Auntie Squib's Memories
MEMORIES OF VISITING SEAVINGTON HOUSE BY A MEMBER OF THE POOLE FAMILY
“I spent some wonderful holidays at my Grandad’s house with your Auntie Tide, when we were very young.
Your Grandma “P” was not liked too much at the house. She was a woman from London with all the post war trappings. She liked to dance, smoke, and live a new sort of life. Whereas the people of Seavington expected women to sit and be quiet. Your Grandma - my and your mum’s mum was not that sort of person. She was glamorous and did not bow down to the regime of Seavington.
As Far As I Recall
Our journey to Somerset was by train. We would arrive at Taunton, then get a bus to Seavington.
There were 6 people in the house. My Grandad, his sister Bess, his brother Joe and his wife Topsy. In the other part of the house lived the Stuckeys. Mrs Stuckey did the cleaning and Mr Stuckey helped around the orchards and barns.
The Stuckeys lived in an annex to the house. They were servants to my Grandad and his family. Not servants in the meaning doing the cooking and serving the table. They were a lovely couple. They were good to us girls.
Up the road from Seavington House was a house we would visit only 2/3 minutes away (Buckrells) where a lady Aunt Rachel (Kiddle) lived. An old rustic house with a huge loft, we played in the loft and had great times with this lady.
She was only a relative to us by the marriage of her family, but she treated us as grand-daughters or even daughters.
I visited her in the late 1980s and she told me many things about my family in Seavington. She sent me some photos of Grandad etc. with a little letter as well. Some years later, on the way back from Devon, I called again, but alas she had died, but it was not her who had died (of course she had) but another of her relatives also called Rachel. It’s very confusing.
The Surname is Kiddle - probably you will see it in the family tree.
Sunday at Seavington was not a very happy day for me at all. Aunt Bess would make sure we were dressed in our Sunday best. No playing today! We would walk down the lane to the church in the morning and after church sit and read. We would then go to church for evening song after which eat supper and go to bed.
Only staying for two weeks meant not so much of the church going.
Tide and I would play croquet on the back lawn from time to time and Uncle Joe and Aunt Topsy were always my favourites.
Grandad would fry up yesterdays potatoes for breakfast and that smell always reminds me of those few days we spent in Somerset.
Our home in North Weald was a small bungalow. We had a separate toilet and bathroom. The toilet was just big enough to get into. At Seavington it was enormous. You opened the door to a huge room at the end of which was a toilet. No way could you hold the door shut with your legs, “don’t lock the door” we were told. So you sat on the loo many feet away from the door and hoped no one would come in. On reflection, being so young, the bathroom want so large. It always smelt of carbolic soap and disinfectant.
We went out one day along the lane where men were cutting the hay. We sat and watched from a hill overlooking the field. Men with sticks followed cutters and beat the grass driving all the rabbits into the centre of the hay. As the cutters got closer to the middle so did the rabbits and as the creatures tried to escape they were struck down by the beaters - rabbit pie. Tide and I came back on the hay cart. No cars in those days. I have only eaten rabbit once at a friend’s house many years ago.
Your grandad Rex would never cook it in our house as he couldn’t stand the smell. I have gone through some old photos to see if I could send you something of those days, but alas I do not have any.
When my grandad died. P and Rex your grandparents had to go to Seavington to sort things out. Tide and I were at home with your mummy who had measles. I was about 14, Tide 18. Tide organised a party at our home. Your mum was stuck in a corner of the lounge whilst Tide and I got on with the party. At only 5 years old she enjoyed the music and my poodle dog bit a lump out of someone’s LP. Rex and P returned and the house was as clean as a new pin. However, it didn’t take long for the neighbours to tell our parents a party had been going on.”
Auntie Squib, from the Poole Family
Contributions from: Ellie and Annie (granddaughters) and Alex (great granddaughter)
(Extract contributed by Alex Tarbun, member of the Poole family).