Newsletter No. 17 Latest News

August 2017 ISSN 2053-9592 We are pleased to announce volunteers to take part in our that we have finished 2018 World War 1 compiling a Buckland Brewer commemorations. See https:// Trail, highlighting some of the bucklandbrewerhistorygroup. historical features of village. wordpress.com/data/buckland- We trialled this at our June at-war/ for further details. meeting and then had the pleasure of using it when we Unfortunately, we had to cancel took our friends from our July outing to Devon Rural Petrockstowe and Merton Archive as we were unable to History Society round the meet their minimum number village in July. We hope that requirements. We hope to be printed versions will be able to visit on another occasion, available later in the year. perhaps in conjunction with another group. In May, local author, Pamela Vass, came to talk to us about In November, we are joining the research that she did for with the Village Hall committee her novel Seeds of Doubt . The to host an evening of plot centres on the Lynmouth entertainment centred on the floods of 1952 and whether they life of our Postman Poet, Edward were an act of God or man. Capern. Local author and This was a fascinating member, Liz Shakespeare, will presentation and certainly be reading extracts from her provided food for thought. novel about Capern’s life. Folk Pam’s book can be obtained artists, Nick Wyke and Becki from Walter Henry’s bookshop Driscoll, will be presenting in Bideford or via her website musical versions of some of his www.boundstonebooks.co.uk. poems and in true Buckland style, there will be food. See page We were on display at the fete 11 for more information. in July and signed up more ∼♦∼ The History The our of Parishand People its Contact Us

By email: [email protected] By telephone: 01237 451817 (Lyn Layton) By post: Buckland Brewer History Group: 2 Castle Cottages, Buckland Brewer, Bideford, Devon EX39 5LP UK. Please visit our website. It contains all our latest news and is updated regularly, so keep checking back. http://bucklandbrewerhistorygroup.wordpress.com Buckland History Group Brewer

Farm Diary auction. Dad took 3 bullocks and a Guernsey cow and calf but he didn’t sell Extracts from Mercy Pickard’s diary 1940 - either of them. th 1944 Goutisland Farm, Buckland Brewer. Jan 17 1940 Dad has been to Barnstaple Mercy was born in 1915 and married to appeal for Dennis {Mercy’s brother who Samuel Luxton in 1948. suffered all his life with very bad asthma} .

st He has to appear before the Agricultural Jan 1 1940. The year opens with two Committee.nd Snow, very cold weather. tragedies. The war and terrible Jan 22 Dad took 25 sheep to Stibb Cross earthquakes in Turkey. The weather cold to the first collection for central and sneaky. nd slaughtering. He made a very good price. Jan 2 1940 The ringers and choir supper Still bitterth weather. was held in the Parish room. I think Jan 26 Mum and Dad went to Bideford. everyone enjoyed themselves, it was hard Kenneth Burrows came over this evening work but worth it. th to enquire about the pantomime at Jan 8 1940 A lovely day. Stibb Cross Exeter.

Dennis Pickard far left, Mercy Pickard far right 2 rd Feb 3 Dad has been to Barnstaple to killed two thdays before and cut up. appeal for Dennis in front of the March 19 Big Event. A fresh car. Agricultural Committee. No result Austin 12,nd 1936 model. known yet. April 2 The mason came in to do th Feb 7 th An event a new Radio! some pointing. Market day. Fidgety Fe 8 Colonel Channer came over for a calved. The thresher has just come in, bag of potatoes. Dennis has gone to a 9.45.p.m.th YFC danceth at Bradworthy. April 4 Whitewashing. What a job. Feb 17 A big victory for the navy. They Finished threshing for the season. rescuedth 300 English prisoners Britishth aeroplanes have success. Feb 28 Have been to W.I. Miss Goaman Apri 8 Stibb Cross auction. Dad took gave a talk on Wartime cookery. Walked 3 stores and made £25 and 15 shillings. home withth Margaret Cleverdon. Percy Tucker brought out some more March 15 Tithicott sale. Took some uniform for dad as a Special pork to Berthe Johns. The pig had been Constable.

