Research Forum

Thomas Orphans Winscombe 1919
published by on Fri, 23/05/2014 - 12:48

I have been assisting the Pill History Society research the WW1 names on our War Memorials. One such person is Norman Blackmore Thomas who was born in 1883 and grew up in Pill but then lived and worked in Winscombe (working at the Temperance Hotel). In 1911 he married Eva Clemintina Mabel Phillips (known as Clementine) and they had four children Reginald (1914), Enid (1915), Ellen (1916) and Arthur (1917). Sadly after Norman was killed in 1918 Clementine died in 1919 leaving the four young children orphaned. They were living in Winscombe at the time. The administration of Norman's will was granted to his elder brother Arthur. What I would like to find out is, who brought the young children up after Clementine's death ? There were no grandparents alive so it could have been Norman or Clementine's siblings or of course an institution. Norman's brother Arthur was a school teacher living in Bristol with is wife Janet and their one child Keith, His elder brother Frank and younger sister Stella (never married) might have been still running the family grocery business in Pill following their Mum's death in 1915. I am asking around in the village to see if anyone remembers Stella or is related to the family.

Clementine was the youngest of seven Phillips children living in Winscombe and her siblings were Albert, Edward, Ernest, Octavius (Arthur), Herbert and Rose. I have not researched them past the 1911 census but it does encourage me that there should be descendants of them locally in or around Winscombe who might be able to answer my question. I have contacted the Winscombe Community website as Norman is also commemorated there but as yet no response.

I believe all four of the Thomas orphans lived locally. Have Reginald F Thomas marrying Barbara Stacey in Bristol in 1939 with one child and two potential death records in Weston 1979 and Bristol 1983. Two potential marriages for Enid i.e. Daniel Stabbins Weston 1939 or Owen James in Bristol 1939. Ellen does not seem to have married and I have a death record in 2006 (North Somerset). Have two potential marriages for Arthur in 1944 Dounton and 1948 Jones both in Weston and a death record 1999 Bristol. So there must be ancestors living locally who know the answer to who looked after them following their mother's death in 1919. It's a question I would very much like to answer as it leaves Norman's life story with a huge question mark at the end of it.

Comments ..

Submitted by Pat Hase on Mon, 26/05/2014 - 22:17

You could try the records of Axbridge Workhouse which can be seen in the Somerset Heritage Centre at Taunton - General Reference: DGax

It is possible that the THOMAS children may have been taken in and then fostered out. Unfortunately there is a gap between 1913 and 1928 in their Admission and Discharge Registers but the children might have been mentioned in other documents for example the Creed Registers so it might be worth an enquiry. Some of these later books may be closed as they contain information about people who may still be alive so a personal request is needed.

Submitted by on Wed, 28/05/2014 - 17:48

Hi Pat,

Thank you for your suggestion.

We only have until next week until our deadline so I had hoped to find a family member who might know. I will bring it up next week to see if we wish to check out the Axbridge Workhouse possibility despite the lack of the admissions register for that time. It will be late to write it into his personal account.

Andrew

Submitted by on Fri, 06/06/2014 - 12:49

Have discovered since posting that Eva also lost her brother Ernest Algenon Phillips on 21st November 1918 in WW1.

No response from my Winsombe inquiry and having worked all the orphan's family stems and those of Eva's sibling through cannot find anyone with particular uniqueness in their names to try contacting them.