Yeovil's Virtual Museum

William & George Bodenham

Butchers of Silver Street

 

George Bodenham was born in Yeovil in 1845, the youngest of the six children of butcher and shopkeeper William Bodenham (1804-1867) and Mary née Boucher (1805-1882). William and Mary's children, all born in Yeovil, were; Thomas Symonds (b1825), Martha Symonds (1827-1881), Edward Boucher (1830-1866), Sarah (1833-1861), Elizabeth (1836-1904) and George.

From the 1830s onwards, William, Mary and their family lived in Silver Street. Mary was listed in Pigot's Directory of 1830 as a "Milliner / Straw Hat Maker of Silver Street". In Hunt & Co's Directory of 1850, William was listed as a "Dealer in Groceries & Sundries of Silver Street".

Following the Yeovil Reform Riot of October 1831, William Bodenham joined the newly-formed Yeovil Political Union and was soon elected to serve on the Management Committee (see Gallery).

In the 1851 census the family were listed living in Silver Street - at this time it was the property next door to the King's Arms. William gave his occupation as a bacon and cheese dealer. His son Edward gave his occupation as a pork butcher. By the time of the 1861 census William gave his occupation as a grocer and George and his older sister Sarah were both listed as assistants.

William Bodenham died in 1867, and in the 1871 census his widow Mary was living at the Silver Street premises with her daughter Martha (also a widow) and George - who gave his occupation as a pork and provision merchant.

George is known to have served on more than one jury, but in November 1868 he found himself in the dock - see Gallery.

On 23 October 1871, at St Cuthbert's, Wells, George married Emily Selina Taylor (c1846-1894), the daughter of butcher Robert Taylor of Wells. They were not to have children.

In the 1875 edition of the Post Office Directory, George was listed as a pork butcher of Silver Street. He had a similar listing in Whitby's Yeovil Almanack Advertiser of 1882.

The 1881 census listed George and Emily at 8 Silver Street together with his mother Mary and sister Martha, together with Emily's retired butcher father, Robert Taylor, and a servant. 36-year old George gave his occupation as a butcher and provisions merchant.

As a side note; the family lived at 8 Silver Street and 9 Silver Street was listed in the census as the King's Arms. It is likely, however, that the street was re-numbered since in his will of 1882 George states that he was the owner of both 8 and 9 Silver Street as well as 1 Vicarage Street.. At the time of his death, 8 and 9 Silver Street would have been on each corner of Vicarage Street - see Gallery.

George Bodenham died in Yeovil on 29 May 1883, aged 38. He was buried in Yeovil Cemetery on 2 June 1883.

Following George's death, his widow Emily carried on the butchery business, placing an advertisement in the 1889 edition of Whitby's Yeovil Almanack Advertiser. At this time she moved into the newly-built Stanley House, Earle Street. Emily died in Stanley House on 20 December 1894, "in her fiftieth year".

 

 

Courtesy of South Somerset District Council

A handbill dated 20 June 1832 and signed by the committee of the Yeovil Political Union, including William Bodenham who was a member of the Committee. 

 

The western end of Vicarage Street photographed from Silver Street, c1920. The Parker family's butcher's shop is at left. This had earlier been the premises of William Bodenham (from the 1830s), then his son George. By the time of his death in 1883, George Bodenham also owned the property at right - later the Denning Brothers' butchers - together with the slaughterhouse behind it. His wife Emily ran the family butchery until her death in 1894.

 

Courtesy of Colin Haine  -  This photograph features in my book 'Yeovil From Old Photographs'.

Vicarage Street seen from St John's churchyard, probably during the 1950s. The triangular, single storey building at centre was for many years a fire engine house - it later became part of Denning Brothers butchers shop and provisions merchants in Silver Street. Denning's had their own slaughterhouse behind the shop. These premises, and the slaughterhouse, were also earlier owned by George Bodenham and, after his death, by his wife Emily.

 

The report of George's appearance in court from the 6 November 1868 edition of the Western Gazette.

 

The notice of George and Emily's marriage in the 27 October 1871 edition of the Shepton Mallet Journal.

 

George's (only) advertisement in Whitby's Yeovil Almanack Advertiser of 1882.

 

The notice placed by Emily in the Western Gazette's edition of 20 July 1883, following the death of her husband.

 

Emily's advertisement in Whitby's Yeovil Almanack Advertiser of 1889.

 

The notice of Emily's death in the 27 December 1894 edition of the Wells Journal.

 

 

From my collection

 

