| continued from the previous page |
 |
The Chapel in its latter days
The Chapel remains but the attached cottage has been replaced by a schoolroom ©John Chudley |
 |
The interior of the Chapel in 1981
©John Chudley |
One grandson of James & Eliza, Fred, son of Samuel, recalled happy days of hunting, shooting and fishing at Newton St. Cyres. He would enjoy walks with his uncle Will, when they would be greeted warmly by all the local farmers, and sometimes they would go to Crediton for coursing, or indulge in some otter hunting. Evenings at Blenheim House would often be musical, with Amy at the piano and James playing his flute.
Eliza died in 1915 and in the following year James remarried. This was not popular with all the family. His second wife was his cousin, Bessie, daughter of his uncle William. She was some 26 years his junior and had been living at Blenheim House as a member of the family for some time. What the exact nature of the great offence was I have yet to learn, but the very mention of Bessie's name in one letter of enquiry that I sent to a surviving member of the family prompted an extremely short and unpleasant reply. My father was very fond of her and made a point of taking us to visit her whenever we were on holiday in Devon and I have only very sweet memories of her.
James Chudley died in March 1932 at the age of 92. Bessie was even nearer to a hundred when she died in Resthaven, a Nursing Home in Exmouth for Methodist Local Preachers and their families, in the 1960s. |
 |
James and Bessie in the cottage porch - part of the Chapel is just visible
©John Chudley |
 |
The author standing beside the grave of James and Eliza in the churchyard of Parish Church, Newton St. Cyres.
©John Chudley |
he contents of this page are the copyright property of John Chudley
© M.E. Brine. This page last updated
6 October, 2009
|