Author Topic: Who are these people?  (Read 3839 times)

Offline ellie1789

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Who are these people?
« on: Wednesday 31 May 23 08:39 BST (UK) »
Hi all,

I inherited some old photos when I moved into my house, dated 1937 and 1941. I have tried to find the previous occupants of it in older censuses but haven’t been able to locate it as the farm had a different name then which is the same as another on the road so I’m unsure as to whether I’m looking at the right house or not. I know it was bombed in 1941 (as per the photos and local tales), but again can’t find any reference to the details and whether there were any casualties. I’d love to understand who the people are in the photo, and/or who lived here before me. I don’t even know how old the house is.

The address is:
The Farmhouse, Fernwood Farm, Rouncil Lane, Kenilworth
But it was previously:
Fernhill Farm

Thanks for any help

Update - seems I’m unable to upload the photos so will try again later on my computer
WOLVERHAMPTON - Stanley, Clark, Ellis, McMillan, Bailey, Vaughan, Wall, Walton. BURTON UPON TRENT - Goodhead. Shropshire - Roberts. IRELAND - Prendergast. BIRKENHEAD - Burrows, Simpson. GLASGOW- McMillan.

Offline Andy J2022

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Re: Who are these people?
« Reply #1 on: Wednesday 31 May 23 10:22 BST (UK) »
The most recent electoral registers I can find online for the area are from the 1920s up to 1931. Rouncil Lane was then known as Roundshill Lane. In 1926 the following people were recorded at Fern Hill Farm: Philip Bottrill, Elsie Bottrill and James Roberts (see image below).

In the subsequent years, Fern Hill Farm does not appear and there's no sign of the Bottrills. As you can see in the image below, in 1926 Fern Hill Farm is listed between Little Woodcote and Bulkington. When looking at the later registers, between Little Woodcote and Bulkington Cottages there are some residences just marked Fern Hill (with 4 separate families residing there), then Brook Cottages (2 families) then Roundshill Lane Farm (see below), followed by Woodcote Lodge (2 families), The Kennels (7 families) then Bulkington Cottages. Might Fern Hill Farm have become Roundshill Lane Farm? (see new posting below) In case this was the case, the occupants in 1930 were Thomas and Mary Bostock, who also owned New House Farm in Weston under Weatherley. There is one other entry in the 1930 registers which is odd. A Frederick Stanyer is noted as owning land at Fern Hill but his abode is shown as Fernhill Farm, Old Park, Warwickshire.  I have no idea where Old Park is in relation to Roundshill Lane so don't know if this is significant. Obviously with your local knowledge you may be able to make more sense of all this.

For later electoral registers you will probably need to visit the Warwickshire County Records Office, although obviously you should check first to find out what they hold.

Offline mckha489

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Re: Who are these people?
« Reply #2 on: Wednesday 31 May 23 10:38 BST (UK) »
on this 1935 map (and the rest of Rouncil/Roundshill road) on the adjacent maps, there is only this one place named Fernhill Farm

https://maps.nls.uk/view/102178570#zoom=5&lat=2077&lon=7544&layers=BT

I've found a bit about the Stanyers of Fernhil Farm, but on the 1939, the adjacent farms don't appear on this map, so like Andy, am not sure if it is the same place. 

The adjacent farms in 1939 are Banner Hill Farm, & Ash Tree Farm.
But others on the same page are

Lyon Farm Cottages, Elmwood Farm, Ash Tree Farm, Fernhill Farm, Banner Hill Farm, Hill Farm, The (B?)Eddings ,  Hill Farm Cottages, Hasley Knob.

Offline Andy J2022

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Re: Who are these people?
« Reply #3 on: Wednesday 31 May 23 11:06 BST (UK) »
It's interesting to see that the Municipal Borough Boundary came fairly close to Fern Hill Farm on the map mckha489 provided. I wonder if this boundary changed during the 1920/30s meaning that the farm subsequently appeared on a different set of electoral registers after, say, 1926. The registers I found are on FindMyPast.

