Transcript

of

Alfred Bolt [Obituary]

Trans. Devon Assoc.,  vol.  XXXIX, (1907), p. 40.

by

J. Brooking-Rowe (Ed.).

Prepared by Michael Steer

The obituary was read at the Association’s July 1907 Axminster meeting. Mr Bolt’s surname is thought to derive from 'at the bold." Anglo-Saxon bold, meaning dwelling, also similar to Danish bol, a small farm. The surname is found mostly in the West country. Conversely the name might derive from Middle English bolt ‘bolt’ (Old English bolt ‘arrow’), or as an occupational name for one who made bolts. Mr Alfred Bolt was the proprietor and manager of Bolt Mart, possibly in its day Princetown’s major grocery and general store. The Old Princetown website displays several photographs of the business, which is described as “Baker, Grocer, Draper and General Dealer”. Among the collection of old photos of businesses in Princetown is the rather quaint reproduction of his premises printed on a paper shopping bag. The commercial building in Princetown’s Duchy Square, known as Morwenna House, bears signs naming it: "The people’s General Mart, A.Bolt”. It was demolished in 2007.  The obituary, from a copy of a rare and much sought-after journal can be downloaded from the Internet Archive. Google has sponsored the digitisation of books from several libraries. These books, on which copyright has expired, are available for free educational and research use, both as individual books and as full collections to aid researchers.

Alfred Bolt. Mr. Bolt was a leading tradesman at Princetown and died after an illness of some duration in 1906. He joined the Association when the meeting of 1905 was held at Princetown.