Yeovil's Virtual Museum

John newman

Yeoman and Gentleman

 

John Newman was born around 1780, probably in Yeovil. His father is unknown (but his paternal grandparents were Samuel Newman (c1760-1797) and Jane (c1740-1801) and his mother was Elizabeth (we know all this from his mother's will, by which time his father had died). He had a younger brother James (b1790) and sister Jane (1796-1844).

On 28 January 1821 he married Jane Garland (1778-1859) at St John's church. Jane was the daughter of Thomas Garland (1752-1814) and Jane née Foot (1753-1790). It appears that John and Jane did not have children.

In the 1841 census John and Jane, by this time both in their sixties, were listed living in Hendford although this was not Hendford as we know it today, but the western side of Princes Street as far as Park Road. In fact they lived in the house that is now the Ask Italian restaurant. Living with them was Mary Garland (Jane's sister), John Birkley, William Birkley and Jane Birkley (the children of John's sister, Jane Birkley) together with a domestic servant.

John Newman died in Yeovil in April 1844, aged 65. He was buried in St John's churchyard on 20 April 1844. The Tithe Apportionment of 1846 noted that his widow, Jane, was the owner of all the family land holdings as shown below and as listed in his will, also below.

In the 1851 census Jane, by now aged 72, was listed as the head of the household and gave her occupation as a householder. Living with her was her sister Mary (a 70-year old spinster), her nephew John Berkley with his wife Mary Ann, their children Mary Jane, William and John, together with a domestic servant. 

Jane died in Yeovil in the spring of 1859, aged 81.

 

The following schedule is taken from the 1846 Tithe Apportionment, by which time John Newman was dead and his widow Jane was listed as the owner of the lands and properties.

There is a little confusion between the parcels of land named by John in his will of 1844 and the 1846 Tithe Apportionment list below. Specifically -

• In his will he refers to "my Dwellinghouse in Hendford (today's Ask Italian restaurant in Princes Street) .... in which I now reside with the Garden Barn Stable and Outhouses thereto belonging" which is Parcel 262.
  
  
• He does not refer to Parcel 290, the house and garden in Kingston.
  
  
• He refers to "my Dwellinghouse and Garden in Kingston.... now occupied by Miss Garland" which is Parcel 575. This is not Kingston the road, but Kingston the manor and the house and garden in question was one of only two houses in Goldcroft Lane. The location of the house was by the bend in Goldcroft on what is now the southern corner of the junction with Crofton Avenue (which didn't exist in the 1840s).
  
  
• He refers to Priddle's Orchard (Parcel 606) which is called Hewish Orchard in the Apportionment.
  
  
• He refers to "my Orchard in Huish which I lately purchased of the Reverend Henry Peter Daniell and the Close of Meadow Ground thereto adjoining". The orchard must be Parcel 609 (Daniell's Orchard) and the close of meadow must be Parcel 611 (Priddle's Mead).
  
  
• He refers to Cherry Orchard, Cuff's Orchard and "the piece of land at the bottom of Cuff's Orchard against Huish Lane".
  
  
  • Cherry Orchard is most likely to be Parcel 302 "Orchard & Yard"
    
    
  • Cuff's Orchard is most likely Parcel 591 "Willis' Orchard"
    
    
  • "the piece of land at the bottom of Cuff's Orchard against Huish Lane" would therefore be Parcel 308a "Garden"
    
    

Owner	Occupier	No	Name
Newman, Jane	Newman, Jane	262	House & Garden (today's Ask Italian restaurant)
Newman, Jane	Bullen, Thomas	290	House & Garden (in Kingston)
Newman, Jane	Newman, Berkley	302	Orchard & Yard (off today's Clarence Street)
Newman, Jane	Newman, Berkley	308a	Garden
Newman, Jane	Garland, Sarah	574	House & Garden (in Goldcroft)
Newman, Jane	Newman, Berkley	591	Willis' Orchard
Newman, Jane	Newman, Berkley	606	Hewish Orchard (aka Priddle's Orchard)
Newman, Jane	Newman, Berkley	609	Daniell's Orchard
Newman, Jane	Newman, Berkley	611	Priddle's Mead

This is a portion of the 1842 Tithe Map showing, in green, the properties owned by John Newman. By the time of the 1846 Tithe Apportionment John was dead and his widow, Jane, was noted as the owner. She also still lived in their house in today's Princes Street - Parcel 262 at extreme right.

Parcel 290, a house and garden at top right, had Thomas Bullen as tenant, while all the remaining parcels were occupied by Berkley Newman. A further house and garden, Parcel 574 off this map, was occupied by Sarah Garland - possibly Jane's sister.

 

 

This photograph of the first few shops on the western side of Princes Street was taken around 1905. John Newman's house had been the property at right with three first floor windows. The building is now the Ask Italian restaurant.

 

The record of John Newman's 1844 burial in the register of St John's church.

 

John and Jane Newman's house in Princes Street, photographed in 2017.

