Feniton History Group held the 91st meeting in the Nog Inn

Lovely to see you all. Pam has suggested we look at putting on a Heritage Weekend, it was back in September 2008 the last one was staged. It was decided to put a note in the parish magazine to see what response we get.

We confirmed we will hold an afternoon tea to commemorate the 100 years since the end of WW1. The Group will put up our display of the men from Feniton to mark both wars. Suggested date:  Sunday 11^th November, unless we incorporate it into the Remembrance Day Service, having it before or afterwards?

Jenny’s contact Nigel and other like-minded people now believe the site of the 1549 Battle is in the area around Bloomfield and Skinners Ash Farm, could the name be derived from Bloodfield?  We are hoping Nigel will came and talk to us about the metal finds from that area. Smashed farm tools, bits of chain mail, Tudor buttons and a sword at found at Buckerell.

Alan mentioned that on old maps the river was bridged down by Greyhound Inn?  Over the years rivers would change course naturally, or man made diversions.

Peter recalled that boundaries in 1944 in Germany meant that there was better food in the hotel on one side of the border than the other.

Jenny tells us the work on the preparation for the Battle filming is going well. A decision is to be made on where to store the banner being made by Rosemarie’s team of needlewomen. This has taken some 300 hours of work. It would a great loss if it was not placed somewhere safe and have its purpose celebrated. The Honiton Museum is though to be an ideal location, along with a display featuring the battle. The Catholic Church don’t like the Protestant view in Jenny books!! The reason for the Battle in 1549 still rankles! 

Brenda loves looking through the old newspapers on line and came across the mention of a fire in Apr 1859. The railway workers lived in huts near the Honiton tunnel. The fire was caused by  a candle catching the curtain alight. Did they show they had their wives with them. Surely men living on their own would not hang drapes?

 In Jan 1859  there was an article about casting  an iron beam of eleven tons  successfully effected by Mr. Kerslake's foundry in the Bonhay Road on Wednesday afternoon. The casting will form a portion of the bridge, which will span the Yeovil Railway line in Longbrooke Street.

We had an interesting natter with Sam about his work with South West Archaeology. He

kindly printed out some reports relating to the village.  The depth of soil over the years varies depending on use of the land.

Rosemary asked about the Mill at Fenny Bridges. Val showed some wonderful old maps found in a relative’s effects.  

Hugh is off to the Walsall football match to see Plymouth Argyll play.

Jenny  brought along some trinkets, war time pieces, a sweet heart hanky and a little finger bible carried in  the glove, dagger brooch and an engraved 5/- silver coin.

Thank you all for such an interesting evening. Next meeting in the Nog Inn on Thursday 6^th September at 8pm

Feniton History Group held the 90th meeting in the Nog Inn

Feniton History Group held the 90th meeting in the Nog Inn

Attending: George, Bob, Rose, Viv, Alan, Pam, Jenny, Jackie, Brenda, Geoff, Sharon, Hugh and Bob

Francis Pyle spoke to me about Long Park, it cost £22,000 to build. It was built by Mr Vincent  Frank Pyle bought it off him for £2,000. George Vincent died in Exmouth in 1902.

Boundary stone: Following this being damaged by the grass cutters, Jenny and I attended the July meeting of the parish council. East Devon District Councillor Phil Twiss has given us a budget of £200 for it’s replacement. Cllr Susie Bond is meeting with EDDC as to the re siting of the stone. So very positive outcome.

Hugh has been helping George research a footballer of that name, I found this link about him: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Joe_Roulson

Geoff has been busy helping with Exeter theatre old newspapers in the Heritage Centre, he admitted to reading them, rather than sorting and filing!

Bob raised the question about cottages and the difference between houses and cottages,

found this “story” based on some fact to describe the history of the cottage:

https://www.lostkingdom.net/medieval-village-buildings-cottage/

Edit: From Geoff, 

I found out that a cottager was a labourer who worked a small piece of land [for himself] which could be owned by him or rented or leased. The building on the land was called a cottage. I'm wondering if the piece of land was called a 'Cott' but can't find out via Google as there is an American firm called Cott and several thousand hits on their name come up first! There are a few places locally called --- Cott [ie Tytherleigh Cott]. I told Bob when he came to clean by windows last week.

Also while working last week I came across a 'Guide Book of Recording Descriptions for Archaeologists' and Cottage does not appear in the list of descriptions for buildings - so I don't think it describes a particular type of building.

