Uncle Tom Cobley & All

With Dr Todd Gray MBE

in association with the Feniton History Group

An evening of word and song, revealing the long and curious history of Devon’s anthem. Unknown variants of the ballad will be reintroduced including one from Feniton in 1867.  The evening is part of a four-week Devon-wide tour recreating Sabine Baring-Gould’s Costume Concert Lecture Tour which introduced `Widdicombe Fair’ to the world in 1888.

We are delighted to say that Jim Causley will be making a guest appearance and The Tale Valley Choir

7.30pm, 12 September 2019

St Andrew Church, Feniton EX14 3BY

Tickets £5 at the door

Feniton History Group help their 101st meeting in the Nog Inn

Feniton History Group held the 100th meeting in the Nog Inn

The Group are very sad to hear that Val is in hospital and we all send her our best wishes.

Geoff came along armed with cakes to mark our 100^th meeting and also, we used the cakes to mark Alan’s Birthday, he was surprised we knew it was his birthday, his face was a picture!!

We talked through the arrangements for Todd Gray’s Book Launch, date is confirmed for Thursday 12^th September at 7:30 pm. This will be put in place at the July meeting. We are not meeting in August.

We were pleased to welcome Margaret  with some Feniton related photos and paper cuttings relating to the bellringers  in 1979, 11 year old George Tibbet, Tom Virgin, 73 and the Tower Captain Les Stevens, who received a Long Service  award for Les who had worked at Feniton Court for 41 years in 1988 at Devon County Show. The other show Mrs P B E Ackland (sic) presenting the Championship trophy in the Shorthorn Class at Crewe Show in 1973.

A local historian and metal detectorist, Nigel was made welcome to the group. Good to have you on board Nigel.

A letter has been received from Graeme sending us a wonderful article dating to around the date of the Fenny Bridges Battle 1549. It is a Scabbard Chape, this was the piece of metal at the point of the scabbard to protect it. The Group thank Graeme for passing this to the Group Archive.

We are always amazed how the evenings in The Nog evolve  with random snippets coming together. This evening exceeded that. It is the 75^th Commemoration of the D Day Landings, may of us have been watch the BBC programs that mark the day. I hope my notes do this justice. The personal recollections of the Group members are just humbling and heart wrenching. 

Alan recalled the American Troop trains passing through, The Heathfield Camp in Honiton, now the trading estate, billeted the US Army, much to the delight of the ladies!!! Nylons, sweets,  tined meat,  fruit and chewing gum being some of the perks!!!

The US Navy were at Dunkeswell doing submarine patrols over the south west approaches,

the planes they used were liberator bombers. Alan recalls one of  the planes failed to take off and crashed near Sheldon, loaded with fuel and depth charges. Alan and his brother Keith wet off on their bikes to see this, Brenda still has the bits from the crash that Alan ad Keith brought back.  You can still see the site as the hedge has no trees growing  there.

Cycling home from Kings School by Cadhay, Alan spotted a glider in the corn field  with an US  officer by the gate, Alan engaged him in conversation to ask why, he was told the glider needs to go back to Upottery know as Smeatharpe. An  aircraft  came and caught up the hook cable and lifted off  towing the glider back to Smetharpe. This would have bee the

5^th Jun 1944. A lot of air craft towing gliders from Upottery off to the Normandy landing beaches.

RoseMarie remembers her Mum telling she would get Nits if she played on the bombed sites in Plymouth.  George  remembered taking sugar to the sweetshop for the shopkeeper to make his sweets.  Brenda’s family were living in the South East and the wonderful Christmas food parcel sent by her Grandparents in North Devon brought back memories of the farm with the smell. Margaret’s mother was hard at work scalding cream to make clotted cream for the hotels and Dellers.

 http://www.exetermemories.co.uk/em/_buildings/dellers-photos.php

Other members of the group passed on such devasting personal family tragedies; I thank them for relating their experiences that changed their lives for ever.

The meeting closed with Peter reading his poem about a Dead Russia Soldier. Thank you Peter. Peter shared his war experience and brought along his medals.

They shall grow not old, as we that are left grow old:

Age shall not weary them, nor the years condemn.

At the going down of the sun and in the morning

We will remember them.

Feniton History Group held the 99th Meeting in the Nog Inn

Thank you all for a wide ranging and lively discussion.

We spoke about the harsh attitude to dissenters during the war, men many of whom have seen the most terrible sights and, today, would be said to have traumatic distress syndrome.

Peter lost his wife 2 years ago after 70 years  together. He wants to help the communities which have helped him over the years. He had hoped to make a big gesture like doing a skydive,  or rowing the English Channel, but ill health prevents him. Sharon Cleal  will do the skydive on his behalf for Hospice Care. Look out for the sponsor forms!!   Peter is still doing a Marathon, that is to write 26  poems, 1 poem for each mile in a Marathon!! Peter is an amazing man to talk to, thank you for coming to our meetings and sharing you life and thoughts with us.

Brenda related that the sad death of Mrs. Rita Down of Sherwood Farm coincidences with the death of Mr Cruwys who died 100 years ago to the day, he farmed Sherwood too.

Brenda tells us that she and Val Jones are needing to recruit help with publishing the Feniton Parish magazine each month. So please make contact with Brenda if you can help. Her details are on the Magazine.

Alan told us he had read an Article in  the book “Devon” by Robin Stains a very keen local historian, it was a recollection of the prayer book rebellion memorial stone placed near the Bloody Meadow. The stone is off Cornish Granite. The stone commemorates the Battle of Fenny Bridges in 1549. There is current debate about the location of the Battlefield, some thoughts are linking the name of the old Fenny Bridges Pub to the battle the name being Bloomfield House.

RoseMarie remembered the event when the stone was placed, sadly many of the Cornish folk attending that day, did not know the words to  the Cornish Anthem “Trelawny”

George  took a walk  by the River Otter to work out how it had changed its course  over the years.

We remarked on the  BBC House History series based on a house  in Newcastle, it was very well presented by David Olusoga. Fascinating.

Geoff is helping catalogue James Ravilious’ wonderful photographs, which will put on the Internet.

 We commiserated with Hugh on the woes of Plymouth Argyle football team!

Peter rounded the evening off with a wonderful  coincidence, he met a fellow nurse, with a similar background to his own and in comparing notes they realised they came from the same town and same area, Peter being aged 93 and the nurse 39!!! They also went to the same school.

Thank you all for a wonderful evening.

Next meeting on 6^th June in the Nog Inn, we thank Mike and RoseMarie for their kind hospitality. This will be our 100^th meeting.

Feniton History Group held the 98th meeting in the Nog Inn

This note fron Geoff  may be of interest to you.

The Devon Record Centre (SW Heritage) the public catalogue is now updated with new items on a daily basis as against about every 3-4 months as before. And I am currently working on the subscription lists for the Exmouth and Exeter railway from 1845. 

They list everyone who subscribed to the cost of the railway [eventually becoming shares] giving their FULL name, OCCUPATION, FULL address, and how much they subscribed, and their signature. There are around 800-900 names all dating from late 1845 to early 1846 mostly from Exeter, Topsham and Exmouth. For anyone who has relatives living in Exeter, or who is studying the traders in the town its a wonderful resource. Nearly all traders in Exeter signed up so you could plot them on a street map.

We need a new Co Odinator please come forward to keep the Group going!

I formally give you all notice that I will be stepping back from

co-ordinating the History Group. My last meeting will be the

July one.

The pressure of family and farm life is not allowing me the

time or energy to continue in the role.

The group needs someone with enthusiasm to get the book

idea in place and put on a History Weekend for the village.

Best wishes,

Chris.

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