Blue Plaque for Tom Poole of Nether Stowey: Press Release
An unveiling of a new blue plaque was held in Castle Street Nether Stowey on Monday 14 November. The plaque celebrates the memory of Thomas Poole (1766-1837), who lived in the house the plaque has been raised on.
Poole can be seen as the godfather of the English Romantic Movement; he gave sanctuary to the poet Samual Taylor Coleridge, and helped William Wordsworth move to nearby Alfoxden. While in Stowey, Coleridge and Wordsworth produced a book, the Lyrical Ballads, which kickstarted Romanticism in England. This would never have happened without Poole.
The plaque was commissioned by the Bridgwater and District Civic Society, and generously funded by Dr Diana Barsham and her husband Peter Hoye.
Poole was just as important for the local community. In Nether Stowey he founded Male and Female Friendly Societies in 1806, which provided charity to people of all ages in hard times. The Female Society still exists today. He set up a Savings Bank for the Poor, and founded the village school. He was a noted radical in politics, passionate about the cause of democracy, such that the Home Office of the time thought him the most dangerous man in Somerset, although he favoured peaceful reform over revolutionary violence. His radicalism prompted him to do a lot of good for the area.
A crowd assembled in Castle Street and were welcomed by the co-owner of Poole House, Peter Hoye. On behalf of the Bridgwater and District Civic Society, Dr Miles Kerr-Peterson gave a short speech on Poole’s importance, particularly in relation to nearby Bridgwater and the fostering a scientific movement that developed in the following decades. Dr Barsham and Mr Hoye were thanked for doing so much to promote Poole’s memory.
The day chosen for the unveiling would have been Poole’s 256th birthday, and the house was appropriately festooned with balloons. Dr Barsham then read a poem composed to commemorate the day. The poem meditated on Poole’s spirit and character, and made reference to William Wordsworth’s poem ‘Michael’ which was based on the character of Poole, whom Wordsworth greatly admired for his inner strength and integrity of heart.
The assembled crowd were then issued with cups of mulled wine, which were greatly appreciated on the grey Autumnal day. The High Sherriff of Somerset, Jennifer Duke then gave a speech reflecting on Poole’s exertions, many of which were ahead of his time, to help the needy in Somerset and Stowey. She also reflected on the modern social issues in Somerset, such as child poverty, which Poole would be appalled to learn are still a problem, and no doubt would be active in addressing.
The High Sherriff then unveiled the plaque, at which point the crowd toasted ‘Tom Poole!’ and three cheers were called. Dr Barsham then thanked Peter Hoye for the curtain he had constructed for the unveiling, then a selection of dignitaries then retired to the Thomas Poole Community Library for a reception.
The library is housed in the old schoolhouse, which Poole had founded in 1812 with land from his tannery. A lunch was accompanied by talks from selected guests.
First was Richard Coleridge, a direct descendant of Samuel Taylor Coleridge and his wife Sara, and the active head of the Coleridge family. Mr Coleridge was delighted to speak of the support that Poole had given to his ancestor, although he was concerned that the famous poet had somewhat eclipsed the memory of Poole. However, he was tremendously grateful for Poole’s kindness to Samuel and Sara, otherwise he doubted there would be any descendants today.
At this point a birthday cake, decorated with an image of Poole House, was cut by Dr Barsham and Peter Hoye, and then enjoyed by the attendees later on with a chorus of Happy Birthday.
Tom Mayberry, of the South West Heritage Trust, then spoke on his research on to Poole, Wordsworth and Coleridge’s time in Somerset. Most poignant was a description of Poole’s funeral at St Mary’s Church and the grief expressed by his friends on his passing.
The final speech for the day was by Roger Stacey, Chair of Thomas Poole Community Library Trustees who summarized the impact of Poole on the village, noting that folk still referred to Poole as if he had only just gone. Generations of villagers had attended his school, and generations of women in his female society.
All agreed that Poole was very much worth remembering and a worthy example for our own times, not just his own.
Miles Kerr-Peterson, on behalf of the Civic Society
On behalf of the Bridgwater and District Civic Society I’m delighted to be here today to honour Thomas Poole.
We’ll hear how important this son of Nether Stowey was for the District, especially as a democrat who practiced what he preached and turned his principles into good works.
Obviously, his most impactful role was in acting as patron to the poet Samual Taylor Coleridge, but Poole was a patron to a much wider range of needful people, the poor of Nether Stowey first amongst them, as you will hear of later.
But in terms of the town of Bridgwater, Poole had a specific additional legacy, of helping to foster a young generation of scientists, primarily naturalists and botanists, but part of a wider circle of adjacent inventors and social reformers, all of whom were self taught.
Central to this was one William Baker, the son of a Bridgwater butcher, who was born in Eastover. Baker’s example and his memories of Poole are worth dwelling on, as this says a great deal about Poole’s impeccable and impeccably generous character.
As a teenager Baker’s father got talking to Poole while on business, and while in the library said: ‘My son Bill would like to be amongst so many books as you have here, sir; “Mr. Poole replied, ‘If you have a son fond of books, tell him I shall be glad to see him here at any time.’
Baker therefore recalls how he “took my father’s horse and rode to Stowey, before breakfast, …[it was] not without some trepidation that I presented myself to Mr. Poole, who received me most kindly, and did all that he could to lead me to throw off unnecessary restraint.
“he became my kind and good friend at once, and continued his valued friendship to me to the end of his life. To him I am chiefly indebted for … my success in business, and good position in society. Mr. Poole kindly brought me acquainted with many of his literary and philosophical friends” which included Coleridge.
After dinner, he talked much to me on education, “in which of course he found me very deficient, but his kind attention to me proves that he believed I had a mind capable of, and anxious for improvement. When I left him in the evening, he offered me the free use of his books, and invited me to visit him as often as I should find opportunity and inclination. I returned home with rejoicing spirits, and imparted my pleasure, and, I believe, my pride also, to my father and mother.”
Baker of course came back many times after this to read in Poole’s library and to go with him on walks into the hills to collect specimens. Baker went on to form a scientific circle in Bridgwater, which included his close friends Thomas Clark (botanist, grocer and builder of the Quantock Gateway), John Bowen (engineer, mathematician, botanist, fierce critic of the poor laws, while also a Tory opposed to the Whiggism of some of his friends), along with others like Richard Anstice, John Clark and several others.
This little story goes a long way in showcasing how conscientious Poole was in his belief in education and individual potential. He recognised it in Baker, he recognised it in Coleridge. He did his best for both of them, and, no doubt, many others.
Coleridge, who Poole bought to the district, was close friends with Mr Howell, Bridgwater’s Unitarian Minister, and the remarkable John Chubb, sometime mayor of the town, a leading figure in the town’s petition against the Slave Trade. These are the circles Poole moved in, Somerset radicals who got things done.
So, On behalf of the Civic Society, I should like to thank Diana Barsham and Peter Hoye for sponsoring the plaque, but more importantly for championing Poole’s legacy, which we know will not stop today. If Poole is known at all it is as a side character in Coleridge’s story, but he is so much more than that, and an example for us all.