Transcript

of

Thomas Kennet Were [Obituary]

Trans. Devon. Assoc., vol. 48, (1916), p. 54.

by

Maxwell Adams (Ed.).

Prepared by Michael Steer

The obituary was read at the Association’s July 1916 Plymouth meeting. The Southwest Heritage Trust, Devon Archive Catalogue records the marriage of Mr Were’s parents; Thomas Bonville Were Esquire of Clifton in Gloucester, bachelor and Sarah Kennet Dawson of Sidmouth in Devon, spinster, 3rd October 1836. The Exeter City Council RAMM webpage has an image and brief description of a Honiton lace fan leaf designed by Thomas Kennet-Were to celebrate his marriage to Alice Sawyer. It shows the arms of the two families, the date of the wedding and intricate designs of musical instruments and such wedding motifs as birds, flowers and the cornucopia. The obituary, from a copy of a rare and much sought-after journal can be downloaded from the Internet Archive. Google has sponsored the digitisation of books from several libraries. These books, on which copyright has expired, are available for free educational and research use, both as individual books and as full collections to aid researchers.

By the death of Mr. Kennet-Were on the 20th July, 1916, in his 80th year, the Association has lost one of its oldest members (he having become a life member in 1870) and Sidmouth one of its most respected inhabitants, where for many years he had been the prime mover in movements for the improvement of the resort and a supporter of all good causes. Not the least of his services have been those rendered upon the Devon County Council (of which he was an alderman), and the Devon Education, Finance, Standing Joint Committees. As a member of the Education Committee, he took a prominent part in the movement for the revival of the lace industry in East Devon. He served on practically every public body in Sidmouth. He was a co-opted member of the Urban Council, and held the office of Chairman of that body for 17 years. At the time of his death he was Chairman of the Sidmouth Tribunal, and a member of the Feoffees and the Burial Board, He was for many years the honorary secretary of Sidmouth Cricket Club. He was a Justice of the Peace for Devon, a director of the Sidmouth Water Company, and churchwarden of Sidmouth.