We
reviewed the fascinating illustrated talk by Martin Howell, it was sad that due
to the very bad weather only 9 people came. This raised £40 for the Church
Fabric Fund
Our
next event is the WW1 Talk with Jim Woolley from Ottery Heritage on Thursday 30th
Nov in the Church at 7:30 pm.
For
the culmination of the 100 years since WW1 it was decided to mark this with a
Themed WW1 afternoon tea in the Church or village hall, war time cakes and
music. Suggested date Saturday 10th November 2018.
George
: Has been looking at the horrific events after the Monmouth Rebellion, (1685) the
South West was littered the decaying bodies hung in cages from churches and at
Cross Roads after being boiled in pitch. Bitterly Cross was one such place. Between
Feniton and Talaton.
This
links gives the account of the time:
We discussed child labour in the mines, mills
and small boys working for chimney sweeps, Jenny related the story of a young
girl who had stolen a violin case, all driven by poverty, followed by harsh
sentencing in the courts.
This
tells more:
George spoke of the American grave yard and the
French Prisoners of war
He
also told us the Dartmoor Jail Museum was worth a visit.
I
related my conversation with my grandson regarding the Devon dialect, he had
not heard of regional accents, the Cornish spoke late Anglo Saxon and had
their own language, which is being revived in an effort for it not to be lost.
Bob
is enjoying the garden, and told us about the Indian service
1930/32 medal with 2 bars. There was
a Water Carrier medal. The English detachment did not get involved with the
skirmishes, but if a white person involved they would shoot. His father served
in India in the 1930s. Sadly, all his father’s effects were lost when his home
was cleared after his death.
Jenny
has a relative of the Horsey family of Clifton May Banks House. Sadly, with the wills
destroyed in the second world war the line is not easy to follow.
Brenda brought along her Grandfather’s postcards
from WW1, he was a Batman to an Officer. The cards are written with a pencil,
only the Officers had access to ink! He was in hospital in Birmingham in July
1917, using the dates from the postmarks Brenda has worked out where in the
world he was at the time of posting.
While
searching the newspaper archives Brenda found some articles relating to Cecil
Harris of Bricklands now Appletrees.
behind the Nog Inn. Samuel, his father lived at Pound House in Payhembury he was a carpenter and wheelwright. Cecil was a carriage
builder. In 1928, when the building of council houses was proposed, he criticised
the siting of the council houses because he thought it more sensible they
should be near the Station where there was a mains sewer that could be used
instead of the proposed site in Station Road. He also worried about flooding in front of Bricklands. He went with the
nickname “Crab Apple Face.” His wife
died in a cycle accident.
Cecil
had the first motor garage in the area ,
he was offered the Vauxhall dealership, but he thought cars had no future and
turned it down. Arthur, Cecil’s son was put forward for e military medal.
Brenda
attended the DFHS conference and
mentioned the Heathcote family who were keen on education and erected a school.
At the conference Brenda met the author of a new book about Thomas Fowler, an inventor from Torrington who
invented a calculating machine.
Geoff told us of a family with 22 children
raised in a bigamist marriage, the
father remarried the 1st wife to legitimise the children inc a spell in Canada.
Alan
has seen the item on the Spotlight news about Drowners Huts on the River Frome
in Dorset, for the men working on
the water meadows. He asked if the small derelict shed at Fenny
Bridges would have been such a building?
Alan
also recalled a boundary change that meant Feniton Parish were responsible for
the maintenance of the Bridge.
It
was a lively and fascinating evening, thank you all.
Next
meeting 8pm in the Nog Inn on 7th December 2017.
