Marsh Farm
In the 1851 census, Eli Benjafield is listed as a farmer at Marsh Farm, employing 8 labourers. Henry Green is listed in the 1871 census. In the September of 1881, he is charged with stealing corn crops, and went into liquidation the following year.
John James Rose is listed as the farmer at Marsh Farm, in the 1889 Kelly’s directory, and in the 1901 Census, James Gould, son of George Thomas Gould, who was the tenant of Thornhill Farm, which was not in the ownership of Stalbridge Estate, is listed as the dairyman at Marsh Farm. His sisters, Sarah (Housekeeper) and Mary are also living at Marsh Farm.
James was the second of 9 children of George Thomas Gould, born in 1836, at West Coker and his wife Mary (nee Brain), born at South Barrow, in 1846. They had married in 1869.
In 1891 George is listed as Widower living at Thornhill Farm, along with his 9 children, a Housekeeper, a Servant and his elder brother Charles, employed as a dairyman. His wife Mary had passed away in 1887 aged 41.
James, born 1872, married Mary Louisa Benjafield, born 1878, in 1901. By 1911, James and Mary were farming at Home Farm, Purse Caundle, with 3 children, Kathleen 8, Donald 6 and Mollie 5. They were employing a Governess and a Housekeeper.
The sitting tenant, Mr. William Silas Gould, born 1877, younger brother of James, purchased the freehold of Marsh Farm, along with Lot 22, a pair of cottages fronting Kingsmill Lane, in 1918, for a sum of £8,050.00d for Marsh Farm and £320.00d for the cottages. He had married his wife Edith, born in 1884, at Stowell near Templecombe, in 1909. The following year, twins Charles and Linda were born. In the 1911 census they are listed as living at Marsh Farm, employing 1 servant.
William Gould passed away in 1927 at the age of 51.
