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Chapter 6
THOMAS - The Shoemaker
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The second eldest son and child of Wells and Mary's marriage was baptised
on the first day of Spring - 21 March 1800 - the year of the Act of Union
between Britain and Ireland. Baptised Thomas - possibly after his
father's brother - he was just 2½ years younger than James.
Like James, we know very little to date of Thomas's early years. We do
know however that Thomas, at the age of 21, married Susannah Dowdy,
after Banns had been called - on 28 October 1821 - at St. Nicholas
Church, Wells-next-the-Sea. Witnesses to the marriage were Mary Ann
Powditch, Elizabeth Dowdy, John Waller and Robert Skeet. Both Thomas
and Susannah were single, but neither could write, so both made their
mark "X" in the Register, as did likewise Mary Ann Powditch (Thomas'
sister?) and Elizabeth Dowdy (Susannah's sister, or Mother?). John Waller
and Robert Skeet both signed their names.
Thomas' occupation, was a Shoemaker and most probably was
indentured within the leather trade in his early years. Certainly a few years
after his marriage at Wells-next-theSea, a move away from the sea-port.
appears to have occurred, for the family isn't mentioned again in the Wells
Parish Registers, following the birth of their first child, Samuel, in 1824.
South-West of Wells-next-the-Sea, and inland is the upland town of
Docking, slap-bang at the point where five roads meet from various parts
of North Norfolk.
Whether it was from the town itself (notorious for its lack of water in
drought periods, which led to its nickname of "Dry Docking") or the
outlying area, which was in the district of Docking, that Thomas carried out
his occupation is yet to be confirmed, but it was certainly in this area that 3
out of Thomas and Susannah's 4 children were born, and where at least
two of them married.
The known children of Thomas and Susannah's marriage were;-
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From the dates on the St. Catherine's House registers, it would appear that
the family remained in the district of Docking up to 1860, but that thereafter
they moved "en bloc" with their families to the district of Blything, which is
contained within the region of Southwold, in Suffolk. Here the family were to
remain until fairly recently - all that is except for Thomas and Samuel.
Family tradition (according to Arthur W.J.Powditch of Corton, Suffolk), has
it that Thomas and Samuel went to South Wales. Reality is that Samuel
certainly went there, and with his wife Eliza, for both died in the Registration
district of Haverfordwest, South Wales. Samuel, aged 80 in 1904, and
Eliza, his wife, aged 75, in 1909.
As Samuel's death occurred some 20 years after his father's death in 1884,
it is reasonable to believe that if father and son accompanied each other to
South Wales (as the tradition states), then the occurrence must have
happened before 1883.
If we disregard Samuel and Elizas' deaths in Haverfordwest district for a
moment - just in case their presence in South Wales colours our judgement
of the situation - then we see the possibility that a younger Thomas with
his young son Samuel, may have travelled to South Wales, either in 1855 -
to the funeral of Thomas' own brother James - or to subsequent events
with his nephew's family, by then living at Cardiff. Certainly, until the reason
for Samuel and Eliza being in the Haverfordwest district is known, then
any possible link for their living in the area, is mere conjecture.
As in life the family remained together, Father/Mother, sons/wives,
daughters/ husbands, grandchildren, whether in the Docking or Southwold
areas - death appears to have kept the same pact, for (as Arthur Powditch
from Corton relates), Thomas and Susannah, and William and Maria were
interred in St. Edmund's Churchyard, at Southwold, Suffolk. That the pact
should be kept appears upon the deaths of both Samuel and Eliza in
Haverfordwest district, for (as Arthur advised me) they too
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were interred in the Southwold Churchyard. Once again the Father and
sons were together - but fortunately, their families, their children, carried on
living in the area - as we shall discover.
>>>>>>>>>>>><<<<<<<<<<<<
First known child of Thomas and Susannah - Samuel Dowdy Powditch -
married Isabella Brightmer in the late summer of 1852, at Docking. Just
over nine months later (in 1853), their son - John Brightmer Powditch
had been born, and Isabella had died - possibly in labour. Within a couple
of months, the infant, John Brightmer Powditch, had also died.
