If you would like to publish
a comment relating to the activities of the group, to this
website, to the village of yesterday or to former residents, you can do so using the form below. Simply type
your comment and click Submit. Please include your name. A submission made via this form does
not normally include your personal website address, but you can include it if you wish.
As
an alternative to using the above form, and especially if you need to make
personal contact or would like a direct response, please email David in the
usual way: dawgibbs@virginmedia.com
(Note:
there appears to be a few situations where the above form does not deliver the message.
If you have made a comment and it does not appear in the list below at the next update,
please use the email address above to make direct contact.)
 Nice
"Turnpike" about Arthur Miller. Arthur Miller, garage
at Merriottsford, was my grandfather's brother. We stopped there
briefly many times when I was a child. I believe his father,
Sidney Miller, was the first to move there as a saddler, coming
from Yeovil, where my grandfather was born. Both Sidney and his
wife (former Annie Spicer who lived to be old enough for me to
remember) are buried at Merriott. I will locate former pictures
from my father's collection and of the grave recently taken by
myself. I am trying to trace Estelle (Stella), Arthur's wife
back to her roots. Welcome any contact/record information.
My father (also Arthur Miller) related an anecdote that the
first time he visited the house (next to garage) when a teenager
he could not find the toilet only to find after some distress
that when a stairs door opened it covered up the toilet door! I
have been in touch with one of Arthur's son-in-laws. Any records
locally about Sidney Miller would be most welcome. George
Miller, currently living in California, gemiller@uci.edu
17/0412
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I
am Simon Eason a descendant of the Eason's of Merriot. my
Grandfather Fred and his brothers left in the 1930's to work in
the car factories in Detroit USA returning just before the war.
I have considerable information including photos and family
tree. Always looking for more and to help others on their quest simon@floridasunhomes.co.uk
12/04/2012
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Dear
David,
I did indeed find the Rev Percival's letters fascinating!
In particular the letter for February 1891 in which a Mrs 'H'
Drayton is mentioned. As far as I am aware, the shop was run by
Mrs James Drayton with James sister's, Sarah and Mary Ann. As
the Drayton family were Wesleyan Methodist by persuasion, maybe
this might account for the wrong initial! A look at the census
for 1891, shows that on census night in Lower St were-
James Drayton (b1840) painter, glazier and decorator; Mary
Elizabeth, James second wife, nee Rousell (daughter of Robert
Rousell, blacksmith; Florence, James' daughter; Elizabeth, James
daughter by his first wife; Mary Ann; James sister grocer
(daughter of George Drayton); Sarah, James sister grocer
(daughter of George Drayton); Charles (Wesley) Drayton, James'
brother, painter paper hanger, (who actually lived in Yeovil!)
my great grandfather; Emma, Charles' wife (sister of
James' wife); Bertie, (Albert William) James' grandson,
illegitimate son of James' daughter Elizabeth. Elizabeth
also known as Bessie went on to run Drayton's Hotel in Station
Rd Taunton, she never married. I also found in the April 1891
letter, the Burial of Margaret Helena Drayton on 4th April.
Margaret was James' daughter who died on 29th March of
endocarditis. It's lovely to read your cousins comments on 'Mrs
Drayton', information like this really brings the past to life.
Do you know what the shop is now, by any chance? Incidentally,
George Drayton is buried in All Saints Churchyard, his headstone
is the leaning one, on the right, just inside the gate!
Best wishes, Pat Jones (nee Drayton) 06/04/12
Lovely to hear from you Pat. The shop is now a fish and chip
shop and has been for a good many years.
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printed
out Brian's walt to, got lost ended up by Lopen Mill, whata
mistake to makea. Dam long walk back home via Hinton St George
:) still the sun was shinng :) happy days Perhaps I better
take Cathy next time :) Anon 21/04/12
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Thanks
Brian Tasker! I printed out your walk, and followed it today.
Cathy 11/02/12
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Just
to let Pamela know...we still have Nortons in the village, and
on the parish council! Whether or not they are on the internet
is another matter. A written letter/printed email might be the
best approach? I'd be happy to pass it on. Pamela, email David
Gibbs with your queries, and we can forward it. Cheers,
Cathy Herriman. 11/02/12
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Hi,
my great grandmother, Minnie Wellesley Norton emigrated to
Australia with her husband, Charles Richard Hughes in 1880's.
Her parents were Abel Norton and Christiana Eason both buried in
the church. Keen to hear of any news re. this family.
Pamela pj.hu@btinternet.com
31/01/12
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In
reply to Harvey Tripp, Munn certainly had the title of Colonel.
