3.3 George Pallant Butcher

George Pallant Butcher was born 17 Feb 1847 in Lambeth, London, and baptised 16th May 1847 at St. Mark, Kennington. He was the son of William Butcher, a baker, who married Sarah Booth in 1837. George married his cousin, Louisa Jones, a daughter of print-seller John Jones, and died 1928 in Totnes parish, Devon.[i] Louisa Jones (1855-1934), his cousin, was born in St Martins in the Fields, London; they married on 29th October 1879 at St. Mary Lambeth. George and Louisa had eight children: John William (Jack) Butcher 1880-1966, Charles Arthur (Charlie) Butcher 1882–1965, Louisa (Loulie) Butcher 1884–1973, Alice Butcher 1886–1970, Gilbert Thomas Butcher 1888–1917, Edward George (Ted) Butcher 1889–1963, Florence Butcher and Carrie (Caroline) Butcher.[ii]

We can trace George´s directory career back to 1872 when the announcement of a set of directories appeared in the South Wales Daily News in September of that year (Fig. 31.). Originally operating under the name Percy, Butcher & Co., four works appeared (Cardiff, Swansea, Worcs., and Stratford) and two more were advertised (Hereford and Coventry). During the period 1874-1876 the Welsh directories were issued a second time and were joined by six further directories (Bournemouth, South Dorset, Hastings, Weston-super-Mare, Kingston-upon-Hull, and Portsmouth). The first four of these new titles were published under the imprint of Butcher, Cole & Co., a partnership which must have terminated when the first bankruptcy proceedings were opened. Butcher & Co. continued trading and produced the Welsh second editions and the other two titles, i.e. Hull and Portsmouth but the adverts used in Butcher, Cole publications (see Figs. 34. & 36.) include titles from each “series”.

From 1876 we find a change in direction. The Eyre Brothers emerge as a new publisher on the London scene. Producing large comprehensive works such as the Watering Places, a Wales Register and Hotels of the UK on the one hand but also guides to Sussex and to Devon & Cornwall. Added to this we find a number of odd publications such as the Coal Trades Directory and guides to Paris and London. Except for the Hotels of the United Kingdom all of these works disappear circa 1880 when a new directory of Plymouth is produced.

Coincidentally with the appearance of Eyre Brothers´ Plymouth Directory the two Welsh directories are published for the final times (Swansea in 1881 and Cardiff 1882-83). The Eyre Brothers concentrate on publishing their Plymouth directory and the Hotels before they are declared bankrupt and the name George Pallant Butcher appears for the first time. The Plymouth directory was issued three times by the Eyre Bros: and in the following year G P Butcher, trading as Eyre Brothers, is made bankrupt. 


 

Fig. 43. Entry in 7th Edition of Plymouth Directory. 

We know George was declared bankrupt for the second time in 1887, one year after the last known works were published by the Eyre Brothers: the 3rd Edition of the Plymouth directory (of 1885-86) and 7th Edition of the Hotels series (1886) before both were handed over to W H Hood. J G Hammond took over both of these publications and, by 1891, George had recovered to become advertising manager for W H Hood and later manager of the local office for J G Hammond (Fig. 43.).

 

In 1891 George P Butcher was registered at Aish Villa (or Aishfield) in the hamlet of Aish in South Brent on the outskirts of Dartmoor (Fig. 44.).[iii] In that year´s census, he is listed (age 47) with wife Louisa and 6 children. Two further daughters, were born in Devon, Florence (born August 1891 and died the following month) and Carrie. On the census form he is entered as a Publisher´s Agent although there are signs of a later correction to insert the word Books.

South Brent had a railway station at that time and Aish would be only a short walk before catching the Plymouth train. In a booklet prepared by the Butcher family for private circulation Gilbert Butcher related how, when just a young boy, aged four, he spent some time at the house and would watch for his grandfather´s train, running down to the bridge (Lydia Bridge) over the Avon to meet him.[iv]

 

 

Fig. 44. Aishfield in Aish, South Brent. 

