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Albert Best's Legacy to Teignmouth - His Diaries

A Unique Record of Life in the Town from 1865 to 1920

by

Alan Best

[Albert's Diaries, edited by his great great nephew Alan Best, are to be published in three Parts. Part 1, covering December 1865 to the end of the century is available now. It is A4 size, 128 pages long and contains supplementary notes taken from newspapers of the time, and a list of some 150 recorded deaths - see below. It can be obtained from the Quayside Book Shop Teignmouth, Teignmouth Museum or The Mitre Book Shop, Newton Abbot. Copies are also available by post from Alan Best. Part 11, 1900 to 1913 should be available in late summer, and Part 111 by the end of the year.]

Albert Best was born in Teignmouth in 1840, some 25 years after the Battle of Waterloo, and he kept a Diary from 1865 until a week before his death in 1920. Within its pages is a unique record of life and events in the town during a period of significant social and industrial change.

He started work on his 14th birthday, serving a seven year apprenticeship to become a Plumber, and later set up on his own, establishing a family business which later became J.G. Best and Sons, Builders and Ironmongers at 11 to 15 Somerset Place, which finally closed down in the late 1970's.

His firm became a major employer in the town in his lifetime and a testament to this is his diary entry for October 4 1919.

In the Teignmouth Post it is stated that "At the supper to demobilised and discharged men last week, 28 of the men that sat down are employed by the firm of A Best Ltd., Plumbers, Builders & Contractors of Somerset Place".

A more permanent landmark is the granite plaque on the dam at Venford Reservoir, Holne on Dartmoor, built by Hawking & Best - the project started in 1901 and formally opened in 1907.

Albert spent much of his spare time on voluntary work for the Independent Order of Odd Fellows, a Friendly Society formed to provide members of the working classes with a form of insurance against sickness and unemployment. Weekly contributions were paid by members into the Lodge and benefits paid out when required. One of the first of his diary entries in 1866 is: -

Jan 16 Lodge night. Finished accounts at dinner time, laid them before Lodge - they were much satisfied. Passed a resolution that the Secretary be paid £2 for the ensuing year, to be paid half yearly In 1867 Albert became Treasurer to the local Lodge, with an annual vote of thanks as his remuneration, and continued working for the Lodge until a few days before he died.

Albert also found time to become a member of the Yeomanry Volunteers from 1860 to 1884, coming out as a Sergeant. He was in the Devonshire contingent that marched past Queen Victoria at the Windsor Review in 1881

Jul 9 Saturday. Windsor Review. Started by special train from Teignmouth 4.40 am. From Exeter in narrow gauge train 5.30. Arrived Slough about 10.0 a.m. Detrained and marched direct to Park - rather warm march - first fine day since last Monday. Refreshments & wash.
Assembled again at 3 pm, formed up in Brigades each side of long drive. We were in 4th Brigade, 3rd. division, 2nd. army corps. 5 o'clock signal of 21 guns, then her Majesty and Escort left the Castle and passed through the Brigades, ours first. Present arms, Bands, National Anthem. Ours was the last Brigade to march past, which lasted 1 hour 45 minutes.
We received cheers and shouts of "well done" and "bravo Devon".
Back to rendezvous, refreshments 9 pm. leave for Slough, halting on the road for other regiments to get away - very tiresome. Got entrained 12.55. Refreshments then sleep. Home 8.20 a.m.

There are triumphs and tragedies, town celebrations on the conclusion of the Boer War and Great War, Coronation of King Edward. The last day for turnpikes was also a milestone! One of the major tragedies occurred on April 20th 1896. His entry that day: -

Apr 20 Great sensation in the Town. A fellow called Haines, with his wife and four children, been living at One Spring Gardens these past three years, letting lodgings. About 2.30p.m. to day, whilst his wife was upstairs attending to the Lodgers, he first of all sent his oldest, a boy about ten years old to post a letter, then he sent the servant maid out of doors - and then took the three younger children, the youngest being only nine months old, and cut the throats of each one causing instant death, leaving the bodies in a heap on the hearth rug. Then he rushed upstairs and it is presumed he cut his own throat whilst doing so, because there were traces of blood on the stairs, and his body was found stretched out on the landing, with his throat cut nearly from ear to ear, and quite dead.

National events were not ignored. The entry for August 25th 1875 reads

Capt. Webb swam across from Dover to Calais. He started at 1 p.m., arrived next day about 11 am. - in the water about 22 hours. Capt. Boyton was 23 hours. Distance 23 miles.

Albert saw William Gladstone twice, once on his visit to Torquay, and again at his family home at Hawarden in Cheshire on 16th August 1894

Fine park and grounds. Went over castle ruins. Mr Gladstone addressed West Country visitors at 4.30 from the terrace. GOM (Grand Old Man) looking very well. Mr H Gladstone MP also there and addressed the people. Went into castle and saw presents of Golden Wedding etc. Went to Hawarden Village, saw the church (outside), also the Old Cottage, the birth place of Lady Hamilton.

