Holsworthy Methodist Church

A group of visitors from New Zealand – with family roots in Holsworthy – went home with some very special souvenirs to treasure.

Descendants of the Carthews, a well-known old Holsworthy business family, had been enjoying a big reunion in Bude and decided to call in on a Sunday morning at Bodmin Street Methodist Church, where some of their ancestors had worshipped. As chapel stewards showed them around the main sanctuary, they opened a small Bible on the altar – only to find inside the signature of George T Carthew, the ‘patriarch’ of the Holsworthy Carthews.
After briefly consulting members of the congregation, it was unanimously agreed to donate the Bible to George Carthew’s descendants. There were grandchildren and great-grandchildren among the visitors, and they were thrilled to be able to take it home to New Zealand, along with a commemorative chapel mug and centenary booklet.
There was an added bonus for the party on the same morning when there was a chance meeting outside the chapel with recently-retired Holsworthy cafe owner Nick Cousins, whose premises had occupied the same corner site as the original Carthews’ grocery and sweet shop. He went home and brought back gifts for the delighted visitors: some sets of cutlery embossed with the Carthew initials.