About Us

Group Activities

Formed in 2011, We are a group of like minded individuals with an interest in researching, and sharing the history of our village its people and its places.

We hope to record and archive our findings for future generations.

The group brings together residents and visitors to share and discover anything relating to our village past. From today, right back to Domesday and beyond!

Our main focus is on the people and parish of East Brent, and the villages within its boundary, including Rooksbridge and the hamlet of Edingworth.

However! Through the ages, people strayed beyond the village boundaries to find work and to marry etc.  So too, will our quest to follow families, inevitably lead us to stray into the neighbouring parishes of Brent Knoll, Lympsham, Biddisham and Mark etc! And sometimes far beyond. Even to connections on the other side of the world.

Meetings

The 1st Wednesday

Monthly   

7.00 pm

The Village Hall
East Brent.

Visitors welcome

Next Meeting

Wed 5th June 2013,

7:00 pm in the Village Hall.

A Parish History Group
Exhibition

Will be held in the Village Hall

Sat - Sun 1st and 2nd June

Entrance free

All Welcome

Meeting Report
 Wednesday May 1st 2013

  

East Brent Parish History Group

Meeting 1st May 2013

George Reed – Lord of the Manor of East Brent

We were very fortunate to have a visit from Pat Hase who gave a presentation on George Reed. Pat  has researched George Reed extensively and demonstrated the depth she has gone into to tease

out details of his life and how he became Lord of the Manor of East Brent. From Pat’s presentation, I summarise the following details.

George Reed was Christened on 16 June 1805 at Westbury on Trym, Gloucestershire - no father was recorded.

Pat proceeded to show evidence that George’s mother Susan(na) came from Bridgwater and in August 1818, married a wealthy banker by the name of Joseph Haythorne in Clifton, Gloucestershire. Joseph Haythorne was a partner in “The Bristol City Bank” from 1794 to 1834. His signature appears on banknotes of the time. He had been previously married to Elizabeth

Fowler (d. 1812) and his brother (John Haythorne) became Mayor of Bristol four times. It seems that Susanna was housemaid and cook to Joseph Haythorne and saved his life when he became ill.

George Reed became a Corn Factor in Bristol and in 1826 married Sarah Hammans by licence and then again in 1828 by banns. A child was born 3 months after the second marriage so it was possible that the first marriage

although legal, was not considered altogether “proper”.

The child was named Joseph Haythorne Reed in recognition of his step-grandfather.

Joseph Haythorne died in 1836 and in his will left all his wealth to Susanna

apart from a few small legacies. His property alone was worth £160,000.

However, not all was happy with Joseph’s brother John as the content of this letter testifies.

A little over a year later Susanna married a much younger man – Thomas Lane Coulson (sometimes spelt Colston).

The Tithe Map for East Brent Parish (about 1841) shows a great deal of the land being in the ownership of Susannah Colston (Coulson) and occupied by various tenants including James Rich, Isaac Huett, Joseph Hudson, John Ham and Susanna Colston herself occupying Brown’s Cottage.

This would seem to be how the title Lord of the Manor of East Brent, came into the ownership of George Reed. There is no evidence to suggest that George Reed ever actually lived in the Parish.

By 1837, he is recorded as insuring property in Burnham and was soon living in the Manor House. Which is currently being re-furbished. George became a great benefactor of Burnham and in 1855 built the National School. Catherine Terrace and Julia Terrace by the band stand and Reed’s Arms were also built by him.

He maintained his contact with East Brent and is regularly recorded as attending the Harvest Home in its early days and his daughter, Catherine married a Captain Fryer in 1862 atSt. Mary’s Church.

A plaque was erected in St. Mary’s by him and his wife together with a memorial window to their daughter, Sarah.

George Reed was a director of the Somerset & Dorset Railway and was heavily involved in financing the Railway into Burnham. He was confident that Burnham could be on the route from South Wales through to the South Coast and the on to France. Unfortunately, this was far from successful

and on the 20th June 1869, the Weston Mercury reported successful actions against him for the recovery of more than £80,000 and within 2 days, George had died.

He is buried in the family vault at St. Mary’s Church. We can only guess the

real reason but his remaining effects were valued at under £18,000.

The history of the title prior to the Reed family is not clearly known and following George Reed’s death the immediate history is uncertain.

I have been made aware of who owns the title now and have spoken to the person concerned. But, as they say, that is another story.

Pat’s presentation was very detailed and I hope I have done it justice. If anyone would like more information, please let me know.

Correction

Last month, I mentioned a discussion with Ken Huett and said he lived in Manor Close, East Brent.

This appears to have been wrong and he in fact lived in Orchard Close in his early years. My apologies, Ken and thanks to those who corrected me.

Future Meetings

The next meeting will be held in the Village Hall on

Wednesday, 5th June 2013

And thereafter on the first Wednesday of each month (except August).

A scanner can be made available to scan any documents/photos.

There will be a

Parish History Group Exhibition

on Saturday/Sunday 1st & 2nd June 2013.

All are welcome, please do come along. There are many stories to be told.

Colin Loader

Tel. 01278 760713, Mob. 07931 429927

e-mail: ebphgroup@talktalk.net

Parish Council Website: http://eastbrentparishcouncil.org.uk/