Author Topic: The Rookery in Cottesmore Churchyard/The Rectory grounds - when did it disappear  (Read 2664 times)

Offline Keith Sherwood

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Hi, Everyone,
This might seem a very bizarre request, but I was speaking to my 90-year-old mother tonight, who was talking about the racket each morning and night that was made by the rooks in the rookery that straddled the large garden of the Cottesmore Rectory and the Churchyard there.  She remembers the noise when she stayed there in the 1930's in the long summer holidays, and also when she came back in the winter of 1945/6 after the War.  They even used to sometimes feast on rook pie!
However, when we took her there late last year, the rookery - and the rooks  - had vanished.  Does anyone with local knowledge of Cottesmore, someone who has perhaps lived there a long time, and can perhaps remember, know when or why the rooks of Cottesmore flew away.
A culling shoot, a ferocious storm, does anybody know the answer to this…?
Many thanks, Keith

Offline iluleah

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In the search it mentions The rookery but you will need to read through and see what informtion it gives http://www.ruralcc.org.uk/uploads/294b4c462018981754363643.pdf
Leicestershire:Chamberlain, Dakin, Wilkinson, Moss, Cook, Welland, Dobson, Roper,Palfreman, Squires, Hames, Goddard, Topliss, Twells,Bacon.
Northamps:Sykes, Harris, Rice,Knowles.
Rutland:Clements, Dalby, Osbourne, Durance, Smith,Christian, Royce, Richardson,Oakham, Dewey,Newbold,Cox,Chamberlaine,Brow, Cooper, Bloodworth,Clarke
Durham/Yorks:Woodend, Watson,Parker, Dowser
Suffolk/Norfolk:Groom, Coleman, Kemp, Barnard, Alden,Blomfield,Smith,Howes,Knight,Kett,Fryston
Lincolnshire:Clements, Woodend

Offline Keith Sherwood

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Iluleah,
Thanks so much for responding with that link.  I'll settle back with it later this evening and have a really good read through!
Since I have posted here I have read through the really excellent account of life in the village just before and during WWII, written by Bernard C. Harper in 1986 on his mother's behalf.  It's a splendid read for anyone interested in the recent history of Cottesmore, stretches to nearly 200 pages of A4 of typescript, and is called "The War Years of My Youth".  It's on the village website:
thelivingvillage.co.uk   Apparently they had an annual rook shoot in May...
Keith

Offline iluleah

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Re: The Rookery in Cottesmore Churchyard/The Rectory grounds - when did it disappear
« Reply #3 on: Saturday 05 March 16 19:21 GMT (UK) »
You said a "bizarre request" however it is just those things that "matter" when you are researching your family history, well they are for me.
Some of my ancestors were gamekeepers in Rutland and many villages there (and in other counties) had rook shoots, which I suppose was the reason they had a rookery in the first place......a real sign of the times, can't imagine doing that now or eating rook pie ;D
Leicestershire:Chamberlain, Dakin, Wilkinson, Moss, Cook, Welland, Dobson, Roper,Palfreman, Squires, Hames, Goddard, Topliss, Twells,Bacon.
Northamps:Sykes, Harris, Rice,Knowles.
Rutland:Clements, Dalby, Osbourne, Durance, Smith,Christian, Royce, Richardson,Oakham, Dewey,Newbold,Cox,Chamberlaine,Brow, Cooper, Bloodworth,Clarke
Durham/Yorks:Woodend, Watson,Parker, Dowser
Suffolk/Norfolk:Groom, Coleman, Kemp, Barnard, Alden,Blomfield,Smith,Howes,Knight,Kett,Fryston
Lincolnshire:Clements, Woodend