THE BREWER FAMILY, part 2: Thomas William Brewer, Junr. and Maud Kate (nee Fletcher) Brewer
Title
THE BREWER FAMILY, part 2: Thomas William Brewer, Junr. and Maud Kate (nee Fletcher) Brewer
Subject
Description
Thomas William Brewer, Junr.'s birth year is often given as 1873 but on the 1939 England and Wales Register, he listed his birthday as 5 February 1872. Mr. Brewer was the only son of Thomas William and Fanny (nee Palfrey) Brewer of Slade Farm, Timberscombe (1) and the 5th of a direct line of Thomas Brewers of Timberscombe, being the great great grandson of Thomas Bruer, an apprentice in 1760 to Thomas Davis. a butcher in Timberscombe (2). Mr. Bruer married the butcher's daughter, Grace Davis, in 1764 (3). By 1768, when their son--the second Thomas--was baptised at St. Petrock's in Timberscombe, the family's surname had transformed to "Brewer" (4).
Two sisters had preceded Thomas William Brewer, Junr. (as he was usually--and helpfully-- identified). The first child of his parents was Laura Jane, born 23 August 1868 and who died, aged four, in 1873 (5). Helena Fanny was born 8 April 1870 (6) and following Thomas, Junr. was Florence Jane, born 24 August 1873 (7). Their mother, Fanny, died in 1879 at the age of 31 (8), leaving three surviving children under the age of ten.
When Thomas William Brewer, Junr. died in 1960, his obituary was headlined "OLDEST INHABITANT OF THE VILLAGE". It went on to say that in "his younger days" he had assisted his father at Slade Farm. Thomas, Jnr. is pictured as an adult in the top and bottom photographs of this entry. His father is pictured at SP-278. How much they resemble one another is striking.
The younger Thomas also worked in the sawmill attached to the "old Knowle Estate", likely the sawmill that closed around 1909 (9) and is pictured at SP-156. It was also noted in the obituary, that as a boy he had been in the choir and was a bellringer at St. Petrock's (10). In 1888, at the age of 15, Thomas, Junr. was on the docks of London, where he was indentured, for two years, in the Merchant Navy as an apprentice to a Mr. Hoare (11). By the 1891 Census, he was back in Timberscombe, working as an assistant carpenter for his father.
In 1899, twenty years after the death of Fanny, the senior Thomas was in London, declaring his residence at 88 Redesdale Street in Chelsea, where he married Margaret Matilda Knight at Christ Church of Kensington and Chelsea (12). Born in 1847 at Cold Ashton, Gloucestershire (13), this was a first marriage for Margaret (the name she used over Matilda) pictured at SP-278. On 24 April 1905, the junior Thomas was close to Cold Ashton, at St. Barnabus Church in Warmley, Gloucestershire, where he married Maud Kate Fletcher (14), the niece of his stepmother, Margaret (now) Brewer.
(In 1899, Thomas, Junr.'s older sister, Helena Fanny, had married William Alan Court, a gardener born in Wootton Courtenay (15), at Carhampton (16). Helena lived until 1955, passing away in Welling, Kent (17). In 1897, their younger sister, Florence Jane had married John Blackmore, a carpenter, at St. Luke's Church in Chelsea, London, basically the same church where two years later their father married Margaret. Christ Christ, where the older couple had married, served as a Chapel of Ease for the nearby St. Lukes and later the churches united as St. Lukes and Christ Church (18). Also like her father, Florence Jane claimed 88 Redesdale Street, Chelsea as her residence (19). Unlike her father, she and her husband remained in London, where Florence died in 1970 (20).)
Thomas, Junr. and his wife, Maud Kate did return to Timberscombe after their marriage. Maud Kate had been born in Wick, Gloucestershire and baptised on 7 October 1877 at Abson, Gloucestershire (21), both close to the Cold Ashton birthplace of her aunt (and now stepmother-in-law) Margaret. Maud Kate's mother, Mary Jane (nee Knight) was Margaret's younger sister. Mary Jane had married William Fletcher in 1875 (22) and had two sons with him before he died, at the age of 27, in 1881 (23). Mary Jane married John Woodman within the same year (24) but on the 1881 Census, three-year-old Maud Kate and her brothers were living with their paternal grandparents, William and Ann Fletcher. On the 1891 Census, thirteen-year-old Maud Kate was working as a servant. She seems like a girl that an aunt would have kept an eye on. Maud Kate is pictured here, as a younger woman, on the second photograph. She looks much like Margaret (as seen in the third photograph at SP-278). In photographs, it can sometimes be difficult to distinguish between Thomas William and Margaret Matilda Brewer and Thomas William, Junr. and Maud Kate Brewer.
