St. Andrew's Church, Cheddar May 2010

Cliff Street, Cheddar May 2010

Market Cross, Cheddar May 2010

Market Cross, Cheddar from an old postcard (courtesy Somerset Archives)
 

The Andrews family have roots in Cheddar going back to the early part of the 18th century. Richard and Aaron were family christian names perpetuated through the generations. Family members were engaged mainly in farm labouring. The Cheddar area was largely given over to dairy farming and cheese production and the growing of strawberries. The world famous Caves were not discovered until the Victorian era. The village opened up for tourism with the arrival of railway in 1869 and also became a centre for clothing and footwear manufacture.

My branch of the Andrews family came to Australia 100 years ago when my great uncle Frank Andrews Perry arrived in Sydney aboard the Malwa on 29 December 1911. My grandfather Hubert Andrews Perry followed him possibly in 1914 aboard the Commonwealth that arrived 9 December. There mother Florence Andrews grew up in Redhill near Wrington in her father's pub The Rising Sun and she married gamekeeper Arthur Perry. Her father George James Andrews though born in Banwell had family roots in Cheddar and he initially became a publican in Cleeve, before moving to Redhill.

The parish registers for Cheddar exist from 1601. The earliest entry for Andrews that I located so far is for a Samuel Andrews, son of Samuel and Hannah baptised 17 December 1729. I cannot tie these people in with my family and it is possible earlier generations of my family were not Cheddar natives.

The Andrews' family origins in Cheddar are still being investigated. I welcome contact from anyone related to this family and anyone with Andrews ancestors in the region of Cheddar or Cleeve  - Marcel Safier. 



Celebrating 100 years since the arrival of the Andrews family in Australia