Special Constables Arthur Pickard (Mercy’s father) bottom row on the right Please let us know if you can name any of the other men 3 th April 9 The Germans have invaded and farming in general during wartime. Denmark and Norway. Wreford Lake came to see Dennis. He is th April 11 Auntie Lucy drove Mum to the home on leave from France. Holland opening of the new Senior School at and Belgium have been invaded by Torrington performed by the Minister Germany. Chamberlin has resigned. of Educationth Mr. Ramsbottom. Churchillth is Prime Minister. April 12 The Sanitary Inspector has May 18 Dad is doing Special Constable been and inspected the shippon and duty. Mumth gone to nursing meeting. dairy. Everything is in order, which is a May 24 Empire Day. The King made a good job.th very good speech. News from the War April 15 Hail and snow, who would Zone is very depressing, but one must think summer is coming. Collected eggs not despair.th for the hospital.th A good response. May 29 Mum has been in bed with April 16 Went to Orleigh Court to see headache. Dad doing S.C. duties. the house. It is a large old fashioned Airplanesth are passing in great numbers. place. A few lovely things and a lot of May 30 Dennis was out of bed before 4 rubbish. {Orleigh sale was the next day. a.m. this morning to patrol Parkham,

Mercy’s parentsnd rd bought a wardrobe}. Bableigh Moors and surrounding April 22 -23 Cleaned the chicken district.th Met Mr Lomas. house and cut the grass. Mr Irwin has June 4 Charlie Smale’s funeral. Dad tested the bullocks a second time. The was a bearer.th Not many there. bullocks passed the TT test. The club June 13 80 evacuees arrived at pigs were shown at Bideford today. Did Buckland this evening. We have 2 girls, not win any prizes. Slow Coach has Jean ? and Iris Gill. Hope they will be calved. Budgetth day. happy. th April 26 Dad, Mary and I have been to June 15 Helped Mrs. Beamish entertain

Buckland to a concert given by the the Sundaynd school. Ducks and Drakes concert party in aid June 22 Took evacuees and Mary to of wool for the soldiers. They were Westwardth Ho! We all had a good time extremelyth good. June 29 Drove Mrs Gwen Hearn to April 27 Mum and Mary have been to market as she missed the bus. Bideford

Mrs. Smale’s to be fitted for their frocks. was crowdedth with strangers. Dad and Dennis are busy preparing 12 July 25 A company of soldiers have acres forrd corn. been out to help on the farm from May 3 Drove Mum to Parkham, went Bideford. They are all aliens. They work to Nethercott to see Mr. Lang about very well. putting some horses at Melbury. Met a lot of armyth th lorries. We are grateful to Ann Luxton, Mercy’s May 7 -10 YFC meeting Mr. Carey of daughter, for allowing us to publish Bideford gave a lecture on Pig Keeping extracts from the diary and for providing the photographs. 4