Perhaps Harvey could tell us more about him? Anon 09/12/11
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Great
to see Alan Keene's hard work and great photographs acknowledged
elsewhere online! And I love the new statistics link. You are
truly a worldwide phenomena. Anon 01/12/11
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I've
read with great interest the transcribed History of Merriott, by
Richmond Munn. Is he the Frederick Legh Richmond Munn (who was known to
his friends as Richmond) who had a military career, followed by
governorship of Lewes Prison? Can anyone help? If so, please contact:
Harvey Tripp harvey.tripp@btinternet.com
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| Keep it
coming
writers, this is good stuff. Anon 11/10/11
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Visitor
Number 5000 How cool is that, Nigel :) 20/09/2011
It's very satisfying, Nigel, and provides me with
an opportunity to say a big 'thank you' to everyone who has contributed
material for publication. Your support is very much appreciated. David
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Hi, I have been
researching my family tree with my Mum for the last 5 years, in
particular her grandmother's Pattemore line in Merriott! Her grandmother
was born Alice Mary Pattemore in 1889 in Merriott, daughter of An(ni)e
who later married Charles Prince in 1894 and had their own family. Your
website has been an invaluable aid to finding out about Merriott and
it's inhabitants. We particularly liked the articles on the local
dialect and the old photographs. I have some Pattemore wills (Sampson
Pattemore d.1903 and Susan Shutler (nee Pattemore - his daughter) d.1924
which I am happy to donate. Best Wishes, Rebecca 29/08/11
Hello Rebecca. So pleased that you have
found the website useful and enjoyable. We would love to have the wills
you mention so that we can add them to our collection and, if possible,
publish electronic copy on the website. Please contact me direct on dawgibbs@virginmedia.com
David
Update: Rebecca has kindly contributed the documents.
You can access them from the Archive
page. Thank you, Rebecca!
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Hi, My name is Hayley Carter, I am the daughter of Cynthia
Pattemore, daughter of Bert and Violet Pattemore of Newchester Cross/Hitchen.
Greta Pattemore (carnival queen) is my aunt. My mother has looked
at the site and can name many of the people in the photographs. I
have also traced the family tree. We also have a recording of Bert
and Violet Pattemore talking about his work for a gamekeeper/farm.
We still live local, in Yeovil, and are often in Merriott visiting the
family graves.
21/08/11
Nice to hear from you, Haley. It would
be good to publish a transcript of your Grandparents' recorded
recollections. If that's possible, please contact me direct on dawgibbs@virginmedia.com
David
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In the
early 1930,s my Parents lived in Cottage next to Lock UP They held the
Key. Dad worked for MR LYE. They stored seed potatoes in there at one
time. but A story he told me about an Old Tramp Him & his brother
found (round stretch road) left me wondering. He was very poorly so they
fetched water from Tail Mill Lane washed him, lay him in LOCK UP. Found
him dead the next day. So there is some truth in someone dieing in
there.
31/07/11
That's a fascinating contribution,
thanks so much for sending it in.. Do you have any other memories of Mr
Lye's farm, I wonder? If so, we'd love to hear them. And if you have any
photos of the farm or your father when he worked there, well that would
be wonderful! Contact me direct if you wish: dawgibbs@virginmedia.com
David
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The Firs on Moorlands was
certainly not designed by Gilbert Scott! (See Listed
Buildings). The mullion windows are obviously late, and wonderful
maps of the village we are now collecting demonstrate it's a much later
building. CAH
If you are interested in old maps,
there are a number of websites displaying them and selling copies,
including some of Merriott. Click on this link to access one such site: http://www.old-maps.co.uk/maps.html
David.
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| Hello Rob, I'm so pleased that
you found my Air Ministry info' and photos useful. Fancy that, all those
years ago our father's knew each other and worked together. I have
another photo which was taken in Crewkerne at a cricket match, your
father may be on that. Let me know if you are interested, plus as David
said, if you would like direct copies of the other photos and documents I
will happily copy them to you. Best wishes, Bryan bryjomorris@aol.com
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Hello, my
name is Rob Reith and I live in Radlett Hertfordshire. I have been
researching my family history for some time and have recently been
concentrating on the period of World War II. My father worked for the
Air Ministry in Southampton at the start of the war and in 1942 was
transferred to Morelands House in Merriott. My family lodged with a
family called the Trotts at 27 Broadshard on the road to Crewkerne (Mrs
Trott ran a small shop from her house). Having been born in 1938 my
recollections of World War II are somewhat limited, so it gave me great
pleasure to read Bryan's piece entitled Brief Encounter Part 1 and to
see a photo containing my father A D Reith, to see his name mentioned
twice on the programme for the Farewell Party in March 1946, and to see
the autograph of my sister (Sheila Reith) who also worked at Morelands
from about 1944. Thank you Bryan
Rob - would you like electronic
copies of the photos and documents? Email David using the form above or
on dawgibbs@virginmedia.com
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I've
been rumbled so I must admit to being the milkmaid. Having lived on a
farm all my life I couldn't be anything else. Mary Paull.
