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From: Roy Miskelly <>
Subject: [DEV] Charles Henry Mortimer
Date: Sat, 9 Jul 2011 13:07:41 +0100 (BST)


Hi List,
              I am still no further forward in locating Charles Henry Mortimer's
burial place and I thank everyone for their help so far.  My previous
information has now been updated by the only surviving member of my Mortimer
family. Christine Stallwood (Nee Mortimer) the daughter of CHM who has now
recalled further info of the night of the bombing and events afterwards.

The whole family had gone to shelter in the brickwork's near where they lived
and had just returned home after the all clear when they heard a plane and the
whistling of the bombs as they fell. Father was killed and mother suffered
several broken ribs and she and her brother just had cuts and scratches. They
spent the next few days with a school teacher until their Aunt Florence, CHM'S
Sister, arrived to look after them.

I thought I had discovered that Florence had died in 1938 but as mentioned
before I was wrong this time and had picked out the wrong Florence Mortimer. So
the information regarding the fact that because her mother was in hospital with
broken ribs CHM's sister Florence DID take charge of the funeral arrangements
and have him buried before his wife came out of the hospital. This is probably
where the disagreement between her and CHM's wife  started resulting in the
confusion and her not telling her children where their father was buried. Why
she would do that I do not know and as Christine is the last living member of
that family I guess I will never know.

It must have been a sad time for my Mortimer family as CHM's Mother died in 1935
his father in 1936 and his sister Emily was killed in a motor cycle accident in
1938 and he died in1941. Florence actually lived until 1967 but as with her
sister never married so I have no one but Christine to rely on  for information
and at 82 her memory is of course not what it used to be.

As his parents and sister died so close together I am assuming that they would
have been buried together somewhere. according to reports the family home was at
New Buildings near Sandford. I have checked the church at Sandford and  the
records office at Crediton but it would seem they are not there. On looking at
the map of the area I see that Copplestone is quite near and I wondered if they
may have been buried there. If any one can tell me what church is located in
that area I will check it out.

Sorry to be so long winded but the more information the better I find and I
would like to be able to find their burial place and inform Christine before
time passes on and it all goes into history.

Thank you

Roy Miskelly

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