Sean Haydon Griffin's Family Tree

Press, Henry Palmer

Events

Map

Parents

Families

Narrative

RESIDENCE: 1851, Sandy Way, Burnham, Somerset, England.

Notes for HENRY PALMER PRESS:

MAY 1909

Note: Comment by John Clark, "Captain Henry Press went to Watchet on Thursday 20 May 1909. He

wrote in his diary":

..saw Capt John Watts late Harbour Master John Nicholas ??? ???? ??? to make for & if they

didn't want me, to go to Lees, but Jane & her daughter Clara soon had me & I felt at ease. After dinner

26 24 Oct 2006

John & I took a little walk and I went down to sketch some rocks, my principal object in going there.

Then met Alf Nicholas & lots of others.

Friday

Up before the house was astir & about, then back to breakfast, spent most of the morning with Alf

Nicholas who is a Churchwarden & had the keys of the documents etc etc at St Decuman's. We were

there soon after 10 & stayed until close on 1. Found Grandfathers entry of his Baptism etc. James son

of James and Mary Press April 27 1795, also his brother Henry Oct 16 1796 & sister Ann Bryson July

8 1798 (Jim Nicholas' mother) & a Christian daughter June 8 1799, Henry and Christian and their

mother must have died as in 1800 March a Henry son Elizabeth & James Press was born, we had not

time to see all the deaths etc. This Henry must have also died, one Henry Press buried on April 24

1803 & Henry Press on Oct 19 1800 and a Mary Press on Oct 8. I hope to visit Watchet again to

complete and then tabulate them & find out 'who's who'. The same evening I walked with Alf Organ, a

son-in-law of John Nicholas, over to Blue Anchor to see his son Simon, he has two large houses which

they let in the summer and three large fields & gardens, keep cows poultry etc and sends milk & eggs

every morning

to his mother & she sells it. Just as it was getting dark, 'Sim' harnessed his cob to a real nice turnout &

drove us back to Watchet, taking his little girl, who stays there all the week for school, back with him.

Saturday

Up early & out for a walk & after breakfast out on the rocks. Called on a few people, the day before I

called at the corner shop to ask about Daisy Downton & was invited into the old old kitchen, saw the

Lees, Llewelyn Hole, John Lewis & Sally Potter & others. At 10.30 with Alf Nicholas & Harry

Kingsbury &

followed after by Bob Nicholas we walked up to 'Five Bells' to wait for Will who was to be there at

11.

About a quarter past he turned up. & we soon took our departure, we overtook Will Lee who had left

before on his bike, had a nice run to Dunster & on towards Cutcombe having decided to make

Torridge

at the same time, we now go close to the Taw, saw Fremington etc pass Barnstaple & on for South

Moulton again, going up a hill or trying to get up, we came to a place where was ??? of new

metal, we had been warned. She got through about 3/4 of it when she stopped - the road makers

helping. At South Moulton we stopped to see an old employee of Will's then on through Brompton,

Milverton to Wivelscombe pulled up at the vicarage soon after one then I visit the vicar Mr Pruiet till

half past four. I

found mention of our sires from 1577 from the time they first kept record first wedding 1594 last

1750.

Last baptism 1760 First 1589. Leaving Wivelscombe we soon travel to Taunton, through the old town

and on to Bridgwater (as we passed Petherton we sent a telegram) then on, at Highbridge to avoid a

collision we ran into & scraped a wall, tore our axle cap, getting here before the telegram came.

Note: Comment by John Clark, "After spending 2 nights at Ilfracombe the diary proceeds:"

Next day Empire Day (24/5/1909).

Leaving the town at 10am, oh it was grand thro' the valleys & when at Braunton we could see

Hartland,

Westward Ho!

JULY 1909?

gets home at about 1.30, after dinner we again, & write and after tea, he Will & I go for a walk & to

hear the band till it gets a bit cold then we meet Uncle & go off home.

Wednesday

John and I up & get our breakfast early & take the 8.15 train for Weston en route to Barry & Cardiff,

27 24 Oct 2006

we

get to Weston, we & a gentleman going in the same direction hire a cab, & get on board the 'Westonia'

& then they haul the gangway in at 9.15 in about 40 minutes we get to Barry & are met on the pier by

good old Ben Williams, hasn't altered a scrap except his whiskers are quite white where they used to

be quite black, up the road we are met by George (Williams, who had heard we were coming, we all

go to Ben's & met good old Polly (Mary Jane) who Ben says is quite brightened up & get out of bed

quickly

when they heard we were coming she has been paralysed & almost unable to walk for years they live

with Harry & his wife, Harry is the superintendent of Sloya (or handwork) in Schools, has been to

America France, other places to see their methods we have lunch, & at 1 have dinner. After dinner we

with Ben take train for Cardiff, meet Jim Cox, see over the Town, the Castle, Town Hall etc. back to

Barry, to tea, then with George, go to Boat, leave here 8.30 again, get a cab at Weston, just get our

train & here at 10.25, find Lalo?? & her people have been here.

Thursday 15

Nothing special today. We talk & read & write & walk.

Friday 16th

As yesterday but I have decided to go to Watchet by train & take the 'North East Gale' down, so in the

afternoon we take it to the station unpacked & I go with it to Highbridge, get a porter to transfer it &

on to Taunton the same, pass through the vale with its ever changing pictures getting glimpses of the

village & views en route but it is a dull day & everything is seen under different aspects from last time

but all lovely. On getting out at the station there is no one there that I know but almost immediately

John Lines, Mr John Lines now the delivery agent tells me they were looking out last train &

concluded I was not coming today, he with his man takes charge of the picture & off to Council

Chambers where in a few minutes the clan, the Council and other all more or less interested, & all

have one expression, I leave, then a deputation to ask me if they can put it in a window in the street.