Marland’s History of 1653 Ann dau. of Thos. Hamson esq Buckland Brewer and —– wife of the house of Baxly was bap. vide Dennis ped. 1664 Mary dau of John Daymon and Jane In the 1870s, local antiquary ‘Marland’ his wife bap. June 4. wrote regularly in the North Devon 1665-6 Mellory Wynslade was buried Journal . He began to write about Mar. 7. Buckland Brewer in the issue of 5 1665 Joane, wife of John Wynslade bur September 1878. In doing so, he quotes at March 19. length from many earlier works. 1699 Mr Wm. Velly of Hartland bur June Extracts from the parish registers 13. 1713 One William, a black, bap Dec 26. 1604 Oct 5 Eliz. Penrose, vidua, que obiit 1731 Mr Christ. Lambe bur May 3. Mrs apud Haulsberye, sepulta erat. Eliz. Lambe bur Feb 28. 1610-1 Feb 7 Joan dau of John Wynslade 1732 Mrs Mary Turner buried April 26. sep. 1732 Mrs Jane Lambe Nov. 8 bur. 1611 April 11 John son of John Gifford gent 1749 Mrs Mary Nations, the wife of Frank and Eliz. de Wynslade his wife bapt. Nations, Sep. 19 bur. (Son of Lewis, son of 1614 Aug 21 Edmd. son of the same bapt. Francis Nation, Rector of Parkham 1666- 1612 Feb 4 Mary dau. of John Morth gent 1702.) and Anne his wife (an ancestor of 1747 Mrs Marg. Turner bur. July 21. Archdeacon Woollcombe). 1764 John, ye sone of Francis and Marg. 1614 May 2 Edward son of the same bpt. Nations bap. Sep. 14. 1614 March 2 buried John Terdrew of 1766 Francis, son of the same bap. Ap. 20. Memberye. 1768 Chas., son of the same bap. Jan 30. 1615 June 26 married Nic Paine and Grace Peter 1774 Westlake of Stratton, 1771 Mr Alfred Northcott buried Oct. 23. 1618 March 4 Nic. Shapleigh gent. And 1779 Francis Nations buried July 11. Ann Chapman of East Putford married. 1756 Geo. Fortesque of ye parish of 1616 John Deyman and Mary Vigures, Shebbear (vide Buckland Filleigh p. 9 nupt., March 3. NDJ Jan 6 1878) and Elizabeth Northcott 1623-4 Feb 3 Mr Will. Daulsbury bur. of Buckland Brewer, married by license 1626 Jan xxii Mrs Joane Travillian bur. April 28. 1643 John a London souldier was buried “Here lieth the body of Stephen May 30 Northcott, of this parish, who departed 1645 Captayne James King was buried Jan the 8th day of November 1714 aged 40 10. years. (Tradition says that he was a large 1648 John the son of John Winslade was and powerful man, servant or valet to the buried May 21. then representative of the Rolle family, 1658 John son of Mr Christ. Lambe and whose life he saved in a riot in London by Jane his wife bap. July 27. taking him up and carrying him out of 5 the mob. In gratitude for which the farm 1806 Margaret Nations, bur. Jan 20 age of Borough near the village, was given to 75. him. Subsequently it passed by marriage 1824 Eliza Maria Lester, dau. of John and from the Northcotts to the Fortescues.) Eliz. Skinley of the Castle, B.B., Lieut, R. 1762 Mr Wm. Turner bur Aug 15. N. bap Feb. 17. 