Thread: Orchard in Oxenwood and Wexcombe

Dear List

My great grandparents moved to Oxenwood when my great grandfather obtained work as a groom on the Fosbury estate. They will have moved between March 1905 and June 1907 - based on birth dates of children, Alfred James (b. Milton Lilbourne on 26 March 1905 (d. Oct 1991)) and Winifred Doris (27 June 1907 in Oxenwood (d. Oct 1984)). There were six children born before Alfred and a further five after Winifred.

This was a family who had a keen sense of community and I would like to discover more about the community in which they lived and worked. I know that the Fosbury estate (the Big House) was important as the centre of the family's economy. I know that members of the family worked on Beacon Farm (sometimes known as Bacon's Farm). I know that my grandfather was a member of the Fosbury Boy Scout Troop in the early days of the Boy Scout Movement - I have a Troop photograph which I shall try to post in an album at some point along with other pictures. I know that he, and siblings, went to the village school that is now used by Wiltshire Council as an educational outdoor centre.

I have a picture, and have been granted access to view the interior, of their tied cottage in Oxenwood and have heard countless stories about the place. This generation has now all gone and I was not able to intelligently question them about their lives at this time and place. My posting here is to see if anyone else has connections and to share information if possible. The church at Fosbury is a redundant and closed, but it features in the story, as does the estate. I will get to Chippenham one day to look at the dicesan and estate records but in the meantime, if you had family in this area then I'd love to hear.

Two of the children of Alfred certainly remained in the area, one of his daughters, Christine Orchard (1926-2007) married Peter Newman who was a gamekeeper in the area around Chute, not far from Oxenwood and Wexcombe. Wecombe was where my great grandparents ended up moving to, some time before 1933. They occupied a thatched cottage that my Aunt believed to have been about four hundred years old in Wexcombe, the adjoining cottage was far newer, just two hundred years old, and this was occupied by their eldest son, Herbert, and his family. This was a tragic little family unit. Herbert had married a London girl Lucy Daines (1895-1966) and they had two sons who both suffered an inherited condition and they both died at the age of 21 years having been chairbound for some years previous. Herbert himself died in 1933, which is how I know the move took place before that date.

Any connections anyone?

regards
John

Hello John,

What a great family story,

Have you looked at the WILTSHIRE site moonrakers.org.uk

elsabels

Hi Elsabels

Yes I have been a member for some years and of the Moonrakers list. I perhaps ought to add that I was born in Wiltshire and have spent a lot of time either working, visiting or simply passing the time in all sorts of nooks and crannies. It is a special place for me and I cannot get down there often enough these days, which is not very often!

Regards
John

Originally Posted by Jorchard124

Dear List
My great grandparents moved to Oxenwood when my great grandfather obtained work as blacksmith - Everett lansley c 1911 - 1947 - lived at the forge - mum was a teacher at Oxenwood school. I also have Beacon farm connection through Uncle frank who married Olive Phillips
sarah bruce


My great grandparents moved to Oxenwood when my great grandfather obtained work as a groom on the Fosbury estate. They will have moved between March 1905 and June 1907 - based on birth dates of children, Alfred James (b. Milton Lilbourne on 26 March 1905 (d. Oct 1991)) and Winifred Doris (27 June 1907 in Oxenwood (d. Oct 1984)). There were six children born before Alfred and a further five after Winifred.

This was a family who had a keen sense of community and I would like to discover more about the community in which they lived and worked. I know that the Fosbury estate (the Big House) was important as the centre of the family's economy. I know that members of the family worked on Beacon Farm (sometimes known as Bacon's Farm). I know that my grandfather was a member of the Fosbury Boy Scout Troop in the early days of the Boy Scout Movement - I have a Troop photograph which I shall try to post in an album at some point along with other pictures. I know that he, and siblings, went to the village school that is now used by Wiltshire Council as an educational outdoor centre.

I have a picture, and have been granted access to view the interior, of their tied cottage in Oxenwood and have heard countless stories about the place. This generation has now all gone and I was not able to intelligently question them about their lives at this time and place. My posting here is to see if anyone else has connections and to share information if possible. The church at Fosbury is a redundant and closed, but it features in the story, as does the estate. I will get to Chippenham one day to look at the dicesan and estate records but in the meantime, if you had family in this area then I'd love to hear.

Two of the children of Alfred certainly remained in the area, one of his daughters, Christine Orchard (1926-2007) married Peter Newman who was a gamekeeper in the area around Chute, not far from Oxenwood and Wexcombe. Wecombe was where my great grandparents ended up moving to, some time before 1933. They occupied a thatched cottage that my Aunt believed to have been about four hundred years old in Wexcombe, the adjoining cottage was far newer, just two hundred years old, and this was occupied by their eldest son, Herbert, and his family. This was a tragic little family unit. Herbert had married a London girl Lucy Daines (1895-1966) and they had two sons who both suffered an inherited condition and they both died at the age of 21 years having been chairbound for some years previous. Herbert himself died in 1933, which is how I know the move took place before that date.

Any connections anyone?

regards
John

Many connections but seem to replr to you John