You might remember that Looking Back previously covered the house where the Whittington's lived.

From 1900, The Limes in Charmouth was under the ownership of Canon Richard Whittington, descendant from the brother of Dick Whittington, Lord Mayor of London and famous in pantomime.

Richard moved into the house with his seven children, two boys and five girls, with four of his daughters, Dolly, Winnie, Beryl and Joan opening a school in the adjourning building known as 'Little Lodge'.

It was following an open day at the lodge, held by current owners Helen and Dorothy Parker, that a selection of Whittington family photos were brought in.

The photos showed Richard's daughters in nurses uniforms surrounded by wounded soldiers in a large house.

Following some research by Neil Mattingly, it has been discovered that the building was Rhode Hill House, in Upylme as part of his research into the 14 Charmouth villagers who lost their lives during the First World War.

Neil said: "The house was used as a Voluntary Auxiliary Hospital (VAD) during the First World War.

"A number of large houses were taken over locally and turned into hospitals as a result of the large number of soldiers wounded during the war.

"The record cards have survived and it has showed that three of the sisters assisted at Rhode Hill House and another sister at The Court in Charmouth."

Following the discovery of the photos, Neil is hopeful that more background and pictures from people listed on the war memorial in Charmouth can be identified and added to the information he has already gathered.

So far, Neil has information on:

  • Lance Corporal Montague George Boucher
  • Gunner W.G. Coles
  • Private G Cox
  • Lieutenant A W Gillender
  • Private Ernest Grinter
  • Gunner W Grinter
  • Driver Reginald James Hobbs
  • Able Seaman Arthur Edwin Larcombe
  • Private Herbert Lock
  • Gunner Valentine Albert Newton
  • Second Lieutenant Thomas Burton Ogle
  • Corporal A Pidgeon
  • Captain John Gardner Reid
  • Private W Rowland
  • Driver Henry George Shiner
  • Private Frederick G Sloman
  • Private Bertram Fredrick Smith
  • Fleet Surgeon Hugh Leigh Norris
  • Captain Arthur Hoare Hales
  • Lieutenant Charles Edward Hoare Hales

Neil said: "It would be great if any of your readers have photographs of any of those recorded on our war memorial.

"We are hoping to produce a small exhibition at St Andrew's Church from the information we have gathered."

One such story is of Mildred Reid, a VAD nurse, who died at a similar hospital in Exeter in December, 1918.

What makes Mildred's story more tragic is that her parents, who lived at Canford, had already lost their son, Captain John Gardner Reid, two years previously.

An exhibition featuring Neil's research is on display at the church from now until November, with the centrepiece the Book of Remembrance.

The remembrance ceremony at the war memorial will take place on Sunday, November 11 and led by Reverend Stephen Skinner, who will be giving his last service before retiring.

If you have any further information or photographs you can add, you can contact Neil on neil@freshford.com