by Elisabeth Powls in August 2020 (35) 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
St. Petrock's History Group PERSONAL HISTORIES (the obituary of
Thomas William Brewer)
St. Petrock's History Group PERSONAL HISTORIES (the obituary of
Thomas William Brewer)
Item Reference
SP-278
Technique
Copies
Citation
Anonymous /
Anonymous /
Anonymous /
Anonymous, “THE BREWER FAMILY, part 1: Thomas William Brewer and Margaret Matilda (nee Knight) Brewer-- following Thomas Brewers in Timberscombe since at least 1760,” St. Petrock's History Group, accessed May 1, 2024, https://stpetrockshistorygroup.omeka.net/items/show/3548.
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