Mark wrote “This year the trophy went to the old chapel at Hollingrove where Robin and Lucy Bell had unearthed a bronze memorial plaque, believed to have been placed there by the family, to the memory of Elizabeth Annie RELPH, who died on April 19th, 1919.

This is now in a sad state, deeply shredded at one end, presumably during the conversion of the chapel to a dwelling, but it is still possible to make out the details of a worthy woman who is described as 'Formerly of this parish and deeply interested in mission work in Brightling'. For the sake of others who may follow the Relph trail to Brightling, it might be worth noting that the sadly damaged memorial plaque is now in my garden at The Old Post Office, next to the church in Brightling. Now Relph is a good Sussex name. Albert Edward RELF was one of Brightling's most famous sons, the Sussex cricketer who played for England before the First World War. But who can tell me more of Elizabeth Annie Relph and her work?”

The reply came from our very own Rhoda Windiate-Blackmore who wrote back to Mark Bridge and so came the second article in the magazine:

Mark wrote: Once you start digging you never know where it will lead. I did not know what powerful organisations I was stirring into action last month when I wrote about the memorial plaque from Hollingrove Chapel that won the Digging Cup at the Flower Show and innocently asked "Who can tell me more of Elizabeth Annie Relph and her work?" Well I am beginning to find out. This month I am indebted to Mrs Windiate-Blackmore of Orpington who comes from a long line of Relfs and knows a man who knows. "It might be a good idea to contact the chairman of the International Relf Society, who has a great deal of information about the Relfs, Relphs, Ralphs etc in Brightling and its environs," she suggests.

Various emails then travelled between our Chairman, Rhoda and Steve Chapman and it turns out that Elizabeth Annie Relph was born Elizabeth Annie Friend, second daughter of John & Jane Friend of Darwell Mill Cottage, and baptised at St Thomas a Becket, Brightling on Christmas Eve, 1837. She married Charles Relf (Relph), Blacksmith, July 14th 1860 at Brightling – Charles died in December 1865.

In 1851 Charles Relf (Relph) was recorded as living at Stonesdown Grocer's Shop and in 1861, married to Elizabeth Annie, was living at her family home Darwell Mill, which used to stand at the far end of a big mill pond below River Houses. Elizabeth Annie's occupation was given as housekeeper to her father who had been widowed in 1854.

Charles and Elizabeth Annie had three children – one son died in infancy but their daughter, Minnie married John Elworthy in 1889 and her other son, Charles John was a Coachbuilder's Trimmer in Battersea, married with two sons.

In 1881 Elizabeth Annie was living at Trinity Villas, Hastings, aged 42, widow, occupation Medical Rubber ……...(?) with her daughter Minnie, aged 16. In 1901 she was listed as a Lodging House Keeper in Hastings living with her young grandson and a cousin at 5 Trinity Villas. The grandson was Minnie's son. Charles John registered his mother's death of acute bronchitis in April 1919.

Mark wrote at the end of his article “For all this information I am indebted to Rhoda Windiate-Blackmore and her very extended family of the International Relf Society, who will be holding their AGM in Brightling on the weekend of September 15-16. As they seem to be better informed of Brightling's past inhabitants than most of us who now live here, we must be sure to give them a very warm welcome.”

Steve Chapman, #003, also provided a lot of background information for this article, thanks, Steve.

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Page last revised October 2006.