OLD PLYMOUTH . UK
www.oldplymouth.uk
 

©  Brian Moseley, Plymouth
Webpage created: June 06, 2021
Webpage updated: June 06, 2021

        

WHO WAS WHO IN OLD PLYMOUTH

ALFRED YEO (1864-1950)

Alfred Yeo was the third son born to Mr James Yeo, of Sticklepath, Sampford Courtenay, Devon, a labourer, and his wife, Elizabeth, formerly Miss Stanbury, of South Zeal, Devon.  They had been married at Okehampton in 1847.

By the time they appeared in the census at number 4 Guildford Street, Plymouth, in 1871, the family consisted of John Yeo, born in 1851 at Sampford Courtenay, Devon; Mary Ann  Yeo, born in 1857 at Plymouth; George William Yeo, born in 1861 at Plymouth; and Alfred Yeo, born on April 28th 1864 in Plymouth.  Mr John Yeo was then a solicitor's clerk, and Miss Mary Ann Yeo was a pupil teacher.  George and Alfred were still at school and given where they were living it is more than likely they attended the Plymouth Public Free School in Cobourg Street.

No entry in the 1881 census has been traced but on April 5th 1891 Mr Alfred Yeo was shown as an ironmonger's assistant, aged 26 years, still single, and living with his parents and sister at 4 Prospect Street, Plymouth.  This conflicts slightly with the claim in Mr Yeo's later obituary that he was manager of Messrs Service and Company when he became 21-years-old in 1885.

Following the death on March 22nd 1890 of the owner of the business, Mr Peter Service, Mr Yeo, who was to become a partner in the firm, registered the business as a limited company, Messrs P Service and Company Limited, ironmongers, builders' and plumbers' merchants.  Under his guidance the business quickly outgrew the original shop and it expanded in to number 5 The Octagon, Plymouth.

On September 25th 1895 Mr Alfred Yeo married Miss Evelina Tregillas at the Ancient Parish Church of Saint John the Baptist, Horrabridge, Devon.

The census of March 31st 1901 confirmed his status as a manager.  He and Evelina were then living at number 2 Hobart Villas, Hobart Terrace, Lipson, Plymouth.

Two children were added to the census on April 2nd 1911, when the family were living at number 2 Woodland Villas, Plymouth.  Barbara Grace Yeo had been born in Plymouth in 1903 and Jack Stanbury Yeo likewise in 1906.

Mr Yeo was an active member of the Plymouth Rotary Club and an executive member of the Plymouth Chamber of Commerce.  Furthermore, his obituary records that: 'Mr Yeo could claim a considerable share in the development of the Three Towns.  It was his pride that he had been responsible for the buying and laying-out more pre-war building estates in Plymouth and district than any other living person.  They included the Saint Budeaux, Keyham Barton, and Derry Estates, the Beauchamp, Hartley, North Houndiscombe and Great Berry Estates, the Revel Estate (Plympton) and the Home Park Estate (Saltash)'.  The obituary also stated that he had been with Messrs Service and Company for 72 years, 64 of them as managing director, a post from which he retired in August 1949.

Mr Alfred Yeo died at his home, "Stangray", Tavistock Road, Crownhill, on March 26th 1950.  The funeral service was held at the Anglican Church of Emmanuel, Compton Gifford, Plymouth, on Wednesday November 29th 1950 and afterwards at Efford Crematorium.  The Reverend E Nowell Chapman led the service.  Mr Yeo was survived by his widow and their daughter, now Mrs Barbara Grace Davy, of Torquay, and their only son, Mr Jack Stanbury Yeo, a Plymouth solicitor.

Mrs Evelina Yeo passed away on December 12th 1965 and was cremated at Efford Crematorium on December 15th 1965.