1764 Wm. Turner bur. March 5. 1825 Sarah Frances, dau. of Sarah and 1764 Malachy Hitchen of Gwennap, co. Charles Albrecht of B. Brewer, Cornwall and Joanna Hawkins of lieutenant in the army, bap Feb. 24. Buckland Brewer, sojourner, married by 1826 Alfred, son of John and Harriet license, Jan. 10. See an interesting letter Thornton, gent. of the Castle, B. Brewer, of Malachi Hitchens in Polwhele’s Corn., bap. Jan. 28 1817 christened Nov. 19. on find of Roman urns, vol. 1, 80 dated 1829 Jas. the son of James Hanmer 1803. I think he was curate of Merton Slowly, Lieut. In the R.N., and Emma his when he married. wife bap. Dec. 19. 1777 John Dayman, of Poughill, 1830 Mary, dau. of Thos. Stanbury, gentleman and Mary Phillips of East gent., and Dorothy his wife, bap. Dec. Putford, spinster, married at East 29. Putford, by license, Dec 9 in the 1830 Lewis Hole, son of Thos. Mill, gent., presence of Joseph Phillips and Lucretia of Newington and Mary Cath. his wife, Philllips. bap. by Thomas Mill, officiating 1802 Wm. Allen of Sutcombe, gent. And minister, Aug. 27 (query, both sons of Eliz. May, of East Putford, were married the Rev. Nic. Mill, Rector of Littleham). in East Putford, by license Ap. 5. In the Thos, died Dec. 1875. presence of Grace May. 1787 Chas. Gregory, son of William Farmer, Sir. Geo. Bickford Jackson esq. and Cath. his wife , privately bap. at Bideford, Feb. 17 1785 1838 Richard Hall, son of Sir George (Sheriff of Exon. 1805). Richard Farmer, Bart. Of Castle House, 1789 Jas. Ed. Son of the same bap. B. Brewer and Lady Irene his wife, bapt. 1789 Cath. Conway, dau. of Ric. Bridges April 26 (buried Jan. 1 1839, aged 6 esq. and Cath. his wife bap. Jan. 15. months). 1791 Ric. son of the same, Mar 7. 1839 Ann, dau. of Sir George Richard 1792 Geo. Fran., son of the same, June 21. Farmer, Bart., &c (as above), bapt. June 1799 John Bridgeman, son of Grace 16. Bridgeman, bap. Dec 1. N B The above was son of ____ Turner, of the N D Farmer Militia, who was married to his mother, but his first wife was then living. In the papers in the autumn of 1874, 1784 A vagabond, supposed to be called mention was made of a “distressed John Walter, found dead on Thorn baronet” residing in Australia, and grounds, bur. May 23. passing under the name of Mr Farmer, but in reality Sir George Farmer, Bart., 6 who resided many years ago in this The story of the “distressed baronet” parish. The present baronet, then a caught my interest, so I decided I would mere boy, came with his father and see what else I could find out about him. mother and lived at “the Castle” near the church. The family were then in low circumstances. There were also said to Buckland’s Distressed be three sisters. The father worked at Baronet the ropewalk in Bideford. I give the ped. From Burke. In 1779, during the American War of

