Some Bawdrip History

 

 

What’s on this page?

 

1: The Bridgwater Railway Through Bawdrip.

2: Roman Settlements and Artifacts.

3: A Pub in the centre of Bawdrip?

4: Sir Joseph Alfred Bradney. Lord of the Manor.

5: Four Major collections show Bawdrip in Old Photos:

     Old postcards & photos of the village collected by David Bown.

     Old photos of the village taken by Albert Rouault.

     Old photos collected by Susie Scudamore collection.              

     Old photos from the Stella Gwilliam/ Emily Stone collection.

6: Bawdrip & Chedzoy Flower show.

7: 1882 railway map and properties/ownership list.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The Bridgwater Railway through Bawdrip                    

 

The Bridgwater Railway opened for business on 21st July 1890 and ran from Bridgwater Station (re named Bridgwater North in Sept 1949) over the Bristol Road and the GWR railway via bridges, across Horsey Lane, under the A39 near Bradney turning, through Bawdrip, Cossington, and Chilton Polden to Edington Junction near Burtle, a total distance of 7miles, 15 chains, station to station, where it connected to the Glastonbury to Burnham railway.

 

In 1923 Bawdrip Halt was built, a concrete platform long enough for 4 carriages, and a year later a shelter with seats was added.

 

Lots of info at :  http://www.geocities.ws/dbown100/BawdripHalt.htm    

                                                                                                                                                                                                                     

Two books:

The Bridgwater Railway Through Bawdrip. 2022 Edition. Now 170+ pages  | eBay

Finding The Bridgwater Railway. New Edition Revised & Updated  | eBay

 

Two Facebook pages:

The Bridgwater Railway through Bawdrip | Facebook

Finding the Bridgwater Railway | Facebook   

 

 

 

Roman Settlements and Artifacts.

 

There were a number of Roman Settlements in Bawdrip, artifacts from which are held in the Blake Museum, Bridgwater, and some at the County Museum, Taunton.

The following web pages show photos of some of the items exhibited at the Blake Museum… Churchie Bushes, East Side Lane….  Bush Marsh, Crandon Bridge,

 

Find out more about these at:    http://www.geocities.ws/dbown100/bdRomanremains.htm

 

 

 

A Pub in the centre of Bawdrip?

 

Research carried out to discover more about the railway through Bawdrip found a pub, ‘The New Inn’ mentioned in the 1865 Bridgwater Railway application to Parliament. Plot Number 50 0n the plan, mentions a Public house called the New Inn. Occupied at the time by Jonas Coles, it was owned by John Whitehead and his wife Charlotte Diana Joan.

Marked as plot No 46 on the 1874 plan, the occupier was by then, William Way, and still owned by John Whitehead. By then it was described as a house, homestead, etc. This was later to be known as Church Farm.

 

 

 

 

 

Sir Joseph Alfred Bradney. Lord of the Manor of Bradney.

 

The Reverend Joseph Christopher Bradney, then later Sir Joseph Alfred Bradney were Lords of the Manor of Bradney, and major landowners in Bawdrip.

 

More information from the Bridgwater Railway documents:

The Bridgwater Railway Company submitted a number of Bills to Parliament to try to obtain an Act to build a railway. For each Bill the Company compiled detailed drawings showing where the railway would pass through the countryside, and detailed landowner lists showing the various plots of land that they would have to buy. They made a number of attempts to get a Bill passed by Parliament. Each time the landowner list was updated.

 

1865/6 Bill:

The Reverend Joseph Christopher Bradney, was listed as a multiple landowner in Bawdrip, and referred to as Lord of the Manor of Bradney.

1863 Electoral Register, Ludlow polling district, Parish of Greet. - Bradney Joseph Christopher, Greet Rectory and Glebe, Tenbury, Worcestershire,

 

1874/5 Bill:

The Trustees of Joseph Alfred Bradney, viz Sarah Decima Bradney (wife of Joseph Christopher), and Rev William Price Jones, are listed as multiple landowners in Bawdrip. The Rev Joseph Christopher Bradney had died on 19th Feb 1868(Indenture of 27th March 1888 mentioned below) His will of 27th Sept 1865, made when he was living in Clifton Bristol, created a Trust involving lands in Somerset, Wilts, and Monmouth, for his son Joseph Alfred Bradney, aged 9, to become his on reaching the age of 21(1880).

