Budleigh Past and Present

  James ZEBEDEE (1825-c.1894)   * Born at Kenton, near Exeter, on 11 July 1824, he was the son of John Zebedee (1795-1825).      * His wife was Mary Zebedee née Gale, born in 1822 * Their son John Zebedee was born in 1847; their daughter Sarah Ann Adams, née Zebedee, was born in 1852. * In 1851 James Zebedee was working as an agricultural labourer, living at No 1 Starcross, next door to The Courtney Arms.  * In 1862 he was a hostler, looking after the horses of people staying at The Courtney Arms. The early 18th century building on The Strand in Starcross has been converted into apartments.   * In 1872 and 1876 he was the driver of the mail cart between Starcross and Exeter. * On 26 September 1873, the Western Times announced that his household furniture and effects were to be sold at ‘Exe Cottage’, Starcross. * In 1881 he was a coachman living at Paris Street, Exeter, with his wife Mary Ann and her unmarried sister Ellen Gale, both working as coffee house keepers.  * In 1891 he was bo

    Matthew Lee YEATES (1777-1847),  banker and Unitarian minister, built and lived at 'Primrose Cottage', now known as  ‘Fairlynch’, Fore Street. * It is said that the thatched belvedere or turret on Fairlynch Museum was built so that he could see his ships in Lyme Bay. * Above is reputedly his silhouette. * His wife  Frances Elizabeth Yeates (1775-1811)  died on 25 March 1811, and is buried in East Budleigh.  * He became a Unitarian minister of religion after the failure of his business, the Exmouth and General Bank, in 1812.    * You can read about him in the book  Fairlynch: The Making of a Museum  (2017) edited by Michael Downes, on sale at Fairlynch Museum, Fore Street.    https://budleighpastandpresent.blogspot.com/2015/10/object-of-month-october-2015-silhouette.html    (6 Oct 2015)

  Ken WALKER (1923-2018) , artist, lived at 3 Victoria Place.  * His watercolour paintings are recognised as an important archive of the town's architectural heritage. * 'The Changing Face of Budleigh Salterton High Street' was the title of an exhibition to display his work, staged at Fairlynch Museum in 2019.  https://budleighpastandpresent.blogspot.com/2012/04/budleighs-archiving-artist.html John WALTERS (1845-1894).  Butcher. He lived at 34 Fore Street. * He was responsible for commissioning the intricate carved brick façade on the building previously known as ‘The Creamery’. * This kind of brickwork was carved by skilled brick masons and seen as an external sign of wealth and taste. * The façade is said to have been created in about 1889 by Italian craftsmen. * The building became known as ‘Walter’s Folly’, supposedly because of its height. * John Walters’ father, also called John Walters  (1804-1881), was described as ‘Gentleman’ in the announcement of his death on 6 M

  Frances VAN METER (1909-94),  librarian, lived at Pinewood, Westbourne Terrace. She is pictured above in the Library of Fairlynch Museum.  * Born in Kentucky, USA, before settling in Budleigh, she was one of the founding members of what became the Manchester Center in the Irishtown district, of the city of Lexington. This was a pioneering venture to improve education in one of the most deprived areas of the city.  She retired as Executive Director of the Center in 1966.    https://budleighpastandpresent.blogspot.com/2013/11/people-from-past-9-frances-van-meter.html    (25 Nov 2013)   Reg VARNEY (1916-2008) , actor, lived at ‘Dark Lane House’     Dark Lane * An exhibition to mark the centenary of his birth was staged at Fairlynch Museum in 2016. * You can buy  Our Little Clown , a biography of Reg Varney by Michael Downes, at Fairlynch Museum. * At The Green you can sit on the memorial bench inscribed ‘In loving memory of Reg Varney 1916-2008 who gave laughter to so many and his dear

  Edward William Paget THURSTAN, CMG, (1881-1947),  diplomat, lived at Lansdowne House    37 Exmouth Road. *   He was involved in making the American authorities aware of the coded Zimmerman telegram in 1917, a crucial cause of the USA’s involvement in WW1.   The telegram, pictured above, was sent by German Foreign Minister Arthur Zimmermann (1864-1940) to the President of Mexico proposing a military alliance against the United States. In return for Mexican support in the war, Germany would help Mexico regain New Mexico, Texas, and Arizona from the United States. The British intercepted the secret message, deciphered it, and turned it over to the US Government. https://www.ova.org.uk/article/thurstan-edward-william-paget-cmg     Christopher William TREMLETT (1936-2008)  International  boat  designer and builder.    * In 1961 he set up in business on the banks of the River Clyst, a tributary of the Exe, near Topsham. * His obituary in  The Times  described him as a designer and builder

  Professor Herman SCHIRMACHER (c.1818-1901),  musician, lived at Elvestone, Fore Street Hill. * His daughter Dora Schirmacher (1857-1934), pictured above, was a highly successful pianist and composer. It is thought that she may have performed in Budleigh.  https://www.ova.org.uk/article/some-families-lived-elvestone-reade-ravenscroft-schirmacher-ikin-osgood-wilsons https://www.sophie-drinker-institut.de/schirmacher-dora Walter SCUTT (died early 1940s).  Author and printer. He lived at ‘Cranford’, Mansfield Terrace. Pictured are pages from his 1936 book about East Budleigh and ‘Hayes Barton’.  * He wrote and printed two other books illustrated with his own engravings:   Otterton, a Village of East Devon  (1935), and  Pride of Devon  (1938). * He was a close friend of  George Edward Lovelace Carter (1886-1974) . William Henry ‘Curly’/'Bill' SEDGEMORE (1867-1943).  Budleigh fisherman. He lived at 21 Queen Street. Pictured: The Sedgemores – a family of fishermen. Photo courtesy of