Yeovil's Virtual Museum

Rev Samuel & Susanna Fawcett

Dissenting Minister

 

The Reverend Samuel Fawcett was born in 1751 in Kidderminster, Worcestershire, and baptised on 15 June 1751 at the Old Meeting House Independent chapel, Kidderminster (see Gallery). He was the son of Dissenting Minister Benjamin Fawcett (1715-1780) and Sarah née Knight. Samuel had a brother, John Sprousen.

On 15 April 1776, at St Leonard's church, Misterton, Samuel married his first wife, Mary Poole. It is likely that Mary was the daughter of Samuel Poole of Beaminster, Dorset and his wife Mary. Mary was baptised on 30 October 1754 at Beaminster. Samuel was ordained at Beaminster, Dorset, in 1777.

He became a Unitarian and later retired from the ministry for several years, living on his private estate Mountfield, Bradpole near Bridport, Dorset, with Mary.

From 1801 to 1816, Samuel was the Unitarian minister at the Unitarian Chapel in Vicarage Street.

It is not known when Samuel's wife Mary died, but she wrote her will on 12 May 1804 (although, apparently, her will was not proved until 1837).

On 11 July 1809, at Yeovil, 58-year-old Samuel married, as his second wife, Susanna Batten (d1841, see will below), the daughter of Nathaniel Butler Batten and his second wife, Ann née Adams. She was a sister of Edmund Batten.

During 1812, Samuel subscribed (at one guinea) to "The History of the Rise and Progress of the Royal British System of Education". In 1814 he subscribed to "An Historical View of the state of the Protestant Dissenters in England, And of the Progress of Free Enquiry and religious Liberty, from the Revolution to the Accession of Queen Anne" By Joshua Toulmin, D.D.

In January 1813, Samuel was a founder member of the 'Auxiliary Bible Society of Yeovil and Its Vicinity'. Samuel, together with other Yeovil notables such as William Lambert White (Treasurer), Edmund Batten, Peter Daniell, James Cayme, John Greenham, Henry Penny and William Willmington.

Samuel was a radical and chaired a meeting in 1831 at the Mermaid Hotel in support of the abolition of slavery and for parliamentary reform - in advance of the Yeovil Reform Riot of October 1831. He was local treasurer of the British and Foreign Unitarian Association between 1827 and 1834.

He lived at Hollands with his second wife Susanna and was shown as living at Hollands in the 1832 and 1834 poll books, where he was listed by virtue of owning freehold land called Cogan's Orchard. In his will, Fawcett described Hollands House as "my Cottage or Dwellinghouse at Hollands".

Samuel Fawcett died in Yeovil on 14 December 1835, aged 84. Susanna died in Yeovil in 1842.

 

For Samuel Fawcett's will - click here
For Susanna Fawcett nee Batten's will - click here
For the Batten Family Tree - click here

 

 

 

The entry of Samuel Fawcett's baptism on 15 June 1751, from the register of the Kidderminster Old Meeting House.

 

The marriage of Samuel Fawcett and Susanna Batten on 11 July 1809 at St John's church. During this period Nonconformists had to be married in the established church but were free to have their children baptised in their own church.

 

Mountfield, Bradpole near Bridport, Dorset, was Samuel Fawcett's home that he shared with his first wife, Mary née Poole until moving to Yeovil, around 1801.

 

This photograph features in my book "A-Z of Yeovil"

An early photograph dating to around 1900, of the western end of Vicarage Street looking towards Silver Street. The Unitarian church, rebuilt in 1809 at the start of Samuel's tenure, was in use at this time. This was built on the site of the medieval Chantry of the Blessed Virgin Mary.

 

This colourised postcard features in my book 'Yeovil From Old Photographs'

A slightly later photograph, probably dating to around 1910, of the same scene.

 

Hollands House, south elevation, photographed in 2013.

Hollands House was a Regency-style house originally built for Edmund Batten, local lawyer and banker, who was certainly living there by 1830 and is recorded as the owner in poll books of 1832 and 1834, although this was the home of Samuel and Susanna Fawcett (the sister of Edmund Batten) during 1830s. The house was demolished in August 2019.