1871 census a Joseph A Bradney was listed as a 12yr old boarder at Park Hall boarding school, Salford, Worcester, born Salop, Greet, making his d.o.b as around 1859.

 

1882 Bill:

The Reverend Joseph Alfred Bradney (aged 22) is referred to as Lord of the Manor of Bradney, and listed as a multiple landowner in Bawdrip. In 1888 he was living at Talycoed Court in the county of Monmouth, mentioned in an Indenture dated 27th March 1888, where he sells 5 plots of land in Bawdrip, to the Bridgwater railway. He was at some point a captain in the Royal Monmouth Militia, and in 1924 he became Sir Joseph Alfred Bradney.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Bawdrip in Old Photos

 

  We are extremely fortunate to be able to show, in thumbnail form, photos from four major collections. For anyone doing research, perhaps family history, about the railway, the river, or whatever, these can be an excellent starting point. For researchers we can supply copies of any originals that they might be particularly interested in.

 

So, what do we have below?

 

1: First off there are David Bown’s old postcards and photos. Following these there is a brief list describing each pic. Some of these were used in his book ‘Bridgwater and Around Through time’, which although primarily dealt with old Bridgwater, also covered some of the surrounding villages.

 

2: Photos from the Albert Rouault collection. As far as we know, these were all taken by him when living in the village.

 

3: Photos from the Susie Scudamore collection. For most of these the photographer is unknown.

 

4: Photos from the Stella Gwilliam/ Emily Stone collection. Emily Stone lived in the village.

 

David Bown’s Old postcards & photos of the village.               

 

bawdrip01       BAWDRIP                 No legend but is a view of the church

bawdrip02       BAWDRIP     1911    The church

bawdrip03       BAWDRIP     1956    Inside church 51446

bawdrip04       BAWDRIP                 Bawdrip rectory

bawdrip05       BAWDRIP                 Uplands house Bawdrip

bawdrip06       BAWDRIP                 Bawdrip church

bawdrip07       BAWDRIP                 Upland House, Bawdrip

bawdrip08       BAWDRIP     1909    Bawdrip Church

bawdrip09       BAWDRIP                 St Michaels & All Saints, Bawdrip

bawdrip10       BAWDRIP                 Bawdrip CP

bawdrip11       BAWDRIP                 Bawdrip Halt

bawdrip12       BAWDRIP     1945    No legend but is a view of the church

bawdrip13       BAWDRIP     ?          No legend bit is a view of the Rectory from the lawn.

bawdrip14       BAWDRIP                 13th Century Church at Bawdrip

bawdrip15       BAWDRIP     1908    Bawdrip

bawdrip16       BAWDRIP                 No Legend but is a view along New Road

bawdrip17       BAWDRIP     c1940  No legend but is a view of a train on the bridge

bawdrip18       BAWDRIP     c1962  No legend but is looking north near the rectory

bawdrip19       BAWDRIP     c1946  No legend but is old thatched house at Bradney

bawdrip20       BAWDRIP     c1957  Photo of East Side Lane junction with Church rd

bawdrip21       BAWDRIP     2004    Photo of Church & Church Farm from 'Essandee'

bawdrip22       BAWDRIP     c1950  Photo of a goods wagon passing over the bridge

bawdrip23       BAWDRIP                 A photo view looking down to the railway bridge.

bawdrip24       BAWDRIP                 Colour photo of Bradney Bridge

bawdrip25       BAWDRIP     1909    Bawdrip Rectory

bawdrip26       BAWDRIP     2003    Church Farm

bawdrip27       BAWDRIP                 Uplands Hill

bawdrip28       BAWDRIP     1965    Railway bridge and embankment

bawdrip29       BAWDRIP     1965    Embankment in the village

bawdrip30       BAWDRIP                 No legend but is of Uplands House

bawdrip31       BAWDRIP     1909    The Rectory, Bawdrip

bawdrip32       BAWDRIP     1947    The Knowle Inn, a negative

bawdrip33       BAWDRIP                 Photo of the Knowle Inn

bawdrip34       BAWDRIP     1947    Thatched cottage on Bradney corner

bawdrip35       BAWDRIP                 No legend but is a view of the church

bawdrip36       BAWDRIP     1905    No legend but is a view of Bawdrip Church from the Rectory gardens

bawdrip37       BAWDRIP     c1932  View of Bawdrip Halt with 2 ladies on the halt

bawdrip38       BAWDRIP     1911    Bawdrip Village

bawdrip39       BAWDRIP                 View of Bawdrip Halt with 2 ladies on the halt

bawdrip40       BAWDRIP                 No legend but is Chapel house, Bradney

 