Around 1904, a section of the former sawmill at Cowbridge Mill was converted into a residence called Mill House --later known as Higher View--with its first occupants being Thomas and Margaret Brewer (25). At some point, Thomas, Junr. and Maud Kate leased a house with 17th century origins (26), called The Dell, located one dwelling away from Cowbridge Mill. Around the time of the 1911 Census, the younger couple were living on Jubilee Terrace (seemingly in the house later addressed as No. 4) but primarily The Dell was where the Brewer's lived until c.1917. It was the first main home recalled by their children: Florence Mary, born 1906, Thomas William Fletcher, born 1908, Margaret Bessie (Maggie), born 1910, John Thomas, born 8 November 1913 and who died four days later and Ellen Kate (Nellie), born 1916 (27).
Both Mill House at Cowbridge Mill and The Dell were leased from the Trustees of the Knowle Estate which owned over a third of the land in the Parish of Timberscombe (28). In 1916, the estate was divided into 68 lots and on the 20th of July, were offered for sale by Public Auction. Adjacent to The Dell were two lots, nos. 31 and 32 which were not sold on the auction day. Likely some arrangements had been made. The Brewer men were not only having the homes they rented put up for sale, as additionally Thomas, Junr. already leased Lot 31 (29). On the 29th of September 1916, the Knowle Estate Trustees sold both lots but not to Thomas Brewer, Junr. or his father. The buyer was Margaret Matilda Brewer (30). Shortly afterwards both men began building a house on these lots, that would be named Sunnyside and be the Brewer family home for the remainder of the century.
Margaret was 78 years old in 1925 when her will was drawn up, bequeathing "the house Sunnyside to my niece, Maud Kate Brewer and her children", with the condition that it "shall be of the use of my husband, Thomas Brewer, as long as he lives" (31). Margaret died 24 February 1928 and her husband died 12 January 1930. They are buried with Fanny, the first wife of Thomas and mother of Thomas, Jnr., at St. Petrock's Church (32). Their grave stone stands alongside the church path leading to the North Porch, the main entrance to the church.
Maud Kate Brewer predeceased her husband by six years, dying on 26 October 1953 (33). Her obituary headlined that she was a Timberscombe "RESIDENT FOR NEARLY 50 YEARS" who had "took a helpful interest in many of the village activities", was a member of the local branch of the Mother's Union and regularly attended St. Petrock's. On the 1939 Register, when Maud Kate was 62 and Thomas was 67, Florence Mary had married and moved to Minehead (she is featured at SP-280), with Thomas, Maggie and Nellie still at Sunnyside with their parents, as well as Margaret Talbot, aged 9 and her sister, Evelyn Talbot, aged 7, both evacuees from West Ham, Essex, at the outset of World War II. Thomas William Brewer, Junr. died in 1960, with his obituary noting that he had been a member of the Ancient Order of the Foresters for 75 years.
Two sisters had preceded Thomas William Brewer, Junr. (as he was usually--and helpfully-- identified). The first child of his parents was Laura Jane, born 23 August 1868 and who died, aged four, in 1873 (5). Helena Fanny was born 8 April 1870 (6) and following Thomas, Junr. was Florence Jane, born 24 August 1873 (7). Their mother, Fanny, died in 1879 at the age of 31 (8), leaving three surviving children under the age of ten.
When Thomas William Brewer, Junr. died in 1960, his obituary was headlined "OLDEST INHABITANT OF THE VILLAGE". It went on to say that in "his younger days" he had assisted his father at Slade Farm. Thomas, Jnr. is pictured as an adult in the top and bottom photographs of this entry. His father is pictured at SP-278. How much they resemble one another is striking.
The younger Thomas also worked in the sawmill attached to the "old Knowle Estate", likely the sawmill that closed around 1909 (9) and is pictured at SP-156. It was also noted in the obituary, that as a boy he had been in the choir and was a bellringer at St. Petrock's (10). In 1888, at the age of 15, Thomas, Junr. was on the docks of London, where he was indentured, for two years, in the Merchant Navy as an apprentice to a Mr. Hoare (11). By the 1891 Census, he was back in Timberscombe, working as an assistant carpenter for his father.
In 1899, twenty years after the death of Fanny, the senior Thomas was in London, declaring his residence at 88 Redesdale Street in Chelsea, where he married Margaret Matilda Knight at Christ Church of Kensington and Chelsea (12). Born in 1847 at Cold Ashton, Gloucestershire (13), this was a first marriage for Margaret (the name she used over Matilda) pictured at SP-278. On 24 April 1905, the junior Thomas was close to Cold Ashton, at St. Barnabus Church in Warmley, Gloucestershire, where he married Maud Kate Fletcher (14), the niece of his stepmother, Margaret (now) Brewer.
