Price 50p

No. 30

Summer 2009 Journal of the Ottery St. Mary Heritage Society 10th Anniversary Edition

A bumper 12 page edition. including: FROM THE CHAIRMAN Has Ottery benefited from Slavery? p3 Despite our best efforts, the wrappers – and left the area clean Trustees have been unable to and smart for the summer tourists. acquire the Convent coach house as a museum site for the town. Our On behalf of the Trustees I am fundraising campaign could not delighted to welcome member generate sufficient funding in the Betty Williams who has been co- time available and the building was opted onto the Committee. sold to another buyer.We are The latest addition to the Heritage grateful to the Ottery Town Blue Plaque scheme is one for the Council for their support in Old Convent, the text for which Early Railway days p6 exploring alternative ways to has now been approved the Town borrow the money needed – but to Council, and we hope to have this no avail. Special thanks to John in place very shortly. Pilsworth for his undying efforts to seek out sources of major funding. Finally, we are grateful to everyone The search for suitable museum who has responded to our appeal premises continues and raising for personal memories and enough money to pay for it memorabilia in preparation for the remains a problem. Summer Exhibition “Ottery – a Parish at War” which will take Grandisson gets tough Saturday March 28 was designated place at the Institute, the last “Ottery Cleanup” day and our weekend in August. Do keep up with Ottery p12 Society members joined dozens of the momentum – it promises to be volunteers who gathered many a great show. sacks of rubbish from around the town.Three of us concentrated on the millstream and tumbling weir – my thanks to Peter Harris and Letters, articles or any other Oliver Wilson who joined me in submissions to the Journal can be fisher-mans’ waders to rake out emailed to discarded cans, bottles and [email protected]

1 Editorial Forthcoming Events Unless otherwise noted, all the Society's meetings are We are not amuseumed. held in the Institute,Yonder Street, Ottery St. Mary. During March and early April, the trustees were all of • June 16th (Tuesday) 7.30pm a flutter with the prospect of a real museum rising Annual General Meeting before them. Everything was going very nicely for a The meeting will be followed by a showing of a video while - the prospect of collaboration with the Town produced by Mary Godwin (late of RAMM) which illustrates Council to acquire the Stables building next to the some typical activities of members of the East Old Convent put colour into everyone’s cheeks for a Museums Group. few days. But the best laid plans etc etc - and we • July 21st (Tuesday) 7.30pm ended up with one further disappointment to add to Growing Up in Wartime our growing collection. Not that there’s any blame to Recollections from her childhood of the privations and joys of apportion - everyone involved was keen to progress wartime life, seen through the eyes of a young girl. Speaker: this project, but market forces were simply too strong Miss Peggy Cooke. for any of us to cope with. • August 27th - 31st All of which points to the need for a steady long term Summer exhibition - Ottery: A Parish at War fundraising effort, to give us some genuine leverage Ottery’s memories and historical remains from the Civil War when suitable opportunities arise. to the Second World War. The appeals in the last edition of the Journal for more • September 15th (Tuesday) 7.30pm involvement from members in running the Society or The beaching of the Napoli assisting with research met with mixed success. On the A description of the effects of the beaching of the MSS plus side, we are now two trustees better off (or will be Napoli on the village of Branscombe. once the AGM ratifies their appointments), with the Speaker: Barbara Farquarson. welcome arrival of Betty Williams and Oliver Wilson on the strength. On the other hand the appeal for • October 20th (Tuesday) 7.30pm transcribers bore no fruit, and we are unlikely at this The World Heritage Site South West point in time to make much progress on publishing An illustrated talk any of the mass of information about Ottery that sits Speaker: Dr. Robert Symes OBE. undisturbed in the Devon Record Office and • October 24th (Saturday) 1.00pm elsewhere.Ah well, we must wait til the mood takes us, The Coleridge Anniversary Lunch mustn’t we? Tumbling Weir Hotel Apart from providing entertainment in the following Speaker: to be announced. pages, your trustees have not shirked their wider duties. • November 17th (Tuesday) 7.30pm The chairman’s notes include some of the events at How did Ottery Begin? which the Society has been represented, and I can add An illustrated talk on what history and the landscape can tell here a couple of others - viz: the Community us about the very early development of Ottery. Archaeology Conference at University, where Speaker: Chris Wakefield. we showed off our Goveton Farm work, and a meeting of the AONB (Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty) “Making It Local” project, where we learned about Heritage Society Trustees Hon Chairman Robert Neal 813686 some useful grants that might be available to assist our Hon Secretary Chris Saunders 812962 heritage centre / museum ambitions. More on this in Hon Treasurer Jim Woolley 812176 due course. Sue Dymond also spoke at the Parishscapes Hazel Abley conference on work that the Society is involved in; and John Pilsworth 812737 Chris Wakefield 815262 your editor and Sue also attended a session at EDDC Membership Sec. Judy Mullinger 813019 to learn about the technical requirements for Co-opted members conversion of the Tithe Map itself (rather than the Sue Dymond Betty Williams schedule document - which we have already Oliver Wilson converted) into a database friendly format for inclusion Articles or letters can be emailed to the Journal at in the Parishscapes website. No rest for the wicked. [email protected]

