Childhood at Hardington
William was born at Hardington in 1862, probably at Romsey Farm. He was the sixth child of William and Emma White.
In 1865, William’s parents moved from Romsey Farm to Vale Farm, Hardington Marsh.
On 24 August 1874, William and Emma had their four youngest children baptised together at Hardington Church. These were Susan, William, Walter and Theophilus.
Life at East Coker
On 22 December 1886, William married Annie Mullins at East Coker.
Annie was the second daughter of James and Maria Mullins. Her father, James, was a stone mason who died when she was about six. Following his death, her mother ran a shop at Hewhill next door to the Forester’s Arms. By April 1881, Annie was an Assistant Teacher.
For about the first ten years of their marriage, William and Annie lived at Hewhill, next door to Annie’s mother. While they lived at Hewhill, they had two daughters: Elsie Ella on 27 November 1888 and Alice Minnie in 1893.
Return to Hardington
By 1897, William had returned to Hardington with his family, living in a six-room house near the church. He continued working as a carpenter while Annie ran a grocer’s shop. Annie’s mother also lived with them until she died in January 1906.
In the estate sale of 1920, William bought the property he occupied as the sitting tenant.
The 1921 census describes William as a carpenter employed by Viscount Portman’s estate.
Following the death of Francis Purchase, the village sub-postmaster, in 1920, William saw an opportunity. By 1923, he was officially in charge of the village Post Office. However, his wife, Annie, and his daughter, Alice, likely managed the day-to-day operations of the post office.
After Annie died on 13 May 1923, aged 60, Alice must have largely taken over the responsibility of running the Post Office.
Alice died intestate on 24 May 1939, aged 45, leaving an estate valued at £120 3s 3d.
William died intestate on 21 July 1939, aged 77, leaving an estate valued at £841-4s-7d.
By September 1939, William’s granddaughter, Dorothy Legg, ran the Post Office.
On 6 December 1946, the Post Office was sold by auction at the Half Moon Hotel, Yeovil. Described as “a charming 16th Century Stone-built Thatched Roof Detached Country Cottage” in the “picturesque village of Hardington Mandeville”, with six bedrooms, two receptions, a shop and a Post Office, the whole property extended to one acre, 21 perches and included a garden, orchard, cowstall and outbuildings. It also had electric light throughout and mains water.[1]
Grandchildren
Elise Ella married Arthur James Ascott in 1910. They had seven children:
1910-William A. W.
1912-Gertrude Minnie.
1913-Stanley E.
1915-Dorothy E.,
c 1918-Thomas,
c 1919-Reginald
1924-Lilian Anne.
References
[1] Western Gazette 29 November 1946 p. 1.
