Yeovil's Virtual Museum

William Saint

Baker, built Brunswick Villa, Brunswick Street

 

William Saint was born in 1792 in Haselbury Plucknett, and baptised at the Church of St Michael & All Angels, Haselbury Plucknett, on 17 March 1792. He was the son of Timothy Saint (1749-c1827) and Hannah née Preston (b1749).

He moved to Yeovil, and on 8 May 1817 William "of this parish" married Mary Bagg (bc1783, of Sherborne, Dorset) at St John's church. William and Mary were, however, members of the Independent church and worshipped at the Congregational church in Princes Street. They were to have eight children whose baptisms were all recorded in the in the Nonconformist Register of Baptisms for Yeovil and all entries were made by officiating ministers at the Congregational church (as described in the Gallery). The children were;

• William (1818-1888)
  Born 27 February 1818 at Yeovil, baptised (Non-Conformist) 12 April 1818. He married Sarah Hann (1818-1858) in 1840 and had children; William Hann Saint (1841-1919).

• Mary Ann (b1821)
  Born 14 January 1821 at Yeovil, baptised (Non-Conformist) 18 March 1821. It is likely that Mary Ann died in infancy as there is no further record and a daughter, Mary Hannah, was born to William and Mary in 1824.

• Jane (1820-1869)
  Born 27 November 1820 at Yeovil. On 11 February 1841, she firstly married farmer Francis Tucker (b1818), and had children Mary Ann (b1851) and Sarah Marie (b1844). She secondly married George Hann (b1817) and had children; Georgina Augusta (b1852), Alpetena (1856-1863), Laura Jane (1858-1903), Oliver William (1860-1933) and Seraphine Eleanor (1863-1936). George Hann ran an un-named beerhouse in South Street (see Gallery). In the 1851 census, George Hann was listed as an innkeeper with his wife Jane, née Saint, his four children by his first wife, two step-children by Jane and her first husband and his father-in-law, retired baker William Saint.

• Frederick (1822-c1892)
  Born 4 April 1822 at Yeovil, baptised (Non-Conformist) 23 June 1822. No known wife or children.

• Mary Hannah (1824-1968) - known as Hannah
  Born 4 August 1824 at Yeovil, baptised (Non-Conformist) 12 August 1824. She married carpenter John Jesty (1826-1893) in 1847 and had children; John (b1847), Sarah (b1850), Thomas (1852-1904), Henry (1854-1927), Caroline (b1857) and Herbert (1859-1896). In the 1851 census, John, Hannah and their two eldest children, together with Hannah's mother Mary Saint (visiting), were recorded living at Park Street.

• Sarah (1827-1897)
  Born 19 March 1827 at Yeovil, baptised (Non-Conformist) 13 May 1827. No known husband or children.

• John Frederick (1829-c1899)
  Born 27 June 1829 at Yeovil, baptised (Non-Conformist) 18 October 1829. No known wife or children.

• Hubert (b1831)
  Born 23 July 1831. Hubert was privately baptised, which meant that he was baptised at home because he was not expected to live. He did, however, live for a few years, and finally died in June 1838, aged 6 years 11 months.

William Saint was a baker, as evidenced by his occupation recorded on his son William's marriage certificate of 1839.

He must have been fairly wealthy, since in 1825 he acquired land off the newly-built Brunswick Street and built Brunswick Villa - see below.

In the 1851 census, he was recorded as a retired baker living with his daughter Jane and her family in a beerhouse in South Street run by Jane's husband, George Hann - see Gallery.

It is not really known when William Saint died. Although there are several people on Ancestry that have recorded his death as 1862, none of them have documented proof or a recorded source. I have found no record of his death, despite exhaustive searching.

 

 

An indenture in my collection dated 4 March 1825, for the sale of a parcel of land and hereditaments in the Manor of Hendford, abutting the newly-built Brunswick Street and adjacent to Chant's Path, together with the lease of a separate parcel to its immediate north. The sale was from Peter Daniell to William Saint.

 

A section of Edward Bullock Watts' map of 1831, showing in pink the location of the freehold parcel adjacent to Brunswick Street - the "New Road of the said Peter Daniell", with the leasehold parcel to its north. It also confirms "bounded on the East by land of the said Peter Daniell".

 

An indenture in my collection, 29 March 1832, records that Saint mortgaged both the freehold and leasehold parcels with Thomas Dampier.

William Saint is recorded in the Yeovil Poll Books of both 1832 and 1834 by virtue of owning the freehold house that he built, Brunswick Villa, in Brunswick Street. Whether or not Saint lived in Brunswick Villa with his family, or rented it out, is unknown.

The indenture in my collection dated 19 June 1919 cites "... the dwellinghouse and premises erected by William Saint on the said plot of land...".

 

The steps at right are the last remains of this end of Chant's Path. The house in this photograph, was built on the eastern part of the freehold plot referred to in the 1825 Indenture. It is almost certain that this is the house known to have been built on this plot by William Saint, called Brunswick Villa.

Aldondale Gardens, opposite, is the last remains of Addlewell Lane seen on both the 1806 and 1831 maps above.

Photographed in November 2023.

 

Related indentures -

• Indenture dated 4 March 1825, for the sale of a parcel of land - click here

• Indenture dated 29 December 1831, for mortgage of the property - click here

• Indenture dated 19 June 1919 for sale of Brunswick Villa - click here

 

The entry of William Saint's baptism of 17 March 1792, in the parish register of the Church of St Michael & All Angels, Haselbury Plucknett. The entry reads "William S of Timothy + Hannah Saint March 17".

 

The entry of William and Mary's marriage of 6 May 1817, in St John's parish register.

 

The baptismal entry of William and Mary's son, William, from the Independent Church Register of Births. He was born on 7 February 1818 and baptised on 12 April 1818. Richard Tayler was officiating minister at the Congregational church from1812 to 1820.

 

The baptismal entry of William and Mary's daughter, Mary Ann, from the Register of Independents. She was born on 14 January 1821 and baptised on 18 March 1821. James Watson was officiating minister at the Congregational church from 1820 to 1821.

 

The baptismal entry of William and Mary's son, Frederick, from the Register of Independents. He was born on 4 April 1822 and baptised on 23 June 1822. John Jukes was officiating minister at the Congregational church from 1821 to 1837.

 

The baptismal entry of William and Mary's daughter, Mary Hanah, from the Register of Independents. She was born on 4 August 1824 and baptised on 12 August 1824.

 

The baptismal entry of William and Mary's daughter, Sarah, from the Register of Independents. She was born on 19 March 1827 and baptised on 13 May 1827.

 

The baptismal entry of William and Mary's son, John Frederic, from the Register of Independents. He was born on 27 June 1829 and baptised on 18 October 1829.

 

The baptismal entry of William and Mary's son, Hubert, from the Register of Independents. He was born on 23 July 1831 and baptised privately in August 1831.

 

In the 1851 census, George Hann was listed as an innkeeper in South Street with his wife Jane, née Saint, their four children, two step-children by Jane's first husband and his father-in-law, retired baker William Saint.

 

This photograph, of about 1910, shows the two-storey building at centre with a bracket for a hanging sign in which George Hann ran his beerhouse. The Market House Inn is the three-storied building to left of centre, and to its immediate left is the entrance to George Court.

The 1851 census recorded William Saint living here with his son-in-law George Hann and his wife Jane (William's daughter), George's four children from his first marriage and Jane's two children from her first marriage. George and Jane would later have five children of their own.