Grace Coombe née Loud

Born 14th April 1898, Grace Winiefred Coombe née Loud was wife to Philip Coombe and mother to Molly Coombe. Grace married Philip in 1925 and lived at ‘Locarno’ for many years, probably until her death in 1983.

Photograph of Philip Coombe and Grace Coombe née Loud, 1969, inscribed in ink on reverse.

Early life, Marriage, Family life, Death

Early life

Grace was born in Maidencombe near Torquay to Thomas (1858-1947) and Mary Ann Loud née Jenkins (1855-1932). Grace’s father, Thomas was a Butcher, as was his father Thomas (b. 1834).

Postcard photograph of Maidencombe beach, c. 1910.

A postcard from the Coombe family archive showing Maidencombe beach in around 1910.

Grace was the youngest of 7 children. Her siblings were: Frederick William (1883-1952); Ethel Leah (1885-1931); Thomas Henry (1886-1941); Annie Louisa (1889-1958); Helena Mary (1891-1929) and Robert Jenkins (1895-1932). The 1911 census records Thomas Henry Loud as a Butcher like his father and grandfather.

Photograph of Grace Coombe née Loud (centre left) with 2 unidentified women and an unidentified man.

Photograph of Grace Coombe née Loud (centre left) with 3 other sitters who may be her siblings..

Marriage

Grace probably went to school in Maidencombe and may have met her husband-to-be Philip Coombe through his sister Lois Coombe (1896-1973) who is said to have gone to school in Maidencombe with Grace. Grace would have come to live in Bishopsteignton when she married Philip in 1925. We hold a version of their marriage certificate in our archive collection:

Part of the marriage certificate for Philip and Grace Coombe, 10th March, 1925.

Family life

Grace’s sister Helena Mary died in August 1929 and was likely the namesake of Grace and Philip’s only child, Molly Helena who was born in October of the same year. We do not yet know if Grace worked at a particular trade or profession, it is likely that she was in education up until her marriage when she became a devoted mother to her daughter, Molly.

Photograph of Grace Coombe née Loud and Molly Coombe outdoors with cats.

Photograph of Grace Coombe née Loud and Molly Coombe, probably in the garden of their home ‘Locarno’, Bishopsteignton.

From the Coombe family archive collection, it can be seen that Grace had a love for animals as she is often photographed with pets such as cats and dogs.

Photograph of Grace Coombe née Loud playing with a dog, around 1930.

Grace Coombe née Loud playing with a pet dog, possibly in the garden of her home in Bishopsteignton, ‘Locarno’ around 1930.

Grace and Philip Coombe passed on their love of animals to their daughter who is known to have always kept cats. By 1958, Grace had outlived all her siblings.

Photograph of Molly Coombe and her mother, probably in the 1950s, holding their pet cats.

Molly Coombe (right) and her mother, Grace with three of their beloved pet cats, probably in the 1950s.

Death

Grace died on 30th December 1983 at the age of 86, 13 years after the death of her husband.