2 Now that the West Indian Slave Registers are available online through ancestry.com, it is possible to estimate when the slaves had been bought.The slave registers began in 1817 and thereafter recorded the increases and Slavery decreases in the numbers of slaves owned by individuals, at three-yearly and two families intervals, with the aim of preventing illegal slave trading.They also recorded The 1814 Petition Why Thomas Davy whether the slave was African or Creole, that is, born in Africa or in A treasure to be found in the Devon didn’t sign Jamaica.The 1817 register for Topsham Records Office is the original 1814 Dr Thomas Davy (1773/4 – 1852) did shows that all its slaves aged over 14 abolition petition to Parliament by the not sign the petition.The obvious years were born in Africa, not Jamaica. citizens of Ottery St Mary (See the reason was that he himself was a slave This puts the date of purchase at Appendix).They were protesting owner. He would probably have felt it around 1803.Thus, Edward Davy had against the proposed Anglo-French hypocritical to denounce the slave just managed to squeak in before the peace treaty which would have trade. Or was he hoping to be able to Abolition Act of 1807 to buy enslaved allowed France to restore its slave benefit from a renewed flow of slaves Africans to provide the labour for his trade. 80 men signed the petition, into the Caribbean? Did he support pimento and coffee lands.This was in beginning with the most prominent the institution of slavery? the face of the growing popular local families, the Kennaways and the movement against slavery in Britain, Coleridges; just below them came one Thomas Davy was one of several including in Devon. In 1792, for of the town’s solicitors,Thomas brothers from Countess Wear, then example, the Exeter Flying Post Glanville.Absent was the doctor, part of Topsham,on the just reported meetings to petition Thomas Davy. outside Exeter.Their father was a Parliament for the abolition of the tenant farmer in the Glasshouse Lane The abolition movement had slave trade in various Devon towns, area. One of the brothers, Robert, was succeeded in forcing the abolition of including Exeter and Topsham.The a shipbuilder who constructed large the trade in slaves within the British Davy brothers, then, were new to the sailing ships called West Indiamen Empire in 1807 and would go on to business of slavery, they did not inherit which traded with the slave colonies culminate in the emancipation of long-held family slave plantations, and of the West Indies, Jamaica in slaves in 1838.Abolition in the French they must have been well aware of particular.Two other brothers, James Empire, however, had been a stop-start British popular feeling against the and Edward, had emigrated to process with abolitions of slavery and ‘peculiar institution’.They deliberately Jamaica, probably in the 1790s, and the slave trade being followed by re- chose to make use of enslaved Africans established estates in the hilly interior enslavements.The 1814 peace treaty, at in the pursuit of profit. No wonder of the island where they raised cattle the end of the Napoleonic Wars, Thomas Davy did not sign the and grew coffee and pimento would have granted the French the petition! (allspice). Edward did not live long, right to re-start their slave trade. dying in 1803/4 and leaving his estate, Why did Thomas The outrage provoked in Britain by named after his home town of this treaty was harnessed by Topsham, to his brother Thomas and Glanville sign the abolitionists across the country who sister Rebecca. petition? organised the most numerously signed Thomas and Rebecca inherited the Thomas Glanville (c1762 – 1854), the petition up to that date. 755,000 280 acre property with its slaves.There solicitor, on the other hand, did sign signatures were obtained on 861 is no evidence that they ever visited the petition, with many a loop and petitions, of which the Ottery petition their property but were, as was fairly flourish.This is surprising to me as at was one.The sheer scale of public common, absentee landlords. It was this time his son, Samuel (c1785 – anger, as evidenced by the petitions, their brother James who was 1862), was in Jamaica and becoming a forced Prime Minister Castlereagh to responsible for running Topsham as slave owner himself.Was there elevate international abolition to a well as his own nearby cattle ranch of disagreement between father and son priority and led to Napoleon’s decree Wear Pen.Topsham was sold in about over the issue of slavery? Did the of abolition in 1815.The petitions can 1824 by which time the number of father feel strongly about the slave therefore claim to have been slaves had gradually grown to 47 (from trade or was he merely conforming to ultimately successful. an unknown number when they social pressures within Ottery? What inherited it). did he think of Davy’s not signing?

