Residences - BELCHER

Berkshire-Coleshill

Coleshill either Berkshire or Oxfordshire, depending on which decade you lived. Surrounded by Gloucestershire and Wiltshire,just across the Thames from Oxfordshire, it lies just about 3.5 miles from Faringdon, Berkshire. The parish church is All saints, a beautiful building with some lovely stained glass windows. It parish derives its name from the high situation of the village above the river Cole, which forms the western boundary. William BELCHER was born here to John BELCHER and Susannah HARRIS, but I do not think it is where John originated. I cannto find him in the Parish registers as such

Gloucestershire-Down Ampney

Down Ampney is a small village located in Cotswold district in Gloucestershire, in England. William and Rachel BELCHER married here, although both were born in Berkshire, Coleshill and Chaddleworth, respectively. There were a few BELCHER families in the area, but so far, I have not been able to identify any relationship. William may have moved here for work. John BELCHER was born here and lived with his wife Sarah, working in the area until just after Sarahs death. Reuben BELCHER, my Gt Grandfather was born here also.

It is off the A417 which runs between Cirencester and Faringdon (in Oxfordshire) on the A420, and about 5 km north of Cricklade, which is on the A419 which runs from Cirencester to Swindon, Wiltshire.

Down Ampney was notable in mediaeval times as one of the principal seats of the powerful Hungerford family, and many of their monuments survive in the Church

The Old Vicarage in Down Ampney was the birthplace of Ralph Vaughan Williams in 1872. A tune he composed (used for the hymn "Come Down, O Love Divine") is titled "Down Ampney" in its honour.

During World War II, the airfield sited on the border of Down Ampney saw action, with planes flying to and from the runway whilst serving in the war.

Aside from the airfield, a school older than 150 years, a multi use games area for younger residents, a tennis club, a village hall, a small village shop, and the church mentioned above, which evidently dates back to before the bubonic plague, are also present in the current arrangement of the village.

From Wikepedia-Down Ampney

Whiteways Farm -Cirencester -Gloucestershire.

After his marriage to Charlotte WOODWARD, John BELCHER moved to Whiteways Cottage, Cirencester, probably a tied cottage belonging to Whiteways Farm. Whiteways Farm is now an Industrial Estate. Cirencester was a costswold market town, known as the capital of the Cotswolds. It was a historic Roman town, and nearby is the Chedworth Roman Villa. Cirencester Charter Market was founded in 1086, and thanks to the town council, still exists today

Yew Tree Cottage-Caterham -Surrey.

About 1876, John and Charlotte BELCHER, and the growing Family, were living here, a cottage that is now a vetinary practice. They only stayed a couple of hyears, moving on in about 1883.

The village lay within the Anglo-Saxon administrative division of Tandridge hundred. The original settlement was on the ridge above the modern town and is now called Caterham-on-the-Hill. The modern town in the valley is a product of the Victorian age and the coming of the Caterham railway line in 1856. The Victorian expansion of the town required the building of a much larger parish church (St Mary the Virgin) in 1866 but the old Norman church of St Lawrence was retained and remains directly across the road from St Mary's. As it grew Caterham Valley gained its own church, St. John the Evangelist, which was consecrated in 1882. It is even larger than St. Mary's. From 1877 Caterham barracks on the hill was a depot for the foot guards regiments. In August 1975 a local public house (the Caterham Arms) which was frequented by soldiers was targeted by an IRA bomb. The barracks were closed in the 1990s and the site redeveloped for housing. Caterham is the scene of the only murdered police officer in Surrey Police's history .

From Wikepedia

Winsted Green, Merstham-Surrey.

Kate BELCHER was born to John and Charlotte c.1883, in Merstham, and the Family stayed until after 1891. John was a carter on the census here, so he had probably moved up from a farm worker to having his own small business. Another old Roman hamlet, the origin of the name means 'people of the marsh'. mostly it is famous for its stone quarries, used to build so many structures in the South of England. sadly, the quarries almost disappeared with the building of the new M23 and M25 motorways

Bletchingly-Surrey.

John and Charlotte had moved on to 6 Oakwood Road, Bletchingly by 1901, when he retired. The wide high street of Bletchingly originates from the market square. Right in the middle fo the 'green belt' it is a charming listtle village full of antique shops. the parish church is St. Marys, which is over 900 years old. In the photo here, No 6 is on the far right.

Rolls Road-Bermondsey

Reuben and Mary Ann BELCHER had moved to Bermondsey,Surrey when my Grandfather Albert was born in 1896. Now East End of London,London Borough of Southwark, it was a bustling market place of fish markets, antiqe markets,fruit markets and pie and mash shops! Reuben was a Bricklayers mate, so had probably moved up country to find work. It was quite a poor area, but had begun regeneration by the time the Family moved here

142 Sandhurst Road-Deptford.

In the 1901 census Reuben and Mary Ann had moved their Family to 142 Sandhurst Road, Deptford,Kent. Lewisham/Deptford is now a London Borough, and the house is still there, or was the last time I looked. Go from Westhorne Avenue towards Browning Road, and Sandhurst Road is on the left, off Torridon Road.The area, like Bermondsey, was a favourite shopping area of South East London, frequently suffering from floods when the Thames burst its banks.The photo to the left is of Catford Hippodrome

Eltham-Grangehill Road, Newhaven Gardens, Queenscroft,

Eltham seemed to have become a settling place for the BELCHERS, but they still seemed to have those itchy feet, moving around quite a bit. My Mother hd that wanderlust, and never could settle in one place, always wanting to move on. She didn't move from Eltham, but moved from street to street! A mention of her first residence was Farmcote Road, Lee, where she and Dad lived until I was aged about 6 months. We then moved to Coldharbour Estate, a new estate between Mottingham and Eltham, South east London. The best info on Eltham can be found HERE.

95 Grangehill Road

My Mum was born here