I know you didn't ask, but...
I've spent the last few hours researching the mysterious benefactor who paid for the Latchen Room to be built, Mr W H Powell of Hill House. It would take up a lot of space to document his life with full evidence, so here is a brief summary.
He was born as William Henry Skyrme in Ross in 1872. His father was John Henry Skyrme and his mother was Elizabeth Watkins. They were married in 1866.
In 1873 his father, a solicitor, committed suicide. Shortly after the funeral it was discovered that he had committed various frauds,
In 1875 William Henry's mother died. The legal proceedings arising from the frauds were still ongoing at that time. Because of rumours in the area to the effect that John Henry Skyrme had actually absconded to America, and that his coffin contained stones, when Elizabeth Skyrme was buried in the same grave in 1875 John Henry Skyrme's coffin was partly opened to allow him to be identified.
In 1881 William Henry Skyrme was living with his father's sister Elizabeth Jane who had married a William H Powell, a GP in Ross.
At some point William Henry Skyrme changed his name to William Henry Powell.
I still haven't found him in 1891 or 1901. I have found Hill House (his 1906 address) but this seems to have belonged to a family named Constance at that time so I can only assume that he was staying with that family in 1906 (I have no evidence for this).
In 1911 he was living at a house named Merlindene in Longhope (a very short distance from Hill House) with his Aunt Elizabeth, who died at that address in 1913.
I have not found him in 1921, but I have found Merlindene, and he is not there.
In 1928 William Henry Powell, 56, of Longhope committed suicide. Here is a newspaper item – note however that the Skyrme connection is garbled.
23 June 1928: Cheltenham Chronicle
