A few weeks ago the granddaughters of John and Martha Roper visited the Village as part of a research trip into their family history.
John Roper was a local solicitor who seemed to have retired early, while Martha was a very active pillar of our community who amongst other things was a founding member of Casterton Women’s Institute, later becoming a long serving President.
They moved to Casterton after their marriage in 1912, firstly living at North Heads and later Old Hall where they raised their children. John died in 1944 but Martha lived until 1970.
Their granddaughters, Ianthe and Amanda, met Simon Drakeford at Old Hall and with the kind permission of Will and Liz Newman, showed them around the house that they had last visited more than sixty years ago. They were thrilled at the opportunity and as they strolled from room to room enjoyed reminiscing of times gone by.
The photo shows Amanda and Ianthe, granddaughters of John and Martha Roper, outside Old Hall in September 2023.
If you would like to read more about the history of Old Hall or other aspects of Casterton’s history you can visit Simon Drakeford’s history blog