Samuel, who was aged 28 when he first married, waited another four years
before marrying Eliza ....... in the spring of 1856.
Samuel and Eliza's first two children, Blanche and Edith, were both born in
the Docking district, but the couples' third child, Isabella (named after
Samuel's first wife?), was born at Southwold, Suffolk.
According to Arthur Powditch (currently living at Corton, Nr. Lowestoft
Suffolk), Samuel and Eliza had a fourth child - Poppy, ( who had married
into the Chapman family) - but I haven't been able to find either a "Poppy"
( or a female Powditch, marrying a Chapman) during the St. Catherine
marriage register years of 1837 to 1912.
Again, according to the St. Catherine's marriage registers, neither Edith
(birth registered between January and March 1860), nor Isabella (birth
registered between July and September 1862), married. Arthur advised
me that Isabella (known in the family as Isabel), was an invalid - which
may (?) explain her not having married.
Blanche, the other child of Samuel and Eliza, did marry. At the end of 1891,
Blanche married Charles Sutton Horrex, in the district of West London -
and later they were to have two children; - a son, Cecil, and a daughter,
Gladys.
Samuel and Eliza have set me a poser that so far I haven't been able to
answer;-
- why did they go to the Haverfordwest district in South-West Wales to live?
- and eventually to die? And why, at the turn of the 20th Century, when roads
to West Wales were still little more than tracks, even though the railway
now called at Haverfordwest and Milford Haven stations - were Samuel
and Eliza, after their deaths, taken back to Southwold, to be buried? - a
journey of nearly 400 miles.
Samuel's death, in the Registration district of Haverfordwest, was
registered between October and December 1904. He was aged 80.
Five years later, in the same district, at the age of 75, Eliza's death was
registered between July and September, 1909.
Although William was the second born child of Thomas and Susannah (nee
Dowdy), I will next mention their other two children - Eleanor, and Mary Ann,
and return to William afterwards.
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Whilst I have gained access to various Parish Registers in which Powditch's
have been recorded, I have not yet had access to the Registers for Docking
Church, and therefore am unable to give exact dates or more details for
those that were born/married/died in that area.
Therefore, although I know that Eleanor married, because her marriage
was registered in the district of Blything (Southwold), Suffolk, between
January and March 1865, and that likewise Mary Ann's marriage at
Docking was registered between October and December 1851, I am
unaware of their partner's names, or exact dates of the respective
"events".
>>>>>>>>>>>><<<<<<<<<<<<
Having written about Samuel, Eleanor, and Mary Ann we now turn our
attention to William. He was born about 1830, but unlike his older brother
Samuel, he wasn't born at Wells-next-the-Sea, thus suggesting that the
family had, before, William's birth, moved to Docking.
William led a sea-faring life, both before and after his marriage, although
following the loss of one of his ships, he then turned his hand to becoming
the Publican of an Inn.
William used to ship material between Blackwall (London Docks) and
Southwold, on his ship the "Good Intent". Later - whether due to his
success or necessity - William started shipping material between London
and Newcastle on his other ship, the "Mariners Hope".
In a hurricane off the South Shields coastline, the "Mariners Hope" was
shipwrecked, although thankfully, all on board were remind by the schooner
"Time".
Arthur possesses William's original Master Mariners Log Book: for both
the "Good Intent" and the Mariners Hope", and although a few pages are
missing, and some are torn, the account of the loss of the "Mariners Hope",
together with details of cargoes shipped, fish caught, and places visited,
are fascinating to read. The following, being just a taste of the contents of
the Log.
REMAING PAGES OF THE LOG BOOK,
OF WILLIAM POWDITCH MASTER MARINER,
RECORDING THE LOSS OF HIS VESSEL THE
MARINERS HOPE ON JUNE
15th 1869
MY GRANDFATHER
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(For a full copy of the Ship's Log, refer to the
photocopied pages included in this Volume)
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The sinking of the "Mariners Hope" however, effectively ended William's
sea career, and he instead became the Publican at the Sole Bay Inn,
Southwold.