Despite George not being listed in the Kelly directories of 1889 or 1893, in 1910 he is listed as a resident at Aish in South Brent and is still there in the 1914 and 1919 directories, so the indication is that he moved to Aish from London, where his son Edward George was born, and he never moved. Edward was baptised at St. Saviour, Ruskin Park, South London, on 20th October 1889, at which time George senior is described as a Commercial Traveller. Ruskin Park borders Denmark Hill to the east and St Saviour´s Church on the western side with Flaxman Road, the address given in the 1887 bankruptcy proceedings, being less than half a mile away. George and Louisa must have moved to Aish between October 1890 and August 1891.

In 1902 we find an advertisement in the Trades Directory section: Butcher, George Pallant (contractor; advertisements inserted in nine best Cornish newspapers at one charge; liberal discount for series; bill inspector, circular & stamp distributor), 13 Frankfort st. Plymouth. In 1914 (Fig. 45.) the Trades Directory entry varies a little: Butcher, George Pallant (proprietor of Butcher´s Advertising Agency); advertisements inserted in 28 good Cornish & Devon newspapers at one charge; discount for series, “Devonia” offices, 13 Frankfort st. Plymouth. In 1919 the insertion was much reduced to just advertisement contractor (Devonia offices) with no.13 Frankfort St now home to five different traders.[v] Devonia was a small publication of local lore and poetry and was the Official Organ of the United Devon Association. They did issue a magazine, Devonia.


Fig. 45. Kelly´s entry 1914. 

Butcher had been engaged to be the Advertising Manager for W H Hood and his name is prominent on a full-page announcement in the 2nd edition of Picturesque Devonshire and Cornwall: George had also been Hammond´s Plymouth-based General Manager; was he hired by Hood and Hammond because he lived locally, or was he prepared to move west to secure lucrative employment, or was he at all times the prime force? The answer as to whether he had links to Plymouth, or indeed the westcountry, prior to 1891 has not yet been established, however, he did move to Plymouth and found a quiet hamlet to reside in. When Creber took over in 1900 he would not have needed Butcher, so George went into the business of advertising agent on his own account opening Butcher´s Advertising Agency. His years of experience in financing directories (whether successful or not) would have helped him.

When George died on 23rd May 1928 probate was granted to his widow and his effects were stated at £846.7s. or approx. £30,000 by today´s standards. The Butcher family stayed in Aish for the next four generations. His daughter, Alice, stayed single and remained close to South Brent where she worked as the postmistress for many years. She died in 1970 aged 84 and is buried with her parents. Caroline (1892–1966) had one child and died in Newton Abbot. Second Lieutenant Gilbert Thomas Butcher was serving with the North Staffordshire Regiment when he died on 11th June 1917 and is buried in Ypres, West Flanders. The address of his brother Edward George at that time is given as The Cottage, Whiteford Rd., Plymouth – Native of South Brent.[vi] In 1930 there is a Mrs Butcher in “Aish field” and a Butcher´s Advertising Agency in Plymouth. Nine years later Miss Butcher was now residing at “Aish” in Aish. Currently (2022), there is still a Butcher residence in Aish, part of a group of buildings designed and built by one of George´s sons.

 

 

Fig. 46. Photo of the Butcher family c. 1920. George is back row, third from left. 

 

Fig. 47. Title pages used by Butcher 1873-1880.




[i] Record of death and entry from census kindly forwarded by Stephanie Bradley at South Brent Archives. Other details kindly provided by Laurence Worms and Oriel Butcher.

[ii] Laurence Worms has kindly confirmed the dates of the various children.

[iii] There is an excellent overview of South Brent, but sadly without Aish, at https://www.dartmoor.gov.uk /__data/assets/pdf_file/0021/73443/South-Brent-2011.pdf. Aish is indicated top left.

[iv] I am grateful to Oriel Butcher for providing details of the family.

[v] Kelly´s Directories of Devonshire 1902, 1914 and 1919.

[vi] The death of Second Lieutenant Gilbert Thomas Butcher and George´s address are according to website https://astreetnearyou.org.


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