It's accordingly put in Copp's window, have tea at John Nicholas' & after having several callers, Aunt

Carrie amongst them, go to bed.

Saturday 17th

Up early and out on the pier for a walk & a sketch, and then to breakfast, & then with Alf Nicholas &

his son Harold to St Decumans for another search of the Church records, till nearly two o'clock, then

down Town, then dinner, then to see Mrs Albert Williams etc & Mrs Joe Kingsbury & her daughter,

then away down as I expected John Lines & son & Will down with the motor, Harry Kingsbury went

to reconnoitre & reports "there is a motor just in, going down the street", we find they have arrived.

We

walk the Town a bit, then Will & I, off in the motor up Church hill, leave John to walk on. We go by

Five

Bells on to Williton & to Webbli?? I alight. Will turns the car & off for John, Polly K. Winnie with

the grandson is at the gate. and Will soon returns with John, John Kingsbury is too busy in the field

haymaking to return & the boy has driven away with his tea. After tea Will & I go off in the car,

leaving

John to go to Williton a mile off to take the train to Chard where he will spend a day or two with Fred.

We race off at a merry speed, the time & surroundings are as nice as could be, & we are going to put

up a record, but alas, mice & men, an unaccountable slowing, something amiss a small screw adrift, it

is

fixed up, & we

Note: Comment by John Clark, "It would appear that I have inadvertently staples this and the last

preceding page out of chronological sequence, from Leo Hicks snap I have since noticed that the

presentation of the painting was made August 1909".

AUGUST & SEPTEMBER 1909

28 24 Oct 2006

Note: Comment by John Clark, "Another visit to Watchet & he mentions a Mrs Norman. (Leo Hicks

met a Mr J.H.Norman in Watchet last year, this J H Norman incidentally, was living at the 'Corner

House' in 1929 when I was in Watchet). The Normans apparently had relatives in Glastonbury. The

Diary mentions the meeting with Captain J K Riddler outside Minehead."

& even to see fresh beauty each time in the old valley of Taunton Dene - stayed at Taunton half an

hour,

at Highbridge met ??? Ridd & others in the train, get here in good time for dinner, got letters from

John

& Lily, after tea hurry off as I am referee for the boat racing. I am also sent out to start the sailing

boats, had a good afternoon & evening. The miller and sweep, in which each had a bag, white or

black, besides being one white & the other black, caused great merriment as they got knocked about

by the waves. The different events came off alright but it was a bit cold & it was blowing. At 8.20 we

went to the band-stand where as announced Mr W.J Press presented the prizes to the winners. Home &

to bed. (Uncle & I went to see S.A. today as she is not well).

Tuesday 31st

Painting etc most of the day. Meeting at the Town Hall in evening re school accommodation really.

Church of England - versus Free churches. Latter had it all their own way as less than a dozen hands

were held up against proposal to have entirely new schools.

Sept 1 Wednesday

Graham Thwaites an old Burnham boy called to see us. He is now vicar of some place in Lincolnshire.

Thursday

Fine warm day, in the afternoon we went to Enmore to see 'Aunt Lena', found her & Miss Crocker

well,

called at Will's (Bridgwater) on the way.

Friday 3rd

Painting in the morning went for a lonely walk in the afternoon looking for 'bits', on way back called

to

see Fanny Butt nee Wilcose, who took me when a little Riddy to steal apples, poor old Fanny, puzzled

her a bit at first.

Saturday 4th

Not a very pleasant day, raining a bit in the morning. After dinner we went away for Wivelscombe to

take

a little We drew up for shelter beneath trees, did not stop long, pushed on again, & then put up the

hood & let her go, road very bad at Bridgwater, pass North Petherton, Taunton, Milverton & get to

Wivelscombe. Still raining, see the Parson, give him the picture, go to Temperance Hotel get a cup of

tea, search the Churchyard, explore the fine handsome spacious old Church, didn't go to see the

catacombs & off for home, got there at 7.40. Still raining, after tea it cleared up & we go for a walk to

see the Town on Saturday night.

Sunday 5

Adult School - Baptist Church S School.

Monday 6

Up and had breakfast boarded Tug 'Bonita' & went up to Bridgwater, passed the old familiar spots

including Combwich, nearly deserted as far as vessels go, & quite no ships, then Pawlett, not a vessel

goes there now, but the old places were very familiar, think I could negotiate now as well as ever.

Landing on the West Quay, I make my way to friend Rosier's & stay there some little time, then down

29 24 Oct 2006

the Town, to the Library, then to the train and home, fine weather.

Tuesday 7th

Away by motor this morning, on the way to Ashbridge (Axbridge?), when we got to Cross I left &

walked up Shutshelf (Shute Shelve) Road to Winscombe, a very pretty rise, but when once up to the

top

the expanse is very fine, away to the extreme left is a part of the Mendips well wooded whilst close to

is

to be seen the Church Tower which I am told is very fine, then more in front is to be seen a bit of little

ancient Wales & just shutting?? that one is Weston S Mare, directly in front is the village of

Winscombe & for a

Note: This is where this part of the diary copy in my possession ends. Sally Benyon did most of the

transcript from the writing & I, Roy Nicholas, did some editing of the transcript. Sally did her best to

put the events in the proper time sequence, even though certain portions of the diary seem to be

missing.

The original diary was in the possession of John Clark, grandson of Capt. Henry, & a copy of some of

the pages were sent to Max Press who in turn sent a copy to me.

Ancestors