 

The report of the death of Samuel Fawcett from the 21 December 1835 edition of the Western Flying Post.

 

Courtesy of Steve Chrisp

The memorial to Samuel Fawcett from the Vicarage Street Unitarian chapel.

 

 

I the Reverend Samuel Fawcett of Yeovil in the County of Somerset Dissenting Minister do make and declare my last Will and Testament in manner and form following that is to say I give and devise to my dear Wife Susanna Fawcett my Cottage or Dwellinghouse at Hollands in Yeovil aforesaid in which I reside with the Garden and Appurtenances to the same belonging for all my Estate [word illegible] and interest therein I also give and devise unto my said Wife for and during the term of her natural life my freehold Close of Pasture Land in Yeovil called Coggans Orchard with the dwellinghouse & Garden attached to and taken out of the same And also my Leasehold Close of Land at Merriott in the said County of Somerset called Nerechester Cross and subject to her life interest therein I give devise and bequeath the said messuage or dwellinghouse Garden and Freehold and Leasehold Closes of Land unto Joseph Normswell of Bridport in the County of Dorset Gentleman and John Batten of Yeovil aforesaid Solicitor their heirs ex[ecut]ors adm[inistrat]ors and assigns according to the nature and tenure of the same Upon trust that they my said trustees and the survivor of them and the heirs executors and adm[inistrat]ors of such survivor do and shall as soon as conveniently may be after the decease of my said Wife absolutely sell and dispose of my said Freehold and Leasehold hereditaments and premises either together or in lots and either by Public Auction or Private Contract as they shall think fit for the best price or prices that can or may be reasonably had or obtained for the same and do and shall convey assign and assure the said premises when sold to the purchaser or purchasers thereof accordingly And I hereby declare that the receipts of the trustees or trustee of this my Will for the time being shall be effectual discharges to the purchasers of the said premises for their respective purchase money And I direct that the clear monies which shall arise and be produced by the sale of my said Freehold and Leasehold Premises shall be added to and become and taken to be part of my residuary Personal Estate hereinafter disposed of I also give to my said Wife one hundred pounds to be paid to her by my Executors in one month next after my death And I also give her all monies which have been bequeathed to her by her Brothers Robert Batten and Nathaniel Batten or either of them and also all the Plate and China which belonged to her before our marriage or which has since been given or bequeathed to her together with all my Manuscripts Letters and Papers (except such as are written in short hand) and such of my Printed Books as she may choose to select and the residue of such Books Maps Profiles and Pictures together with the Plate and China which was my own previous to our marriage and such Manuscripts Letters and Papers as are written in short hand I give to my Niece Mary the Wife of the Reverend Daniel Nantes I likewise give to my said Wife for her own proper use and benefit and my Household Goods and Furniture and household linen my Phaeton Horses and harness my Cows Greenhouse Plants Wood Coals Hay and Corn and my Wines and other Liquors and the Casks and Vessels containing the same and all other articles and things not hereby specifically bequeathed now being in or about my Dwellinghouse Outhouses Stables Gardens and Premises in Yeovil aforesaid upon condition that she my said Wife do and shall in six months next after my decease pay the sum of two hundred pounds to my executors in aid of my Residuary Personal Estate and which sum I hereby direct shall be added thereto and taken as part thereof I give to my niece the said Mary Nantes the sum of five hundred pounds I give to Harriet Burrow of Yeovil fifty pounds I give to my trustees the said Joseph Hounsell and John Batten twenty pounds each and to my Servants Daniel Gregory and Mary Jones in case they shall respectively be living in my Service at the time of my death five pounds each which said legacies I direct to be paid in six months next after my decease I give my Gold Watch Chain and Seals to the said Daniel Nantes And I give to my niece the said Mary Nantes the Portraits of my Father and of Richard Baxter I give to John Batten Junior of Yeovil my Turning Lathe and all the Tools my working chest except such as my Wife may wish to reserve for domestic use I hereby confirm all and every the legacies and bequests expressed and contained in a Paper writing bearing date the twelfth day of May one thousand eight hundred and four purporting to be the last Will and Testament of Mary my late deceased Wife which she made in pursuance of a power given to her in her Marriage Settlement which