3 Through extensive research of Ottery Davy, the owner of Wear Pen! This separated their possessions in 1830 on St Mary registers of baptisms and shows that Samuel had been in Abell’s marriage, leaving Samuel in burials, wills and census records, as Jamaica since at latest 1808 and further sole possession of Greenvale, a well as the equivalent Jamaican records reveal that he stayed there property of 2150 acres but now with records, I have come to realise that until his death in 1862. He was only 230 slaves. there was actually a close relationship definitely involved in the between the Glanville and Davy slavery/plantation system at the time Samuel Glanville became one of the families, on both sides of the Atlantic, of his father’s signing of the anti-slave ‘big men’ in the area which from 1817 and that it persisted to the end of trade petition. Secondly, it gives a was part of the parish of Manchester, Thomas Glanville’s life.This friendship strong indication of how and why he holding leading positions in military probably enabled Samuel Glanville to emigrated to Jamaica.The fact that he and civilian life.At that time, each set himself up as a slave owner in was connected to Davy’s Wear Pen slave-holding property was required to Jamaica and, decades later, assisted his estate suggests that he was one of the send a certain number of white men mixed race Jamaican sons and young white men employed on such to the local militia, as part of the daughters to settle back in Ottery. It estates as overseers, accountants or machinery which held the black is solicitor Glanville’s close relationship clerks. It seems highly likely that he population in subservience. Samuel to people who clearly believed in the obtained this position through his was clearly a leader as he rose rapidly slavery system that makes his father’s acquaintance with Dr Thomas through the ranks from 1821 when he abolitionist stance puzzling. Davy of Ottery, the brother of the received his first commission to owner of Wear Pen. become Lieutenant-Colonel of the The earliest written evidence of the Manchester Regiment of Foot by son Samuel Glanville’s presence in As the years went by, Samuel became 1829. In civil life he had become a Jamaica that I managed to find was in a slave owner in his own right. magistrate by 1839 and remained one the baptism records held in Spanish Through the Slave Registers and the until his death. Town, Jamaica, where the following Jamaica Almanacs available on baptism is recorded: jamaicanfamilysearch.com, it is With James Glanville, sixth generation possible to trace the expansion of his descendant of Thomas Glanville of Jane Glanville, born 7/5/1809, reputed holdings.The earliest of these records, Ottery. daughter of Samuel Glanville and for 1817, shows Samuel owning 6 Sarah Vaughan. It is interesting to speculate on the personal slaves and jointly owning a relationship between father Glanville A later entry in the same volume further 43 with one William Abell on in Ottery and son Glanville in Jamaica shows who Sarah Vaughan was: their nostalgically named Devon during these years. How often was the property near to Wear Pen. By 1820 dangerous and lengthy sea crossing Sarah Vaughan, baptised 1813, aged 22, they had jointly bought another large made so that they could meet and negro belonging to James Davy. property nearby called Greenvale with talk? How often were letters 290 slaves. Over the years they bought Thus Samuel Glanville had fathered a exchanged? Did news of the son reach up more land and slaves until they child by a slave belonging to James the father second hand through Doctor Thomas Davy? Were they estranged from each other over the Remains of Wear Pen House 2007 question of slavery? Thomas Glanville’s enslaved grand- daughter Another intriguing question is whether Thomas Glanville was told about his son’s child by the slave, Sarah Vaughan.When he signed the Ottery petition in 1814, his grand-daughter would have been five years old. Since children of slaves took their mother’s status, Jane Glanville was also a slave. She was classified as a ‘mulatto’ in the colour system of pre-emancipation Jamaica as the offspring of a white father and black mother. It is easy to follow her progress through the slave registers because she was the only

