The Pochin family

The Pochin family

Two families dominated the ownership of land in the Bourne area during the 18th century. The Earl of Exeter was Lord of the Manor of Bourne while George Pochin was Lord of the Manor of Bourne Abbots, although his family did not reside in the town.

George Pochin, who also had estates in Leicestershire, succeeded to the title of Lord of the Manor of Bourne Abbots from his uncle Sir Thomas Trollope in 1761. Under the Enclosure Award on 2nd January 1770, he received rather more land than the Earl of Exeter, a total of 876 acres compared with the earl's 831 acres and, like the earl, he too had some old enclosures, in West Field and the Newlands, adjoining his new allotments while his name also appears as the owner of 36 communable houses and toftsteads.

He built "a fine mansion", the Abbey House, near the church in 1764 but moved out to make way for the Vicar of Bourne although the building was taken down in 1879 and the materials used in the construction of a new vicarage, now the Cedars retirement and rest home. George Pochin remained Lord of the Manor for 37 years and when he died in 1798, he was succeeded by his sister Mary Pochin until her death in 1804 when the manorial estates in the town passed to her sister-in-law Eleanor Frances Pochin who was George Pochin's widow. Both are remembered with a marble plaque on the wall of the chancel that records two lives of devotion to public service and Christian charity:

THE POCHIN MEMORIAL
In memory of George Pochin Esq of this place, Colonel of the Leicestershire Regiment of Militia, Deputy Lieutenant and Magistrate in the Counties of Leicestershire and Lincolnshire. In his public capacity, he was deservedly efficient. A good soldier, faithful, upright and active magistrate of inflexible probity and unwearied attention. His benevolence and uniform integrity gained the respect and love and all who knew him. He died May 15th, 1798, aged 66 years.		Sacred to the memory of Eleanor Frances Pochin, widow of the late George Pochin Esq of this place, and daughter of Sir Woolstan Dixie, Baronet, of Bosworth Park in the county of Leicestershire. Her many virtues gained her the esteem of all good men, a sincere friend, and to her servants, a kind and indulgent mistress. In her charitable distribution of an ample fortune, she appears to consider herself as the delegate of Heaven. She died on the 16th day of July, 1823, aged 76 years.

There is also a slate headstone over a servant's grave in the churchyard at Bourne, erected in memory of a long-serving family butler who must have been highly valued to have been so remembered. The inscription states: "In memory of James Drew who departed this life June 4th 1816 in the 64th year of his age, 33 years of which he passed as Butler to George Pochin Esq of this town and Eleanor Frances, his widow, who caused this stone to be placed here."

When Eleanor died in 1823, the manor was left in the hands of trustees but by the late 19th century, a descendant of George Pochin, William Ann Pochin (1820-1901), also from Leicestershire, had become Lord of the Manor, retaining the title until he died. William built many properties in the locality, large and small houses that survive to this day, and his initials and the date of construction were usually engraved on stone plaques built into one of the walls and even embossed on the drainage pipes.

Photographed in July 1999

Many of these are of red brick, notably the two large, semi-detached gabled houses in West Street, one Beaufort House and the Qu'Appelle Home for the Elderly which were erected in 1872, a terrace of five dwellings further along West Street, also built in 1872 and the farmhouse and outbuildings at No 50 North Road built in 1896, all of which are so marked. There is also a barn at Twenty bearing his initials and the date 1898 and a house at Toft dated 1873.

Photographed in July 1999
Nos 32 and 34 West Street, built in 1872 by William Ann Pochin

The Pochin family remained connected with the Manor of Bourne Abbots until its existence ended during the 1930s and a son and grandson of William Ann Pochin were respectively Lords of the Manor.


Edmondthorpe Hall in Leicestershire, from an engraving by John Throsby in 1791 when William Ann Pochin was in residence. Building work on the house started in 1620 and extensive alterations were made to the property in 1700. During W A Pochin's ownership, further changes were made, notably the addition of new stables at the rear. The hall became the home of Victoria Alexandrina, Dowager Countess of Yarborough, in 1904 and it burned down in 1943 when it was being used to house German prisoners of war. The ruined facade remained until 1965 but that too has gone and now there are few signs that a grand house once stood on the site.
One of the few artefacts remaining in Bourne connected with George Pochin is this date stone for 1783 which was salvaged from the Abbey House stable buildings in Church Walk. They were converted into Wherry's pea factory and then demolished in 1985 to make way for the block of flats which currently occupies the site. Workmen were about to throw it away when it was spotted by local councillor, Don Fisher, who rescued it and it is now on display at the Heritage Centre in South Street.

FROM THE ARCHIVES

Mrs Pochin, of Bourne Abbey, (whose bounty is commensurate with her noble fortune), in addition to her annual donations to the poor of Bourne, warm soups during the winter and a fat beast at Christmas, has given to numbers, warm clothing and sums of money. - news item in the Stamford Mercury, Friday 21st January 1820.

Mrs Phillipson, aged 86, for many years housekeeper to the late Mrs Pochin, of Bourne Abbey, died at Bourne on Saturday last. And on Tuesday, aged 58, Mr T Wrigley, for many years gardener and bailiff to the same lady. Their deaths within so short an interval are the more remarkable from having occurred in the same house. - news item from the Stamford Mercury, Friday 8th July 1831.

GAME - Manors of Bourne Abbots & Toft, and lands in the parishes of Bourne, Toft and Thurlby: Mr Pochin being desirous of preserving the game on the above Manors and Lands, qualified gentlemen are requested not to sport thereon. All poachers and trespassers will be prosecuted.
- public notice in the Stamford Mercury, Friday 5th September 1845.

A sad accident occurred in the hunting field on the 12th inst. to Ashby Pochin, J P., of Toft, near Bourne. He was with the Cottesmore Hounds and when near North Witham, was unseated in jumping a bridge. Unhappily, he kept his hold on the reins and received a kick from the horse which fractured his skull. He was removed to North Witham rectory and Mr Heaven, surgeon, of Colsterworth, at once attended upon the sufferer. The case being a critical one, Dr Newman and Mr Heward, of Stamford, were sent for and Mr Pochin underwent an operation. The patient seemed likely to do well at first but unfavourable symptoms afterwards set in and he died on Thursday morning. Mr Pochin, who was about 35 years of age, was a son of W A Pochin Esq., of Edmondthorpe. He leaves a wife and family. - news item from the Stamford Mercury, Friday 27th February 1880.

REVISED SEPTEMBER 2016