As a non-local member of the Society, I thought it might be worth explaining my connection to the area, which is through the families of my great-grandparents – Gordon Russell PHILLIPS (1896-1964) and Dora Blanche HART (1897-1976).
Gordon's father William John Tyler PHILLIPS (known as John) moved to Uphill from Bristol to run a farm & shop in the village in the early 20th century. Three of Gordon's siblings married into the same family - DENNIS - from Weston-super-Mare (Norah PHILLIPS was second wife of Claude Distin DENNIS - Joseph (Joe) & Madge PHILLIPS married Vera & Delwyn DENNIS respectively, both were children from Claude's first marriage). The other PHILLIPS siblings were Dorothy, Agnes and Robert (Bob). The photograph below shows John with Joe, Bob, Agnes, Madge and Norah c.1911 on the farm at Uphill.
Dora's grandfather, Thomas Peter HART (originally from Chipstable), ran the Ship Inn and the quarry at Uphill. Newspaper reports from 1890 reveal that he was assaulted by men who refused to leave the pub one night and in 1906 he was examined following the theft of a copper boiler from the quarry by George Stenner - he gives his occupation at this time as builder. In 1914 he was contracted for repairs on the old church at Uphill, three years before his death.
Thomas Peter HART’s brother, Charles, ran the Anchor Inn at Bleadon (Thomas Peter had briefly lived there before him, from 1880 to 1883) – this pub stayed in the family for many years. Dora’s father, James ‘Jimmy’ HART took over the quarry business. Her mother was Alice PRICE, one of 14 children, many of whom married into local families including POPHAM, EVERY, EXON, POPLE, JAMES and PORTER (approximately 1 in 7 men from Uphill who fought in WWI were related to Dora, mostly cousins). Alice's mother, Jane, went to America with her younger children after the death of Alice's father, Thomas, in January 1887 (he was a shoemaker in the village, originally from Pensford).
Interested to hear from anyone interested in the families mentioned above – I have further information to share, also of course some questions, including:
Why did Thomas Peter Hart start using Peter as his first name? He was known as Thomas until at least 1873, but Peter by the time he took over at the Anchor in 1880
Why did Jane Price go to America? Was there a family connection over there?
What became of Gordon Phillips’ sister Dorothy (Dolly) – the only one of the siblings I haven’t been able to find out any more about? | 
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