Tag: War Dead

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The Meech Family

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Thomas Charles ‘Charlie’ Meech (1884-1971)

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Charlie was the son of Emily Taylor nee Hyde (1865-1917), the Laundress, from her first marriage to Thomas How Meech (1860-1888). He was four when his father died.

Charlie was the ‘Odd Man’ at Tyneham House.

Beloved Charlie Meech … stayed … with the [Bond] family for over forty years. Charlie began as bailiff’s horseman at the farm, removing to the House when the farm was let. He rapidly became an institution and indispensable, endearing himself to staff and family alike. Invariably cheerful and ungrudging of his time and trouble, he soon identified himself with all our interests and entered into them with sympathy and zest. In any quandary or troublesome situation the cry increasingly became: “Ask Charlie”. He seldom failed to find the right solution to the problem.

Charlie was sympathetic with the young, who took to him instinctively. They loved his jokes and most infectious laugh and children staying at Tyneham always asked permission to “go out with Charlie”.

Lilian Bond

After the evacuation, Ralph and Evelyn Bond lived in a house at Corfe Castle for three years and Charlie stayed on with them.

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William George Meech (1887-1916)

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William was also the son of Emily Taylor nee Hyde (1865-1917), the Laundress, from her first marriage to Thomas How Meech (1860-1888) He was just one year old when his father died.

William became a gamekeeper and was boarding with the Cane family at Milborne Port in 1911. He enlisted with the 1st Dorset Yeomanry at Sherborne. Sadly Private William Meech was killed in action in Egypt on 26 February 1916 aged 28. He is remembered on the War Memorial in Tyneham Church.

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Page last updated: 4 July 2021