Pam told us she has an ancestor who was a prize bare knuckle fighter.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bare-knuckle_boxing

Alan went to see the WW1 commemoration in Northenhay, said to be the oldest town park

https://historicengland.org.uk/listing/the-list/list-entry/1001631

The Shrouds depict the enormity of loss of life in the Somme, each man a son or father, very sobering to try and take in the facts.

https://www.historyhit.com/facts-about-the-battle-of-the-somme/

During the discussion that followed Bob mentioned the saying about Trench Warfare “Lions lead by donkeys”.

Many lads lied about their age when enlisting, the boy soldiers. Victor Silvester was one of these. He was born in 1900. He ran away from Ardingly College and was fighting on the Western Front at fifteen. Victor's parents suspected he had joined the army and informed the authorities in 1914 but it was not until he was wounded in 1917 that he was discovered and brought home to England.

Brenda is researching a family in 1860s, sadly their daughter died of TB and there is also   mention of bigamy, they married in Feniton!

TB or as it was known, Consumption, saw sufferers being brought to The Royal Hotel in Sidmouth for the sea air.  The afore mentioned James Ross’s brother Robert died from TB

Jenny reported on the Battle film saying it is going well. In relation to the film George and Viv modelled their costumes. They look fantastic. We welcome our new members Luke and Viv.

Next meeting in the Nog Inn on 2 August 2018. At this meeting we need to plan the following:

WW1 100 Years in November

Pam has suggested a Heritage Event

A talk or “Conversation with Peter”

Remembering William Arbery died 17th July 1918

ARBERY, William Henry

Born : Talaton (Honiton Q4/1896)

Baptised :

Parents : Henry and Ada Arbery of Grays, Colestocks.

Died : Peronne, France 7^th July 1918

Buried : Peronne Communal Cemetery Extension (See notes below)..

1901 Census : Larkbeare Dairy Farm, Talaton

1911 Census : Larkbeare Dairy Farm, Talaton

Occupations : Farm worker

Address on enlisting : 11 Chestnut Avenue, Dartmouth.

Regiment : 19^th Army Cyclist Corp. Formerly Wessex Division Cyclist Corp

Rank : Private

Service Number : 18950 (formerly 213 with Wessex Div)

Service Dates : 19^th November 1914 to 7^th July 1918

CWGC listing : Yes

Soldiers Died Listing : Yes

Devon Roll of Honour : Yes under Talaton

National Roll of the Great War : Yes

Medal Card (NA WO372) : WO372/1/30850

Service Record (NA WO363) : Yes

War Memorial : Talaton

1919 Absent Voters List :

Newspaper Listings :

Notes : He is listed in ‘Soldiers Died’. He was a Territorial in the Wessex Division Cyclist Corp (number 213) and signed his attestation papers to serve anywhere for the duration of the war on 19^th November 1914. He was enlisted into the Army Cyclist Corp, 58^th Divisional Cyclist Company on the same day taking service number 18950. He joined the 19^th Cyclist Battalion on 1^st February 1917 was posted to France on the 15^th March 1917 with the battalion. He was posted as missing on 5^th April 1918 during the German spring offensive. His father is later informed via the Red Cross that he was a prisoner of the Germans – he writes to the War Office regarding this on 7^th May 1918. In January 1919 the Germans report that he died from pneumonia in a field hospital on 7^th July 1918 while he was a POW and that he was buried in Peronne Communal Cemetery Extension. An official record is received at Hanwell Cyclists Corp HQ 11^th May 1919 confirming this. A further note is received there on 18^th March 1920 saying the body has been exhumed and reburied. It appears he was reburied in the same cemetery as there is correspondence in the records regarding it being unnecessary to inform the next of kin.

Remembering John Melluish died 13th July 1918

MELLUISH, John

Born : Ottery St Mary c1878

Baptised :

Parents : William and Susan Melluish

Married : Mary Grace Baragwanath 28^th January 1910 at Crowan, Cornwall.

Died : 13^th July 1918

Buried : No known grave – listed on Karachi 1914-1918 War Memorial

1881 Census :

1891 Census :

1901 Census : Feniton – aged 22.

1911 Census : Rutts, Feniton – aged 32.

Occupations : Farm worker (1911) Publican (1915)

Address on enlisting : Alphington Inn – enlisted in Axminster

Regiment : Devonshire Regiment later 1^st FS Garrison Battalion, Prince Albert’s Somerset Light Infantry

Rank : Corporal

Service Number : 5526 (DR) 275153 (SLI)

Service Dates : 15^th June 1915 to 13^th July 1918

CWGC listing : Yes

Soldiers Died Listing : Yes

Devon Roll of Honour :

National Roll of the Great War :

Medal Card (NA WO372) : WO372/13/207987

Service Record (NA WO363) :

War Memorial : Alphington

Newspaper Listings : Western Times, July 26^th 1918.

