The extended family ( Kordhow Kernewek )

I have chosen to start the family story with Joseph and May Warwicker, partly because I want to concentrate on the Cornish side of the family and partly because, at this stage, I only have information going back that far. Joseph and May had four children: George, Frances, Eddy .and Florence. This story develops from Florence's marriage to Thomas . Tom and Florence had 5 children Dorothy, Thomas ( Ted ), Moreen, David and Victor. Sadly, Dorothy and David died very young.

Tom came from Rugby where his father was Stationmaster ( a position of some social esteem ) and became an apprentice with BR which he gave up and enlisted in the Royal Navy in 1912, having lied about his age as he was really too young to join up. He omitted to tell his parents what he had done until he sent them a post card from the gulf of Mexico.He was seconded to the Canadian Navy for a period but was recalled to the UK after about 10 months on the outbreak of the First World war.He served on sail ships and then on steam and saw active service in the Dardenelles and the battle of Jutland in the first world war. During the Dardenelles' campaign he took part in a shore raiding party to destroy a communications post. The battle of Jutland was a major sea battle involving over 250 British ships which was not very decisive but succeeded in restraining the Geman navy from pusuing further major atacks.

During his time in the Royal Navy, Tom was based in Devonport and often called in to Falmouth which is how he met and married Florence. After leaving the navy Tom and Florence moved " up country " but couldn't settle and moved back to Cornwall. Tom opened a small general store in Penryn, but this was not a sucess and he then joined the Falmouth Docks Engineering Company as an Engineer on Floating Plant culminating in 'The Dredger' where he worked for many years.

Although he cut short his apprenticeship training, the skills he developed were very evident in later life as he was a very sound engineer and was very good at solving mechanical problems. He used to make most of the Christmas toys ( certainly for the boys where his mechanical bent was most obvious ).

So, Tom started engineering training, ran away to join the Navy, experienced progress from sail to steam and in his life time saw it go nuclear. He lived through immense social change --from horse and cart to space flight, from Semaphore to Wireless from wireless to Television. The list is endless!

Florence was Cornish ( her mother being a Rashleigh ) Before marrying she suffered from ill health for many years, having had TB when she was in her twenties. Sadly she also suffered from heart problems and following a heart attack, she died from a stroke in 1954.

Ted was born in Penryn, and became a Carpenter and Joiner with a local building firm 'Strongmans ', where apart from National Service in the RAF he stayed until that Company folded . He then became an instructor with the Skills Centre organisation, serving at Camborne, Coventry and Plymouth which is how he came to live in Saltash ( see Saltash Buntings ) Ted inherited Tom's practical skills but developed then to an unusually high standard and is a perfectionist whose finished works hold pride of place wherever they are used.

The family moved to 35 Meadowbank Road Falmouth .

Moreen took on the mantle of mother when Florence died, looking after Tom and Victor and running the house whilst holding down a full time job at Marks and Spensers.She married Tony and moved into the family home in Meadowbank Road. When Tom remarried ( Annie ), .he moved out and Moreen and Tony took over the tenancy of 35 Meadowbank Road. Victor continued to live there and to have his sports gear washed by Moreen. Victor eventually joined the RAF leaving Moreen and Tony in peace to raise their own children, Phillip, David and Janet ( see The Wallis's )

Victor left school in 1958 and joined the RAF as a PTI, From 1960 to 1964 he was a member of the RAF Gymastic Display Team which appeared in many Royal Tounaments at Earl's Court, Festivals of rememberence at the Albert Hall, and also at various Military Tattoos around the world. In 1965 he started Pilot training and joined no 46 Squadron, flying Andovers, in 1967. In November he was posted to Sharjah in the middle east 1968, flying Andovers with no 84 Squadron. During this posting he contracted a Kidney problem and cameback to UK early, returning to 46 Squadron in 1969.Following a ground tour as a Personnel Staff Officer, he joined no 53 Squadron flying Belfasts in1975 This aircraft was scrapped in 1976 and he finished his time with the RAF as an Operations Officer at RAF Lyneham, leaving the RAF in March 1978. In April 1978 he joined R.A. Lister as a Personnel Officer and remained with them in various Personnel roles until 1999 when he left and started his own business as a Personnel Consultant.
The highlight of Victor's life ( so far ) was Marrying Brenda (Renfree) in 1964 and then having Julia in 1965 and Andrew in 1967.( see the Exiled Buntings ) and ( the Renfrees )

And now let's move on to other mambers of the family!