Shapcott, Miss Lucy

Shapcott, Miss Lucy, Greta Bank, Ash Mill

Lucy Shapcott[1] (1863 – 1939) was born in Torquay, the daughter of Henry Shapcott and Mary, formerly Cobley. The Shapcotts ran an ironmongery business first in Ellacombe Road, where they were living in 1861 and later, more centrally, at 19 Fleet Street, Torquay. Lucy had a younger sister, Emma, and brother, William.

In the census of 1881, Lucy, then aged 18, was described as a ‘pupil teacher’, that is she was undertaking a practical apprenticeship by working under the supervision of an experienced teacher. This would have led to an examination and a more formal period of training in order to become a certificated teacher. It seems that Lucy also had aspirations to higher education. The Torquay Times recorded her success in examinations in science subjects taken in science at the Torquay School of Science and Art in 1886 and 1887.[2]

With these qualifications in hand it seems that Shapcott opened a school. She describes herself as ‘schoolmistress’ and ‘employer’ on the 1891 census, when she was staying as a visitor in Coffinswell. Kelly’s Directories for 1889 and 1890 list a Miss Lucy Shapcott’s school at 4 Highbury Place on the Lower Bronshill Road, and in 1893 at 1 Bronshill Crescent in the same area.[3]

By 1901, however, Shapcott had given up her school and joined her parents in their retirement to North Devon. Henry Shapcott had been born in Bishop’s Nympton, and it was to that area he returned, taking Greta Bank, a house in Ash Mill, in the parish of Rose Ash. The census lists Henry (living ‘on means’), Mary, Lucy, and William, by that time an ordained clergyman in the Church of England, contrary to the family tradition of Methodism. There were also a schoolmistress boarding in the house, and two visitors, the children of Lucy’s sister Emma, now Emma Wise.

Later that year Mary Shapcott died. Lucy continued to run the house for her father. He became a leading figure in the South Molton Wesleyan Methodist congregation and Shapcott too contributed by addressing local meetings, such as the Chittlehampton Wesleyan Guild[4] and, more traditionally, running the Ash Mill stall at the South Molton Wesleyan Bazaar[5] and entertaining Sunday School Children on an outing.[6] She was also firmly committed to the Temperance Movement. She was President of the South Molton branch of the Women’s Total Abstinence Union, whose meetings she often presided at, and she addressed the South Molton Wesleyan Band of Hope (a temperance organisation for children).[7]

At the time of the 1911 census Lucy and Henry Shapcott were staying with Emma and Thomas Wise, a purveyor of meat, in Temple Gate, Bristol. William was assistant chaplain at Dartmoor prison.

Shapcott became involved in the political life of the district. She became a member of the South Molton Women’s Liberal Association, founded towards the end of 1908. South Molton was a constituency held by a Liberal MP, George Lambert, and Mrs Lambert was President of the Association. Miss Shapcott of Ash Mill was a Vice-President.[8] She chaired a meeting on Free Trade addressed by a visiting speaker at the end of 1909, where she herself made a speech stressing the importance of women working for political causes and suggested that women should assess the impact that food tariffs would have on their household budget and make the results known to their husbands [the voters].[9]

The South West Federation of the National Union of Women’s Suffrage Societies (NUWSS) determined that they would set up at least one NUWSS branch in each constituency. By 1914 South Molton was a particular target because George Lambert had changed his mind over supporting legislation for women’s suffrage. The NUWSS caravan tour of North Devon in May 1914 made a stop in South Molton to hold an open-air meeting in the square[10], and this was followed in July by a ‘well attended’ NUWSS meeting in the Assembly Hall, which was chaired by Miss Shapcott of Ash Mill.[11] When Shapcott had spoken of Free Trade to the Women’s Liberal Association she had drawn a clear distinction between WLA members and Suffragettes, expressing the view that their political role should be to research and influence, the methods of the more law-abiding NUWSS had proved to be more to her liking. At the end of that meeting ‘Miss Frost’s appeal for members brought forth a good response’ and, had war not intervened, it seems likely that a South Molton NUWSS branch would have been formed.

During the First World War William Shapcott left his prison post to join the ministry of the Church Army. He was invited to preach in Exeter Cathedral in August 1918.[12]  After the war Henry and Lucy Shapcott appear to have moved away from Ash Mill to Somerset, probably to be closer to Emma Wise and her family in Bristol. Henry died in Keynsham in 1924. Lucy Shapcott died on 4 March 1939 at Bathavon in Somerset. She was 75.

 

 

Entry created by Julia Neville, January 2019


[1] Census and family information from www.ancestry.co.uk

[2] Torquay Times, 30 Jul & 24 Dec 1886; 16 Dec 1887.

[3] Kelly’s Devonshire Directory, 1889, 586; Kelly’s Devonshire Trades Directory, 1890, 1259; Kelly’s Directory, Torquay and Tormohun 1893, 640. All London, Kelly’s.

[4] North Devon Journal (NDJ) 10 Dec 1903.

[5] NDJ, 8 May 1902, 5 May 1910.

[6] NDJ, 6 Jul 1911.

[7] NDJ, 8 Jul & 4 Nov 1915; 6 Jul 1916; 12 Nov 1914.

[8] NDJ, 14 Apr 1910; 2 May 1912..

[9] NDJ, 2 Dec 1909.

[10] NDJ, 21 May 1914.

[11] NDJ, 30 Jul 1914.

[12] NDJ, 22 Aug 1914.

 

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