Paper Writing is hereunto annexed And I direct that the legacies thereby given shall be paid by my Executors and that the trusts of the said Will shall be in all respects performed with as much punctuality and exactness as if the several legacies had been given and such trusts had been created by me in legal and technical language in and by this my Will In pursuance of the power given to me by the Settlement made on my Marriage with my present Wife and of all other powers enabling me in this behalf I direct and appoint that the sum of three thousand pounds secured by my Bond to the trustees of the said Settlement (of which my wife is entitled to the interest and dividends for her life) shall from and immediately after her decease be paid over by the trustees of the said Settlement to the said Joseph Hounsell and John Batten and the survivor of them and the executors and adm[inistrat]ors of such survivor to whom I give the same accordingly Upon the trusts nevertheless hereinafter expressed and declared concerning the same that is to say Upon trust that they my said trustees do and shall immediately upon and after the decease of my said Wife place out the same at interest upon Government or real Security (with power to call in alter vary and change the same as they shall see expedient) and do and shall pay and apply the interest dividends and annual produce thereof from time to time as the same shall be received unto my niece the said Mary Nates and her assigns for and during the term of her natural life for her sole and separate use and benefit and so that the same may not be subject or liable to the controul debts or engagements of her present or any future husband And I direct that the receipts of my said Niece for the said dividends and interest shall from time to time (notwithstanding her coverture) be good and sufficient discharges to my said trustees for the monies which shall be therein expressed or acknowledged to be received And from and after the decease of my said niece Upon trust to pay the interest dividends and annual produce of the said sum of three thousand pounds to the said Daniel Nantes and his assigns for and during the term of his natural life And from and after the decease of the survivor of them the said Daniel Nantes and Mary his Wife Upon trust to pay and assign the said sum of three thousand pounds unto such person or persons in such parts shares and proportions manner and form and for such intents and purposes as the said Mary Nantes shall (notwithstanding her Coverture) by any deed of Investment in Writing or by her last Will and Testament in writing to be respectively duly executed and attested direct or appoint And in default of such direction or appointment Upon trust to pay the said sum of three thousand pounds unto the Child if but one or unto and between and amongst all and every the children (if more than one) of my said Niece equally to be divided between them share and share alike and their respective executors and adm[inistrat]ors the share or shares of such of them as shall be a son or sons to become vested in him or them when and as he or they shall respectively attain the age of twenty one years And the share or shares of such of them as shall be a daughter or daughters to become vested in her or them when and as she or they shall respectively attain her or their Age or respective ages of twenty one years or on the day or days of her or their marriage or respective marriages under that age which shall first happen Provided nevertheless that in case any or either of the Children of my said Niece being a Son or Sons shall depart this life under the age of twenty one years leaving lawful issue such issue shall be entitled to the share or shares of the said trust monies which his her or their deceased Parent or Parents would have had if then living equally to be divided between them And in case any or either of the Children of my said Niece were being a Son or Sons hall happen to die under the age of twenty one years and without lawful issue or being a Daughter or Daughters shall happen to die under that age and without having been married Then as to the share or shares of him her or them so dying (as well original as accruing under this present Clause) In trust for the survivor and survivors of them equally to be divided between them if more than one And if but one then the whole to such only survivor And in case my said niece shall happen to die without leaving any child or children Grandchild or Grandchildren who by virtue of the trusts and limitations hereinbefore contained shall become entitled to the said Capital sum of three thousand pounds Then from and after the several deceases of my said Wife and of the said Daniel Nantes and Mary his Wife I direct that they my said trustees shall stand possessed of the said sum of three thousand pounds Upon trust for all and every the child and