I have just fallen on a new book about the Meyrick family.
It delves so far back that we are talking about Sir Peter Mews who bought the Christchurch manor (embracing future Bournemouth) in 1708. ‘Meyrick’ was added to the family name later after some twists and turns.
Dorothy Turcotte has written Strange Affairs at Christchurch: Sir Peter Mews – knave or knight? She comes up with new information after years of research.
Mews was a mysterious fellow and facts about him have been muddled by earlier historians. Indeed Mews seems to have laid false trails himself.
It is fascinating to find that the ‘Gervis’ in Sir George Tapps-Gervis-Meyrick is derived from Peter Mews’ wife Lydia Jarvis who came from an Islington family. This earlier spelling may explain why older Bournemouth residents pronounce ‘Gervis’ as ‘Jarvis’ when referring to Gervis Place at the end of Westover Road.
Strange Affairs at Christchurch is published by Natula (£7.95).