Yeovil's Virtual Museum

Henry rundle pulman

Baker of Hendford

 

Henry Rundle Pulman was born in North Coker on 3 January 1890, the son of master baker Tom Pulman (1862-1949) and Axminster-born Mary née Rundle (1962-1953).

The 1891 census shows Tom and Mary, together with one-year old Henry and his four-month old brother Edgar Tom, living at Chantry Barton, North Coker. Tom, born in Beer, Devon, listed his occupation as a master baker. At the time of the 1901 census Tom and Mary had two additional children; Richard Cecil (b 1892) and Marjory (b 1897).

By 1901 Tom, Mary and their four children were still living at North Coker and Henry and Richard, now aged 21 and 18 respectively, both worked as bakers with their father. Edgar was employed as a clerk on the railways while Marjory was still only aged 14.

On 20 April 1914 Henry married Annie Shaw (1890-1945) of Bracklich, Petty, Inverness shire, Scotland. They married at Petty. Henry and Annie were to have three children; Isobel Mary (1915-1992), Edgar James (1917-2006) and Betty Jean (1919-2007). Certainly by 1915, when their daughter Isobel was born, Henry and Annie were living in Yeovil.

Henry started his own bakery, the Hendford Bakery, based at 59 Hendford (almost opposite Hendford Manor) where he and his family also lived. He was well known locally for baking Hovis and Dr Allinson's wholemeal bread with the latest up-to-date machinery and appliances. He delivered his bread in his horse-drawn bread delivery cart, illustrated below.

In May 1945 Annie died in Yeovil and in 1948 Henry married Evelyn Agnes Herniman also at Yeovil. When he retired Henry and Evelyn moved to Gloucestershire; Evelyn died at Cheltenham in 1969 aged 78 and Henry died at France Lynch, Stroud, on 9 November 1971 aged 81.

 

 

This photograph features in my book 'Secret Yeovil'

This photograph shows Cyril Rendell - Henry Pulman's delivery man with his horse-drawn bakery delivery cart. Photographed around 1920.

 

From the Cave Collection (colourised), Courtesy of South Somerset Heritage Collection

This photograph, looking south along Hendford, dates to about 1965, the London Inn is at centre but boarded up and awaiting demolition. Henry's bakery, by the time of this photo Chappell's bakery, is the large three-storey building at left. The tree in the photograph at left was in the grounds of Hendford Manor, which is behind the photographer. The site of these are also now occupied by the Homeville House Complex.

 

From the Cave Collection (colourised), Courtesy of South Somerset Heritage Collection
This photograph features in my book 'Secret Yeovil'

Photographed in the 1960s, looking along Hendford towards town with the boundary wall of Hendford Manor just glimpsed at extreme right. Henry's bakery, by the time of this photo Chappell's bakery, is the large three-storey building at centre.