children of my late Uncle John Fawcett who shall then be living to be equally divided between them if more than one And if but one then the whole to such only Child And if all such Children of my said Uncle shall be then deceased I in that case give the same unto the Grandchildren of my said deceased Uncle to be in like manner equally divided between them if more than one And if but one only then the whole to such one his or her executors or adm[inistrat]ors I give to my said trustees and the survivor of them his executors and adm[inistrat]ors the sum of One thousand pounds Sterling Upon trust that they do as soon as conveniently may be after my decease place out the same at interest upon such Security as aforesaid And payout apply the interest dividends and annual produce thereof from time to time as the same shall be received unto my Nephew Samuel Fawcett Golding and his assigns for and during the term of his natural life And from and after his decease Upon trust that they my said trustees or trustee for the time being do and shall pay and divide the said principal sum of one thousand pounds unto and between and amongst all and every Child and Children and other issue of my said nephew in such proportions manner and form in all respects and with such benefit of survivorship between them as is herein before expressed concerning the bequest hereinbefore made for the benefit of the child or children and other issue of my said niece Mary Nantes And in case my said Nephew Samuel Fawcett Golding shall happen to die without leaving any Child or Children Grandchild or Grandchildren who by virtue of the trusts and limitations herein before contained shall become entitled to the said sum of One thousand pounds then from and after the decease of my said nephew and such failure of issue I direct that my said trustees shall stand possessed of the said principal sum of One thousand pounds Upon trust to pay the interest thereof to my said Niece Mary Nantes and her Husband the said Daniel Nantes for their respective lives and In trust to divide the principal between their child and children and other issue after their deaths in the same manner in all respects as is hereinbefore directed concerning the said original bequest of three thousand pounds so made to or in trust for them as aforesaid And in case of failure of their issue Then In trust for the Child and Children Grandchild and Grandchildren of my said Uncle John Fawcett as hereinbefore is mentioned And as for and concerning the residue and remainder of my monies and securities for money and all other my Personal Estate and Effects whatsoever and of what nature or kind soever after payment of any debts which I may owe and of the legacies hereinbefore given and referred to and of my funeral expences and the expences of proving this my Will I give & bequeath the same unto the said Joseph Hounsell and John Batten their executors and adm[inistrat]ors Upon trust that they the said Joseph Hounsell and John Batten and the survivor of them and the executors and adm[inistrat]ors of such survivor do and shall either continue the same at interest in its present state of investment or call in and again place out the same at interest on Government or real Security And do and shall pay to or authorize and empower my said Wife and her assigns to receive the interest dividends and annual produce thereof for and during the term of her natural life for her own proper use & benefit And from and after her decease Upon trust that they my said trustees do and shall stand possessed of the Capital of my said Residuary Estate together with and including the monies to arise from the Sale of my said Dwellinghouse and Closes of Land Upon trust for the benefit of my said niece and of the said Daniel Nantes her Husband and her Child and Children and other issue And upon such other trusts in favour of the Children and Grandchildren of my said Uncle John Fawcett in the events and upon the contingencies aforesaid as are hereinbefore directed and declared touching and concerning the before mentioned sum of three thousand pounds And I nominate and appoint the said Joseph Hounsell and John Batten Executors In trust of this my Will And lastly I direct that my trustees for the time being shall be chargeable only for their actual receipts and not for any involuntary losses And that each of them shall be answerable for his own acts only And that they may lawfully reimburse themselves all expences and losses which they may sustain occur in the execution of the trusts of this my Will In Witness whereof I the said Samuel Fawcett the Testator have to this my last Will and Testament contained in six sheets of paper to the first five sheets thereof set my hand and to this sixth and last sheet thereof have set my hand and seal this first day of November in the year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and thirty three