 

Old Photos of the village by Albert Rouault:

 

Albert lived with his family in Fiddington from around 1900- 1912, then Cannington, before moving to Lilac cottage in the early 1920’s. The cottage was on the A39, just up from the Sion Chapel 1830(see pic 4 the cottage at the top of the hill). Many of his glass negatives survived and were taken into the care of his granddaughter Anne. Below are a random selection from some of the ones from his collection that she sent me:

 

 

 

Pic 1: Roadworks on Knowle hill, as it was known by Albert Rouault.

Pic 2: Looking down the hill in the snow of Dec 1950. Lilac cottage on the left.

Pic 3: Road works just outside the Sion chapel.

Pic 4: View of the chapel and Lilac cottage.

Pic 5: Drainage work at the Bawdrip turning.

Pic 6: The Silver Fish Hotel with Knowle Hall Lodge and the gates to the Hall.

 

 

 

Pic 7: Farmers stood outside the pub + horse & cart and a cow

Pic 8: Harvesting time near Lilac cottage, with an old Fordson tractor. Stan Braddick is the driver, Bill Howe on the binder.

Pic 9: Knowle inn in the snow of 1950.

Pic 10: Knowle inn, undated, but is of interest due to the building you can just make out opposite the pub on the right.

Pic 11: Bawdrip show procession near the knowle Inn. Stan Braddick leaning against the wall by the window.

Pic 12: Flower show & Sport procession makes its way along the A39 near the pub.

 

 

 

 

Pic 13: Knowle tower

Pic 14: Crane by Crandon bridge during widening of the river.

Pic 15: East Side Lane near Kings farm with the big tree in the garden. On the left under the tree can be seen the farm buildings of Barkers farm.

Pic 16: Looking north past the Greenfield Lane Junction.

Pic 17: Bawdrip House from the lawn.

Pic 18: Cutting the corn into sheathes. Stan Braddick driving.

 

 

Pic 19: Lorry belonging to Don Miles

Pic 20: Church, Dec 1949

Pic 21: Traction engine probably on Knowle Hill a39

Pic 22: Church

Pic 23: Lilac cottage

Pic 24: Church lane.

 

 

The above pics were taken by Albert Rouault, possibly in the early 1920’s. Close examination shows that the event was held in the school field, judging by the backgrounds in the pics.

A copy of the third pic, 134b, also appears in the SS collection and is annotated as follows: ‘Bawdrip Flower show in what is now the school playing field, pre 1917. Chap on right in straw boater, the Rev Cass, back towards camera Walt Crane, (Jack Cranes father), to his left Frank Dight, extreme left by girl, Alf Wensley.

   However, the roll call of vicars in the church lists Rev Cass being the vicar from 1919-1946 so the photo was probably after 1919.

See more on the Flower Show page.

 

 

 

Old photos from the Susie Scudamore collection:

Most of these photos appear to be modern copies of the originals. Very few identify the photographer, but most contain a description of individuals seen in the pictures. Some are known to have been taken by Albert Rouault, and a few other photographers pics have been seen before.

 

 

Pic 1: Written on the back it says ‘Brodies, Bradney Lane’. It is on the sharp bend where only Chapel House & Chapel Cottage still stand.

Pic 2: C1970, Ruins of 3 cottages near the junction of Greenfield lane with Church road. Emily & Maud Crane, Winnie & Freddie, Clifford and family

Pic 3: Clyse cottage Bradney Lane.

Pic 4: Back view of ‘Three chimneys’ (A39 Knowle), c1910 Thomas Henry Porter on horse, Earnest Porter standing.

