Introduction
Arthur William Rendell spent most of his working life in the building trade, entering it as an apprentice during the construction of Yeovil’s new hospital. Although he left Hardington after his marriage, he settled only a few miles away at Norton-sub-Hamdon, where he combined work as a bricklayer with running a village pub.
Early Life
Arthur was born at Hardington on 3 June 1904, the elder of two children born to John and Florence Sarah Rendell. His younger sister, Mabel Kathleen, was born the following year. Before his marriage, John worked as a domestic gardener, but by 1911, he had moved into industrial employment as a weaver in a web and twine factory, reflecting the growing prevalence of factory work.
Arthur began attending Hardington School on 25 February 1908 and probably remained there until he left school in either 1916 or 1917.[1] By 1911, the family lived in a five-room house at 328 Broadstone, part of a block of four cottages.
In 1912, the family’s circumstances were shaken when Florence was prosecuted for obtaining goods by false pretences. She had persuaded several Yeovil shopkeepers to provide goods on credit either by impersonating others or by claiming to collect on behalf of established customers. She pleaded guilty and, despite appeals for leniency from both her husband and the Rev. Cleife, was sentenced to two months’ imprisonment with hard labour.[2]
Further disruption followed when John enlisted in the Royal Field Artillery early in the First World War, serving as a bombardier until March 1919. [3]
In October 1920, John purchased the family’s cottage as the sitting tenant in the Hardington estate sale, securing a permanent home for the family. The adjoining property was purchased by Fred Moon for £180.[4]
By 1921, Arthur had begun his apprenticeship as a bricklayer with the Yeovil firm of J. W. and H. Childs. At that time, he was employed on the construction of the new Yeovil Hospital, one of the largest building projects in the area. Mabel worked with their father at F. Drake’s web factory at East Coker.
John died intestate on 13 July 1928, due to valvular disease of the heart, leaving an estate valued at £200.[5] Three years later, Mabel married Leonard Hillard, an engine fitter from Yeovil. In 1937, Arthur married Gertrude Ethel Mary Bool of Norton-sub-Hamdon. Her father was a stonemason employed on Ham Hill, while her mother, Harriet, had died some ten years earlier.
Norton-sub-Hamdon
When Arthur and Gertrude attended a funeral at Whitelackington in September 1937, a newspaper report still described their address as Hardington.[6] However, by the following year, they were living at the Nelson Arms, Norton-sub-Hamdon. Arthur and Gertrude ran the public house together while Arthur continued his work as a bricklayer.
Their daughter, Dorothy B. M., was born there on 3 November 1938, and their son, William John, followed on 8 January 1941.[7]
In the 1939 Register, Arthur was recorded as a bricklayer and a member of a demolition squad, indicating his involvement in civil defence efforts related to air-raid precautions. These squads dealt with dangerous structures after bombing raids, making damaged buildings safe, clearing debris and, where necessary, carrying out controlled demolition. Arthur’s skills as a bricklayer would have made him particularly suited for this work.
The family remained at the Nelson Arms throughout the war. In February 1945, Arthur advertised both a BSA Silver Star motorcycle and an Austin 8 motor car for sale, suggesting that they enjoyed a certain level of material comfort despite wartime restrictions. [8]
At some point during the following decade, Arthur and Gertrude left the pub but continued to reside in Norton-sub-Hamdon. They moved to a house in New Road, which they named Mandeville, probably as a tribute to the village where Arthur was born and raised.
Death
Arthur died at South Petherton Hospital on 8 May 1957 at the age of 52.[9] He died intestate, leaving an estate valued at £2,470 12s 2d, which was administered by Gertrude. She survived him by almost forty years, passing away in 1996 at the age of eighty-five.
Conclusion
Although Arthur left Hardington after his marriage, he remained firmly rooted in south Somerset, settling only a few miles away at Norton-sub-Hamdon. Throughout his adult life, he worked in the building trade, combining it for a time with running a village public house. The name he chose for his home reflects the enduring bond he had with Hardington long after leaving the village.
References
[1] Hardington School admissions register.
[2] Western Chronicle 26 July 1912 p. 4.
[3] Western Chronicle, 5 February 1915, p.6; World War I Pension Ledgers and Index Cards, 1914-1923.
[4] Eddy Turner’s copy of the estate sale catalogue.
[5] Death certificate of John Rendell; National Probate Calendar.
[6] Taunton Courier and Western Advertiser, 2 October 1937, p.9.
[7] Western Gazette, 11 November 1938, p.16; Civil registration death index.
[8] Western Gazette, 23 February 1945, p.5.
[9] The Civil Registration Death Index incorrectly recorded John’s age as 53.
