01935 429609
Somerset & Dorset
Family History Society

The SDFHS Blog

Remembering a Generation

In November 2015 the Society  published Remembering a Generation The World War One servicemen of West and Middle Chinnock by Phil Nichols, who describes the origins of his research and new contacts he has made as a result of the publication While writing this book, I came to see how little I had appreciated the significance of the war memorials, both inside and outside of our two village churches, and the names inscribed on those memorials It was very clear, however, that the collective...
more

Christmas Star(s & Stripes)

Robin Ansell continues Barbara's 'transtlantic connection' theme for Christmas tree decorations Following Barbara’s story of tree decorations on both sides of the Atlantic, I offer our ‘stars & stripes’ Christmas tree star! It has adorned our Christmas tree every year since 2006 – when it was presented to us in Pennsylvania, by our then newly-discovered American cousins Connecting with them was in large measure due to the hallowed pages of the Society's journal The Greenwood Tree...
more

Christmas memories

Barbara Elsmore continues our theme about Christmas decorations and the family memories they evoke I was so pleased that Patricia reminded us of the joy of getting out the box of Christmas decorations and being re-acquainted once again with the treasures that lie within My personal collection of old favourites contains a 'Bambi' made in felt by my late mother in the 1970s from a pattern found in one of her magazines  My dad added a little wooden sledge and with a few special tiny parcels on...
more

Christmas Tree Fairy Story

Patricia Spencer recounts how the rediscovery of the 1950s fairy which had always graced the top of her family Christmas tree awakened memories of Christmas decorations from the past Last weekend I bought a small Christmas tree from the man who sells plants and flowers outside the Family History Centre in Sherborne and I called in at the Centre to say 'hello' to whoever was there Seeing the tree I was carrying and my having remarked that when I got home I'd be making a new dress for my...
more

The Pasley Engine Company, Sherborne

On Saturday 21 November 2015 we held our second successful 'Sherborne's Industrial Archaeology' day, chaired by George Tatham and with talks on several fascinating topics by Barry Brock and Graham Bendell Here Graham summarises the history of William Henry Pasley and his Sherborne-based engine company William Henry Pasley was born in Ireland in the late 1850s By 1871 he was an apprentice ironmonger Clearly he learnt his trade well as, by 1881, he was an ironmonger employing five people in...
more

Archives