This is the last Will and Testament of me George Bodenham of Yeovil in the County of Somerset Meat Salesman I direct my Executors hereinafter named to pay all my just debts funeral and testamentary expenses as soon as convenient after my decease out of my personal Estate I give and devise unto my friends Eli Wilson of Yeovil aforesaid Draper Henry Palmer Miller of Yeovil aforesaid Commercial Traveller and Henry Frank Edgar of Yeovil aforesaid Ironfounder My three houses with the appurtenances belonging thereto situate at Yeovil aforesaid being Nos 8 and 9 in Silver Street No 1 in Vicarage Street to which I am entitled subject to my Mother's life Interest therein Upon trust after the death of my said mother to pay the rents and Income thereof to my Wife Emily Selina Bodenham for and during her natural life or otherwise to permit her to receive the same to and for her own use and benefit And from and after the decease of my said Wife Upon Trust to pay the rents and income thereof to my sister Elizabeth Griffin for and during her natural life or otherwise to permit her to receive the same to and for her own use and benefit And from and after the decease of the survivor of my said wife and sister I give and devise the said three Houses with the Appurtenances unto such of my three nieces Mary Ann Griffin Ellen Symonds Griffin and Annie Bodenham Griffin Children of my said Sister Elizabeth Griffin as shall be living at the death of the Survivor of my said Wife and Sister Share and Share alike as tenants in common and if only one of my said nieces should be then living then to that one only I give and devise unto my said Wife for her own use and benefit absolutely my two Houses Slaughter House and garden with the appurtenances situate in Vicarage Street Yeovil aforesaid being Nos 50 and 51 in the said Street called Vicarage Street Also the piece of Ground purchased by me of the Yeovil Turnpike Commissioners situate at Hendford Hill in the parish of Yeovil aforesaid I give devise and bequeath unto my said wife (subject to the payment of my just Debts Funeral and Testamentary Expenses) All my moneys and securities for money Book Debts Stock in Trade Farming Stock Horses and Carriages Households Goods and Furniture Plate linen and China Wines and Liquors and other Household Effects and all other the rest residue and remainder of my real and personal Estate of what nature or kind soever and wheresoever situate over which I have any disposing power for her own use and benefit absolutely I appoint my said Wife Emily Selina Bodenham and my friends the said Eli Wilson Henry Palmer Miller and Henry Frank Edgar joint Executrix and Executors of this my Will hereby revoking all Wills by me heretofore made and declaring this to be my last Will and Testament In Witness whereof I have hereunto subscribed my name this 5th day of June 1882
George Bodenham
Signed by the said George Bodenham the Testator as and for his last Will and Testament in the presence of us being present at the same time who at his request and in his presence and in the presence of each other subscribe our names as Witnesses
James baker Northover Somerset Wm F Baker Northover Somerset

 

Transcribed by Bob Osborn

 

 

This is the last Will and Testament of me Emily Selina Bodenham of Yeovil in the County of Somerset Widow I appoint my Brother Richard Taylor of Court Ash House Yeovil aforesaid Gentleman and John Marden of Yeovil aforesaid Farmer (hereinafter called my Trustees) to be the Executors and Trustees of this my Will I give to each of my Trustees the sum of £5 as a slight acknowledgement for the trouble he may have in acting in the trusts of this my Will I bequeath my glass case of stuffed Birds the Portrait in oil of myself and my Photographic Album to my sister Martha Ann Bozon wife of George Edward Bozon I give my Writing Desk to my nephew Gilbert Richard Taylor Carter I give my dwellinghouse garden and premises known as No 13 Sherborne Road Yeovil aforesaid unto my said sister absolutely But in the event of her death in my lifetime and if her said husband shall survive me then I devise the same to him for life And after his death but only in the event of my sister having died in my lifetime I devise the said dwellinghouse garden and premises unto my Trustees Upon Trust to sell the same and to pay and divide the net proceeds of such sale unto and equally between such of the children of my said sister as still be living at the time of my decease and if but one child to pay the whole to such one child But in case there shall be no such children or child Then I direct subject to the life interest therein if any of the said George Edward Bozen that the said dwellinghouse garden and premises shall fall into and form part of my residuary estate I devise the dwellinghouse and premises in my own occupation and known as Stanley House, Earle Street Yeovil aforesaid unto my Trustees Upon trust to sell the same and to pay and divide the net proceeds of such sale unto and equally between such of my two nephews Thomas Robert Taylor and Wilfred George Taylor (sons of my said brother Richard Taylor) and my four nieces Clara Anna Sarah Taylor Linda Elizabeth Taylor Ethel Janet Taylor and Beatrice Pearce Taylor (daughters of my said brother Richard Taylor) as shall be living at the time of my decease I devise and bequeath my two dwellinghouses known as Nos 50 and 51 Vicarage Street Yeovil aforesaid with the slaughterhouse garden and premises thereto belonging and all other my real and personal estate (not hereby otherwise disposed of) unto my Trustees Upon trust to sell call in and convert into money the same or such part thereof as shall not consist of money and with and out  of the money produced by such sale calling in and conversion and with and out of my ready money to pay my funeral expenses and debts and the legacies bequeathed by this my will or any Codicil hereto And to stand possessed of the residue of such last mentioned moneys In Trust to pay the same unto and equally between such of them my two sisters Elizabeth Carter and Priscilla Hodges my sister in law Maria Taylor (wife of my brother Charles William Taylor) and my Nephew John Richard Brake Taylor (another son of my said Brother Richard Taylor) as shall be living at my decease And in the event of my said nephew John Richard Brake Taylor dying in my lifetime without leaving a child or children who shall survive me Then I direct that the share of my residuary estate to which my last named nephew would have been entitled if he had survived me shall be paid to his brother the said Wilfred George Taylor absolutely Provided always and I hereby declare that if any of them the said Elizabeth Carter Priscilla Hodges Maria Taylor or my said nephews and nieces (children of the said Richard Taylor) shall die in my lifetime leaving a child or children who shall survive me Then such last mentioned child or children shall take (and if more than one equally between them) the share or shares of my estate to which his her or their parent would have been entitled if such parent had survived me And I revoke all former Wills by me at anytime heretofore made In Witness whereof I have hereunto set my hand this 1st day of March 1894

Signed and acknowledged by the said Emily Selina Bodenham the Testator and for her last Will and Testament in the presence of us present at the same time who at her request in her presence and in the presence of each other have hereunto subscribed our names as Witnesses

Emily Selina Bodenham

Edgar Bennett Clerk to Messrs Watts Sols. Yeovil
Florence Maria Edgar Clarence House Yeovil

1894 Dec 20 The said Testator died

1895 Feb 27 Probate granted by the Taunton District Registry to both the said Executors

 

Transcribed by Bob Osborn