For a while (whether before William became Publican, or during the time),
William helped his brother Samuel - (who, according to Arthur, was a
"builder by trade") - to build "Brancaster Villas" in Southwold.
Besides the ships' Log Book of William's sea-faring days, Arthur also has
a photograph of William, Maria (his wife), and Eleanor (their daughter).
William is bearded, and looks like a typical seaman. As William died in
1890, the photograph must have been taken in an earlier year.
Strangely, I have not been able to discover a marriage in England or Wales
for William. Arthur advised me some time ago that William had married
Maria Lord, and that she came from Brancaster, on the North, Norfolk
coast - but whether the marriage was "solemnised" in Scotland, Ireland,
Channel Islands, or "abroad", is yet to be discovered.
Of William and Maria's marriage however, they had five children, including
twins. The twins however, died within a short time of their birth.
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The children were;
As can be seen above, the first child of William and Maria's marriage to
survive, was William. This young man, in his 29th year, married Mary Ann
Bardwell (known as Polly), at Southwold, between April and June 1888,
and they were to have two children of their own;
Both Sidney and Hilda remained single throughout their lives.
Sidney fought in the First World War, although (Arthur believes) he was
invalided out. Afterwards he was a Schoolmaster at Earl Soham,
Framlingham, Suffolk. His sister, Hilda, had her own dressmaking business
in Ipswich, thus continuing a family tradition from at least the early 1800s.
In later years, brother and sister were to live at Debenham, Suffolk - and it
was at Debenham, that both died. Their obituaries refer to their "staunch
work" in the Parish. Their parents, William and Mary Ann (Polly), had died
many years earlier, and had been cremated at Ipswich, Suffolk.
>>>>>>>>>>>><<<<<<<<<<<<
"Jumping over" James Brightmer for a moment, to go to the last child of
William and Maria, we come to Eleanor (also known as Nell, or Nellie).
According to Arthur Powditch, she married Edmund Vignes, who was
French, and "well up in the French Civil Service".
The marriage took place at Southwold, and was registered between
January and March 1892, when Eleanor was aged 28. Apparently the
couple had one child, a daughter - Nora, who lived at Eastbourne for a
while, although she was last heard of in the Gainsborough, Lincolnshire,
area.
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Arthur recounts memory of "Great Aunt Eleanor" arriving in a chauffeur-
driven car to see the family (when he was a young boy), and of her telling
him to "remember to save your money, and spend it wisely". Arthur
remembers this even more vividly, as she gave his two sisters some money
to spend, but didn't give him anything !! In later years, Great Aunt Eleanor
apparently lived In a big house at Snaresbrook, Woodford, North East
London.
>>>>>>>>>>>><<<<<<<<<<<<
Having written about William and Maria's other surviving children, we now
return to James Brightmer Powditch.
First child of the family to have been born at Southwold, Suffolk, James' birth
year of 1861 can narrow down the period during which his parents moved
there, to between 1859 (the year that William was born at Docking), and
1861, when James Brightmer's birth was registered.
James Brightmer Powditch married Henrietta Mary Boreham, at Ipswich,
Suffolk - several miles further south; the marriage being registered in the
first quarter of 1891 - just as the bridegroom was approaching his 30th
birthday.
Whereas William (James' father) was a sea-farer who became a Publican,
James Brightmer appears to have followed his father, in also being the
Publican of the Sole Day Inn. His visiting card (see inset) shows
During the period from his birth (1861) to his marriage (1891), James
Brightmer Powditch lived through times where often, boys and men
volunteered to fight in far off countries. The Zulu War (1879), was one such
draw on Britain's manpower reserves.
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However , although he was in the "Royal Volunteer Rifle Corps" - for which,
Arthur possesses both the Certificate and a medal given to his
Grandfather - James Brightmer Powditch doesn't appear to have gone any
further than Southwold.