 

 

This is the last Will and Testament of me John Newman of Yeovil in the County of Somerset Gentleman. I give and devise unto my Wife Jane Newman my Dwellinghouse and Garden in Kingston my Orchard in Huish which I lately purchased of the Reverend Henry Peter Daniell (Parcel 609: Daniell's Orchard) and the Close of Meadow Ground (Parcel 611: Priddle's Mead) thereto adjoining all situate in Yeovil aforesaid Together with my sittings in Yeovil Church in a Pew now occupied by Miss Garland To hold the same with their respective appurtenances unto my said Wife Jane her heirs and assigns forever. I give devise and bequeath unto John Ryall Mayo of Yeovil aforesaid Gentleman and James Curtis of the same place Linen Draper my Dwellinghouse in Hendford (today's Ask Italian restaurant in Princes Street) in Yeovil aforesaid in which I now reside with the Garden Barn Stable and Outhouses thereto belonging my two pews in the Parish Church of Yeovil my Dwellinghouse and premises in the Borough of Yeovil now in the occupation of Mr Phelps my orchard called Cuff's orchard my orchard called Cherry orchard both situate in Yeovil aforesaid and which I purchased of the late John Goodford Esquire and the piece of land at the bottom of Cuff's Orchard against Huish Lane which I lately purchased of the Trustees or John Butler Butler Esquire and my Orchard called Priddle's Orchard also situate in Huish in Yeovil aforesaid To hold the same with their respective appurtenances unto the said John Ryall Mayo and James Curtis their executors administrators and assigns from the day of my decease for and during the term of ninety nine years if my said Wife Jane shall so long live and continue my Widow and which said term I declare shall cease and be void on the death or marriage again of my said Wife which shall first happen Subject nevertheless and charged with the payment of the annual sum of forty pounds hereinafter mentioned and upon the trusts following that is to say Upon Trust as to all the said Houses orchards lands and premises to permit my said Wife Jane to receive the rents issues and profits thereof for and during the term of her natural life If she shall so long continue my Widow and from and after the determination of the said term of ninety nine years and in the meantime subject thereto I give and devise the said Dwellinghouse in Hendford aforesaid with the Garden Barn Stable and outhouses thereto adjoining and belonging and my said Orchard called Cherry orchard Together with my said two last mentioned pews in Yeovil Church unto my Nephew John Newman Birkley son of my sister Jane Birkley To hold the same with their respective appurtenances to him the said John Newman Birkley his heirs and assigns for ever charged nevertheless as hereinafter mentioned But in case the said John Newman Birkley shall die under the age of Twenty one years Then I give and devise the same Dwellinghouse Garden Stable and outhouses and my said Orchard called Cherry Orchard with their respective appurtenances Together with the said two pews in Yeovil Church unto and equally between my Nephew William Wakely Newman Birkley, another son of my said Sister Jane and my niece Jane Elizabeth Birkley the Daughter of my said sister Jane their heirs and assigns for ever as Tenants in Common and not as joint Tenants Subject nevertheless as hereinafter is mentioned. I give and bequeath my said Dwellinghouse in the Borough of Yeovil now in the occupation of Mr Phelps and my said Orchard called Priddle's Orchard in Huish aforesaid with their respective appurtenances unto my said Nephew William Wakely Newman Birkley To hold the same Dwellinghouse and premises with the appurtenances unto the said William Wakely Newman Birkley his executors administrators and assigns for all the residue which shall be then unexpired of a certain term of Five hundred years granted therein by an Indenture bearing date on or about the third day of August one thousand seven hundred and thirty nine and for all other my Estate term and interest (if any) therein and To hold the said orchard called Priddle's unto the said William Wakely Newman Birkley his heirs and assigns for ever charged nevertheless as hereinafter is mentioned But in case the said William Wakely Newman Birkley shall die under the age of Twenty one years then I give and bequeath the said Dwellinghouse with its appurtenances unto the said Jane Elizabeth Birkley her executors administrators and assigns and the said orchard called Priddle's orchard unto the said John Newman Birkley his heirs and assigns for ever subject as aforesaid. I give and devise my said Orchard called Cuff's Orchard Together with the piece of Land at the bottom thereof against Huish Lane with their appurtenances unto the said Jane Elizabeth Birkley To hold the same unto the said Jane Elizabeth Birkley her heirs and assigns for ever But in case the said Jane Elizabeth Birkley shall die under the age of Twenty one years Then I give and devise the said orchard and piece of Land with their appurtenances unto the said John Newman Birkley To hold the same with the appurtenances unto the said John Newman Birkley his heirs and assigns for ever And in case the said John Newman Birkley shall die under the age of Twenty one years then and in such case I give the said orchard and piece of land unto the said John Newman Birkley his heirs and assigns for ever. I give unto my sister Jane the yearly sum of Forty pounds sterling during her life to be applied by my said Wife for the support and maintenance of my said Sister and her children during her life and after the decease of my said Wife to be appropriated by my said Trustees for the same purpose And I hereby charge and subject all and singular my Dwellinghouses Orchards Lands and premises given and bequeathed to the said John Ryall Mayo and James Curtis their executors administrators and assigns in manner aforesaid with the payment of the said yearly sum of Forty pounds the first payment whereof is to be made at the expiration of twelve calendar months next after my decease And in case my said Wife shall die before my said sister then I charge and subject the Dwellinghouse Orchard and premises given and devised to my said Nephew John Newman Birkley with the payment of one moiety of the said yearly sum of Forty pounds and the Dwellinghouse and Lands given and devised to my said Nephew John Newman Birkley with the payment of the other moiety thereof All the rest and residue of my real and personal Estate whatsoever and wheresoever charged with the payment of all my just debts funeral and testamentary expenses I give devise and bequeath unto my said Wife Jane To hold to her my said Wife Jane her heirs executors administrators and assigns for ever according to the nature and tenure thereof respectively I appoint my said Wife sole Executrix of this my last Will and Guardian of my said Nephew and Niece during their minority and hereby revoke all former and other Wills by me at any time heretofore made. In witness whereof I have hereunto set my hand and seal this sixteenth day of February one thousand eight hundred and forty two - John Newman - Signed sealed published and declared by the said John Newman as and to be 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 hereunto subscribed our names as Witnesses - Jesse Joyce - J T Vining Solicitor Yeovil

This Will was Proved &c in the Consistorial Archideaconal Court of Wells 18th May 1844 on the Oath of Jane Newman, Widow of the deceased, the ole Executrix above named.

Effects under £1,000 (around £1,500,000 at today's value).