Thomas Matraves was a blacksmith in the High Street from about 1871 until about 1899.

Early life

Thomas was born at Seavington St Michael in about 1847. He was the third son of James Matraves, a carpenter, and his wife, Elizabeth.

When his father died in 1857, the family moved to South Petherton. There, Thomas met Mary Willy, the daughter of a farm labourer, who he married on 7 January 1871.

Life at Hardington

Thomas and Mary set up a home in Hardington, Thomas taking over the blacksmith’s shop in the High Street previously run by Job Taylor. To be a master blacksmith, Thomas must have served an apprenticeship before his marriage.

When they moved to Hardington, they followed in the footsteps of Thomas’s sister, Mary, and her husband, Herbert Voizey, who had moved to the village a year or two earlier.

Thomas was active in local politics, securing his election as secretary of the village Liberal club on 9 June 1885.[1]

Mary died on 8 June 1888, aged only 39, and the following year, Thomas married Mary Bartlett, the eldest daughter of Thomas Bartlett, a farm labourer.

In about 1899, Thomas sold his business to William Henry Watts.

Life at Haselbury

Thomas and his family moved to Moulton’s Farm, Haselbury, where Thomas lived for the remainder of his life.

At the sale of the Hardington estate on 18 October 1920, Thomas bought Moulton’s Farm, which comprised 102 acres, 3 roods and 37 perches.

His wife, Mary, died in 1920, aged 84. Thomas died on 28 October 1932, aged 85, leaving an estate valued at £448-18s-8d.

Children

Thomas and his first wife had two daughters and five sons, all born at Hardington.

Frances was a servant for the Vassall family at Hurst Manor, Martock, where she met and married a local carpenter.

John moved to Streatham, where he worked as a coachbuilder.

George served in the Royal Artillery as a staff sergeant farrier.

James moved to the Farnham and Basingstoke area, where he worked as a carpenter.

Thomas died aged only four.

Florence (Flossie) helped her father and then her brother, Ernest, run Moulton’s Farm.

Ernest ran Mouton’s Farm after his father’s death.

The will of Thomas Matraves

Thomas appointed his daughter, Florence, and son, Ernest, as his executors and trustees.

He left Florence all his furniture and indoor effects.

He left Florence and Ernest all his stock, implements, and outdoor effects used on his farm divided equally. He also left them all the money in his bank and other personal property divided equally.

The will does not mention land, so presumably, Thomas had gifted that earlier.

References

[1] Western Gazette, 12 June 1885, p.7