Feniton History Group 51st Meeting

I hope you all enjoyed our ad hoc evening! I know I did.

We discussed the vexation of the 1991 census population being just for the "new village", so of no use to man nor beast.

WW1. The research is ongoing for more on the Home Front.
I have made a list of the men killed and will ask Rev.  Cate to read his name on the Sunday nearest the death 100 years later.  The name and short biography can be put on the blog and in the parish magazine, if Brenda and Val agree.

The Parish Council discussed have a Belgian refugee family, but it is not recorded if this actually took place.
October 23rd 1914   Several ladies have started a movement to house a Belgian family in the village. It was proposed by Dr Hart that a ‘family of not more than 5, of the agricultural class, be brought and entertained as long as the war lasts’.
Brenda told us how she read the Parish Council Minutes Books and made notes of interesting  items before they were placed in the Devon Record Office. It seems the ones from the late 1950s are missing. May have been lost or in the home of the parish clerk of the time. My late father in law was the clerk at that time, and sadly I have not seen books in the papers here.

Alan and Brenda told about the plans for a bridge over the rail crossing, the parish council had received so many complaints about the delays with the gates, one plan was to raise a bridge from Sherwood across to the Talaton Road, but as we know nothing came of this.

David has taken on the task of finding out about a stone marker for the Feniton Ottery Boundary. Rogation Sunday is 10th May 2015.

We had a natter about the early days of research in the Record Office, looking and the census films and even the original parish registers, Brenda would nip in there during her lunch break at work. I went in most Tuesdays with Mum in Law and we ploughed through these for days before we could draw up the family tree, now you, if your luck whizz through a few generations in a matter of hours.
I asked the group to consider what projects we would like to carry out, George and I would like to make more regular visits to Honiton Museum, the village book is something we need to put in hand, and the Pulman's weekly paper which is in Taunton Record Office, any idea for public events would be welcome.
Tony aided a discussion on language and names how did the early Devon tribes know they were the Dumnonii, and also words like Avon which is taken to mean river. Ton being town. Wikipedia has more on this.

Jenny showed us the poster she has designed for the Deer Park  Hotel, relating the Battle of Fenny Bridges. It is wonderful to see this little know event documented and recognised.

Tony told how the Exeter Football WW1 play went, it was a shame it was highlighted as football when really it was more about Exeter's history of the time. He also told us how useful the WEA course in Bradninch House Exeter is, free admission.
Jenny asked about computer software for recording family research, so I will plan a session here once harvest is done.

David and Roger have located a document mentioning the village in the National Archives. It gives the village on two lines, when I would think it should be one:
Fenyton, Gilbert Collyns dep. for John Pringe.
Maleherbe, Gilbert Collyns dep. for John Pringe.

We must thank Roger for all his tenacity in searching online for the village. It is wonderful to add to our notes and expand on events. I will share these with you when you come to the house.
One of the snippets Roger gleaned relates to a footbridge at Fenny Bridges 1856, Sir John Kennaway  mentions the dispute as to who is liable for it's repair, but it was the County's and repair was ordered.

Thank you all, it was a good evening.

WW1 Service 3 Aug 2014

Just a note to thank everyone for making the church display such a success. I was told how  much it meant to many whose Grandfathers and Uncles had served in the War. The common phrase I heard today, was "they never spoke of it at home" Also thank you to the Reverend Cate and the church team.