4 mulatto slave on the Wear Pen estate most prestigious houses in Ottery, Mill Street. It was now thirteen years at that time. now known as the Raleigh House, on since Emancipation and we can which may now be seen a blue plaque conjecture that any differences they One wonders whether Samuel commemorating his inventor son, may have had over the question of Glanville was concerned about his Edward. He was able to invest in a slavery had now faded into the past. daughter’s slave status and whether he good education for his sons, one of They were not to know that the made attempts to have her freed. I whom (John) became a doctor in decision they made back in 1814, to think the answer to that question must Ottery and another (Henry) a solicitor sign or not to sign, would become a be ‘yes’ because the slave registers in the town. Edward received a subject of interest to an inquisitive show the manumission (freeing) of medical training and later qualified in person almost two hundred years later! Jane in 1823, now aged 14 years. James chemistry. His inventive mind, Nonetheless, this study does lay bare Davy, the girl’s owner, was now 58 together with his sound scientific the differences of opinion within years old and had given over education, enabled him to invent an families and between friends over the responsibility for Wear Pen to his son electromagnetic relay for use in emotive topic of slavery. It illustrates John. Perhaps Samuel had previously telegraph communications. some of the moral compromises that tried unsuccessfully to persuade James respectable people made in their to free his daughter but had had to The Glanville money probably only pursuit of wealth and success.And it wait for the old man to relinquish his came into Ottery later, in 1851, when shows that even the apparently power before he could seize the Samuel sent five of his adult children innocuous town of Ottery St Mary opportunity for manumission. It is not back to his home town. Samuel had shares some of the responsibility for stated in the registers whether he had had a large family by his mixed-race the exploitation of Africans with its to pay for his daughter’s freedom. common-law wife, Eleanor Vassall. legacy of racial division and bitterness. Another factor could have been Some of his nine children were Samuel’s own increased status as registered on baptism as quadroon, landowner.What is remarkable is that that is, one quarter black and three Gillian M. Allen the slave returns had to be sworn quarters white, while others were References 1814 Petition. Devon Record Office, before a local person of stature and registered as mestee, one eighth black. 1262M/L50 this year they were sworn before The vicar’s judgement was apparently Samuel Glanville himself! based on the children’s appearance, the Baptisms, Marriages, Burials of Whites, Coloureds, Free persons, Slaves.Vol 1; 1816 darkness of their skin and the texture – 1839. Manchester Parish. Island Record It would be interesting to know what of their hair. When Eleanor died, the Office, Spanish Town, Jamaica. happened to Jane as a newly liberated family divided into the five who teenage girl. Did she stay with her Beckles, H. and Shepherd,V.(1991). decided to move to Ottery and the Caribbean Slave Society and Economy:A mother in the slave quarters at Wear four who opted to stay in Jamaica.The student reader. Kingston: Ian Randle Pen or move in with her father in the Ottery five stayed first at Butts Publishers. great house at Greenvale? Although I Cottage, probably courtesy of Thomas Drescher, S. (1986) Capitalism and Anti- have not found the answer to this Davy, and shortly moved to the nearby slavery. London: Macmillan question, it is gratifying to see that village of Alfington where they lived Flying Post, February and March 1792. Samuel remembered her in his will at Alfington House. Samuel paid for nearly forty years later when he left them through money ‘invested in Index of Baptisms, Marriages, Burials, St her a £26 annuity. Elizabeth 1707 – 1839. Island Record public funds in ’ and from his Office, Spanish Town, Jamaica. ‘real estate in England’. Some of this Returning to the Ottery petition, it is Jamaica Almanacs on poignant to think that Mr Glanville, real estate was local: Bernard’s Land, www.jamaicafamilysearch.com. the solicitor, may have been signing to Wootton Estate, Leggeshayes and Prings.Although they seem not to Jamaican Slave Registers on www.ancestry protest about slavery in the French .com. colonies without knowing that he have stayed in this tiny hamlet for long Kelly’s Devon Directories 1890 - 1914 himself was grandfather to a slave.And – did the locals understand their if he did know, that provided a Jamaican patois? – the youngest son Ottery St Mary Parish Registers 1601 – compelling motive for his signature on (another Thomas) became the 1837 the roll. principal landowner of Alfington from Ponsford, C.N. (Ed) (1988) Shipbuilding 1893 until his death in 1910.The on the Exe:The memoranda book of How did Ottery sisters moved fairly quickly to the Daniel Bishop Davy. Published by the more exciting social scene in Bath. Devon and Cornwall Record Society, profit from slavery? New Series,Vol 31. It is well-nigh impossible to trace the Conclusion UK Censuses on www.ancestry.com flow of profits from the Davy and The 1851 census reveals that the two Will of Samuel Glanville, Parish of Glanville slave estates. Nevertheless, elderly gentlemen, Doctor Thomas Manchester, Jamaica,Vol 129, pp124 – 126; there is evidence of their wealth. Island Record Office, Spanish Town, Davy, now 78, and solicitor Thomas Jamaica. Thomas Davy, the doctor and absentee Glanville, 89, lived two doors apart on landlord, was able to buy one of the Email: [email protected] Telephone: 01392 877195

