It's me again Doug.
Hi Suzanne.
Suzanne, you say there's a book of old and new pictures produced by the local history society: Do you know the title/author/publisher and where I may be able to get hold of a copy?
Doug, I haven't managed to get to Exeter (RecordsOffice). I did, however, spend yesterday in the public library in Tavistock as they hold the parish records for the area. I found loads of info for my SPRY/WYVILL/GIMBLETT/SLEEP ancestors and while I was there I had a good dig around for the HOOPERS.
This is what I found from the parish registers:
NICHOLAS son of THOMAS & ELIZABETH HOOPER baptised St.Andrew's church, Bere Ferrers, 6 Oct.1799.
NICHOLAS married GRACE BISHOP, St.Andrew's church, Bere Ferrers, 26 Aug.1829.
Witnesses: John Wyvill and Sally Bishop.
NICHOLAS died 7 Sep.1875 aged 77yrs (slight error by someone down the line in his age. But they only wrote down what they were told by relative and is quite a common occurance.)
NICHOLAS buried Holy Trinity church, Bere Alston, 11 Sep.1875
THOMAS HOOPER, bachelor of this parish, married ELIZABETH THOMAS, spinster of this parish,
St.Andrew's church, Bere Ferrers, 6 Mar.1793.
Witnesses: Thomas Wills and John Hearns(?)
Although Thomas was "of this parish", I couldn't find a birth entry for him (I searched back to 1743). Granted,some of the microfiche records were faded and some impossible to read,but the vast majority were clear and it would be most unfortunate if Thomas's record was in the minority. It could also be that he came to Bere Alston as a child with his parents and his birth record is in another parish. I'm just guessing now, can you tell?
I did come across this one which you may already have:
THOMAS, son of THOMAS and ELIZABETH THOMAS, baptised St.Andrew's church, Bere Ferrers, 31 Mar.1767.
If I get another opportunity to go to Exeter I'll have another look for Thomas Hooper's parents.
But that's all for now.
Regards, David.