yeovil people

Arthur Lydiatt Linnett

Assistant Overseer of the Poor

 

Born in Yeovil in early 1870, Arthur Lydiatt Linnett was the youngest of the six children of domestic gardener William Linnett (1832-1881), originally from Kibworth, Leicestershire, and Emma née Hodder (1832-1903) of Yeovil. William had moved to Yeovil in his early twenties and married Emma at St John's church in July 1854.

Their children, all born in Yeovil, were Adolphus (1855-1912), Emma (1857-1868), Henry William (1862-1864), Annie (b1866), Louisa (1868-1932) and Arthur.

William and Emma, together with their family, lived in Wellington Street, and Arthur was undoubtedly born here.

William Linnett died in Yeovil during the early Spring of 1881, at the age of 49. By the time of the 1891 census, Emma and her three youngest children were living in Garden House, Lytton Road, Holdenhurst, Hampshire. 21-year-old Arthur gave his occupation as a fruiterer and florist.

In the autumn of 1900, at Plymouth, Devon, Arthur married Caroline Haddy (1864-1951), six years his senior. They were not to have children, and in the 1901 census they were listed living at 23 Lyde Lane (today's Lyde Road). 31-year-old Arthur gave his occupation as 'Assistant Overseer of the Poor' and he would have worked at the Yeovil Union Workhouse, or to give it its proper title the Yeovil Union Public Assistance Institution, on Preston Road.

Sadly, on 8 August 1902, at the age of 32, Arthur died. His death was recorded as taking place at Stoke Guildford, although this must surely be Stoke Gifford, just north of Bristol. He left £425 (around £45,000 at today's value) to Caroline.

Caroline became a milliner at 32 Middle Street and was recorded living there in the 1911 census with her older sister Mary, who acted as her housekeeper. In 1930, at the age of 66, Caroline married Frederick Charles Dodge (1868-1943) at Plymouth, where they lived. Caroline died in Plymouth on 23 May 1951, aged 87. 

 

gallery

 



Wellington Street with the National Day School in Huish at the end. Photographed in 1957. The Linnett family lived here for decades and Arthur was almost certainly born here.

 

New houses in Lyde Road photographed in 1905. The view looks northeast along Lyde Road and the corner house at right is on the corner of Camborne Street. Arthur and Caroline lived at No 23 in this terrace of houses.

 


This photograph features in my books 'Yeovil From Old Photographs' and 'Secret Yeovil'

The Yeovil Union Workhouse, Preston Road, photographed around 1890, where Arthur worked as the Assistant Overseer of the Poor until his death in August 1902.