By the way, having now checked the present day google maps of the area I see that Roundshill Farm is an entirely different place, and incidentally the Bostock family still seem to live there.


Online AlanBoyd

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Re: Who are these people?
« Reply #4 on: Wednesday 31 May 23 11:12 BST (UK) »
Coventry Evening Telegraph - Friday 06 May 1938

Quote
SHOOTING TRAGEDY AT KENILWORTH
20-year-old Girl Found Dead by Younger Sister

A FORMER pupil of Warwick High School. Miss Catherine Stanyer, of Fernhill Farm, Rouncil Lane, near Kenilworth, was yesterday found lying dead in the garden of the farm. By her side was a double-barrel shot gun.

Miss Stayer, who was 20 years old, was the eldest daughter of a well-known Kenilworth farmer, Mr. Fred Stanyer, and Mrs. Stanyer, who have farmed in the district for many years. The tragedy occurred at about 10 o'clock yesterday morning. It was discovered by Miss Mary Stanyer, the younger daughter, who heard a shot and rushed outside and found her sister lying dead with a wound in the head.

ACCOMPLISHED HORSEWOMAN
Miss Catherine Stanyer had, it is understood, only returned home last week-end from London, where she had been working for some months. Previously she had been employed in France and Holland as a lady's companion and governess. An accomplished horsewoman, Miss Stanyer had ridden many times with the North Warwickshire Hunt, and, during her schooldays, rode her pony backwards and forwards each day to Warwick High School.

FRIEND'S STATEMENT
A friend of the dead girl, speaking to a "Midland Daily Telegraph" representative this morning said she had been talking to Miss Stanyer during the week-end and she then seemed 'terribly depressed and nervous".

The friend added that she had been a hard-working girl, and after leaving school had spent a considerable time in intensive study and had attended a London College.

Last year she had been a demonstrator at the Ideal Homes Exhibition in London.

The inquest will be held at Fernhill Farm on Monday afternoon.
Boyd, Dove, Blakey, Burdon

Online AlanBoyd

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Re: Who are these people?
« Reply #5 on: Wednesday 31 May 23 11:19 BST (UK) »
Fred and Mabel Stanyer are at Fernhill Farm in the 1939 register. Properties in order of appearance are:

Lyon Farm Cottages
Elmwood Farm
Ash Tree Farm
Fernhill Farm
Banner? Hill Farm
Hill Farm
The Reddings

added: apologies mckha, I see you already posted this info!
Boyd, Dove, Blakey, Burdon

Online AlanBoyd

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Re: Who are these people?
« Reply #6 on: Wednesday 31 May 23 11:26 BST (UK) »
OS map showing two Fernhill Farms. Which one are we researching?

The Stanyer farm in 1939 has a resident manager, so I suspect that is the larger farm to the east?

added much later: I think I got this wrong, the Stanyer farm was to the west.
Boyd, Dove, Blakey, Burdon

Offline mckha489

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Re: Who are these people?
« Reply #7 on: Wednesday 31 May 23 11:30 BST (UK) »
I reckon it must be the one on the extreme edge of the map I posted.
The other isn’t called Fernhill Farm is it? I can only see Fernhill Oldhouse Barn

Fred died in 1961, of Spring Lane, Kenilworth.
I’ve been looking in the papers trying to find him selling up the Farm, but not having much success so far.
Nor can I see the marriage of the daughter, Olive Mary, known as Mary, to Mr Bowden.


Added…sorry, the image appeared while I was typing. Going back to look.

Offline Andy J2022

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Re: Who are these people?
« Reply #8 on: Wednesday 31 May 23 11:37 BST (UK) »
OS map showing two Fernhill Farms. Which one are we researching?

The Stanyer farm in 1939 has a resident manager, so I suspect that is the larger farm to the east?
Presumably the one on the left as it stands on Rouncil/Roundshill Lane and is named Fernwood Farm (picture below) today as the OP noted. So I think you are right, and the other farm was also owned by Mr Stanyer in 1926 and was the one referred to as being at Old Park.