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Marhamchurch memories

Here are memories of Marhamchurch and the local area. You can start now: Add your own Memory of Marhamchurch or a Marhamchurch photo.

My School And Village Life Memories

In the 1970s I was a school girl at the old school building, in the 70s a small two classroom premises.  Those of us there, living in the village, were taught by the Head Mistress, my mother Mrs Jennifer Newport. My sister Naomi and brother Bruce were also there. Our school was small, and no more than 53 pupils from reception through to Year 6. It was primarily a farming community. Many of the young girls in the village belonged to a club called G.F.S. or Girls Friendly Society, run by senior village ladies overseen by Miss Jones. We were very much integrated into village life, and contributed to the Horticultural Clubs held at the Bray Institute. My happy memories include the floral dance and seeing the village queen crowned at the revel in August.  I was so excited one year to become one of the queen's maids.  My mother made the dresses, sitting up for hours patiently sewing on buttons and making them all to match.  The school later... Read more

Parish Chest

I have just come into part of the Parish Chest going back to the late 1600 and the 1700 for Marhamchurch Church. This is just under 50 documents and Identures, moving parishes and bastard children. In addition I have various Church books of committee meetings.
In addition there is a Marehamchurch book on highways with people's names and wages and repair costs etc.
These were found in a skip in 1974 being thrown out.
Some of the documents are in tatters but are readable and are ideal for family historians.
I have got them all onto the computer and propose to put them on CDs when I have sorted them out.
fixbylad@hotmail.com

Richard Spry And Mary Palmer

Richard Spry and Mary Palmer married in Marhamchurch in 1825. In 1856, John Spry, their son married Grace Jewell. Two sons, Henry Jewell and William J. Spry were born there before the family emigrated to Ontario, Canada. John and Grace would have been my great-great grandparents...

Sharon Spry

Memories of Cornwall

Finding Mum's Family

St Andrew's Church c1965
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After researching my mother's family for four years I found that our ancestors came from Kilkhampton and decided to pay a visit. I couldn't find anything relating to the family so, on a whim, I decided to explore Stratton and found this beautiful church. To my surprise, the moment I walked through the gate, a whole bank of "MAYNARD" headstones stood before me and I was able to complete the little book I had written for Mum to celebrate her 90th birthday, complete with photographs of all her ancestors graves. What a find. My cousins who all live in the London area, could not believe I had found where their middle Christian name of "MAYNARD" had originated from and were delighted to find they had Cornish blood running through them.

The Old Stratton CP School

I attended Stratton CP School between 1969-1975 when it was at Howells Road. The headmaster at that time was Frank Clark who taught me in J6 and other teachers I can remember were Mrs Hicks, Mrs Humpries, Mr Gregory, Mr & Mrs Olson and Mrs Wheatley. Was there a Mr Yelland as well???  As an infant we would have a bottle of milk every morning after succeeding in piercing the straw through the foil top. I also tried to escape one day when I ran across the road and my sister and Mr Clark had to try and persuade me to go back to school. Canon Smith use to take the school assembly once a week and as he walked in front of us, his black leather shiny shoes use to squeak loudly!!

The 11plus exam was abolished by the time I left primary so we automatically went to the Lower school for the first, second and third formers, which was the previous Bude/Stratton secondary modern. This of course... Read more

Mary Cornish

Olde Mill House And Tea Gardens c1935
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My gt gt grand mother, Mary Cornish was born in Coombe Valley c 1814 She was married to Henry Harris in the parish church of St Morwenna & John the Baptist on 26th December 1839 The presiding incumbent was Robert Stephen Hawker.

Marhamchurch

Olde Mill House And Tea Gardens c1935
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My paternal ancestors (Box) owned the iron foundry down by the Bude canal in Marhamchurch until the coming of the railway in the mid 1800s. Many are buried in the churchyard. My maternal grandparents (Nichols) lived in Marhamchurch in the late 1900s and their daughter Phyllis married a farmer (Charles Routley) who farmed at Cann Orchard. I spent much of the war years on this farm. My darling Aunty Phyllis died on Saturday March 5th aged 90.

Mrs C Barker

Efford Down Hotel c1960
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I have been looking at my parents wedding book dated 1953 and I have found an entry on the guest list for Mrs C Barker from the Efford Down Hotel. My father was Jack Barker and I know he had a cousin Joan from Bude. I just wondered if anybody might have know Mrs C Barker from the Hotel.

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