(In 1899, Thomas, Junr.'s older sister, Helena Fanny, had married William Alan Court, a gardener born in Wootton Courtenay (15), at Carhampton (16). Helena lived until 1955, passing away in Welling, Kent (17). In 1897, their younger sister, Florence Jane had married John Blackmore, a carpenter, at St. Luke's Church in Chelsea, London, basically the same church where two years later their father married Margaret. Christ Christ, where the older couple had married, served as a Chapel of Ease for the nearby St. Lukes and later the churches united as St. Lukes and Christ Church (18). Also like her father, Florence Jane claimed 88 Redesdale Street, Chelsea as her residence (19). Unlike her father, she and her husband remained in London, where Florence died in 1970 (20).)
Thomas, Junr. and his wife, Maud Kate did return to Timberscombe after their marriage. Maud Kate had been born in Wick, Gloucestershire and baptised on 7 October 1877 at Abson, Gloucestershire (21), both close to the Cold Ashton birthplace of her aunt (and now stepmother-in-law) Margaret. Maud Kate's mother, Mary Jane (nee Knight) was Margaret's younger sister. Mary Jane had married William Fletcher in 1875 (22) and had two sons with him before he died, at the age of 27, in 1881 (23). Mary Jane married John Woodman within the same year (24) but on the 1881 Census, three-year-old Maud Kate and her brothers were living with their paternal grandparents, William and Ann Fletcher. On the 1891 Census, thirteen-year-old Maud Kate was working as a servant. She seems like a girl that an aunt would have kept an eye on. Maud Kate is pictured here, as a younger woman, on the second photograph. She looks much like Margaret (as seen in the third photograph at SP-278). In photographs, it can sometimes be difficult to distinguish between Thomas William and Margaret Matilda Brewer and Thomas William, Junr. and Maud Kate Brewer.
Around 1904, a section of the former sawmill at Cowbridge Mill was converted into a residence called Mill House --later known as Higher View--with its first occupants being Thomas and Margaret Brewer (25). At some point, Thomas, Junr. and Maud Kate leased a house with 17th century origins (26), called The Dell, located one dwelling away from Cowbridge Mill. Around the time of the 1911 Census, the younger couple were living on Jubilee Terrace (seemingly in the house later addressed as No. 4) but primarily The Dell was where the Brewer's lived until c.1917. It was the first main home recalled by their children: Florence Mary, born 1906, Thomas William Fletcher, born 1908, Margaret Bessie (Maggie), born 1910, John Thomas, born 8 November 1913 and who died four days later and Ellen Kate (Nellie), born 1916 (27).
Both Mill House at Cowbridge Mill and The Dell were leased from the Trustees of the Knowle Estate which owned over a third of the land in the Parish of Timberscombe (28). In 1916, the estate was divided into 68 lots and on the 20th of July, were offered for sale by Public Auction. Adjacent to The Dell were two lots, nos. 31 and 32 which were not sold on the auction day. Likely some arrangements had been made. The Brewer men were not only having the homes they rented put up for sale, as additionally Thomas, Junr. already leased Lot 31 (29). On the 29th of September 1916, the Knowle Estate Trustees sold both lots but not to Thomas Brewer, Junr. or his father. The buyer was Margaret Matilda Brewer (30). Shortly afterwards both men began building a house on these lots, that would be named Sunnyside and be the Brewer family home for the remainder of the century.
Margaret was 78 years old in 1925 when her will was drawn up, bequeathing "the house Sunnyside to my niece, Maud Kate Brewer and her children", with the condition that it "shall be of the use of my husband, Thomas Brewer, as long as he lives" (31). Margaret died 24 February 1928 and her husband died 12 January 1930. They are buried with Fanny, the first wife of Thomas and mother of Thomas, Jnr., at St. Petrock's Church (32). Their grave stone stands alongside the church path leading to the North Porch, the main entrance to the church.
Maud Kate Brewer predeceased her husband by six years, dying on 26 October 1953 (33). Her obituary headlined that she was a Timberscombe "RESIDENT FOR NEARLY 50 YEARS" who had "took a helpful interest in many of the village activities", was a member of the local branch of the Mother's Union and regularly attended St. Petrock's. On the 1939 Register, when Maud Kate was 62 and Thomas was 67, Florence Mary had married and moved to Minehead (she is featured at SP-280), with Thomas, Maggie and Nellie still at Sunnyside with their parents, as well as Margaret Talbot, aged 9 and her sister, Evelyn Talbot, aged 7, both evacuees from West Ham, Essex, at the outset of World War II. Thomas William Brewer, Junr. died in 1960, with his obituary noting that he had been a member of the Ancient Order of the Foresters for 75 years.