If you would like to see the
Milkmaid, Soldier and Pussycat photo, Click
here . As for the soldier boy, I'm told it's a fair (ex)cop,
but will he come clean?
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| Nice to see the Milkmaid, Soldier
and Pussycat photo from the early 1940's. I'll come clean guv', I was
that Pussycat. I know who the Milkmaid and Soldier are but I'll leave it
to them to identify themselves. Great website David. Bryan Morris
(Miaow !!)
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Hello.
Having started my family tree, i now realise that i'm related to most of
the families in Merriott - somewhat of a surprise for me. It started
with Selina Stuckey's marriage to my gggrandfather, Israel Gape &
working back. I WILL have to visit the village @ some point. Sue Noller,
Chichetser, West Sussex sue_noller@yahoo.com
P.S.
Love your site!
Thanks, Sue. Good luck with your research.
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Re the picture of Bundle Shoot,
at least that is the name by which I have always understood it to be
called. I passed there yesterday and noticed there is only a trickle of
water running. The pipe is fed from a Spring near the bank on the left
hand side at the back of the Shute Springs. If the catchpit is not kept
cleared out the water does dry up. Years ago this spring used to feed
the cottages which stood on the left hand side.
Anon. Received 13/04/2011 Bundle Chute
(Shoot, Shute, not to mention the Bunnel bit) DRYING UP! A school dumb
boy gone walkabout. What is going on?
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Hi,
Robert Pattemore is my name. Just came across your site. Very
interesting. My Great Great Grandfather and his family came to Australia
in 1855. My Great grandfather John Robert Pattemore's house in Maleny,
Queensland Australia is Heritage listed. His family were one of the
early pioneers in Maleny. Prior to that they were pioneers in Tilba
Tilba in New South Wales. If anyone wants to contact me my email is robpatt@virginbroadband.com.au
. I was born in Maleny 75 years ago.
Robert - presumably your great, great
grandfather came from Merriott? Can you tell us more?
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I live at 13, Higher
Street, Merriott and understand that some years ago there was a sweet
shop here - " Nellie Englands". I would very much like
to see a photo of the house as the sweet shop but to date have not been
able to find any - please could you help?
Hilary Abbott
Success for Hilary - photo located.
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Great
website. Is there anybody out there who has any info on the Trask and
Webb families from the area. My father, Llewellyn Trask came from
Merriott. Would love to hear from you.
Thank you.
Heather Roux
e-mail rouxleon@xsinet.co.za
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| What a wonderful lot
of information. Well done!
David 02/03/11
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Re
the "newcomer", Mr. Slade. (Ref
Old Photos/Buildings
Merriottsford house)
One of the saddest things I've ever seen was the title of a notebook
(one of many) now held at Taunton Records Office: "The History of
Merriott: sadly never to be published". He'd researched (amongst
many other things) the Heart Burial, and translated the original Church
documents to come up with his own theory.
Cathy
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| The Rev Percival
contributions are outstanding. Little did he realise all those years ago
that his local deliverance would be available world wide. I guess that
he would have considered it a minor miracle. Bryan Morris. (Ref
the Percival Letters)
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| The
lady who helped run the Junior Drama Group was Mrs Hopper, and her
husband did the scenery as he was an art teacher at Crewkerne Secondary
School (now called Maiden Beech School) and believe it or not Mr &
Mrs Hopper lived in Frog Street, Lopen. Funny but true. GR 02/03/11 (With
reference to
Old Photos/Cultural Activities
)
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| The
Parish Council, I believe, hold the key to the Lock Up. It's at times
been a useful store for the Parish Lengthman's machinery. I'm sure
we should be able to borrow the key. I'm wondering who built it in the
18th century? The Templeman's of Merriott House, on whose land it
bordered? They were bigwigs at the time, both farmers and lawyers. It
would be great to see the deeds of the building. Anon. 28/02/11 (With
reference to Listed Buildings
village lockup entry)
Store for length man's machinery?
Well, I never! That childhood story about a wall-manacled skeleton, arm
outstretched, desperately trying in vain to grab a rusty
bowl that once held gruel and deliberately placed just out of
reach ....... so that's not true then? Prove it. I demand to see inside!
David
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| From
tales I've been told, I'm thinking the Mission Room is now Osborne's
Grocery? Anon. 25/02/11
Yes, it is. It was also, I believe,
known at one time as the Reading Room, where the literate read to the illiterate.
