G'day Mate!
I did a quick bit of investigation for you and I found an Ellen Kerswel in the 1881 Census (www.familysearch.org). There were many other family members in Devon according to the Census records. Also a few in IGI index. You might also find www.freebmd.org.uk helpful and interesting.
Good luck with your family history investigations, I have been researching my own family history for the last three or four years and it is very addictive.
I hope you enjoy your visit to Exeter next year, I am sure that you will love our beautiful Devon countryside.
Rowena

There was a market garden/ nurseries in Dunsford Rd. known as Kerswells Nursery. In addition there was a shop fronting onto Dunsford Rd associated with this business, the shop was about 100 yds. above the existing John Stocker School. The shop has since been replaced by houses.

We know a couple in Landscore Rd. (Lanscore Rd is off Manor Rd) who remember well a family name Kerswell who lived in Fairfield House Manor Rd. Unfortunately Fairfield Hse. has recently been demolished. There is very much a twist here because the Kerswells also lived in Landscore Rd. prior to moving to Fairfield House.

In addition there was a Minerals Works (soft drinks) in Okehampton St. owned by Kerswell and the site of these works was opposite the Royal Oak Pub again in Okehampton St. The pub is still in use and the site of the Minerals Works is currently Whitton & Laing Auction Rooms, 37 Okehampton St.

Finally please note an extract below from 'Discovering Exeter/West of the River' by Hazel Harvey, published by Exeter Civic Society:

"Manor Rd. leads to Montgomery School. Alderman John Stocker laid the foundation stone on the 28th. Oct. 1929 and the school was opened in 1930 by the Bishop of Plymouth. The school stands on what was previously known as Easter Fair Field. It was owned by a Mr. Kerswell. He kept one or two Jersey cows on it 51 one weeks of the year then on Monday before Easter the fair would arrive with helter schelters, swing boats etc. Once Emmanuel Church was built the congregation found the fair grounds organs very noisy during the Good Friday Services.... Fairfield House stood next to Montgomery Field and would originally have been next to Easter Fair Field."

Hi, I started to send a message and my computer went off line and I think I lost the message. Briefly I think we are related as my maternal Great Grandparents used to own Fairfield House and were called Kerswell. My mother is still alive and well. I know she had a cousin who lived in Manor Road. I will try and get some more information from her. I am awaiting her text. If you want to send me your email address I would be very happy to send you any information. I've asked the museum to contact you with my e--mail address. It is too much of a co-incidence to be true. I thought all my Grandmothers family were long dead and didn't realise that they had children. My gran didnt talk about her sisters much but I am fairly certain Ellen and Vera were mentioned in some context. I was 16 when my gran died which was in 1963 so I can remember quite a lot of our conversations. Goodness only knows what relation we are to each other, but it is clear there is some connection. Pat

Hi, I think the picture of Ellen and her husband is my grandmothers sister. My Gran was 83 when she died in 1963 and I was 16, so I can recall several of our conversations. My mother who is 91 can recall that she had an auntie that they called Aunty Nell, which could be short for Ellen. My Gran was one of four girls I believe although she didn't talk much about her sisters, I know she had a sister called Florence who married Walter Otten the Ironmonger on Fore Street who was quite wealthy. According to my mother the sisters were called Mary Ann (my grandmother), Ellen, Florence and Rose. I know they used to live in Fairfield House, and that they owned a field which my gran kept a pony for a pny and trap, and that their parents owned a carbonated drinks factory and I have a ginger beer bottle from the factory which was in Okehampton Road. It looks as if they owned the pub as well although I have never heard mention of that.  Pat