5 THE EARLY DAYS OF THE LONDON & SOUTH WESTERN RAILWAY Development however, the original capital was capitalise on the resultant traffic almost exhausted and little railway line generated, but some shareholders Much has been written, and many had been built. Mr Giles was replaced objected, alleging that some passengers books published, on railways in by Joseph Locke and work made more might be unwilling to travel on the Britain. However, it seemed to the rapid progress, so that on May 12th line in the knowledge that trains local historian that, whilst coverage 1838 the first train ran over the could be carrying bodies for burial. continually improves throughout the completed length of the line between This problem was overcome by 20th century, information about the the London terminus of Nine Elms building 2 dedicated platforms at trains themselves in the 19th century and Woking. Waterloo (one for coffins and one for was rather patchy.The main interest to mourners) and allocating a daily train readers of the Heritage Journal will be By this time, the inhabitants of solely for this traffic, running directly in the local branch railway, but this Portsmouth also became interested in to a new branch-line terminus at the story needs to be told in the context having a railway service, but the cemetery called Brookwood of the development of the mainline rivalry between them and Necropolis.Traffic was transferred railway networks.This first article Southampton was so great that they from rail to road following severe provides an outline of the origins and decided against having a railway at all damage to the Waterloo terminal growth of the railway company that rather than be a branch of the during WW2. eventually provided a service to so Southampton line! The Directors of many towns and villages in the South the LS&R overcame this difficulty in a The L&SWR was only one of many and West of the country; a later article rather novel way by changing the railway companies in operation during will look at the early development of name of the company to its enduring the 19th century - albeit one of the the branch line. name of the London & South Western largest - and intense competition took Railway Ltd. (L&SWR) in 1839.The place in the South West between the The main providers of services in final stretch of the railway line to L&SWR and the Great Western Devon from the inception of railways Southampton was eventually Railway (GWR), whose broad gauge were the “Bristol and Exeter Railway” completed, and the service was lines intersected with the standard- which was later absorbed into the opened on 11th May 1840, with the gauge lines of the former at several “Great Western Railway” (GWR) and branch to Gosport opening in important junctions.Agreements were the “London and South Western November 1841. Passengers reached reached over the years, and the areas Railway Co.” (L&SWR).The latter had Portsmouth by means of the ferry served by the two largest companies its roots in the “Southampton, London between the two ports. Portsmouth gradually became delineated. Other, and Branch Rwy. and Dock acquired it own direct railway line smaller, companies were gradually Company” formed in 1831 by a group from London in 1848. integrated or absorbed into one or of interested gentlemen in other of the giants. For example, the Southampton.An Act of Parliament The line to the west was extended Exeter and Railway was established the London and from Basingstoke to Andover in 1854, amalgamated into the L&SWR in Southampton Railway (L&SR) in thence to Salisbury and , finally 1866. 1834.The plan included a branch line reaching Exeter on 19th July 1860.An from Basingstoke to Bristol, which extension from Exeter to Once the main lines were fully resulted in a less than direct route was opened by the L&SWR in 1876. operational, many branch lines were between London and Southampton. Waterloo Station replaced Nine Elms constructed to serve smaller towns as the London passenger terminus in away from the main line.The branch The Line into Devon 1848, but the latter remained as the line from Ottery Road station, The first engineer of the L&SR, a Mr. terminal for good traffic. through Ottery St Mary, to Sidmouth Giles, projected an extension from was authorised in 1862, although it Another interesting case of having to Basingstoke through Salisbury and did not open until 14 years later. It is take note of local sensibilities occurred to Exeter, with a branch to interesting to learn that the station in 1852 with the opening of a large Newbury and Oxford. In 1836, whilst was named Feniton by the Railway cemetery near Woking. London the line from London to Southampton Company, but change to Ottery Road cemeteries were becoming filled, so was under construction, a Mr. at the behest of the M.P.for Honiton, the London Necropolis Co. was Stephenson surveyed the route from Sir John Kennaway. formed to address this problem by Basingstoke, through Salisbury, to purchasing a large tract of land at , with branches to Yeovil, Brookwood.The L&SWR planned to and other towns. By then,

6 The Locomotives 1875, no less than 243 locomotives of remembered names throughout the various classes were built here. Joseph history of steam railways are those of The original directors thought, in Beattie was the Locomotive the chief engineers who were 1838, that two passenger and three Superintendent (Chief Engineer) responsible for the design, if not the goods locomotives would suffice to between 1850 and 1871, and he actual production, of the engines. operate the railways between London designed and introduced a number of to Southampton, and earn a 10% successful models.After his death in The Trains dividend for shareholders. Such was 1871 his son W.G. Beattie stepped up the success of the venture that this The size of the company in 1856 is into his father’s post. He enjoyed initial stock of five locomotives was illustrated in terms of the published reasonable success, until the delivery of soon found to be quite inadequate, inventory of rolling stock, which twenty express 4-4-0s by Sharp, and no less than 32 additional locos comprised 2 State coaches, 212 first Steward & Co. in 1877.They failed so were purchased within the next year class, 51 composite, 201 second class, dismally that the Directors demanded or two. In fact, during the life of the 135 third class, 3 hearse carriages, 60 his resignation, and he retired on company, many steam locomotives horse boxes, 61 carriage trucks, 45 grounds of ill-health after only 6 were bought in from established guards vans and 2,239 goods wagons. years. Production at Nine Elms manufacturers including Sharp, A total of 77 locomotives had been resumed in 1887 during the tenure of Roberts & Co., Nasmyths,Tayleur & built at the company’s Nine Elms William Adams as the Locomotive Co., Rothwell & Co., Rennies, E. Bury works, to which must be added, Superintendent.The engineering & Co., Beyer, Peacock & Co., Sharp, probably, at least the same number of works were finally relocated from Stewart & Co., Neilson & Co., R. locos purchased from other suppliers. Nine Elms to Eastleigh, near Stephenson & Co.The majority of Southampton, in 1909. Locomotives represented the these engines were built to the design glamourous face of any railway specifications of the L&SWR’s Chief William Adams was the chief company, and relatively little Engineer of the time. engineer until 1895 when Dugald information is available about rolling Drummond replaced him. Finally Nevertheless, only five years passed stock, particularly the coaches, which Robert Urie held the post from 1912 before the company established its rarely feature in the available until the L&SWR became part of own locomotive building works.This photographs of trains in the 19th Southern Railway in 1923. Without was located at Nine Elms - the site of century. In the 1850s, 3rd class travel doubt, the availability of reliable and the company’s head office and the was still in open wagons, where 1st cost-effective locomotives was one of original London terminus of the and 2nd class coaches were covered. the main factors that underpinned the railway network (both for passengers Through most of the 19th century, all commercial success of the company. and for freight). Between 1843 and coaches were of the 3-axle type, and Small wonder then that the best-