Samuel Fawcett

Signed sealed published and declared by the said Testator Samuel Fawcett as and for his last Will and testament in the presence of us who at his request in his presence and in the presence of each other have subscribed our names as Witnesses thereto

Jno Jenkins AU Minister Yeovil   
Thos Hyatt       
Edmd Mullins Clerk to Mr John Batten Solicitor Yeovil

 

Transcribed by Bob Osborn

 

 

This is the last Will and Testament of me Susanna Fawcett wife of the Reverend Samuel Fawcett of Yeovil in the County of Somerset whereas under and by virtue of a certain Indenture of three parts bearing date the tenth day of July one thousand eight hundred and nine and made between my said husband of the first part [word illegible] by the name and description of Susanna Batten Spinster of the second part and John Daniell of Yeovil Esquire since deceased and Edmund Batten of the same place Gent. of the third part being a settlement made in contemplation of a marriage then intended and which was shortly after had and solemnized between me and my said husband the capital principal sum of two thousand one hundred and fifty pounds of which I was in my own right possessed was assigned by me unto the said John Daniell and Edmund Batten on trust to permit and suffer the said Samuel Fawcett to receive and take the interest dividends and annual produce thereof for and during the term of his natural life And from and after his decease upon trust to permit me in the event of me surviving my said husband in like manner to receive the interest dividends and annual produce thereof for and during the term of my natural life and from and after the death of the survivor upon trust to assign and transfer the said principal sum of of two thousand one hundred and fifty pounds unto such person or persons in such parts shares and proportions manner and form as I by my last will and testament in writing to be signed sealed and published in the presence of two credible witnesses should (nowithstanding intended coverture and whether I should be covert or sole) direct or appoint Now I the said Susanna Fawcett in pursuance of the power reserved to me in and by the said recited Indenture do by this my last will and testament in writing by me signed sealed and published in the presence of the two persons whose names are subscribed as witnesses to the due execution hereof I direct appoint and dispose of the said sum of two thousand one hundred and fifty pounds in the proportions and manner following that is to say I give five hundred pounds to such person or persons the said Samuel Fawcett my much esteemed and respected husband (in case of his surviving me) shall by any deed or writing or by has last will and testament direct give or appoint the same I give to the four surviving children of my late Brother John Prigg Batten one hundred pounds each I give to Harriet Burrow and Frances Pulham (daughters of my late niece Johanna Burrow deceased) one hundred pounds between them being a legacy intended for my said niece in case she had survived me also I give unto the said Harriet Burrow five hundred pounds I give the gold watch which I usually wear my silver sugar dish six gilt tea spoons silver nutmeg grater and wine strainer unto my niece Elizabeth Hatter I give to my great niece Emily Batten my large gold watch and diamond Clasp All my rings and trinkets I give to the said Harriet Burrow I give all my clothes and wearing apparel to my niece Harriet Pulham for the use and benefit of her Grandaughters children of her deceased son Francis To my nephew John Batten I give two silver waiters two silver cups and half a dozen silver table spoons I give my silver tea urn and a pair of silver candlesticks (which were my late Brother Nathaniel's) unto my Brother Edmund I give the medals and coins in a brown box together with the box and whatever else may be therein at the time of my decease and all other my Personal Estate whatsoever not hereinbefore disposed of to my said Brother Edmund Batten whom I appoint Executor of this my last will and testament In witness whereof I the said Susanna Fawcett have to this my last will and testament (contained in two sheets of paper) to the first sheet thereof set my hand and to this second last sheet thereof my hand and seal this twenty ninth day of November in the year of our Lord one thousand eight hundred and twenty nine

Susan Fawcett

Signed sealed published and declared by the testatrix as and for her last will and testament in the presence of us

Will[ia]m Phelps        Tho[ma]s Hyatt

On the 18th day of January 1843 Administration (with the will annexed) of the goods chattels and credits of Susanna Fawcett (heretofore the wife of the Reverend Samuel Fawcett theretobefore Batten Spinster) late of Yeovil in the County of Somerset widow deceased was granted to John Batten the lawful nephew by the half blood one of the next of kin and one of the persons entitled in distribution to the personal estate and effects of the said deceased concerning which she hath died intestate he having been first sworn by Commission only to administer. Elizabeth Hatter (wife of John Hatter) the lawful niece by the half blood the only other next of kin and the only other person entitled in distribution to the personal estate and effects of the said deceased concerning which she hath died intestate having consented (as by Acts of Court appears) Edmund Batten the Brother sole Executor and Residuary Legatee having died in the lifetime of the said deceased The said deceased having died without having republished her said will since the death of her said husband

Transcribed by Bob Osborn