A unique photographic record of Winsham in 1938
The Winsham Web Museum has obtained permission to reproduce a unique series of photographs belonging to Joyce Hayball. They present a picture of Winsham before the changes in village way of life that occurred after WWII. They are accompanied by a commentary that resulted from long conversations with Joyce and her life-long friend Marj Fowler, both now in their eighties, and who have lived their lives in or around the village. These conversations have been supplemented by information from Richard and Anne Rose, Michael Hebditch, Bob Willman, Jennie Clampett and Stella Abbey and many other village people. It is hoped that the contents of this photographic record will attract further information about the village and the people who lived in the parish at that time.
The photographs were taken in the summer of 1938 by Collie Burland, Joyce's uncle by marriage. Collie and his wife and children used to visit Winsham each year on holiday. Before the children arrived they used to come down from London on a tandem bicycle. On several occasions they also brought a friend in a sidecar attached to the tandem! Collie was a remarkable person. A working class lad, he was born in 1905, in the Notting Hill Gate area of London. As a child he attended the local L.C.C. Council School and acquired an ongoing interest in Primitive Man. Unable to afford further education, he left school at 14 years of age. Later, and as a result of pursuing his interest in humankind's history, he was persuaded by a lecturer at the Natural History department of the British Museum to apply for a job as an Attendant. He worked for the Museum for forty years, starting as what we would now call a porter. However, because of his interest and perseverance, he gradually rose through the Museum's ranks and eventually acquired the status of a world class specialist in ancient Mexican pictorial manuscripts. He was the author of a number of books with ethnological and anthropological themes, some of which are still available.
Life in Winsham in the years before World War II was by today's standards (2012) could be described as very basic. In 1938, none of the cottages had piped water supplies or mains drainage. The locally sourced water supply in the village was not considered safe by Local Authority standards until the mid-nineteen twenties, and mains water was supplied by stand pipes around the village and a pump by the Village Cross. The locations of the stand pipes can be easily seen in Back Street and Fore Street, and collected as needed in buckets or whatever containers were available. Waste also had to be disposed of via a system of cess-pits. Mains electricity was not generally available until the mid -1940s, although the Council Houses (Social Housing) built in the twenties and thirties had mains water, mains drainage and electricity. St.Stephen's, the Vicarage and Jubilee Hall had mains electricity in the mid thirties. The public telephone box on the corner of Church Street, Fore Street and Back Street was installed shortly before these pictures were taken in1938. Street lighting did not reach the village until 1993!
If you have information that can supplement the brief summaries that accompany the pictures, please pass it onto the Winsham Web Museum.
Ivy Cottage in Back Street - 1938
This was the home of George Peadon noted for his cider making abilities. The Peadon family lived here for many years, and the cottage provided two homes for the family, but in 1984 it was sold. Purchased by Steve Packham, a local Master Thatcher, Ivy Cottage underwent a major but sensitive renovation that included a new thatched roof. He and his family then lived in the house for some years.
Click on the 'View Labels' link above for the same photo in 2012
Note that the porch (and front door) and chimney have gone, and a different style of thatching has been used. The Sullivan family lived in Ivy Cottage from 1993 to 2006.
Gospel Hall - 1938
Winsham's Gospel Hall was run by the Plymouth Brethren, a conservative Evangelical Christian movement. After WWII the Chapel was used less and less, and slowly fell into disrepair and eventually sold for development. In 1984, local builder K.D.J. Slade & Sons carried out the rebuilding, leaving in position some of the original walls. Since 1984 it has been owned by two families, originally the Smiths, and in 1996 the Marcantonio family, followed by their daughter Janet Sullivan in 2006.
Click on the 'View Labels' link above for the same photo in 2012
Church Street - 1938
This view from Church Street shows Mrs Charlie Churchill taking a lace bundle to the lace mending hut at the corner of Colham Lane and Back Street. The shop was owned by the Appleby's in 1938, in 2012 it is owned by the village through a system of village share holders. In 1938 the telephone had just been installed, and The Kings Arms was still a pub being run by the Acklands. After Mr Ackland's death The Kings Arms ceased to be a pub and was sold.
Click on the 'View Labels' link above for the same photo in 2012
Lace Mending Hut - 1938
The Lace Mending Hut was purchased by George Peadon after WWI. It was used for occasional village 'hops' and weddings but also used to distribute lace made in Chard by Giffords of Chard, to some twenty outworkers in the village who were employed to carry out post-manufacturing repairs prior to distribution to retailers, etc.
Lace repairs continued until it was demolished aruond 1953, along with the tall brick barn seen at the far end of the hut, enabling the two bungalows now on the site to be built in 1954 and 1964.
In it's latter years, part of the Lace Hut was used as a practice room for the Winsham Band. The young girl in the picture is Joyce Hayball. The tall building in the background was where the Peadons made their cider. It was also where Jack Churchill conjured out of the air the first TV pictures to be seen in Winsham in 1946.
