This house was built towards the end of the 19th Century by Fred Poole (1866-1907), one of famous brothers who ran Myrioramas. Their grandfather Richard Poole, a fuller of cloth moved to Malmesbury before 1841 and seems to have been employed at Avon Mill as he lived in the Lower High Street. He had three sons John (1817-1889), Charles (1821-1877) and George Walter (1828-1877). Moses Gompertz started touring the country with 'Panoramas' of colourful events like Arctic expeditions, battles and fires which he called Myrioramas. Charles and George joined his company as musicians until 1863 when in partnership with Anthony Young they took the business over. They developed the shows which involved scenery painted on canvas rolls that moved from a reel on one side of the stage to another on the opposite side as the story progressed. This was accompanied by music and fireworks with the whole illuminated by special lighting effects powered by gas! John had five sons Joseph (1847-1906), George (1849-1929), Henry (1850-1925), Charles (1858-1918) and Fred. Joseph joined his uncles in 1865 and built Verona House in Tetbury Hill (now the offices of Persimmon Homes Wessex Ltd). Next door to Verona is the large building that was later used as a school gymnasium and is now the Cartmell Youth Centre. Its original purpose was for Joseph's artists to paint the scenery. Joseph became Mayor in 1890. Fred began work with Joseph in 1878 but in 1896 formed a partnership with Henry. After Fred died his widow moved away from the town.
Burnham House was occupied by a number of people until 'Nipper' Constance moved here in 1949. He developed his veterinary practice [George Vets] here until he left Malmesbury in 1964. Then it was the home and base for Eric Jobbins and his Building Company. After this the house was unoccupied for a while. Councillor Jim Owen of the Town Council felt that it would make a good facility for local old folk and persuaded the County Council to buy it in 1971. Unfortunately they could not find the capital to convert it so the property was plagued by vandals and boarded up. In 1977 it was finally opened as a day centre for the elderly. Jim Owen raised money to furnish it and arranged for pupils from the Corn Gastons school to decorate it. It was such a success that in 1981 the County Council and Health Authority shared the cost of £442,000 to add residential facilities for 50 people. Some 40 to 45 staff were employed in the home. The project has also received support from charities. In 1977 Mr. C.H. Barnes, a former railway worker, left money in trust for the project and later the estate of a resident, Mrs. Hale, was added to it. This fund paid £31,500 to expand the day care areas of the sitting room and dining room during 1995. The Malmesbury Community Trust now administers this charity. The County Council agreed to sell this property along with nine other homes for older people to Coverage Care Ltd. in the summer of 1999 but public opinion has caused them to reconsider and the deal fell through. However it was later sold to the Order of St. John. In 2008 the house and residential facilities closed and moved to the new hospital buildings at Burton Hill. Now Burnham House and its adjoining buildings are once again standing empty.
Source: Charles Vernon
