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In 1932 the Somerset Education Committee announced that they considered the present Church of England School in Timsbury totally unsuitable for the numbers of children there. The premises at the top of Mill Lane were included in the black list issued by the Board of Education. It was now proposed to build a separate senior school at Lansdown View to accommodate the children from Timsbury, Camerton, Dunkerton, Farmborough, High Littleton, Marksbury and Stanton Prior. The county architect was told to prepare the necessary plans while the existing school building was to remain as the village Primary School.
In 1932 the main Timsbury sewerage scheme was completed and members of Clutton Rural District Council spoke of the excellence of the work. Mr. Dury who for 44 years was clerk to the Council before becoming a member himself said the scheme was started before he was born and he was glad he lived to see it completed (Laughter). The total estimated cost of the work in 1932 was £5570 and a short formal opening ceremony was followed by a reception at the New Inn (later the Guss and Crook).
A Timsbury driver was fined £2 at Weston County Police Court. Bath for driving a steam wagon that emitted excessive smoke. P.C. Sampson said there was a trail of dense smoke behind the lorry which was visible for 50 to 60 yards. When the engine stopped the smoke ceased immediately. The defendant said that his mate had just stoked up and there was always a bit of smoke about when the coal was put on. He added that he was using the best Welsh coal.
Loaded wagons running down an incline at Pensford colliery caused the death of William Bush of Tyning, Timsbury. He was a deacon at Timsbury Congregational Church and a member there for over 28 years. The death also took place of Timsbury’s oldest resident Mr Henry Harris at the age of 93. Reports suggested that but for a fall he had sustained he would almost certainly have made his century because he enjoyed excellent health and organically was perfectly sound. The funeral service was conducted by Rev. Meade-King.
Mr. A.E. Humphries, the well known poultry fancier of High Street, added another success to his already long list of awards as an exhibitor of Indian game. At the Royal Show in the Agricultural Hall, Islington, Mr. Humphries secured second prize with an Indian game pullet in a large class open to all England. The bird which was bred in Timsbury was later sold at the show for a good sum.
The 1930s was often referred to as the “Devil’s Decade” with mass unemployment. The sewerage scheme had found work for some 40 to 50 unemployed people from the Parish and the Council had received a grant covering 75% of the project from the Unemployment Grants Committee. A meeting of the unemployed was held at the Temperance Hall and it passed a motion protesting against the operation of the means test. It was claimed that its operation was harsh, inhuman and unjust and should be withdrawn immediately.
Mr. Reg Ingle who later moved to Timsbury was unanimously elected captain of Somerset County Cricket Club at the AGM. In proposing his election Mr. J.C. White said that they had seen him on the cricket field for many years and everyone was sure that he had the necessary experience to captain the side. He had good credentials as a batsman and had once made 2 centuries in the same match. In more parochial surroundings my grandfather was chosen as captain of Timsbury Cricket Club for the sixth. successive season with Bernard Adams as his vice-captain. For those people who imagine that wet summers are a modern phenomenon it is interesting to note that many matches were lost to inclement weather in 1932.
Finally on the football front the Chronicle and Herald cup-tie between Timsbury and Fussell’s was ordered to be replayed. Fussell’s had arrived 40 minutes late and the match was subsequently forced to be abandoned 6 minutes from the end due to poor light with the visitors leading 2-0. In their defence Fussell’s claimed that none of the party knew exactly where Timsbury was and that they had been wrongly directed and forced to make a detour.
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