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Subject: [FENS] WOOLLARD Family and All Saints' Church, Croydon cum Clopton
Date: Thu, 13 Jun 2002 06:42:05 EDT

Dear Listers,

I was a bit dubious about sending this rather long message to the List, but I
have now plucked up sufficient courage and hope that it doesn't offend
anyone. I read a report in the Cambridge Evening News that they need more
money for the restoration of All Saints' Church, Croydon cum Clopton, the
pretty little village West of Cambridge where my WOOLLARDs and other
relatives farmed for many years, and I sent the following letter (suitably
abridged for the List, I hope!) to the reverend gentleman whose name appeared
in the report. I am NOT soliciting funds for the Church (it's not my business
so to do), but not everybody would have seen the report, and I just want to
let Listers know to whom to send anything if they, like me, have strong
associations with Croydon and/or its Church, and wish to contribute. This
also gives me another opportunity to mention my 'lot' to the List!

Yours, etc.

Geoffrey Woollard.

Revd. Neil Brice,
The Rectory,
Fisher's Lane,
Orwell,
Cambridge.

Dear Mr Brice,

I read in the Cambridge Evening News of Saturday the 8th of June that repairs
and restoration work at All Saints' Church, Croydon cum Clopton, are now
being proceeded with and that the restoration committee is seeking further
donations towards the cost of 'the next phase of repairs'.

I have pleasure in enclosing my cheque for £X, payable to Croydon Parochial
Church Council, which is given in remembrance of the association that members
of my family have had with the Church and the village, and in particular
commemoration of the following:

My great grandparents, Joshua Samuel WOOLLARD and Martha CLARK, who were
married at All Saints' Church on the 6th of September 1874, and who lived and
farmed at Church Farm from then until about 1895;

My great, great grandfather, Charles Josiah CLARK, who farmed at Croydon
House Farm in the 1870s;

My half great, great aunt, Fannie PARTOON (nee CLARK), whose husband, George
PARTOON, farmed at Valley Farm in the 1880s;

My grandfather, Walter Clifton WOOLLARD, who was born at Church Farm and
baptised at All Saints' Church on the 3rd of March 1875;

Younger siblings of my grandfather - Samuel Francis WOOLLARD, Charles Yorke
WOOLLARD, Arthur Lewis WOOLLARD, Marguerite Patty Isabel WOOLLARD, Frederic
George WOOLLARD, Winifred Elizabeth WOOLLARD, Grace WOOLLARD, Janet Decima
WOOLLARD (two unnamed boy babies intervened, but were either stillborn or
soon died, hence 'Decima'), Martha Frances WOOLLARD, and Mary Madeleine
WOOLLARD, all of whom were born at Church Farm and most of whom were baptised
at All Saints' Church;

My great, great aunt, Miss Charlotte WOOLLARD (1843 - 1909);

And my great, great, great aunt, Miss Charlotte WOOLLARD (1799 - 1879).

I believe that all of the above named worshipped at All Saints' Church. Both
of the Misses Charlotte WOOLLARD were buried in the churchyard, as was the
last WOOLLARD to live and farm at Church Farm - my great uncle, Arthur Lewis
WOOLLARD, who took his own life there on the 24th of April 1931, during very
difficult farming times.

You may be pleased to learn that the WOOLLARD family has since prospered and
that this member has retired - also from farming in the old County of
Cambridgeshire!

With all best wishes,

Yours sincerely,

Geoffrey Woollard.

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