Ewart Southcombe (1880-1946) Born in Yeovil .... Animal dealer and Private Zoo collection at Hamdon House , Stoke Under Ham (Hamdon) , Somerset ... I was intrigued to find out a little more about this gentleman who Clinton (Clint ) Keeling mentions in his book "Where the Crane Danced " in 1985 ... In his writings about Vaynol Park he had come across a letter that had been written to Mr Southcombe on July 28th 1904 ... Basically Mr Southcombe had sent a Stoat and Spoonbill on approval and if not liked the cheque sent would be returned to Vaynol Park... Seemingly Mr Southcombe had not returned / refunded the cheque and legal action was being threatened.. Mr Southcombe was not only in bother over the above in 1905 he was imposed the heftiest fine possible for cruelty to a Wild Boar (£5 and £2 10s costs or face imprisonment) and in 1908 he was in court again for possessing 6 dogs without a license and was fined 7 shillings... Ewart Southcombe is a distant relation to the Southcombe Glove Company owners which began in 1847 in Stoke under Ham (Hamdon) ... the Company is still family owned .. Ewart , in 1939 , resided at the Moor House Hotel , Tilford Road , Rushmoor , Farnham , Surrey ... I am unsure whether he was just a guest or if he owned the hotel ... He passed away in Surrey in 1946
