yeovil people

louis bide

Glove Manufacturer of Brunswick Street

 

Louis Bide was born in Paris, France in 1813, albeit a British subject. He was the son, and fourth of the six children, of William Bide (1780-1829) and Elizabeth née Mullins (1781-1864). William and Elizabeth's children were: Elizabeth (1807-1881), William (1809- 1864), Mary Ann (1812-1857) Louis, John (b1814) and Susan (1817-1830).

Louis was a Freemason, initiated into the Lodge of Brotherly Love in Yeovil in 1835.

He was listed in the 1841 census living in what appeared to be lodgings in Kingston, very close to its junction with Court Ash. Listed as aged 25 (remembering, of course, that the 1841 census rounded up people's ages to the nearest multiple of 5) he gave his occupation as a glove manufacturer. In the spring of 1845 he married Yeovil-born Mary Dicks (b1816) at Yeovil.

He was listed in Hunt & Co's Directory of 1850 as a Glove Manufacturer of Brunswick Street and the 1851 census listed him and Mary living there with a son Frederick aged five, daughter Alice aged two, two visitors and a domestic servant. Louis listed his occupation as 'Glove Manufacturer employing 11 men'. The family lived at Brunswick House, which today stands at the access to Goldenstones. He was listed in Hunt & Co's Directory of 1850 as a Glove Manufacturer of Brunswick Street. He was listed in Slater's Directory of 1852-3, again as a Glove Manufacturer of Brunswick Street.

In 1851, Louis was noted as an investor in the South Western Railway Company.

In the 1861 census Louis, aged 48, and Mary, aged 44, were still living in Brunswick Street. Living with them were daughters Alice aged 12, Louisa aged 10, Annie aged nine and two-year-old son Willie. There was also a general servant. Louis gave his occupation as 'Glove Manufacturer employing 8 men & 1 boy'. The Post Office directory of 1866 once again listed him as a Glove Manufacturer of Brunswick Street.

Interestingly, in the 1871 census Louis listed his place of birth as 'Paris, naturalised British citizen', perhaps suggesting he was not related to the Yeovil Bide family after all. He listed his occupation as retired glove manufacturer but was still living in Brunswick Street with Mary and the four younger children.

In the Post Office Directory of 1879 Louis was listed living in Westbury on Trym, Gloucestershire, and in the 1881 census Louis and Mary, together with Alice, Louisa and Willie, were listed there. Louis, now aged 68, declared that he was living on the interest of money from a house and property.

Louis Bide died on 30 April 1885 at his home in Surbiton Villa, Redland Grove, Bristol. He was aged 69. His will was proved by his brother Augustus, a glove manufacturer of Grosvenor Square, London. His personal estate was valued at £863 8s 10d (in the region of £380,000 at today's value). Mary died in 1893 at Barton Regis, Gloucestershire.

 

MAP

 

Location map based on the 1886 Ordnance Survey showing Brunswick Street from its junction with Hendford at left and the junction with Penn Hill at right. Louis Bide's glove factory and dressing yard are located at centre and enlarged on the map below.

 

An enlarged view of the central section of the above map showing Louis Bide's glove factory and dressing yard on the south side of Brunswick Street. His home, Brunswick House, is seen alongside the top right corner of the large area labelled 'Dressing Yard'

 

MAP

 

Louis Bide's house, Brunswick House, photographed in the early 1990s (before the massive extension was added).

 

A report from the Western Flying Post's edition of 3 November 1849. The accused, Rowland Appleby, was later found guilty of the theft and transported for ten years.

 

The above snippet from the Western Gazette's edition of 7 August 1868 refers to Dodham Brook, close to the location of today's Goldenstones.