Having apparently moved back to Southwold after their marriage, James
and Henrietta were blessed with two children; one boy, and one girl.
Their first. child - Arthur Brightmer, was born at the end of 1891, and his
sister - Ivy Adeline, followed two years later, when she was born at the end
of 1893. Interestingly, Ivy's birth was the last registration of a Powditch birth
in the Blything (Southwold) district; at least, up to 1912.
Although James Brightmer and Henrietta Mary lived at Southwold for most
of their early lives, they were living in the London area during the Second
World War, and at one time, had to be evacuated to Ardleigh in Essex.
When James Brightmer and Henrietta Mary died, they were both interred
at Ardleigh Churchyard, which is near Colchester, Essex.
Arthur Brightmer Powditch didn't follow in the Publican's trade. He was
brought up in the Sole Bay Inn, and enjoyed going sea-fishing with his
father whenever time allowed - but the Inn life didn't suit him. In the early
1900s he was shocked by the amount of drunkenness, so therefore his
father wanted him, instead, to become an Engineer. The young Arthur
Brightmer was sent to Leiston Works, to become an Apprentice Toolmaker.
The Company to whom Arthur Brightmer Powditch was apprenticed, was
Richard Garrett and Sons, Leiston. He served his time there, in the
toolroom, in the manufacture of agricultural machines and implements,
including Agricultural Steam Engines, implements, and Steam Rollers.
Around the time of the. General Strike of 1926, Arthur Brightmer was "laid
off" from Garretts, and not long afterwards became the Metal-work
Instructor at Kerrison Reform School, Phorndon. Due to disciplinary
conditions towards the youngsters being at times vicious, Arthur
Brightmer decided to leave Phorndon, after about 3½ years there.
Arthur Brightmer married Ethel May Levett, and they had three children;
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Their son bore traditional family names;
Arthur (after his father); William (after an Uncle on his Mother's side); and
James (after both of his Grandfathers),
Arthur was born at Leiston, although he lived for approximately 50 years at
Cricklewood, North London. He worked for Smiths Industries for 48 years
as Electrical Engineer, and recounted to me the tale of how he had had to
tell off a young lady at the works, for having "paged" him over the intercoms
of 4 or 5 Factories as "Mr. Piedish'' !!!
During the Second World War, Arthur spent six years in the army becoming
a Warrant Officer in the R.E.M.E., and eventually being posted to India.
Married to Adeline Cross, and with two daughters, the couple, in 1984,
purchased a bungalow at Corton, near Lowestoft, Suffolk, where the front
faces East to the sea, a mere five minutes away - whilst the back garden
faces West, and farmland.
Retirement is a full-time occupation for Arthur, whether sea-fishing,
gardening, or home-brewing.
When I first started speaking on the telephone to Arthur William James
Powditch, (son of Arthur Brightmer Powditch) in 1985, his father was still
alive, aged 93, and living at Leiston, Suffolk - which is about 26 miles
from Lowestoft. Arthur, snr. still enjoyed his sea-fishing, and was keeping
active in many things, including going for many walks around the area.
Arthur Brightmer Powditch died in 1986, aged 94, his wife having
predeceased him several years before,
Returning to Arthur Brightmer's parents - James Brightmer and Henrietta
May, their one other child, Ivy Adeline, was born at the end of 1893. In
later years, she was to marry Thomas Thompson, and to have a daughter
- Mary, who is currently living at Waddington, Lincolnshire.
>>>>>>>>>>>><<<<<<<<<<<<
The family tree of Thomas the Shoemaker ( Great-grandson of James and
Elizabeth [nee Wells], grandson of James and Mary [nee Oldman], and son
of Wells and Mary [nee Vincent] ) - and his descendants, is shown on the
next page, following which, before the beckonings of the beckonings of the
exciting Victorian age lead us onwards, let us return for a while to the
second son of James and Elizabeth [nee Wells] - namely, William - the
Fisherman.
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