Fig. 1: The L&SWR Route Network in Devon

7 GWR boats which sailed from Weymouth meant that little profit was made on this venture. Conclusion There is no doubt that this was a well-run and successful company, bringing the benefits of reliable, relatively comfortable and speedy travel within the reach of almost everyone in the region in which it provided services.After 84 years as a separate identity, however, another great round of rationalisation took place, and the L&SWR passed into history when it became part of Southern Railway in 1923. It amalgamated with the three other major railway companies serving the Illustration 2: L&SWR locomotive “Herod” used to haul express trains area south of the Thames.These were from Waterloo to Exeter between 1865 and 1890 the London, Brighton and South Coast, the South Eastern and the some of these were still in service into coloured umber, and the upper half London, Chatham and Dover Railway the 1920’s. coloured salmon. Companies. Southern Railway had an The only information available to Diversions even shorter life, becoming the the author concerning liveries Southern Region of the nationalised In its time, the L&SWR used other evidently refers to the engines.W.G. British Railways in 1948. forms of transport in support of the Beattie adopted a plain crimson railway system. In 1905 they bought colour, which, in the 1860’s, was four Clarkson steam buses, two of Chris Saunders changed to umber with black bands which were intended for use on the and orange and green lining. In 1885 Acknowledgments: route between Exeter and . William Adams adopted a pea green 1. Illustration 1 appears in They were not a great success, and livery with white lines and black “Locomotive Engineers of the were sold after 3 years. edging for express locomotives, and Southern Railway” by Ben Webb holly green with light green lines and The company also acquired the 2. Illustration 2 appears in “Exeter black edging for all other classes.Two South-Western Steam Packet Co. with and Railways, published by years later, the pea green livery was a fleet of 18 steam-powered vessels, Halsgrove Press. adopted for all locomotives. seven of which were paddle-steamers. They operated on routes between Contemporary paintings (probably 3. Illustration 3 appears in “London Southampton and Le Havre, St. Malo, from the 1890’s) show the locomotives and South Western Railway Album by Cherbourg and the Channel Islands.. in the holly green livery whilst the D. L. Bradley. Between 1871 and 1881, four of the lower half of the passenger coaches are steamers were lost - mostly wrecked 4. The author wishes to thank Alan on rocks - and competition from the Powell and Leo Dolling for their kind Illustration 3: A typical assistance and constructive comments passenger coach from 1878 on the text.

References: “Locomotive Engineers of the Southern Railway” by Ben Webb “London and South Western Railway Album” by D. L. Bradley “The London and South Western Railway” by G.A. Skelton “L&SWR Locomotives” by F.Burtt

8 Visit to the Hunter Flying Club March 11th 2009

Living in the vicinity of Exeter several of the other workers there. one of the only two Fairy Gannets Airport I am often entertained by He was an ideal guide who still in existence.That this could be Hawker Hunter jet aircraft as they radiated energy and efficiency and made to fly again seemed to me a carry out proving flights following oozed knowledge. He explained miracle comparable with a heart, a servicing, maintenance or that the flying club was formed by lung, kidney and liver transplant rebuilding programme. It was, a group of aircraft buffs.Their into someone who has already had therefore, a great pleasure to be business is returning decrepit a quadruple bypass. But there was a one of the party of eight Heritage Hunters and other aircraft of a certain feeling of confidence Society Members who visited the similar vintage, to a flying amongst the work team and a airport, on March 11th, to be given condition, finding purchasers for proud owner continued to finance a conducted tour of the facilities of these and other aircraft and the rebuild. the Hunter Flying Club, providing a full time maintenance, servicing and proving facility for The eight Hunters seen an organisation whose business is those aircraft entrusted to their represented six of the forty-two keeping a number of somewhat care. variants built.We had the ancient Hawker Hunters in flying differences between some of these condition. At the time of our visit there were explained along with many details three Hunters parked outside, due concerning the initial On arrival at the back gate of the to insufficient hangar space and development. Our member, Hazel airfield, off the old A30, we were five complete aircraft in a hangar, Abley was thrilled to be allowed to guided through the somewhat where servicing was being carried sit in the cockpit of one of the daunting security system by a out on some.The hangar also more attractive looking craft but charming young lady, who contained piles of components that her further ambitions were organised our parking before represented the mortal remains of thwarted when the ignition key handing us over to one Malcolm several other planes, to be restored was not provided.We also had a Walton. Malcolm is a volunteer one day or used as spares. Pride of good close up look at a Martin worker for the flying club, as are place at the back was the carcase of Baker ejector seat from one of the

