See also
Husband:
Leon Henry James KEETCH (1894-1971)
Wife:
Alice Edna Emma IRISH (1898-1949)
Children:
Marriage:
Q2 1921
RD - Chard
Name:
Leon Henry James KEETCH
Sex:
Male
Father:
Mother:
Birth:
21 Sep 1894
Fulham, London
Census:
31 Mar 1901 (age 6)
South Petherton, Somerset1
Address: West Street
Census:
2 Apr 1911 (age 16)
South Petherton, Somerset2
Address: Moor Cottage
Occupation:
2 Apr 1911 (age 16)
Errand Boy; South Petherton, Somerset2
Occupation:
28 May 1949 (age 54)
passenger bus driver
Death:
Q4 1971 (age 77)
RD - Yeovil
Name:
Alice Edna Emma IRISH
Sex:
Female
Father:
-
Mother:
-
Birth:
Q3 1898
RD - Chard
Death:
7 Jan 1949 (age 50)
South Petherton, Somerset
Address: Rylstone, Compton Road
Probate:
28 May 1949
London
admin to Leon Henry James Keetch (husband) passenger bus driver
£943 0s 9d
Name:
Dorothy M N KEETCH
Sex:
Female
Spouse:
Name:
Richard LH KEETCH
Sex:
Male
Spouse:
Birth:
Q4 1924
RD - Yeovil
Death:
19 Mar 2007 (age 82)
Yeovil, Somerset
Burial:
27 Mar 2007
Yeovil Crematorium
1901 Census England. RG 13/2298 p.12. Cit. Date: 31 March 1901.
Census 1901 South Petherton, Somerset
RG 13/2298 p.12
West Street
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H James Keetch Head M 30 Printer Compositor South Petherton
Eliza May Keetch Wife M 26 South Petherton
Leon HJ Keetch Son 6 Hammersmith
Arthur E Keetch Son 5 Hammersmith
Susan J Keetch Dau 3 South Petherton
Sidney Keetch Son 2 South Petherton
Reg J Keetch Son 11mths South Petherton
1911 Census England. RG14 Yeovil District 3. Cit. Date: 2 April 1911.
Census 1911 South Petherton, Somerset
RG14 Yeovil District 3
Moor Cottage
------------------------------------------------
Keetch Henry James Head Mar 40 Jobbing Compositor South Petherton
Keetch Mary Eliza Wife Mar (17) 37 South Petherton
Keetch Leon Henry Son S 16 Errand Boy Hammersmith
Keetch Arthur Edward Son S 15 Errand Boy Hammersmith
Keetch Susan Jane Dau 13 South Petherton
Keetch Sidney Son 12 School South Petherton
Keetch Reginald John Son 10 School South Petherton
Keetch Daisy May Dau 8 South Petherton
Keetch William Harold Son 6 South Petherton
Keetch Stanley George Son 4 South Petherton
Keetch Ronald Victor Son 3 South Petherton
Keetch Mollie Dau 8mths South Petherton
Orbituary James B Keetch, (13/4/1998).
James Keetch
The man who attracted nine million visitors a year to farms
James Keetch who has died aged 70 was the founder of the National Farm Attractions Network which succeeded so well that last year there were more than nine million visitors to the 450 farms open to the public.
The project originated in the early 1980s when Jim Keetch started the Northampton Farm Attractions County Group to promote holidays and farm attractions in the county. In 1987, eager to develop his idea, he set up the national network, travelling the land to encourage similar county co-operative groups.
Such was his enthusiasm and resolve that the National Network is now represented in 30 counties in Britain, while in England 90% of the population are within 20 miles of a farm in the scheme.
James Bertram Keetch was born in Somerset on July 13 1927 and studied at Somerset Agricultural College. After the war he established his own market garden business and was one of the first to use black container pots for shrubs. He then went on to pioneer the idea of using plastic instead of concrete to line swimming pools, which made them easier for schools to afford.
With his consistent enthisiasm for the potential of rural tourism, at the end of the 1970s Keetch started a farm park at Welford, Northamptonshire. Visitos could see - and touch - not only ordinary farm animals but also owls, llamas and ostriches. A larger than life character, Keetch was just the man to inspire other people to follow in his footsteps.
James Keetch married, in 1952, Pam Damsell; they had three daughters.