New additions to Plymouth and West Devon Record Office

This is a summary of some of the most recent items to be deposited at the Plymouth and West Devon Record Office. Unless stated otherwise, they can be consulted in the public search room.

3395/X58

• Photographs of the construction of Gydnia Way, Plymouth, site of the former railway line, 1980

3397/G180

• Two valentine letters addressed to Miss Susannah Puleston, 16 Looe Street, Plymouth, possibly from James Taylor, 9 Cross Street, Plymouth, 1844 and 1845; valentine letter addressed to Miss Gorgiena [Georgiana] Duckham, 14 Pike Street, Plymouth, with hand drawn and coloured sketch of two lovers on horseback embracing, c1843; print-outs of relevant census pages relating to Susannah Puleston and Georgiana Duckham

3403/G182

Diaires of Dennis Rogers of Tavistock

• Containing notes on films, church, sport and the weather, 1939 to 1940; Devonport Dockyard, naval shipwright apprenticeship notebooks, 1940 to 1944; 23rd (Drake) Battalion, Home Guard, Tavistock, headquarters signals notebook, with code names for use in danger areas, notes for message writing and intelligence, procedures for handling enemy prisoners of war, 1944 to 1945
• Dockyard 'Take Cover' permit
• Naval shipwright apprentice notice, 1942; dockyard notification releasing Dennis Rogers to join the Tavistock Home Guard, 1944; Devon Youth Committee certificate for membership of the Home Guard, 9 Jul 1942
• Home Guard Signal Section, Tavistock, social evening invitations, 1944 to 1945
• Notice of presentation to Dennis Rogers by the Signal personnel of 23rd Drake Battalion, Home Guard on his joining the Royal Navy, 9 Sep 1944
• Photograph of Dennis Rogers, c1939
• Photograph of members of 23rd Drake Battalion, Home Guard, Tavistock on Dartmoor, c1944. [Dennis Rogers was promoted in the Home Guard from signaller in 1943 to corporal in 1944]

3405/G183

Alderman James Churchward

• Newspaper cuttings book relating to Alderman James Churchward and Mrs J Churchward, with formal Mayoral photographs, 1929 to 1930

3409/NC5

Tavistock, Abbey Chapel

• Minutes, 1938 to 2006
• Correspondence and reports including accounts, 1902 to 1909

3411/X60

• Deeds, abstracts of title, bonds, licences and contracts relating to the Millbay Docks area, including: paper mills near the Town Marshes and Millbay, piers, lime kilns, warehouses, jetties, coal stores, offices, quays, docks, graving docks gates, wharves, cranes, dredging, gas and electricity, drainage and telephones, air raid shelter, British and Irish Steam Packet Company, Millbay Soap and Soda Works, Victoria Soap Works, New Patent Candle Company Limited, shipbuilding yards, Millbay Flour Mills, Western Counties General Manure Company Limited, 1 to 3 Caroline Place, 1 to 7 Edgcumbe Place, Union Meadows [formerly Town Marshes], the Dock Hotel, Pier Hotel, 1 West Hoe Road, property in Buckingham Place and Lower Buckingham Place, 1 to 2 Victoria Road, 3 Victoria Place, 12 and 25 to 26, 29 to 30 Millbay Road, Millbay Inn, 2 to 3 Washington Place, Washington House, Victoria Road, Washington Hotel, The Ocean Mail Inn, 29 and 31 Millbay Road, Temperance Hall, Temperance Hotel, Imperial Hotel, Three Towns Working Boys Home, Great Western Railway, South Devon Railway Company, Plymouth Foundry and Engine Works Company, Plym River Leate Company
• Plans of docks and Millbay area, including Millbay south and west wharf, camber jetty and Trinity pier, 1879, flour mills and docks, 1931, waiting rooms, 1935; bill of sale of Bretonne [formerly Chalmsford] steamship, 1910
• Lease, Richard Hill's shipwright's yard, 1859
• Abstract of will of John Yabsley, 1877
• Copy will of Nathaniel Staniford, 1846
• Copy will of G L Roberts, 1872
• Copy will of Robert George, Earl of Plymouth, 1840
• Copy will of Samuel Picken, 1874
• Copy will of T D Newton, 1869
• Probate of will of Samuel Heard, 1875
• 'Account of the Breakwater in Plymouth Sound' by Sir John Rennie, Apr 1864
• Great Western Railway import [foreign and coastal] trade statistics, including coal, coke, fuel, fruit and vegetables, grain, oil, iron, steel, timber, chemicals, fertiliser, oil, seeds, nuts and general cargo,1954 to 1963
• Great Western Dock, Plymouth, Acts of Parliament, 1840 to 1892
• Millbay Docks, ledger of cargoes, operations and shipping traffic statistics, including tenders, tides, lights, passengers, buoys, bonds, weighbridges, grabs, fruit imports, late 19th century, c1942

