Transcription of letter from Maude Stumbles to my father: _______________________________________________________________________________ Ripley (Derby) 811543 33 Alfreton Road 27. 7. 78 South Normanton Derby DE55 2AP Dear I hope you will forgive me for writing to you out of the blue like this, but about 2 years ago I received a letter from a Mr A. James in Australia, (he is classics teacher at a University) who had found my name in the Nottingham phone book, as I have yours in the Hereford. He said there are about 25 Stumbles who have pioneered a town there, and he wanted me to help him tracing his ancestors, & he's writing a book about Stumbles. As it happened I had already joined the Derby Family History Society and was tracing my own family but in those 2 years have concentrated on the Stumbles side. I have found them in Rhodesia, South Africa, America, Canada, and England and everyone is descended, as far back as I am at present, to a John in Kingsbridge, Devon about 1740, although I have some earlier than that (1690 in London) but I have not tied them in yet. I also have another problem, James has a Amelia Harris in his tree, and my father in Laws name was Charles Harris Stumbles, and that's another line where I can't at present find the connection. I am wondering if you would be so kind as to tell me your ancestors, as far as you can, that is. I will send you a family tree and a photograph of some African line Stumbles, which was sent to me by a Mrs Blunden there recently. The tree was sent to me by another "find" in a phone book, from Devon, but will wait to see if this letter reaches you, in case the address in this phone book at the library is not your present one. Hoping you will not mind me writing to you, and that you could find time to let us know where your family fits in. Yours sincerely (Mrs) Maude Stumbles Strangely enough, I have a son R.E. Stumbles, who lives at Denby Derby. (Robert Edward) _______________________________________________________________________________ My father's reply: _______________________________________________________________________________ Aug 5 1978 Maelog Cefnllys Lane Llandrindod Wells Powys LD1 5LE Dear Mrs Maude Stumbles, I was most interested to find your letter waiting for me when I came back off holiday yesterday. I think that you are right that the Stumbles family originates in the South Hams, which is the area around Kingsbridge in South Devon. There is mention of the family in a booklet called 'Devon Clockmakers' by J.K.Bellchambers. William Stumbels was a celebrated 18th Century clockmaker and a number of his clocks are still in existence, the finest being in the home of the Earl and Countess of Devon at Powderham Castle, near Exeter. His date of birth is unknown, but he married on June 4,1723 at Aveton Gifford, to Jane Moor of North Tawton. He had a son William who died in 1740 & one Abraham who died in 1737. He died in 1769. According to this booklet, the earliest record of the family is a record in the Totnes Church records when on May 15th 1636, Joane Stumbells married a Mark Ferris. In William Stumbels's will,dated 1768, he left a guinea to his son 'Bezaleel of London Clock & Watchmaker', and the rest of his goods to his daughter Elixabeth. I have always understood that my family is descended from William Stumbels, although the name is now always spelt Stumbles. I am sorry that I cannot give you any information furthur back than my grandfather, Albert Smith S. I believe that he had a brother Edward and two sisters, all three of whom died fairly young and so far as I know without issue. Albert and Edward started a successful building business in Salcombe, and I think it must have been carried on by my grandfather for some time after Edward died. I do not know whether they were born in Salcombe or moved there; I think that their parents were farmers on Dartmoor and that their mother's maiden name was Smith. A large number of the houses and hotels in Salcombe were built by Albert Stumbles before the first World War. He died around 1930, in Salcombe. Albert had four children of whom the oldest was my father Albert Everard S., born June 9 1888, d.Nov 8 1955. the younger son Percy lived at Torcross where he owned and ran the Slapton Sands Hotel. He died about 1930 leaving 2 sons, of whom the elder,Ewart, was killed during the second World War, without issue. The younger son,Paul, is I believe now living at Moult Farm,Moult Hill, Salcombe, and I think he has two sons. Of Albert's two daughters, Ivy,the elder, married a James Green but had no children and died sometime in the 1960s. The younger, Winifred, married a Theodore Dickenson, by whom she had a daughter,Ruth, and a son,David, then divorced him and married a William Goodrick by whom she had twin girls. Winifred is still alive and living at Devon Court,Bovey Tracey. My father married my mother Mary Jarvis in Salcombe on Sept 21,1911. My sister Winifred Joan was born on May 2 1914, and married Wilfred Spencer in about 1936. They have 4 sons. I am Richard Everard and was born on Jan 10 1921, married Nancy Victoria Margaret Griffith in Caernarvon on Aug 20 1948, and have 4 children, John David, Sian Marian, Hilary Ann, & Richard Mark, none of whom has any children. Hilary is married toa Nigel Talman. We also had one son David Richard who was born in Cardiff on Sept 19th 1951 and who died in 1952. I shall be most interested in any further information you can give me about the family. If there is anything else I can tell you please let me know. Yours sincerely _______________________________________________________________________________ Maude Stumbles' reply to my father: _______________________________________________________________________________ 12.8.78 33 Alfreton Road, South Normanton Derby DE55 2AP Dear Mr Stumbles, Thank you for answering my letter, only once have I not had an answer when I have written "out of the blue" for help, and strangely enough it was someone you mentioned, Paul Stumbles, of Salcombe. A Connie Stumbles of Plymouth (who sent me the long letter enclosed addressed to "Uncle Tom & the big tree) sent me the