Grant family

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The Grant Family lived at Gwyle Cottages in Tyneham from 1924 to 1942. The family left Tyneham a year before the evacuation.


Henry George ‘Harry’ Grant (1898–1977)


Harry was born on 8 December 1898 at East Stoke, Dorset. He was the eldest son of John William Grant (1873-1944) and his wife Annie Grant nee Hood (1864-1926). His father was a woodman by trade but by 1901 was also the sub-postmaster at East Stoke. The post office in those days was on the main Wareham to Wool road opposite the lane to Rushton crossing.

Harry married Beatrice Marjorie ‘Marjorie’ Smith (1901–1982). Marjorie was born on 15 May 1901 at Throop, Hampshire.

Harry and Marjorie had one son, Arthur John Henry Grant (1922-2010) – see below.

Harry and Marjorie were both ‘in service’ at Tyneham House from around 1924.

My parents moved to Tyneham when Dad got the job as estate woodman for the Bond family. We had John Gould’s house – he moved to Gardener’s Cottage as he had been promoted to head gardener at Tyneham House.

Arthur Grant, 2000

In 1939 Harry’s occupation was given as Woodman. Marjorie was performing ‘unpaid domestic duties’. Living with them at Gwyle Cottages was Cyril Frank Griffiths (1928-1998)see later.

Mum took in children from the east end of London during the war. They had never seen the sea or had a holiday. One lady, now aged 76, wrote to me last year to say she still remembered Tyneham and wondered what I had done since then. I sent her some newspaper cuttings, I even found a photo of her sitting on the doorstep of our cottage.

Arthur Grant, 2006

The family left Tyneham in 1942, a year before the evacuation. They later lived at Coombe Heath.

Harry died in 1977 and Majorie died in 1982.


Arthur Henry John Grant (1922-2010)


Arthur was born on 20 April 1922.

An enterprising boy, was young Arthur. He discovered that a good way of making extra pocket money was to volunteer to open and close gates for the increasing number of motorists who began to come from far afield to visit Worbarrow Bay. There were four gates and a penny or two was thrown from the cars as a reward. On a good day a boy might take home as much as three or four shillings.

Helen Taylor, 1994

Arthur left school at 13 and was taken on as Pantry Boy and then Under Footman at nearby Tyneham House where his parents were in service. In 1937 he left Tyneham, aged 15, to join the Merchant Navy. Arthur did not learn that the village had been evacuated until he returned home after his ship was bombed off the coast of Ireland.

Arthur later was a steward on the flying boats and for Qantas and was even part of the crew which flew the Queen to Australia in 1954.

After leaving the merchant navy he became a professional photographer.

Arthur married his wartime sweetheart Dorothy Grace ‘Grace’ Rawles (1926–2015) in 1953. They settled in Wareham and had a daughter Annette and a son Geoffrey.

Arthur retired in 1990. Arthur died at home on 12 January 2010 aged 87 after a long illness. His ashes are buried in Tyneham Churchyard. Grace died on 13 August 2015 aged 88 years.


Cyril Frank Griffiths (1928-1998)


Cyril was the adopted son of Harry and Marjorie. He was born on 17 June 1928.

Cyril and I played a lot mostly in the duck pond where the Gwyle re-merges from under the road. In 1939 after the war started, we made battleships out of offcuts of wood, using old nails as the 16inch guns.

Colin Driscoll, 2002

If you have any memories or photos of the Grant family that you wish to share, please email us. Our address is shown on the home page.


Page last updated: 26 August 2022

Video Clips

Home Check out some of our favourite links to You Tube videos about Tyneham & Worbarrow. Take a look around the village today and hear what former residents have to say. Tyneham | Exploring Britain’s Abandoned World War II Ghost Village (2022) | 32.08 The story of Tyneham with colourised… Continue reading

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2010: Tributes paid to legendary Purbeck photographer Arthur Grant

by Jim Durkin The family of legendary Purbeck photographer Arthur Grant have paid a heartfelt tribute to a “huge character who will always be remembered with affection and love”. Arthur passed away peacefully at home last Tuesday at the age of 87, after a brave battle against a protracted illness.… Continue reading

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2010: Death of Arthur Grant

GRANT ARTHUR (AMENDED NOTICE) (Photographer) aged 87 years peacefully at home on Tuesday 12th January 2010. Dearly beloved Husband of Grace and Dad of Geoff, Annette and to Tanya and Mike. A dear Grandad of Jamie-Lee, Saffron and Poppy. Funeral Service in the Church of Lady St Mary, Wareham, Monday… Continue reading

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Grant family

Home|Families|A-E|F-J|K-O|P-T|U-Z The Grant Family lived at Gwyle Cottages in Tyneham from 1924 to 1942. The family left Tyneham a year before the evacuation. Henry George ‘Harry’ Grant (1898–1977) Harry was born on 8 December 1898 at East Stoke, Dorset. He was the eldest son of John William Grant (1873-1944) and… Continue reading

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2015: Death of Dorothy ‘Grace’ Grant

DOROTHY ‘GRACE’ GRANT Passed away peacefully at home after a short illness on Thursday 13th August aged 88 years. Beloved wife of the late Arthur (photographer). Much loved mum of Geoff and Annette and to Tanya and Mike. Dear grandma of Jamie-Lee, Saffron and Poppy and to Andrew, ‘G-Mar’ of… Continue reading

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2010: Lingering ghosts of a long-dead England

Tyneham in Dorset was already a museum piece when it was shut down during the Second World War. It never reopened by David Randall There’ll be another burial in the village next week. Arthur Grant’s ashes will be interred in the churchyard at Tyneham in Dorset. He left more than… Continue reading

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