Creator
Anonymous /
Anonymous /
Anonymous /
Anonymous /
Anonymous /
Source
Date
perhaps 1930s to 1940s
perhaps 1910s to 1920s
perhaps later 1940s
perhaps 1910s to 1920s
perhaps later 1940s
Contributor
Language
English
Identifier
Three photographs of Thomas William and Maud Kate Brewer, Junr. of Sunnyside / Timberscombe / northeastern edge of the village
Acquisition Date
2020
Acquisition Method
Gift
Category
PEOPLE: Known / 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 10.5
16.5 X 10.5
14 X 10
16.5 X 10.5
14 X 10
Institution Name
St. Petrock's History Group
Notes
(1) 1881 England Census, 1891 England Census and in 2020, Mrs. Jo. Atkins, the grand-daughter of Florence Mary (nee Brewer) Hensley, shared two newspaper clippings of the obituaries of Thomas William Brewer, Junr. and Maud Kate Brewer. The newspapers are not identified. (2) UK, Registers of Duties Paid for Apprentice's Indentures, 1710-1811 (Thomas Bruer was probably born in 1733 at Wellington, Somerset, the son of James Bruer. After Thomas Bruer married Grace Davis, they named their other son James Brewer--Somerset, England, Church of England Baptisms, Marriages and Burials, 1531-1812) (3) Somerset, England, Marriage Registers, Bonds and Allegations, 1754-1914 (4) Somerset, England, Church of England Baptisms, Marriages and Burials, 1531-1812 (5) Somerset, England, Church of England Baptisms, 1813-1914 and Somerset, England, Church of England Burials, 1813-1914 (6) 1939 England and Wales Register (7) 1939 England and Wales Register (8) UK and Ireland, Find A Grave Index, 1300s-Current (9) TimberscombeVillage.com/ History of Timberscombe/ Other Historic Structures/ Cowbridge Mill, written by Lesley Webb (10) from obituary supplied by Jo Atkins (11) UK, Apprentices Indentured in Merchant Navy, 1824-1910 (12) Bristol, England, Church of England Marriages and Banns, 1754-1937 (13) England & Wales, Civil Registration Birth Index, 1837-1915 and Bristol, England, Church of England Baptisms, 1813-1918 (14) Bristol, England, Church of England, Marriages and Banns, 1754-1937 (15) 1901 England Census and 1939 England and Wales Register (16) Somerset, England, Marriage Registers, Bonds and Allegations, 1754-1914 (17) England and Wales, National Probate Calendar (Index of Wills and Administrations) 1858-1995 (18) London , England, Church of England Marriage and Banns, 1754-1937 and chelseaparish.org (19) London, England, Church of England Marriage and Banns, 1754-1936 (20) England and Wales, National Probate Calendar (Index of Wills and Administrations) 1858-1995 (21) Bristol, England, Select Church of England Parish Registers, 1720-1933 (22) England & Wales, Civil Registration Marriage Index, 1837-1915 (23) Bristol, England, Church of England Burials, 1813-1994 (24) England & Wales, Civil Registration Marriage Index, 1837-1915 (25) TimberscombeVillage.com/ History of Timberscombe/ Other Historic Structures/ Cowbridge Mill, written by Lesley Webb (26) PHILLIPS & SANDER, 32 The Avenue, Minehead, Estate Agent, Sales Particulars for The Dell, c. 1980 (27) England & Wales, Civil Registration Birth Indexes, 1837-1915, Somerset England, Church of England Burials, 1813-1914, England & Wales, Civil Registration Birth Index, 1916-2007 and as recalled in 2020 by Erica Holmes of Overview, Timberscombe, who worked for Margaret (Maggie) Brewer at Sunnyside in the later 20th Century (28) VictoriaCountyHistory.ac.uk (29) "THE KNOWLE ESTATE, DUNSTER, SOMERSET", PARTICULARS, PLANS AND CONDITIONS OF SALE OF THE KNOWLE ESTATE, by Messrs. W.R.J. Greenslade & Co., for Public Auction at the Luttrell Arms Hotel, Dunster, Thursday, July 20th 1916 (30) 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 (31) handwritten "Notes on Title", for Sunnyside, Timberscombe and Farthings Meadow, Timberscombe and Abstract of the Will, Death and Probate of Frederick Hawkins Knight deceased, dated 1954 by Thorne & Bowman, Minehead, included in deeds and abstracts shared by Elisabeth Powls, August 2020 (32) UK and Ireland, Find A Grave Index, 1300's-Current (33) England and Wales, National Probate Calendar (Index of Wills and Administrations) 1858-1995
Storage Location
St. Petrock's History Group Archive
Storage Date
2021
Storage Notes
St. Petrock's History Group PHOTOGRAPHS
Item Reference
SP-279
Technique
Copies
Citation
Anonymous /
Anonymous /
Anonymous /, “THE BREWER FAMILY, part 2: Thomas William Brewer, Junr. and Maud Kate (nee Fletcher) Brewer,” St. Petrock's History Group, accessed May 2, 2024, https://stpetrockshistorygroup.omeka.net/items/show/3549.
Comments