Bollen, Mr Eli

Singer

Collection date: Aug 1904

Area: Somerset - Yeovil & Crewkerne

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Eli Bollen of Ilchester (1826-1912): age 78, 3 songs (FT242-4) on 1 Aug 1904: Eli Bollen was born in Ashington* in 1826, eldest of 7 children of Charles Bollen, butcher and his wife Hannah. Eli was married by the time of the 1851 census - he and his new wife Mary were living at The Mead, Ilchester. Eli was a road labourer, Mary was a glover. They had 4 children but Mary died in Sept 1860 and Eli would stay in the same house for the next 30 years and raise his children there. He never remarried. By 1901 (ref RG13/2300 f14 p7) he had moved into the Almshouses in the town, which is where Sharp found him. Eli died June 1912 Yeovil 5c 500.

*3 miles north of Yeovil, 2 miles SE of Ilchester