The Fagan’s are an ancient Irish clan. Thomas Fagan (born circa 1494) acquired considerable estates in Ireland including the estate of ‘Feltrim’ (the name is said to derive from the description: “The hill of wolves”) in the County of Dublin. The family adopted the style “from Feltrim” and the forename Feltrim has often appeared in their genealogy since then.

Noting that Cecil Round painted his picture in 1910… in 1912, Sarah Christian Anna Philpott (nee Fagan) died in Belmont Road Exeter and probate was granted to her nephew General Christopher Sullivan Feltrim Fagan. By 1914 General Fagan, who had been an Aide-de-Camp to Queen Victoria and General of the 4th Division Royal Marine Light Infantry (RMLI), was living in ‘the Cottage’ now listed in Kelly’s Directory of Devon and Cornwall as “Feltrim” (but which we know from Cecil Round’s painting, was actually renamed prior to 1910, presumably whilst in the ownership of his relatives).

Exeter was not considered to be at high risk of aerial bombing at the outset of the Second World War but, nonetheless air raid warden posts were set up across the city including Post Number 14 at Feltrim house. Following the RAFs bombing of Lubeck, Exeter was selected as one of the historic targets for reprisal air attacks and the city suffered a heavy Nazi air raid in the early morning of 4 May 1942. At about 02:45 that morning a 500 lb bomb fell between Numbers 36 and 38 Feltrim Avenue, striking No 36 as it fell and causing a water leak. At about the same time a 1,000 lb bomb landed about 15ft from Feltrim house, damaging the brick surface air raid shelter in which the residents of the house had taken refuge, but causing no injuries. Despite missing the house the force of the explosion caused extensive damage and subsequently the building had to be demolished.

Information Sources: http://feltrim.weebly.com/history.html and http://www.childrenshomes.org.uk/ExeterDB/.