A ride around the West Country

One of the reasons I choose to only research postcards that were sent around a hundred years ago, is that more recent postcards might reveal too much about a person who could be alive today. You could read a postcard story in one of my books and be reminded of a neighbour with the same surname, but unless you know your neighbour's parents, grandparents and even great-grandparents, it's unlikely you will make a real connection. Of course, if your neighbour chose to confirm the family connection that's another matter – it's their choice.

Over the years, I have been contacted by people who have bought one of my books and realised they were reading about their own ancestors. These readers have always been pleased that their ancestors are being remembered and, I suspect, that I haven't brought their story into the 21st century.

So, with this card of Her Majesty The Queen, I knew when I bought it I wouldn't be able to reveal anything about who received the card. However, because of where they lived, a public house in Devon, I decided to look at who was at the address in earlier years.

In 1911, Eli Owens was a licensed victualler at the Modbury Inn, Modbury, Devon (now a Grade II listed building). He was at the address with his wife and young daughter. Eli was born in Uffculme, Devon and Ellen was born in St Germans, Cornwall. Some records show that their daughter was also born in this village. I came across a great example of how easily errors slip into online trees when I was checking these details. One tree had the daughter being born in Germany. 

Eli had at least two brothers. One would become a farmer and another a labourer, living in the cemetery lodge in Uffculme.

While I was looking at the records for this area, I came across a retired police officer, Nutcombe Rogers. That's such an unusual name, I just had to explore a little. Nutcombe, I found, was the son of a thatcher, but I'll leave his story for another day…