Sometimes when you go 'tree-blind' on your own branches, it is nice to sojourn to another persons tree.
Yesterday, after several hours of finding cousins on the White and Dando lines, I decided to look for my husband's grandfather, specifically his war records. I'm sure that (for those astrologically minded) Mercury went into retrograde early, as technology I use every single day didn't want to work for me, and it took another researcher (she is brilliant!) to find what I couldn't find, even though it was exactly where I expected it to be.
Back to the grandfather-in-law. He was born in North Street, Bedminster in 1895. When he left school he worked for the brewery directly across the road as a bottle washer.
Ashton Gate brewery was originally a business set up by Thomas Baynton, and after his death in 1865 it became a company.
Bill, then went to war, joining the Somerset Light Infantry (who were known as Prince Albert's Light Infantry) as a Private. His war record seems to be exemplary, in fact, he was mentioned in dispatches, being a First Lieutenant when the Great War was over.
He returned to Bristol, married and had several children.
In WW2 he was a fire watcher. One family story was that he was blown clear down a Bedminster street when an incendiary device detonated.
Thomas Baynton was my 4x Great Uncle
ReplyDeleteThomas Baynton was born in 1791 in Kilmersden, a small village in Somerset, to John Baynton of Frome and Lydia Ashman of Bath. Thomas was one of six brothers, John, Charles, James, Isaac and William, who grew up in relative comfort during a period of war with Spain and France.
When Thomas and Charles came to Bristol in the early 1820’s, poverty was rife following the end of the Napoleonic wars and it was often a very violent place. Bear-baiting, bull-baiting and public hangings were popular entertainments and there was no Police force, so punishments were barbarous. The Population of the City in 1821 was 52,889, and the filth was appalling as there were no sewers at this time.
In 1823 Thomas and brother Charles bought a Brewery producing Porter, Common and Strong Beer in Bristol. The brewery was situated in the Floating Harbour on Quay, the long dockside running along the side of the river Frome into the centre of the old city of Bristol. It was housed in a building adjoining the back of the Princes Street Assembly Rooms.
The brothers lived next door to the Assembly Rooms in No.42 Princes Street [at the back of this house on Quay, was the Old Port Tavern opened about 1854 by John Flinn].
The Baynton’s purchased the Brewery business from George Taylor, who was listed in Mathews Bristol Directory as a Maltster and Brewer on Quay and resident at 42 Princes Street. In 1793 he is landlord of the Queens Head on Quay until at least 1798. In 1805 he is listed as a Maltster at the Assembly Coffee House on Quay, and by 1815 he is living at 42 Prince Street with a Brewery at the back of here on Quay. In 1823 Taylor moves the Malting side of the business to Cathay (Redcliff) where he is also listed as a Wholesale Spirit Dealer (1823 to 1826).
George Taylor may have sold the brewery to the Baynton’s due to competition from William Black, who owned a Brewery several doors away on Quay (1820-1830) and now owned the Assembly Rooms Coffee House and Tavern in Princes Street (1820 to 1828, Elizabeth Black 1831). By 1841 Thomas had purchased the Tavern, and is leasing it out to tennents.
Thomas disappears from the Mathews Bristol Directory for 1826 to 1828.
The Quay Brewery continues to be run by Charles and John Baynton during 1826 and 1827, while living at 42 Princes Street, after which time they appear to have left the premises.
In 1828 John Baynton sets up as a Maltster in Coronation Road, and it is likely that the other brothers are living close by, as a letter sent to the Bishop of Bath and Wells about the location for a new church for Bedminster (St.Pauls) is dated Bedminster 5th March 1828 and is signed by Thos., Charles, Isaac and J.Baynton amongst other leading Bedminster Businessmen (see end of document for letter).
Isaac Baynton takes a lease of the Perryman’s closes, at Backbridge in the parish of St.Mary, Westport 24th April 1828. [Wiltshire & Swindon Archives 212B/4355]
The Somerset Brewery first appears in Mathews Bristol Directory in 1829, run by Thomas, Charles and John opposite the Ashton Gate Turnpike in Bedminster. They also live in a house at the brewery.
The area was still mainly open countryside, with large houses and farms. At this time there were no Policemen (the Bedminster Police station was opened in 1834, and this was all the way over at Bedminster Causeway) and there were still Highway men and other Rogues to be contended with as Thomas Baynton put up a reward for information leading to the conviction of one such person as reported in the Bristol Journal of 12th February 1829.
I have lots more info should anyone want it
How wonderful of you to comment and share here Roger. It is very interesting for me to read this, for many reasons, genealogically, historically and geographically :)
ReplyDeleteBill lived in the house next door to the Roundhouse on North Street.
ReplyDelete