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.
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.
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)
1921 - Mrs Hewitt, Thomas Malachi Loaring, Ellen Rose Loaring and Kath Loaring (in the front)
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.
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
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)
Wedding of Arthur and Roma Loaring
1948
From left-right: Doug Paull, Arthur Loaring, Roma, Gladys Bowditch
From left-right: Arthur Loaring, Charles Loaring, Thomas Loaring, Percy Loaring, Kathleen Loaring, John Loaring, Elizabeth Loaring
