The death occurred recently at his home in Truro of the Venerable Thomas Barfett at the age of 83 years. He was well acquainted with Bradworthy, his family of Barfett and before them Chings, having resided at Atworthy Farm. They were the founders of the former Atworthy Bible Christian Chapel. Mr. Barfett, whose father and grandfather were Anglican Clergymen, had been Vicar of St. Paul's, Penzance, Rector of King Charles' Parish Church, Falmouth, before being Archdeacon of Hereford and a Chaplain to HM the Queen. I met him many years ago when I had written in a "Devon and Cornwall Notes and Queries" that the Barfett's had claimed descent from the Trebarfootes of Trebarfoote Manor in Cornwall, but I was not aware that this had been proved. The Venerable Tom soon sent me proof which had been registered at the College of Heralds. We exchanged some interesting correspondence regarding the family.
A massive two volume work entitled "Grylls and Grills - he History of a Cornish Clan" has been completed and published by Richard Grylls of Tring, Hertfordshire, after twenty five years of research. A section, with family "trees", has been devoted to the Grills branches in this area. For over two centuries generations of the family farmed in Bradworthy, mainly at Waterlands, where they also ran the water mill. Many emigrated to Canada and Australia. The Bradworthy line came to an end but members of another branch of the clan still farm in this neighbourhood. My own interest is due to my grandmother Collacott having been Ellen Grills, descended from the Waterlands branch. The Grylls/Grills book is not only the story of this widespread family and their activities worldwide, but is an interesting social history of the times in which they lived.
I still have a copy of the 1987 "Western Times" which is a link with the weekly newspaper which from the middle of last century provided the news for almost every house in this area until it published it's last edition about fifteen years ago. My first efforts at news correspondence began with the "Western Times" over seventy years ago, when I wrote news items for Bradworthy north, dealing mainly with the religious activities of the old Atworthy United Methodist (formerly Bible Christian) Chapel. Later I became the accredited Correspondent for all local newspapers, including in this spare time occupation, contributions to the London "News Chronicle's" Westcountry page. "Farmer and Stockbreeder" and other publications. Having been correspondent to present Westcountry newspapers for over sixty years (allowing for a break of five years in the RAF during WW11) I decided now at 90 to stand down. I have been glad to see that others have kept the news reports appearing. Now I believe Sarah Payne (she lives at Downland) has decided to undertake the job of local correspondent.