Mr Hunt's Reply
Thank you for your mail. It is
a pleasure to have been able to help.
I was born and lived in Taunton
until 1963, when I left to join the Army and was
commissioned in Royal Signals. My parents remained in
Taunton and I was a regular visitor to the town until my
mother died a couple of years ago.
My late father (T.J.Hunt), who
taught history at Huish's Grammar School and was closely
involved in the Somerset Archaeological Society,
fostered my interest in local history.
Since I retired for the second
time, I have been actively researching World War 2 in
Somerset and, in particular, the Taunton Stop Line. I'm
a regular contributor to the Somerset on-line Heritage
and Environment Record or HER (www.somerset.gov.uk/her
) and have given a number of lectures on WW2
anti-invasion defences in Somerset and East Devon. In
addition, I have led local 'war walks' viewing
fortifications and have also run a Day School at
Dillington House. My next one is on Sat 9 Oct 2004 see
http://www.dillington.co.uk/dayschool_details.asp?ID=716,
which is very much a 'Somerset' event. I will also
be running a weekend bus tour from Dillington with
on-site briefing of the Taunton Stop Line defences from
8 to 10 April 2005.
Your mystery photo was an
interesting challenge as the area at Lambrook had
changed so much since I left Taunton and, with Monks
Close being a cul-de-sac, one was hardly likely to pass
by. I was looking at the 1902 map of the area for
something completely different, which set my memory
cells stirring. The electricity sub station was about
the only building that I thought that I could positively
identify. I then checked out the site on the 1960
Ordnance Survey plan (attached as 'Lambrook Rd'). The
shadows on your photo confirm that the view was
northwards and the older buildings in Lambrook Farm
matched those on the OS plan. A quick look on-line at
the HER for the modern plan of the Monks Close
identified the new houses (8 and 9 Monks Close) and the
sub station. A short letter to Mr Bob Booth of 8 Monks
Close and a telephone call then confirmed it!
I'm working on some other mystery
World War 2 buildings at Yarde Farm, Langford to the NW
of Staplegrove. Perhaps your website could help me?
If you have any other mystery
photos or World War 2 issues, I would be pleased to have
a go at them.
Regards
David Hunt
