Introduction
Edwin Delamont spent most of his life at Hardington Moor, where he worked first as a farm labourer and carter and later as a roadman. Apart from several years at West Coker, he remained closely attached to the village and, in 1920, purchased the cottage in which he had long lived as a tenant.
Early life
Edwin was born at Hardington in 1858, the third of five children born to Jonah Delamont and his first wife, Elizabeth (née Slade). The family lived in Moor Lane at Hardington Moor. Jonah was a canvas weaver until the decline of the local weaving industry during the 1860s, after which he worked as a farm labourer. By 1875, he had become a shopkeeper and by 1880 was described as a hawker and dealer.
Jonah appeared before the courts on several occasions. Although acquitted of charges of rape in 1847 and housebreaking in 1852, he was later convicted of obtaining money by false pretences, using unjust weights and stealing straw.[1] These incidents suggest that he lived close to the margins of respectability.
Like many rural children of his time, Edwin entered the workforce early, becoming a farm labourer by the age of thirteen. When Edwin was in his early twenties, his mother became seriously ill with bronchitis, which led to tuberculosis. She died on 25 February 1884 at the age of 64.[2] Jonah married Elizabeth Eastment three years later, but she also died from tuberculosis in 1893 at the age of thirty-six.[3]
Marriage and family life
In 1882, Edwin married Georgina Abbott at Hardington. She was born in the village in 1856, the daughter of George and Sarah Elizabeth Abbott. Their first two children were born at Hardington. In November 1883, Edwin advertised for a position as a carter, describing himself as having two years’ good character.[4]
A few years later, the family moved to West Coker, where they lived until about 1893 and where three further children were born. They then returned to Hardington Moor, where three more children were born, although one died in infancy. They settled once again in Moor Lane, close to Edwin’s father. The 1911 census recorded their address as No. 300 Hardington Moor.
On 19 March 1892, Jonah Delamont died at the age of sixty-three. His death certificate attributed the cause to apoplexy, hemiplegia and asthenia, suggesting that he had suffered a stroke that left him paralysed and debilitated. Edwin registered his father’s death.[5]
In July 1912, Edwin’s daughter, Florence, appeared before the Yeovil Borough Police Court, charged with obtaining goods from shopkeepers by false pretences. Both Edwin and Florence’s husband supported her in court. She was convicted and sentenced to one month’s imprisonment with hard labour. [6]
The First World War affected the family directly, as all three of Edwin’s sons served in the armed forces. Charles Henry served with the Labour Corps, Henry John with the Royal Marines and George with the Somerset Light Infantry.[7] All survived the war, although Henry died in 1923 from sarcoma of the tonsil at the age of thirty-six.[8] The disease was attributed to his wartime experiences.
House purchase and later life
The sale of the Hardington estate in October 1920 marked an important moment in Edwin’s life. As a sitting tenant, he purchased Lot 92, which comprised a cottage, garden and small orchard.[9] For a labouring man who had spent much of his life in rented accommodation, ownership represented a measure of security and independence.
By 1921, Edwin was employed as a roadman by Yeovil Rural District Council, reflecting a shift from agricultural work to local government employment.
On 24 December 1923, he made his will. In a simple document signed with his mark, he left his property to Georgina for life and thereafter equally among his six surviving children. One of the witnesses was the Rev. A. W. Gummer Butt, a Baptist minister of Yeovil.[10] This may indicate some connection with the Baptist congregation, although the nature of that relationship is uncertain.
Edwin died on 18 December 1930 at the age of seventy-two. His estate was valued at £180 7s. 6d. Georgina remained at Hardington Moor after his death. Their youngest daughter, Margaret, returned home and cared for her mother while working as a glover. In 1946, Margaret married Norman William Down. Georgina died on 16 September 1951 at the age of ninety-five.[11]
Conclusion
Edwin Delamont’s life was characterised by continuity rather than change. Apart from a period spent at West Coker, he remained closely tied to Hardington Moor, where he worked, raised a family and eventually became a property owner. His experience was typical of many rural labouring families whose lives were shaped less by dramatic events than by long residence in one place, steady employment and enduring family connections.
References
[1] Q/SR/557/102; Taunton Courier and Western Advertiser 7 April 1852 p.4; Western Gazette, 21 January 1870, p.7; Dorset County Chronicle, 4 November 1880, p.11; Western Gazette, 8 June 1883, p 6 (identified as Joseph Delamont, dealer).
[2] The death certificate of Elizabeth Delamont (died 1884).
[3] The death certificate of Elizabeth Delamont (died 1893).
[4] Western Gazette, 2 Nov 1883, p. 4
[5] Death certificate of Jonah Delamont.
[6] Western Chronicle, 26 July 1912, p. 4.
[7] World War I Pension Ledgers and Index Cards, 1914-1923; Royal Naval Division Casualties of The Great War, 1914-1924; World War I Pension Ledgers and Index Cards, 1914-1923.
[8] Death certificate of Henry Delamont.
[9] Eddie Turner’s copy of the estate sale catalogue.
[10] The will of Edwin Delamont, dated 24 December 1923, proved in London on 9 February 1931.
[11] Civil registration death index; monumental inscription at Hardington.