Mr Peter Barnes' email and photos.

We have had a wonderful email from Mr. Peter Barnes who was evacuated to Feniton in the war, he stayed with Mr & Mrs Hapgood at Thorne. I copy it here along with the photos, they are lovely, thank you Peter.

Dear Christine 

Although I am not a member of the Feniton History Group I have been reading the meeting reports with much interest  

In your 44th meeting on Thurs 14th Nov 2013 in Feniton Church comment was made of  "The Acland film Showing" and included there was mention of a Mr Habgood (spelt as I understand with b and not p) being the Head Gardner of the Acland Estate. 

My mother and I went down from West London to stay with Mr Robert Habgood and his wife Catherine who were living at Thorn Cottage on the 4^th September 1939 the day after war was declared being our evacuation. 

I was enrolled to attend the Primary Church School located just round the corner due to start the Autumn term within the next few days. There were only two classes being the main one for the young and the other for the very young. As I remember the main classroom was divided into separate rows of desks each row representing different ages and receiving different lessons no doubt causing many problems for the teacher whose name I now cannot remember. 

I also joined the Church Choir and I remember the Choir practice used to be up at the Vicarage on Friday nights which at the time was a very dark walk with the high hedges and the glow worms hardly helped.

  

I have attached a photo of Mr and Mrs Habgood at the rear of their garden taken early spring 1940 which may possibly be of interest and two others taken when passing through the Village in 1960. The gate behind Mr Habgood led down to the quite large Kitchen Garden belonging to Feniton Court. 

I do trust your History Group remains a great organisation for all the local historic information and a total success for many years to come. 

Yours sincerely, 

                     

Peter L.Barnes

Feniton History Group held the 97th meeting in the Nog Inn

Very pleased to report that the replacement Boundary Stone is here, and it will be placed in due course. I am looking into setting up a QR code to explain the stone.

Following on from last month regarding the Art & Craft event in May. Brenda has been checking newspapers for mentions of local crafts entered in the flowers shows etc. but sadly nothing came to hand.  We had craftsman in the village, stonemasons, blacksmiths, carpenters, Mrs. Hart a woodcarver and may be lace makers. The task goes on.

David has been looking at documents in the Devon Heritage Centre and has found mention of a sexton who put a body in a reserved plot. It was a member of the same family, so the rightful plot owner raised no objection.

Other information was that the Rev Hart memorial in church caused an issue which had to be resolved by the Chancellor. It concerned part of the monument text being in Latin

and was included within the English text. The crest on the monument indicated the this particular Hart family had origins were in Ireland.

There was a proposal to line the whole of the North wall with oak panelling, as it was only the box pew in the Northwest corner was lined.

The 2 inch lettering on the lych gate cost 12/- per dozen letters.

A drawing of the churchyard showed a drain crossing the churchyard. A letter from Redferns to the Rev hart said that no such drain exists.

A man has been out looking round the church for graffiti, he is hoping to write a book on the subject.

Geoff is still busy at Southwest Heritage, he recommends talks on Victorian trains by a Mr. Trump given at the RAMM in Exeter.

There are rumours about a Smugglers’ Path from Feniton to the coast, perhaps Branscombe. Google has not thrown up much, apart from the essay:

https://www2.cs.arizona.edu/patterns/weaving/webdocs/lb_2010_17.pdf

Also lace was often smuggled I understand.

Bob has found an Italian Medal, always enjoy hear about the medals.

Jenny has asked for help with her family history, Geoff is working on the military side and I am looking for Smithfield Farm, near West Hill, in Tipton St. John, Metcombe area, can I ask if this is known to anyone.

I will fix up an afternoon at the farm next month, we can look at family history and sort out our display boards for the Craft Weekend. Thank you all for a fascination evening.

Next meeting in the Nog Inn on Thursday 4^th April 2019.