Southard Family Story
Florence Brooks, a Child's Death,
a Champion of the Underprivileged
and the Naming of a Road
by Jan Tapscott (all pictures from Jan's family album)
May 2014
Isaac & Elizabeth Southard (Great grandparents)
My great grandparents were born outside the parish but they settled in Box in the mid 1800s. My great grandfather, Isaac Southard, was born in 1851 at the next door parish of Bathford and he was baptised there on 24th August 1851. He married my great grandmother, Elizabeth Mary Couzens (born 1858 at Saltford and died aged 90 in 1948). They moved to Box (probably for Isaac's work) and settled here.
Isaac was a domestic gardener of some renown, one of a family of gardeners. In the 1911 census Isaac and Elizabeth are listed as living at Middlehill (I believe in Gloster Cottage) where Isaac was employed as a gardener, possibly for next door Spa House. They moved to Ashley after a tragedy that deeply affected the family, the death of their 5-year old child, Hector, their youngest. We might think that infant mortality was accepted as normal but this has never been true of any caring parents. Elizabeth was 47 years old when Hector died. She took a position as a housekeeper at Ashley and Isaac became the head gardener. I was also told by my father that Isaac had grown a grafted apple which he called The Beauty of Bath whilst head gardener at Ashley House. They lived in the grounds of Ashley House and, when I was a teenager, my father actually took me to see where they lived in the a cottage at the entrance.[2]
My great grandparents were born outside the parish but they settled in Box in the mid 1800s. My great grandfather, Isaac Southard, was born in 1851 at the next door parish of Bathford and he was baptised there on 24th August 1851. He married my great grandmother, Elizabeth Mary Couzens (born 1858 at Saltford and died aged 90 in 1948). They moved to Box (probably for Isaac's work) and settled here.
Isaac was a domestic gardener of some renown, one of a family of gardeners. In the 1911 census Isaac and Elizabeth are listed as living at Middlehill (I believe in Gloster Cottage) where Isaac was employed as a gardener, possibly for next door Spa House. They moved to Ashley after a tragedy that deeply affected the family, the death of their 5-year old child, Hector, their youngest. We might think that infant mortality was accepted as normal but this has never been true of any caring parents. Elizabeth was 47 years old when Hector died. She took a position as a housekeeper at Ashley and Isaac became the head gardener. I was also told by my father that Isaac had grown a grafted apple which he called The Beauty of Bath whilst head gardener at Ashley House. They lived in the grounds of Ashley House and, when I was a teenager, my father actually took me to see where they lived in the a cottage at the entrance.[2]
They had ten children including the eldest, my grandmother, Annie Ada Florence (born at Saltford on 26th December 1880 who died in 1963 at Wroughton). The other children were all born at Box, including Alice (born 1882),Rose (1883),Harry (1885), Herbert (Bert) (1887), Nell (1890), Edwin Frank ("Ted") (1893 who later moved to Bath and became a policeman), Alfred Victor ("Vic") (1894 who moved to Bristol in the 1920s), Lilly Violet (1896) and Hector (1900 who died in 1905 and is buried in Box Cemetery). I believe Isaac and Elizabeth are both buried in Box Cemetery.
August 1900: Possibly Florence leaving home: L to R: Back row: Alice, Florence, Rosie; Middle row: Harry, Grandad Isaac (with Lily on lap), Grandmother Elizabeth (with Hector on lap), Bert; Front Row: Ted, Nell, and Vic.
With so many children, life was clearly difficult for the family. My father told me the story of how his grandmother regularly used to push the cart to the Northey Arms to collect Isaac after an evening drinking and push him back up the hill to home. One particular night, he had drunk too much (in her opinion) so on the way home she tipped him out of the cart and left him to wake up and find his own way home the next morning. The tough character of the female side of the family came through the generations to my grandmother, Florence.
Suffragette Annie ("Florence") Brooks (nee Southard grandmother)
My grandmother, Florence, was brought up in Box and went to school there. As an adult, she was a formidable woman, always straight to the point. At a family event she addressed a friend as, Hello, Mrs Loveday. You don't look very well and I don't like your hat either. I was always slightly frightened of her and her toothless, soft wet kisses. But she was a very kind and loving person, an indomitable, strong woman.
My grandmother, Florence, was brought up in Box and went to school there. As an adult, she was a formidable woman, always straight to the point. At a family event she addressed a friend as, Hello, Mrs Loveday. You don't look very well and I don't like your hat either. I was always slightly frightened of her and her toothless, soft wet kisses. But she was a very kind and loving person, an indomitable, strong woman.
Every Boxing Day, her birthday, she would entertain the whole family, making a special pudding. This was presented in grand style for us to enjoy: a Russian souffle made by hand with a moulded jelly on top of a sweet souffle. She married Frederick James Brooks in 1905 and she moved out of the Box area to Kingsdown at Upper Stratton, near Swindon. It was here that she got into politics probably building on the experiences she had at school and in her domestic environment. When she was on her soap box my grandfather would issue a stern rebuke with the single word, Flo ! asking her to shut up.
My grandmother was a cook in Bath on 1901 census but I do not know what took her to the Swindon area or how she met my grandfather. She had four children: my father Hector James Brooks (known as Jim) was the second eldest and he was named after the baby Hector who died in 1905. The other three children were girls.
Right: Florence and Frederick's Golden Wedding Anniversary in 1955: Bottom centre Jan seated
My grandmother was a cook in Bath on 1901 census but I do not know what took her to the Swindon area or how she met my grandfather. She had four children: my father Hector James Brooks (known as Jim) was the second eldest and he was named after the baby Hector who died in 1905. The other three children were girls.
Right: Florence and Frederick's Golden Wedding Anniversary in 1955: Bottom centre Jan seated
Florence was a champion of the underprivileged throughout her life. She was a founder member of the Stratton Labour Party, their secretary for many years and one of the first female parish councillors.[1] She fundraised for the Red Cross during the Great War, raising the amazing amount of £72 from the sale of flowers from their garden.
In 1939 during the Second World War she organised the evacuation of London children to Stratton. She supported the Suffragist Movement and her commitment to the Labour Party never wavered.
A road in Upper Stratton, Brooks Close, was named in her honour. Described as: Small and slight of stature, she had enormous energy and influence. She died in 1963 and afterwards the family link with Box became more tenuous. She was a woman in a man's world and the Brooks and Southard families are very proud of her.
In 1939 during the Second World War she organised the evacuation of London children to Stratton. She supported the Suffragist Movement and her commitment to the Labour Party never wavered.
A road in Upper Stratton, Brooks Close, was named in her honour. Described as: Small and slight of stature, she had enormous energy and influence. She died in 1963 and afterwards the family link with Box became more tenuous. She was a woman in a man's world and the Brooks and Southard families are very proud of her.
References
[1] Rev Dr Frederick Fuller wrote her obituary in the Evening Advertiser
[2] The Wiltshire Times, 20 November 1920
[1] Rev Dr Frederick Fuller wrote her obituary in the Evening Advertiser
[2] The Wiltshire Times, 20 November 1920