There is no one alive today who would remember that but a good many who
will remember it as Maud Farr's shop, a sharp-tongued woman (but whose
bark was probably worse than her bite) of whom children in particular
were very wary. David
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| Google Earth -
search "pye corner merriott", straight there, no prob. James
D. 12/01/11
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I
remember the corner up Crewkerne Road as Pye Corner too.
What I remember most about that field was community haymaking and
harvesting in it. Anyone have any photos or memories of that?
The photo pages are great.
Merriottsford House: That is definitely the front of
"our" house in the carnival photos. I have a copy of the tea
party on the lawn of Merriottsford, by the way. (David - did you
send it to me? If not, I'll pass it along. According to the
1901 census, the house at Merriott Ford (sic) was occupied by an
Elizabeth Brown, aged 73, of independent means; a younger widow, Eva
Causway who was her companion - both from Islington, London; and a
servant, Mary Welsh, from Burton Bradstock in Dorset.
Sheila
12/01/11
No, I didn't send the photo to you
Sheila. Would love to have a copy, please. David
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If you type Merriott
Pye Corner into Google you get loads of addresses all postcoded TA16 5NJ
which is up the Crewkerne road by the Moorlands House turn off.
B 11/01/11
That's the end of that then, those
ancient maps are definitely out of date! And so is my satnav, enter
Pike, Pyke and even PYE and it says 'No Matches Found'! David
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I
agree with Cathy that the field at the junction of Crewkerne Road and
Hazelbury road was in the past used for carnivals as shown by
photographs of a Coronation Carnival circa 1902.
M.
07/01/11
Can't dispute pictorial evidence
especially if dated some 32 years before I was born! Where can we see
the published photo? Incidentally, 'Pye' Corner, is not at that junction
but the next corner along the Crewkerne road; the junction is, of
course, Merriottsford.
Whilst on the subject of Pye Corner (further up the road), I always
thought that name was correct until a few years ago when I acquired a
1937 Ordnance Survey map of the village which labeled the area as 'Pike'
Corner. There's an even older map reproduced on p4 of the Merriott
Snapshot book that labels it 'Pyke' Corner. David
Update 11/01/11
There is absolutely no doubt that
the field at Merriottsford was used at least on one occasion to assemble
a carnival procession and some wonderful photos to prove it are
published on the Old Photos/Community Events
page. Thanks M!
Pyke/Pike/Pye corner? Consensus of
opinion at the moment is that the maps are wrong! What do present-day
residents think?
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| Well done Cathy.
Great website. Carry on the good work. Merriott needs you. Wyatts Green
15/12/10
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Wonderful
website. Makes me want to come see Merriott for myself. Thanks for doing
this!
Anonymous
06/12/10
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I'm thrilled with
the wonderful responses we've already had to the website--from all
around the world. I wonder if it may be possible to create comments for
every picture sent in--for identification of those in it, for instance
(rather like Facebook?). Or if it's a house, for memories linked to that
particular house?
And I did need a tissue for the Hallelujah Chorus.
David, thank-you again.
Cathy Herriman
I can indeed add personal
identification or any other interesting comment that is submitted.
David
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That's
a lovely house! (See
comment below.) Now undergoing
serious renovation. there is a super postcard of a very Victorian tea
party taking place in the garden in front of the "orangerie".
Unfortunately, I couldn't afford to buy it. If someone else has a copy,
please send it in.
I believe from photos published elsewhere, that the field opposite (the
piece of "pie" that is Pye Corner, between Hazlebury Road and
Broadshard) was once the starting off place for carnival parades through
the village. Can anyone confirm this?
Cathy
Not in my memory Cathy, and I'm
well past my 'best before' date. Maybe someone knows better? Incidentally,
my father and others of his generation, always referred to
Merriottsford, where the house in question stands, as 'down turnpike'.
David
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The website works
seamlessly - I'm impressed. And such a great compilation.
Great job!
I lived in Merriott from 1947 to 1955, in the Merriottsford house at the
bottom of Hazelbury Road – which you can see in all its ugliness
in one of the photos in Buildings Some people may remember my
mother Joan Macnee, or my brother Robert (Ian)
Being only a short-term resident I don’t have much to offer in the way
of history of the village. I am now in the USA, north of Chicago, and
I've been thinking of writing up some memoirs for my children.
I’ve just read "The Origins of Somerset" by Michael Costen -
no mention of Merriott but some interesting bits on Crewkerne. The
website will be a great addition. Thank you.
Sheila [Macnee] Spear sspear@wisc.edu
Yes, Sheila, we
folk of a certain age can remember your Mum, a very public
spirited lady who served as Parish Councilor and as a District
Councilor on Chard Rural District Council, the local authority before
South Somerset District Council came in to being. Joan was also the
leader of a village girls youth club.
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