Editing Frome (section)

=== To the present day ===

In the early 19th century, plans were developed to reinvigorate the town and once again elevate it to its former position as a more important town than Bath. These plans, the idea of [[Thomas Bunn, Frome|Thomas Bunn]], a man of independent means inherited from his father,<ref>{{Cite book |title=Experiences of a 19th Century Gentleman: The diary of Thomas Bunn of Frome |publisher=Frome Society of Local Study |year=2003 |editor-last=Gill |editor-first=Derek J |location=Frome |pages=20}}</ref> mostly failed to come to fruition, although some public buildings were erected and a wide new approach road to the town centre from the south was cut (named Bath Street after the landowner, [[Marquess of Bath|Lord Bath]] of [[Longleat]] House).<ref name="Goodall">{{Cite book |last=Goodall |first=Rodney |title=The buildings of Frome, 2nd Ed |year=2005 |publisher=Frome society for local study |isbn=0-9510157-5-3 |location=Frome |page=149}}</ref>

[[File:Selwood Printing Works Frome.jpg|alt=Corner of four-storey building with multiple matching arched windows|thumb|right|The former (Butler & Tanner) Selwood Printing Works]]

Whilst wool remained an important part of the town's economy into the 19th (and even 20th) centuries, other industries were established in the town. A bell-foundry started in 1684 by William Cockey grew to be a major producer of components for the developing [[natural gas|gas]] industry and employer of 800 people, as a new enterprise of his descendant, [[Edward Cockey]] The [[John Webb Singer|J W Singer]] brass foundry and bronze-casting works,<ref>{{Cite web |title=JW Singer & Sons |url=http://www.fromemuseum.org/singer1.htm |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20081012171301/http://www.fromemuseum.org/singer1.htm |archive-date=12 October 2008 |access-date=6 February 2010 |publisher=Frome Museum}}</ref> was a major employer and produced bronze statues.<ref>{{Cite web |title=J W Singer website |url=http://www.jwsinger.com/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090422193611/http://www.jwsinger.com/ |archive-date=22 April 2009 |df=dmy-all}}</ref> John Webb Singer was born in Frome and established his art metal work foundry in 1851. They made brass ornaments for local churches and became known through the [[Oxford Movement]] within the [[Church of England]] which led to increasing demand for church ornaments.<ref>{{Cite web |title=The Founder |url=http://www.fromemuseum.org/singer2.htm |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20081012171306/http://www.fromemuseum.org/singer2.htm |archive-date=12 October 2008 |access-date=6 February 2010 |publisher=Frome Museum}}</ref> In addition to church ornaments the firm developed new facilities, opened as the Frome Art Metalworks in 1866, and then the expertise to create large statues. One of the first statues cast in 1889 was that of [[Charles George Gordon|General Gordon]] riding a camel.<ref>{{Cite book |last=Bucklow |first=Sue |title=Casting the World: the Story of J W Singer & Sons |publisher=Rook Lane Arts Trust |year=2019 |isbn=978-1-5272-4118-3 |location=Frome |pages=8–9, 31}}</ref> The firm was responsible for the bronze statue of [[Boudica]] with her daughters in her war chariot (furnished with [[scythed chariot|scythes]] after the [[Persian Empire|Persian]] fashion), which was commissioned by [[Albert, Prince Consort|Prince Albert]] and executed by [[Thomas Thornycroft]]. It was unveiled in 1902, 17 years after Thornycroft's death, and now stands next to [[Westminster Bridge]] and the [[Palace of Westminster|Houses of Parliament]], London.<ref name="dnb">Mark Stocker, 'Thornycroft, Thomas (1815–1885)', ''[[Oxford Dictionary of National Biography]]'', [[Oxford University Press]], September 2004 online edn, October 2006 [http://www.oxforddnb.com/view/article/27369], accessed 2 January 2009</ref> The statue of [[Lady Justice]] on the dome above the [[Old Bailey]] was executed by the British sculptor, [[F. W. Pomeroy]] and cast by Singers. The statue of [[Alfred the Great]] at [[Winchester]] was a further commission.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Statuary |url=http://www.fromemuseum.org/singer3.htm |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20081012171311/http://www.fromemuseum.org/singer3.htm |archive-date=12 October 2008 |access-date=6 February 2010 |publisher=Frome Museum}}</ref> The statues from Singers have been exported around the world.<ref>{{Cite web |title=List of Singers Statues |url=http://www.fromemuseum.org/singer6.htm |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090928081045/http://www.fromemuseum.org/singer6.htm |archive-date=28 September 2009 |access-date=6 February 2010 |publisher=Frome Museum}}</ref> Printing was another major industry, with the Butler and Tanner printworks being set up in the middle of the century. [[Brewing]] was another source of employment.<ref name="Goodall" />

Utility services came quite early in Frome with Cockey setting up a gas facility in Welshpool in 1831. Water was available from springs; the principal source was from a fountain at the foot of Church Steps, fed by stream that flowed under the graveyard. After a local company failed to deliver piped water in 1880, the local government stepped in and opened a Water Works with a piped supply system.  A sewage farm was not installed until 1885. Mains electricity was then introduced into the town in 1903.<ref name="belham" />

In [[World War I]], a large number of men from Frome and the surrounding villages enlisted.  The [[Somerset Light Infantry|Somerset Infantry]] was the primary recruiter; other county regiments from around Somerset took in many others. Some born in Frome joined up in the country they had emigrated to: [[Australia]] and [[Canada]].  The [[Royal Navy]], the [[Royal Flying Corps]], the [[British Red Cross]] and the [[Royal Army Medical Corps]] all took in volunteers and conscripts, as did multiple different regiments from across the UK. Over 450 lives, ranging from a brigadier-general to scores of privates and able seamen, were lost in the conflict, now recorded on memorials throughout the area and elsewhere.<ref>{{Cite book |last=Adams |first=David L |title=Frome's Fallen Heroes |publisher=David l Adams |year=2000 |location=Frome |asin=B000S5L7JK}}</ref> A record of more than 140 local survivors of WWI has been published.<ref>{{Cite book |last=Frome Family History Group |title=Frome Survivors: Those who returned from WWI |publisher=Frome Family History Group |year=2019 |isbn=978-1-5262-0775-3 |location=Frome}}</ref> These survivors included Charlie Robbins<ref>{{Cite book |last=Frome Family History Group |title=op.cit. |pages=98–99}}</ref> who was the model for the bronze statue forged by the [[John Webb Singer|Singer company]] which now stands as the memorial for the fallen of Frome.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Frome Serviceman Memorial – War Memorials Online |url=https://www.warmemorialsonline.org.uk/memorial/78566/ |access-date=2019-11-13 |website=www.warmemorialsonline.org.uk |language=en |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191113123402/https://www.warmemorialsonline.org.uk/memorial/78566/ |archive-date=13 November 2019 |url-status=live }}</ref>

The population fell and in the 1930s it was slightly smaller than it had been in the mid 19th century. Other industries such as printing, light engineering, metal casting, carpeting and dairying continued,<ref name="lambert">{{Cite web |last=Lambert |first=Tim |title=A brief history of Frome |url=http://www.localhistories.org/frome.html |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080915112721/http://www.localhistories.org/frome.html |archive-date=15 September 2008 |access-date=30 September 2008 |publisher=Local histories.org |df=dmy-all}}</ref> many taking old premises from the cloth mills and others being sited at the new Marston Road Trading Estate which led to growth after [[World War II]], including the construction of [[council houses]].<ref name="belham" />