Dr Abel (General)

by IanGower , Friday, August 11, 2023, 22:21 (259 days ago) @ Kate

Hi Kate,
I am new to this site and have just picked up this thread. I currently live in the house named Forest Lodge you talk about, and have been researching the house history, and the involvement of John Robert William Abell and Joseph Abell and others.
The history is confusing not least because his father Joseph Abell (the army surgeon) lived in the house next door (Forest House). I have been in contact with Sid Toomey and also the descendants of Joseph Abell in British Columbia, Somerset and Nottingham who have sent me much of the family history. Part of the confusion of the house history is that the two houses quoted are next door to each other, and some of the newspaper reports must be wrong! Also John moved in and out: he was here in 1851 just after the house was built; the house was sold in 1855; had different owners; and John ended up renting it back in 1876 until his death in 1904. John went bankrupt along the way. I cannot find a gravestone for him in the churchyard, but his father's is still there and in good condition.

The house is much the same now as in the picture from about 1902 you will have seen, and an early plan is on the deeds of 1855 that I have. I have been trying to piece together where the servants lived. Whilst digging the garden I have found what I think must be the remains of three old cottages that were here before they were knocked down to build the current house.

Are you still looking into this? If so I will write out a potted history of the Abells and this house (and Forest House next door) if you are interested. I need to do that for myself anyway. I have some of the original deeds (dating from 1855) and have studied others in the Gloucester Archives back to 1832 before the house was built and Joseph owned the land. Some are mis-labelled which also makes it confusing.

Are you in the UK? The current postcode is GL17 0BT if you want to look it up on Google Maps. Forest Lodge (formerly called Forrest Cottage, and now called Merrin Cottage or just Merrin), and Forest House, are the only two addresses with that post code, and are clearly marked on the old OS maps you can find on Know Your Place).

Ian