Notes : He was the landlord of the Alphington Inn and had previously lived in Feniton at Rutts. He was 6’1” tall. He died from heat stroke while serving in India. He was a serjeant in the Devon Volunteers until 1912 having served 13 years. The SLI battalion was formed in Plymouth in January 1917 and sailed for India in February 1917. He initially signed up for home service only with the Devonshire Regiment. He had two children William Henry and Annie.

Feniton History Group held the 89th meeting in the Nog Inn.

At the meeting in June Jenny began by updating us on progress on the work being done for the forth-coming film about the Battle of Fenny Bridges. She has a group of enthusiastic workers making a banner, hats and costumes.

 Peter told about the problems he encounters in researching his German ancestors, such as reading Old German on documents.

David had been reading about old parsonages and wondering where they were as we only see and know about Georgian and Victorian residences for clergy. Where did the priests live?

Hugh is continuing to enjoy perusing old newspapers for items about Plymouth Argyle!

 Brenda, also reading old newspapers, is piecing together the story behind a bigamist marriage that took place in Feniton Church in 1862 between two strangers to the village, the bride, a Sidmouth girl, and she found in a 1855 newspaper the tale of a cook in the household of the Rector of Thorverton who was taken ill, thought to have cholera but by the time the doctor arrived had given birth to a baby.

We heard that the boundary stone in Ottery Road, so carefully planned and ceremoniously installed had been demolished by the Council worker cutting the grass.

The next meeting will be on July 5th in the Nog Inn at 8.00pm

Remembering Frederick Stiling a WW1 fallen soldier killed 6 Jun 1918

His father William, was Landlord of the Greyhound and also served during the war.

Born : Plymtree c1894

Baptised :

Parents : William and Anna Stiling

Died : 6^th June 1918

Buried : Aulnoye Communal Cemetery – Grave I.A.38.

1871 Census :

1881 Census :

1891 Census :

1901 Census : Motts Lane, Plymtree – aged 7

1911 Census : Lower Tale – aged 17

Occupations : Farm Worker

Address on enlisting : Fenny Bridges. Enlisted in Exeter

Regiment : D Battery, 83^rd Brigade, Royal Field Artillery

Rank : Gunner

Service Number : 130441

Service Dates :

CWGC listing :

Soldiers Died Listing : Yes

Devon Roll of Honour :

National Roll of the Great War :

Medal Card (NA WO372) : WO372/19/60568

Service Record (NA WO363) :

War Memorial : Ottery St Mary

Newspaper Listings :

Notes : Posted as missing.

Feniton History Group held the 88th Meeting in the Nog Inn

It is lovely to see so many attending this month’s meeting.

David introduced Peter, a speaker we have booked for an evening in the Church, date to be confirmed. Peter has a wonderful sense of humour!

Alan gave us a very interesting talk on the railway life of the Powell family and incidents that took place. A lost suit case, and cleaning out the livestock pens. His worse day on the railway was when the late train from Salisbury failed at the station, it was not meant to stop! The signals were clear for it to pass through, there was a long wait for the phone! The train was stopped for some three hours, this was 1966. He also remembers helping guide Colesworthy sheep along so they did not on the line.

Rosemarie remembers traveling through on the train, not knowing she would live here one day!

Bob also worked on  the railway for the North Eastern at Leeds in the signal box. Being the “Youth” he was not allowed to do certain tasks, but when his boss sneaked off to play cards he was left in “charge”

Jenny told us about her progress with the filming of the Fenny Bridges Battle, the ladies of Rosemarie’s sewing group are helping with the making of a banner, this will be a wonderful heirloom to keep in the village.

Another interesting point made by Jenny is that the site of the Fenny Bridges may well be on or near the Old Fenny Bridges Hotel, or Bloomfield House as it was once known, this would have been on Skinner’s Ash Farm. It has always been a mystery as  to why no  battle left overs have been found in Fenny Mead.

Hugh told us he was gutted as Plymouth Argyle were not doing very well!!

Thank you all for a lively evening,

Next meeting on Thurs. 7^th Jun 8:00 in the Nog. Many thanks to Mike and Rosemarie for hosting us.