Winsham cartoon village map showing the church, primary school, jubilee hall and community shop with fields, cows and sheep. Created by Bethany Fowler as the header banner for the Winsham Web Museum.
Home Memories, Recollections and Nostalgia Loaring Family

Loaring Family

Orginally published Jul 2021
Last updated Aug 2021

The Loaring family came to Winsham in the 16th Century. The first mention of a Loaring in Parish Records was a Thomas Loaring who was borne in 1535 and married an Edith (surname unknown) in 1560. They had four children, two surviving to marriageable age, and, in their turn having children of their own. The story continues until the death in 2011 of Susan Loaring-Percy and Mary Loaring's daughter.  This record of the generations until 2002 was prepared by Maurice Loaring, and passed to the Winsham Web Museum by Jim Loaring, in conjunction with other members of the family.

Maurice Loaring provided studies of the history of the Loaring family and the family's branch in Western Australia which were updated in May 2014 - see links below:

Not a great deal is known about the Loaring family in Winsham during the 16th ,17 & 18th centuries, other than what we can find in the Parish Records. Thomas Lowring (the spelling of the name varies) appears on the 1641 Protestation. The name also appears in Chapel records around the middle of the 19th century.

Very early in the history of Winsham Parish Council-formed at the end of 1894, the name of Loaring appears as a Parish Councillor. It also appears in the Minutes of the committee that was responsible for the running of the Jubilee Hall. When the  Jubilee Hall became an independent  charity a Loaring was on the management committee of the Jubilee Hall. A member of the family had been a member of the Jubilee Hall's management almost continuously  since it passed into full village ownership in 1904 until John Loaring's death in 2010. To mark this continuity, John Loaring was asked to lead the re-opening ceremony of the Jubilee Hall in January 2007, following its major renovation in the last six months of 2006 when it was closed. Mary Loaring,  a notable Chair of the Parish Council between 1986 and 1994 died in the last year of her service to the community.

John Loaring reopening the Jubilee Hall in 2007

In the selection of pictures that follow it will be seen that  the Loaring family was active in many village activities. As you browse other sections of the web museum you will often find pictures  and mention of members of the family. This is particularly true of the web museum areas devoted to the Street fairs, The Winsham Band and the Winsham Football club.

Black and white group photo of family
Photo courtesy of

The Loaring family in 1894/5 at the Barracks in Fore Street
1. Maurice Loaring (1885-1895 died of pneumonia shortly after), 2. Richard Denning Loaring (1861-1934), 3. Aunt Kitty, 4. Thomas Loaring (1818-1903), 5. James Thomas Loaring (1881-1952), 6. Charles Archibald Loaring (1887-1971), 7. Thomas Malachi Loaring, 8. Ellen Rose Loaring (1852-1945), 9. John Henry Loaring (1894-1982)

Black and white photo of band member
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Black and white group photo of family
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1921 - Mrs Hewitt, Thomas Malachi Loaring, Ellen Rose Loaring and Kath Loaring (in the front)

Black and white group photo of soldiers at camp
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Charles Loaring in 1916
Charles served with the Somerset Light Infantry in India and Mesopotamia and and in 1916 he went to France, where he fought at Passenchdaele.

Black and white portrait
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Wallace Loaring in 1932
He emigrated to Australia after WW1

Black and white portrait
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Arthur Loaring
During WWII

Black and white portrait
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John Loaring
During WWII

Black and white wedding portrait
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Tom and Olive Loaring
During WWII

Black and white group photo
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J.T. Loaring, Ellena Rose Loaring, J. Loaring and C.A. Loaring
Date not known

Black and white group photo
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Pictured here is the celebration of Fred Newton's return from a Japanese POW camp just outside Nagasaki
A full account of Fred's incarceration during the war can be read here.
From left-right: G. Sears, Fred Newton, Fred Phelps, Charlie Hawker, Arthur Loaring (front)
Picture taken outside The Bell

Black and white group photo
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Celebrations continued at 7, Western Way
Arthur Loaring on right (holding the bottle)

Black and white group photo

Arthur & Roma Loaring's Wedding
2nd October 1948
1. Mary Beer, 2. Olive Loaring, 3. Win Barge (snr), 4. Terry Barge, 5. Kath Griffin, 6. Bessie Loaring, 7. Arthur Loaring, 8. Roma Loaring, 9. Doreen Bowditch, 10. Gladys Bowditch, 11. Rex Bowditch, 12. Mollie Bowditch, 13. Don Cox, 14. Patrick Loaring, 15. Gran Bowditch, 16. Auntie Dorcas, 17. Noreen Summers, 18. John Loaring (F. J), 19. Ken Barge, 20. Jack Loaring, 21. Percy Loaring, 22. Doug Paull, 23. James Loaring, 24. Charles Loaring, 25. David Griffins, 26. Thomas Loaring, 27. Rodney Bowditch, 28. Lionel Bowditch, 29. Win Bowditch (jnr)

Black and white group photo
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Wedding of Arthur and Roma Loaring
1948
From left-right: Doug Paull, Arthur Loaring, Roma, Gladys Bowditch

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From left-right: Arthur Loaring, Charles Loaring, Thomas Loaring, Percy Loaring, Kathleen Loaring, John Loaring, Elizabeth Loaring

Black and white group photo
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From left-right: Malcolm (Jim) and Charles Loaring and Doreen Miller (Bowditch)

Black and white group photo children sat around the war memorial
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Arthur Loaring as the Vicar of Winsham at the 1989 Street Fair

Black and white group
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Arthur Loaring giving advice to his brother Percy

Modern family photo
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Phillip, Grace, Bradley and Arthur Loaring (Bradley's Great Grandfather in 2003)

Modern family photo
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Phillip and Bradley Loaring in 2011

Modern family photo
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Bradley, Isabelle and Jim Loaring (Grandfather) in 2011

Modern family photo
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Phillip and Jim Loaring at Phillip's Wedding