Independence, Captain George Farmer Jasper Farmer, co. Cork, descended was in command of HMS Quebec , a 32 from the Fermors of Eston Neston, co. gun frigate, carrying 12 pounders. Also on Northampton. And eldest daughter of board was a young Horatio Nelson, who Ant. Gamble. had previously served under Farmer as a I midshipman and was now engaged as a Ric. Ancestor of the F. of Clohass co. watch lieutenant. In June 1779, the Wexford. Quebec was stationed off Guernsey, John in 1686 = Mary Hales. tasked with gathering intelligence about I French manoeuvres. After an altercation John, settled in Youghal in 1719 = Alphra with the French fleet, the Quebec ran Garde, ob. 1740. aground and had to jettison their I ordnance to enable them to refloat. They Geo. A commander in the navy in His limped back to Portsmouth, only to be Majesties ship Quebec. Ship blown up told that the only replacement guns were whilst engaging La Surveillant, a French 9 pounders. Together with the Rambler , frigate, in 1779. an armed cutter, the Quebec set sail for I Ushant. Here they encountered the Geo. Wm., created a baronet for his French frigate the Surveillante , which was father’s services Oct., 26 1779, died 1814 better armed and carrying more men. = Oct., 17 1780 Sophia third dau. of Ric.

Kendrick, esq. of Nantclwyd, co. In the engagement that ensued, both Denbigh. crews sustained heavy casualties and I both ships were demasted. Farmer Sophia Anne, Emily himself was injured. The Quebec ’s topsail Louisa = 1823 Rob. Middleton, of caught fire and despite Farmer’s attempts Gwaynycnog. to get it under control, the fire spread Geo. Ric. 2 Bart., of Mount Pleasant, and the magazine exploded. Only 68 of born 1788 = Irene, dau. Of George the Quebec ’s crew of 195 were saved. The Farmer Ellis, of Mill Lodge, Youghall. surviving officers were court martialled I but Farmer and his crew were praised for Geo., 3 Bart. their actions. Farmer’s widow was to be continued 7 awarded a pension of £200 a year and his Although this isn’t far from Bideford’s seventeen year old son, George William rope walk, this does not sound like the Farmer, was made a baronet. “low circumstances” described by Marland. It was the Captain’s grandson, the second baronet, Sir George Richard Farmer, son George junior, the future “distressed of George William, who lived in baronet” is not with the family in 1851. Buckland Brewer, together with his wife The next sighting of him is in Irene née Ellis and family. Two of his Swansea, Tasmania in 1863, when he children were baptised here, Richard Hall marries for the first time, to Elizabeth Farmer in April 1838 and Ann in June Amelia Watson. Their eldest daughter 1839. Richard Hall was buried in Irene, was born in Emerald, Victoria. Buckland Brewer in 1838 but no They then moved to Bacchus Marsh, gravestone survives. The address given is Victoria where two daughters and a Castle. We cannot be certain if this is the short lived son were born. Another current Castle Cottages, or if these were son George Richard Hugh was born in cottages associated with a larger Maidstone, Victoria in 1873. His wife building. died in 1874 and he remarried, to Mary Annie Allison, in 1878. Searching for the surname Farmer in newspaper indexes is not without After George’s death, in 1883, the difficulty as every farmer in Buckland Geelong Advertiser reported:- Brewer becomes a result. I was unable to “The remains of the late Sir George find the 1874 report to which Marland Farmer, baronet, who died at his refers. George Richard and Irene Farmer’s residence off the Point Henry road on older children were born in Llantilio Saturday, were interred in the Church Pertholay near Abergavenny. This of England portion of the Eastern included the eldest son George, who was Cemetery yesterday afternoon. The born on 3 June 1829. It seems that they funeral cortege was a lengthy one, a moved from there to Buckland Brewer in large number of the residents of the the mid 1830s but unfortunately the Little River, Lara, Geelong, and Point family cannot be found in the 1841 Henry districts attending to show census. By 1843 they were in Instow, respect to the memory of the deceased where their twelve year old eldest gentleman. The pall bearers at the daughter was buried. grave were Messrs C. F. Edwards, J. Hamilton, E. Watson, and G. Francis, The Farmers were living in the Strand, and the service at the grave was Bideford, by 1851 and father George conducted by the Rev. J. Firth, of Richard is described as a Baronet. The Kensington, assisted by the Rev. A. Strand was a prestigious address and his Caflin, of Lara. The deceased baronet, neighbours are professional men. who has been a resident of the

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Geelong district for many years, hailed from the county of Monmouthshire, in the mother country, and he leaves a son 10 years of age, who will succeed to the title of baronet, and who is at present being educated at the Geelong Grammar School, as well as three daughters, the eldest of whom is eighteen years of age. The deceased gentleman is the first personage of the title of baronet, interred in the cemetery.”

Sadly his formative years in Buckland Brewer did not get a mention. Janet Few

Illustrated London News 1 March 1884

∼♦∼ Invitation from Petrockstowe and Merton History Group

Petrockestowe and Merton History Group are holding an exhibition of photographs of 1950s and 1960s Petrockstowe and Merton at The Baxter Hall in Merton on Saturday 9th and Sunday 10th September 10.30-4.30. We are all welcome to attend.

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My Buckland Connection born. Gamaliel was a shipwright so his the Bartlett Family presence in Northam, which included Appledore at this time, makes sense.

