| Jacomb
Road, Close & Drive, Lower Broadheath, Worcester UK
Map of Jacomb Road, Close and
Drive in Lower Broadheath, nr. Worcester |
In Lower Broadheath, just outside the City
of Worcester, are three adjoining roads named Jacomb Road,
Jacomb Close and Jacomb Drive. Why are
they so named and who are they named after?
The roads form part of an estate of around
200 houses at the northern end of the village, which was built in 2 phases:
1964 and 1974. In 2002 Kevin Jacomb enquired with the City of Worcester
Council as to why the three roads were named 'Jacomb'. T.B. Taylor from
the Council replied:
[The roads] were named after a Mr. Jacomb who lived in the village. I
have some village publications, no longer in print I'm afraid, which refer
to him:
The Story of Lower Broadheath
The parish was formed in 1952 by combining 2 village parts and
parts of surrounding villages and the edge of Worcester. "At the
time Mr. F. B. Jacomb, of Eastbury Manor, was Chairman of Martley R.D.
C. and he put a great deal of work into the creation of the new parish."
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From the 'What' In A Name' part of the
booklet:
"Jacomb Road/Close/Drive. These names were chosen to commemorate
Mr. F. B. Jacomb of Eastbury Manor. He had for many years represented
Martley Rural District Council. A former water engineer in Egypt, it was
due to his efforts that mains water was brought to Lower Broadheath in
1958 from a bore hole at Astley. The provision of mains water led to a
big increase in house building in the 60's and 70's. Mr. Jacomb's sister
Emily Minnie Jacomb
Christmas, 1881
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Minnie, lived to 97 years old. She was
one of the original 10 pupils at the Alice Ottley School in Worcester."
This is still a much-respected private girls school. There is a reference
to another on the war memorial for those who gave their lives in the war
of 1939-1945: "Capt. W. H. L. Jacomb - RA - England 1940."
A History of Broadheath Village, by
R. H. Freeman.
The booklet traces parts of the village, in particular the manor of Eastbury,
back to the 9th. Century when it was known as Earesbyri and Esebyr. At
one time it was owned by Alfred Deakins who was on the Federal Council
of Australia.It was then owned by Francis Dingle, a former mayor of Worcester.
"It was subsequently sold to Mrs. O. W. Vee of Barkfield and then
later held by Mr. F. B. Jacomb, a kinsman of Mrs. Vee, and was then known
as Eastbury Manor." "In the 1980's the house was converted into
several flats." 
The F.B. Jacomb above is Mr. Frederick Bernard
Jacomb.
Frederick
Bernard Jacomb
Frederick Bernard Jacomb (1883-1974) was born in Huddersfield, Yorkshire,
later moving to Malvern, Worcestershire. He married in 1907. A former
Captain in the Royal Engineers he served in Egypt in WWI. He became Director
of Works in the Irrigation Department of the Egyptian Ministry of Public
Works and in 1919 Frederick Bernard received the Order of the Nile, Fourth
Class 'In recognition of valuable services rendered'.
After returning to England he served Martley
Rural District Council, becoming a J.P. and later to be appointed chairman
of the council. In 1953 he received an inscribed gavel from the council,
marking 25 years as a member of the council. He received an MBE in 1955
as chairman and in the same year was widowed. His son, William Horace
Lea Jacomb, a captain in the Royal Artillery, died in WWII in 1940. Frederick
died in 1974 aged 90 and both are buried at Christ Church, Lower Broadheath.
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