Featured as well are thumbnail portraits of local people. On 21st April 1894 :-

Letter from Mrs Jenkins saying her husband Sam died last evening. Poor Sam, he was a good tempered fellow, and a good workman. He died from the effects of a cold caught at Salterton.

 

From Volume 1:

Deaths 1865 to 1900 - giving the dates on which they appear in a Diary entry

Ackland T29.5.98Hammond T27.2.81Pattison W28.3.89
Bailey10.11.74Harvey, C27.1.98Pearce, Miss E A28.3.78
Bastin14.12.99Hayman John19.12.99Pemberton, Mrs4.1.86
Bealer15.5.77Hayman Mrs18.12.99Pepperall6.12.75
Bennett S22.5.95Hayman Mrs20.12.92Pitwood C3.1.77
Best P1.4.93Hayman S19.5.92Pope J23.1.91
Best S14.2.67Hayman T25.1.93Portbury J30.9.97
Bickford B25.5.68Hayman W8.12.86Portbury C29.02.98
Bramwell26.5.70Henley W16.7.70Price, Mrs18.1.89
Born W7.12.93Hindon H2.3.99Rabjohns23.7.73
Boyce A19.10.96Hobbs, Mrs10.12.92Rendell C18.10.80
Brock25.2.82Hodge H20.11.94Rendell H5.12.93
Brock. Mrs25.12.78Hole Walter6.12.75Rhodes, Mrs4.4.71
Brook J23.10.84Holloway S2.8.94Rooke C7.10.95
Browning10.01.88Hooper16.1.87Rudall18.2.66
Browning H7.2.87Hore W7.1.92Sampson, Aunt19.1.81
Browning J2.8.94Ingleston4.6.95Sampson, Uncle29.05.78
Bryant18.2.66Jackman, Albert10.9.71Scales Maud2.12.73
Burden C3.2.83Jarvis J27.6.89Scagell J3.1.77
Cann W4.8.98Jenkins, Sam20.4.94Sharam Bill26.12.66
Clapp13.11.80Johnson T15.2.94Sharam, S4.4.80
Clark S23.10.84Jones, Aunt28.3.84Sharam T14.12.90
Cole W, Mrs21.11.96Jones, Uncle4.3.68Shaw14.12.72
Coles F16.5.94Kelson C29.1.80Short1.7.94
Coleman, Ellen21.12.98Kelly N25.9.72Small Sammy9.3.73
Collard Beatrice14.8.91Kent W19.2.94Spencer G13.1.83
Constable, Abbess23.2.89Key, Mrs5.8.74Spencer, Miss13.1.73
Cotton H20.10.84Langley, Miss3.6.92Staddon22.9.78
Courtenay27.05.98Langley, Mrs3.6.92Staddon G16.6.87
Cowell1.2.98Lee, William2.5.74Stoker P29.9.97
Cox G M J10.12.92Leicester, Revd.16.4.73Taylor T12.11.99
Cox J2.1.94Lucas A, Sir19.2.96Templer, General19.4.75
Coysh E28.10.86Marshall, Capt.14.8.72Thomas Fred7.7.79
Coysh Mrs E23.6.90Matthews9.12.94Tidball S10.4.92
Coysh Mr15.5.67Matthews, Miss E G8.4.96Tripp, Miss25.1.98
Coysh Mrs N3.4.94Matthews S17.3.86Tucker Annie19.10.96
Craig18.9.94Moore, Mrs5.7.73Tucker F26.9.96
Crees D15.4.80Mortimore A3.9.82Tucker T13.11.80
Crow Mrs12.12.85Mudge26.2.97Turpin N9.10.94
Easterbrook T16.3.81Murch, Mrs26.12.83Valentine R2.8.88
Elms R17.11.97Norsworthy, Mrs15.3.84Ward G.P.4.2.81
Elsworthy, Mary9.3.66Norsworthy N10.1.93Wegger A. E.14.3.93
Endacott22.2.93Sharam S4.4.80Wedge Mrs L29.4.74
Farler, J22.9.78Northcot C21.6.98Whidborne J23.12.90
Field, Mrs29.3.84Paddon H13.10.94White, Miss12.6.96
Foresters, Sarah17.1.69Paddon Lucy18.9.99White W17.11.88
Fry, Mrs20.2.97Parkhouse, Mrs11.6.97Wilson C15.9.95
Gater W30.7.91Parr W18.2.81Workman Dr11.1.86
Haines20.4.96Parr W21.4.98Woolaston4.1.78
Hallett31.5.79Parson J6.12.74Yabsley22.2.76

Brian Randell, 27 May 2008