MLHG DIGITAL ARCHIVE 2014 1 Copyright: See ARCHIVE INTRODUCTION People of Yesterday Text: David Gibbs A collection of photographs of villagers of yesterday, with the emphasis on dress and appearance, and also recognising, where known, their contribution to village life. The Reverend Edward Stanley Percival, much respected vicar of the parish from November 1887 to September 1936. Some of his fascinating letters to his parishioners are published in the Documents section of this archive. Above; Merriott girls, 1910, sporting fashionable hats and hairstyles. The girl on the left in both pictures is Minnie Gibbs, later married to Jack Tout who was a stalwart of All Saint's church choir and local councillor. They lived in Lower Street.
Transcript
MLHG DIGITAL ARCHIVE 2014 1 Copyright: See ARCHIVE INTRODUCTION
People of Yesterday
Text: David Gibbs
A collection of photographs of villagers of yesterday, with the emphasis on dress and
appearance, and also recognising, where known, their contribution to village life.
The Reverend Edward Stanley Percival, much respected vicar of the parish from November 1887 to September 1936. Some of his fascinating letters to his parishioners are published in the Documents section of this archive.
Above; Merriott girls, 1910, sporting fashionable hats and hairstyles. The girl on the left in both pictures is Minnie Gibbs, later married to Jack Tout who was a stalwart of All Saint's church choir and local councillor. They lived in Lower Street.
MLHG DIGITAL ARCHIVE 2014 2 Copyright: See ARCHIVE INTRODUCTION
Florrie Gibbs, shopping with Granny Tett, Crewkerne, 1930. The Victoria Hall and parked cars are just discernable in the background. Note the overhead shop lighting.
1930s photo of Harry Brake, the owner of Nut Tree Farm, and his employee Jim Pattemore, both sitting on the fence. The third person is not known.
MLHG DIGITAL ARCHIVE 2014 3 Copyright: See ARCHIVE INTRODUCTION
Above, Annie Brake, sister of farmer Harry Brake (see previous photo). What a gorgeous dress! There are more photos of the Brake family in the article Nut Tree Farm which you can access from the Village section of this archive.
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The lady and the two girls, with their
pretty hats and dresses, are visitors to
the village, relatives of Mrs Annie
Pattemore, who was a district nurse.
Estimated date: late 1920s early 1930s.
Above, Arthur Pattemore, also known as Arthur ‘Hut’, delivering newspapers from his pony and trap with the ‘help’ of two village boys and a couple of dogs. Arthur was possibly the last Merriott villager to speak in the local dialect. You can listen to a British Library recording of Arthur speaking at this website:
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Wedding bells ……
The marriage of Charles Stoodley and
Alice Sansom, October 27th 1928. This
wonderful photo, brilliantly recording the
fashions of the day, was taken at the
then Manor Farm (close by the village
lockup). The farm included three
cottages all of which were occupied by
members of the bride's family. Note the carpet laid on the unpaved yard.
The second photo is of the bridesmaid of
Ivy Sansom (sister-in-law of Alice) taken
in what was then Lock's Lane (now Court
Mill) looking towards Lower Street on
April 7th 1928
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Man of the soil ……. like so many village men in his day.
Arthur Taylor who lived at the Girdlers during
the war years. His old spade speaks of many
hours of labour. Related article: Brief Encounter 1 which you can access from the Memories section of this archive
Above, A J Manning, secretary of the village
senior and youth football clubs in the early 1950s.
Founder of a village youth club that met in the
scout hut. He lived in Broadway, in a cottage near
the Gospel Hall. On the right, Sam Burgess,
secretary, grounds man and all-round mainstay of
the bowling club for many years in 1950s and
1960s. Also, he was an active member of the local
branch of the British Legion (note the lapel
badge, always worn) and other organisations
during the war years and immediately after.
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Terry Arnold, proprietor of Terry Arnold Ltd, wholesale stationers, circa 1940. Mr
Arnold was also associated with the Gospel Hall, as was his son, Eric in subsequent years.
Mrs Joan Macnee, who was a local councillor and otherwise actively involved in community affairs in the early 1950s. Left-hand picture, with daughter Sheila, taken in Hazelbury Road. The pony belonged to Luke Osborne, landlord of The Bell. Above, in her Morris Eight tourer at Ham Hill with a group of German exchange girls.
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Maud Farr, outside her shop on Broadway, probably in the early 1950s. What a village character she was! She was a spinster who used to spend much time sitting on her front step, with Ted her collie dog at her feet, gossiping with whoever happened to be passing and critically observing the world go by. She sold a miscellany of things such as clothing, hats, linen and the like, and also cigarettes, tobacco and sweets.
Above left, Wallace Hamlin, who ran a busy grocery store in Lower Street. Above
right, Annie Mitchell, wife of baker Harry Mitchell, with her daughter Joyce, in the
late 1930s in the bakery yard down Knapp
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The Hooper family. This photo was taken in 1912 in their garden of their home behind the Swann Inn in Lower Street. Back row: Beatrice, Harry, Blanche, Walter, Alice, Nancy. Seated: Rose, Edward (father), Mary, Maria (mother), Edwin, Minnie. Front: Ida, Daisy.
Below, two of the Hooper children. The background and props in these portraits appear
in many a local family photo! On the left, daughter Daisy, age 16 in 1910, and on the
