Medieval castles were built to resist all the destructive efforts of besieging armies, so you would hardly expect something so substantial to be lost. Yet that has been the fate of most of Dorset’s castles, as M A Rodger records.
Somerset Voices: Christine Govier (b.1914)
March 10, 2009 at 4:00 am (Biography, Genealogy, History, Location)
Tags: Butleigh, Christine Govier, Glastonbury, Robert Neville Grenville
Christine Govier was born in 1914 in Butleigh near Glastonbury, her father worked as a carter for Robert Neville Grenville, Squire of Butleigh Court Estate. Robert Neville Grenville set up experimentation into cider making at Butleigh Court during the 1890s, and supported the opening of the National Fruit and Cider Institute, Long Ashton, in 1903 to undertake systematic research into cider production. He was also a pioneering motorist.
Magical Ideas for Your Family Tree
March 9, 2009 at 4:00 am (Genealogy)
Tags: Family Tree
Looking up family history can be very exciting even if you think your family is boring. It is kind of like going on a big treasure hunt except you have no idea where this treasure hunt will end. A family history hunt is not only free but can be very rewarding and can provide for some delightful surprises. This can even be an activity to do when you’re bored with the kids on a rainy Sunday.
Tracing scottish ancestors
March 8, 2009 at 4:00 am (Genealogy)
Tags: National Archives
Holding records for Scotland from the union in 1707, The National Archives holds documents on many of our Scottish ancestors. Find out how to go about discovering them in this talk by Audrey Collins from the National Archives podcast series.
Somerset Voices: Hugh Flatt (b.1917)
March 7, 2009 at 4:00 am (Biography, History, Podcast)
Tags: Hugh Flatt, Quakers, Somerset
Hugh Flatt speaks of his life in farming which began when, as a pacifist during World War II, he managed a Quaker training centre for conscientious objectors. He then went on to farm in partnership with another family in Devon.
The Registers of Sturminster Marshall (1563-1812)
March 6, 2009 at 4:00 am (Genealogy, Location)
Tags: Dorset, Sturminster Marshall
The Registers of Sturminster Marshall, Dorset, from 1563 to 1812 were transcribed by Miss Edith Hobday with the permission of the Rev. James Cross. The book, published in 1901 was digitized by Google in 2007 and may be viewed on-line or dowloaded in pdf format here
The Registers of Caundle Bishop (1570-1814)
March 5, 2009 at 4:00 am (Genealogy, Location)
Tags: Bishops Caundle, Charles Herbert Mayo, Dorset
The Registers of Caundle Bishop, (Bishops Caundle) 1570 -1814 was transcribed by the Rev. Charles Herbert Mayo with the permission of the Rev. John Warrington Strong, Rector of Bishops Caundle and published in 1895. A copy was digitized by Google in 2007 and may be read on-line or downloaded in pdf format here.
Somerset Voices : Elsie Frampton
March 4, 2009 at 4:00 am (Biography, History, Podcast)
Tags: Ashcott, Frampton, Glastonbury
Elsie Frampton (b. 1898) and her son Alan farmed in Ashcott near Glastonbury. The Framptons ran a milk round until 1952. Using a bicycle, they delivered to customers who would come out with their jugs to be filled with milk. Elsie Frampton was given an Austin car in 1924; she learnt to drive when cars were rare on the roads in Somerset. When Elsie was younger her uncle bought her a Governess pony trap, which was made in Bristol, they brought it back to Bridgwater by train.
Dissecting and cataloguing medical officers’ journals
March 3, 2009 at 4:00 am (History, Podcast)
Tags: National Archives
In this podcast from the National Archives Bruno Pappalardo introduces the collection of medical officers’ journals found in AMD 101. These journals give a detailed insight into a ship’s daily activities, as well as the science and wildlife that was encountered by British Navy medical officers.
Bishop’s Palace, Wells
March 2, 2009 at 4:00 am (Genealogy)
Tags: Ivy Agnes Edwards, Somerset, Wells
The Bishop’s Palace, Wells, Somerset, England, is adjacent to Wells Cathedral and has been the home of the Bishops of the Diocese of Bath and Wells for 800 years. It is also the place where my maternal grandmother, Ivy Agnes Edwards, was employed as a domestic servant.