Pic 5: The sign on the cart reads ‘BC Shepherd, Knowle Hall’. Benjamin Cavill Shepherd rented the Hall for some years and may have died there in 1913.  He was a draper in Bristol and he also rented Knowle Hill Farm. (Ref CH)

Pic 6: C1922. Knowle Hall Lodge & Gates. Mr & Mrs Baker. (Later the proprietors of the village shop)

 

 

Pic 7: c1914, Knowle farm, owner Frank Brake in the front garden with wife, son, and dog.

Pic 8: Laying water pipes in Bawdrip. Frank Lynham, with Samuel Wallace at right.

Pic 9: c1915 TJ Hodge on his weekly visit.

Pic 10: Late 1940’s, Bill Howe on Binder. This was one of Albert Rouault’s photos.

Pic 11: Knowle Hall. Man at left Frank Lynham, man with gun George Jarman.

Pic 12: c1913 a snowy Knowle hall.

 

 

Pic 13: Ladies at the Knowle Hall believed to be May & Grace Shepherd on the left, others unknown. C1907( Ref CH)

Pic 14: Looking North over New Road

Pic 15: Looking NW along New Road

Pic 16: Knowle Hall Lodge from the approach road.

Pic 17: Looking along New Road.

Pic 18: Group of men outside Knowle Inn, a pub outing? : Back row: Bob March, Fred Hunt, Stan Howe, ?. Middle row: Jim Brooks, Arthur March, ? Porter, Ewhart Hill, Jack Stone, ? , ?. Front: Bill Conduit (owner of Cissy Gilbert’s Rose cottage, George Hunt, Ruscombe Cox, Lionel Gould(Landlord of the Knowle Inn, died 1963, ?, Bert Gilbert, Frank Conduit(son of Bill), Edward Lynham, Fred March(Bobs father).

 

 

 

 

Pic 19: Looking down at the bridge from Bawdrip Lane

Pic 20: Chapel Cottage and Chapel House on Bradney Lane

Pic 21: Looking towards Rose cottage from the shop

Pic 22: Main road near Crandon bridge

Pic 23: Old lean to at Court Farm

Pic 24: The shop

 

Pic 25: Bryce cottage on New road

Pic 26: Mr Yendle, farmer, Crancombe Lane

Pic 27: Bawdrip from the south

Pic 28: Griff House on New Road.

Pic 29: Greenfield Lane, Greenfield cottage

Pic 30: Bradney Bridge and the Water Works.

 

 

 

Old photos from the Stella Gwilliam collection:

Stella Gwilliam was the daughter of Emily Stone. This collection by Emily, was of photos by various photographers. You may see similar pics from the other collections above.

 

 

Pic 1: Oliver Stone on Greenfield Lane

Pic 2: Travelling salesman T Hodge. Similar but not the same as Pic 9 in the Susie Scudamore pics.

Pic 3: Bawdrip church before the clock.

Pic 4: Man with horse outside Bryce cottage on new road.

Pic 5: Oliver stone outside his house with examples of his basket work.

Pic 6: Oliver Stone giving two young girls, Freda & Gwen, a ride in a small cart.

 

 

Pic 7: Only info I have is ‘Lady with bike & children, Mrs Stone of Bawdrip. No idea where the house is?

Pic 8: Charabang outing? Again, only info is ‘Alf Hooper from Chedzoy’? (YA regs were allocated only during 1922-24. Ref RF)

Pic 9: Charabang outing to Bourenouth in 1926. Oliver Stone with cap and mac, with Emily to his left.

Pic 10: Flower show 1936

Pic 11: Granma Stone with geese 1936

Pic 12: Uncle Oliver Stone 1926.

 

 

 

 

Bawdrip & Chedzoy  Allotment Holders and Gardeners Association  : Bawdrip Flower Show. 

 

Pages from the Accounts book dating back to 1928.

 

A page from the 1931 Midland bank book

 

Extensive documents from the 1955 show, including many local names and their signatures for receipt of prizes won.

 

Five photos from an early flower show, possible from the early 1920’s.

 

 

Bawdrip Flower Show (tripod.com)

 

 

 

1882 Bawdrip map and properties/ownership list.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Bawdrip History Group                                

 

 

Bawdrip History Group | Securing our history for the future