9 aircraft being serviced. No one 500lb bombs gave it considerably volunteered to test this.Also shown more firepower than the typical were dummies of the ammunition Lancaster bomber of World War 2 from the cannon that became fame. standard on all aggressive versions of the plane – of this, more later. The Hunter was the last of the many success stories from the now We were advised that one of the defunct Hawker Aircraft Company aircraft parked outside was for sale, and I suggest that both aircraft and at a mere £29,000.The company will always remain a of intruders into European airspace expenditure does not end here of significant part of our heritage. from behind the Iron Curtain, course as some “minimal” work is though later versions achieved required before a Certificate of Thanks are due to the management considerable success in other roles. Airworthiness can be issued.There of the Hunter Flying Club for The prototype Hunter, initially is also some bureaucratic nonsense showing us over their operation known as the Hawker P.1067, flew about taking a stringent flying test and to Exeter Airport Security for on 20th July 1951.After a before being allowed to fly a jet tolerating our presence.Thanks are somewhat troubled gestation about the Devon countryside.The also due to Chris Saunders who set period an acceptable aircraft was engine is started by means of a up the visit. produced and ongoing refinements gigantic cartridge, which looks finally resulted in the most Oh! By the way. If any club something like a shotgun round successful post war fighter member wishes to hire a Hunter some ten inches long and four produced in Britain.The first for an air show or other activity, inches in diameter.These cost prototype, fitted with a more the contact with the Hunter Flying £110 each. Sometimes the starting powerful afterburning Avon Club can be advised. It will only process will abort and a second engine, established a speed record be necessary to specify where, cartridge must be used – but do of 727.63 mph on 7th September when and how many aircraft are not worry as each aircraft carries 1953, piloted by Hawker’s famous required. three.Then as you taxi from the Chief Test Pilot, Neville Duke. hard standing to the end of the Peter Baker runway £30 of fuel is consumed - Some 1972 Hunters were built for if the plane incorporates the the home and overseas market and smaller Rolls Royce Nene jet around 400 of those initially used engine. On some craft a larger in the UK were later rebuilt and William & Nene is fitted, so the fuel sold overseas. It became a front line consumption will be somewhat machine for the RAF until higher.Whichever size engine is superseded by the supersonic Mary in 1851 fitted, it has to be replaced after English Electric Lightning in Your christian name as an two hundred flying hours. 1986.It also served with another 20 1851 resident of Ottery was air arms around the world and in This indicates that adopting a most likely to be William or 2009 there are thought to be about Hunter or any other jet plane, as a Mary. One in every five 100 airworthy examples still in plaything is not for those retired people would have one or existence. people whose main form of other of these names.The rest sustenance is the State Pension. It is The Hunter was a popular aircraft of the top 10, in order of possibly no coincidence that the from the beginning. It looked very preference, were John, George, registration letters of one of the attractive, provided it was on your Elizabeth, Sarah,Thomas, Hunters in the hangar was side, had no real vices at subsonic James, Ellen and Henry. G-VETA, which, it was suggested, speeds and was immensely strong. could well stand for Very Expensive It also provided a significant It was tough if you were called Toy Airplane. advance in weaponry with the William Baker - there were six production of the Mk.6 version. Still, joking apart, the Hunter is a others with the same name in Four 30mm Aden cannon, each warplane, which fact will stir Ottery.Worst of all though, with 135 rounds of ammunition, unpleasant morality conflicts in together with up to 24 76mm was Mary Baker - there were some.This aircraft was originally rockets and two each 1000lb and nine of them in the parish! conceived to act as an interceptor

10 IT spot Journal competition No1 Those of you with computers and I don’t think we’ve ever attempted access to the internet may have competitions previously in the noticed the rapid increase in Journal, but without promising historical data available on-line, glittering prizes (or even regular much of it free.This means that appearance), I thought to try it out to you really can be an armchair keep you busy between-times. 1 historian (provided your armchair Answers please to is in front of your PC that is).This [email protected] or posted column will attempt to pass on any to “Melbury”, Longdogs Lane, OSM information that comes to the EX11 1HX editor’s notice about IT and DATE STONES 2 historical research.To empty the current cache of items... Small local builders have traditionally been proud of their work.When they 3 histpop.org.uk - 200,000 pages of were engaged on buildings in very census and registration material for the public locations, a little masonry 4 British Isles are supported by plaque was often included high up on the wall, or even on the chimney, to numerous ancillary documents from 5 The National Archives, critical essays commemorate the date of and transcriptions of important construction and/or the builder.These legislation which provide an aid to are not the same as commemorative 6 understanding the context, content stones on public buildings, which are and creation of the collection. - very usually at low level, and more fulsome useful for demographic research. with information.There are a set of photos right with Ottery datestones www.historicaldirectories.org - trade on private houses.Your job is to directories are available through some answer the questions listed below - of the payed-for genealogical sites, but one for each photo. Points will be this is a Leicester University project awarded for correct answers. and is free. Slightly flaky site but very Additional points awarded for 7 useful. Includes Pigots,Whites and deciphering or discovering the Kellys and Devon is well represented builders names where the initials (Exeter Central Library was on the appear. Lots more points awarded for steering group for this project). information (or better still photos) of datestones not shown here.The points - An online www.domesdaybook.net scheme is entirely arbitrary, and I shall Domesday Book - this is a free one - make up rules as suits.There may be a 8 quite amazingly comprehensive, prize - who can tell? The quest for available for MSAccess or as delimited answers should be enough to spur you text files for use in almost any database to action. Full details of your efforts system. Essential for medievalists. will be published in the next edition Don’t forget also that the Devon of the Journal.The photo number is Record Office and Devon Libraries followed by the question for that 9 both have online catalogues - the photo... DRO has submitted much of its 1). Date? material to the National Archive 2).Where? Website, known as A2A (Access to 3).Where? / Builder? Archives).The search criteria for this 4).Where? site are a little tricky but there’s lots of 5).Where? / Builder? 10 useful information even in the short 6).Where? / Who’s BC? summaries that describe the materials 7).Which Terrace? held in various repositories across the 8).Which Cottages? UK. 9).Where? / Builder? 10).Where? / Builder? editor