3418/G186

• Prescription books, with surname index of patients, addresses in Plymouth and South East Cornwall and initials of prescribing physicians, 1846 to 1890

3420/X61

Square and Elliot Square families

• Settlements, deeds, wills and correspondence, 1870 to 2969
• Ellery and Company of 16 George Street and 194 Union Street, Plymouth, wholesale wine and spirit merchants, papers, 1887 to 1901
• Thomas Lean and Thomas Taylor of Plymouth, papers relating to the invention of waterproofing for outdoor clothing, 1893 to 1895
• James Willoughby of 34 Hill Park Crescent, Plymouth, deceased, formerly insurance agent, papers, 1892 to 1902
• 1 to 4 Moor View, Yelverton, deeds and correspondence, 1886 to 1896
• St Matthias Mission Church, Plymouth, papers, 1891 to 1900
• William Rickeard of Plymouth, solicitor, papers, late 19th to early 20th century
• Agreements for searching for manganese and ochre in Brentor, 1883 to 1885
• Devon and Cornwall Ice Company of Middle Lane, Plymouth, deeds and papers, 1611 to 1879
• Charles Cross almshouses, Plymouth, redevelopment papers, 1950's
• Plymouth Municipal Charities accounts, with gaps, 1898 to 1959
• Orphans Aid and Soup Society, 18 Green Street, Plymouth, 20th century
• Effingham Wilson Serpell papers, including Tor Meadow Estate, Peverell, financial accounts, sale of 19 Hill Park Crescent, Plymouth, 20th century
• Ponteys, seed merchants of 21 Cornwall Street, accounts and sale of business to A T Westlake, 1904 to 1905
• Tyeth family, including Elizabeth Tyeth trust papers and Western College benefaction papers, late 19th to early 20th century

3422/G188

• Historical notes, extracts from Plymouth City Council minute books and copies of newscuttings relating to German prisoners of war in Plymouth during the Second World War, 1945 to 1946

3431/G192

Moorfield Girls School, Plymouth

• The Moorfield Magazine, 1929, 1931, 1933, 1934 to 1935, 1937 to 1939, 1950
• The Moorfield Journal, 2001
• Group and individual photographs, 1929 to 1938; Old Girls' Association newsletters, 1954
• Notes relating to life at Moorfield School, 1928 to 1938, by Barbara Viner
• Programme relating to Old Girls reunion, 2000

3433ED/PCC/73

Electronic records: Devonport and East Stonehouse, Ordnance Survey maps

• Digital copies of Ordnance Survey sheets 123.7 and 123.11 at 25 inch scale. Tif files scanned at 300dpi and stored on a CD ROM.