When I moved to Buckland Brewer, nearly When I looked further into Gamaliel’s past eleven years ago, I was not expecting to find it turned out that he was baptised in any kind of family connection to the parish. Parkham and that his father, William I do have some Devon ancestry but, at that Bartlett, was baptised here in Buckland point, it was all centred on the far south – Brewer, in 1735. Two earlier generations of western parishes of the county. Some of you Bartletts, including another Gamaliel, also will know that my maiden name is Braund lived here. I know a connection through and I have been the historian for the Braund the father of the husband of my great great family history society for over two decades. great grandfather’s aunt, is pretty remote We do believe that all Braunds are related but I was excited to find the link. and DNA research backs up this theory but Unfortunately though, it hasn’t been due to the non—survival of records, we possible to find details of the property currently have a couple of dozen Braund where the Bartlett’s lived at this time. family trees that cannot conclusively be linked with the documents available. The most notorious member of the Bartlett Members of three of those branches have family was Thomas, who was known as lived in Buckland Brewer at some point but ‘The Devonshire Dwarf’. As an adult, he there is no connection with my own Braund was allegedly three feet high and weighed ancestry, or is there? 45lb. Thomas toured with Daniel Hartley ‘The Preston Giant’ who weighed up to 45 My great great great grandfather, James stone at one stage in his career and had six Braund Jeffrey, was born out of wedlock in fingers and toes on each hand and foot. 1811, in Cornwall, to William Braund and The 1851 census finds Thomas recorded as Mary Jeffery. I believe that his mother died married (but no sign of a wife), living with in childbirth and James was brought up by Daniel Hartley in London and listed as the Braund family, eventually settling for ‘exhibitionist’s tailor’. Presumably Thomas their surname. His father married and had made the costumes for the show. He gave more children, so James lived with his his birthplace as Buckland Brewer and maiden aunt Betty, William’s youngest newspaper accounts consistently state that sister. When Betty was in her late thirties he was ‘a native of Buckland Brewer’ but and James was a teenager, Betty married a no baptism has been confirmed for him. much older man, with the unusual name of He is described as being 35 years old in Gamaliel Bartlett. Bartlett is a fairly accounts from 1846-1853, which does not common west country surname, so had he help. In 1853, a Barnstaple schoolmaster, of Bbbeen, school Williamadmissions oron John,FMP 1877-1914 it would have been Scottish origin, claimed to have taught THH 1904-1946 difficult to discover more about him. Bartlett and described him as being ‘very GrantGamaliel and Betty married in Maker, which intelligent’. Sadly, I can’t prove any is on the Cornish side of the Tamar estuary. connect between Thomas and Gamaliel. Gamaliel, had been married before, in Northam, in 1788, the year that Betty was Janet Few 10

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Looking Back 100 Years ago

150 years ago

In September 1867 The North Devon Gazette reported: ‘On Friday night an old man names William Johns, 79 years of age, was found dead near a hedge at Buckland Brewer. It appears that the deceased had been out harvesting and A Baby Show for the district of was returning home with his tools on his Alwington, Buckland Brewer and back. Another man who followed in the Parkham was held at Foxdown. Twenty same direction shortly afterwards nine babies were presented for observed spots of blood on the ground examination and six prizes were goven. and traced them to the deceased, whom he found dead near a hedge. A verdict of 75 years ago death from natural causes was recorded.” “At a meeting of Buckland Brewer 125 years ago Women’s Institute, an address was given by Miss Macowan on ‘War time Messers Slee and Sons advertised the sale difficulties of poultry-keeping.’ The by auction on Friday 5 August 1892 at discussion which followed showed the 4.00pm, 34 acres of prime corn in the interest in the subject. Tea and ground at Eckworthy Farm, the property refreshments served by Mesdames Mills of Mr Thomas Hookway, who and Boundy were followed by was”quitting”. competitions and games.

∼♦∼ Forthcoming Events

16 August 2017 Outing to Appledore to learn of its history and its ghosts 9 & 10 September 2017 Petrockstowe and Merton exhibition—see page 9. 20 September 2017 Torrington Cemetery Scandal – Peter Christie 7 October 2017 Devon Family History Society Conference, Bideford College 18 October 2017 Torrington Past—Torrington Future—Brian Nash 15 November 2017 AGM and A Consultation with Master Christopher C17th century barber surgeon – Chris Braund Change of venue this month only—new Village Hall 17 November 2017 Community Event with the Village Hall Committee Edward Capern The Postman Poet – Liz Shakespeare, Nick Wyke and Becki Driscoll – music, readings, history, food. See page 11. 12