Twerton History Society

I recently had an email from Hilary Patton…

“I was going through some of the census’s and found that my great grandfathers had lived at both 1 & 2 Rose Cottage in Twerton between 1871 and 1881 (at least). I then did a search and came across your site. Of course it could be a different Rose Cottage but I think that’s unlikely. They were called William & Samuel Patton. William died in 1887 and Samuel died in Lincoln in 1909.”

Welcome to the new Twerton History Society site.

If you have previously contributed a post to twerton.com then you should have received an email from me with your username and new password.  If you have previously registered but only ever made comments and not posts, then you will need to re-register.

Please be patient as we move the photos over to the new site descriptions. This should be completed in the next day or so…  We will also be upgrading and continually  improving the site.

Heaps of Peace

Gavin

This Queen Victoria medal for Twerton from 1897 was given to school children (often for attendance) to celebrate her 60 years on the throne.  This medal was passed down through the family and probably belonged to Walter Andrew Brooks (known as Joe).  He would have been 14 at the time. He worked at Bath Cabinet Makers as a French Polisher for over 50 years and lived in Landseer Road.

hi, was there an air raid shelter in the field between the centurion pub and the farm,somewhere below kelston view.as a kid i remember a structure in a bush in this field.

(submitted via email from B. M. Stott)

I’m not one for being morbid, but here are some epitaphs from grave stones in St. Michael’s churchyard.  They remind me of the struggles that so many people have in life – and how precious life is in the here and now.  How do they make you feel?

1795

Here in my silent Grave I lie

Free from all Pain and Grief

Tho my disease was long and sharp

God sent at last Relief

(1803)

Long lingering on the borders of the grave

From which no Skill on Earth had power to save

In racking pain I spent my daily breath

And found no refuge till relieved by death

And now I sleep no more by (pain) oppress’d

And trust my Saviour for eternal rest

1805

Confident that ere long you must

Depart and soon return to dust

Or suddenly as well as I

By some sad accident must die

And in this world as some can tell

How short a time he has to dwell

O let it be your chiefest care

For death and judgment to prepare

1811

Young men I pray be wise betimes

For I was cut off in my prime

For as the flowers doth fade away

So did my Life and Strength decay

My Friends as you my Grave doth see

Stay but a while you’l follow me

1812

All you young youths my grave may see

Pray you prepare to follow me

Had Youth I was and Youth I am

And forc’d to go at God’s command

1815

Farwell to you my Children dear

For (no) you was (to) me

My time of life was (agains) in (pain)

But death hath set me free

1817

The Rose within this earthly Bed

Tho wither’d and reclin’d its Head

Shall soon in new born Beauty rise

And blossom in its native Skies

1825

I was so long with pains oppress’d

That wore my strength away

It made me long for endless rest

Which never can decay

1826

Peaceful rest ye silent Babes

Mingled with the Valley’s clod

Rest till Nature’s cry shall call ye

Call ye to approach your God

1835

Death ! why so fast ? pray stop your hand

And let my glass run out its sand

As neither death nor time will stay

Let us improve the present day

1853

There calmly rests beneath this lowly tomb

A gentle flowr pluck’t in her early bloom

Too fondly loved too hardly parted from

Rent from her life her friends her happy home

Yet a celestial hope springs from the earth

And dear Ellen claims a second birth

Where the kind shepherd bids all sorrows cease

And calls his lambs to endless joy and peace

1855

Whilst in this world I did remain

My latter Days were full of Pain

But when the Lord he thought it best

He took me to a Place of Rest

1856

What joy !  when he resigned his breath -

For as his eyelids closed – he smiled in death

1863

So kind so young so gentle so sincere

So loved so early lost may claim a tear

Yet wherefore mourn ? the life resumed by heaven

Doubtless fulfilled the end for which ’twas given

1875

Her labours below have ceased

Her trials and pains are o’er

Her sun hath set at noon of day

To rise on the heavenly shore

This is scanned from the original writing of the long deceased gentleman. The poem was written about 1940 when Alfred Kettlety was in his 70’s.

I am interested in the mills in Twerton in the 1780s. My relations lived in Mansfield, Nottinghamshire and in the 1780s went to Twerton. Why? They had a child in Notts in 1785 but then had one in Twerton in 1788, 1791, 1795, 1798 then had one in Notts in who died in 1801. They would have gone for employment in the mills but Twerton must have been the other end of the earth at that time? Why did they go there, how did they get there and why did they come all the way back to Notts. I beieve from someone else that they worked in a mill owned by Paul Bamford. A water mill converted to a worsted mill. Daniel Comery repaired heavy machinery i.e. an iron turner.

Can you provide any further information?

Somerset by car is a long way but in the 1780s I am surprised they knew it existed. Would they have travelled by road or boat as rail had not been invented and they probably had no money anyway.

Any thoughts will be most appreciated.

Jane

(submitted via email)