Click on the 'View Labels' link above for the same photo in 2012
Malthouse Cottages - 1938
The three Malthouse cottages at the end of Court Street are old and were originally thatched. They narrowly avoided being demolished between the wars. At the time that this picture was taken, it is believed that they were occupied by Katy Clarke, Grace Beviss, and the 'Old Lady' Long. Then as now the area is prone to flooding from a small tributary to the river Axe, although small drains and culverts have been build at various times to minimise the problem. Until the cutting from Church Street was built, Court Street was part of the Chard to Bridport road!
Click on the 'View Labels' link above for the same photo in 2012
Court Street Cottages - 1938
At the time of the picture, these two cottages were occupied by the Lacey family and the Bridle family. They were rented like many of the cottages in the village. Lord Bridport's family (Cricket St. Thomas) owned many, but there were absentee land lords as well. In 2012 these cottages were second homes.
Click on the 'View Labels' link above for the same photo in 2012
Church Street - 1938
The view down Church Street has changed very little over the years, apart from all but one of the shops disappearing. The brick building on the left was demolished and the space created is now the access to The Bell's car park. The shop on the left a little further down was the bakers, and the butcher's shop that was run by Mr Warren can just be seen on the left at the far end. The most noticable difference between then and now is the absence of motor cars.
The lady on the right is the photographers wife and the other lady was Miss Pinks.
Click on the 'View Labels' link above for the same photo in 2012
Churchill's Garage - 1938
This is a picture of Churchill's Garage in Fore Street, and now the home of Woodland's Garage. It was a major centre of activity in the village. There was a Blacksmith (Ned Churchill) on the premises and shoeing of horses was a regular event in those days. They also repaired tractors, farm machinery and motor cars. Accumulators for villager's wireless sets were also charged with electricity here. Petrol and paraffin was also sold. Mrs Churchill did dressmaking. The house on the far right, at the end of the yard, was occupied by Miss Grimstead who fostered little girls who had been orphaned or abandoned.
Click on the 'View Labels' link above for the same photo in 2012
The Cottages / Long Thatches - 1938
The Cottage was the home of the Hart family. Mrs Hart ran a sweet and confectionary shop from her front room and it was very popular with the young people - she always stocked the small cheap sorts that the company Trebor used to manufacture, one penny a time! Mr Hart was the second Royal Mail postman to Dan Butler, and also acted as the local vet; he treated small animals that were sick in a barn type building in his back yard. Not a place for the squeamish!
On the left, just out of the picture was Arthur Manning's garage and workshop, he employed a mechanic, Fred Cleal who lived a Laymore.
Mrs Stroud (on the left) is delivering milk to Fore Street by handcard (on the right) from Broadenham farm. Milk was delivered this was throughout the village. The other lady in the picture is Cath Loaring (later to become Mrs Griffin), she is carrying a bag of lace repairs. The Cottage, now known (2013) as Long Thatches is on the left. In 1938 it was Nos 1 and 2 'The Cottages'. The front door of No.2 is now a window. On the left, past the stand-pipe (mains water supply) are cottages that were demolished in 1951 to make way for social housing after the war.
Click on the 'View Labels' link above for the same photo in 2012
Fore Street - 1938
In Fore Street, above the Manse were the three 'Council Houses'. When compared with the cottages in the village where most people lived, they were the height of luxury, with electricity and mains water and drainage! The Longs, Downs and the Grabham families lived there in the thirties.
Click on the 'View Labels' link above for the same photo in 2012
High Street - 1938
High Street has not changed very much in appearance. In 1938 Tom Phelps lived with his bride Gladys Bridle, in the most distant cottage. Next lived Phil and Ada Brown, and Joe Philips lived in the next and Mrs Hodder-Philips lived in the nearest cottage. Now Peter and Mary Pye live in the two top cottages, known now as Badger Cottage and the whole of the lower section is known as Lime Kiln House is owned by Anne and Keith Portsmore (2012). High Street leads onto the site of the old Lime Kiln, which later on, prior to WWII, was the village rubbish tip. Alf Robbins, the haulier coalman, was lived in Fore Street, collected rubbish for dumping.
Click on the 'View Labels' link above for the same photo in 2012
Pooles Lane - 1938
These cottages were demolished in the early 1980s after being unused for many years. In about 1997, Church House was built next to where the cottages stood. The Monkey Puzzle tree located in the church cemetery can be clearly seen, not looking very different from how it looked in 2012.
Click on the 'View Labels' link above for the same photo in 2012
The Old Mill - 1938
The Old Mill was built in the early 19th century, and operated for over one hundred years. It started as a woolen mill, becoming a flax mill as the economy changed, and eventually ended up making sacking. At one time it was the largest employer in the village, providing 600 jobs. By 1938 it was derelict and demolished during the war, the stone being used for construction of an aerodrome in Somerset.
Stuckey's Farm - 1938
At the time of the picture, Stuckey's Farm was an active farm and continued to be so until after WWII. It then changed ownership a number of times, at one time becoming a great house In 2012 it is the home of Stewart and Lucy Binns, and their two young children.
