30. Robert Herridge with his son Judah on the right. Robert Herridge, known as Blewbury Bob the “Blewbury Poet”, described himself as a Dealer in Marine Stores in 1871. He was one of the sights of the village and played up to the artists. With Gad Street (no. 32) he is portrayed as one of ‘The Gossiping Gaffers’ in T.F.M. Sheard’s well known painting. Poems by Bob Herridge cover many local events. His poem on the Coronation of Edward VII was published in a local newspaper, not for the excellence of the poetry, as the editor hastened to point out, but because the contributor had lived in five reigns. Both Bob and his son, Judah, died in Wantage Union Workhouse: Bob in 1907 aged 87 and Judah in 1905 aged 38.