If you travel through the Grange Farm Estate in the village of Kesgrave, Suffolk, you may be as surprised as I was to find a sign to Lummis Vale. On making enquiries of the Parish Clerk I was supplied with the following extract from Kesgrave News (Volume 2, Issue No. 12 - December 1994)
Lummis Vale: Reverend W. M. Lummis was Vicar of Kesgrave from 1933 until 1941. He worked tirelessly to clear the debt on the church hall. He enlarged the Parish Magazine which was then acclaimed as one of the best in the county. He also produced a "Short History and Guide to Kesgrave" which is quite a sought after document. If anyone would like to borrow my copy please don't hesitate to ask. He had electricity laid to the church - it seems hard in these days to think of the oil lighting used in 1938.
Norman Bugg
I have subsequently been advised of another noted Lummis associated with the parish of Kesgrave - Dennis Herbert Lummis, DSC (1920-2003). During his military career he was awarded the Distinguished Service Cross for outstanding courage and determination in skilful attacks on enemy shipping in the Adriatic while in Light Coastal Craft. After the war he taught at both schools in Kesgrave until he retired. Many former pupils remember him with affection.
I have been unable to find any documentary evidence from the local council as to the origin of the name although it was the practice when naming roads on the Grange Farm Estate to use the names of respected and well known people who had connections with the area, and these were suggested by the local parish council.