Click on the 'View Labels' link above for the same photo in 2012
Fore Street - 1938
Located at the top of Fore Street and High Street, the location of one of the stand pipes that were the only source of clean water for cottages can be seen inset into the wall. These stand pipes were to be found throughout the village and their locations can still be easily seen in 2012. At the time Percy and Lilly Trott lived in the cottage. It is now a holiday home.
Click on the 'View Labels' link above for the same photo in 2012
Church Street - 1938
Today there seems to be very little difference in the appearance of Church Street, except that it is now lined with parked cars. In the picture 'Tiny' Weaver, Winsham's resident policeman can be clearly seen on his bicycle. Victory Garage is just off the picture on the left.
Click on the 'View Labels' link above for the same photo in 2012
The George - 1938
The George was a pub until well after the end of WWII. In 1938 it was, it is believed to be run by the Peadon family, followed by the Grabham family. It seems that all three pubs in the village had their particular customers. The Bell was the 'posh pub', which commercial travellers used to favour!
Click on the 'View Labels' link above for the same photo in 2012
Manor Farm - 1938
Manor Farm was an active dairy farm in 1938, and this picture shows a herd of cows moving from Colham Lane into the milking parlour. The dairy part of the farm is now a small residential cottage. Manor Farm was owned by Mr and Mrs Bishop.
Click on the 'View Labels' link above for the same photo in 2012
Pooles Cottages - 1938
This view from the cemetery clearly shows the gable and view of three Pooles Cottages, now demolished and Glebe Cottage. The footpath, in 2012, is now fenced as is the school field on the left of the footpath that can be seen. St. Stephen's dominates the vista.
Similar image is a view of Pooles Cottages from the front. The date of the picture is uncertain, but may have been taken during WWII. It is believed to be the only photographic record of the front of the cottages. This picture was not taken by Collie Burland and was donated by Jim Loaring.
Click on the 'View Labels' link above for the same photo in 2012
Winsham School - 1938
The school has changed very little in appearance in the intervening years.
Click on the 'View Labels' link above for the same photo in 2012
Pooles Lane - 1938
In 1938, Pooles Lane Cottages were two cottages lived in by Jack Flory and Les & Esme Singleton. Pooles Lane was unsurfaced. In 2012 it is one house, known as Glebe Cottage, the home of Richard and Anne Rose, who used to farm in the parish.
Click on the 'View Labels' link above for the same photo in 2012
Manor Farm - 1938
Manor Farm was owned by the Bishops, who were staunch supporters of the Congregational Chapel, further up Fore Street.
Click on the 'View Labels' link above for the same photo in 2012
Back Street - 1938
One of the two nearest cottages in the picture was the home of Joyce Hayball when she was a young girl. These were demolished in 1969, when Garden House was built. The two cottages further up remain. Recessed in the wall, in the foreground, the location of the water stand pipe can be seen.
Joyce Butler (Hayball) lived in the one nearest. The father, Jack, worked for the then Chard District Council on roadwork. He was always in the foreground of the road tarring and gritting gang. Back Street was not tarred or gritted. It was rolled flint stone! Flint stone crackers used to work up near the flint stone quarry, half a mile up from Winsham to Crewkerne Road. They used to crack the stone into useful small pieces which was steam rolled to make a surface. (Dennis Summers)
Click on the 'View Labels' link above for the same photo in 2012
Ammerham Farm - 1938
Ammerham Farm in 1938 was farmed by Mr Monk. It was a general farm of about 40 acres. After the war it was sold to the Wheaton family. Pat Wheaton used the land for his plant rental business. He also owned the fields between Ammerham and Winsham, taking out the hedges to facility the flying of his light aircraft.
Later this land was taken over by Roy Wheaton. At that time, Roy Wheaton owned Closewood Farm and Court Farm in Winsham. He ran a timber and logging business, but eventually farmed from Court Farm, where his mother lived. He was responsible for laying the estate road that now runs past the sewerage plant in Winsham towards Ammerham.
In 2012 the house was owned by Keith Hall, who has lived there some twenty years. Prio to the Loveridge family farmed from the house. Read Dennis Summers memories for more information.
Click on the 'View Labels' link above for the same photo in 2012
Dennis Summers
A young Dennis Summers collecting water from the community water stand pipe
Mrs A Robbins with her daughter Margaret standing outside what is their recently build home, now known as 'Jasons', in Fore Street
Ethel and Esme Singleton
Standing under the Lynch Gate outside St. Stephen's
So times have changed, and Winsham with them. Not perhaps visually as much as one might have expected. Certainly 2012 the standard of living, even in recession, is on average much higher than in 1938. As with most of the country at that time, especially in rural areas, money was not plentiful, but in Winsham, although life for many was hard, there was no grinding poverty.
As a result of hundreds of years of settled existence, a strong sense of community existed. This would be needed in just over a year's time, Britain would be at war again, a mere twenty years or so since the end of World War I, the aftermath of which would bring great social changes, although the sense of community would remain.