11 Grandisson issues warnings on chapel and church abuse Had the Midweek Herald (or other the chapel, which Grandisson notes in Originally the plays were just a series popular local newspaper) been passing as “newly erected”, as it is with of silent tableaux.When dialog was available 650 years ago, then the his anxieties about how the local later added in was in latin - the headline above would be a hot community might use it. His warning universal language of the church, but contender for the front page story in throws an interesting light on local life the visual aspects of the plays were an edition from late June 1355. John in Devon in the 14th century, where, comprehensive enough for an illiterate Grandisson, Bishop of Exeter, nearing in spite of the continuous presence of audience to continue attendance in 30 years of service in the Diocese, was Christianity since the middle of the large numbers.As with any successful resident in his manor at , 7th century, it appears that the production, the players (the priests and writing instructions for the diocesan attraction of pagan style festivals had canons of the church) were keen to workforce, and considering, inter alia, not been entirely expunged from local develop the process, and it was his recent work on the bridge at customs. probably the inclusion of non Ottery St Mary where he had built a liturgical materials, designed to amuse chapel dedicated to Saint Saviour. The letter begins with the usual the audience, that lead to Grandisson's salutations, and is followed by a curt letter of December 1360, banning the Construction and maintenance of warning about misuse of the chapel, Christmas Plays at Ottery church. But bridges were frequently the especially for the promotion of the genie was now well out of the responsibility of the church, and as a springtime rituals, which he says he bottle; the public’s appetite for theatre result they often had a chapel found taking place in chapels had been thoroughly whetted, and the associated with them, sometimes built elsewhere in the diocese.When these plays were now simply reorganised for on the superstructure itself but more were eventually discovered, the chapels performance in the market place and commonly on or near to one or other involved were promptly demolished, at local fairs. It is from these of the abutments. In many cases the with nothing left standing. beginnings the English theatrical chapel was occupied by a hermit, or tradition has developed. religious devout, who could, for a Grandisson makes it clear he would be consideration, say prayers to safeguard hugely disappointed if he were to cw your forthcoming journey, or give discover goings-on of a similar kind at thanks for your safe arrival.The Ottery, and urges the authorities here refs: money thus raised provided useful to be on their guard against any sign H.C.Hingeston-Randolph “The income for the mother church to of it, or face possible loss of the Register of John de Grandisson Bishop cover maintenance of the bridge itself chapel. of Exeter. 1327-1360” 1894. and, if he was lucky, the hermit as Since no chapel would mean no tolls well. John Whitham “Ottery St Mary” 1984 income, the threat of demolition As time passed the qualifications of would have been taken very seriously. Apology No further action was taken that we the hermit became less stringent and The last edition of the Journal included the job of toll collector / chanter fell know of, so we might assume that an article on William Browne which open to almost any old, single man Ottergians were behaving themselves, consistently mis-spelt John Whitham’s who could repeat some plausibly but it seems we were an unruly bunch name.The author apologises, and claims efficacious travel prayers, and agree to in the middle ages, and Grandisson in mitigation a chronic inability to live rent free in less than luxurious was obliged to tick us off again just distinguish Whitham (local author of accommodation. five years later, this time for our love “Ottery St Mary”) from Whetham (local of theatrical activities. author of “A Manor Book of Ottery”). We are now several reconstructions He hopes, having endured the chairman’s away from the Ottery Bridge of 1355, It had become commonplace in the wrath, he will not fall prey to the same so we have no idea what 14th century for churches to host confusion in the future. -cw liturgical plays - particularly at St Saviour’s Chapel looked like, but Letters, articles or any other submissions we know of its construction date from Christmas and Easter - they were to the Journal can be emailed to Grandisson’s letter dated 1st June of popular with a largely illiterate [email protected] that year.The letter is not so much congregation, and proved effective in Deadline for the next edition is concerned with the actual building of teaching the Christian message. 21st August 2009 Articles or letters to the editor can be posted to Chris Wakefield,“Melbury” Longdogs Lane, Ottery St Mary EX11 1HX or emailed to [email protected]. Published by The Ottery St Mary Heritage Society. Printed by John Gaffney Design and Print, Ottery St. Mary tel 01404 815111

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