Research Forum

Grove House
published by on Wed, 21/12/2016 - 8:31

I am looking for information about Grove House and the Coach House in Grove Park in the early 1940s. I believe that my Mum was a nursery nurse to a family living there and I would be very grateful for any suggested sources.

Comments ..

Submitted by Pat Hase on Fri, 23/12/2016 - 17:50

This is a photo of Grove House taken at the end of WW2 after it had been bombed.

On the 1939 Register there are two families living there. Lawrence WATSON, the Town Clerk and his family with 3 blacked out entries and in a second apartment there are Harold NORMAN, the Parks Superintendent and his wife with a servant and another blacked out entry - which might be someone living in another flat.

Have you found your mother on the 1939 register? If your mother was over voting age she might appear on the electoral roll for the early 1940s. There are some available in Weston-super-Mare Library.

Submitted by on Fri, 23/12/2016 - 19:24

Many thanks Pat for the photo of Grove House and advice - I'll check the electoral register as you suggest. What year was Grove House bombed and is it known if anyone was killed?

Submitted by Pat Hase on Fri, 23/12/2016 - 21:09

You can read more about the House and the Park on this site concerning Historic England.

It was damaged by an incendiary bomb 4th Jan 1941 and this site also describes Grove Park and House and mentions the Coach House. Although there were casualties in Weston at that time I don't think that there were any from Grove House itself. On our site we do have a list of the local casualties who were buried in the Cemetery. But there would have been others who were buried elsewhere. A fuller list of casualties can be seen on the Fishponds Local History Site compiled by John Penny from his research of the bombing of Weston.

Submitted by on Sat, 24/12/2016 - 16:12

Many thanks again Pat - this is really helpful.

Submitted by on Sat, 07/01/2017 - 15:21

Hi Pam,

In the book 'Weston super Mare past and present by Sharon Poole 2006' on page 109 there are 2 photo's of Grove House with a short history.

Elspeth