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Archiver > DEVON > 1999-10 > 0940785549


From: <>
Subject: Spring Hill, Tavistock
Date: Sun, 24 Oct 1999 18:19:09 +0100


Many thanks to all the listers who gave me information on the mines in
Tavistock. Is there a
historical society which researches mining in the south-west?

Meanwhile, another local query about Tavistock. The 1881 census has the
following entry:
Dwelling: Spring Hill
Census Place: Tavistock, Devon, England
Source: FHL Film 1341534 PRO Ref RG11 Piece 2217 Folio 96
Page 43
Marr Age Sex Birthplace
William WINNEY M 38 M Brantham, Suffolk, England
Rel: Head
Occ: Schoolmaster M C P
...and goes on to list his wife and niece as teachers, a domestic servant, a
general servant
and a kitchen boy; a Winney son and two daughters as scholars, and another ten
male children between
8 and 15 and five females between 10 and 16 as boarder/scholars ( I am not
including all the details here
to keep this short and out of deference to the LDS copyright.)

What does "M C P" mean?

The scholars include three of my GGrandfather's children; he is at this time off
being a Methodist
missionary in India. What sort of boarding school is at Spring Hill? Is it a
general school open to all,
or will the other scholars also tend to be children of absent Methodist
missionaries?

The 'dwelling' "Spring Hill" also seems to house six other families, and
apparently sits between Bedford Villa
and "Fairchilds". This implies a fairly substantial 'dwelling'; was it all one
house? Do any of these
buildings remain? (It seems to run on from Ford Street and Ralphs Court, and the
next identifiable
street is Watts Road.)

Apologies for asking so many questions; I will try and return the favour for
anyone needing
local knowledge of Ely and Cambridge.

Regards and TIA

Roger Fentiman

Haddenham, Ely, Cambs, UK

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