Weeks, Samuel

Also known as: Samuel Weekes

Singer

Collection date: Sept 1905

Area: Somerset - Mendips (Harptree & Priddy)

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Samuel Weeks at Priddy (1830-1909): age 75, 5 songs on 15th Sept 1905: Samuel was baptized 17/10/1830 at Priddy church, son of James Weeks (farmer) and Ann. In 1851 census at Priddy James Weeks had a farm of 156 acres. On 6/7/1852 at St Cuthbert church Wells Samuel Weeks married Charlotte Ashman, daughter of Francis Ashman, publican of the Hunter’s Lodge Inn. In 1861,1871 & 1881 censuses Samuel had a farm of 60 acres at Eastwater Farm, Priddy and had raised 3 children. In both 1891 and 1901 he was listed as farmer and publican at the Hunter’s Lodge Inn, which is located in the District of Wells St Cuthbert Without (ref RG13/2315 f55 p21).

Samuel lost his wife Charlotte in Jan 1900 and it seems that he enjoyed the lease of the Hunter’s Lodge Inn only in her lifetime and so moved back to Eastwater Farm, which is where Sharp took his photo in 1905. Weeks is holding a stick, as he suffered badly from arthritis. He found living on his own very difficult and on 27/8/1901 at Priddy church he married his second wife Mary Ann Weeks, a farmer’s widow.

There were several families called Weeks in the area. Sharp spelled Samuel’s name with and without an ‘e’ (Weekes) but at no point in any documents did Samuel use an extra ‘e’. Samuel was buried at Priddy church on 25/6/1909. In an essay on the Mendip Singing Men Sharp commented that John Vincent and Samuel Weeks were both very fine singers. George Weeks (who sang later for Sharp) was Samuel’s cousin.