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The SDFHS Blog

Preview of the May ‘Greenwood Tree’

Posted on 3rd May 2015

We have experienced a little local difficulty with the production of the May edition of The Greenwood Tree, and we apologise if its delivery is slightly later than usual The printers we have used for over 20 years, FWB Printing Ltd of Wincanton, has ceased trading, and been replaced with a new company, Aurora We wish them success and hope to continue with them the excellent collaboration which we had with FWB The centenary of the outbreak of the First World War was rightly given great... more

The US Civil War

Posted on 14th April 2015

2015 marks the one hundred and fiftieth anniversary of the end of the US Civil War and to commemorate this we had four talks at our Family History Centre in Sherborne on Saturday 11 April The event was the inspiration of our Librarian Emeritus, Robin Ansell, who has had an almost life-long interest in the War and who brought along part of his extensive collection of books and memorabilia Fittingly Robin was the... more

William Rashley: was he a scoundrel?

Posted on 7th April 2015

Jane Harrington, a member of the SDFHS, tells the story of her great grandfather and the unanswered questions about his life and marriage My great grandfather, William John Rashley, born in Burton Bradstock in 1861, died quite young We knew that because my mother had never met him and that’s what she’s been told She thought she’d been told that, anyway She’d certainly never heard him talked about Her own mother, Annie Laura, had lived with a maternal aunt and uncle, Laura and... more

Making Baskets for Saddlers

Posted on 22nd February 2015

While researching items in Sherborne Museum for a forthcoming exhibition on basketmaking I came across a photograph, donated by a member of the Deacon family, who made baskets here in Sherborne and in the nearby village of Nether Compton over four generations The photograph says on the back 'Our Workshop and the baskets we are making for Saddlers' If you look closely at this photo, I am sure you will find this as exciting as I do because you can see that the photographer has clearly set up all... more

‘The Ridouts of Sherborne’ – writing up your family history

Posted on 10th February 2015

SDFHS member, Karen Francis, describes how she started investigating her Ridout ancestors and encourages other family historians to publish their research so that it can be preserved In March 2004, I decided to find out a bit about my maternal grandparents, Reg and Elsie Ridout I started off with what I knew: Reg had run a fish and chip shop at 38a Kingsmead Street in Bath; Elsie smelt of lavender and baked gorgeous chocolate cake Not exactly a lot to go on, but what do children ever... more