Kingston (near Corfe Castle)

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Families of Kingston

This section is especially for stories and photographs of the families who have lived in Kingston over the years.

 

If you have any information about Kingston which you would like to share, be it stories or old photographs etc., please email us at info@kingstonopc.org.uk

The Gould Family by Ivan Gould

Information and photographs provided by Ivan Trevor Gould,

great-grandson of John and Ann Gould (nee Damen)

Please contact Ivan if you would like more precise dates or details for any of the individuals mentioned

 

John & Ann Gould (nee Damen)

This is where the connection with Kingston begins, John and Ann moved to Kingston soon after their marriage and in 1881 were living with Ann’s parents. By 1891, they had their own house, but sadly Ann died in 1898. John and Ann had six children, all born in Kingston:

John and Ann Gould both remained in Kingston until their deaths, although John was at Warren House, Studland when his daughter Jessie married in 1918. Ann was buried in the new churchyard whereas John was interred in the old churchyard. John (‘Johnny’) was described in Bob Dorey’s book as dancing after a few beers.

 

 

William & Elizabeth Gould (nee Smith)

The earliest record of my Gould ancestors in the Purbeck area is the marriage of William Gould (1758-1817), my 4 x Great grandfather to Elizabeth Smith (1762-1841) at St. Nicholas, Studland in April 1789. William and Elizabeth had six children, and the family appear in the 1803 Purbeck ‘census’:

 

John & Mary Gould (nee George)

John Gould (1797-1877), my 3 x Great grandfather and Mary George (1799-1876)  had nine children from 1823 to 1843, both parents remaining in Studland until their deaths:

 

Henry & Elizabeth Gould (nee Hooper)

Henry and Elizabeth were my 2 x Great grandparents. Elizabeth came from Corfe Castle, but they married at St. Nicholas, Studland. In the 1851 census they were living at Whitecliff, Swanage. By 1861 they had moved to Langton Matravers and Henry was an agricultural carter. In 1871 the family were living at Worth Matravers where Henry died of Phthisis that August after suffering with the disease for 12 months. He was buried at Worth. When the 1881 and 1891 censuses were taken, Elizabeth was staying with her daughter Eliza and her husband Timothy Farwell. Elizabeth died at Orchard Hill, Corfe in March 1895 and was buried at Kingston. Henry and Elizabeth only had three children 1850 to 1855;

Arthur Hopwood Farrance with wife Elizabeth (Liz) Farrance nee Gould

Henry and Bessie Jane Gould nee Bugler with daughter Nellie Joan Gould c.1953

 

Henry worked on the Encombe estate for most of his life, he started when he was 14 and retired when he was 80. In his later years, Henry collected the tolls on the road from Kingston to Worth, via Hill Bottom. For 30 years Henry and Bessie lived at 2 South Street Kingston and grew many of their own vegetables, they also kept a few bantams and chickens. Henry and Bessie were buried at Kingston.

Henry’s ‘Cold-shoeing Certificate’ dated November 1916

 

My grandfather Henry Gould served in the 539th Howitzer Battery, Royal Field Artillery during WWI. Henry received a ‘Cold shoeing’ certificate in 1916 and was described as # 2606 driver H Gould. Henry was wounded in September 1919 and granted a 20% disability pension of 8 shillings a week when he was discharged in January 1920.

Henry and Bessie celebrating their

60th Wedding Anniversary in 1967

 

I remember visiting Kingston during the summer holidays in the 1950s and 1960s and although the post office was still trading, my grandparents bought many of their provisions from tradesmen whom delivered food and other essentials. Grandfather used to collect milk from the dairy and Sunday was still regarded as a day when my grandparents would not work, all the food was prepared on Saturday and only needed to be cooked on Sunday. The cottages had mains water in the kitchen, the only heating was from the open fire in the living room, hot water for bathing had to be boiled on the stove and toilets at the bottom of the garden.

Henry & Bessie Gould (nee Bugler)

Henry Gould (1884-1968), my grandfather, married Charles Bugler’s sister Bessie Jane Bugler from Hill Bottom in November 1907. Henry and Bessie had five children, all born in Kingston:

The wedding at Kingston of Len Gould to Chrissie Jay in January 1945

 

Len Gould

 

The Dorset Regiment - Len Gould is in the front row, far right .

 

Henry Gould (far right) in the Royal Victoria Hospital, Netley near Southampton