Albert George Squire, postmaster, baker and shopkeeper

Introduction

The life of Albert George Squire is a compelling story that highlights themes of family support, internal migration, and rural business. Born into an unconventional background as the illegitimate son of a young mother, Albert migrated from Yeovil to London, then Bristol and eventually to Hardington Moor, where he became a baker, shopkeeper, and village postmaster. A pivotal moment in his life was the birth of his first daughter, Elizabeth Emily, which prompted him to relocate to the Yeovil area so relatives could assist with her upbringing. After Albert’s early death at the age of 44, his widow, Martha, ran the family shop for ten years before retiring.

Childhood in Yeovil

Albert George Squire was born in Yeovil in 1841 as the illegitimate son of Jane Squire, the 16- or 17-year-old daughter of James and Sarah Squire, who lived at Reckleford, where her father, James, worked as a gardener.

In 1849, Jane Squire’s brother, William, married Eliza Leach, and Jane moved in with them in Rotten Row, leaving Albert in the care of her parents. Jane later moved to London, where she had another illegitimate child: Emily Eliza, born on 14 October 1852 at 9 Lower Islington Terrace.[1] Afterwards, Jane and her baby returned to live with her parents in Yeovil.[2] After her return, she initially earned money as a seamstress, but by 1866, she ran a “Fancy Repository” shop in Princes Street, Yeovil.[3]

London

As a young man, Albert moved to London, where by his mid-twenties, he lived in the St Pancras area, working as a commercial clerk. There, he met his future wife, Martha Elizabeth Robins, who worked as a shopkeeper. Though Martha was born in London, her father, John Robins, a wheelwright, had come to London from Wiltshire. Albert and Marta married at St Pancras Church on 24 April 1867.[4]

Bristol

After their marriage, Albert and Martha moved to Bristol, where Albert found employment as an accountant. Their first child, Elizabeth Emily, was born at 6 Redcliffe Parade on 22 October 1867.[5] This child may have had special needs as she was raised by Albert’s aunt, Eliza Knight, rather than her own parents[6] Unable to cope on their own, Albert and Martha relocated to the Yeovil area to be closer to Albert’s relatives. Rather than live in Yeovil itself, they took on the tenancy of a shop and bakery at Hardington Moor owned by John Yeandle.

Hardington

Albert and Martha moved to Hardington in about 1868. Their second daughter, Ellen Mary, was born there on 31 January 1869, followed by their third daughter, Martha Alberta, on 4 December 1870. On 28 April 1872, Albert and Martha took their three daughters for baptism at Hardington church.

By April 1871, Albert’s mother, Jane, lived with them, and they employed two live-in male servants: Henry Pike, an eighteen-year-old general labourer, and Albert James Jeans, a thirteen-year-old baker’s boy. Jane remained at Hardington until the 1880s, probably returning to Yeovil to look after Albert’s eldest daughter after her sister Eliza Knight became fatally ill in 1883.[7]

Throughout his time at Hardington, Albert operated a bakery. In February 1870, he advertised for “a baker, good settler, capable of entire management of Bakehouse” and in 1876 sought a “steady, respectable man for bakehouse.”[8] He also sought a bread maker in July 1883 and April 1884.[9]

In addition to operating the bakery and selling groceries, Albert served as the village postmaster.[10]

Albert was a prominent member of the village community and, in 1875 and 1877, held a prestigious place at the Club Day dinner, supporting Dr Colmer, the chairman.[11]

Albert struggled with poor health for many years, suffering from heart disease from the age of thirty and later developing Bright’s Disease and dropsy, leading to his early death. He died intestate on 6 January 1886, aged 44, leaving an estate valued at £443-4s-8d.[12]

Martha’s later life

After Albert’s death, Martha decided to give up the baking business and continue with the shop. On 28 December 1886, all the horses, vans and utensils related to the baking business were sold by auction.[13]

After the sale, Martha retained one male servant. On 2 April 1895, at the Borough Petty Sessions, she was charged with allowing a horse to be worked in an unfit condition. A police superintendent had seen the horse in the High Street on 15 March harnessed to a two-wheeled baker’s cart, driven by Arthur Partridge, a youth of Hardington. It is not clear whether Partridge was delivering to customers or collecting supplies.^[14]

In about 1896, Martha gave up the business and left the village.

Martha spent the remainder of her life alternating between the homes of her daughters, Ellen and Martha. In March 1901, she lived with Ellen at Radipole, and in April 1911, she lived with Martha at 3 Crofton Park, Yeovil.

Martha died at Broadway on 15 March 1919, at the age of 78, and was laid to rest in the churchyard there on 19 March.[15]

Children

1867-Elizabeth Emily (lived with her great-aunt, Eliza Knight, and grandmother, Jane Squire, at Yeovil; died in 1892, aged 24);

1869-Ellen Mary (married Percival George Chick Gould, a butcher, in 1893; lived at Radipole and Broadway; died in 1943);

1870-Martha Alberta (married William George Bishop, a printing compositor, in 1895; lived in Yeovil; died in 1951).

References

[1] Birth certificate. Jane claimed to be the wife of William Squire, a commercial traveller. She gave her maiden name as Watts, which was her mother’s maiden name.

[2] Jane’s father died in 1853. Her daughter, Emily Eliza, has not been found on the census of 1861, but the 1871 census recorded her living with Jane’s sister, Eliza Knight, on Reckleford Hill, Yeovil. When Emily Eliza died in 1924, she made Albert’s two daughters the executors and main beneficiaries of her will (the will of Emily Eliza Heddon, dated 26 November 1908, proved at Blandford on 18 July 1924).

[3] PO Directory 1866.

[4] Albert gave his father’s name as James Squire, deceased.

[5] Birth certificate.

[6] Elizabeth Emily died at Yeovil Hospital from spinal meningitis and pneumonia on 11 February 1892.

[7] National probate register.

[8] Western Gazette, 11 February 1870, p.4; Bridgwater Mercury, 22 November 1876, p.4.

[9] Western Gazette, 20 July 1883, p.4; Bristol Mercury, 9 April 1884, p.2.

[10] Trade Directory of 1875; Albert’s death certificate.

[11] Western Gazette, 18 June 1875, p.7; 15 June 1877, p.8.

[12] Western Gazette, 8 January 1886, p.1; national probate calendar.

[13] Western Gazette, 17 December 1886, p.5.

[14] Western Chronicle 5 April 1895 p. 3.