3434/G193

Maristow Estate, Tamerton Foliot, Plymouth

• Succession duty correspondence on the death of Sir Ralph Lopes, 1855
• Correspondence of C L Radcliffe, solicitor to the Maristow Estate, relating to the lease of Roborough House, fishing permits and lease of estate property, 1855 to 1862
• Correspondence of Sir Massey Lopes and C L Radcliffe, relating to the lease of Roborough House, fishing permits and lease of estate property, also Lady Bertha and Wheal Franco mines, 1855 to 1861
• Correspondence of H G Ludlow of Heywood House, Westbury, mainly relating to bills and receipts, mid-late 19th century
• Correspondence, plan and specification, with estimate of building works at Bickleigh Church, 1880
• Maristow Estate notices (various themes)19th to 20th century
• Plan of Buckland Monachorum area (contained within a letter) early 20th century
• Correspondence relating to London property, 19th century
• Kings Bench case on demise of Sir Manasseh Lopes, proofs of evidence, 1821
• Ralph Lopes account with John Drew and Son, Exeter, 1860
• Deeds, including bonds, Crymes family, 1670, 1691; deeds, Meavy, 1775 to late 18th century
• Deeds, Westbury, Wiltshire, 1774 to 1840
• Power of attorney, Thomas Lanham of Westbury, Wiltshire, 1819
• Letters of administration of Louisa Lopes, 1891
• Marriage settlement and release of portion on marriage of Mary Mallet, 1776
• Will of Amy Elford of Bickham, with letter of administration, 1737
• Marriage settlement trust, Edmund Bennett of Altarnun, Cornwall, 1776
• Deed, Walkhampton Down water, 18th copy of original dated 1591
• Marriage settlement, John Woollacombe of Roborough, 1647
• Lease of lordship of manor of Buckland Monachorum, 1671
• Leases, Bickleigh, 1759, 1779, 1818
• Leases, Buckland Monachorum, 1670 to 1832; manor of Meavy presentments, 1755 to 1789 and rental, 1749
• Account of Ringmore Down, 1664
• Review of bounds of Sheepstor parish, 1629, c1670 and 1674
• Right of common on Sheepstor Down, 1823
• Reward notice, trespassing on Grimstone Leat, late 19th century
• Survey of manor of Walkhampton, 1676
• Proof of title of Sir Massey Lopes to manor of Walkhampton, mid 19th century
• Estimate of Sir Andrew Slanning's estate, 17th century
• Appointment of lands in the parishes of Meavy, Bickeigh, Sheepstor and Walkhampton to the Corporation of Plymouth, for the construction of Burrator Reservoir, with plans, 1898
• Declaration of boundary of Maristow Estate, 1820
• Notice of Sir Massey Lopes relating to dues on Wheal Franco mine, 1830
• Mining report of Captain Barrett for mines on Maristow Estate, including Wheal Franco, Ludbrook mine, Virtuous Lady mine, Wheal Bedford and Wheal Lopes, compiled for Sir Ralph Lopes, 1839
• Correspondence relating to Yennadon Mine
• Sale catalogue, Heywood House, Westbury, Wiltshire, 1878
• Dominion Saw Mills and Lumber, stock certificates, 1910
• Spooners of Plymouth, drapers and household furnishers, accounts relating to the Maristow Clothing Club charity, 1911 to 1919
• Small photograph of (?) Sir Massey Lopes, 19th century
• Bickleigh parish - rural sports notice, 20th century

The purchase of these records was made possible by donations of equal size from Friends of the National Libraries and Devon Family History Society. The Plymouth and West Devon Record Office is very grateful to these two bodies for the support provided.

3436/X62

Tavistock Public Subscription Library

• Minutes, 1815 to 1830, 1910 to 1964
• Accounts, 1799 to 1800, 1950 to 1974
• Invoices, 1958 to 1970
• Subscriptions, 1837 to 1843
• Loans, 1827 to 1828, 1852 to 1854, 1897 to 1937 (magazines only), 1945 to 1951
• Visitors' book, 1822 to 1980
• Counterpart lease from John, Duke of Bedford to trustees, Tavistock Library, Bedford Street, Tavistock, 1 Sep 1832
• Day books, 1947 to 1974
• Catalogues of books, 1799, 1821, 1831, 1839, 1845 to 1846, 1885 to 1888, 1897 to 1899, 1900 to 1906, 1983, with lists of subscribers and copies of rules
• Acquisitions, 1949 to 1951
• Library rules, 1897
• Correspondence, including the Duke of Bedford and others, 1823 to 1963

3437/G195

Popham's Department Store, Plymouth

• Group portrait of the female staff of the millinery department of Popham's Department Store, Plymouth (the central figure, and head of the department is Ruby May Richards, b1882), c1910

3438/G196

• Plymouth deeds, 30 Tothill Road South, later 72 Beaumont Road, 1897 to 1908 and 39 Cedarcroft Road, Beaconfield, 1923

3439/G197

Diary of unknown author

• Diary of unknown male author, living in the West Devon area, near the river Thrushel and Lifton. With details of the climate and weather, day to day events, gardening and house repairs, also travelling by train and bus to Tavistock and Launceston for shopping and collection of gravel from the river and social events. With mentions of progress of the Second World War, with particular reference to Russia and Germany, death of President Roosevelt, bombing of Germany, the surrender of Nuremberg and German armies in Italy and the end of the Second World War, 1945 to 1946.

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