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The SDFHS Blog

Tales of Local Railways

Posted on 29th November 2017

We were in for a treat as we assembled for two railway themed talks in the Raleigh Hall in Sherborne last Saturday This was the first time our talks were held in this hall and while we clearly regret leaving our Family History Centre in Sherborne, it was good that this, new to us, ground floor venue turned out to be so very convenient and pleasant With the emphasis on local history, the talks attracted many other people as well as members and we would all discover that underpinning these... more

The Greenwood Tree – December 2017

Posted on 27th November 2017

The December issue of The Greenwood Tree, my last as editor, will be reaching you in early December and the PDF (in full colour) can now be downloaded from the Members' Area of our website In the September issue you were introduced to our new editor, Paul Radford (for contact details, see below), and I have been working with Paul on the production of this December edition We have visited our printers, Aurora Print and Design in Wincanton, and Paul is now pretty familiar with how I have done... more

Farewell to Eileen Holloway (1930-2017)

Posted on 2nd November 2017

Eileen has been a regular volunteer at our Family History Centre for some considerable time An experienced family historian she had fascinating stories to tell about her ancestor at the Crimea and another on the Oregon Trail She did things 'by the old school' methods and laughed at the mention of the word 'computer' It would have amused her greatly, had she known, that she would be the subject of a 'blog' It is hard to talk of Eileen in the past tense as she was so much a part of the... more

Going to School in the War Years

Posted on 30th September 2017

We are reminded that bombs were dropped over a wide area of Sherborne on 30 September 1940 with loss of life and widespread damage John Samuel Jackson of Milborne Port, a pupil at Foster's School remembers what it was like to be in school during the war years: I previously (1937-39) went to Stonegarth School, which was situated at the bottom of The Avenue in Sherborne The Headmistress was Miss Sparkes Having taken the Entrance Exam, I then started at Foster’s School in Hound Street in... more

Stories of Exeter’s War Hospitals 1914-1919

Posted on 19th September 2017

100 years ago, in 1917, you might have been Gunner John Parr, wounded in the third battle of Ypres during a heavy exchange of fire You've been given your initial medical care in the field and sent by train to the French coast Now you are in an ambulance train You've been sent home to 'Blighty' for further treatment It's early morning and as the train draws to a halt you look out of the window and see the sign 'EXETER' Two orderlies lift you down from the train on a stretcher and a doctor... more