Research Forum

When the planning request for its demolition was being debated a few years ago  I compiled the following which may be of interest - not of the house but of the people who had lived there.  I haven't checked this again  and it must have been done before the 1911 census became available.

The 1901 census for Overcombe  the resident is shown as William A LYDDON, who is living on own means. His children, Winifred, Margaret & Agnes were all born in Yatton. On the 1891 census for Yatton, William LYDDON was described as a Wholesale Chemist & Druggist – so that looks as if he had made his money in that way.

Overcombe in 1891 was occupied by William S BENNETT and family. William BENNETT was described as “Living on own means”.  On the 1881 census he living in Calne and is described as having “No occupation” but as two of their children were born in Ceylon I suspect he was either a Tea Planter or served abroad in some form or other.

Frances TOWNSEND was living in Overcombe in 1881. As her children were all born in Ireland I can’t find out what she was doing at the time of the 1871 census.  BUT …. I did find the birth registration of one of her children and from this you can see that her husband rejoiced in the name of John Crewe Chetwode TOWNSEND.

TOWNSEND, Henrietta Frances Birth
Gender: Female
Birth Date: 1 Jul 1871 Birthplace: 113, Cork No North East, Cork, Ire
Recorded in: Cork, Ireland
Collection: Civil Registration
Father: John Crewe Chetwode TOWNSEND
Mother: Frances Dorothea TOWNSEND
Source: FHL Film 255831 Dates: 1871 – 1872

According to the International Genealogical Index produced by the Mormon Church it appears that John Crewe Chetwode TOWNSEND was the son of Horatio TOWNSEND and Henrietta Margaret CHETWODE, having been born at Castletownsend, Cork, Ireland in about 1824.
In the information that the Weston-super-Mare Family History Society is collecting about burials at the Cemetery it shows that Frances Helena TOWNSEND died in Weston 18th May 1891 aged 74 – the memorial shows that she was the widow of Samuel Philip TOWNSEND of Garrycloyne, Cork. She was buried 23rd May 1891 in Grave No Tc 3951. There might be an obituary to her in the Weston Mercury.

In the censuses of 1861 and 1871, Rachel BENNIE was the occupier of Overcombe – she was a widow, born in the West Indies in about 1798, and described in 1861 as “A Gentlewoman”. Living with her was her step-mother, Sarah FORESTER, born in Ireland who died in 1873 and was buried in Weston Cemetery but with no surviving memorial that I can find. There was also Rachel’s step-sister, another Sarah FORESTER living with them and interestingly she is still in the area in 1881 but by then living in “Combe Bank”, giving her birth place as Demerara.

As I’m assuming that the house hadn’t been built at the time of the 1851 census it is possible that Rachel BENNIE was the first occupier.  She was the widow of a James BENNIE.

According to the Building Plans in the Somerset Archives - there were plans to turn it into 2 flats in 1940.  In the street directory of 1974 there appears to be 6 apartments at that address but no mention of a Nursing Home. When were your relations there? 

Hello Pat

Thank you for the information - obviously not a nursing home.  My grandfather, Frank Clarke, had Overcombe and it's cottage in the 1960's, possibly a bit earlier.  Either he or my mother who followed him made it into the 6 flats you mentioned.  Certainly my grandmother lived in the ground floor flat for a while. It was eventually sold as a 'going concern'.