addresses from her phone book, but perhaps he didn't get the letter. I didn't write again. I hope my enclosures don't muddle you too much, I thought you'd like to place yourself in the "clan". The Smith line seems to be a bit mixed up with the "Ash" line, some of the latter were in Liverpool, someone is trying to trace them there for me. I also enclose some Stumbles wills, which also show the Ash Smith connection. I also think your family is somehow connected with my hausbands, he died in 1965, but I have 3 children who are interested in their line. I was evacuated during the war with my 2 girls, Barbara & Winifred, & stayed with the Howells<1>, Edie Howell nee Luscombe, was my mother in laws sister, & I stayed with them at Church St Dodbrook, Kingsbridge, for a good part of the war. While there I cant remember if I just heard of or may have met people by the name of Jarvis, their must be a connection there. Part of the time I stayed with Rose Bng nee Luscome, she was a widow then, and had children or someone living in a Caravan at Staines, nr London. There were also 3 unmarried Luscombes, Aunts Elsie, Annie & Clara who lived nearby in Dodbrook. I enclose lists I have compiled from many hours spent at St Catherines house in London, I also have deaths from about 1850 - 1890, but those are not so much help in ascertaining our different places in the tree. I see that "Harry" in his letter to Uncle Tom mentions Hereford. who would have been there then? Its a bit early for you, isn't it? <2> I see that most of the S.African branch were born in Berkshire, and forever after have made their middle name Washington. Have been reading up a lot of American History to try and place the correct connection with the famous George. I am very interested in the booklet you mentioned, can you tell me where I could perhaps obtain one? The American gentleman who writes to me, Mr Clarke, sent me the following early marriages 1742. Stumbles Eliz & Dan Slade Dartmouth. 1804. " Rich & Gra Spinney. Modbury 1720. " Jn & Jane Troot Exeter. S.Sidwells 1772. " Eliz. & Thos. Widdecombe. Ashburton. These are some baptisms at Stoke Damerel Methodist Church John Blackmore " Sept 1814. Son of William & Mary Henry Hammond " 29.5.1818 " " " " " Mary Carol " 3.7.1820. dau " " " " Charles Ebenezer " 27.3.1823 son " " " " Morris Town. Clarissa Lidstone. 1.4.1818. dau John. 12 Gloucester St. Maria Hamling " 10.11.1819. " Sam & Margaret. Charlotte Crocker 30. 5. 20 dau of Joseph & Sally Mary Ann " 3. 7. 20 (born 1812) " " " The name was originally suposed to be Stumbels, in Old English 1300's, meaning dweller by the tree stump. I do hope this is not all too muddly for you to understand, there was so much to tell you. There is a lot more, too, I have some Australian marriage etc certificates which are interesting, and if you want to know anything I'll try to tell you. The only papers I want back if you would be kind enough to send them are the Uncle Tom letters, (its so many pages to copy) I will copy the Australian certificates next time I go and send to you. I have more family certificates, too. Well I think this is more than enough, I know what its like to get a heap of information at once, I get mental indigestion and have to give myself a long time before I can take it in. If you can think of anything else about the Jarvis's or anyone else that you think could help I'd be very grateful, and so would Mr James Australia, who has been so patient waiting for me to find his place in the tree. best wishes from M. Stumbles. _______________________________________________________________________________ <1> Howell or Hovell? - looks like a 'v' <2> Hereford is about 40 miles from Llandrindod Wells, and it is unlikely that anyone would refer to our family as living in Hereford rather than Llandrindod. In any case we have only lived in mid-Wales since the early 1960s. _______________________________________________________________________________ Sept 30 1978 Maelog Cefnllys Lane Llandrindod Wells Powys LD1 5LE Dear Mrs Stumbles Thank you very much for your letter of August 12 and all the enclosures. I am sorry that I have been so long in answering it. Even now I have not had time to study the enclosures properly, but I have copied the 'Uncle Tom' letter and am returning it to you now as you requested. I was particularly interested in that letter in the reference to the Stumbles who was living at 224 Underhill Road, East Dulwich, as my son John has just bought a house at 271 Underhill Road. I wonder whether any of the Stumbles family who lived in that road in 1916 have descendants still there. I will ask John to inspect the electoral register.<*> If you want a copy of the booklet on clockmakers I suggest you write to the Museum at Totnes, Devon. I think that that is where I obtained my copy. What a coincidence that you were evacuated to Kingsbridge during the war. I presume that you must have been a Stumbles by then. Luscombe, like Jarvis, is a common name around that way. I don't know much about the Jarvis family, except thet my mother's father was a sea captain who was drowned in the Bay of Biscay just after she was born. The Devonshire lists of births and marriages, and the list of wills, are most interesting. Albert Smith S. was my grandfather, & I think James Ash Smith must have been his brother and James Ash Stumbles his father, who presumably started the building business. I should like to know the connection between them & Alban S. of Salcombe who was evidently the grandfather of the Underhill Road Stumbles. I should also like to be able to trace the connection with Stumbells the clockmaker. I shall be most interested to hear from you with any further information you have. Yours sincerely _______________________________________________________________________________ <*> The house at 224 Underhill Road must have been destroyed during WWII as when I moved in to 271 there was a post-war pre-fab at 224, so if there had still been a Stumbles family living there before the war they must have moved when their house was bombed. I didn't ever look at the old electoral registers for the area.